Normally, we’d be getting ready to sit around the table and feast with our families, or rushing out for early morning deals–but the holidays look a lot different this year. While we won’t be dashing through the snow, that doesn’t mean we can’t still enjoy the season.
COVID may have interrupted some of our seasonal traditions, but a festive family night is a great way to get into the holiday spirit!
One of our favorite things to do as a family is to get together for a movie night. Everyone puts their electronics away and we take the time to reconnect.
We get cozy on the couch with popcorn and snacks, and find a fun family flick to watch. When I saw that Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey was coming to Netflix, I knew it would be perfect to bring some holiday magic to our next family movie night!
Looking for the perfect holiday snack? Check out my Christmas Charcuterie Board!
From the imagination of writer-director David E. Talbert, Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey reminds us of the strength of family and the power of possibility.
When his trusted young apprentice (Keegan Michael Key) runs off with his most important creation, it looks like toymaker Jeronicus Jangle (Forest Whitaker) may lose it all–until he’s reunited with his spunky granddaughter, Journey (newcomer Madalen Mills). The magical musical takes families on an action packed adventure, filled with holiday joy.
Twenty-two years in the making, Jingle Jangle is unlike any other film writer-director David E. Talbert has done before. Inspired by his love of classics like Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Talbert wanted to introduce the fantastical musicals he had grown up with to his young son, Elias.
“I sat with him and I’m singing the songs and everything, and he just wasn’t into it at all, and asked if he could go play with his LEGOs,” Talbert told Indie Wire. “As he walked away, I looked at him, I looked at the screen, and I realized, he doesn’t see himself in the film. But this was my childhood, because there were no other options for diversity of representation on the screen at the time. He has Black Panther and Miles Morales on his wall. So that’s when I thought, it’s time to do it, because if my son is experiencing this, how many sons and daughters of color, around the world want to see themselves represented as well?”
Black boys and girls can see themselves reflected in the fearless Journey and young inventor Edison Latimer. My boys loved Edison’s character, and quickly picked up on his connection to one of their favorite inventors, Lewis Latimer, who created the carbon filament for the incandescent light bulb.
With awe inspiring performances and magical melodies, Jingle Jangle is a heartwarming movie that’s perfect for the holiday season–and one that will be a Christmas classic at our house!
Does your family have a movie night? Have you watched Jingle Jangle yet?
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