Matcollis This Movie Can Only Be Described With One Word.

Maidexpl Entertaining from beginning to end, it maintains the spirit of the franchise while establishing it's own seal with a fun cast

Lollivan It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

Lachlan Coulson This is a gorgeous movie made by a gorgeous spirit.

SnoopyStyle It's Christmas 1914 with the horrors of trench warfare on the Western Front. Three nationalities have an unauthorized truce. Palmer (Gary Lewis) is the priest from a small Scottish parish. Nikolaus Sprink (Benno Fürmann) is a German opera singer and Anna Sörensen (Diane Kruger) is his singing partner. French lieutenant Audebert (Guillaume Canet) is being reassigned further back in artillery. He's worried about his pregnant wife caught behind German lines.There is a little bit of action but mostly it's sentimental anti-war feelings. It over-does it a little when everybody moves from one side to the other to avoid the artillery barrage from both sides. They could easily just communicate and hide in their bunkers. The horrors of trench warfare isn't as visceral as the best war movies. It's very sincere but maybe a little too sentimental.

ThatMOVIENut A recreation of the infamous WW1 event, 'Noel' deals with the extraordinary circumstance when, during the first year of The Great War, French, German and Scots laid down arms and celebrated Christmas Eve and Day together, sharing gifts, singing hymns and playing football. Stereotypes and barriers are broken down, and the soldiers begin to see each other as more than just 'the enemy'.A unique war film, 'Joyeux Noel' is more about the human capacity for forgiveness and understanding even in the face of such paramount horror and radical nationalism. It accomplishes via having several aces up its sleeve. First, it boasts a fine range of European talent, including the likes of a young Daniel Bruhl, Diane Kruger, Guillame Canet, Benno Furmann, Gary Lewis and especially, Danny Boon. Sort of the French Sandler/Williams, Boon is a comic actor who proves his dramatic chops here, playing the French Lieutenant's aide/barber. He's sort of a lovable manchild who brings a sort of rural heartiness to the trenches, like having his coffee at 10 every morning to remind him of his mother. In any other film, this could've been obnoxious, but Boon walks the line aptly and the film's careful spreading of humour make it quite charming.On top of this, we also have a moving but sparse choral-centric score, fitting the yuletide setting, and rather convincing recreations of the tight, filthy trench life and the desolation of No Man's Land. It may not be overly gritty or gory, but it still conveys the impression of a place you don't want to be in. As far as negatives go, I have not much to say really. Maybe the superior officers are a little one note 'this is most unorthodox!', but the story's not focused on them, so it's not a big issue. Honestly, what's good here is really good, and makes for one of the most different and best Xmas films out there.

oscar-35 *Spoiler/plot- 2005, Christmas Eve 1914 on a WW1 battlefield a momentous event changed the lives of soldiers from France, Germany, and England (Scotland). An Oscar nominated film tells the true-life story of the spontaneous Christmas Eve truce declared by Scottish, French, and German trench troops in WW1. The enemies leave their weapons behind for one night as they band together in brotherhood and forget about the brutalities and military discipline of war.*Special Stars- Diana Kruger, Daniel Bruht, Benno Furmann *Theme- Hollywood film business is a crazy impressionable system.*Trivia/location/goofs- The History Channel did an extensive documentary on this mystical event. This fictional narrative adds more attractive trivia to the real event. The voice singing of the two German characters is stunning; were they dubbed or not? They were DUBBED.*Emotion- An enjoyable film. A must see and powerful film of a real startling wartime event commemorated even today yearly in Belgium on the very spot it occurred.

TheLittleSongbird Joyeux Noel seemed like an ideal seasonal movie. Already in the Christmas spirit I ventured to watch it, and finished the film with a feeling of hope and tears down my face. It is an incredibly moving film, with a subject matter that anyone would identify with, which is explored intelligently and broodingly here. The cinematography, lighting, costumes and settings are appropriately moody yet very beautifully done, the script is emotionally complex and never overly-preachy and the story is compelling and moved and haunted me a long while after. The characters are believable, no offensive stereotypes or clichés as such here, and the cast particularly Diana Kruger give dynamic performances. And I have to mention the soundtrack, simply divine and one of the best I've heard recently. Oh and for fans of Natalie Dessay and Rolando Villazon, they sing here, and wonderfully might I add, very understated and fitting with not a too original interpretation or over-tensed note in sight. In conclusion, a treasure. 10/10 Bethany Cox