Author: Jeff Mitchell

12 days of not-so-Christmassy Christmas movies: ‘Lethal Weapon’

Jeff Mitchell

“Lethal Weapon” (1987) – OK, Richard Donner’s buddy cop movie – set in sunny Los Angeles – does include plenty of Christmas references, including Bobby Helms’  “Jingle Bell Rock” during the opening credits and police officer Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson) going undercover to buy drugs and a Christmas tree.   Still, when one thinks of action films and Christmas, most look to “Die Hard” (1988), so that’s why we are including “Lethal Weapon” on this list. Sergeant Roger Murtaugh (Danny Glover) pairs up with the nearly (or actually) psychotic Riggs, and…

12 days of not-so-Christmassy Christmas movies: ‘Tangerine’

Jeff Mitchell

With December filled with the standard, but also very welcome, Christmas movies, like “A Christmas Story” (1983), “It’s a Wonderful Life” (1946), “Scrooged” (1988), and other versions of “A Christmas Carol”, AHFW decided to look back at 12 movies that feature Christmas as well!  The only difference is the said holiday is not the main focus of these films.  Furthermore, you may not even know that Dec. 25 is even mentioned in these movies. Without further ado, let’s get started with “Tangerine”! “Tangerine” (2015) – In a colorful Los Angeles…

Roberts and Hedges effectively play a struggling mother and son in ‘Ben Is Back’

Jeff Mitchell

“Ben Is Back” – “Instead of a criminal or a drug addict, I was looking at a boy, just a boy.” – Shannon A. Thompson, “Take Me Tomorrow” Ben (Lucas Hedges) is back home on Christmas Eve. Patches of crusty snow are scattered on suburban lawns, wintery-grays fill the skies and leafless trees remind us that warm weather won’t hug this neighborhood for a few distant months.  It might be comfy inside Ben’s house, but this (roughly) 18-year-old kid is locked out, because he did not tell his mom Holly…