AC5: Random Movie Series Review - Nativity!

 

So for as long as I can remember, every Christmas churches and schools across the world would attempt to create a Nativity play of sorts. Some would take the more traditional route of following the actual story with historically accurate settings, costumes and themes while others would try to adapt anything that is current at the time (such as one year where Donald Trump was King Herold and that isn't fake news I tell ya) into the story to add some freshness to the mix. But for the last decade, we've had some films about school classes attempting to do their own spin while getting involved in a lot of shenanigans. Don't really know why this is still around, but there are four films which we are looking at today and they even had a stage musical. My parents even know one of the production crew that was involved in the making. So let's see how these play out:

Nativity!

So all the films are set at St. Bernadette's Catholic primary school in Coventry with the focus normally always being about a Christmas musical production being made by a single class and the teacher and his or her assistant trying to find common ground when doing so. In the first film, teacher Paul Maddens (played by Bilbo Baggins himself, Martin Freeman) has dreams of making it in the business of drama either as an actor, producer or director. Almost every year, the school goes up against private school Oakmoor to see who can make the best nativity play. Paul however is a Scrooge because Christmas was the time when his girlfriend Jennifer (played by Ashley Jenson) broke up with him (even though in the scene in question, she could've waited a bit longer for her present) and therefore hates Christmas. Regardless he is given the task to make the play together with Desmond Poppy (played by Marc Wootton), an immature and childish teaching assistant who is more enthusiastic about the play than Paul, even when he learns that his ex works in Hollywood which leads to shenanigans. The film is almost accurate to how most nativity plays at schools in the UK are made. But of course it's a film so they wanted to bring in some things that you would never except in the making of a play to add for dramatic effect and all sorts. None of the films are perfect and the chances of them getting any awards or raving reviews are unlikely. Plus they were all made looking like made for TV films. For this film, its ok. Some funny moments and plenty of cringe. But it was almost certainly made to give children a once in a lifetime chance (though debatable depending on their career choices later down the line) to be in a feature film and I think out of all things, that is the best thing about these films because the children in all of them work with what they have and do well. This film is no exception. An ok film overall I'd say. 7/10

 

Danger in the Manger

So Paul has left for Hollywood at this point which means that St. Bernadette school needs a new teacher to help Mr. Poppy's class (Poppy at this point, has been teaching unaided but still being immature). Donald Peterson (played by Tenth Doctor himself, David Tennant who also plays his identical brother) takes up the job despite his anxiety and living under his brother's shadow while also being an expected parent too. A lot to take in at first, but it only gets worse when Poppy insists that his class take part in a competition where schools create their own Christmas song with the chance to win lots of money. So apparently this film found the need to have improvisation for some scenes and you know after Martin Freeman, David Tennant was absolutely the right guy for this film. He works well with children, has some of his own, and he can be funny and dramatic as well. Again though, the film is just ok but Poppy to me looks like someone who is perhaps better off not working at a school. Just because he puts the children (who are wonderful once again) in dangerous situations and remains oblivious. Some good songs in this one too I'd say. 7/10

 

Dude, Where's My Donkey?

In the last film to feature Desmond Poppy (for now), the school gets a visit from an Ofsted inspector called Jeremy Shepard (played by Doc Martin's very own Martin Clunes) who does his inspection under the guise of a teacher assigned to Poppy's class. They are once again getting prepped and ready to take part in a festive musical event which this time is doing the best flashmob styled dance and song in which the winning school receives tickets to go to New York. Jeremy is a father and soon to be husband to fiancée Sophie Ford (played by Catherine "Am I Bovvered" Tate) who funnily enough resides in New York. But when his gains amnesia from being hit by a donkey, Poppy and the class try to help him remember in the wake of this competition and before the big day. This film once again proves that Poppy is still immature and oblivious to almost everything except for when it comes to looking after the children which I have to admit he does a good job of in this film compared to the others. The amnesia part is dragged a lot and towards the end of it, it does get a bit tiresome with many people I'm sure asking if it will ever be resolved because it does take up a lot of the film. So overall, the most improved film so far, but still OK at best. The children (who no doubt will have been recast for every film due to age) are great as always and the scenes in New York are pretty good too. 7/10

 

Rocks!: This Ain't No Silent Night

In the wake of yet another Christmas competition that involves all of Coventry, Jerry Poppy (played by Simon Lipkin) arrives to find his brother who has since gone to Australia to find his long-lost aunt. Instead he takes up his brother's former job while also meeting Syrian refugee Doru (played by Brian Bartle) who lost his dad when arriving in the UK and works with him to find him. All this while getting the school ready for the competition alongside teacher Mr. Johnson (played by Daniel Boys). Apart from the children who are great as always and the big named actors, this film is probably the worst one. This new Poppy is more annoying than his brother especially when he mocks someone for their allergies to dogs (I mean who does that really?!). The songs were also good, but everything else just didn't work this time. 5/10

 

A bunch of silly films which are all alright for a little while, but nothing award worthy if I'm be honest. Also the name kind of loses its appeal when the later films move away from the actual nativity part and focus more on the musical side of things. Which would be fine had it be called something else, but when you got a name like nativity, I'd expect a nativity of some kind. So if you like cute and silly musical films, you'll enjoy these. But for the rest of us, there are much better films out there I'm sure. 6/10