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Chock full of musical numbers, colorful Victorian costumes, flying robots, and magical glowing calculus equations, âJingle Jangle: A Christmas Journeyâ has something for everyone. Directed by Christmas-movie veteran, David E. Talbert, Netflix s new big budget Christmas film follows genius inventor and toy maker Jeronichus Jangle (Forest Whitaker). Jangle has just created his greatest invention of all time, a fully sentient clockwork matador toy named Don Juan Diego. After being betrayed by his unappreciated apprentice, Gustafson (Keegan-Michael Key), Jangle loses the magic of invention and falls into depression. It is not until years later, when his granddaughter, Journey (Madalen Mills) comes to visit, that he rediscovers the magic of invention.
MICHEL MARTIN, HOST: And finally today - throughout the month, we ve been inviting you to discover new holiday films and songs that offer a fresh take on that much-loved but maybe well-worn holiday fare. And now, courtesy of Netflix, a new musical called Jingle Jangle.
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, JINGLE JANGLE )
UNIDENTIFIED ACTORS: (As characters, singing) Oh, forget about yesterday. It s dead and gone away. The only thing that matters is right now.
MARTIN: Jingle Jangle is the story of a brilliant inventor and toymaker named Jeronicus Jangle, played in later life by Forest Whitaker. Jeronicus is down on his luck after his betrayal by a once trusted apprentice. But then his granddaughter Journey, whom he s never met, comes to visit. The two of them join forces to right past wrongs - and of course, since this is a Christmas movie, after all, find true meaning in family and relationship.
3.5 stars
Starring: Forest Whitaker, Keegan-Michael Key, Madalen Mills, Ricky Martin, Anika Noni Rose, Phylicia Rashad, Hugh Bonneville, Justin Cornwell and Lisa Davina Phillip
Rating: PG, for no particular reason
Opulent musical fantasy is laden with seasonal charm
By Derrick Bang
This is an impressive slice of holiday razzle-dazzle.
The tag line for writer/director David E. Talbert’s opulent fantasy promises that viewers will “discover a world of wishes and wonder,” and that’s an understatement. This often breathtaking blend of “Alice in Wonderland,” “Babes in Toyland” and “Hugo” also seems to be gunning for the seasonal crown long worn by “The Wizard of Oz.”
Love in the Nick of Tyme) turned filmmaker (
First Sunday), lets his musicality fly and creates a viable family Christmas movie that’s as strong as any Disney film.
Inspired by musicals like
Dr. Dolittle and
Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory and motivated by his son’s desire to see enchanting movies with people who looked like him, Talbert created this vibrant fantasy/family/musical. Originally targeted to be a theater piece, it has finally evolved into a live-action, CGI and animated feature film
All is good in the fictional village of Cobbleton, where the very bright inventor Jeronicus (Justin Cornwell, TV’s