Monty Python and the Holy Grail

Monty Python and the Holy Grail, known for being one of the most famous British comedies ever made, is one of my all time favorite movies. Originally I didn't understand the film; however the more I grew and the more times I watched it the better it got. The first time that I ever saw this film was with the entirety of my extended family, it was almost as if it was a right of passage. I was expected to sit there in complete silence other than when a joke was told, in which case I was expected to laugh. To be honest the first time I watched through the film I really did not get the humor at all. I sat there in silence pretending to get the jokes, as to not insult a family favorite, but I just didn't get it.

Written and produced by the Monty Python comedy group in 1975, this film is a cult classic known for its goofy humor and extreme quotability. Constantly breaking out of the narrative and taking the viewer down unexpected and exciting plot paths, Monty Python and the Holy Grail is considered the troupe's first real film.  Co-directed by Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones this film was a colossal success with a gross of over 130 million dollars as opposed to its tiny budget of around 400 thousand dollars.

This film follows King Arthur as he seeks the Holy Grail, along the way gathering companions that later become the Knights of the Round Table. The tale follows their quest through different dangerous locations and past deadly foes until they eventually reach the castle in which the Grail is known to be held. Due to its small budget the film is infamous for its cuts and tactics to save money. For example, there is an ongoing joke in the film in which the actors clap coconuts together and gallop as if they are riding on horses because the production could not afford actual horses.



This film is an absolute gem. It has endless quotes and re-watchability, personally I have seen in countless times. I would recommend this to everyone who is in need of seeing a good comedy.

Kingsman

Among the couple other wildly popular Valentine's Day releases was Kingsman: The Secret Service. The film is set in England, and focuses around the unrefined, but promising Gary "Eggsy" Unwin. He is recruited by a secret-spy organization, into their agency's ultra-competitive training program, just as a global threat is emerging.

When I saw the trailer initially, I was intrigued, but my opinion quickly changed after I saw the film. From what I had gotten out of the trailer, I assumed that it was going to be a good old-fashioned spy movie, with a similar plot line to that of any of the Bond or Bourne films. I started out with the potential to be like those films, but quickly turned into something more similar to a Seth Rogan comedy. Not a bad thing, but not my first choice when it comes to film types.

Overall, I would probably give it a 3/10. It had a few good one liners, but the comedy was subpar and the action and fight scenes had a cartoonish aspect to them. Regardless of my opinion, check out the trailer and make your own decision. This may be something you enjoy.

Love Actually

Every year one of my family's Thanksgiving traditions, besides watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is to watch Christmas movies. We love to watch Home Alone, Home Alone 2, Jingle All the Way, Miracle on 34th Street, It's a Wonderful Life, several versions of A Christmas Carol, etc. However, one of my favorite holiday movies that I love to watch, but only when I am amongst friends, would be Love Actually.

Love Actually (2003) is a British romantic comedy that follows several characters' friends and family as they find love during the holiday season. Granted I am not one to like rom-coms, but this one I can sit through and watch multiple times in a row most likely because it has such a fantastic star-studded cast. Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson, Colin Firth, Keira Knightly, Alan Rickman, Rowan Atkinson, and Martin Freeman are only a few of the actors involved in this well-executed and delightful British love story. Some of the characters have office romances, one couple breaks through a language barrier, and another couple even met for the first time on the set of a movie as sex stunt doubles. Although the movie mostly focuses on couples, some characters just find the love of their family and friends that help them carry on. This movie goes to show that "love, actually, is all around us."
Besides the story and the cast, the music is another significant aspect of the film that I enjoy and cherish. The movie begins with a British has-been pop star that still has one hit left within him. Although using the same melody from one of his past hit songs, he only has to replace the word 'Love' with the word 'Christmas' and he's got a new hit. This song, although quite a bit of a joke, is used throughout the film and can be heard on the other character's radios or on their 'tele.' Another song that is particularly memorable in this movie is 'Bye Bye Baby' sung by Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. The song begins to play when Liam Neeson's character says goodbye to his late wife, the love of his life, at her funeral, and then the song carries over into the next scene where Keira Knightly's character has just been happily married and the couple is sharing their first dance. The duality of this song is beautiful. There are other moments in the film that are accentuated through the use of music as well, but I don't wish to give anymore away.
I highly recommend this British comedy for the holiday season.