27th December – Stardust

Oh, there’s a full blog coming on this one. There’s so much to say about this film, but for now I’ll just give you the very basics: witches with knives, Robert De Niro in a pretty pink frock, and incredibly scathing wit. Also Claire Danes, literally shining, and seven impeccably cast princelings, most of them dead. With a happy ending. Yep.

 

28th December – Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger

It’s not even the best of the Dynamation Sinbad films. In fact, it might be the worst. But THERE IS A BIT WHEN THE WITCH TURNS INTO A SEAGULL. There are caves, and monsters, and adventures, and weird seventies animations. It’s also a Ray Harryhausen film, which means there’s a massive wasp and a bronze golem and all sorts. Best enjoyed after a large roast dinner, with one eye on Twitter and the other just sliiiiightly dozing off.

 

29th December – Hercules

A short and incomplete list of brilliant things about Hercules (the Disney film, obviously):
1) “Now nouveau riche and famous, he can tell you what’s a Grecian earn…”
1a) The Muses, generally. So sassy. So clever. So brilliant. When I grow up, I want to be a muse from Hercules.
2) The TINY BABY PEGASUS (see also: when the Tiny Baby Pegasus snores)
3) The song “I Won’t Say (I’m In Love)” is the most perfect evocation of unexpected romance ever.
4) I refer you to Harry Harris’ blog on the matter. Anyway, go and watch it. You’ll sing the songs. You’ll cry. You’ll laugh. There are gods, and devils, and good prevails. It’s perfect.

 

30th December – Back To The Future

Science is magic. That’s what Marvel want us to believe, anyway, and in that spirit we’re giving you BTTF as our BFF pick for 30th December. A crazy scientist (and Doc Brown is the epitome of Crazy Science) is so very like a wild wizard; Marty McFly is a proper fairy-tale fortune-seeker; and there is time-travel. Which is literally magic. Also there are proper, full on baddies: I’d lay money on Biff and the Libyans giving the big bad wolf, the selfish giant and Satan a run for their money. Science is magic. New Year’s Eve Eve is magic.

 

31st December – The Princess Bride

There are many reasons why BFF holds a soft spot in our hearts for The Princess Bride: first, it’s bloody smashing; second, our esteemed editor and André The Giant have a fair bit in common; and third, your humble narrator got the book for Christmas, and it’s also ace. We’ve also, collectively, got a soft spot for the following: fairy tales, piss-takes, sword-fighting, love stories, dread pirates, castles, murders, eels, magic, and kissing books. Ish. I suggest we forget all parties tonight, get one ENORMOUS blanket, and all tuck up together and enjoy S. Morgenstern’s classic tale of true love and high adventure. Inconceivable? You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

 

Right, you have your orders – the above should see you through to New Year’s Day and the return of Sherlock. HOW DID HE DO IT?