Stave Two: In Which a Favorite Film is Discussed

DAY TWO OF HOLLMANN HOLIDAY EXTRAVAGANZA

We made merry last night as my roommate and I hosted a large, impromptu party to honor one of the greatest Christmas movies I have ever seen: Love Actually.

I find Love Actually to be such a curious piece. It's schmaltzy, overly sentimental, cliche-ridden...and yet delightful, funny, touching. The DVD cover dubs it "The Ultimate Romantic-Comedy." I dare not disagree. The movie has everything I could ask for: an ensemble cast, a British setting, Christmas and musical numbers.

I've felt a kinship with this movie since I first saw it on HBO in November of 2004. We had just returned from a Thanksgiving in Ponte Vedra, Florida. I had just enough time to walk in, unpack, and turn on my TV. I knew Love Actually was coming on from all the promos, and ever since I Ms. Bohuney recommended it in Spanish III, this movie intrigued me. Besides...Alan Rickman. Anyway, I watched it that night. Then I watched the encore. Then I saw it again a week later. And when I got it for Christmas from Aunt Karin, you can bet I was the happiest little boy on God's green Earth.

Love Actually gets extra props for actually being about Christmas. The storyline between Alan Rickman and Heike Makatsch could only work on Christmas -- the only other option is Valentine's Day, and you can't be blind to that kind of behavior on Valentine's Day. Bill Nighy's storyline acknowledges how crass and commercial the season is, only to show a cynic touched by the True Spirit. They fucking singing "All I Want for Christmas is You"!

Besides, to quote the movie, "Christmas is a time to be with people you love." Eff yeah.

And yes, you know what song is going up. I do it every year, and this is most appropriate.



I feel it in my fingers,
I feel it in my toes,
Christmas is all around me,
and so the feeling grows

It's written in the wind,
It's everywhere I go,
So if you really love Christmas,
C'mon and let it snow?

You know I love Christmas
I always will
My mind's made up
The way that I feel
There's no beginning
There'll be no end
Cuz on Christmas,
You can depend

You gave your presents to me
And I gave mine to you
I need Santa beside me
In everything I do

You know I love Christmas
I always will
My mind's made up
The way that I feel
There's no beginning
There'll be no end
Cuz on Christmas,
You can depend

Cuz on Christmas,
You can depend

It's written on the wind
It's everywhere I go
So if you really love me
C'mon and let it snow?
C'mon and let it snow?
So if you really love
C'mon and let it
If you really love me
C'mon and let it
Now if you really love me
C'mon and let it snow?