Christmas time is here, and we've got a fire roaring with a delightful discussion of holiday films! We unwrapped "Noelle," a charming tale of Santa's daughter's yuletide heroics, and served up some sugarplum thoughts on "The Family Man," a timeless treat replete with love, family, and second chances. Now, won't you join us by the hearth for a lively conversation about these festive films?
We've decked the halls with our thoughts on these movies' recurring themes of gratitude and family, and even hung some mistletoe over the chemistry between the actors. Plus, we've got a few Christmas cracker jokes and personal movie-related traditions that are certain to light up your holiday season.
As we look to the twinkling stars above, we express our hopes for a brighter year ahead. So, leave us a review, share your favorite Christmas movie and join us next time on Natey & Katy: At the Movies. Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year filled with magical movie moments!
Christmas time is here, and we've got a fire roaring with a delightful discussion of holiday films! We unwrapped "Noelle," a charming tale of Santa's daughter's yuletide heroics, and served up some sugarplum thoughts on "The Family Man," a timeless treat replete with love, family, and second chances. Now, won't you join us by the hearth for a lively conversation about these festive films?
We've decked the halls with our thoughts on these movies' recurring themes of gratitude and family, and even hung some mistletoe over the chemistry between the actors. Plus, we've got a few Christmas cracker jokes and personal movie-related traditions that are certain to light up your holiday season.
As we look to the twinkling stars above, we express our hopes for a brighter year ahead. So, leave us a review, share your favorite Christmas movie and join us next time on Natey & Katy: At the Movies. Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year filled with magical movie moments!
Do you love Christmas movies? Do you love when people give their opinions about your favorite Christmas movies? Then you'll love Nate and Katie at the movies the Christmas special.
Speaker 2:Ho ho ho. Merry Christmas and welcome to the Christmas episode of Nate and Katie at the movies. That's right, we're bringing back the Christmas episode because last year was just oh so much fun.
Speaker 3:Yes, it was me.
Speaker 2:With me, thankfully, is my good, good, good, good, good friend, katie. Merry Christmas, katie.
Speaker 3:Merry Christmas to you as well, and happy holidays. Happy Hanukkah, happy Kwanzika I cover all our bases. I'm enjoying the Christmas time and the Christmas songs and the Christmas foods and the Christmas music and the Christmas movies.
Speaker 2:What would Christmas be without Christmas movies? Now, of course, when this episode is dropping, it's a early Christmas present for our listeners. But just like last year, katie and I picked each other's movies. Last year I picked it's a wonderful life for Katie the classic Christmas film, and Katie decided to pick one of her favorite classic movies bad Santa and I watched it and I wondered Can I ever trust her opinions about movies ever again. And now hold on. Here we are, one year later, doing another Christmas episode of Nadie and Katie at the movies. And Katie, can you explain the process of trying to pick a movie for me to watch?
Speaker 3:Yeah, it's a nightmare because you've seen so many. I mean, that's what. That's the whole thing, right, nadie? One who watches movies all the time movie buff so to find a movie that is both worth watching and something you haven't watched, very slim to none. I do want it to be said that my initial first choice was the holiday, because it's my favorite Christmas time movie, the holiday featuring you know so many wonderful people. I would urge you, if you haven't seen the holiday, you have got to stop this episode and go watch it right now. But Nathan had already seen it, so we couldn't choose that. So the movie I chose for Nathan this time is called Noel, spelled N-O-L-L-L-E, which I believe is her name.
Speaker 2:Yeah. I want to give our listeners a little listen to what I had to watch, so take a listen, ah.
Speaker 1:Ah Yo, Snow cone. Ah, oh yes, here's my hyperactive little reindeer. My name is Noel Kringle. Morning Princess. My partridge in a pear tree underwear needs washing. Oh well then, my Christmas wish has been granted. Christmas runs in my family. My dad was Santa, and now it's my brother, Nick's turn to wear the hat. I'm stocking full of coal. If I've ever seen one, he saved a kitten from a tree. Which one Nice Noel. Will your brother be ready by Christmas? Of course he's a cringle. How could you do this?
Speaker 2:I don't want to do this.
Speaker 1:No, this is great. This is great. No, let it happen. This is not going well at all. Sometimes I dream about getting out. Well, you can't be Santa. If you're having a nervous breakdown, you need to get away for the weekend. The first time in 2,000 years, santa has disappeared. I just said he should take the weekend off. We must have a new Santa Gabriel Kringle Me. I'm in the tech department and loving it. What about a rescue mission? Do you mind telling me what you're doing? I'm going to get my brother and you're coming with me. Stay right where you are. We are looking for Santa Claus. You don't tell anybody who you are, where are you from A little town up north or who you came from. Sir, it's a privilege to wear that suit. Put some pants on, so naughty.
Speaker 2:Christmas Eve is less than 48 hours away.
Speaker 1:This could be the perfect time to start an online delivery platform. We've got to find Santa. For thousands of years we've jingled bells and delivered toys and we must make sure nothing changes that. It's so hot. Do you have any ice in this tent? Hello, I like your pants. They're jolly. They're yoga pants Like yours. These are my yogurt pants. No yoga pants. I love yogurt pants.
Speaker 3:Downward facing reindeer.
Speaker 1:I said take the weekend. Nobody listens to me.
Speaker 3:Don't do that, please.
Speaker 2:Wow, that's a big deal in here. So yeah, if you can't tell by the trailer, this is going to be an interesting one. But before I get into my thoughts on this movie, I am going to reveal the movie that I picked for Katie, and that is drum roll, please. The Nicholas Cage Christmas Classic, the Family man. And so take a listen to what Katie had to watch and play with the bop Jack Campbell thought he had everything.
Speaker 1:Merry Christmas. I'm giving everything I've got to this deal. You're a credit to capitalism, jack. Then, one day, his past caught up to him. Kate Reynolds she was my girlfriend in college. I almost married her, but instead you left her. I took the road less traveled, and fate what. I'm not going to marry her. I'm not going to marry her. I'm going to take the road less traveled, and fate what. Him Me. Gave him a glimpse. What do you need, jack? I got everything I need. Yeah, you just remember that you brought this on yourself At what His Life Could have Been, kate. Come on, dad, get up. It's Christmas. It's Christmas, jack, strong coffee. Where's my Ferrari? You got a Ferrari. She just told me what she wanted. She just told me what's happening to me.
Speaker 1:This is a glimpse, a glimpse of what. This is not my beautiful house. This is very strange, because this isn't my house. This is not my beautiful wife. Those aren't my kids. You're not bringing my dad, are you? I don't have time for this. I'm in the middle of a deal. Well, you're working on a new deal now. Baby Good Lord, do you know why I work here? Because you're the best damn tire guy in the state of New Jersey. I must have needed this every day. Dad, you need it in bad wheels.
Speaker 2:You want me.
Speaker 1:That is the general idea. Oh God, you're beautiful. How can you look at me like you haven't seen me every day for the last 13 years? Jack? What's up how you doing baby Can't keep coming in and out of people's lives messing things up. It's not right. I need you to remember me, kate. I'll keep it with you no matter what happens. Academy Award winner Nicholas Cage, the Family man.
Speaker 2:So let's get right into our thoughts. So, Katie, can you give us a brief synopsis of the Family man?
Speaker 3:I can Well. First of all, it's Nicholas Cage. That's the main thing you need to know. It's Nicholas Cage. This is early Nicholas Cage, before he started being a caricature of himself. This was 2000,. A movie from 2000. It's about him playing a man named Jack who is one of those New Yorker suburbanized works in the big tower doing business-y stuff. He had to give up the love of his life. He had a choice he could either stay back with her or fly off and become a businessman. He chose to be a businessman and he gets an opportunity to see what life would have been like if he had chosen to stay with his girlfriend Kate. I'm sure it's a happy ending movie, so I'm sure you can guess how it ends, but there's not a full closure. I do like there's a little bit of leeway at the end and of course it's starring the Nicholas Cage, and alongside him is his love of interest. Is Tia Leone playing Kate?
Speaker 2:So what'd you think?
Speaker 3:Well, you know, I could have done a more brief synopsis. It's called it's a movie called it's a Wonderful Life.
Speaker 2:No, it's not the same though.
Speaker 3:It's not. It definitely had you know, in true Christmas movie fashion. It gave us one of those chances where there's you get a chance to see what life would have been like. I don't feel like it's unique in that sense where there's been plenty of movies that do that. Hello a Christmas Carol. But, that being said, I did really like the movie I found there I have.
Speaker 3:I cannot see Nicholas Cage as a romantic like that's just. Maybe it's because I only know him in later life, but I cannot view him as a like hunk to be the lead in a romantic movie. However, the chemistry he had with the actress, they were spot on, like I mean, I was completely convinced that he was head over heels for her, she was head over heels for him. I really did enjoy it. I definitely couldn't be distracted in watching anything else. I was fully invested and I really wanted to know what happened and I do feel like, like I said, it ends happy but it's still cliffhanger enough.
Speaker 3:You know that it's not a surefire ending, that you're guessing from the beginning, but I really liked the concept and, as cliche as it is now, I'm sure back in 2000, it was maybe a little more unique the idea of hey dad's everywhere watching this movie. Maybe you do need to be grateful for the family and kids you have. I mean, I think that's the main Christmas message. That's involved is. This might seem monotonous, maybe you're sick and tired of dragging them to all this Christmas stuff, sick and tired of wrapping their presents. But wow, if you didn't have this life, you might regret it.
Speaker 2:So were there any dislikes? You mentioned the lack of, I guess, uniqueness and the premise. Was there anything else that you didn't like about this Christmas classic?
Speaker 3:Man. It really was a fantastic movie. It was a smidgen predictable. There was some again Nichols Cage like to see him as like this kind of sexy like. I would have like been more okay with Tom Cruise going there, I guess, but it worked for his character Cause I think he did a great job playing both parts, the businessman and the family man.
Speaker 3:I don't think I have any major critiques. Any critique I have would maybe just be that it's a dated movie. Right, it's not black and white, but it was made 23 years ago. Gosh, I really just thought it was good. I would highly suggest people to watch it. Maybe if I had to give a critique, it would be it's not anywhere close to the top of my list in terms of Christmas movies, like, yes, it does happen during Christmas time, much like my favorite movie, the Holiday ironically it's a romance movie, happens to be somewhat involved with Christmas, but I would put a lot of movies ahead of this one in terms of favorite Christmas.
Speaker 3:I also share one funny thing, so I tried to get my husband to watch it with me. I thought it would be you know, it's not a mean one like Bad Santa, but he told me that he actually had to watch it growing up. His dad's a very big Hallmark movie, christmas movie fan, which surprised me. It's kind of. There's some sexual scenes and like some pretty intense like romance stuff. So I'm kind of shocked. But his dad's a hope was romantic, so I could. I could see why they watched it. But Scott was able to like quote some of the lines to me, his favorite one being you know, they're in the bedroom and she's looking at me and he said you actually like me, like you're looking at me, like you actually like me. And he just wasn't used to women actually like seeming like they're liking him, not just in it for the fling. But what did you think of the movie? I'm assuming you've seen it before.
Speaker 2:Well, it is one of my go-to Christmas movies. Every year I watch it. I just think it's a Surprisingly good movie with Nicholas Cage in it. I just like the story. I just think it's a feel-good movie. Another reason why I like this movie is because and you can call me a nerd but one of my favorite TV shows of all time is Smallville, and there is an episode of Smallville that's exactly like this movie. It's called Lexmus. So any smallville fans out there, lexmus is basically the same premise. Lex Luthor gets shot and while he's in a coma he dreams a life with Lana Lang, with kids and all this stuff, and he has to make a choice whether he's going to continue down this bad path or if he's gonna go down this road of love and Light and all that stuff. And of course, if you know Lex Luthor, he decides to continue to be bad. But that's also a movie, a TV show episode I watch every Christmas.
Speaker 2:It's like it you know just your tradition that I have. So the family man I just think is a great movie and I'm really really glad that you enjoyed it.
Speaker 3:I did and I think again, if you haven't, if you're listening and you haven't seen it, I do highly encourage you to watch it. It especially if you have kids not not a, I mean, anyone could enjoy it but especially especially if you have kids or you're close to your midlife life crisis. Great movie to watch. Now moving on to your movie.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I was gonna say, let's hold off on giving ratings until the very end. So, yeah, let's move on to to my, my movie. So if you can't tell by the clearing of my throat, we have a repeat of last year. No, not in the context of this. Movie was raunchy and gross, but that is another movie that Katie picked. Now, to be fair, I've narrowed it down to two movies that I had not seen. So technically, I kind of picked this for myself. So I'm gonna give Katie a break on this. But out of the two I picked, she's like hey, picked that one. So the one that's an.
Speaker 3:A kindrick is in it.
Speaker 2:And that's supposed to mean what to me?
Speaker 3:Oh well, I just you know it's, it's the god least a big name, right? I mean most of the hallmark ones, at least you're like, I don't know. So I thought maybe, and Bill Hader too, right.
Speaker 2:And that's supposed to mean what to me?
Speaker 3:All right, well, tell us how you felt about the movie. What's? What's it about?
Speaker 2:Well, before I can, yeah, before I can do that, I got to give you the synopsis, which actually, this synopsis Basically spoils the entire movie. So get ready. Santa's daughter must take over the family business. Boom, that's the movie right there. When her father retires or dies, doesn't retire, yeah, yeah that this movie goes there. Wait, when her father retires and her brother, who is supposed to inherit the Santa role, gets cold feet. Noelle stars, anna Kendrick, shirley MacLean, bill Hader and the bad guy from Marvel's secret invasion TV show. This synopsis gives you the basic plot of the entire movie. There's really no reason to watch it now because I just told you everything that just happened. Except her father, santa Claus, does not retire. He fricking dies at the beginning of the movie.
Speaker 3:I don't know, I'm already against this movie that you can't kill Santa in a Christmas movie, they killed Santa Claus.
Speaker 2:Now, to be fair, there is another movie called the Santa Claus with Tim Allen, who also kind of kills Santa. But this movie makes you like love the guy who plays Santa. He looks like Santa when you think of Santa. This guy is it. And then it's like, oh, they begin like a really sweet thing. At the beginning of the movie he's coming down to chimney. You think he's going to some kid's house and it's actually his kid's house and he's like, you know, even though they're his kids, he still comes down to chimney and like it's a really sweet moment. But then you also think, when did he have these young children?
Speaker 3:Because he's like always that.
Speaker 2:He's Santa and he's old looking, so already I'm getting weird vibes from this movie. And then, yeah, they kill him off and Bill Hader is the brother he doesn't want to be Santa. He's not sure if he's supposed to be Santa. Yeah, this movie was dumb.
Speaker 3:Okay question who's the bad guy in this movie?
Speaker 2:Well, see, here's the thing. There is no bad guy. Well, okay, there is no bad guy. Bill Hader's character leaves because Noel says well, maybe you should take a few, like, take a weekend, take a weekend vacation, clear your mind. So he does and he doesn't come back. Well, she goes away to find him. Their cousin, gabe, takes over and he's like the tech guy and he thinks that they should do a delivery service like Amazon Prime. They actually like shameless plug with Amazon Prime. During this movie it was just all over the place, dumb, all over the place. Dumb Christmas all over the place. Instead of oh my goodness, they say oh my garland.
Speaker 3:That's funny. No, it's not funny. Can you watch this movie?
Speaker 2:Wait first, katie, have you yourself watched this movie?
Speaker 3:No, I was waiting to see what you thought. No, you saved me an hour and 40 minutes, Okay, but I have a question. So, as dumb as it is, blah blah, silly puns, whatever the movies that you have shown me, both of them had a plot and a meaning and a moral. Even Bad Santa, as bad as you thought it was, had meaning and purpose and there was a positive message. What was the message? Wait, hold on, hold on.
Speaker 2:What was the positive message of Bad Santa Katie? Please, please, elaborate.
Speaker 3:Because the Billy Bob Thornton's character has a change of heart, because he meets that little boy and it changes his heart and he decides to be kind.
Speaker 2:No, he does not, because there's a sequel where he just goes right back to being the stupid idiot guy that he was before.
Speaker 3:Okay well, the first one was good, but, noel, what do you if you had to guess what they're going for? What was the takeaway from Noel?
Speaker 2:Oh, I know exactly what they're going for. It's a Disney movie, so I know exactly what they're going for. This movie is what some people would consider woke, and there's a plethora of reasons. Katie, tell me the establishment.
Speaker 3:Take down Santa, put a girl in charge.
Speaker 2:I mean, you said it, no, I'm just saying, I'm just saying. But there are like some moments where I'm like, okay, number one, all the male characters are either dumb or semi bad. Like the cousin isn't like straight up evil but he wants to like change the whole way. Santa does what he does. You know, santa knows who's naughty and nice, but Gabe wants to make this system where you just calculate stuff and find out who's not. It's yeah, it was really dumb. One positive thing and it's not really a positive for the movie. It's a positive thing. That made me think about Christmas movies in general. So usually in Christmas movies that are for kids or just again in general, there are certain religions that aren't mentioned in Christmas movies. Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but quote unquote secular Christmas movies don't really ever and I'm not saying they never do this, but don't really ever mention Christians or Christianity in them. But they will.
Speaker 2:Like the baby Jesus, but they will mention, like this movie. So there's a point in the movie where Santa just magically knows who's naughty and nice. Right, that's part of his spiel. And Noel starts realizing that she has that ability too, that she can just pick up on people's niceness. So she meets this detective guy who's trying to make a phone call and he tries to ask people for their cell phones and everyone's being like no, no, you're being jokes. And then Noel sees this guy. He's like hey, that guy's nice, he'll let you use his phone. And so he does. And Noel says you're gonna get what you get for Christmas. He says oh, I'm actually a Buddhist. And I'm like okay, okay, and so that's example number one.
Speaker 3:Wait, so that was supposed to be like a joke, yeah.
Speaker 2:I don't celebrate Christmas because I'm a Buddhist, like okay. So I'm guessing they're saying you don't have to celebrate Christmas to be nice, which is true, you don't, but yeah, and so that was example number one. Example number two is that her brother starts doing yoga and like says things like namaste and quoting all these Hindu things, right, so that's example number two. Then there's another one where she goes down this chimney of a family and she sees the family and they're like we're Jewish, and she goes back up the chimney. So that's example number three. And there's no mention of her going to a Christian family during Christmas time. Again, this is very nitpicky. It's kind of like how my review of wish was I just pick up on things, that I just think this is Disney just being Disney.
Speaker 3:To your point, though. That is very interesting. I think maybe they're trying to do what we sometimes call check the box moments. Maybe they were sort of trying to check a box to be like I know we're making a Christmas movie but we feel bad because we're leaving everybody else's religion out, so like we're going to mention them, to kind of like get credit. Which who are you trying to get credit for? If I celebrate Hanukkah, I'm not going to go watch a movie called no Well about Christmas If I don't celebrate it.
Speaker 3:But, you will now, because now you know they mentioned a Jewish family. Sure, sure. So yeah, sounds like maybe for a second year in a row. Maybe shows different types of movies for each other. I think I get the winning end on this one.
Speaker 2:Well, I'm hoping next year that you finally pick a movie that number one I haven't seen and number two is actually good.
Speaker 3:It's very difficult, very, very difficult. If anyone listening has suggestions, hit me up.
Speaker 2:But, yeah, let's go ahead and do our ratings. I will let you go first, Katie. What would you give the family man starring Nicholas Cage one to six stars?
Speaker 3:I liked the family. I liked the romance, a little bit of humor, not much action, but a tearjerker and some points. So I will give it probably a four and a half.
Speaker 2:I thought you were going to say I like the family and I like the man, so anyway. So let's go to my movie.
Speaker 1:I can't say with a straight face, noelle.
Speaker 2:I'm going to give Noelle a big old 1.5, because there was like one moment where I chuckled and I forgot to say my like about this movie. There is one thing that I like I liked how they didn't make it a romance movie, because she teams up with the detective but there's never really like there's a little bit of a will. They won't. They like each other kind of thing but they never do anything with it, and I kind of appreciated that because I thought that would make like, really make it extra cheesy. It was already cheesy with all the Christmas puns. Rest ye, merry gentlemen. I'm trying to calm everyone down by saying that I'm like this is so dumb. So that's our Christmas episode. Merry Christmas, ye filthy animal. So let's give our listeners a little sneak peek of what we're going to be reviewing next week. Take a listen.
Speaker 1:So you're the funny little man who's been following me. Funny little man, how dare you? I will have you know that I am a perfectly respectable size for a l'ompe-l'ompe. A l'ompe-l'ompe what now? In fact, in l'ompe-l'ompe land, I am regarded as something of a whopper.
Speaker 3:They call me lofty, sorry.
Speaker 1:Ladies and gentlemen, greetings to you all. My name is Willy Wonker. You see I'm something of a magician. Prepare to be amazed. Tape off Inventor. May I present Willy Wonker's wild and wonderful wishy-washy Wonker Walker. Please don't make me say that again. In chocolate maker, the best chocolate in the world. Ooh, he's good, too good, and anyone can afford them, even the poor. He doesn't like it. When people say poor, send Wonker a message Do not sell chocolate in this town. You're gonna get more than a bonk on the head, not on a bonk on the head. What is with me today?
Speaker 3:You should stand up to those bullies. Give them the old one, two.
Speaker 1:I got an idea. Where do we start Making chocolate? Of course, run away. Every good thing in this world started with a dream, so you hold on to yours. I guess it's time to change the world. I guess it's time to change the world. I'm not in premium economy. Good night, son. I am going flat. What is it? Nothing.
Speaker 3:Well, it's obviously something, because you said oh, I'm not in premium economy, I'm not in premium economy, I'm not in premium economy. What is it Huh?
Speaker 1:Forget it Very well.
Speaker 3:Huh, you did it again. Tell me what it is, or I shall poke you quite viciously with a cocktail stick.
Speaker 2:That's right. Come with me and you'll see if this prequel to Willy Wonka is good or not. We're going to be reviewing Wonka starring Timothy Chalene, who's I'm assuming I'm assuming is playing the Gene Walder version of Willy Wonka, which is the best version. So are you excited about that movie, Katie?
Speaker 3:I'm very excited and I do feel like it's important that I watch Willy Wonka before going in and I had a dear friend who's already gotten to see it. She had a little sneak peek and she prepped me to say it's a musical, which I guess I hadn't thought about the first one kind of as a musical too, like it's not a musical but there's several full out songs, and she was like hey, just be ready, there's a lot more singing than you think.
Speaker 2:So that is our Christmas episode. What would you like to do to end this episode, Katie?
Speaker 3:Merry Christmas, happy holiday.
Speaker 2:Hopefully next year is better.
Speaker 1:Thanks for listening to Nadia and Katie at the Movies the Christmas Special. Feel free to leave us a review so people can find the show. Follow us on all our social media platforms and if there's a movie that you wish for us to watch, you can send us an email at nadiankateyatgmailcom. Thanks for listening. Have a great day.