(photo kidnapped from cbsnews)
(photo kidnapped from mayanrocks)
The Merry Gentleman - I first saw this film in November of 2009, primarily because I have always had a bit of a thing for Michael Keaton. The Merry Gentleman was his directorial debut and in this story he plays a hitman at Christmas who comes across Kelly Macdonald when she finds herself pinned under her Christmas tree in her apartment's doorway. I liked the quiet, shy romance in the air between the characters, both hesitant but seeming to want great love. This film not only showcased Keaton's strong ability as a director but especially his gift at playing down. Not going big or being overly menacing. He was intimidating as hell without even trying. No happy ending here, but a damn fine film.
(photo kidnapped from nytimes - photo c/o Matt Dinerstein/Samuel Goldwyn Films)
A Christmas Carol - There will never, ever, in any realm of reality be a better telling of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. George C. Scott is a legendary actor, so brilliant that my college Intro to Film professor declared "I could watch that man brush his teeth." It's true. Everything GCS does is spectacular, but he truly shines as Ebenezer Scrooge. Exceptional performances are delivered by the supporting cast of David Warner, Edward Woodward, Susannah York, and Roger Rees. The bonus for our family is that little Anthony Walters as Tiny Tim was a dead ringer for my brother Wayne when he was a young whipper-snapper. Oh it's a true holiday classic.
Voyagers! - Merry Christmas, Bogg - Phineas and Jeffrey are still time travelin' - this time they have to convince teenage George Washington not to join the British Navy, then help him out again in 1776. In between all this they are helping out labor leader Samuel Gompers and wind up meeting Jeffrey's great-grandparents. Great-grandad Stephen tells Bogg that Jeffrey would be better off staying with him and the missus; that they can give him a good, stable life. Bogg leaves the house feeling that he's done right by Jeffrey but you can see how much he's come to love the little pain. Jeffrey rushes after him and let's Bogg know in no uncertain terms that they belong together. Another Christmas is saved!
Christmas Waltz - Mama Rose is obsessed with all things Christmas Hallmark, especially with Lacey Chabert, who pretty much is Hallmark Christmas. This one was superb with solid performances, great writing, and of course, dancing. It didn't feel like those typical cookie cutter films that get churned out by the dozen every year just to fill air time. This one felt like a lot of effort went in to making this one of the stand outs in the Hallmark movie canon.
(photo kidnapped from parade)
Last Tango in Halifax - Christmas Special 2016 - This was a two episode treat with Caroline getting a taste of a new romance and a new job, Gillian comes to terms with how her late husband really died and confesses to his brother, and the best was Alan and Celia joining in the fun with some local theatre!
(photo kidnapped from theconsultingdetective)
Signed, Sealed, Delivered for Christmas - This isn't my favourite as it's a little too heavy handed on the God stuff (yes, yes, I know - it's a Christian show at Christmas...what did I expect!?) but it was still cute and worth watching.
I'll Be Home for Christmas - Clearly I only bought this because I could not believe I'd never seen this Ann Jillian TV movie. Annie looks stunning, as always, and all the scenes with her and Robert Hays were good, but it was a typical cheesy 1990s Christmas show. Doubt I'll watch it again.
Hotel - Christmas - The only thing I took away from this dull episode was that the tin of cookies is the same one we used growing up. (Oh and Robert Pine was in it!)
Hart to Hart - A Christmas Hart - The Harts are robbed! And at Max's birthday party. But fear not, for Jonathan and Jennifer are on the case and will get to the bottom of this (dressed as King Kong and Fay Wray, naturally) and make sure everything is right as rain come Christmas Day.
Miracle on 34th Street - I know it's horrifying of me to prefer the Mara Wilson version over the Natalie Wood but I do. I love, love, love her as Susan and Dylan McDermott is so dashing, plus Richard Attenborough as Santie Claus?! And the cameo of Allison Janney as the classic New Yawker mom who confronts the owner of Macy's, errr...Cole's Department Store.
Agatha Christie's Poirot - Hercule Poirot's Christmas - I prefer the early episodes of Poirot where he was more jovial and each ep also featured Miss Lemon and Captain Hastings. Of the later seasons of Poirot, this was a good one. The Great Detective is asked out to a country home where, you guessed it, a murder takes place. A nice break from typical holiday shows.
Happy Endings - Grinches Be Crazy - I love this series and the best part of this episode was Dave finally cashing in all the "coupons" that Alex gave him on previous holidays. My favourite was when Alex plays DJ, but the oddest was the coupon to carve your name in a cob of corn. Which she, of course, does.
The Holiday - The only reason I watched this extraordinarily long rom-com was for every scene with Kate Winslet and Eli Wallach. The rest is just cliché nonsense.
The Nanny - Christmas Episode - This episode was okay but Fran's clothes are sublime and that is always worth watching.
Ziggy's Gift - If you need someone to explain why to see this you need your head examined. It's Ziggy and Fuzz spreadin' peace, love, a bit of magic, and all kinds of cuteness. Twenty four minutes of pure bliss.
White Christmas - I really wanted the whole family to go see this on the big screen at The Colonial Theatre but it wasn't in the cards. Should things return to normal by next December we are so there. To see these four sing Snow on the train plus Danny Kaye and Vera-Ellen dance to The Best Things Happen While You're Dancing all on the big screen would be the Christmas-iest thing ever!
The Snowman - The music, the animation, the story, and the most adorable snowman ever created are what makes this such an incredible piece of art. And I cry every time, even though I know what's to come in the end.
Bad Mom's Christmas - I didn't even have to look at the end credits to know that this film was written and directed by a man (or men, as it turns out). It had some very funny moments and I love Susan Sarandon and Peter Gallagher, but it wasn't my cup o' joe. With all female comedies written by men the women are always over-the-top with cursing and sounding like men in a locker room while being gross and totally inappropriate. Then tacking on the formulaic happy ending where everyone gets along and Christmas is saved was just lame. But Peter Gallagher's face when he sees the Lady Foot Locker tree decorated in baby shoes was worth all the scenes that annoyed the crap out of me. Thank Gawd my mother is not a clingy, bitchy, psycho like those in this flick.
Die Hard - Just because a film is in the action genre doesn't mean it can't be a Christmas movie. There are Christmas comedies, dramas, period pieces, musicals, and cartoons. And regardless, it has Alan Rickman, so it's a film to be watched any day of the year!
(photo kidnapped from denofgeek)
(photo kidnapped from trailershut)
Scrooged - Mary Lou Retton as Tiny Tim. I don't need to say anything more.
The Man in the Santa Claus Suit - This was a holiday favourite in our house but watching it now I'm not all that impressed. The only thing I still love is anything between Bob and Polly (Gary Burghoff & Tara Buckman). They are both mad for eachother but too afraid to say how they feel. I dunno, just the scene toward the end where Bob is saying that he's just a math teacher and how Polly leads such a glamourous life with parties and discotheques, and she interrupts him saying she's just a girl from Rappahannock, Virginia who drinks milk and reads the funny papers and wants to be married, is just so well acted and genuine. It's worth watching just for their storyline and her stunning feathered hair.
(photo kidnapped from crackedrearviewer)
A Christmas Memory - Narrated by author Truman Capote, this was another film introduced to me by my mother when I was in grade school. That last line, "a lost pair of kites hurrying toward heaven" gets me every time. Just a unique, beautiful story of friendship and fruitcake bakin'!
(photo kidnapped from ricksrealreel)
It's a Wonderful Life - Look at that cast - Jimmy Stewart, Donna Reed, Beulah Bondi, Thomas Mitchell, Ward Bond, and Gloria Grahame. Talk about a tear-jerker. Just a perfect, perfect film.
(photo kidnapped from mentalfloss)
Christmas in Connecticut - I had never seen this before and so I picked up a copy. It's cute. Barbara Stanwyck fakes a life so as to fool the readers of her column into believing she's married with a baby and a home in the country and rules the kitchen. Truth is she's single, childless, in a tiny apartment in New York, and can't cook worth a damn. Her boss wants to celebrate the holidays at her home in Connecticut and to keep it up she has to try to make her fake life real. It was a silly premise but SZ "Cuddles" Sakall is always wonderful to watch.
The Gathering - This is my all time favourite holiday movie and I save it to watch Christmas morning. I love the cast and the home and that it's filmed in a sweet town in Ohio. (Chagrin Falls, I will visit you one of these days!)
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