Over a long career, and especially during his recent resurgence on “Only Murders in the Building,” Martin Short has pressured to a perfect diamond the Martin Short Thing, which is: saying very mean and petty things in a way that is both hilarious and somehow endearing. It’s his thing and maybe nobody except Don Rickles got away with it for so long.

For “Saturday Night Live,” which Short guest-hosted for the fifth time (cue Five-Timers’ cold open), it’s a perfect fit. With the comic actor’s manic energy, perfect delivery of cutting lines, and ability to still dance and sing at 74 made his monologue and sketch appearances pretty much flawless, though he was a little light in the show.

That was partly because a raft of celebrities (though not his co-stars Selena Gomez and Steve Martin, though they were mentioned, or rumored romantic partner Meryl Streep) filled up parts in lots of sketches and dominated the cold open. They included Tom Hanks, Paul Rudd, Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin, Emma Stone and Scarlett Johansson, who provided live reaction to jokes about her from a particularly brutal “Weekend Update” joke swap between Michael Che and her husband, Colin Jost.

Short scored as an aggressive Delta lounge employee in a sketch about a Christmas parade that takes place at an airport gate, an angry mall parking lot driver, and a demanding director of the “Charlie Brown Christmas” pageant. But he was absent in the episode’s pre-taped piece, “An Act of Kindness,” about a homeless man (Kenan Thompson) helped by a gullible woman (Heidi Gardner), and a sequel to the Nate Bargatze “Sábado Gigante” sketch — with Marcello Hernández as host Don Francisco — that featured Rudd and an appearance from Dana Carvey.

The crowded episode didn’t give Short much opportunity to bring back classic characters or to break new ground, but it didn’t matter much because the show overall had strong sketches and when Short was deployed, he nailed every moment.

Musical guest Hozier performed “Too Sweet” and a cover of The Pogues’s “Fairytale of New York.”

If you’re an “SNL” completist and faithful fan, the best piece of the entire show for you may have been the cold open, which features a huge number of past guest hosts who’ve done the task five or more times. Hanks, who will narrate NBC’s documentary series “The Americas” in February, kicked off the sketch with Rudd welcoming Short into the Five-Timers Club, who responded, “What a surprise that I’ve known about all week.” Fey, Baldwin, Stone, Melissa McCarthy, Johansson, Kristen Wiig, John Mulaney and even Jimmy Fallon all got to tell a joke or two each, the best perhaps being when each made a confession. “Ant-Man’s powers aren’t good,” Rudd admitted. “It’s me that’s flying those drones. All of them,” Fey revealed. “I never had COVID,” Hanks shared. When Short received his Five Timers’ jacket, sized women’s small, he did some physical comedy making it impossible to put the garment on properly before saying, “From the bottom of my heart: I love most of you so much.”

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Short started his monologue with some one-liners, suggesting that he’d be playing an elf in 10 sketches and joking that his Uber driver, Matt Gaetz, was waiting outside before discussing his long friendship with “SNL” producer Lorne Michaels. “We’re kind of like (President-elect) Trump and Elon Musk, without the sexual tension.” When cast member Sarah Sherman appeared onstage to ask for some holiday cheer to get her out of her funk, Short launched into a song that sent him on a journey through the studio, throwing a kid off Santa’s lap, taking shots at actor Armie Hammer and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. before encountering Michaels and Fallon. “I didn’t know Jack Daniels made cologne,” Short quipped before planting a big kiss on Fallon. Once Short was gone, Fallon said, “You never kiss me like that anymore,” to a nonplussed Michaels. It was a high-energy performance not unlike Maya Rudolph’s “Mother” monologue from earlier this year.

Best sketch of the night: Like celebrity cameos? Here’s more

Returning from last year’s Thanksgiving parade sketch at Newark Liberty International, two TSA agents, Umberto and Chartreuse Hamilton (Bowen Yang and Ego Nwodim), host a TV Christmas special this time around with an array of characters. They include Rudd as himself trying to get into the Delta Lounge (Short spits water in his face), McCarthy as a gate attendant mispronouncing names such as Gina Sowdry, Wiig as a passenger riding a motorized suitcase, and Hanks reprising his role as Capt. Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, the famous US Airways pilot who was the subject of a movie. The sketch overall is a scattershot assortment of jokes, but the enthusiasm and star power go a long way with this one.

Also good: Melissa McCarthy did what to your car?

Like the airport sketch, this was also a new edition of a prior sketch from last year, the traffic altercation featuring Quinta Brunson. As in the previous one, Mikey Day and Chloe Fineman play a father and daughter who get into an argument with a driver in another car that includes lots of hand signals and body language to express what they’re trying to say. In this situation, Short is a driver competing for the same parking spot as them at a mall on Christmas Eve. All three comics do a fine job physically expressing phrases such as “bull crap” and “super Christian,” but the sketch goes to a whole other level when McCarthy shows up as Short’s wife, banging on the family’s car window and threatening to eat the dad’s face with her own face. That would be a fine cap to a sketch, but McCarthy then spits coffee on the window and does something to the window with her body that may never have been shown before on broadcast television. In an episode stuffed with huge stars, leave it to McCarthy to give the show its most GIFable and potentially viral moment.

‘Weekend Update’ winner: Two men owe Scarlett Johansson a huge apology

On any other week, Bowen Yang’s portrayal of a New Jersey drone would have easily walked away as the best thing on “Update,” a comedy bit full of great jokes that concluded with a “Wicked” song parody. But this wasn’t just any week: It was time for Che and Jost’s annual joke swap, in which each writes awful, offensive jokes that the other must read out loud. Jost’s jokes for Che included jokes about awful sex, insinuations that Che supports Sean “Diddy” Combs, and a truly gross joke about Disney’s Moana. But it was Jost who was more thoroughly roasted when he was forced to deliver jokes in a “Black voice,” starting with one about white reparations and Kamala Harris, and moving on to a series of jokes about Johansson, who was shown backstage watching “Update” on a monitor. The jokes included one about Jost leaving Johansson because she just turned 40 and a truly awful joke about her genitals. “Oh, my God!” she exclaimed backstage, apparently unable to believe what came out of her husband’s mouth. The high-wire act of keeping the segment going with the subject’s live reactions elevated what has become a truly offensive, yet compelling annual tradition to see how far and how low “Update” will go. The answer? There appears to be no bottom.

RED ONE (2024) directed by Jake Kasdan, stars Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans, is an urban fantasy Christmas action-thriller, fitting neatly into no known genre, which will perhaps be enjoyable to anyone willing to grant the somewhat silly premise, and perhaps not to anyone unwilling.

This film enjoys a remarkably high audience score but a remarkably low score from the establishment film critics. This is usually a sign that the film is normal and enjoyable, not perverse nor woke.

But the film did not seem normal to me, by which I mean, I can think of no other urban fantasy Christmas action-thriller. As such, this film runs the risk of falling between the stools. Action film fans might well pan it for its fantastical elements, whereas fans of Christmas family films might well pan it for its untraditional, even disrespectful, handling of common elements of the Santa Claus fairy tale.

As for Christians, we have long ago ceased to expect any mention of Christ or Christmas in a Christmas movie, aside from Linus quoting scripture in a Charlie Brown telly special from two generations ago.

Regardless, this filmgoer found the film perfectly enjoyable: nor were any elements visible which might provoke the establishment film critics. I cannot explain the high audience score nor the low critic score.

In the film, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson plays Callum Drift, a hardboiled six-foot-five elf serving a remarkably trim and athletic Santa as his chief of North Pole security.

Drift wishes to retire, as the Naughty List grows ever longer, and his faith in mankind fails. However, even as he is preparing his resignation letter, he sees Santa’s workshop assaulted by a black ops team of kidnappers. Draft gives chase, but the evildoers elude him.

Santa’s workshop is hidden beneath a holographic forcefield, but the secret international body charged with keeping the peace between the various mythical entities, the M.O.R.A (Mythological Oversight and Restoration Authority) soon discovers a hacker who broke into their security and betrayed them: gambling lowlife and deadbeat dad Jack O’Malley, played with evident zest by Chris Evans.

We are treated to a scene of O’Malley picking up his juvenile-delinquent son after school, where the boy got detention for monkeying with the school computer records: the father thereupon gives him a stern talking-to, that is, by cautioning him to cover his tracks better, and trust no confederates.

This is after we see O’Malley stealing candy from a baby, just so the audience harbors no doubt that this is not Captain America.

In short order O’Malley is mugged by MORA agents and brought in for questioning: not knowing who hired him, O’Malley nonetheless planted spyware on his paymaster, hence knows his location, but nothing else. The O’Malley and Drift are forced to team up against the better judgment of both: shenanigans ensue.

The pair must battle evil snowmen, sneak into a monster-infested castle, and confront an eerie player-piano playing the Nutcracker suite perched in the middle of an empty, fog-bound highway in Germany.

In one particularly well-done scene, O’Malley and his juvenile-delinquent son are miniaturized and trapped in snow-globes meant to imprison the unrepentant. When he sees his son terrified, O’Malley’s fatherly instincts come to the fore: he confesses his mistakes, he asks forgiveness, and he vows to amend his ways. Any mainstream critic not familiar with threefold steps of traditional Christian confession might not grasp the significance.

ikewise, anyone unfamiliar with the less well known nooks and crannies of Old World Christmas lore might not recognize the figures chosen to be the heavies here: Gryla is an Icelandic ogress who eats naughty children at Christmas time, while Krampus, from Romania, is goat-horned fork-tongued helper to Saint Nicholas, who punishes naughty children by birching them with a rod, or stuffing them in to a bag for abduction or drowning.

No version of these tales ever took root in America Christmas tradition — being rather alien to the American spirit — albeit within the last ten years, as our spirit is being lost, among the anti-Christmas crowd and low-grade horror directors Krampus has gained popularity. The version of Krampus is this film is rather charming in his own dark way, which may have the unfortunate side-effect the augmenting the popularity of the anti-Christmas or low-grade horror film versions.

All three characters, Drift, O’Malley, and even Krampus have uncomplex but satisfying character arcs: Drift regains his faith in humanity after O’Malley turns over a new leaf. This character growth, as stated, is uncomplex, as befits an action movie, but satisfying, as befits a Christmas movie.

And the rule of fairy-tale was strictly followed, which is, namely, that when you are told to touch nothing, and you touch something, disaster ensues.

The tale is set in our modern world, but with certain enclaves of the mythological world scattered here and there, hidden behind mist and illusion. This conceit of a hidden world within our own is familiar and beloved trope of the genre.

The special effects deceived my eye: to me they looks smooth and seamless. And the props and settings and art direction in general seemed a blend of gothic and cyberpunk Victoriana, as befits a high-tech version of Christmasland.

The fantastical elements of the movie are well handled, by which I mean the abilities, and also the limitations, of every magical power or magical tool is briefly but succinctly made clear: the audience should be no more bewildered than Jack O’Malley. Anything not explained in dialog was clear enough in how it was used. Of note was the “reality adjustment” wristband used by Drift, which allowed him to turn rock’em-sock’em robots or matchbox cars real.

There was also a clever bit of by-play which allowed the befuddled characters to recognize each other despite being bedeviled by shapechangers.

The theme of the piece is appropriately straightforward: no rogue is beyond redemption, nor any cynic either. This is as befits as thoroughly secular version of an urban fantasy Christmas action thriller comedy, I suppose.

As part of the conceit of the film, just as jolly fat Santa is here fit and hardboiled military type (the marine version of Saint Nick, as it were) so too is his miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer here replaced by a high-tech flying behemoth pulled by monstrous deer-titans.

I have no complaint about this film in part because I was expecting it to be terrible, when, in fact, it was enjoyable good clean fun. Nothing lewd, crude or shocking was involved.

Still, it was a good, clean, fun movie, starring charming actors and actresses, with thrilling action scenes, funny comedic bits, great deadpan acting from Dwayne Johnson — who, let it be known — just plays Dwayne Johnson being himself, and wry snark from Chris Evans.

Christmas Specials involve the birth of Christ, and Xmas Specials involve Santa Claus. Here, Santa is called “Saint Nicholas of Myra” once in one line — which is the closest this otherwise entirely secular-Xmas film comes to acknowledging the meaning of Christmas.

You can watch Red One now on Amazon Prime Video here.

Originally published here.

This article contains spoilers for the movie “Mufasa: The Lion King.”

“Mufasa: The Lion King” is a prequel to the animated 1994 movie and its 2019 remake. Directed by Barry Jenkins and featuring songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda, the film traces how Mufasa came to be king of the Pride Lands, and why Scar ended up so bitter and vengeful toward his older brother.

“There’s so many things that you get to play with here, but you have to be careful because people are so emotional about the original, and the reactions are going to come from every direction,” said screenwriter Jeff Nathanson. “There were probably 10 other things that were left out and 10 other things we could’ve done. But the original movie really mattered to all of us, and we tried to honor it as best we could.”

Nathanson walked The Times through the questions “Mufasa” answers about the original “Lion King” movie:

How did Mufasa and Scar become brothers?

The movie recounts how, as a cub, Mufasa was traveling with his parents when he was suddenly swept away by river rapids in a flash flood. The orphan is then discovered by another young lion, Taka, who convinces his mother to take him into their pride. (As discussed in more detail below, Taka was Scar’s name before his fall from grace.)

“Mufasa’s worldview, compassion and empathy — all of these things felt very different than what you’d expect from a king,” said Nathanson. “I thought maybe his upbringing wasn’t as traditional as one might think. What happened to him, and how did he end up being somebody who was a wise and powerful leader, but also such a great father?”

But Taka’s father, a king who prioritizes royal lineage, isn’t pleased, referring to Mufasa as the “stray” and forcing him to be raised by the lionesses. Nevertheless, Taka is thrilled to have a sibling and a new best friend, and sweetly vows to protect their bond forever.

“It’s very much a love story between these two brothers,” added Nathanson. “We wanted to really capture what it’s like when you’re young and you have somebody who understands you more than anybody else. It’s bittersweet because you know what’s going to happen and where it’s all headed, but at least for this moment in time, everything was OK.”

Mufasa and Simba in the 1994 movie “The Lion King.”

(Disney)

What did Mufasa’s cliffside climb once mean?

Fans of the 1994 movie know the moment well: in the midst of a chaotic stampede set off by Scar, Mufasa attempts to climb up a cliff and calls out to his brother to help pull him up. Instead, Scar digs his claws into his paws and flings him to his death.

The interaction that ends Mufasa’s life in “The Lion King” is actually what saves him in “Mufasa.” Taka first places his claws into Mufasa’s paws to pull him up from the river and narrowly evade some hungry crocodiles. (Later on, the two cubs even make jokes about stampedes.)

“It’s a signature and very traumatic memory of the original, and we wanted to lean in and say, this didn’t always have the same connotation,” said Nathanson of redefining the visual. “We’re trying to play with your memories and your expectations, giving people enough of what you know and came for but also surprise you with new things.”

Sarabi, Mufasa, Rafiki and Taka in “Mufasa: The Lion King.”

(Disney/Disney Enterprises)

How did Mufasa and Taka fall out?

“Mufasa” outlines how their brotherly bond wasn’t fractured in just one way. Because Mufasa, as an unwelcome “stray,” was forced to be raised by the pride’s lionesses, he grew close to Taka’s mother and accompanied her while hunting. At one point, he saves her from an attack by another pride — a gesture that finally wins the favor of Taka’s father. (Taka, who was nearby when his mother was being attacked, fled in fear.)

Under threat from that violent competing pride, Taka‘s father commands him to flee for his safety, with Mufasa as his protector. They meet a wandering lioness, Sarabi (Tiffany Boone), and though both boys fall in love with her, she eventually favors Mufasa. Taka — having been passed over for Mufasa by his mother, father and crush — feels too deeply betrayed by the brother he took in all those years ago, the one who now has all of what he believes should be his.

“It was important to Barry that it was something that wasn’t abrupt, but evolved and layered,” said Nathanson. “Barry is very intentional with his visuals, and there are great shots of Taka just watching Mufasa with his mother, and you can start to see the wheel spinning even then. We hoped it would build for the audience over the course of the movie.”

Young Rafiki in “Mufasa: The Lion King.”

(Disney)

Where did Rafiki come from?

“Mufasa” also shows that the wise mandrill Rafiki (John Kani), who was born with a limp, was previously ostracized by a troop of baboons because his visions predicted that their home would be repeatedly attacked by a cheetah. Even though Rafiki often helps his fellow primates by healing them and leading them to water in the dry season, they believe his powers are nefarious and vote to banish him.

Rafiki then crosses paths with Mufasa, Taka, Sarabi and her familiar, flying protector Zazu (Preston Nyman), and the five of them proceed as a motley crew of wanderers. “They all only have a few scenes together, but they’re lovely moments because you see how bonded they all are once they find each other,” said Nathanson. While they’re on the road, Rafiki finds his iconic walking stick and carries it all the way to their destination.

Scar and Simba in the 1994 movie “The Lion King.”

(Disney)

How did Taka get that scar?

In a malicious move against Mufasa, Taka tips off their group’s location to the leader of the violent pride, who wrongfully believes that Mufasa killed his son. The leader follows them to the peaceful Pride Lands and goes toe-to-toe with Mufasa, but just as the leader is about to strike, Taka remembers the time he didn’t rescue his mother and, in a moment of courage, leaps in front of Mufasa to take the leader’s attack on his face. The blow results in a massive scar.

“He’s betrayed his brother but, at this moment, he’s redeeming himself in some way,” said Nathanson. “A lot of thought went into it, and we needed it to be something that felt organic to the story. There were other versions we played around with, but when we got to this one, we all agreed that it felt right.”

Mufasa, Sarabi and Zazu in “Mufasa: The Lion King.”

(Disney)

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How did Mufasa become king of the Pride Lands?

When the violent pride is defeated, the resident animals of the Pride Lands are thankful to Mufasa for uniting them against the intruders and call for him to serve as their king. Mufasa initially turns down their offer, as he’s not of royal blood, but Rafiki explains: “It is not what you were, it is what you have become.”

As for Taka, who led the enemy to their refuge: Zazu calls for his banishment, but Mufasa vows always to give him a place in the kingdom, even if he can never say his name again. “Then call me Scar, so I will never forget what I have done,” Taka tells him.

“If you were to watch the films back-to-back, it allows you to understand why Scar is sitting in that cage with such a psychotic anger,” said Nathanson. “He truly is of royal blood, and he’s still clinging to that notion after all these years. And certainly, we as filmmakers are saying, the blood is not enough, but the character is.”

Simba standing on Pride Rock in the 1994 movie “The Lion King.”

(Disney)

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How did Pride Rock come to be?

In the midst of that climactic battle, an earthquake hits the Pride Lands and a mountain shatters. What’s left is what fans of the original movie know as Pride Rock, the landing where the lion kings of the 1994 film address their subjects.

“In the script, Pride Rock was already there when they arrived,” said Nathanson, “and our production designer said, ‘What if, during the earthquake, it were to just pop down like that?’ It was just such a beautiful image and certainly a beautiful idea. And now, it’s one of my favorite little pieces of the movie.”