Claysaba Excellent, Without a doubt!!

Merolliv I really wanted to like this movie. I feel terribly cynical trashing it, and that's why I'm giving it a middling 5. Actually, I'm giving it a 5 because there were some superb performances.

Josephina Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.

Cheryl A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.

cricketbat Joyeux Noel is a film that beautifully balances the horrors of war with the spirit of Christmas. What makes this heart-warming tale even more fascinating is that it is based on actual events during the first World War. It is well-made, well-acted and well-executed. I'm glad I got to see this film.

amarsac8 Merry Christmas is a French War movie written and directed by Christian Carion in 2005. It deal with the Christmas Truce of the First World War in December 1914 between the French, Scottish and German soldiers. Christian Carion directed other movies such as Monsieur Député in 1999,and L'Affaire Fareweel in 2009.This movie was nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 78th Academy Awards. It was screened out of competition at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival.The actors contributed to the success of the movie : Benno Fürmann, Guillaume Canet, Diane Kruger, Gary Lewis, Alex Ferns, Danny Boon.But if someone thinks it's thanks to them, I find the characters flat, There is a lack of complexity in them even if throughout the story the History is showing. Despite that I was overwhelmed by this movie.The main plot of the movie : « One Chirstmas Day of the officers have coffee together and decide to « bury their dead on the day Christ was born ». Later, the soldiers play a football match. » The scene when soldiers are able to fraternize shows the fact that soldiers are not just « machine to kill ». This scene permits to highlight the humanity of soldiers because most of the time in war movies we forget the fact that they have a heart. During this Truce, the soldiers are on an equal footing whatever their nationality, they all have, during the Christmas, memories about their family, and faith.Christian Carion encountered difficulties to find a ground of some hectares because of the French Army. He found a French military training ground but the commandant of the base said 'no' ! Moreover he participate in the hostility of militarist because he refused to show archives of the army which prove the existence of brotherhood during the war. But he finally found a ground in Romania. Despite that, Christian Carion is « armed » as far as the scenario is colored, fed by small real facts (the cat which passed from one camp to the other...) The acting is perfectly managed with sometimes elegance...Merry Christmas sound like a « anti-war » movie if I could say so, even if it's a war film because the film celebrate Man capacity for empathy and forgiveness.AdelineI found spectacular the fact that was able to mix fraternization and humanity with the atrocity because we never lose the horror of war even if it's Christmas Truce. Despite the war, the language, despite cultures, men under their statute of soldiers will meet and appraise during some hours because the military authorities will stop.It's an irreproachable realism, this movie gives us a parenthesis of love and peace which raises several questions to the spectator, like the legitimacy of war. Merry Christmas, a lesson of humanity.

p_couture@hotmail.com I remember seeing this movie in theaters almost 7 years ago, during the Holidays, and falling under its spell almost instantly.The main element of the story, unknown to me at that time, was that soldiers on both sides of the War decided to call a truce on that night. And the following morning. Until...Like the title to this review says: How common sense almost prevailed. Almost. I won't go into spoilers here, I'll simply add that this movie is a reminder of the true meaning of Christmas, and how we need to find hope and common sense in each other in the heart of madness. Considering the recent events in Newtown CT, I think that's more appropriate than ever.The acting is good, but I give special props to Gary Lewis, Dany Boon and Daniel Bruhl in their respective roles. Production values are good too. Best of all, the music.

Sanou_san This film made my thoughts over the old Germany changed. Well I guess somewhere in my subconscious told me that these merciless enemy of the world during the old times were actually as knotted and determined like any other country would fight for their aspirations. Sadly there are millions who are caught in between the warring countries' ambitions and idealisms. And the complicatedly sad truth about it is that those who took part as pawns of the warring countries had in no way desired what they leaders wanted. They're mixed up, confused, longing for their families, scared, lonely and angry.I had this film long before. I just let it sit in my collections not knowing the brilliance it carries. I only owned it in the first place because it's a highly rated foreign film whose translation of German title I don't even know. I had the chance, the isolation to watch this film and it give me the chills over the beauty of the truth I never thought had been part of world history. The film per se is superb. The cast, the settings, and the sounds everything, as typical as they are, but like I always wanted over a film, whether it is cliché or contentious the story stands out. It's totally new to me! Warring countries fraternizing with each other? I mean if you've first heard of it and idiot enough not to think it's clearly impossible to happen. But the instance each party experiences led them to form such truce. It's heartbreaking, bitter sweet, poignant, touching at its best and really beautiful. Indeed nothing more is despicable than those who never thought of the efforts and lives sacrificed for the country's best. The leaders as they may be as necessary as leading the entirety could be as appalling more than the enemy for putting their men in no-man's-land while joyfully feasting over their wealth and safety. I saw through the characters inner thoughts. It was indeed the beauty that led this film as better as it was. I saw "The Pianist" and "Schindler's List", compared the two and filled my thoughts of hatred over the old Germany. But not everything was it seems to be. This film made its light seems ridiculous, impossible but in anyway such impossibility is probable when you know a man's heart speaks truly than they're countries' will.A worth of film certainly. It made me cling to my religion tighter than ever. But really there are those well in the church that seem to know so well but knows nothing at all being in the war could bring forth.