All The latest Movieland investigations from detectives Dick Japowski and Joey Arizona.
The Arizona Case Files
Dracula Untold (2014)
Vlad Tepes taps into some bad juju in order to protect his people from the wrath of the Sultan.
Universal's first attempt to reboot their classic monster movies is a decent effort, which unlike 2017's The Mummy doesn't try to set up an expanded universe, instead focusses on a solid origin story.
Rewatch: 3 Doughnuts
The Arizona Case Files
An American Tail: Fievel Goes West (1992)
The Moskowitz family didn't quite get the American dream when they arrived in New York so they decide to head out west.
A fun sequel, all be it without the flair of Don Bluth in the directors chair, and some great voice work from John Cleese, Dom Deluise, and James Stewart in his last movie role.
Rewatch: 3 Doughnuts
The Arizona Christmas Files
A Bad Moms Christmas (2017)
The trio of self-proclaimed 'bad moms' return for this festive sequel where they have to contend with their own mothers.
We actually watched this on bonfire night, while Mrs Arizona wrapped the first wave of presents, we previously only watched the first movie as context for this one. The first movie was a fairly enjoyable 3 doughnut movie, but the sequel is a far more shallow affair and gives Rocky IV competition for most movie montages.
First watch: 2 Baubles
The Arizona Christmas Files
The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
Charles Dickens' classic Christmas tale of redemption...performed by the muppets...with songs...and proper acting chops from Sir Michael Caine.
What else can you say other than Muppet's Christmas Carol is one of, if not the, greatest Christmas movie ever made.
Re-re-re-re-rewatch: 5 Baubles
The Arizona Christmas Files
Klaus (2019)
An lazy and entitled young man is sent to a remote island by his father, the head of the postal service, to establish a post office. By years end he most have processed 6000 letters or he's cut off. The problem is the islanders all hate each other, and never send each other anything. Could the hermit like woodsman with a passion for making toys be his saviour?
A beautifully animated original take on the Santa Claus myth, sure to become a Christmas tradition.
First watch: 4.5 Doughnuts
The Arizona Christmas Files
Office Christmas Party (2016)
In order to land a major client and save his branch from closure Clay throws the mother of all Christmas parties.
Despite this coming in at close to two hours the time flies by, although nothing's overly memorable. Not likely to become part of the regular Christmas rotation, but sure to be revisited somewhere down the line.
First watch: 3 Baubles
Japowski's Operation Ho-ho-ho
The Christmas Gift (1986)
An architect who works for a land grabbing Christmas bad guy gets sent to a snowy country community. It doesn't take long for him to fall in love with the town and its people and then has to stop his boss from buying it all up.
I'm in the John Denver period of my life right now and this is perfect as he stars and even gets to sing a tune or two! This movie will make your heart swell, at a minimum two sizes, so check with your doctor before watching!
First watch: 4 Baubles
The Arizona Christmas Files
Get Santa (2014)
Santa crashes his sleigh during a test run, loses his reindeer and then gets arrested trying to break them out of an animal shelter. It's up to a newly paroled dad and his son to save Christmas.
It's a shame this isn't better, it's got a cracking cast, but never really delivers. Some of the jokes are just awful, reindeer who communicate through flatulence and Santa mistaking Warwick Davis for an 'elf on the field'. Jim Broadbent's St. Nick also comes off more like a doddering old man in a Santa suit rather than genuine article.
First watch: 2 Doughnuts
Have you witnessed any of the movies we've investigated? What's the verdict? Let us know in the comments below.