Most of all I wanted to post CBC Wiretap’s latest Christmas episode titled, “The Two Marys”. As far as I know, its not on the internet yet.

However, in my quest to find that episode I came across these archives. If you like John Hodgman, or random humour…listen to the first section of “The Gentleman’s Guide to Grooming.”

Perhaps Davey says it best. Click here and see.

Prologue: I’m home for Christmas. The last few weeks have been full of term papers, exams, Bethany and Andrew’s Wedding, a killer snow storm, a trip to Sarnia and Waterloo and New Market. I even fit in a trip to see Stuart McLean with Keith (who I love more than life itself…Stuart that is). ;) 

Now with two days til Christmas Eve (when my family celebrates) I have a few moments to decorate the Christmas tree and do all my Christmas shopping. (No time to breathe yet!) And it finally feels like Christmas.

I think if I had to choose my favorite Christmas movie, it would have to be Children of Men. Yes, this seems like an unlikely choice, and probably is not even considered a Christmas movie. However, I can’t think of a more appropriate movie than this science- fiction action flick to capture the complexities, hope and darkness of that first Christmas.

I probably like action movies as little as anyone around. (There are only so many car chases and shoot outs that a sane person can appreciate.) However, I do think Children of Men is a great movie. In fact, if I remember correctly I think I’ve cried both times I’ve watched it.

Children of Men is a story about a society of oppression and choas, a world underscored by rebellion and violence and hopelessness. In light of this, a baby is about to be born. A baby that represents hope and life, in a world that has become completely infertile. The mother is a young immigrant woman, an outsider. The simliarities to the Christmas story are fairly subtle intil the moment of the baby’s birth. The baby is born in the midst of a refugee camp, filled to overflow with people who have been deported from every part of the country. (These people, the most low and degraded in society, are the first to see the baby.) In the midst of gunfire, screams and chaos the baby’s cry is heard and the world goes silent. As Owen Cline’s character leads the mother and baby through the gunfire and wreckage, for a moment everything stops. People all around, who see the baby, fall to their knees in tears, and one man cries, “Jesus Christ” and crosses himself. (Subtle?)

Maybe I’m crazy, but this scene makes me cry every time. The peace lasts for only a moment, and the gunfire and bloodshed begins again, but that small moment is so moving. It just seems to capture the world we live in even today, and what hope there is in all the depressing darkness.

Embassy just finished their series, The Darkness Before Christmas. I only got to catch one of the messages, but in it Dom mentioned that we can only appreciate the light of Christmas when we understand the darkness to which that light was born. If we distract ourselves with all the happiness of Christmas, the artificial and the sincere, then what Christ’s birth represents is lost. We can’t truly celebrate the light, without realizing how dark this world is without Christ.

If you have a moment, watch Children of Men and think about Christmas. I think you’ll be suprised how many parallels you’ll see.

I broke my vow of solitude and studying last night. I went and watched “Lars and The Real Girl” at the Princess with Sarah, Skylar, and Keith. (I’m a bad person!) But, I just wanted to say, this movie was amazing! So many unique characters, fabulous acting, and a great story (hilarious and serious, which is always the best combination.)

One thing that was unintentionally hilarious, was the number of times a microphone was featured at the top of the screen. How does a movie go through production and post production without someone realizing that there is a full microphone hanging over a main characters head! This is a modern miracle; I imagine. However despite this obvious incompetence, this movie is fabulous. (Also filmed in Canada, much to Keith’s delight.)

Its a shame all the good movies never come to the main theaters, although I don’t mind supporting our local theater. However, people are missing out. The recent line up at the Princess has been Darjeeling Limited (also good), Lars and the Real Girl, Margot at the Wedding, I’m Not There, and Juno. Thank you Princess Theater for saving my life from incessant line ups of terrible cinema!