Customer Reviews

This Christmas [Blu-ray]

5 star:		(54)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

This Christmas looked like it was going to pass without any cinematic holiday cheer. Luckily audiences will find a special gift at their local multiplexes from Preston A. Whitmore, a filmmaker whose latest picture comes wrapped up with so much holiday mush that it would be hard for even the biggest scrooge to scowl at its spirited Christmas message

It's the most wonderful time of the year again, and the Whitfield family plans to continue their holiday tradition of bringing the entire clan back home for a few days of presents, good eating and family squabbling. The only problem with This Christmas is that each of the children has brought more than just gifts. Absence without leave, surprise pregnancies, interracial relationships, cheating husbands and angry bookies are just a few of the surprises in store for the family's matriarch, Ma Dear, making it a Christmas that will either tear the Whitfield's apart or bring them closer than they've ever been before.

With This Christmas, Preston A. Whitmore successfully bounced back from his sophomore slump. The choice to "Crossover" into the holiday genre is a big move, though looking at the filmmaker's oeuvre, he seemingly defies categorization. Written with heart, This Christmas isn't just impressive for its well balanced drama and comedy. Its ability to transcend its targeted audience to become a holiday film that can be enjoyed by anyone who has ever experienced family dysfunction makes the picture a refreshing surprise.

With an all-star, African American cast including Delroy Lindo, Loretta Devine, Idris Elba and the lovely Sharon Leal, Screen Gems certainly seems to be pushing the racial factor when marketing This Christmas. While this strategy will probably draw in adequate box-office receipts (See Tyler Perry's success), This Christmas will draw the majority of its fans next Christmas when it finds a wider audience on DVD.

Though many of the family's problems translate to touching and humorous bits of cinema, This Christmas ultimately suffers from one fatal flaw, too much conflict and no easy way out of it. There is so much going on, that the tidiest and most satisfying conclusion seems far too difficult to reach. It also seems that the character of Joe, played by Delroy Lindo, has the answers to everything. Able to pacify everyone from street thugs to the U.S. government in a single night, Joe gives Santa Claus a run for his money on this Christmas Eve.

However plausibility isn't the strong suit of the Whitfield family. There are plenty of nit-picky details audiences will pick up on that could easily take them out of the narrative. While viewers might scoff at bits such as buying the picture-perfect Christmas tree on Christmas Eve, the performances from the actors, tight editing and gorgeous cinematography will help get you through This Christmas.

If filmmakers should write what they know, then Preston A. Whitmore certainly knows Christmas and family far better than war or basketball. A solid holiday outing sure to please any audiences that comes across the film, Whitmore's well executed dramady should resonate far longer than This Christmas.



-Joe Russo

This was a wonderful movie. The ending brought tears to my eyes. I do agree, as many reviewers have already posted that this an adult family film. So put those kiddies to bed first. I highly recommend this film for purchase or rental. Enjoy.

I did not expect for this movie to be good at all, I can not wait to purchase this the DAY it comes out. I thought the scene where Regina King's character beats her husbands behind was hilarious, so creative! Destroying the SUV was great as well!

"This Christmas" rehashed the types of themes found in "Soul Food" -which is why I did not like this film. Dysfunction rules in this family as it did the family in the other movie I just mentioned. What kind of "moral" can you come away with from a movie like these?? 1) Marriage is AWFUL and for the "weak-willed" woman, 2) A woman is, therefore, better off involving themselves in one-night-stands or using a certain "device" requiring batteries for pleasure, 3)Put yourself above ALL others, 3) Children are mostly "accidents" that just HAPPEN to you. And many such depraved ideas were propagated by this movie.

This was supposed to be a warm family movie, but the children in the movie were treated as mere props. It was all about the adults and their vain pursuits. When Regina King's character decided to divorce her cheating, overbearing husband (presented as any typical husband) and father of her two children, there was revenge and a celebratory attitude as if she'd just won the lottery. So sad to see so many African American movies follow this narrative, being that one of the main problems in the community is broken homes and fatherless children. I know, I am African American.

I really enjoyed this movie,all the actors/actresses were magnificent and so beautiful I am looking forward to this movie coming on DVD I can't wait, again terrific cast.

I took my teenage sister to see this movie last week. If Chris Brown wasn't in it, I don't think she would've been interested. Chris Brown, by the way, really impressed me in this movie. His acting is great and his singing, in my opinion, has improved a lot. I thought he was great in "Stomp the Yard" despite his small role and I would love to see him in more movies in the future.

At first glance, "This Christmas" seems like a family film. However, if you do watch this with your family, make sure there are no little children around because there are too many inappropriate things in this movie:

1) The mother in the film, Loretta, and her boyfriend Joe, who is a DEACON in a church, have been living together -in Loretta's house- for the past several years. They're not married and Loretta's youngest son "Baby" accuses her of being afraid of marrying Joe due to a bad marriage she had in the past. I thought Joe was going to propose to Loretta at the end of the movie, but it never happened.

3)The oldest daughter, Lisa, has a husband, Malcome, who is cheating on her. While he is in the shower, Lisa confronts him about it. Malcome, not knowing that Lisa squirted baby oil all over the floor, wraps his lower body with a towel and comes out of the shower. The entire scene is of Malcome slipping and sliding on the bathroom floor with Lisa beating him with a leather belt. Even though Malcome is wearing a towel, he is not fully overed, he's slipping and sliding on the floor AND YOU CAN SEE HIS PRIVATE PARTS AS HE ATTEMPTS TO GET UP OFF THE FLOOR. I saw TOO much. Laz Alonso is an extremely handsome man, but the entire scene looked like S&M to me.

2) The middle daughter, Kelli, has a one night stand with a guy she met at the club. A few days later she sneaks this STRANGER inside her mother's house so they can sleep together. Supposedly they went to high school together and the guy claimed he liked her back in the day, but I don't know. For a successful Harvad-educated woman getting up in age, I guess Kelli was desperate for a man.

3) The youngest daughter, Mel, brings her boyfriend over for the holidays. They are only boyfriend/girlfriend, but they are allowed to sleep together in the same bed as well as play hanky panky in the closet and it's no big deal even though there is a young niece and nephew and other family members in the house.

Sorry, that I gave away parts of the movie, but this isn't a Huxtable Christmas movie and people need to know this before watching it with children around. But then again, who am I to say what is appropriate and inapproprite?

I love this cast for me it made the xmas cut..with my movies
it's a repeater for me and with me that's important at xmas.
it was thought out well.And it's nice to see a black family
enjoy xmas traditions.... love it and chris did well with
donny hathaways song... that's a classic song.jones from NJ 12-8-2011

This is the story of a solidly middle-class African-American family that reunites for Christmas for the first time in seveal years. Ma'dere is the Matriarch who's Los Angeles home is where the vast majority of the story takes place. As with any family gathering there are topics that are best not discussed. When they are discussed here they end up in fights -verbal or physical (an excellent sister-on sister catfight stands out here). One sister is encouraging the siblings to sell the family dry cleaning business and split the profits. One bother is running from loan sharks. One brother is AWOL from the Marine Corps and One sister has brought along the man she's dating at a historically Black college. I really enjoyed this movie, all the casts were magnificent and so beautiful I am looking forward to watching it again. This is a Christmas Movie indeed.

This was an enjoyable but not great movie. All of the actors involved turned in stellar performances. Regina King is one of my favorites and she definitely did not disappoint in this movie. Idris Elba and Columbus Short are so handsome their mere presence made this movie enjoyable to watch.

The family drama, in my opinion, was not plausible. Although it's never really stated, from conversations it appears that Senior, the husband of the matriarch Ma'Dere has been gone for many years. All of her children grew up without him, and are now adults. It just made no sense to me that she'd still be afraid of how they would feel if she divorced him and moved on with her life.

My other issue with this movie was that although it's titled This Christmas, and has lots of Christmas songs playing in the background, Christmas was more of a prop or back-drop for this movie than a major theme. This film could easily take place at Easter, Thanksgiving, or even the 4th of July and nothing about the plot would need to be changed.

But this was an enjoyable movie. It's a great DVD to own and pull out to play around the holidays.

There are parts of this movie that remind me of Soul Food - the daughter with a college education who can't cook to save her life, the daughter who didn't go to college but stayed home; she cooks well, has a husband and children and seems to always put the needs of others before her own. I enjoyed Soul Food, but this movie is much better!
Regina King is a beautiful, talented actress who does well in both dramatic and comedic roles. If you want a good laugh, you have got to see her in this movie! Delroy Lindo is cool no matter what role he plays. Idris Elba is a fine actor who brought depth to the film. Whether he's singing or acting it's obvious that Chris Brown was born to entertain. Loretta Devine, I love her down-to-earth demeanor. She seems like the kind of woman who would invite you into her home, treat you like family and wouldn't let you leave without feeding you; she was perfect for the role she played. Sharon Leal - I used to watch her on Boston Public and I'm so glad that she's on the big screen now. Everyone who acted in this movie did well. This one is worth watching not only at Christmas, but any time of the year!