When A Man Has A Change Of Heart

Tonight's marathon is all about several different men who undergo a dramatic change that ultimately makes them better and stronger people over the course of Christmas. These men either receive an epiphany, a revelation through the intervention of multiple spirits or angels, overcoming grief and loneliness over the death of a loved one on Christmas through a powerful friendship with your work partner. While none of these men were really truly bad at heart, they lacked compassion and humility for those around them or you could essentially say, they needed a friend during hard times. This marathon has everything that you could ask for in a holiday movie such as comedy, drama, romance, action, and a feeling that the holidays have the power to change anyone for the better no matter what type of mood they're in. For tonight's uplifting and powerful marathon, we have on the following menu:

 



A Christmas Carol 2009, Scrooged 1988, The Family Man 2000, and Lethal Weapon 1987



       If there's one film that deserves to be in this marathon but couldn't because the film couldn't be found on time, it's It's A Wonderful Life with Jimmy Stewart. That film is not only a true holiday classic but totally fits this marathon perfectly about a man being given a second chance in life and realizing the error of their ways. Because It's A Wonderful Life isn't in this marathon, The Family Man with Nicolas Cage, Tea Leoni, and Don Cheadle is a perfect replacement given that it's essentially a modern day remake of the classic tale. The Family Man remains one of Nicolas Cages finest performances and comes from a time where he was taken seriously as an actor before the days of Ghost Rider and Wicker Man. What makes this marathon a significant one is that it carries with it this mystical tone about the power of the holiday season and how its never too late to do the right thing. All of the men in these movies begin their journeys as being unlikeable men and through their own revelations, they begin a process of change for the better with the help of the holiday season.
      The first movie of the marathon is the 2009 animated adaptation of the classic Charles Dickens novel titled A Christmas Carol. The story is about an old Victorian-era miser who begins a journey of self-redemption with the help of multiple mysterious Christmas angels. Featuring the voice talents of Jim Carrey, Gary Oldman, and Colin Firth. the film is a worthy retelling of the classic tale largely thanks to delivering an impressive visual experience that is also powered by impressive performances from Jim Carrey and Gary Oldman. The story is perfect for this theme because the character of Scrooge realizes what Christmas is all about in the very end, and learns to appreciate everything around him much more. While it may not be the best adaptation of the Dickens tale in terms of storytelling and acting, it is definitely one of the best in terms of delivering a great experience on the visual front.
      The second movie of the marathon is the 1988 holiday classic tale titled Scrooged starring Bill Murray and Karen Allen. Nominated for an Oscar for Best Makeup and directed by Lethal Weapons Richard Donner, the story centers around a selfish and cynical T.V executive who very much like Scrooge in A Christmas Carol, becomes haunted by three angels who bear lessons for Frank Cross on Christmas Eve. Scrooged is a darker and more cynical take on the classic tale that's now upgraded for modern times and carries with it a slick style of humor thanks to Bill Murrays performance. He makes his transformation not only hilarious but surprisingly uplifting for a Christmas type of film. Murray manages to be funny and serious at the right moments while the movie around him dives into sheer craziness. Not only is this one of Murrays best films but it's also one of the finest Scrooge performances ever put on film, one with total heart.
      The third movie of the marathon is the 2000 holiday romantic comedy and drama titled The Family Man starring Nicolas Cage, Tea Leoni, and Don Cheadle. Generally considered a modern day It's A Wonderful Life, Cage plays a fast-track investment broker whose given the opportunity of  a lifetime to see how the woman he left behind for New York years prior lives. The twist in this story is that the sports car he loved and his then girlfriend have become his mini-van and wife. The Family Man is a worthy holiday film largely thanks to strong performances from Nicolas Cage and Tea Leoni. It's sentimentality is also one of the films high points but the movie bears strong parallels to It's A Wonderful Life and Scrooged, making the film often predictable at times. However, its predictability doesn't change the fact that the movie carries with it an emotional impact and life lesson that makes it one of the better holiday movies.
      The fourth movie of the marathon is the 1987 Richard Donner action movie classic and holiday film titled Lethal Weapon starring Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, and Gary Busey. The story centers around two misfit partners, the first being an officer named Murtaugh on the brink of retirement and the other named Riggs, a suicidal and edgy partner whose still struggling to get past the death of his wife. The two are forced to work together to combat a gang of drug smugglers who are planning to make their shipment no matter what, even if it gets personal. Lethal Weapon is one of the definitive action movies of the 80s as well as one of the best Christmas films not just because it centers around action but it deals with real issues such as loneliness, depression, suicide, and the wanting for a second chance at friendship or love. A key sequence that demonstrates the depth of Lethal Weapons storyline is the scene in which Riggs contemplates suicide but chooses not to because he tells Murtaugh it's about the job. It is scenes like that which make Lethal Weapon an action film that has more going for it than just action, making it not just one of the best action movies ever but one of the best holiday films ever.

      So what are these movies trying to say as a whole when you put them all together? The message behind these films is that the holidays have the power to change anyone regardless of what their feeling or going through, especially if its Christmas. Any cranky or heartless person can discover a heart if their shown the way. Any man whose dealing with suicidal issues or depression during the holiday season can easily overcome it through the power of a friendship or brotherly bond. A Christmas Carol says that not only nightmares can come true but also dreams. Cold-hearted men like Bill Murray in Scrooged can learn the true value of Christmas if they are pointed out the errors of their ways and what they could've had. The Family Man says that sometimes what might've been is probably what would've been best for the person in question. Lethal Weapons message says that if you put two people of different backgrounds together, the odds are they probably won't get along or they just might become not only friends but brothers. A man like Riggs is not truly crazy, just misunderstood and judged before one gets the full story on why he is like he is. Anyone can change or improve if they truly want to.

Our characters for this evening:







     





When You Realize Your Destiny



Tonight's marathon is all about showing the humble beginnings and endings of some of the greatest characters in the film genre of Science Fiction. In this marathon, we see the beginnings of Characters like Darth Vader when he was actually a young man named Anakin Skywalker, Obi Wan Kenobi before he became a Jedi master and vowing to make Anakin a Jedi after the death of his master Qui Gon Jin. We also see the beginning of the characters of J and K from Men In Black through time travel, the end of Kirks journey as he hands over the legacy of the Enterprise to Capt. Picard, and Luke Skywalker finally becoming a Jedi Knight and turning his father Darth Vader back to the good side again. Tonight is essentially a finish to three weeks of building up for the release of The Force Awakens with A New Hope being in the marathon When The Opportunity Of A Lifetime Comes Along with Men In Black, Titan A.E, and Star Trek 2009, and Empire Strikes Back being in When Reality Sinks In with Men In Black ll, Enders Game, Guardians Of The Galaxy, Star Trek Into Darkness, and Empire Strikes Back. Now with Return Of The Jedi being the main event of this marathon, everything comes full circle along with bringing closure to the story arcs of Star Wars, Star Trek, and Men In Black combined. We have on our menu for this evening:

Star Wars Episode 1 The Phantom Menace 1999, Men In Black lll 2012, Star Wars Episode lll Revenge of the Sith 2005, Star Trek Generations 1994, and Return Of The Jedi 1983

 

Now this is a strong marathon regarding the theme of one realizing their own destiny and what they were meant to do in life. These movies are perfect for this type of theme and bring to an end not just three franchises but three story arcs that go back to the beginning. In order to better understand the essence of Return Of The Jedi's ending, one has to go back to the beginning and see how Anakin became Darth Vader. Regardless of the quality of Episode 1, it was necessary to rewatch it to show how he got to that point. Revenge of the Sith and Return Of The Jedi are the perfect parallels to each other because Sith shows Anakin going over to the dark side and Return Of The Jedi shows his redemption. It's an emotionally powerful and uplifting marathon that brings the last three weeks to a satisfying and emotional close.

       The first movie of the marathon is the first episode in the popular Star Wars series titled Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace starring Jake Lloyd, Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, and Liam Neeson. Generally considered one of the greatest movie disappointments of all time, the story centers around two Jedi Knights, who stumble upon a plot to capture the Queen Of Naboo and force her to sign a treaty. While rescuing and protecting the princess from the Separatists, they stumble upon a young boy on Tatooine named Anakin Skywalker, who helps them repair their ship through winning a pod race. When the boy is freed from slavery, he leaves his mother and goes to help the Jedi Knights and their queen defeat the separatists through the help of the Gungan army. The Phantom Menace is considered one of the greatest movie upsets of all time given the anticipation that surrounded it's release in 1999. One of the great criticisms of the movie stemmed from having a lack of character development as well as cardboard acting along with highly controversial characters such as Jar Jar Binks and the separatists leaders with stereotypical asian accents. The film earned high points for it's technological advancement but got much criticism for trading character development for visuals. The film fits the lineup of realizing one's destiny with Anakin leaving the home he once knew and learning the ways of the force with Obi Wan and Qui Gon. The Phantom Menace may not be the best film in the series but it is completely necessary for the theme of this marathon and to provide a flashback of what happened to Vader after his powerful revelation in Empire Strikes Back.

      The second movie of the marathon is the 2012 summer blockbuster and third installment in the popular Men In Black series titled Men In Black lll. Starring Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones, and Josh Brolin, the story centers around Agent J traveling back through time into the late 1960's to stop an alien from assassinating his friend Agent K and forever changing history. The twist to Men In Black lll is it reveals that the colonel who stopped the alien from harming K was J's father, whom young K discovers and chooses to neutralize J from knowing the truth and watches over him throughout his life much like Obi Wan Kenobi wathing over Luke Skywalker. Generally considered the best Men In Black movie since the first film and more heartwarming when one looks at it's climatic message, Men In Black lll shows one realizing their destiny when J see's both young K and himself in 1969 beginning their journey together. It totally goes in line with The Phantom Menace and Return Of The Jedi.

     The third movie of the marathon is the 2005 blockbuster and third installment in the Star Wars franchise titled Revenge Of The Sith starring Hayden Christensen, Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Ian McDiarmid, and Frank Oz. This popular installment in the unpopular prequel trilogy centers around Anakin Skywalker finally turning to the dark side and becoming enemies to his best friend and master named Obi Wan Kenobi. Once assured by his master Emperor Palpatine that he can save Padme from certain death, Anakin pledges allegiance to Palpatine and helps conquer the galaxy. Revenge of the Sith is not only the best Star Wars prequel but the only one that got generally favorable reviews and is considered a certified fresh on rottentomatoes. Sith boasts the most intense action scenes of all six movies along with strong performances and atmosphere that's is familiar to that of Empire Strikes Back. It's the perfect parallel to Return Of The Jedi with Vader turning to the dark side and Jedi being his redemption.

      The fourth movie of the marathon is Star Trek Generations starring William Shatner, Patrick Stewart, and Malcom McDowell. The story centers around an old and retired Captain Kirk being presumed dead in an act of heroic sacrifice much like his father in Star Trek 2009, except Kirk doesn't really die and is stuck inside an alternate universe. He is summoned and asked to help Captain Picard stop a villain whose willing to murder many in order to enter an energy ribbon. Generations is the perfect film to pass the torch from Kirk's Star Trek legacy onto Captain Picards. The film has to deal with Kirk realizing that his destiny as a Starfleet Captain is coming to an end and that he must pass on the torch to Picard but not before he makes a difference in helping the galaxy one final time. Generations is a great pairing to Return Of The Jedi because it marks the end of a character arc which in this case is Capt Kirk from the two Star Trek movies directed by JJ Abrams in the previous marathons. Darth Vaders story arc comes to an end as well in Return Of The Jedi with Luke successfully bringing him back from the dark side.

      The fifth and final movie of the evening is the 1983 classic and final entry in the original Star Wars trilogy titled Return Of The Jedi. Reuniting the cast of the first two movies such as Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, and Billy Dee Williams, the film picks up after the events of Empire Strikes Back with the friends of Han Solo infiltrating Jabba The Hutts Palace to rescue and unfreeze him with the help of now Jedi master Luke Skywalker. While planning to have one final combat with the Imperial army, Luke makes a plan to turn his father back to the good side and defeat the Emperor together. Return Of The Jedi is the final installment of the Star Wars Original Trilogy and is generally considered the weakest of the first set of movies mainly due to the mood being more lighthearted than the previous films lately due to the presence of the Ewoks. Where it lacks in the strength of the first two, it more than makes up for it with bringing the series to an emotional finish with Luke and Vader reuniting as father and son on the good side of the force. The film ends with Luke finishing off his journey of becoming a Jedi Knight and getting his father back, even if it was only at the end of their journey.

      So what are these movies trying to say as a whole when you put them all together? The message behind this marathon is that you cannot escape your destiny and sometimes things are planned out before you even discover them. If you are truly meant to do great things in life then there will always be someone watching over you such as Qui Gon Jin, Obi Wan Kenobi, and K from Men in Black lll. Sometimes you have to pass on the torch to another Captain who shares the same beliefs and heroism as you. Star Trek Generations teaches us that we should all try to make a difference in our lives and enjoy and live out our lives to the fullest. Revenge of the Sith and Return Of The Jedi back to back teaches us that sometimes good people go down a path that we may not agree with but that never means that they are gone forever. If a son truly loves his father and the father truly loves his son, they will never let anything stand in the way of their relationship and love for one another. As in the case of Darth Vader killing Palpatine and saving Luke Skywalker, Jedi tells us that it's never too late to do the right thing.

Our characters for this evening: