The Couch Critics
The Couch Critics is your laid-back guide to movies and TV shows that deserve your attention—or maybe don’t. Nathan, along with a rotating door of eclectic co-hosts, dives deep into storytelling, character development, and cinematic style with a sharp eye and a wry sense of humor. Whether it’s a blockbuster hit, a hidden gem, or a cult classic, Nathan’s relatable approach ensures every episode feels like a cozy chat with a friend who just happens to love film. Perfect for casual watchers and cinephiles alike, The Couch Critics bring thoughtful critique without the fluff. Grab your favorite snack, settle in, and let Nathan and friends guide you through the world of screen entertainment.
The Couch Critics
Magic Makers & Christmas Wonder
Magic toys come to life, Broadway-worthy musical numbers fill the screen, and Forest Whitaker sings his heart out in what might be one of the most overlooked Christmas treasures of recent years. Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey delivers something increasingly rare – a genuinely engaging, family-friendly film that doesn't sacrifice quality or emotional depth for accessibility.
What makes this Netflix original stand out from the crowded holiday movie landscape? First, it's the perfect blend of originality and familiarity. While the story of an eccentric toymaker who loses his way only to be guided back by an unexpected relationship with his granddaughter feels comfortingly familiar, the execution is refreshingly unique. The Victorian-steampunk aesthetic creates a world that feels simultaneously nostalgic and new, while the diverse cast breathes life into characters that transcend typical holiday movie tropes.
The musical numbers deserve special mention – they're spectacular showstoppers reminiscent of The Greatest Showman, with catchy melodies and impressive choreography that will have viewers of all ages tapping their feet. Keegan-Michael Key shines as a delightfully complex villain, while Forest Whitaker brings surprising emotional depth to his role as the broken-hearted inventor. Perhaps most impressive is how the film handles heavier themes like grief and betrayal with a gentle touch that doesn't alienate younger viewers while still providing meaningful content for adults.
Whether you're looking for a new holiday tradition or simply want to experience a Christmas movie that breaks the mold, Jingle Jangle offers the perfect blend of wonder, heart, and musical magic. Subscribe to our podcast for more recommendations that look beyond the obvious holiday classics to find hidden gems worth adding to your watchlist!
Follow us:
Facebook - Couch Critic Podcast
Instagram - @thecouchcriticpod
Hello everybody and welcome to a brand new episode of the couch critics. I'm your host, nathan, and yes, yes, we still exist, even though we're a day late. It's fine, it happens. You know, life gets busy, life gets crazy, and it's not just me this time. I know the past two episodes it's just been been me because, yeah, no one else has been able to record or has seen the movies I've seen. But this is different because it is me and my good friend lexi lexi hello are you doing good I am, I am.
Speaker 3:This is funny. Can I tell the secret? I'm not allowed to say the secret of what I'm doing right now, or no?
Speaker 1:I mean sure you can tell everyone that you're driving.
Speaker 3:For legal purposes. That may be a joke, but yeah, this is my first time doing a podcast while I'm driving. It's going to be.
Speaker 1:Yeah, my friend Katie and I used to do episodes where she would be driving all the time. So, yeah, it's, it'll be good. As long as you can talk and focus on the road at the same time, we'll be good. So on today's episode we are continuing our Christmas journey through so many different versions of Christmas movies movies that I would never consider Christmas movies. And then there are some that I'm like duh. Obviously they're Christmas movies. And today's episode is about Jingle Jangle, a Christmas Journey.
Speaker 1:But before we talk about our likes and dislikes, I have to go over the synopsis.
Speaker 1:An imaginary world comes to life in a holiday tale of an eccentric toy maker, his adventurous granddaughter and a magical invention that has the power to change their lives forever. Jingle Jingle A Christmas Journey stars Forrest Whitaker, keegan-michael Key, hugh Bonneville and Annika Nooney-Rose, and it also stars Felicia Rashad, which I'm surprised she isn't like higher on the list because she's, I think, probably the most classic of all the people in this movie and madeline mills as journey, and some other people too. So when lexi and I were talking about this movie, for some reason lexi said that I would have the same feeling about this movie that she did about A Christmas Story which I had never seen Jingle Jangle, a Christmas Journey. So it kind of made me a little apprehensive about how I was going to feel about this movie, this movie. So before I talk about how I felt about this movie, I really need to know, lexi, why did you think that I would feel the way that you felt about a christmas story with this movie?
Speaker 3:okay. So hear me when I say I thought, because from christmas story it sounds like you like the classic christmas movies. That gives you that home feeling, and jingle jangle is just not that classic christmas movie, but it's a musical yes, and it has stars to cast and it do so I just, yes, do I like classic christmas movies?
Speaker 1:of course, you know, I like a charlie brown christmas. I like a christmas story, I like it's a wonderful life, I like a Christmas story, I like it's a Wonderful Life. All those classic movies, of course I like them because to me they're just classic and they're you could just watch them every year and they never get old. But this movie reminded me a lot of the Greatest Showman, just based off of the. The musical numbers alone. They're very broadway-esque, very, very loud, very, just very fun, and so I actually really enjoyed this movie. Damn, yeah, I, and that's why I was like I don't understand why, why you thought I wasn't gonna like it, because, like you and I are both theater people, that's true, and so this is very, very much a theatrical very theatrical, and so that's one of the many reasons I enjoy this movie.
Speaker 1:Another reason I enjoy this movie is that both of my children not one of them, both of my children sat and watched the entire thing. Like really they were mesmerized by the entire movie, and when we had to pause it, I think to eat dinner or something they're like can we watch?
Speaker 1:Can we just keep watching it? Can we keep watching the Christmas movie? And so, yeah, I love that fact, because it's very rare that both of my children can sit and watch a movie, like we'll start watching a movie and then one of them will walk out of the room. But that didn't happen, and then my wife came in and she watched it with, so it was. It ended up being like a really awesome family movie night. So I would I would definitely recommend this for families to watch. It is a very, very good. There's not really anything questionable in it, like content wise. There's no bad language, there's no any other kind of content. It's just a very rare family-friendly movie that you can watch with like little children, middle-aged children, all the children you have, you can watch this. So I really really enjoyed this movie. So, uh, lexi, what did you think of jingle jangle at christmas?
Speaker 3:I love jingle jangle for like some of the reasons that you said, which is true. We both are theater people, so I should have taken that into consideration when I first said that, because I kind of did it for some reason Silly me. But I love the costumes. I love the storyline. Just like you, I enjoy the fact that it was such a clean movie and it felt dramatic, but not overdone.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3:I liked the whole little toys and the music was really good. It didn't have that it had a star cast singing, but the music was really good and it didn't feel like a copycat Christmas movies. That makes sense. I can say that this part reminds me of this movie, but it did feel like it's a good Christmas movie. That was different and that's why I like it, or the fact that it was just different I mean it was.
Speaker 1:It was something that a lot of people are asking for nowadays, which it was an original story. It has, you know, it had some similarities here and there. So, like you said, the other things that we've seen before. But the story wise, from what I, I mean, I don't think it's based on a book or anything else. So it was a very original story. The acting was compelling.
Speaker 1:Now I will say some of the child actors were a little bit bad at times, like not throughout the whole thing, like there were certain lines that they would deliver and I'm like that wasn't the best way to deliver that line, very flat or like very unenthusiastic, but it wasn't like throughout the whole thing, like, and it wasn't like the child actor was bad the whole time. They got progressively better as the movie went on and some of them you didn't really hear from major majority of the movie because they're being told a story by their grandmother. So that was like. The only little negative I have is probably some of the child acting wasn't the best and I did think that the toy, the, the toy bad guy, was weird, just a little bit, but I got over it and so like, yeah, my complaints are very minor and they didn't last that long anyway, so but yeah, I would, I really really like this movie, which again is why I was surprised that you you thought I wasn't gonna like it.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it was just a fun time, and so the biggest thing for me is that my whole family just sat and enjoyed it yeah, and I think when I first watched it we did the same, like I remember right I think, my little sister, my brother, we all kind of were just like, oh, this is cute, and we all kind of watched it together yeah, I mean because, again, it's very rare that you'll see a movie nowadays that doesn't have anything questionable in it.
Speaker 1:There's not one thing in this movie that I was like I don't know if I want my kid to watch this because I don't know what's in it. It was just very clean, very safe, very family friendly and yeah, I and and I really, really, really enjoyed it. I don't know now. Obviously I mean you, can you, you can tell me I'm wrong. I don't know if I would consider it 100 a christmas movie, when we consider the question, could you still have this movie and take christmas out of it, and it could still probably stand on itself?
Speaker 3:and and I will say that's probably why I didn't think you were going to Like I said it goes back to the reason why I didn't think you were going to like it, because I'm like you can take it. If you take it out, the realm of Christmas, you still have a movie. I feel like Christmas was the cherry on top.
Speaker 1:Not saying that that would be a reason why I wouldn't like the movie. Obviously, I still think it fits in the genre of Christmas because it takes a lot to see Christmas he's a toy maker, all this type of stuff. But Christmas isn't 100% necessary for this to still be a good movie.
Speaker 1:It would still be a good movie, it would still be a good life. But since we're on this Christmas journey, the overall theme of Christmas doesn't necessarily need to be there. Are there any final thoughts that you have about this movie before we give it?
Speaker 3:I know we talked about the kids actor and then we talked about the toy. But how did we? Talked about the kids actor and then we talked about toy. But how did you feel about, like, the plot line of the story there were?
Speaker 1:times that I I got why forrest whitaker's character was the way he was. But then there are other times I'm like I guess, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know. I thought some of it was a little bit humdrum for a kid Like I, because there was the part where they talk about his spoiler alert, his wife passing away and they show the gravestone and my daughter was like what happened, so I had to explain that to her. My daughter was like what happened, so I had to explain that to her. There were some heavy topics in it not too heavy enough and they kind of glanced over it kind of quick. But overall I thought the storyline was good. I think the things that happened in it were I figured were going to happen. Not saying it was 100% predictable, but the bond that he gets with his granddaughter and then his daughter comes back and all this stuff. I don't want to give too much away, but it is a very good movie. I didn't think the storyline was terrible. Again, it's a somewhat original storyline.
Speaker 1:Are there aspects of it that we've seen before in other movies, yes, but that doesn't deter the fact that it's still a good movie. What did you think of the story?
Speaker 3:Oh, I love the storyline. It could have been. If I remember correctly, when it came out it was in the midst of all the other Christmas movies that were all about love stories and baby is cold outside and all of that so like, because it was so different from what Netflix was putting out. I enjoyed the storyline. I kind of overlooked like the mom dying. I was like, okay, I guess that's your bad thing to check the box off. Okay, well, that's cool and that was about. The only thing I did not care for was how Scrooge like he was in the beginning I got to understand it, but that's the only thing. I was like, ok, I could, I could have went with a different character choice, but I like that was about it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean the way he kind of pushed away his granddaughter at first was kind of like, but again, like you said, you kind of understand it because he did lose everything.
Speaker 1:His apprentice kind of stole from him and I'm kind of giving away like a lot of the plot of the movie. You know his wife dies and so, like you know, there's obvious reasons this character is the way he is. Do I think he should have been, as like you said, scroogey at the beginning? Maybe not, there could have been some changes, but again, overall this movie is great. This movie is very safe to watch with your family, and to me, as a father of two children.
Speaker 1:that is a big deal to me because, like I've said multiple times before, it's very rare to find a good movie that you don't have to pre watch to make sure your children can watch it and and yeah the whole time I wasn't worried for some reason I mean because I'd never seen it before, so I didn't know but for some reason I just felt like this sense of it's okay to watch this with your kids.
Speaker 1:And I love Forrest Whitaker's performance. I thought everyone did great Keegan Keegan Michael Key is that his name of, because he was in Wonka and so I already knew he had a good singing voice. And then you have the actor who is in Downton Abbey and then also the Paddington Bear movies. He's in this. That was fun to see him in it and so it had a very like, a good, a good amount of star studded people, but they didn't over shine, if that makes sense. Like is like. I mean even like forrest whitaker, who's like this you know oscar award-winning actor, but like you never felt like he was trying to be like. Oh, look at me, I'm forrest whitaker. Everyone behind everything, everyone was great. And again it's a, it's a musical. So the songs are amazing, the voices are beautiful and it's just a really good are amazing, the voices are beautiful and it's just a really good story to watch. So if you've never seen jingle jangle, alexi and I are both saying you should watch it. Yes, so what would you give it as christmas rating?
Speaker 3:as a christmas rating. As a christmas rating, I have to give it a three out of five. As a christmas, no, I'll say a four out of five okay, okay.
Speaker 1:So I I'm gonna hearken back to another movie where you're wondering how is this a christmas movie? But I found a way to make it a christmas movie because I had this spirit of christmas and I feel like this movie has the spirit of Christmas as well.
Speaker 1:The spirit of forgiveness, the spirit of redemption, the spirit of togetherness and peace on earth. This movie has it, and it just so also happens to take place during Christmas, and so I'm going to give it a four out of five as well for Christmas and then for the general rating. I think this is a near perfect movie. I really do. I think it was great. The only downside is some of the acting in it. That's my only minor, but, like again, it didn't last the whole time. So for general rating I'm gonna give jingle jangle a 4.5 out of 5.
Speaker 3:Okay, well, I'm going to give it a 5 out of 5. I love this movie. I actually re-watched it a couple of times and it could just be that it holds a special place in my heart because it's so different from what was out at the time. And, yeah, the little kids kids actors was a little off, but I can forgive it because they wasn't like. They weren't like that was like their what first and second project. So I feel like over time it'll be great, so, for that to be like one of their first couple of projects. I'll give it a five out of five you know what?
Speaker 1:I'm gonna give it a five out of five too, because the more we talk about it, the more I'm like the fact that my whole family, my wife and my two children, my three-year-old son, we all sat together and watched it and just enjoyed it. I saw smiles on their faces. My son even turned and said, oh no, what's gonna happen to buddy the little robot? So, like, yeah, it was just, it was very, it was just a really nice moment to have with my family. So, lexi, you've changed my mind. I'm giving it a five out of five as well, because I do. It is a, it was a. It's a near perfect movie. No, movie's perfect. This is a near perfect movie though. So that is our thoughts on jingle jangle, a christmas journey. If you have netflix, go out and check it out. I don't know if they ever released it on DVD and stuff, but if they did, go out and check it out. So those again Jingle Jangle, christmas Journey thoughts.
Speaker 1:This Cinema Sunday either me, me and Mitch, I don't know, I never know who's going to join me I'm going to be talking about Spinal Tap. The end continues, that's right. I'm talking about Spinal Tap 2, and you can't tell by my voice it wasn't that great. And then next Tuesday I don't know what I'm going to watch, because the movie I was going to watch on my Christmas journey I can't find anywhere. I have to buy it, and I don't know if I want to buy it. Which one it's called? Call Me Claws with Whoopi Goldberg. I don't know if I want to buy it, though, because I've heard it's not that great. So it's.
Speaker 1:Call Me Claws or Christmas in Connecticut. So we'll see. I might surprise you. I don't know, but that is what's coming up next, maybe on the C critics, where every movie gets its close-up it's not just a movie, it's a way of life.
Speaker 2:We'll watch it together, day or night or not, so settle in close and don't miss a flick. This is the moment for the couch critic.
