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Post by Mini Mia on Nov 6, 2007 23:06:38 GMT -6
What are the best feel good movies to watch to celebrate Christmas?
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Post by Siren on Nov 10, 2007 23:26:46 GMT -6
I have several favorites...
"Holiday Inn" - Bing Crosby opens an inn/dinner theater (only open on holidays) to help him forget his former sweetheart, who was stolen by Fred Astaire. Lots of great musical numbers in this one, including the first performance of "White Christmas".
"White Christmas" - Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye, overworked nightclub entertainers, find relaxation and romance (with Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen) at a struggling country inn. Can the boys save the business and win the girls, while working in fabulous musical numbers?
"The Little Drummer Boy" - the Rankin/Bass animated version, narrated with the gorgeous voice of Greer Garson.
"Christmas In Connecticut" - Barbara Stanwyck is a famous Martha Stewart-type domestic goddess, portrayed as the perfect wife and mom in magazine features about her household skills. Unknown to her editor, she's a bachelor girl who only ghostwrites the stories, and can't even boil water. She's put on the spot when the magazine assigns her to prepare a splendid holiday meal for a returning war hero.
"A Charlie Brown Christmas" - it shares my holiday melancholy.
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Post by Phalon on Nov 12, 2007 23:31:00 GMT -6
Christmas movies?! ACK! We've just finished Halloween, haven't we, and in between the two, isn't Thanksgiving supposed to happen?
Are there any Thanksgiving movies? "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving"; I think that is the title, maybe not, but it's one I like....popcorn for Thanksgiving dinner, and in my house, it'd be anyone but me cooking it.
Another that I'll try to see is actually one that I tried to rent near Halloween, but the one copy our video store has was always checked out every time I looked: "Sleepy Hollow", with Johnny Depp. Not quite a Thanksgiving movie, though it reminds me of one....probably because when I was a kid, there was an animated television show that aired each Thanksgiving for a few years, "Rip Van Winkle"/"The Legend of Sleepy Hollow". It was a children's show, but not kidified, and after those few years around the time I was tenish, I've always looked for it, but haven't seen it since.
Then there is "The Wizard of Oz"; not a Thanksgiving movie, but it was always shown on television around the holiday. I think it was on the other night, in fact. We'll watch that one; it's one of the few we own.
As for Christmas movies....."can't even boil water"; I can relate. LMAO, Siren. I'll have to check out "Christmas in Connecticut" for sure.
Not for a few more weeks though. One holiday at a time.
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Post by katina2nd on Nov 13, 2007 7:06:54 GMT -6
Favourite Christmas movie, have to be "Die Hard" with Bruce Willis I reckon ..................... well it was a Christmas movie wasn't it, kinda, sorta. ;D
One that seemed to screen every year until recently that I quite enjoyed was "Prancer" with Sam Elliott and Cloris Leachman.
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Post by Siren on Nov 25, 2007 23:06:31 GMT -6
I forgot that "Die Hard" is set at Christmastime. Good call, kat!
I thought of a couple more:
"A Christmas Story" - how could I forget that??
"The Homecoming" - the award-winning tv movie that the tv series "The Waltons" sprang from. Wonderful, warm family drama.
"It's A Wonderful Life" - again, how could I forget that??
"I'll Be Seeing You" - Ginger Rogers (in a non-dancing role) falls for shell-shocked soldier Joseph Cotten, but is afraid to tell him the truth: she's a convict on Christmas parole. One of my all-time favorite movies. Love it!
"Meet Me In St. Louis" - Christmas is only one season represented in this wonderful, wonderful film. But it does feature a luminous Judy Garland singing "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas". Again, one of my very favorite films.
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Post by Siren on Dec 1, 2007 0:48:58 GMT -6
Another Christmas film...
"Since You Went Away" - about an idealized American home front during World War 2: Claudette Colbert and daughters (Jennifer Jones and a teenage Shirley Temple) adjust to life without Husband and Dad, who is away at war. The film ends at Christmastime. Great cast (Hattie McDaniel, Agnes Moorehead, Joseph Cotten, Robert Walker, Monty Woolley) and story. The goodbye scene at the train station makes me teary, every time. A long movie, but worth it.
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Post by Siren on Dec 4, 2007 23:27:45 GMT -6
"Penny Serenade" - an old-fashioned tear-jerker of the highest order, and a wonderfully entertaining film. As the movie begins, Irene Dunne has decided to leave her husband, Cary Grant. But as she packs her bags, she listens to records from their collection that bring back memories of all the stages of their relationship. Trust me - this is a terrific film, with 2 marvelous stars. They're so sexy together! Why it's a Christmas movie - part of it is about their child in the school Christmas play. Another scene is set at New Year's Eve. Oh what the heck - any excuse will do to watch this gem!
I often watch "Little Women" at Christmastime, too. I like the Liz Taylor/June Allison version best.
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Post by Phalon on Dec 6, 2007 23:12:38 GMT -6
Oh…this is one of my favorite Siren Recommended Movies. Shoot, it has to have been years ago that you told me about it, and I borrowed it from my friend. Then last winter, he and I went to see it on the big screen at a little theater with a little talk afterward hosted by a film professor; that was a real treat.
It’s kind of funny you mentioned it here in the Christmas movie thread; I was going to put it in the favorite Halloween movies. The same friend was going to lend it to me then; we both love the Halloween scene in it, but I asked for A Nightmare Before Christmas instead….that one the girls love, and we always watch it together at Halloween time.
Actually, come to think of it, both can be considered either Halloween, or Christmas Christmas movies, can’t they?
That song - “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas”, is one we’ve been listening to from the loaded six-pack of Christmas CDs the last few days, (along with a countryish Christmas CD too!) The girls have been skipping turning on the television to listen to Christmas music instead, and this is one of my favorites. A film buff like you or Katina probably knows that the original lyrics went something like “Have yourself a merry, little Christmas. It may be your last”, speaking of the last Christmas spent in St. Louis, but the producers thought it sounded too depressing.
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Post by Siren on Dec 7, 2007 22:50:37 GMT -6
Oh, that must've been great seeing "Meet Me In St. Louis" on the big screen! I've only had the chance to see a couple of classics on the big screen - "Casablanca" and "Gone With The Wind". I was just in heaven, both times. The last time I saw "GWTW" in a theater, it was the 60th anniversary re-release in 1999. The movie was digitally restored, and eye-poppingly beautiful. It was so vibrant, it was like seeing it for the first time. I actually cried at the end, though I'd seen it many times.
You certainly could watch either of those movies on either holiday. And you're right - the Halloween scene in "Meet Me..." is terrific. One of the highlights of the film.
I didn't know that about the lyrics to "Have Yourself...". Very interesting! And it makes sense. That song is wistful enough without going as far as the line you described!
I thought of another Christmas movie: "Untamed Heart", starring Marisa Tomei and Christian Slater. A hard-luck but good-hearted waitress falls for the rather odd busboy at work. It's set at Christmastime. A sweet, sad little film, with a surprisingly appealing Marisa Tomei. Rosie Perez is terrific, as usual. BTW, I was checking the spelling of Rosie's name on imdb.com and spotted an interesting fact. Did you know she's only 5'1 1/2"??
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Post by moonglum on Dec 8, 2007 3:17:44 GMT -6
Siren, I'm sorry, but you have just been.............. (ed) (If it appears to thou, that I am in a medieval mood; then so be it)
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Post by Siren on Dec 9, 2007 14:00:46 GMT -6
Since you're in a medieval mood, how would prefer that I show you my thanks - mace, flail, or war hammer? *evil grin*
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Post by moonglum on Dec 9, 2007 14:38:58 GMT -6
Since you're in a medieval mood, how would prefer that I show you my thanks - mace, flail, or war hammer? *evil grin* (Climbs highest hilltop and bursts into song) "I've grown accustomed to your mace"
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Post by sockbunny on Dec 14, 2007 13:49:58 GMT -6
Prancer- I used to love watching this when I was little. And I've just got it on DVD. A little girl finds a wounded reindeer and is convinced that it is Santa's reindeer Prancer. So she decides to take care of the beast until Santa can come pick him up.
The Snowman- "We're waaaaaaaalking in the air". 'Nuff said.
Home Alone- A classic. I must have watched this a hundred times with my family growing up. And I could watch it again.
The Santa Clause- Still funny. The second film isn't bad either. Haven't got around to watching the third film yet.
The Nightmare Before Christmas- Not everyone's cup of tea, but I do like it. Morbidly funny. And who can't love the songs? Its gathered a bit of a cult following over the years with all the toys, clothing, bags etc...that have sold.
Hogfather.- Not strictly a Christmas movie. But Hogswatch is the Discworld equivalent of Christmas. Its funny and it's got some good theories about the nature of belief. And who doesn't love the idea of Death taking on the role of the jolly fat man?
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Post by Siren on Dec 17, 2007 0:54:34 GMT -6
Since you're in a medieval mood, how would prefer that I show you my thanks - mace, flail, or war hammer? *evil grin* (Climbs highest hilltop and bursts into song) "I've grown accustomed to your mace" BOLL!! How can I stay "mad" at you, you goof! Welcome, sockbunny! Glad to have another movie buff around here! Feel free to pop into any of the movie games on this board, and play along. Good grief *smacking forehead* - how could I forget one of the perennial favorite Christmas movies, "Home Alone"? And thanks for the other ideas, too, sockbunny. I'm guilty of watching the same movies every year. You've helped add to my must-watch list.
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Post by Siren on Dec 19, 2007 0:53:38 GMT -6
Here's Slate's list of over-looked Christmas movies, including a movie I've seen several dozen times, "The Thin Man": www.slate.com/id/2179936
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Post by Phalon on Dec 23, 2007 13:27:17 GMT -6
Today, I discovered we had the Turner Classic Movie channel!
OMG. Sniff and Sob. The girls and I just finished watching "All Mine To Give".
Later, Sweet Taters....I need to find more tissues.
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Post by Siren on Dec 27, 2007 19:56:45 GMT -6
"All Mine To Give" is one of the all-time tearjerkers. In fact, it's beyond that. To me, it's not a therapeutic cry, like I get when I watch "Beaches". "All Mine To Give" just makes me miserable. It's terribly sad.
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Post by Phalon on Dec 2, 2008 23:06:46 GMT -6
The Twenty-five Days of Christmas movie marathon began on the Family Channel yesterday.
Tonight's showing was of the Polar Express. I watched it twice - once with the girls, and because I missed the beginning, (although I've seen it a dozen times prior and read the book a gazillion times), I watched the encore showing right after.
I love the last few lines of the story. So sweet. So sad.
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Post by quettalee on Dec 10, 2008 12:39:56 GMT -6
A little tuff watching the Christmas specials this year. Sometimes I can, sometimes not...and depending on what it is.
I did watch "Jingle All the Way" with the Governator the other day and then opted to put in a movie last night (or this morning at 2 AM when absolutely nothing was on)...Chevy and "Christmas Vacation"...one of our favorites. I tried to watch "Christmas With the Kranks" the other night, but it was too much. I guess because it was fairly new and we watched it a dozen times last year because Mare loved it.
Who knows? I caught the end of Rudolf the other night and started bawling at the island of misfit toys...??
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