KISSBANGCHRISTMAS: How the movies celebrate Christmas
kissbangchristmas as my blogname was inspired by celebrated US film critic, the late Pauline Kael’s second collection of reviews. She claimed the book’s title, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang was ‘perhaps the briefest statement imaginable of the basic appeal of movies. This appeal is what attracts us, and ultimately what makes us despair when we begin to understand how seldom movies are more than this.’
Certainly Christmas films are often schmaltzy and mere seasonal cinematic money-spinners. But so often they’re not. There’s a reason movies such as It’s A Wonderful Life, Elf, and one of my own faves, Young At Heart have become December classics. That’s what I’m here to celebrate.
kissbangchristmas is the blog of film critic, Catherine von Ruhland. My writing on film has appeared in The Independent, New Internationalist, Church Times, Third Way, and New Christian Herald. I am also the author of books on Green issues, and social action.
My Twitter account is: @cvonruhland, and I can be contacted via Facebook.