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Post by dbutler69 on Dec 21, 2021 9:50:47 GMT -5
I don't know if this has been done before but...
Of course It's a Wonderful Life is an all-time classic, but my favorite three Christmas movies are National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, A Christmas Story, and Elf.
I haven't watched Chrismas Vacation in a while but I just watched Elf for the first time in quite a few years and it held up well for me. The fact that it's the one of these classics that I've seen the least probably helps it for me. I plan to watch A Christmas Story tonight for the first time in quite a few years. I'll see how well it holds up.
I also love the George C Scott version of A Christmas Carol. I think I'll squeeze in the Mickey Mouse Christmas Carol some tim this week, also.
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Post by Mister Spaceman on Dec 21, 2021 9:58:52 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Dec 21, 2021 10:10:06 GMT -5
My favorites are mostly old classics: We're No Angels (all-time favorite) It Happened on 5th Avenue The Man Who Came to Dinner Miracle on 34th Street Christmas in Connecticut that Mister Spaceman mentioned is a fantastic one as well, a reminder I need to re-watch this week (as I'm sure other picks will inspire in this thread). We also watched Holiday Inn and White Christmas yesterday (Vera-Ellen just steals the show for me in the latter). A rare (for me) much more modern favorite: Trapped in Paradise from 1994 (screwball comedy with Nicolas Cage, Jon Levitz, and Dana Carvey, but charming as heck as well): |
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Post by Slam_Bradley on Dec 21, 2021 10:28:20 GMT -5
Die Hard.
Let the kvetching begin.
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Post by Roquefort Raider on Dec 21, 2021 10:39:32 GMT -5
2005's Joyeux Noël is the most powerful Christmas film I can think of, especially as it's based on real events.
German and allied soldiers stuck in their WWI trenches on Christmas eve let their common humanity prevail for a few hours, and show us that we we can all aspire to a better world.
They will all be severely punished, of course.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 21, 2021 11:03:39 GMT -5
Die Hard. Let the kvetching begin. I was about to post the same thing. -M |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 21, 2021 11:25:20 GMT -5
Batman Returns
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Post by dbutler69 on Dec 21, 2021 16:13:46 GMT -5
Die Hard. Let the kvetching begin. I love Die Hard, but for some reason I don't think of it when I think of Christmas movies. Then there's Gremlins... |
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Post by Slam_Bradley on Dec 21, 2021 16:14:44 GMT -5
Die Hard. Let the kvetching begin. I love Die Hard, but for some reason I don't think of it when I think of Christmas movies. Then there's Gremlins... It's almost divisive as calling funnybooks funnybooks. |
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Post by berkley2 on Dec 21, 2021 17:40:34 GMT -5
Not manyChristmas movies stand out to me, but I do have fond memories of the Charlie Brown Christmas special. The Grinch Who Stole was good too.
The only movie that comes to mind right now is The Bishop's Wife, with David Niven as the bishop and Cary Grant as an angel.
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Post by Hoosier X on Dec 21, 2021 18:58:37 GMT -5
I watch the 1938 version of A Christmas Carol every year in December, sometimes more than once.
I always laugh at how big Tiny Tim is! And Gene Lockhart (as Bob Cratchit) looks like he’s going to have a heart attack carrying him everywhere!
And the Cratchits! OMG! So loud and hyper and cheerful! I always think of that Ramones song “We’re a Happy Family!” when the Cratchits are on screen. (One of the Cratchit girls is Gene’s daughter, June Lockhart, still several years away from stardom in projects like She-Wolf of London, Lassie and Lost in Space.)
And I also love Ann Rutherford as the Ghost of Christmas Past.
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Post by codystarbuck on Dec 21, 2021 19:08:42 GMT -5
The 1951 A Christmas Carol (aka Scrooge) with Alistair Sim. To me, it perfectly captures Dickens and Sim captures both sides of Scrooge; the miser and the redeemed man. I like the George C Scott version, but I don't buy his redemption. The moment that Scrooge looks upon the lovely face of nephew Fred's wife and begs her forgiveness for his wretched ways, with total sincerity, captures the thrust of Dickens. The Reginald Owne one is fine; but, I prefer Sim, in the role. The Patrick Stewart movie was rather unsatisfying and I had high hopes, based on his one man performances; but, this didn't capture it. Also, Richard E Grant is the least likely Bob Cratchitt I have ever seen. It's a Wonderful Life-Just a joy to watch great actors at their craft. Plus, evil Alfalfa...  Scrooged-love the Bill Murray take on things, true to the original, but with a nice satire on modern cynicism and corporate greed, not to mention media shallowness. Murray does it well, it's genuinely funny and moving and I cry every time Calvin speaks. Miracle on 34th Street-the original, not the remake (Bah; Humbug!) Maureen O'Hara and little Natalie Wood. Waterworks time when Kris Kringle speaks Dutch to the little refugee girl. Christmas Vacation-fun mayhem and silliness, not too sappy or too arch A Christmas Story-Christmas from a child's point of view, pining for that special gift and scheming to get it. Genuine warmth without the schmaltz. Plus, some of the best lines in a Christmas movie. "Randy lay there like a slug; it was his only defense" "Do you now where he heard that word?" "Probably from his father..." "Fra-gee-lay...it must be Italian!" "I think that says fragile." "Oh, yeah." An American Christmas Carol-slight tv movie, but a well done one, with Henry Winkler as Depression Era Scrooge, named Slade. Nicely transitions the story to the Great depression, making Tiny Tim a victim of polio. David Wayne is excellent. After that, it's all tv, like the Grinch, Rankin-Bass, Charlie Brown, and some select favorite Christmas episodes of tv shows. |
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Post by Hoosier X on Dec 21, 2021 19:49:08 GMT -5
I like the one with Sim just fine and I watch it fairly regularly. Not every year.
The 1938 version is a pure Hollywood Christmas cheese! I watched it last week. I’ll probably watch it again over the weekend.
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Post by The Captain on Dec 21, 2021 20:26:40 GMT -5
My wife and girls and I watch "A Christmas Story" every Christmas Day morning, at least once, usually twice.
"Elf" is becoming big in our house as a tradition. We watched "Christmas Vacation" for the first time this year, not my favorite but good for a few laughs. We also like "Muppet Christmas Carol" and "Nightmare Before Christmas".
We also watch things like "It's a Wonderful Life" and "Miracle on 34th Street" (original only), as well as most of the popular animated ones.
And yes, "Die Hard" is the greatest Christmas movie ever.
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Post by kirby101 on Dec 21, 2021 20:50:31 GMT -5
Finnish movie Rare Exports.
And Die Hard IS a Christmas movie.
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