Arrrrgggg!

Movies have always been a part of the holidays for us. Back when the boys were, well, boys, the first present they got to open on Christmas eve was a movie. And they got to watch it right away! Cleverly giving mom and dad an hour to two hour break for a glass of wine and relaxation in the midst of all the festivities. Years later, we would often engage in a movie marathon, choosing a theme or watching the various installments of a movie franchise. Notable were the Lord of the Rings, Back to the Future, and The Mummy trilogies, and more than once the original three Star Wars films. This year Reid suggested a pirate theme since he thought it fit right in with our shrimp and salmon feast that has become traditional on Christmas eve. First we took in Pirates of the Caribbean, Curse of the Black Pearl. It's always fun to see Johnny Depp play the washed-up pirate captain with the aplomb of a faded rock star. Never disappoints. The second movie was one I had never heard of, The Pirates! Band of Misfits. It was originally released with the title The Pirates! In an Adventure With Scientists, but it seems the producers didn't think that was a cool enough title for American audiences. I contend that the original title was, indeed, way cool, and I expect that the name change was the likely reason it flopped at the American box office. All I have to say is, I adore this movie. It was produced using stop-action animation and the sets are so detailed and fun! Plus it rocks the voices that are a who's who of comic British actors, led by Hugh Grant as the Pirate Captain who longs to win first place in the Pirate of the Year competition. We bought the dvd, and the bonus features are very much worth keeping a copy around. So. Watch this movie! With or without kids! Make viewing it a holiday tradition! Pardon me while I catch up on Pirates of the Caribbean, adventures #3 and #4 are streaming on Netflix.

What a jolly band of misfits they are!