Just A Little Bit Random

Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl – Review

Cert – U, Run-time -1 hour 19 minutes, Directors – Nick Park, Merlin Crossingham

Gromit is growing increasingly concerned about Wallace’s (Ben Whitehead) reliance on inventions, especially when he creates ‘Smart-gnome’ Norbot (Reece Shearsmith) who begins to cause havoc in the area, however someone else may be in control.

Since his first appearance in The Wrong Trousers over 30 years ago Feathers McGraw has become one of cinema’s most fearsome villains. His return in Vengeance Most Fowl has been said by director, and Wallace And Gromit creator, to have initially come about as a way to link the chaos caused by Wallace’s latest invention, gleefully chaotic smart-gnome Norbot (Reece Shearsmith). Perhaps alongside his re-introduction comes Curse Of The Were-Rabbit’s Chief Inspector Mackintosh (Peter Kay) and newbie PC Mukherjee (Lauren Patel) trying to pin the garden wreckage caused by Norbots across town on Wallace.

The titular duo’s world still feels as traditional and charmingly British as ever, while surrounded by technology as Wallace creates an invention to do every task to Gromit’s frustration. An almost timeless state when it comes to the look of the gadgets and technology – an old box TV fits right in, a smartphone would feel out of place. When focusing on the pair, and the escapades directly linked to them such as Norbot, and his army controlled by a still-imprisoned Feathers McGraw planning his revenge as he hacks into the gnomes from his zoo-based cell, this second feature is at its best. As it deviates towards the likes of Mackintosh and Mukherjee things feel slightly slower. There’s still plenty of enjoyable wordplay and lashings of visual gags to delight on endless re-watches, yet scenes focusing on such supporting characters feel slightly removed from the rest of the film.

While only six minutes shorter than 2005’s The Curse Of The Were-Rabbit (for me one of the greatest animated films there is) this feels less of a fully-rounded film than the Oscar-winning feature which successfully filled its run-time. Vengeance Most Fowl still feels like a complete and rounded narrative, however its narrative feels more of a longer short, or special, than a feature, as if certain points could be expanded upon or just given a minute or two more. Yet, as said, there’s plenty within the film to fill the run-time with little issue, and a good deal of laughs packed in. The familiar Wallace And Gromit style is still intact and present, and its what truly pushes the film and brings about the consistent entertainment factor.

Much of it’s held in the visual detail and jokes which crop up as part of it and the overall animation style. This fifth outing for the pair on our screens has perhaps the smoothest and cleanest animation yet (you can’t quite see the fingerprints on this occasion, unfortunately) and it certainly adds to the climactic stages which are packed with as much charm and creativity such as the all-timer model train chase in The Wrong Trousers. The passionate beating heart that’s poured into these characters and their adventures is as present as ever and brings an individual life to both. Whenever Wallace, Gromit and the likes of Norbot and Feathers McGraw who keep the focus on the joyous pair of pals are on-screen, the majority of the short run-time, there’s another cracking adventure to be found.

While it might not always feel like a full feature Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl is a welcome return for the consistently entertaining duo whose world is still packed with a variety of laugh out loud gags and visual and narrative creativity.

Alternative Christmas Film Advent Calendar 2024 – Dear Santa (2020)

When it comes to Christmas films many are packed with elements of fantasy. Reasonings for how Santa achieves his annual worldwide delivery, and keeps the North Pole hidden, introduce sci-fi leanings with increasingly futuristic ideas. Delving into imagination has long been a big part of many fictional festive films, no matter what genre. However, this year’s Alternative Christmas Film Advent Calendar switches focus to look at documentaries which follow real world Christmas stories and figures, each with their own strand of imagination, festive spirit and occasional fantasy.

To bring this year’s Alternative Christmas Film Advent Calendar to a close, my favourite of this year’s selection. 2024 saw the release of another film called Dear Santa. In the straight-to-streaming comedy Jack Black stars as Satan, answering a child’s letter intended for Santa. In this 2020 documentary the letters go the opposite way. Maybe not to God, but to people who are doing his work.

Dear Santa is a film full of warmth and joy as it shows people from all over America taking part in the US Postal Service’s Operation Santa scheme. Whether adopting a letter, being assigned one or taking part in a group effort or work drive the responses to multiple letters to Santa are full of kindness and caring. This is a film of people being nice, and right now that’s a truly wonderful thing to see. The generosity on display created for me the joy and emotional overload, particularly in the final half hour, that many may well get from their favourite festive re-watches.

Dana Nachman and Chelsea Matter’s documentary observes a very familiar theme in most Christmas films, and yet sees it come to life in the real world. A sense of generosity and kindness to and from strangers. Helping children and families at this time of year by responding to their letters to Santa – whether it be a child asking for a particular gift or a parent struggling to afford essentials for their family they find out in some way that someone is listening and someone cares. In fact, many people care as the documentary shows the different responses to letters depending on how they come to be written and read, and indeed what the request is. That impactful final half hour sees wishes coming true, and the many smiles they bring, an emotional punch stemming from a quiet hook.

But mostly, this is a film of kindness and caring. Of a team effort through the Operation Santa scheme and the individuals who play a part in it. To be a cliche of myself and quote Paddington “if we’re kind and polite the world will be right” and Dear Santa powers ahead with this making for a documentary that truly restores your faith in humanity and reminds you that on the whole people are good. People are caring. And people are kind. Even towards strangers who may be on the other side of the country. It’s a wonderful thing to be reminded of at any time of year, but especially makes an impact in a Christmas film such as this.

Dear Santa can be watched in the following places:
Amazon
Apple/ iTunes
Microsoft Store
To see where else the film is available to buy, rent or stream, particularly in your own country, JustWatch should be helpful in finding a list of places.

Alternative Christmas Film Advent Calendar 2024 – Greetings From Krampus

The horned figure of Krampus has grown more into the mainstream around the world over the last few years. Becoming a more noticeable character, often antagonist, in a number of Christmas films, not just 2015’s Krampus. Greetings From Krampus takes things back to tradition by looking at the Austrian tradition of Krampus runs. On 5th December each year many groups gather in towns and cities to dress up and participate in parades where everyone is dressed up as an interpretation of Krampus, some more traditional than others. Throughout the season participants sometimes go to schools to talk about St Nicholas’ accomplice and indeed take part in a number of different events with their costumes.

Preparations begin early in the year with great detail being added to each part of them all in anticipation for the main run. We hear from those who have taken part for years about what it means to them and the history of the runs themselves, how they’ve grown and taken on new meanings, especially as younger people are now involved with more aggressive costumes with bloody details. How Krampus as a figure has changed and evolved in the public’s eyes and is no longer such a scary figure, and wasn’t always intended as such.

This is a documentary that sees people celebrating and embracing tradition, but also showing the differing opinions of how tradition can change and evolve over the years to take on new forms or meanings while still looking back to those original bases. Particularly in regards to a character who in a large part of the world is as frequent a visitor and large a figure as Santa, or in this case the older figure of Saint Nicholas, who leads the Krampus runs.

Through this, Greetings From Krampus makes for an interesting look at traditions and festive activities in a part of the world less seen in many festive viewings. Additionally, how interpretations elsewhere, perhaps in this case largely from Hollywood, have changed and altered elements from what is more familiar in the origin countries – with these ideas leaking into them today and mixing with the various base ideas and inspirations to create constantly evolving and growing traditions for all the participate in in some way to bring in the festive season.

Greetings From Krampus can be watched in the following places:
Amazon
To see other places where you can buy, rent or stream the film, especially where you are in the world, JustWatch should have a list of most available platforms.

Sonic The Hedgehog 3 – Review

Cert – PG, Run-time – 1 hour 50 minutes, Director – Jeff Fowler

Sonic (Ben Schwartz) and co. must team up to stop another hedgehog (Keanu Reeves) with stronger powers from destroying the world alongside his nemesis Dr Robotnik’s (Jim Carrey) grandfather (Carrey).

At the end of Sonic The Hedgehog 2 I was somewhat hopeful about the inevitable third instalment. While not being a fan of the first film, although certainly being far too harsh on it when first released, the second was something of an improvement, improving as it went on to end with a solid and enjoyable third act. The marketing for this third film heavily focused on something of a darker tone with more focus on action through the introduction of antagonistic hedgehog Shadow (Keanu Reeves). Indeed, the action largely makes for the best stuff within Sonic The Hedgehog 3. Unfortunately, there’s still a tendency to lean back into the frustrations of the past in-between such sequences.

Shadow’s backstory, being created by the grandfather (Jim Carrey) of Sonic’s enemy Dr Robotnik (also Carrey, in a dual performance which is pulled off rather well) 50 years before, is seen in flashbacks a number of times throughout, growing increasingly orchestrated and tiresome through their convention each time. His story of loss contrasts with Sonic’s (Ben Schwartz) family, having become a strong largely-superpowered team, now with the additions of Colleen O’Shaughnessey’s Tails and Idris Elba’s consistently enjoyable Knuckles from the previous film, contrasting with the in-it-for-themselves nature of the Robotniks.

The more intense side of the action in this entry does bring about a likable nature to such moments, and as mentioned they make for the highlights of the film. However, where inconsistency lies is in the endless wise cracks of the tile hedgehog. Sonic is perhaps at his most annoying in this film, and while he calms down in the third act, there’s an almost relentless array of attempted gags unfurling from his mouth during most scenes. As a bike chase unfolds with Shadow through the busy streets of Tokyo he’s told “the more you talk the harder I want to hit you” and I couldn’t help but agree with the sentiment.

In total there are only a very small number of bits of wordplay that work over the near two-hour run-time, with most gags simply disturbing the flow of a scene or going on for too long without adding anything new to the joke so that one idea is simply stretched out until something else comes along. It’s one of the most frustrating things about this film which once again generally finds its proper footing in the, this time quite brief, third act. If all the build-up were more focused and stable like the final portion then, again, this would be a more enjoyable and successful time.

However, for a good deal of the time when promise is shown and the sequences find their stride they’re quickly knocked back by a tonal imbalance or out-of-place comment which feels as if it could be removed, or at least changed, to fit the moment better. It all makes this third instalment end in much the same way as the previous; hoping the improvement will continue into the next to make for a better-rounded film that leans into its promise rather than familiarity and seeming safety.

Once again, feeling most focused and balanced in the third act, the action of Sonic The Hedgehog 3 works well but is constantly disturbed by failed wisecracks from the lead character and repeating plot elements.

Alternative Christmas Film Advent Calendar 2024 – Dance Dreams: Hot Chocolate Nutcracker

Hundreds of performances of The Nutcracker happen across the world every December, many in the US. The New York City Ballet’s production is attended by over 100,000 people each year. Performed by children and adults alike, fellow documentary Getting To The Nutcracker follows a largely adult-performed production, sometimes a new interpretation comes to the stage, such as The Hot Chocolate Nutcracker put on by the Debbie Allen Dance Academy.

Featuring modern musical numbers and new segments such as Bollywood The Hot Chocolate Nutcracker is designed by Allen and her fellow dance teachers to more greatly feature and involve the young students at her dance academy; putting them front and centre of the production – instead of, as one teacher says, just having a brief moment to run across the stage like in the regular production. Throughout the build-up to the performances we hear from Allen about her views on teaching and the Hot Chocolate Nutcracker, her teachers and staff about their own dreams and where they hope to go professionally and, of course, the young people trying to fulfil their own dreams within this production and their own future.

As the big day gets closer and closer Christmas increasingly leaks into view alongside it. The festive season begins to emerge in the rehearsals before the explosion of colourful Christmas cheer in the final product. Of course, the documentary leans into the idea of a race against time in getting everything ready, including costumes and sets alongside each routine and segment of the production. All playing into a light countdown to Christmas and how it’s captured within both the regular production of the Nutcracker and the special one featuring talking mice put on by DADA.

The hints towards the festive season cause the film to lean into more of a feeling of seasonal viewing than other documentaries which look at The Nutcracker and generally bring about a more conventionally feel-good nature as we see the young performers; a number of whom are accepted and given an opportunity by Allen that they may not be given elsewhere simply for money reasons, and those around them, succeeding and striding forward in trying to achieve their dance-based dreams. There’s plenty of determination on display from everyone interviewed, and involved in the production as a whole, and it allows for the closing scenes of performance to have an even more uplifting and entertaining effect. Wrapped in a glitzy, glittery bow.

Dance Dreams: Hot Chocolate Nutcracker can be watched in the following places:
Netflix
If you live outside the UK, JustWatch is worth looking at to see if the film is available to buy, rent or stream elsewhere.

Alternative Christmas Film Advent Calendar 2024 – Becoming Santa

What does it take to be Santa? An endless stomach? An extremely dedicated workforce? Do you have to know what song each person sung to you on your birthday? Do you have to not smell like beef and cheese? How do you avoid sitting on a throne of lies? At least some of these questions are asked in Becoming Santa as Jack Sanderson heads to Santa School in order to do just this.

After losing both of his parents and preparing to spend Christmas alone Jack decides to dye his hair white, buy a red suit and get ready to play Santa throughout the festive season. From making his way through a train full of children waiting to see him to pulling off some last-minute Christmas Eve visits Jack throws himself into each aspect of the role, no matter how tiring it may become. At Santa School he’s taught all the words he can’t say, the answers he should give that keeps the magic alive for children who see and visit him while not making direct promises for certain things – such as killing whoever the US government is after, ‘you’re Santa, you know where everyone is, you can do anything’.

Yet, while being worn down and tired out Jack still remains largely positive about what he’s doing, and the effect that it’s having. He sees the joy that him as Santa brings to not just children but their families, too. He observes early on that the pictures that are being taken, particularly with very young children who may be meeting Santa for the first time, are likely to be displayed and kept as memories; he’s a part of their lives and memories for now. It’s an emotional thought for him and makes the experience, one which he treats with positivity and seriousness. While saying throughout that the period the documentary covers will be the only year he does this there’s a hint every now and then that he may throw his red and white cap into the ring again after the personal effect that the experience has had on him.

It’s something you can see grow and develop as he enters the world of Santa with anticipation and a smile on his face which he maintains throughout. Seeing Christmas from another, or perhaps long unseen, perspective and embracing it wholeheartedly. Demonstrating a catching warmth as he fully commits to the part both feeling and emitting Santa.

Becoming Santa can be watched in the following places:
Amazon
Plex
To see if the film is available to buy, rent or stream on any other platforms, particularly in another part of the world, then JustWatch should have a list of most places.

Mufasa: The Lion King – Review

Cert – PG, Run-time – 1 hour 59 minutes, Director – Barry Jenkins

Before becoming king of Pride Rock, lion Mufasa (Aaron Pierre) finds himself part of a group of fellow ‘strays’, being hunted down by a pride of lions vengeful lions.

The photorealistic CG animation which makes up Disney’s prequel to their 2019 (non)live-action remake of The Lion King feels somewhat in two minds. On the one hand, they appear to have listened to audience reactions that the expressionless nature of the characters was an issue when it came to emotional impact, on the other they’re clearly aware that the remake made over $1.6 billion worldwide and is one of the highest grossing films of all time. The result is brief glimmers of emotion before going back to the largely blank, photoreal looks which create a wall for any feelings the animal characters might be feeling to run into.

One of my biggest issues with the remake, which generally I thought was fine, was the fact that the nature of the visuals meant that the film felt restricted. Big, colourful musicals numbers such as I Just Can’t Wait To Be King were limited to characters running around a watering hole for three minutes. This is a problem for Mufasa as most of the songs – which themselves are solid thanks to the involvement of Lin-Manuel Miranda – simply show multiple wide shots of characters walking and running across different landscapes while singing. The scenery itself looks good and there’s an undeniable strength to the quality of the animation, but it doesn’t make a proper platform for the musical numbers which feel held back by the visual environment.

Throughout we see a young Mufasa (Braelyn Rankins) separated from his parents after a flood, saved by fellow cub, and future Scar, Taka (Theo Somolu). The two grow up together (now voiced by Aaron Pierre and Kelvin Harrison Jr respectively) and as calls for being the future king of the pride begin to properly enter their minds they must flee the pride after an attack by a group of white lions, seeking vengeance for the death of their leader’s (a very welcome appearance from Mads Mikkelson) son after an earlier attack. As they’re hunted down the pair of adoptive brothers come across fellow lion Sarabi (Tiffany Boone), separated from her own pride and father the king, who accompanying bird Zazu (a wobbly Preston Nyman) is meant to report back to if they can find their way back.

As a whole, the narrative feels occasionally familiar, largely when involved with more talky sequences trying to build-up character dynamics to where they are by the start of The Lion King. At times these moments can feel somewhat forceful, although nothing as clanging as the bordering on funny creation of Pride Rock, and disturb the steady flow of each sequence into the next as the cat-and-mouse (or lion-and-lion) chase through varying terrains plays out. While the villains, largely Mikkelson’s Kiros, might be somewhat plain there’s a clear villainous nature to them, and no other side to the coin. They also make for some of the best moments when simply engaging in confrontation and acting as a threat that you wish would sometimes be more upfront in a moment rather than pushed aside quickly as the central trio find a way to quickly escape.

It means that a number of moments come close to feeling repetitive, and the film slower than it perhaps should be at times. When dealing with its points upfront and moving things along Mufasa is at its best, when it stops to take in a moment it starts to falter – despite this so often being where director Barry Jenkins best succeeds. As a whole the narrative works and holds up, perhaps in part because of its relatively simplistic nature, and there’s enough within Mufasa to see it through, even if it does come across a few bumps along the way. The voice cast do a good job in helping with this, and after hearing that Jenkins directed recordings and assembled them as if they were a radio play I’d be interested in hearing that on its own, hearing the imagination and story, in comparison to what has been paired up with the chain of photorealistic animation.

Much like the 2019 remake, Mufasa: The Lion King suffers from the limiting photorealistic animation. Restricting emotional expression and freedom to drift into further fantasy, the film has its moments but falls flat trying to find itself in longer, dialogue-heavy scenes where the main points are less upfront.

Alternative Christmas Film Advent Calendar 2024 – ‘Twas The Fight Before Christmas

Whether transforming a home or shop into an unrecognisably festive space with endless ribbons and paper chains, attempting to impress the family or entering into a battle with the neighbours for the best light show there are plenty of moments in Christmas films where the characters, and filmmakers, will stop to admire the displays. Even Kevin McCallister takes a moment to stop thinking about the Wet Bandits or Tim Curry’s concierge, constantly on his tail, to take in both the towering tree outside the Rockefeller Centre and the smaller ornament-laden one in the lobby of the Plaza Hotel. However, today’s Alternative Christmas Film Advent Calendar entry looks less at taking a moment to take in the decorations and more having them constantly flooding through your street and window, and only from one house.

Jeremy Morris loves Christmas, and wants to spread the joy to everyone with welcoming events at his house. Each year his decorations grew brighter, expand further across the outside of his house and eventually became an attraction. Hot chocolate would be given out while a camel joined in the attraction. Eventually, when moving with his family to a quieter neighbourhood outside of the city limits, where a permit to hold this kind of event isn’t needed, Jeremy finds himself clashing with the Homeowners’ Association over his displays which draw in hundreds of visitors to the small community and cause disturbances to fellow residents.

Jeremy himself, his talking head interviews largely held in a storage garage filled with brightly coloured Christmas decorations, his clothes fitting colours for the season, says that he views himself as Clark Griswold, wanting to create the best, most spectacular Christmas for his whole family and those around them. However, it seems those around him view him as the other side of Clark Grisworld which causes chaos and headaches. Director Becky Reed quickly shifts perspective to show that the responses the Homeowners’ Association in the quiet North Idaho neighbourhood received from lawyer Jeremy, and his friends, escalated quickly and strayed from politeness. What unfolds is a festive battle twisting the meanings of Christmas spirit and how going all out to display it might actually backfire and show quite the opposite.

The season of goodwill begins to contain very little of just that as the streets begin to fill up with noisy visitors attending the illuminating display covering the entirety of the Morris’ home. The idea of religion begins to play into things are different ideas of the true meaning of Christmas begin to be brought up by both parties creating a set of arguments all of which recognise that somewhere the Christmas season isn’t being properly embraced or celebrated. However, the film quickly asks and delves into where this is really coming from with all the sympathy going towards everyone else in the community, particularly those leading the Homeowners’ Association (who show themselves as far from Hot Fuzz’s Neighbourhood Watch Association) as Christmas becomes an increasing struggle of heated back-and-forth communication and strong visual and audible noise.

Perhaps when it comes to feeling like a traditional Christmas film ‘Twas The Fight Before Christmas doesn’t tick most of the boxes, although that is to some extent what the Alternative Christmas Film Advent Calendar is all about. However, it deals with the season upfront and keeps it at the focus of its events, bringing in new ideas and arguments as to what the true meaning of it is, and how that can twist and change depending on who your asking and when. And just how much Christmas spirit is too much?

‘Twas The Fight Before Christmas can be watched in the following places:
Apple TV+
To see where else the film is available to stream, buy or rent, especially if you live outside the UK, JustWatch should list most places where you can find it.

Alternative Christmas Film Advent Calendar 2024 – What Would Jesus Buy?

In 1996 Arnold Schwarzenegger took on the biggest fight against the commercialisation of Christmas since Charlie Brown’s. How did he do this? By running all across Minneapolis in a desperate bid to get his son the must-have toy that year before dressing up as the Turbo Man action-figure in a Christmas Eve parade. For Reverend Billy and the Stop Shopping Gospel Choir their fight with the festive season’s increased promotion of consumerism isn’t limited to just Christmas Eve or Minneapolis as What Would Jesus Buy? sees them travel across America preaching their cause through performance protest.

Whether being escorted out of a mall, appearing on TV or going door-to-door carolling (“Joy to the world, in the form of goods. Consume! Consume! Consume!” or “Pack the malls with folks with money, fa la la la la la la la la”) their message is loud and clear, Christmas has become too much about money. As the church makes their way across the country towards Disneyland we hear from church ministers about their views about what Christmas has become and from small business owners about the impact that a Wal-Mart opening in their area has had on their livelihoods, particularly at this time of year.

Throughout there’s an awareness from the protesters as to what they’re doing, and a sense that they’re having some fun with their performances – whether out on the street or engaging in their form of church service. All in order to get across their point about both the true spirit of Christmas, the generosity and togetherness at the heart of it and how you don’t need to spend huge wads of cash to display that – “give a gift out of love this season!” Reverend Billy shouts through a cone loudhailer outside a Toys R Us to a positive, agreeing response from onlookers.

We hear snippets of memories of simpler Christmases past from people who may have grown up with little and, indeed what people think Jesus would buy in this day and age (well, 2007; the Wii and Xbox 360 get a couple of mentions). Alongside combatting consumerism the church aims to fight against unethical means of making products, such as sweatshops. Each point they tackle on their journey across the US links back to their push of remembering others throughout the festive season, showing a care for those around us, all through their entertaining brand of rather joyful protest.

What Would Jesus Buy? is available to watch in the following places:
YouTube
To see other platforms where you can buy, rent or stream the film, especially in your part of the world, it’s worth having a look at Justwatch.

Alternative Christmas Film Advent Calendar 2024 – Tree Man

If the fireplace isn’t big enough, or proves too much of a safety hazard, there’s no greater warmth for many film characters than gathering around the Christmas tree. It’s what the people of Whoville unite around after Christmas has been stolen, with the Grinch eventually joining them after he returns it. Even before buying one the people of Manhattan, and occasionally beyond, are connected and infused with the Christmas spirit not by the trees for sale but by the man who’s selling them. Every year Quebec resident François travels over 500 miles to the same New York City street corner and sets up shop, living in a van parked up on the edge of the pavement for the couple of months he spends away from his wife and young children.

Manhattan provides something of a second family to François. As soon as he parks up he’s greeted warmly by the street’s security guard. Hugs begin to spread as more people arrive and we meet those who also help to sell trees, sometimes at other stalls, and those who will always return to François to buy their annual evergreen. We hear from many customers who state that visiting him, alongside his quickly-assembled street-side shop, is as much of an annual tradition as decorating the tree itself.

When it comes to his staff all, including their families, have warm words to say about François. He’s been there for some throughout their lives, given them opportunities and been there to encourage towards the right path. For much of the film he seems like a quiet figure, set on selling Christmas trees while the world around him while constantly moving appears to throw all sorts of praise, thankfulness and admiration his way, even from those at other stalls who themselves have travelled hundreds of miles to sell trees. It creates a large sense of welcoming and family in streets that could so easily feel isolating.

François’s tree shop acts as a hub where people come together and the festive season truly kicks off for many, putting them into the Christmas spirit. It comes across in a growing sense of warmth that everyone shows towards the film’s titular Tree Man, and gently receive from him, for customers this includes the stall going out of its way to deliver trees and sometimes help set them up. It may just be part of the service, it may be the seasonal cheer and generosity. Whatever it is it surrounds both the shop and man at the centre of the film and those who interact with him and make up that second family. The tight community within this big city may relieve some of the loneliness and separation as they gather around the Tree Man with open arms.

Tree Man is available to watch in the following places:
Apple TV/ iTunes
The Roku Channel
To see other places where you can buy, rent or stream the film, particularly in your own country, then JustWatch is always worth looking at.