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Visitors Review

2012-05-17 23:15:10

Nothing Like the Holidays

This review is from: Nothing Like the Holidays (DVD) One of the worst movies. What a waste of $14.99Nothing Like the Holidays

2012-05-17 12:16:44

A great holiday movie for anyone with family drama

Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) This movie starts out slow, but is worth waiting through the slow beginning. It's all about families and their drama and how people come together when crisis occurs and how important it is to never assume. Many assumptions where made during the movie and all found out to be wrong...just like most people's family drama. I liked how each character was developed and how they each came through in the end to doing what is right and good. I recommend this movie.

2012-05-16 09:55:53

3.5 is what I'd like to give it.

Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) This movie is warm and affectionate, portraying the sweet and frustrating atmospherics of a family get-together rather than playing on bizarre family dynamics for laughs. But when the movie decides to get "important," it slides into the hackneyed and predictable. I enjoyed the first 2/3. The acting is wonderful and carries the movie, and the set design and execution is faithful and perfect. You truly felt that you were inside a home, and happy to be there. I only wish the same meticulous attention would have been paid to the plot. It's a Christmas movie, so a certain level of triteness is expected, but it could have been more "The Family Stone" and less Lifetime Network Presents with just a little more work.

2012-05-15 19:28:45

Something like the holidays

Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) This is a fun movie that covers familiar ground but with a Puerto Rican flavor. The movie is the story of a Chicago family with Puerto Rican roots gathering for the holidays. The son returning from the war, the professional son and daughter in law from New York, the daughter in from Hollywood and the parents are all keeping a multitude of secrets from one another. The story is told in a loving and humorous way with a lot of feeling for family. The cast was great and the story was fun. A good movie for anytime but especially the holidays. I saw some of my own family in this and believe most people will. It is a good watch.

Gordon-11 2012-05-10 16:45:47

An acoustic warfare

This film is about how a Puerto Rican family spend their eventfulChristmas together.I thought "Nothing Like the Holidays" would be a comedy with a festiveenvironment, but it turned out to be the complete opposite. I find thefilm far too loud and noisy. The filmmakers seem to have a pressingurge to fill every single second with loud music or loud conversation.Sometimes two or more people talk over each other. People keepshouting, cursing and blaming at each other, firing sentences at 10words a second. The film is like an acoustic war zone. There is nopeace or quiet, serenity or tranquility.The story is not engaging at all until the last 20 minutes or so, whichfinally starts to pick up. However, I was already thoroughly bored andannoyed by the movie already. "Nothing Like the Holidays" is definitelynothing like I expected.

2012-05-09 23:41:37

Good movie, not destined to be a holiday "classic"

Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) I enjoyed this movie. Although I have absolutely no experience with the Puerto Rican lifestyle, it seemed very realistic to me. I loved the portrayal of a close family who aren't perfect. They fight a lot, but always with love. And I live about an hour away from Chicago, where this was filmed, so that was nice to see, too.I thought every single actor was perfectly cast. It's like a who's who of Hispanic actors, although many of them are not actually Puerto Rican. Some are Cuban, Spanish, Italian and Mexican. I thought Debra Messing was perfect as the awkwardly out of place, very Caucasian wife trying to fit in. This movie reminds me of Jodie Foster's Home For the Holidays, another movie about typical holiday family dysfunction. While I enjoy this kind of movie, I don't think Nothing Like the Holidays is destined to be a classic holiday film. Those tend to be all happy and feel-good, not realistic like this. This is just a nice family drama/comedy that happens to take place at the holidays.I recommend this movie to make you appreciate the family you have. You may even envy this family, dysfunction and all.

2012-05-05 08:48:14

Reconciliation

Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) "Nothing Like the Holidays" is a gritty drama/comedy which somehow is less than entertaining. Freddy Rodriguez plays Jesse Rodriguez who returns home from Iraq with a soldier's traumas and injuries. He is thrust into the large family hubbub where events swirl around him. His father Edy played by Alfred Molina keeps getting phone calls and mysterious texts. His mother Anna played by the delightful Elizabeth Pena gets angrier with each call, assuming her husband is having yet another affair. Luiz Guzman plays Johnny who has a knack for saying exactly the wrong thing at the wrong time. John Leguizamo plays Mauricio who brings his wife Sarah home for the holidays. Debra Messing's Sarah is the only non-Latina in the family, which seems to create misunderstandings. The chaotic lack of communication swirls around the symbol of an old tree that mother Anna wants cut down. The film does hit its mark with touching moments of reconciliation, but it lacks the spirit of Christmas. The holiday is more of a background setting, rather than integral to the action. This is an interesting evening's holiday rental, but nothing overly memorable. Enjoy!

2012-05-04 14:22:20

HOLIDAY FILMS ARRIVE

Ever since the beginning of film, holidays features have found their way into the hearts and pocketbooks of film goers everywhere. For the most part they have been touching remembrances of winters past, Christmas extravaganzas or touching tributes to family and friends as they gather together to celebrate. But times change and while the family may yet come together, they do so a bit differently as seen in NOTHING LIKE THE HOLIDAYS.The story involves the Christmas get together of the Rodriguez family, a moderately successful group in the Humboldt Park area of west Chicago. This Puerto Rican family does things in a style that stimulates and displays life out loud. And that's a good thing.Coming together for the first time in ages are all of the children. Jesse (Freddy Rodriguez) has just returned home from a tour of duty in Iraq where he witnessed the death of a fellow solider, blaming himself in the process. Roxanna (Vanessa Ferlito) is in from California where the family thinks she's become a major movie/TV star. And Mauricio (John Leguizamo) and his wife Sarah (Debra Messing), a successful white collar couple, are in town as well, all the while questioned by mother Anna (Elizabeth Pena) why they haven't given her grandchildren yet.Yes, this family celebrates life passionately. Along with uncle Johnny (Luis Guzman) and Ozzy (Jay Hernandez), the young man who works in father Edy's (Alfred Molina) store, the whole bunch comes together to celebrate family. Until mom drops the bomb on them that she's divorcing dad.It seems Edy cheated once on Anna and she's never forgiven him. And now he's taken to being secretive about something, taking phone calls in private and hiding whatever it is. It's enough to convince her that he's doing it once again.The family is torn by this idea of the divorce. On one hand they want to support both their parents. On the other they want them to remain together. And at the same time each one has demons of their own to deal with.Roxanna is not the star everyone back home thinks she is, waiting with cell phone in hand to find out if she's gotten the part to make or break her career. Jesse is disturbed by his time at war as well as dealing with the girl he left behind who is now involved with someone else. And Mauricio is dealing with bouncing between allegiance to his wife or to his mother.Watching over all is Edy, taking in the whole picture. This character has more depth than is witnessed in words alone. He is the quiet one, trying to have a family holiday to outdo all others. And at the same time he has a secret that could prove devastating to them all. And it's not at all what Anna suspects. This film offers a great combination of humor and tenderness that shows what being a family is all about. Its not about just the good times or the bad, it's about living life. You can take the safe path as long as you like, but never see the beauty of the world in doing so. In the midst of this family is Sarah, the outsider, who may take a lot of guff from Anna, but who loves her husband and wants so much to be a part of this family. She gets her wish when she accidentally discovers Edy's secret. It's a burden more than the rest carry and one that is revealed by the end of the film.Not sweet as the candy of RUDOLPH, not as bitter as A CHRISTMAS CAROL and not as tear jerking as ITS A WONDERFUL LIFE, this film presents a different world at Christmas than we're used to. And perhaps that's a good thing. In a world where the family is falling apart, where single parents are becoming the norm, it's nice to see a film that focuses on the family, even if they are a bit different. It reminds us that the holidays are a time to get together. They are a time when family should be as one. With love, with laughter, with plenty of heart and with a touch of sadness, this film triggers all the emotions that a good holiday film can. And that makes it one worth renting this season.

2012-05-02 11:08:17

Cute holiday movie

Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) This is the story of the Rodriquez family. It's Christmas in Chicago and their grown children are coming home for a visit. There's brother Jesse who's just come home for good, from Iraq. Sister Roxanna, home from Hollywood and brother Mauricio who's home with his Jewish wife Sarah (Debra Messing). It's a cute holiday movie, with some great actors. There were definitely some moving storylines but I found there were so many characters that it seemed to dilute the whole story somehow.It reminded me of a cute, holiday TV movie, with less humor and more drama then I expected.

2012-05-02 06:29:36

Definitely not a something to revisit

Nothing like the Holidays seems on the surface to have a lot of potential. The cast is quite exceptional and the story of rowdy, dysfunctional, but loving family coming together for Christmas is a frequently used vehicle that can make for a good flick. What emerges is a film that tries very hard but falls flat in a number of areas. The characters are almost akwardly two dimensional and several scenes feel forced and cliche. It wasn't until halfway through the movie that I began to really care what happened and had a desire to see the movie through to the end. Alot of the characters actions are incomprehensible, such as when Jessie kisses Marissa at a Christmas party in full view of everyone, with her boyfriend a few feet away. Also, when Anna decides over Christmas eve dinner to announce to everyone, including her husband, she's getting a divorce and then apologizes for ruining the evening. Couple that with a stream of profanity and vulgar humor (which thankfully relents midway through the film) and this doesn't quite make for a feel-good holiday film to remember. The film is only 90 minutes long but felt like it took hours to tell the tale. In a few scenes we see family photographs that look like photoshopped collages of the individual actors. Perhaps this is almost metaphorical for what is happening in the film. We have several disjointed pieces all kind of smooshed together in an attempt to make a holiday classic. The end result has some warm moments, but ultimately is a film I never want to see again.

TxMike 2012-04-27 11:08:09

Captivating family movie, comedy, drama, heartache, redemption.

There is a DVD extra where most of the cast reminisce for a few minutesand they say it was one of the coldest winters in Chicago. Since themovie initially was released in November 2008, they must have beentalking about the winter of 2007. I believe I was there, but I don'tremember. Two of my daughters live there, and it was nice seeing afamily drama filmed in Chicago.It is Christmas holidays and various family members from New York andHollywood travel to Chicago to have Christmas with mom and dad who havebeen married for 36 years. Also coming home is the youngest son, asoldier, who was wounded in Iraq. There is a large banner "Welcome HomeJesse" over the family porch.But soon we see what might be described as family squabbles. Mom isdisappointed that she has no grandchildren yet. Dad wants son to workwith him and take over the family business, a popular store that sellsfood and alcoholic beverages. The youngest daughter is called a star byeveryone but she has only gotten bit parts in Hollywood. Her oldfriend, a potential boyfriend, has a grudge against a former felon whohad killed his brother and ponders how he can get just revenge.The movie has a good mix of drama and comedy, which mirrors real lifewhen you get a group of adult children together as a family. Of coursethe best thing the movie has going for it are many of the best actorsin the business and they make it feel real. You have to play loose withthe real ages of the actors, the mom and dad are not much older thansome of the "children." But it works.Good movie. Makes you care for the characters, and it makes you think.

2012-04-27 06:08:36

Worth seeing once

Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) At the beginning of this movie, I thought the characters were trying just a little too hard, but as the story progressed, I found myself drawn to them. Sure, some of the storyline was a little melodramatic, but the ending was satisfying, and things resolved nicely. And I have to say it was nice to see familiar landmarks from Chicago, being a fan of that great city.

2012-04-23 01:05:37

We're Spending Christmas Together Whether You Like it or Not

There are times when we NEED a movie like this to remind us of our insane families, it's just plain awesome, very organized... I loved it...Thank you !!!

Jen Casazza 2012-04-22 13:55:32

A slew of stereotype after stereotype

Horrible Christmas movie. I don't know how many stereotypes they could fit into one movie. Total waste of $10. I hope Debra Messing got paid a lot of money for that role because I can't think of any other reason why she would waste her time. I laughed, I cried, it was very painful. Go see a good Christmas movie this holiday season. NOT THIS MOVIE unless you want to be put into a stupidity coma.

2012-04-22 01:14:28

Cute holiday time story

Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) This is not a great movie, by any stretch of the imagination, but I am one of those that likes most of the cast in this. That being said, I enjoyed the time I spent watching it. Some humor, some schmaltz, some cliches - but it's all okay if you are in the right mood. You've seen it before and you'll see it again, I'm sure.

2012-04-21 09:18:33

Celebration of Life

Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) "Nothing Like the Holidays" is a moving, humorous film, crammed with star power. When a Puerto Rican family gathers to celebrate Christmas, they end up celebrating Life as each family member's story unfolds.The family comprises a father (owner of a local Bodega/supermarket), his wife and three grown children, scattered across the U.S. and Iraq. One son is vying for partner in a New York law firm and is married to a successful Wall Street fund manager, who is not Puerto Rican and does not share her mother-in-law's urgency to produce a grandchild. Another son is a war hero, returning from Iraq and plagued by guilt because by a stroke of fate, one of his fellow soldiers dies instead of him. Though family and friends believe the daughter is very successful, she is striving with minimal success to "make it" in Hollywood. Buried in all this are family secrets. After 36 years and seemingly in love, was the father unfaithful to his wife? What else can the family conclude?This is a happy, upbeat movie, perfect as a Holiday diversion and filled with dancing and music. Recommended.

2012-04-20 07:07:16

Too many characters.

This is a fun movie - lots of hilarious moments with a great ensemble cast. You get the feeling that the actors had a lot of fun when they did this film. Beside being funny it also makes some valuable statements about family life, forgiveness, healing and accepting our humanness. An altogether warm viewing experience - something there for every generation!

george.schmidt 2012-04-19 19:21:30

Better than anticipated Latino-flavored home for the holidays dramedy; game ensemble

NOTHING LIKE THE HOLIDAYS (2008) **1/2 Alfred Molina, Elizabeth Pena,Freddy Rodriguez, Luis Guzman, Jay Hernandez, John Leguizamo, DebraMessing, Vanessa Ferlito, Melonie Diaz. Better than anticipated yetpredictable dramedy about a close-knit Latino family in Chicago whore-unite for Christmas but coming to grips with some familiar problemsincluding infidelity, post-traumatic stress disorder and general ennuibut it is rather light-hearted with a game ensemble of fine talent andrings true in the dialogue by the screenplay by Alison Swan, RickNajera, Robert Teite and Rene M. Rigal. Rodriguez also produced. (Dir:Alfredo De Villa)

2012-04-18 08:30:54

Nothing Like the Holidays

Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) I really like "Nothing Like the Holidays" and saw it as a very good film. It even made me begin to cry at the end and I did not expect that happening. The beginning started out slow and hard to follow because of so many characters. As I kept watching I got mad at a few people then the story shifted to funny. It stirred all emotions and I never saw it as just a Latino Christmas film; but a great film to watch year round. Yes, it is set during the holidays hence the title; it is a film that should be brought out anytime of the year.I highly recommend this film.

2012-04-17 17:53:13

Heartworming Holidays

This review is from: Nothing Like the Holidays (DVD) This is an enjoyable and darling piece of Puerto Rican culture and brings universal human qualities to the characters and the story. We all have some crazy in our families and I laughed at so many of the comical moments between family members. There were real issues that each of the characters wrestles with and the main relationship between John Leguizamo and Debra Messing is quite realistic but has some movie drama. The sweetest couple is the parents who go through their own problems and as a viewer I hoped for them. I liked the film and recommend watching it.