Mackenzie Davis | Screenlife Reviews

’Tis the Festive season and what better way to start it than with the fantastic new Christmas romantic comedy Happiest Season. The sophomore directing effort from Clea DuVall (who you may know as stoic FBI agent Marjorie from Veep) is chock full of Christmas spirit and timely queer commentary; equally hilarious and emotionally impactful thanks to wonderful performances from an all-star cast led by Kristen Stewart and Mackenzie Davis. While it may lean into some rom-com tropes a little too heavily, the abundance of charm and the genuine investment in the characters DuVall creates makes it easy to forgive these minor imperfections and appreciate this soon-to-be modern Christmas classic.

Abby (Stewart) and Harper (Davis) have been going strong for a while now, and are at the point where Harper thinks it is finally time to introduce her long-term girlfriend to her family. What begins as a well-intentioned, spur-of-the-moment invitation soon turns to anxiety for Harper – who has yet to come out to her otherwise oblivious family – prompting her to ask Abby to pretend to be her roommate until she plucks up the courage to reveal her secret. Once the couple arrive at the Caldwell residence, we are given a tour of this unusual family through the eyes of Abby (our audience surrogate) as she is introduced and begins to get a clearer picture of the quirky dynamics at play. Ruled by snobbish, overbearing parents Ted (Victor Garber) and Tipper (Mary Steenburgen) are the sisters of Harper: Jane (Mary Holland) and Sloane (Alison Brie), who in turn commands her husband (Burl Moseley) and two children with an iron fist.

DuVall’s excellent script (which she co-wrote with Mary Holland) instantly establishes each family member of the familial unit; identifying their own specific quirks and challenges to overcome. It goes a long way towards making everyone feel like real (if overly quirky), fully fleshed-out people and establishing their specific relationships with Harper. Sloane has been knocked down the social ranking of daughters by her parents for prioritising her children over a successful law career, vaulting Harper into the favourite position and causing some serious tension and resentment. Meanwhile the eternally positive Jane has clearly been in her position at the bottom of the pecking order for a while, abused by the entire family and meeting it all with sheer optimism (and some hilariously overbearing mannerisms). This entire dysfunctional family synergy is due to patriarch Ted’s pursuit of political power, a path which has led him to present an extremely conservative public image; one that Harper fears will never recover from her true sexuality being exposed. It is this fear that causes Abby to agree to the ruse, but as things become increasingly complex and confusing, the relationship begins to strain and Abby must decide whether to wait for the woman she loves to publicly accept her or leave it all behind and move on.

From a story perspective this is your typical “getting to know the folks” comedy. Meet the Parents wrapped up in copious amounts of tinsel and Christmas cheer. What differentiates it from other comedies of the sub-genre is the richness of the world around the Caldwell clan. Aside from the central family, DuVall fills the screen with one interesting or hilarious character after another, with all the pop-ins and interactions serving to either alienate Abby further from this change in her environment or give her some respite from the stress of the trip. One of DuVall’s Veep co-stars (I won’t spoil it) crops up for a scene as a mall security guard that will have you in stitches. Similarly Aubrey Plaza delivers great, albeit slightly less sarcastic work than usual (sorry Parks and Recreation fans) as Harper’s ex-girlfriend and an unusual ally for Abby. It’s a far more meaty role than the security guard but one that still feels a little underdeveloped and convenient. Riley’s character delivers a different angle to the queer experience that is important to point out, but the film never really chooses to focus on it too deeply; wrapping everything up in a neat little package without ever fully unwrapping it in the first place.

The performances are where Happiest Season excels the most. Kristen Stewart leans into the emotional side of her character, exposing a vulnerability that some viewers may not have thought her capable of. Her usual laid-back, grounded acting style goes a long way here to offset the zaniness of the Caldwells and makes her the perfect window for the audience to view these bizarre Christmas events. Mackenzie Davis’ Harper gets a little bit less to work with in regards to screen time but makes up for it with a richly layered performance. Her story will be familiar to so many within the queer community and the struggle she goes through is as emotionally devastating as you would expect.

The standouts here are without a doubt Mary Steenburgen and Dan Levy. Steenburgen steals every scene she is in as Tipper, constantly berating her daughters with scathing comments about their life or fashion choices as she struggle to document the Christmas season on her newly created Instagram. There is a charm that offsets all the nastiness and you feel that her criticisms come from a place of love; that she is unable to express herself in a positive way and Steenburgen is hilarious in the role. Similarly Dan Levy acts as Abby’s confidant and guide through the trip’s events, dishing out laughably terrible life advice and constant reminders that he is tracking her every movement. Levy doesn’t get a lot of screen time but makes a huge impact on the film; the best sidekick from afar since Lil Rel Howery in Get Out.

Happiest Season is the film equivalent of a cup of hot chocolate at Christmas time. A warm and comforting film that brilliantly captures the highs and lows of the queer experience of coming out whilst being absolutely hilarious and a top notch romantic comedy in its own right. The whole cast is utterly fantastic, with not a weak link in sight and the smatterings of genre tropes and undercooked storylines are more than made up for with the charm and heart of Clea DuVall’s fantastic script. If you were looking for a new Christmas classic to revisit every year, look no further as you’ve found not only that, but one of the best films of 2020.

Happiest Season stars Kristen Stewart, Mackenzie Davis, Alison Brie, Aubrey Plaza, Mary Holland, Victor Garber, Dan Levy, Burl Moseley & Mary Steenburgen – Streaming on Hulu in the US and in cinemas everywhere else now.

Paramount Pictures / 20th Century Fox, 2019

Prepare yourselves, it’s time for another Terminator film. About as indestructible as its cyborg lead, the franchise has continued to roll out entries for over 30 years and doesn’t appear ready to go down just yet. Where the original and its defining sequel were action blockbusters years ahead of their time, each film that followed was progressively worse than the last until the series hit rock bottom with Terminator: Genisys. Given this history, it was surprising that the series was given yet another revival this week and – against all odds – it’s actually not bad. The franchise’s latest entry blends the best of its past with the modern action tropes and societal commentary we’ve come to expect, lifting the series to heights it hasn’t seen since 1991.

Those familiar with the Terminator’s previous outings will know what to expect here – machines have taken over the planet somewhere in a dystopian future, yet they feel the need to send a killer cyborg back to the present so they can, quite violently, eliminate some future troublemakers while they are young and weak. The human target inexplicably meets a second, far friendlier killer cyborg, before watching the two machines duke it out right up until the credits roll. Dark Fate doesn’t stray too far from repeating this formula, but its lean, no-nonsense approach to the action means it tends to succeed in the places where past sequels failed. Grace (Mackenzie Davis) fills the role of the guardian Terminator this time around, however she’s far less robotic than her past counterparts. Without spoiling too much, Davis’ character is more than the usual emotionless AI, and Grace becomes a more interesting and complex character as a result. Sharing the screen with Grace throughout most of the film is Dani (Natalia Reyes), who finds herself being relentlessly pursued across Mexico and the US due to some great purpose she serves in the war-torn future. Unfortunately featured little in the film’s marketing, Reyes does a solid job as a series newcomer and manages to hold her own amongst the strong cast. She essentially fills a similar role to the young John Connor in Terminator 2: Judgement Day, and you’ll quickly find that her struggle is just one of many similarities this film shares with the blockbuster second entry.

The return of Linda Hamilton to the role of Sarah Connor has been the largest selling point in the lead up to this latest release, and with good reason. Much like Jamie Lee Curtis did in the recent Halloween reboot, Hamilton delivers a powerhouse performance as the grizzled action veteran returning to do her character justice. She connects and interacts with the other leads effortlessly, plus her dark wit and cold delivery see her delivering most of the film’s lighter moments. The inclusion of Hamilton’s Sarah Connor isn’t just for nostalgic purposes though, as her return has also been used to cement Dark Fate as a bit of a reboot – writing off the last three films and inserting itself as the true sequel to 1991’s Terminator 2. This is definitely a benefit to the film and its plot, as it provides something of a clean slate for a convoluted series that’s been in a downward spiral for a while. While it does mean that you’ll need to have some knowledge of the first two films to really get a handle on what’s happening, it also means there’s a decent bit of history and groundwork already in place.

For the transition between these two films to happen, some work had to be done in bridging the 22 year gap – and the way this is done in the opening minutes might be a bitter pill to swallow for some. Some may find its treatment of classic characters a bit rough, however others might see it as a turning point and the breath of fresh air the series desperately needed. Regardless of audience’s thoughts on what plays out, most will definitely agree it’s certainly not a sequence that’s easy on the eyes. This introduction is one of the most CGI-heavy segments of the entire film, and it serves as a pretty rough example of what’s to come. You’ll have no problem spotting the real from the fake both here and throughout the film, especially when the effects are applied to the cast’s faces or movements. This is generally on show most often with the franchise’s newest killing machine, the Rev-9 Terminator (played by Gabriel Luna). While Luna may do well with what he’s given, his character is a digital creation in just about every scene. This is well used in places to show off some slick abilities and superhuman feats, yet in some of the more fast-paced fight scenes the Rev-9 often becomes a weightless blur of CGI that can be a bit jarring to watch. The film seems to recognise this issue as well, with majority of the second half of Dark Fate shot under the cover of darkness.

If you’re able to look past some of the rougher edges of it all, there’s definitely a huge amount of action on offer to keep the lengthy film alive. The series has always fielded some pretty ridiculous and meandering plots, so the latest entry does well to keep the intensity dialled up for the most part. This means that you’re in for a ton of slow-motion explosions, brutal gunfights and – of course – the return of Arnold Schwarzenegger. Because it wouldn’t be a true Terminator film without the original himself, Arnie joins the cast once more to do what he does best. His inclusion pairs well with the return of Linda Hamilton and original producer James Cameron, and he’s at his peak when the action heats up or when injecting the quieter moments with some of his trademark humour. It’s worth noting that Dark Fate has wisely chosen not to place Arnie in the lead role here, meaning that the audience receives a good dose of nostalgia and fan-service while also allowing the series to have a fresh start as it moves forward.

Terminator: Dark Fate is pretty much everything it sets out to be. It’s an explosive blockbuster with equal parts nostalgia and wit designed to appeal to old and new fans alike. However it’s also an over-the-top and repeated narrative with effects and visuals that leave a whole lot to be desired at times. In saying this, it’s certainly better than many of the franchise’s recent releases, and fans of the early films will get a kick out of what’s on offer. As a modern reboot, it’s managed to rise above its recent sequels to deliver an action ride that’s at least worth the price of admission – and if this adventure’s success is anything to go by, the Terminator series will definitely be back.

Terminator: Dark Fate stars Linda Hamilton, Mackenzie Davis, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Natalia Reyes & Gabriel Luna – In cinemas now.