December 4, 2008

Perfect Song, Perfect Scene #4

Christmas Concert, Love Actually (2003): "All I Want for Christmas" by Mariah Carey (as sung by Olivia Olson )


14 comments:

  1. It's impossible to overstate how much I love Love, Actually, and this was a great scene... but I much preferred Jamie's (Colin Firth's) trip to Lisbon to win Aurelia with really, really bad Portuguese.

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  2. What can I say? This scene made my eyes well up in the theater. We've known of this cute kid's love for the girl the entire movie, and just when he thinks the stars have aligned, she starts pointing to everyone else. I'm pretty sure every 8 year-old boy has had that experience, and it's perfectly captured here. His face sinks in confused disappointment before that angry last smash of the cymbals. Brilliant and hilarious.

    Yeah and I never get tired of this or any of Mariah Carey's Christmas songs. Sue me.

    I really don't know why this movie isn't on a loop on TV during the Christmas season. Sure it's schmaltzy, but no less than half of the other holiday comedies.

    Check out this cast, btw:
    Bill Nighy
    Colin Firth
    Liam Neeson
    Emma Thompson
    Chiwetel Ejiofor
    Keira Knightley
    Hugh Grant
    Laura Linney
    Alan Rickman
    Billy Bob Thornton
    Elisha Cuthbert
    Rowan Atkinson
    and more...

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  3. I know why it's not on a continuous TV loop during Christmas season.

    Remember Bill Nighy's stream of British profanity when he keeps getting the lyrics wrong to "Christmas is All Around"?

    Remember the porn stand-ins?

    (I saw a TV edit once, and I have to say it was sorely lacking.)

    But good on you for promoting this movie. I love it sooo much. I'd have to double-check but I'm pretty positive it's in my top five movies of all time.

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  4. LOVE this movie, love this scene. "Perfect" is the perfect word for it. :-)

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  5. Wow, I definitely don't remember it as well as you, Nayana (re: the porn stand-ins)! But that explains it, to be sure. Top 5 - very interesting! I need to see it again this season.

    Glad I could spread some cheer, Matthew.

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  6. I was really charmed by this movie. I smiled the whole way through.

    And I think I read somewhere that they had to digitally alter her voice to make it sound younger.

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  7. brilliant! don't you love remembering great movies you forgot about? thank you for reminding about this one. i shall add it to my netflix queue now.

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  8. Ha, well I never heard that, k, but I agree that I was smiling throughout.

    Thanks for stopping by and visiting, sb - yes, I love going back and pulling out these movies. Helps from getting too caught up in the new releases.

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  9. I'm never embarrassed to hop on the Love, Actually bandwagon and this is one of the very best scenes. So much unharnessed joy. Definitely cathartic.

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  10. Thanks for coming on over and joining the holiday party, Philip.

    I never would have thought to consider this cathartic, but in a way - through the emotional drum finale - it totally is!

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  11. I am a sucker for romantic comedy, and Love Actually is one of my faves. But my favorite scenes are the ones with Bill Nighy as the boozy aging rock star. He is hilarious.

    Great scene, Daniel.

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  12. Thanks, Rick. Looks like this is a holiday hit all around. I'm still hoping to see it again before Christmas. It's been at least three years since I last saw it.

    I'd have forgotten all about Nighy's role in this if you hadn't all mentioned it. I've gotten used to thinking of him only in terms of Pirates of the Caribbean, unfortunately.

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  13. Everything about "Love Actually" makes me happy - it's such a sweet, optimistic, joyous film. This scene is only one of many that I recall fondly. Like Rick, I find Bill Nighy a particular highlight - especially in the television appearance where he tells the viewers "Kids, don't buy drugs....Become a pop star and they'll give them to you for free!!! "

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  14. Hehe, sounds like Night is the all-around favorite here. I can't disagree, but I always have a fondness for Hugh Grant (don't ask why), and I like to remember this movies as one of the FEW to feature Keira Knightley that takes place in this century. I think she's at her best here and in Bend It Like Beckham, but it's obvious that I haven't been guiding her choices in roles.

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