Logan Sork Film Reviews
It's a Wonderful Life
A lot of Christmas movies focus on... well Christmas. So, it would come as a shock that arguably one of the greatest Christmas films of all time actually has very little to do with Christmas. It’s a Wonderful Life is widely regarded as one of the greatest Christmas films ever made, yet the Christmas aspect doesn’t really factor in until well into the movie. The film focuses more instead on life and the meaning of it, how we can find happiness in otherwise dour situations and the small things that ultimately lead to something greater. So, while It’s a Wonderful Life is defiantly a Christmas film, it is also so much more.
It’s a Wonderful Life is directed by Frank Capra and stars James Stewart as George Bailey, a man who is thinking about ending his life on Christmas eve. Believing that taking his life would be meaningless, a group of angels task an angel in training named Clarence (Henry Travers) to convince George Bailey that his life is worth more than he believes. To understand Bailey, Clarence views George’s life to figure out why George has come to this low point. As Clarence winces George grow up and the sacrifices he’s made o that others may be happy, we learn that while it may seem like George has had a disappointing life, it has all been leading to something better than he ever could’ve anticipated.
What sets this film apart from other Christmas classics is that the central idea of having faith is something that can appeal to everyone. In this film, the idea of faith isn’t just a religious meaning, but rather something that everyone should have in one form or another. The idea that faith is something more than a religious meaning has often been forgotten in today’s world. We often have moments in our lives where we have thought to ourselves “what’s this all leading up to”? It is the idea that our lives eventually lead to something greater that makes life worth living for, without having faith in that our lives eventually lead to something every day, then is life really worth living for.
The film also shows that our lives don’t have to lead to something grand in order for them to be satisfying. In the film, George has big dreams of becoming an architect, travelling the world and making lots of money, which is his idea of a fulfilling life. Throughout his life however, little things work against this dream, whether it’s money issues, starting a family or fighting the corrupt politicians of the town, there is always something that keeps him from reaching his initial dream. What George fails to realize however, is that his life has become meaningful. He starts a family, runs a successful business and helps other people live more meaningful lives as a result of his kindness. Like George, many people have big dreams, but they fail to realize that sacrificing their dreams may lead to something more meaningful in a small way.
Which leads me into another great thing about this film, which is its ability to make incredible use of small scenes and character moments to create something larger. Most films nowadays are so concerned with being larger than life that they almost feel artificial. With this film, it looks almost as if you’re looking into a normal world and watching normal people rather than characters. The film plants several small hints and messages of what’s to come, and while some of them are obvious setups, there are also a lot of smaller elements which factor into a much larger story. Even the films angels are small when compared to the traditional iconography, allowing the film to stay smaller without introducing elements which seem too strange for this normal world.
It’s a Wonderful Life is a fantastic Christmas film that you can enjoy just about any time of the year. It has a heartwarming story, a small yet fantastic scope and great ideas about faith and belief. The film is not only a Christmas icon, but a lesson on what makes life so wonderful.
10/10
It’s a Wonderful Life is directed by Frank Capra and stars James Stewart as George Bailey, a man who is thinking about ending his life on Christmas eve. Believing that taking his life would be meaningless, a group of angels task an angel in training named Clarence (Henry Travers) to convince George Bailey that his life is worth more than he believes. To understand Bailey, Clarence views George’s life to figure out why George has come to this low point. As Clarence winces George grow up and the sacrifices he’s made o that others may be happy, we learn that while it may seem like George has had a disappointing life, it has all been leading to something better than he ever could’ve anticipated.
What sets this film apart from other Christmas classics is that the central idea of having faith is something that can appeal to everyone. In this film, the idea of faith isn’t just a religious meaning, but rather something that everyone should have in one form or another. The idea that faith is something more than a religious meaning has often been forgotten in today’s world. We often have moments in our lives where we have thought to ourselves “what’s this all leading up to”? It is the idea that our lives eventually lead to something greater that makes life worth living for, without having faith in that our lives eventually lead to something every day, then is life really worth living for.
The film also shows that our lives don’t have to lead to something grand in order for them to be satisfying. In the film, George has big dreams of becoming an architect, travelling the world and making lots of money, which is his idea of a fulfilling life. Throughout his life however, little things work against this dream, whether it’s money issues, starting a family or fighting the corrupt politicians of the town, there is always something that keeps him from reaching his initial dream. What George fails to realize however, is that his life has become meaningful. He starts a family, runs a successful business and helps other people live more meaningful lives as a result of his kindness. Like George, many people have big dreams, but they fail to realize that sacrificing their dreams may lead to something more meaningful in a small way.
Which leads me into another great thing about this film, which is its ability to make incredible use of small scenes and character moments to create something larger. Most films nowadays are so concerned with being larger than life that they almost feel artificial. With this film, it looks almost as if you’re looking into a normal world and watching normal people rather than characters. The film plants several small hints and messages of what’s to come, and while some of them are obvious setups, there are also a lot of smaller elements which factor into a much larger story. Even the films angels are small when compared to the traditional iconography, allowing the film to stay smaller without introducing elements which seem too strange for this normal world.
It’s a Wonderful Life is a fantastic Christmas film that you can enjoy just about any time of the year. It has a heartwarming story, a small yet fantastic scope and great ideas about faith and belief. The film is not only a Christmas icon, but a lesson on what makes life so wonderful.
10/10