Christmas Movie Review: ***^ Jingle all the Way

 This is a Christmas story of a different type.  It shows the commercialism around Christmas very well, as people fight for the perfect toy, an action figure, Turbo Man.  Most particularly Howard Langston (Arnold Schwarzenegger) and Myran Larabee (Sinbad) are after the toy on Christmas Eve, which has long been sold out.  They fight and trick each other, and go to the radio station and look for the toy.  In the end, Langston ends up in a Turbo Man costume for the parade, and Larabee steals the Dementor (Turbo Man's enemy) costume and they face off over the toy.  This includes Larabee grabbing Langston's son, Jamie (Jake Lloyd).  Cameos to Robert Wagner as the police officer who keeps crossing paths with Langston and James Belushi as a store Santa Claus running a con game..  Langston must also contend with the divorced neighbor, Ted Maltin (Phil Hartman) who keeps hitting on his wife.

It has it funny parts, but sometimes the fighting is just over the top.  

Movie Review: Star Wars: Episode 1: The Phantom Menace

In my opinion, the prequel trilogy is not near as good as the three originally made.  That being said, The Phantom Menace has lots going for it.  In this series, we are introduced to a whole new cast of characters,  The holdouts are Darth Sidious/Senator Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid), Obi Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) and Anakin Skywalker; later Darth Vader (Jake Lloyd) as a boy; and then Yoda (Frank Oz) in a smaller roll.  Two Jedi, Obi Wan and his master, Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neesom) head to a planet to help with negotiations, and land in the middle of a droid army invasion.  Queen Amidala (Natalie Portman) is able to escape with the Jedi.  They end up stranded on Tatooine, the Luke Skywalker planet.  Her they meet Anakin and his mother Shmi (Pernilla August).  they are both slaves.  However Anakin has a skill which leads to his freedom, and the Jedi being able to repair their ship.  This is a racing sport, unlike any we have seen, as big chariots, pulled by two engines each, race around the sand dunes.  This race is very dangerous.  To this cast of characters, we add Darth Maul (Ray Park), a Sith Lord.  He challenges the Jedi on a couple of occasions, and Tatooine, and then back on Naboo.  There are two people that live on Naboo.  Queen Amidala only represents half.  In the ocean lives another sentient culture, and it is only with their aide, that the people of Naboo can defeat the droids.  Both peoples must overcome pride to except help from the other.  Jar Jar Binks (Ahmed Best) befriends the Jedi, but is not on good terms with his own people due to his clumsiness.  All tis leads to a classic battle involving Anakin, the Jedi against Darth Maul, and the people of Naboo against the droid army. 
This is a very creative film.  Especially with the sand  racers.  Star Wars keeps introducing us to new worlds and situations, and is always a good ride.