AC7: Random Movie Review - Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey

Its been one heck of a year and part of that was down to the "Black Lives Matter" movement that had been around for a while, but became more important that ever due to the tragic loss of George Floyd at the hands (or more accurately knees) of the US police force. Some argue that its focused only on those people, but most of us know its true meaning. All lives matter whether you are different to what people consider "normal" or not and that is its true meaning. So I'm really glad that some of the films we've been getting in the past few years have recognized this fact and gone out of their way to make these empowerment films. Wonder Woman finally broke the curse of female led blockbuster films by actually being good and made by a female director. Whereas films like Straight Outta Compton and Black Panther have broken the curse of films being led by an all black cast (which is the politically correct work to use here in the UK) because they too were great films. Never be afraid of what you are and always embrace yourself. Don't let anyone tell you to be something that you're not. Which brings us to this film which in a world full of injustice, violence and discrimination, is perhaps the most innocent film we could get this year or even at Christmas. So let's take a look:

So as told through a storybook, we meet Jeronicus Jangle (played by Forest Whitaker) who is an inventor, toymaker and the owner of Jangles and Things. One day he receives the final component to his latest creation which he believes can be mass-produced and secure his family's financial future. The creation in question is a sentient matador doll known as Don Juan Diego (voiced by Ricky Martin) who comes to life once the new component has been placed. As the Jangle family leave to celebrate, Don convinces Jeronicus's apprentice Gustafson (played by Keegan-Michael Key) who is an aspiring inventor himself, to abandon Jangles and Things and take Jeronicus's book of inventions along with Don to get back at him for seemingly ignoring him. This however is proven false was Jeronicus had been wanting to give him a component for his own invention, but with no Don doll and the book of inventions, the Jangle family struggle to keep going even when trying to get the police involved, but to no avail. Years later, Jangles and Things becomes a pawnbroker shop and Jeronicus's granddaughter Journey (played by Madalen Mills), pays him a visit around Christmas. Despite wanting nothing to do with her, Jeronicus allows her to stay and perhaps may be convinced to believe in hope again to finally gain what Gustafson (who by this point has become a successful rich inventor despite stealing from Jeronicus) took away from him (be it unwilling or not).

Like I said, it's a very innocent film that has some depth to its story and characters and has a bit of magic and great musical numbers. It's well acted by its nearly all black cast, has a bit of fun to it and some humour too. Another great original for Netflix I'd say. 8/10