Eddie Murphy as ‘Chris Carver’ stars in Candy Cane Lane Photo: Claudette Barius © Amazon Content Services LLC
Candy Cane Lane is a light, pleasant little holiday treat, much like the candy its name suggests. The family comedy takes place on one of those streets nearly every town has, the one where neighbors out-do each other with the decorations, competing for the neighborhood honor of being named the annual winner. This story centers on one of those suburban families, headed by dad Chris Carver (Eddie Murphy). Chris Carver does indeed carve, in this case, handmade holiday decorations, which are overlooked for the prize every year. He is married to Carol (Tracee Ellis Ross), and they have three kids, Nicholas (Thaddeus J. Mixson), Joy (Genneya Walton), and Holly (Madison Thomas). Seeing a pattern here?
In case you missed, the film thoughtfully points that Christmas naming theme out for you in one scene.
Candy Cane Lane is a light, pleasant little holiday treat, much like the candy its name suggests. The family comedy takes place on one of those streets nearly every town has, the one where neighbors out-do each other with the decorations, competing for the neighborhood honor of being named the annual winner. This story centers on one of those suburban families, headed by dad Chris Carver (Eddie Murphy). Chris Carver does indeed carve, in this case, handmade holiday decorations, which are overlooked for the prize every year. He is married to Carol (Tracee Ellis Ross), and they have three kids, Nicholas (Thaddeus J. Mixson), Joy (Genneya Walton), and Holly (Madison Thomas). Seeing a pattern here?
In case you missed, the film thoughtfully points that Christmas naming theme out for you in one scene.
- 12/8/2023
- by Cate Marquis
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Stars: Eddie Murphy, Tracee Ellis Ross, Jillian Bell, Nick Offerman, Genneya Walton, Thaddeus J. Mixson, Madison Thomas, Chris Redd, Robin Thede, David Alan Grier, Ken Marino, Timothy Simons, Danielle Pinnock | Written by Kelly Younger | Directed by Reginald Hudlin
It seems streaming services have realised in the last few years that a good Christmas film is worth putting some money behind. Literally millions of movie watchers, and even people that don’t watch a whole lot of movies, are always willing to watch one at this time of year. Especially family-friendly films. Amazon Prime have got in experienced director Reginald Hudlin, and leading (and legendary) actor Eddie Murphy to headline Candy Cane Lane.
For almost the first hour, Candy Cane Lane feels like a rip-off of the ‘not exactly’ classic holiday movie Deck the Halls. As Eddie Murphy’s character – Chris Caver – loses his job and becomes desperate to win his...
It seems streaming services have realised in the last few years that a good Christmas film is worth putting some money behind. Literally millions of movie watchers, and even people that don’t watch a whole lot of movies, are always willing to watch one at this time of year. Especially family-friendly films. Amazon Prime have got in experienced director Reginald Hudlin, and leading (and legendary) actor Eddie Murphy to headline Candy Cane Lane.
For almost the first hour, Candy Cane Lane feels like a rip-off of the ‘not exactly’ classic holiday movie Deck the Halls. As Eddie Murphy’s character – Chris Caver – loses his job and becomes desperate to win his...
- 12/7/2023
- by Alain Elliott
- Nerdly
“Christmas is not about money,” says Pepper (Jillian Bell), the passive-aggressive Christmas store elf in “Candy Cane Lane.” “Except that it is.” She could almost be describing Christmas movies. From the start, they’ve paired a celebration of the Christmas spirit, in all its enveloping toastiness, with a theme of raw economic desperation. You can trace this right back to the original Christmas movie — “A Christmas Carol,” and by that I don’t even mean the assorted film versions (though I grew up with them and especially loved the 1951 version with Alastair Sim) but the Charles Dickens novella, published in 1843, which essentially invented the modern Christmas.
It was a tale built around money, and the fear of poverty as embodied in Bob Cratchit. A century later, “It’s a Wonderful Life” was essentially a remake of “A Christmas Carol,” albeit it with a small-town American mensch at the center and Scrooge...
It was a tale built around money, and the fear of poverty as embodied in Bob Cratchit. A century later, “It’s a Wonderful Life” was essentially a remake of “A Christmas Carol,” albeit it with a small-town American mensch at the center and Scrooge...
- 12/3/2023
- by Owen Gleiberman
- Variety Film + TV
Plot: Eddie Murphy stars in this holiday comedy adventure about a man on a mission to win his neighborhood’s annual Christmas home decoration contest. After Chris inadvertently makes a deal with a mischievous elf named Pepper to better his chances of winning, she casts a magic spell that brings the 12 Days of Christmas to life, and wreaks havoc on the whole town. At the risk of ruining the holidays for his family, Chris, his wife Carol, and their three children must race against the clock to break Pepper’s spell, battle deviously magical characters, and save Christmas for everyone.
Review: Eddie Murphy’s career has changed dramatically over the decades. Once the most popular comedian and actor in Hollywood, Murphy’s focus shifted from edgy and mature comedies to more family-friendly fare in the late 1990s. With some recent turns invigorating his dramatic chops, Murphy has proven he still...
Review: Eddie Murphy’s career has changed dramatically over the decades. Once the most popular comedian and actor in Hollywood, Murphy’s focus shifted from edgy and mature comedies to more family-friendly fare in the late 1990s. With some recent turns invigorating his dramatic chops, Murphy has proven he still...
- 11/30/2023
- by Alex Maidy
- JoBlo.com
A neighborhood holiday house-decorating contest intensifies to an unbelievable degree in Reginald Hudlin’s peculiar Christmas film, Candy Cane Lane. The stakes are high for Chris Carver (Eddie Murphy), a Yuletide obsessive determined to win first place for the most festive home in his neighborhood. Every year, he comes in second to his irritating neighbor, Bruce (Ken Marino). This season will be different — although not in the way Chris expects.
It starts with a layoff. After being unexpectedly and unceremoniously fired from his job, Chris finds himself bereft of purpose. He struggles to tell his family the truth and urges his wife Carol (Tracee Ellis Ross) to keep the news between them. Instead of being honest with his three kids, Chris vows to make this Christmas the best one ever. His daughter, Joy (Genneya Walton), is going off to college next year, which means Carver family gatherings won’t be the same.
It starts with a layoff. After being unexpectedly and unceremoniously fired from his job, Chris finds himself bereft of purpose. He struggles to tell his family the truth and urges his wife Carol (Tracee Ellis Ross) to keep the news between them. Instead of being honest with his three kids, Chris vows to make this Christmas the best one ever. His daughter, Joy (Genneya Walton), is going off to college next year, which means Carver family gatherings won’t be the same.
- 11/30/2023
- by Lovia Gyarkye
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Believe it or not, Eddie Murphy never has attempted to dive into the holiday movie genre in his 40-year-plus career in films, but with Candy Cane Lane he has found an ideal premise to add to his ever-growing filmography of family-friendly comedies along the lines of Daddy Day Care, Dr. Dolittle, and countless others.
He reunites after 30 years with his Boomerang director Reginald Hudlin, along with screenwriter Kelly Younger. The latter came up with the idea based on his own experiences growing up in El Segundo, CA, and spending time every Christmas on the real Candy Cane Lane, a local event created in 1949 showcasing a neighborhood that dazzles with its decorations, with each family trying to outdo the other in spectacular holiday fashion.
It wasn’t much of a leap to invent an all-out special effects-driven action comedy fantasy around the setting, and that is exactly what they done. And...
He reunites after 30 years with his Boomerang director Reginald Hudlin, along with screenwriter Kelly Younger. The latter came up with the idea based on his own experiences growing up in El Segundo, CA, and spending time every Christmas on the real Candy Cane Lane, a local event created in 1949 showcasing a neighborhood that dazzles with its decorations, with each family trying to outdo the other in spectacular holiday fashion.
It wasn’t much of a leap to invent an all-out special effects-driven action comedy fantasy around the setting, and that is exactly what they done. And...
- 11/30/2023
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
Prime Video has debuted a set of first-look images from the Eddie Murphy-led Christmas movie ‘Candy Cane Lane.’
Eddie Murphy stars in this holiday comedy adventure about a man on a mission to win his neighbourhood’s annual Christmas home decoration contest. After Chris (Eddie Murphy) inadvertently makes a deal with a mischievous elf named Pepper (Jillian Bell) to better his chances of winning, she casts a magic spell that brings the 12 Days of Christmas to life and wreaks havoc on the whole town. At the risk of ruining the holidays for his family, Chris, his wife Carol (Tracee Ellis Ross), and their three children must race against the clock to break Pepper’s spell, battle deviously magical characters, and save Christmas for everyone.
Update – here’s the first trailer!
Photo: Courtesy of Prime Video © Amazon Content Services LLC Thaddeus J. Mixson as ‘Nick Carver,’ Genneya Walton as ‘Joy Carver,...
Eddie Murphy stars in this holiday comedy adventure about a man on a mission to win his neighbourhood’s annual Christmas home decoration contest. After Chris (Eddie Murphy) inadvertently makes a deal with a mischievous elf named Pepper (Jillian Bell) to better his chances of winning, she casts a magic spell that brings the 12 Days of Christmas to life and wreaks havoc on the whole town. At the risk of ruining the holidays for his family, Chris, his wife Carol (Tracee Ellis Ross), and their three children must race against the clock to break Pepper’s spell, battle deviously magical characters, and save Christmas for everyone.
Update – here’s the first trailer!
Photo: Courtesy of Prime Video © Amazon Content Services LLC Thaddeus J. Mixson as ‘Nick Carver,’ Genneya Walton as ‘Joy Carver,...
- 10/11/2023
- by Zehra Phelan
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Exclusive: Ken Marino, Anjelah Johnson-Reyes, and D.C. Young Fly have boarded Prime Video’s holiday comedy Candy Cane Lane, joining previously announced cast members Eddie Murphy, Tracee Ellis Ross, Jillian Bell, Genneya Walton, Madison Thomas, Thaddeus J. Mixson, Robin Thede, Chris Redd, and Danielle Pinnock.
Reginald Hudlin directs off a script by Kelly Younger, inspired by his own childhood holiday experiences.
Story details are being kept under wraps. The movie is shooting in Los Angeles and a part of the California Film & Television Tax Credit Program. The film will stream on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide and marks the first film falling under Murphy’s three-picture and first-look film deal with Amazon Studios.
Eddie Murphy Productions’ Eddie Murphy and Charisse Hewitt-Webster; Imagine Entertainment’s Brian Grazer and Karen Lunder are producing.
Marino most recently starred in the HBO Max series The Other Two. Other TV credits...
Reginald Hudlin directs off a script by Kelly Younger, inspired by his own childhood holiday experiences.
Story details are being kept under wraps. The movie is shooting in Los Angeles and a part of the California Film & Television Tax Credit Program. The film will stream on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide and marks the first film falling under Murphy’s three-picture and first-look film deal with Amazon Studios.
Eddie Murphy Productions’ Eddie Murphy and Charisse Hewitt-Webster; Imagine Entertainment’s Brian Grazer and Karen Lunder are producing.
Marino most recently starred in the HBO Max series The Other Two. Other TV credits...
- 2/10/2023
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
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