Christmas Movies

[Paolo]

With 4 days to go, let's discuss (with imdb links, if you can) Christmas movies!

Now, I realize that not everyone wants to watch these types of movies. I seldom do.

However, there are a few that I have enjoyed, and I confess, I take great entertainment in flinging my own rotten vegetables at the screen and making fun of them!

Especially Hallmark movies, which seem to be in abundance every year.

The other night, I watched Scrooge, with Alistair Sim. I'd read that it was very highly acclaimed in the flock of A Christmas Carol renditions.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0044008/?ref_=nv_sr_2

Being in B/W, the contrast made Scrooge look quite creepy. Other than Tiny Tim being Medium Tim, I took no issue with this version. I can see why it is so highly regarded.

My next favorite is the version with Patrick Stewart (Professor X, Captain Picard) as Scrooge, although this one feels rushed. Stewart is an excellent Scrooge, though, and they could have done well to take this version to over 2 hours with him to carry it. With the back story that Sim's version presents, combined with Stewart throwing himself into the roll, this could well have been the ultimate version. Sadly, they blew it. Hard.

Coming in at number 3 is the 1984 version with George C. Scott in the lead roll. My favorite character in this one, though, is Edward Woodward as the Ghost of Christmas Present. Now, if we could have gotten him over to the 1999 version with Stewart, with the Sim back story, we'd have it made!

Now, for the tomatoes.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1833888/?ref_=nv_sr_1

Angels Sing

Where to start? Why did I watch this?

I don't know. I was bored.

This movie is so full of singers that must have needed a job (and can't act) that you can't even begin to shake a stick at them. You want to beat them with said stick, too. Harry Connick Jr buys a house from Nick (urgh) -Willie Nelson-. This is going to end badly, I could tell. Harry hates Christmas, because of a tragedy in childhood he blames himself for. Begin throwing cheese and cliche in all directions. Then let's sing.

The catch to buying the house cheap? It's on the road that is world famous for Christmas decorating. Harry doesn't want to decorate. He wants to mope, and spread holiday bile and gloom. Sound familiar? His 10 year old son, played by Chandler Canterbury from the disaster flick Knowing, and who is obviously not 10 anymore, loves Christmas lights, fa la la la la...and all that rot. Surprising, since I've found that kids who come from Christmas-hating or -tolerating households are generally not the festive type.

Then, Willie breaks into song. Didn't see that coming, did you? So, Lyle Lovett shows up, sans his Large Band. He wants to decorate. He's just devastated that the big house won't be decorated now. Did I mention a roaming reindeer attacking bicycles, and a camel nearly becoming roadkill? In Texas? Huh?!

Tragedy strikes, though. Grandpa's tuna boat of a 197x Cadillac is hit head-on by a semi. We don't get to see it. Wish we had. It would have helped. Of course, they were on the road late because the boy wanted to stay at Grandpa's and see the lights after dark. He blames himself. Now Jr. hates Christmas, just like Dad.

Willie breaks into song.

So does Lyle.

So does every other geriatric singer in this debacle.

As it's a Hallmark presentation, you can see where this is going.

My recommendation? Go get The Secret Garden, with Derek Jacobi. While not totally a Christmas film, it's much better.

Go watch Charlie Brown and Snoopy. Go watch any of the stop-motion stuff, like The Little Drummer Boy and have a good cry there.

Better yet, find a copy of Truman Capote's (yes, him) A Christmas Memory.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0179551/?ref_=fn_al_tt_8

You want the 1966 ABC version with Geraldine Page and Donnie Melvin. DO NOT get the Patty Duke blasphemy.

The best version of this, as there are two (colorized TV edit, and BW DVD full) is the BW DVD.

This is my favorite Christmas movie, although my love of the holiday pretty much died, or at least became terminally ill, in 1976. It pretty much went into a coma in 1980.

Page plays Miss Sook, and that's enough said right there. If you've read the accompanying stories, and seen her other performances, you know what I mean. The somewhat goofy little boy who plays Buddy is just perfect, too. There are rare film versions of the prequel and sequel, but they're hardly worth the time. I can't even recall the sequel's name with Henry Winkler, it was that bad.

It's not often that I deem a movie to be nearly perfect, and while this one is lacking in length (it was a TV special), I do here. It's a pity that this one stands no chance of a modern remake. No one could hold a proverbial candle to these two.

My next tomato goes to Tim Allen in The Santa Clause. It was funny the first time you put on the coat, Tim. Now let it die. Please.

Elf with Will Ferrell? Can't stand it, or him.

In fact, there aren't any other Christmas films that I can honestly say I've enjoyed.

Now that I've got that out of my system, how about flinging some tomatoes of your own?

[Riverwind (imported)]

With out a doubt "A Christmas Story" is my favorite, it took place in the 50's and when they showed the leg lamp, (my brother had one of them) and the octopus electric plugs all stuck together (we had one of those) it hit home. Now I grew up in LA so no snow however watching this was looking back in time at my own childhood.

Talula put it on one night and told me to watch it, so I sat on the coffee table figuring that as soon as he was asleep I would turn it off and go home, I realize when it was over my bun hurt from sitting on that wooden coffee table.

I have watched it a couple more times and never seem to tire of it, it is one of the very few Christmas Movies I will watch, its not a tomato but a gem.

!983 - Ralphie has to convince his parents, his teacher, and Santa that a Red Ryder B.B. gun really is the perfect gift for the 1940s.

River

[Paolo]

I used to enjoy that one. Anymore, though, can't do it.

[Dave (imported)]

I was involved in a video store so when my brother's kids were little (they aren't anymore - think 30-ish now) I used to copy videotapes for myself and when I Was at my Mother's with the kids we had movie night.

So one Christmas, THE MUPPETS CHRISTMAS CAROL was on and it is simply the Dickens story told by Muppets. It was sappy and emotional for the kids and I made it all the way to the end without a tear and then the damn Muppets sing some Christmas carol and I didn't make it.

That was the teary Christmas movie.

That wasn't the worst that ever I ever did in the middle of a movie. But it was the only Christmas thing.

As for trash - - FOUR CHRISTMASES with Vince Vaughan and Reese Witherspoon is awful. Painfully, ignorantly, tasteless and un-funnily awful.

[Paolo]

Thank you, Dave.

Well, that was fun.

[gareth19 (imported)]

My family takes great pleasure in watching a real old TV movie remake of O Henry's Gift of the Magi with Marie Osmond in it. She's the kind of person who is so holy wholesome and holy (after two divorced eternal marriages) that like Aucasin you would prefer to go to Hell where the interesting people go. I just hate it. I also don't see what is so great about Its A Wonderful Life with Jimmy Stewart. On the other hand, I think Cary Grant and Loretta Young in the Bishop's Wife are wonderful. If there were angels and they can't be like those in Angels in America then they should be like Dudley.

[sherifffdb (imported)]

I always watch Alister Sim's version on Christmas eve every year.

[butterflyjack (imported)]

The best Christmas movie ever made was the 1936 version of "A Christmas Carol' starring Reginald Owen...A real tear jerker..I've seen it many times, but I never fail to tear up...So..Merry Christmas, everyone...Jackie

[Dave (imported)]

The 12 Disasters of Christmas on SyFy

Oh what can I say - disasters?

- - beat me, beat me now - this movie hurts - -

Some freaky interstellar phenomena is going to destroy the earth on Christmas and Santa isn't involved, The Baby Jesus or a Manger ins't involved somehow

wait for it, wait for it.

SyFy ahs American Indians, Easter Island Moai (the heads), and a villain like the visionary who wrote the Book of Mormon (no offense meant) with a rod (about like a policeman's nightstick) that must be inserted into the proper hole.

The least Christmas-like and least happy and least every joy you can have at Christmas movie ever made.

oh the pain, the pain, the pain!

[Riverwind (imported)]

My family takes great pleasure in watching a real old TV movie remake of O Henry's Gift of the Magi with Marie Osmond in it. She's the kind of person who is so holy wholesome and holy (after two divorced eternal marriages) that like Aucasin you would prefer to go to Hell where the interesting people go. I just hate it. I also don't see what is so great about Its A Wonderful Life with Jimmy Stewart. On the other hand, I think Cary Grant and Loretta Young in the Bishop's Wife are wonderful. If there were angels and they can't be like those in Angels in America then they should be like Dudley.

I watched the Bishop's Wife the other night, another on of my favorite Christmas movies and part of my Cary Grant collection.

River