Holiday Movies: You'll Shoot Your Eye Out!

[starskin]

I, too, love Scrooged, although when I was little the Ghost of Christmas Future scared the CRAP out of me (even more so than the usual Ghost of Christmas Future).

I just watched the awful, awful Mexican movie Santa Claus as riffed by Mike and the Bots on Mystery Science Theater. I can't say it's a 'favorite', but man it was hilarious.

[speciousreasoning]

tabby said:

I love the Patrick Stewart and the George C. Scott versions of A Christmas Carol. I have them both on DVD and must watch them every year.

Well, now I'm the unpopular one. I hate every and all versions of "A Christmas Carol". They're all preachy and annoying. And I LOVE Holiday movies.

But hey, I also despise "A Christmas Story". I know people think it's funny. I think it's irritating. That kid didn't deserve that stupid pop gun. He deserved a smack upside the head. But that's just me.

[dandesun]

So many good ones already mentioned. Of course I love all the Christmas TV specials. One year, waaaaay back in the 80's, I made a project out of taping ALL of the specials I was able to. Some I haven't seen since that year.

As far as movies go, I just introduced Elf to my Mom and my sis-in-law and they both loved it. It's A Wonderful Life is one I didn't watch until a few years ago because it was so overplayed but it is a wonderful movie. The Bishop's Wife with Cary Grant is another favorite. A Christmas Story of course. I use 'Fra-gee-lay! It must be Italian!' all the damn time. And I rather love The Santa Clause, I think it's funny and sweet. I like the whole concept of the North Pole in that one.

But White Christmas beats them all. My whole family adores the hell out of that movie. It's just wonderful.

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speciousreasoning said:

But hey, I also despise "A Christmas Story". I know people think it's funny. I think it's irritating. That kid didn't deserve that stupid pop gun. He deserved a smack upside the head. But that's just me.

Me too! I freaking hate that overrated piece of crap, the little brother is even more irritating than Ralphie. And Ralphie is plenty irritating. Unfortunately my brother loves it so I'm forced to sit through it at least once every year. Darren McGavin deserved better than that.

[Deleted]

Wow! It took 8 pages before someone mentioned The Bishop's Wife with Cary Grant as an angel, with David Niven, Loretta Young, and several great supporting characters (James Gleason, Gladys Cooper, Elsa Lancaster and Monte Wooley (remember the refilling bottle of sherry after the angel's visit?))

Count me also among those who love A Christmas Story and White Christmas.

Someone else (only 1?) already mentioned the musical version of Scrooge with Albert Finney.

I also love the Alistair Sims version of A Christmas Carol and still get choked up when he stands in the hall of his nephew's house, hesitating to go into lunch, and receives sweet encouragement from the little maid. Sniff.

But the one I have a real soft spot for - I bet no one else has ever seen it. Our local TV station used to show it every Christmas Eve at midnight (Christmas morning) and I was lucky to make a VHS copy the last year that they played it. It is called The Cheaters and was made around 1944. A rich family decides to take in a charity case for the holidays and picks one from a list in the newspaper - an actor who has fallen on hard times. The plot is too complicated to go into, but I am sooo glad I have that copy. It's badly cut, still with commercials, etc., and it's all but unknown by everyone else but me. Maybe that's one of the reasons it's one of my favorites.

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roisin54 said:

speciousreasoning said:

But hey, I also despise "A Christmas Story". I know people think it's funny. I think it's irritating. That kid didn't deserve that stupid pop gun. He deserved a smack upside the head. But that's just me.

Me too! I freaking hate that overrated piece of crap, the little brother is even more irritating than Ralphie. And Ralphie is plenty irritating. Unfortunately my brother loves it so I'm forced to sit through it at least once every year. Darren McGavin deserved better than that.

Eh, some people's taste is only in their mouths. KIDDING!!! My dad feels the same way about the movie and doesn't understand TBS' 24 Hours of A Christmas Story every year. I think it's a movie you either love or hate - there's very little middle ground.

[Shanmac]

My brother and I have been threatening to buy my dad one of those leg lamps for a few years. To my mom's horror we even suggest that he can put it in the office - right in front of the window that looks out onto the street.

My neighbors had a leg lamp in their window. It was funny for a while, but they left it there for yeeeaaars. A Christmas joke? Fine. A permanent part of your decor? Hell no.

[Deleted]

There's a State Farm insurance office near my work with a leg lamp in the window. I always find it slightly amusing and yet highly inappropriate.

[Deleted]

Every Christmas my mom and I used to watch It's A Wonderful Life (before it got Turnerized) and wrap Christmas presents together. She'd have her sombrero (coffee brandy and milk); I'd have my Boone's Farm Country Qwencher.
I'm a sap so if it's about Christmas, I'm going to give it a chance (yes, even the live action Year Without a Santa Claus, particularly if Carson Kressley is playing Jingle or Jangle), but George Bailey and Clarence (and poor Mr. Gower) will always mean Christmas to me. Even if now I wrap presents alone with Boone's Sangria instead...

[india7]

noelie said:

(yes, even the live action Year Without a Santa Claus, particularly if Carson Kressley is playing Jingle or Jangle)

Nope - my gorgeous gay boyfriend is playing "The Fashion Elf", of course. Clearly a new role created so that he could have a part.