A Very Murray Christmas

It always has been a respectable digital platform for films but this year Netflix went up another level. With them putting out respectable TV shows on their platform like Daredevil or good comedy specials from people like Chris Tucker or Aziz Ansari, they are an entertainment platform here to stay. Even more so, it's impressive how they stuck a big named actor like Adam Sandler to sign a four film deal with them. Let's also not forgot the film A Very Murray Christmas Netflix made with Bill Murray that came out earlier in the month to celebrate Christmas.

Due to a massive snowstorm during Christmas time in New York City, Bill Murray worries that nobody will shows up to his TV show. Even with everything going on outside, guests and celebrities still find time to join Bill Murray to celebrate Christmas and to find a real meaning to the holiday.    

With really no plot here and only running fifth-six minutes long, don't expect a lot and this drags a lot also. It's a holiday special that depends on how much you like Bill Murray. He is much the same in A Very Murray Christmas as he is throughout the year. He is loud, obnoxious, and of course drinking is a must. His cast includes people like Chris Rock, Amy Poehler, George Clooney and others. Expect a lot of fun singing even by Murray himself and the best singing comes from really a surprising guest.

With the type of talent here and with the excellent director in Sofia Coppola, I would rather have wanted this to be a full-length film with actual real characters. In a way though, that is asking a lot. A Very Murray Christmas is at least a respectable holiday special even if it's a bit of a disappointment. It is a special that likely is just going to be forgotten in Murray filmography years down the road.

3/5

Sisters

When watching Sisters, you really get a vibe that the leads Amy Poehler and Tina Fey have something really special going as a duo. They both have humor that is not normal for actresses. Both are willing to go the extra mile to be dirty. A duo that seems like they can work with a lot of material. Both have some really good moments in Sisters but even they can't make Sisters survive.


Katie Ellis (Fey) is a loudmouth lady who can't seem to get anything right for herself and who is struggling to raise her daughter Hayley (Madison Davenport). Her sister Maura Ellis (Poehler) is the likely the better sibling of the family who supports herself better then Katie but still, she is not married and her life doesn't seem to be going anywhere. After their childhood home is set to be put on the market, both sisters throw a party at their old house with a lot of nostalgia while family morals are learned and both find out how to better themselves. Sisters is part comedy with some drama elements thrown in.


Right from the get go, it's obvious Fey and Poehler are both meant to lead this film. They have the chemistry and are very likable but Sisters struggles to use them properly. Fey can be so unlikable at times but then she randomly goes through stretches where she is completely fine. There are some very good laughs here between them but they do run out and it seems the film wants way too much out of them. There are no supporting actors to help them. John Cena and John Leguizamo are here in supporting roles and are just so unfunny and neither produce anything to add to the story.

The plot has it's ideas but what comes together is an uneven mess. The party itself looks great and so much good effort was put into it. It's a party though that's very unrealistic at times and runs WAY too long. We never know where this element is meant to go and it doesn't seem to fully connect to the ideas of family morals and the theme of sisters. The script goes every which way and needs more focus.

Sisters is a lost cause ultimately. We just hope Poehler and Fey will be together more in the future and in something better. Even though it is more heavy, go seek out the somewhat similar like Miss You Already from earlier this year which is better. It should also be noted that with Sisters getting the same release date as Star Wars: Force Awakens, it's film fate is not looking very good whatsoever.    

2/5