Jingle All The Way (1996)

 

Jingle All The Way - 1996

Our next film is 1996's "Jingle All The Way", where we find a busy father who has forgotten to pick up a very important and rare Christmas present for his son.  The antics he gets into on Christmas Eve while he searches for the elusive gift bring him closer to his family than ever before.

The film's cast includes Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sinbad, Phil Hartman, Rita Wilson, Robert Conrad, Martin Mull, Jake Lloyd, Jim Belushi, Harvey Korman, Chris Parnell, and Marcus Toji.

Children's TV action hero Turboman is all the rage this year.  His show is supremely popular with kids.  And he's looked up to by children of all ages, especially young Jamie Langston.

In fact, the Turboman action figure/doll is the hottest toy of the year and is sold out across the United States as the #1 Christmas toy of the year.  After missing out on Jamie's karate class, Jamie's father Howard agrees to make it up to Jamie by getting him a Turboman of his very own.

Howard's wife Liz assumes that he got the Turboman weeks ago.  Typical for Howard, he forgot.  And now he's got to rush to find a toy that his wife deems will be impossible to find.

On Christmas Eve, Howard leaves to go and get the Turboman doll he's got at his "office".  He promises Jamie that he will be back in time to take him to a special Christmas parade, where Turboman will be making a special appearance.

Howard finds out just how difficult finding this Turboman will be.  He teams up with a disgruntled postal worker named Myron, who is also searching for the action figure for his own son.  The crowd presses against the doors in hopes of finding the elusive doll.

Howard and Myron are laughed at by the toy story employees, who find it humorous that the two waited so long to acquire the toy.

Howard must now search all over town, and his escapades get him into some real scrapes.  He runs over a police motorcycle, gets into a pushing and shoving match at a mall, fights a large group of Santas who run an illegal toy operation, and inadvertently gives a police man a bomb (courtesy of Myron, who says, "I work for the post office, so you know I'm not stable!").

As a last resort, Howard tries to steal the Turboman that his neighbor intends on giving his own son.  Having second thoughts, Howard decides to return the package to its place under the Christmas tree.  However, a temperamental reindeer and a fire that Howard ignites in the neighbor's living room call attention to his breaking and entering.

Howard remembers his promise to Jamie about going with him to the Christmas parade.  While he runs from the police man whom he gave the bomb too, Howard is recruited to actually play Turboman in the parade.  He excitedly waves to the crowds who are wildly cheering.

He even makes a special connection with Jamie, who is also watching from the crowd and who also does not yet recognize his father.

Everything works out in the end.  Jamie is thrilled that his dad turned out to be Turboman, and Liz is suitably impressed as well.  "What do I need a doll for?  I got the real Turboman at home!" exclaims Jamie as the family embraces.

One of the most hilarious parts of the film is the attempted seduction of Liz by her neighbor Ted.  While she doesn't respond to his flirting throughout the film, Ted amps it up right before the parade.  Just before things get too tense, Liz smacks Ted in the head with a thermos full of eggnog.

Cast rundown:

   Arnold Schwarzenegger...........................Howard Langston

   Sinbad..................................................Myron Larabee

   Phil Hartman..........................................Ted Maltin

   Rita Wilson............................................Liz Langston

   Robert Conrad.......................................Officer Hummell

   Martin Mull............................................D.J.

   Jake Lloyd.............................................Jamie Langston

   Jim Belushi............................................Mall Santa

   Harvey Korman......................................President

   Chris Parnell...........................................Toy Store Sales Clerk

   Marcus Toji............................................Kid With Remote Control

And that's all for Jingle All The Way.  During the film, Sinbad improvised the majority of his lines.  Arnold Schwarzenegger improvised most of his responses to Sinbad's dialogue.  Before Arnold was contracted to play Howard Langston, Tim Allen was among those considered for the role.

A post-credits scene shows the Langston family gathered around the Christmas tree after the events of the day.  Liz tells Howard she's been thinking about all that he went through in order to get Jamie a present and it's got her wondering what he got for her.  Howard looks up in a panic!

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Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)

Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)

The next film is the fourth film (but first episode) in the Star Wars saga, 1999's "Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace".  We meet several key characters in the franchise as we find out about Anakin Skywalker, a boy who has the potential to change everything and bring balance to the Force, and we also learn about the beginnings of the Sith.

The film's cast includes Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Jake Lloyd, Ian McDiarmid, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Ahmed Best, Frank Oz, Terence Stamp, Samuel L. Jackson, Sofia Coppola, Keira Knightley, Celia Imrie, and Brian Blessed.

Queen Amidala of the Naboo is faced with the invasion of her planet.  Negotiations with the Trade Federation (the invaders) have failed.  Nothing can be done as federation troops continue to pour into the planet.  All the Queen can do is watch helplessly.

Two members of the Jedi order, Qui-Gon Jin and Obi-Wan Kenobi, stumble upon Jar Jar Binks.  They are seeking a way to get to Naboo to help warn the Queen about events in outer space that conspire against the planet.

Jar Jar takes them to a hidden Gungan city underwater.  The Chief of the Gungans wants no part of whatever goes on at the surface.  He does, however, give the two Jedi and Jar Jar a transport through the planet core, that will get them more quickly to Naboo.

They set off in their transport.  It's a harrowing journey, in which they nearly get eaten several times.

However, they arrive safely at their destination.  "This seems luberly," says Jar Jar as he looks around.

It's anything but "luberly".  Queen Amidala and her ministers have been arrested by the Trade Viceroy.  Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan organize a rescue and convince the Queen that her only way to safety is if they go to Coruscant so she can plead their case before the Republic Senate.

Along the way, their ship is attacked.  A droid named R2-D2 saves the day, and he ears special praise from Queen Amidala.

They stop on Tatooine to get parts to repair their ship.  The commands that her handmaiden "Padme" accompany Qui-Gon and Jar Jar into town.

In town, they meet Anakin Skywalker, a bright, curious boy who is a slave in a junk shop.  He's also a pod racer.  Qui-Gon bets his boss that he can have the parts he needs for his ship if Anakin wins a race.

When Anakin takes them to his house to seek shelter from a coming sandstorm, he shows them his project, a protocol droid named C-3PO.

Meanwhile, a Sith named Darth Sidious is sending his apprentice Darth Maul to stop Qui-Gon from completing his journey.

At the pod race, we get our first glimpse of Jabba the Hutt, who seems to have brought his wife with him.

After a rough start, Anakin gets going.  His pod speeds past most of the competition.

Anakin wins the race, thereby gaining the required parts for Queen Amidala's transport.  We also find out a bit more Anakin.  It seems he was conceived by the Force.  Qui-Gon takes a midichlorian count and finds it to be higher than any life force he's encountered.

He offers to take Anakin to the Jedi Temple to be trained as a Jedi.  Although excited, he doesn't want to leave his mother.  She tells him to go.  Her place is in Tatooine.  He hugs her goodbye.

Before they can leave Tatooine, Darth Maul comes and has a lightsaber fight with Qui-Gon.  They position the plane low enough so that Qui-Gon can escape without being injured by Darth Maul.

Anakin has a growing bond with the Queen's handmaiden Padme.  He even gives her a necklace to remember him by when they're separated.

When they reach Coruscant, Senator Palpatine welcomes them.  He also wastes no time in planting doubt in the Queen's mind about the Senate Chancellor Valorum, who so far has been the Queen's closest ally.  He tells her to call for a vote of no confidence.

Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan go to the Jedi Council and tell them about the Sith.  They also tell them about Anakin.  Qui-Gon says he believe he is the one that will bring balance to the Force, according to an ancient prophecy.

Before going to the Jedi Temple, Anakin wants to visit Padme once more to say goodbye.  The Queen tells him that she sent Padme on an errand, and will tell her goodbye for him.

Appearing before the Senate, Queen Amidala finds that no help is coming in relation to the invasion of Naboo.  She takes Senator Palpatine's advice and calls for a vote of no confidence in the Senate Chancellor.

Anakin is tested before the Jedi Council.  Master Yoda warns him about anger and fear, which are the path to the Dark Side.

After receiving no help from the Senate, Queen Amidala decides to return to Naboo, in order that she can be with her people during the invasion.

While on the transport home, she tells Jar Jar Binks that she wishes to speak with him.

She has Jar Jar lead them to the Gungan hiding space.  There, Padme steps forward revealing herself to be the real Queen Amidala.  She begs for the Gungans help with the invasion on bended knee.  They agree to help.

Darth Maul has also arrived on Naboo.  He fights with Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan.  When they are separated, he kills Qui-Gon by using his lightsaber.

Queen Amidala outsmarts the Federation guards and manages to get to the Throne Room, where she organizes new terms with the Federation Viceroy.

Obi-Wan is finally able to fight Darth Maul on his own, and the two go at it head to head.

When Anakin (who was hiding in a starfighter on autopilot) successfully knocks out the Main Reactor of the Federation control ship, the invading droid army is rendered incapacitated, and the Gungans and the people of Naboo are victorious.

Obi-Wan is victorious as well.  He manages to slice Darth Maul in half with his lightsaber.

Later, Senator Palpatine comes to Queen Amidala and tells him that he's been named the new Chancellor of the Senate, and together they will bring peace and prosperity to the Republic.

At Qui-Gon's funeral/cremation, Obi-Wan tells Anakin that he has been given permission to train him in the ways of the Jedi arts.  The Jedi wonder among themselves about the appearance of the Sith, and which was killed, master or apprentice.

A victory parade is held on Naboo between the leadership and the Gungans.  The Gungan chief accepts the peace offering and proclaims an official truce between the two factions.

Anakin and Queen Amidala smile back at each other as the crowd erupts into applause.

Cast rundown:

   Liam Neeson...................................Qui-Gon Jin

   Ewan McGregor................................Obi-Wan Kenobi

   Natalie Portman...............................Queen Amidala/Padme

   Jake Lloyd.......................................Anakin Skywalker

   Ian McDiarmid.................................Senator Palpatine

   Anthony Daniels...............................C-3PO

   Kenny Baker.....................................R2-D2

   Ahmed Best.....................................Jar Jar Binks

   Frank Oz..........................................Yoda

   Terence Stamp..................................Chancellor Valorum

   Samuel L. Jackson.............................Mace Windu

   Sofia Coppola....................................Sache

   Keira Knightley...................................Sabe

   Celia Imrie........................................Fighter Pilot Bravo 5

   Brian Blessed.....................................Boss Nass

And that's all for Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace.  Liam Neeson wanted to be in this film so much that he reportedly signed on without ever having read the script.  This is also the only Star Wars film to never once use the word "lightsaber".  When one is mentioned, it is called a "laser sword".

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