The Fifth Annual James Proclaims Advent Calendar of Christmas(ish) Films – Door 6

2005’s Four Brothers is exactly the kind of movie I enjoy watching when I don’t really want to have to think too much about what it is that I am watching. It’s full of mindless violence and clichés but it never pretends to be anything it isn’t and if you can suspend your disbelief and aren’t particularly squeamish then it’s pretty entertaining for the most part.

Mark Wahlberg is in his element as the de facto leader of the four adoptive brothers out to avenge the murder of their mother, and Chiwetel Ejiofor is clearly having tremendous fun hamming it up as the bad guy.

Score for Christmasishness

This one really is quite Christmassy. It opens around Thanksgiving and then seems to take place in the run-up to Christmas. There are often decorations visible in the background. Plus it seems to be snowing throughout, which, while not a qualifying factor in and of itself, always helps to re-enforce the Christmasishness of a movie if there are other supporting factors. Not the jolliest of festive fare but full of family dysfunction, which is a Christmas staple in a many a household.