As we approach the holidays of giving (Christmas and Hanukkah overlap this year), it’s also a time when studios try to remind audiences of films they might’ve enjoyed once by re-releasing them in a new edition or format. Nearly five years to the day of wide release in the U.S., Universal Pictures offers a 4K UHD edition of the Paul Feig-directed (Ghostbusters: Answer the Call) holiday rom-com Last Christmas starring Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones), Henry Golding (The Gentlemen), Michelle Yeoh (Everything Everywhere All at Once), and Emma Thompson (Leo Grande), who also co-wrote and co-created the story. The film itself is predictable, but it endears itself to its audience through the spectacular soundtrack and commitment of its cast to create an atmosphere of sincerity that makes one believe in magic. Now, audiences have a chance to revisit the 2019 holiday release in a brand new way with all of the bonus features intact, but is the upgrade worth it?
Emilia Clarke as Kate in Universal Pictures’ LAST CHRISTMAS. © 2019 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.
Aspiring performer Kate (Clarke) can’t seem to stop getting in her own way, either as a result of too much drinking, eating poorly, or general buffoonery. To make matters worse, her inattention to what matters may put the one thing she has, a job working at a year-round Christmas shop, in jeopardy. Things begin to change when she meets the enigmatic Tom (Golding) who challenges her to look at the little things and the big things with an equal measure of awe; a skill which enables Kate to mend the broken relationships between herself, family, and friends. But as the two grow closer, they also begin to drift apart, the secrets they keep forming an unsalable boundary that not even a Christmas miracle can solve.
If you’re interested in a spoiler-free exploration of Last Christmas, head over to the initial theatrical release review.
Director Paul Feig on the set of Universal Pictures’ LAST CHRISTMAS. © 2019 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.
Growing up Jewish in a small town wherein I was the only Jewish kid in my class (there were others in other grades, to be fair), I was exposed to a great deal of Christmas-related materials and they never connected with me. Not really. They were too much about a holiday that I couldn’t relate to in one way or another. Then, in November of 2019, a Christmas story centered around the music of George Michael, directed by Paul Feig and starring Emilia Clarke, Henry Golding, Michelle Yeoh, and Emma Thompson, released and I found myself smitten. In the rewatch for this review, it’s likely because the film isn’t so much *about* Christmas as it is surrounded by the notion of magic and wonder, as well as rehabilitation and renewal. That and the soundtrack is incredible. So much so that it had me listening to tracks on my two-disc George Michael greatest hits CD that I hadn’t really bothered much with since its procurement. Of course, based on the title alone, the film’s narrative tension is predictable as hell —Tom’s a ghost and Kate’s got his heart. But, despite its predictability, the film’s narrative succeeds in getting its message of personal empowerment and atonement of past wrongs through to the audience thanks to a sincerity from the script which manages to walk the line between maudlin and saccharine and a cast that’s willing to embrace the story, foibles and all. This helps us, the audience, to embrace this world and its characters, going for a ride that’s predictable, sure, but one that you’re snuggly tucked into, like a warm embrace. That goes a long way, especially for rewatches.
L-R: as Santa and Emilia Clarke as Kate in Universal Pictures’ LAST CHRISTMAS. © 2019 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.
Now, there are many reasons why someone might want to pickup a 4K UHD edition of a film, especially one they like, but not every film requires the upgrade. Unfortunately, this edition of Last Christmas falls into that latter category and it’s due to a purely technical reason: data storage. On a 4K UHD disc, films are able to get the higher detail and expanded color palette due to the increased data storage on the 4K UHD disc. But this only really works if the data for the film has the space on the disc for the detailed file. The 4K UHD edition of Last Christmas does not as it contains all of the legacy features, plus the movie. At first, considering that this edition includes both a Blu-ray and digital edition, the presumption is that only the film would be on the 4K UHD disc or maybe a few featurettes, but that’s not the case. This results in a film that’s certainly lovely to look at with no diminished visual elements and great audio, but the bitrate hovers between 40 – 60 Mbps (max bitrate for a standard Blu-ray is 40 Mbps vs. a 4K UHD at 128 Mbps) with the occasional rise to 80 Mbps in the few scenes where Kate and Tom meet at the reclusive garden with benches. This most likely happens because the film has no space on the disc as it contains the same materials as the Blu-ray. Speaking of the Blu-ray, for those like this reviewer who own the original Blu-ray release, the included disc is just reskinned, this time given a new disc cover, and all of the on-disc presentation and style remains the same.
L-R: Michelle Yeoh as Santa and Emilia Clarke as Kate in Universal Pictures’ LAST CHRISTMAS. © 2019 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.
On the bright side, it’s a rarity lately that these 4K UHD editions include even some of the previously available bonus features and this edition includes them all. It’s a small thing to be glad about with this edition, but its delightful nonetheless.
L-R: Writer/actor Emma Thompson and director Paul Feig on the set of Universal Pictures’ LAST CHRISTMAS. © 2019 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.
When it comes down to it, the film is an easy recommendation to make because it’s simply enchanting. The film doesn’t entirely stick the landing on its subplots of cultural discord as immigrants are frequently spoken of or shown as problems to the greater London culture (a point that’s meant to help Kate embrace the community of her people), but it nails everything else in part due to the fabulous chemistry between the leads and the supporting characters. But as a 4K UHD release, you’d be better served to save your money for something else. Not every film requires a 4K UHD release, especially when the standard HD offers an equal presentation.
Last Christmas Legacy Special Features:
- Alternate Ending
- Blooper Reel
- Deleted/Alternate/Extended Scenes
- Alternate Opening
- “Last Christmas” – Full Performance
- Director in Vision
- It’s All So Cold
- Try Not To Laugh
- A Legacy Revealed
- Pure Golding
- Emilia Recording Session
- Love Letter to London
- Santa and Her Elf
- Paul Feig Takes Over the Tram
- 12 Days of Production
- Feature Commentary with Director Paul Feig
- Feature Commentary with Director Paul Feig and Producer/Co-Writer Emma Thompson
Available on 4K UHD Blu-ray Combo and digital November 5th, 2024.
For more information, head to the official Universal Pictures Last Christmas webpage.
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Categories: Home Release, Recommendation
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