Film Is Love Actually the best UK Christmas film?

I wrote this in the other thread from a week or so ago, nothing comes close and it shouldn't even be an argument.
 
Does "The Muppet Christmas Carol" count, given that it's set in Dickensian London, has Michael Caine in it, and is absolutely fantastic, fa-la-laaah?

Otherwise, well, it probably is but there's not a lot of competition. American Hallmark films are all probably as good.
 
I watched Love Actually for the first time last year, after enjoying a rewatch of Four Weddings and a Funeral. Thought it was watchable but nothing more.

I'm surprised at all the 'cringe / creepy' comments about the scene with the declaration of love with boards. It was corny, but I've seen corny shit like that in loads of scenes in films / TV shows where a man or woman turns up to declare their love - reading love letters or poetry, playing / singing songs, turning up with Mariachi bands, balcony scenes mimicking Romeo & Juliet, etc. All corny as hell, but only cringeworthy in terms of being corny, not creepy. And I found this the same.

A lot seems to be playing on the ages of the actors, but the character was marrying another guy in his 20's - so presumably they were having sex as well. Not sure what's so inappropriate age wise about one guy in his 20's loving her, when it's alright for another guy in his 20's to supposedly be marrying and sleeping with her.

Anyway, probably won't watch it again. But the extreme criticism seems to be an example of one of these things that just gathers momentum nowadays - especially online. Plenty of very similar examples in all kinds of corny, romance movies that go without mention - but this one gets picked out and becomes 'a thing'. I guess Richard Curtis' films have been being 're-evaluated' recently, and once that begins then more and more starts to get picked out and made a far bigger deal of than is merited.
 
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I watched Love Actually for the first time last year, after enjoying a rewatch of Four Weddings and a Funeral. Thought it was watchable but nothing more.

I'm surprised at all the 'cringe / creepy' comments about the scene with the declaration of love with boards. It was corny, but I've seen corny shit like that in loads of scenes in films / TV shows where a man or woman turns up to declare their love - reading love letters or poetry, playing / singing songs, turning up with Mariachi bands, balcony scenes mimicking Romeo & Juliet, etc. All corny as hell, but only cringeworthy in terms of being corny, not creepy. And I found this the same.
Those scenes are almost always between characters who are already romantically involved in some way, so the big romantic gesture is pretty acceptable. When it's your best friend's fiance it definitely crosses the line into weird, obsessive behaviour

obviously it's just a movie and it doesn't matter, but it's played like it is romantic when it isn't. It's grim
 
Those scenes are almost always between characters who are already romantically involved in some way, so the big romantic gesture is pretty acceptable. When it's your best friend's fiance it definitely crosses the line into weird, obsessive behaviour

obviously it's just a movie and it doesn't matter, but it's played like it is romantic when it isn't. It's grim
Plenty of romantic films have plots where the person - male or female - is in love with someone that's not - initially at least - in love back. Or they have feelings as well but are already in a relationship - often with a mutual friend. That's just a story narrative to add a complication to the potential romance.

Not sure why this one keeps being referenced with buzzwords like 'creepy, weird, obsessive, grim' etc. Other than it's to do with the 're-evaluating' of Curtis' films.
 
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:lol: :lol:
 
Keira Knightley is not an awful actress, what an ignorant statement to make. She’s had plenty of very good performances.
 
I was literally about to reply to @noodlehair in the Die Hard thread, saying that surely nobody actually likes Love Actually...

Turns out...

I had a Korean girlfriend and it was her favourite film which was excruciating. It was somewhat acceptable though as due to the language barrier she wasn’t aware of its crimes against humanity.
 
Home Alone
Krampus
Bad Santa
Rare Exports
Nightmare Before Christmas

Those are the ones I usually gravitate towards.

I don't understand how that film has a cult following. The other ones I get though.
 
I can't disagree with the idea that it's shit and cringe but I still watch it every year and enjoy it.

There aren't many Christmas films where you couldn't easily point out several inappropriate and dated elements. My missus hates It's a Wonderful Life for similar reasons.