Christmas movies, like Christmas music, can get a little repetitive. We can only hear Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” so many times before we go crazy.
Needless to say, it’s always a welcome sight when a new Christmas movie shows up that isn’t from Hallmark. From writer/director David E. Talbert comes Netflix’s newest holiday classic, “Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey”.
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The Christmas musical features original songs by John Legend, Philip Lawrence and Davy Nathan. The film features an all-star cast in a setting that’s been richly influenced by African culture.
The story follows Jeronicus Jangle, the greatest inventor the world has ever known. On the day Jeronicus had been waiting his whole life for, his apprentice betrays him and runs off with his invention plans. The once-joyful toy maker grows old and forgets his once-sought-after talents. All seems lost for Jeronicus until his bright young granddaughter appears on his doorstep and gives him a new hope.
The world of “Jingle Jangle” centers an all-Black cast in a Victorian period filled with lavish costumes, impressive dance numbers and lovable characters.
The film includes stand-out performances from Forest Whitaker, Ricky Martin, Phylicia Rashad, Anika Noni Rose and introduces us to Madalen Mills. If the name doesn’t sound familiar, remember her name and voice. Mills performs the songs “Not the Only One” and “Square Root of Possible” which have become some of our favorites from the movie.
Mills made her Broadway debut when she was 8-years-old playing Sophie in the hit comedy “School of Rock: The Musical.” Now she has us singing at the top of our lungs as we recreate her performance in “Square Root of Possible.”
Every great movie needs an even-better villain, and for the first time in his career, Keegan-Michael Key is stepping into a roll that doesn’t require him to make the audience laugh. Key plays Gustafson, Jeronicus apprentice, and lends his pipes to bring the song “Magic Man G” to life.
Since its November release, the movie has garnered a 92% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 6.6 out of 10 on IMDB.
If the ratings aren’t enough to sway you, maybe some viewer reviews are. Here are a couple reviews written by users on Google:
“Netflix’s Christmas answer to ‘The Greatest Showman’ is, quite possibly, a brand new Christmas classic.”
“I just watched this movie with my kids and we LOVED it.”
“This journey was absolutely magical! This one is definitely a generational gem. I laughed, I cried, I danced and was even in suspense.”
Still not enough? We teased the some of the soundtrack earlier but now’s your chance to hear the whole thing. After listening, we’re sure you’ll be convinced that this Christmas movie should be on everyone’s must-watch list.
From the music and story to the dance numbers and characters, “Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey” has brought some holiday cheer to a year that needed it so desperately. We strongly recommend you check it out for yourself -- even if that means using a friend’s account.
Have you streaming “Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey”? Share your thoughts with us.