Favorite Holiday Movies?
Emily Esfahani Smith, Ed. ·
Nov 23, 2010 at 6:52am
As our stomachs rumble thinking about our favorite holiday recipes--Midget, I've got your pie recipe printed out and ready to go--I thought it could be fun to discuss some of our favorite holiday movies too. One of mine: A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving.
To paraphrase Claire's "Good News Only" dictum: happy movies only. It's the holidays after all!
And to be clear: by holiday movie, I mean a movie that you, your family, or friends traditionally watch around the holidays. It could be a movie with an overt holiday theme, but doesn't have to be.
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Aug '10
Re: Favorite Holiday Movies?
Second Charlie Brown entry: A Charlie Brown Christmas.
May '10
Re: Favorite Holiday Movies?
A Christmas Story! One of my favorite quotable movies of all time. This is funny. I'm thinking about Charlie Brown, Winnie-the-Pooh and the Abominable Snowman over here and talking about "The Terminator" on my other tab. I'll have to be careful I don't mix up my posts. Only on Ricochet. :-)
Edited on Nov 23, 2010 at 6:59amRe: Favorite Holiday Movies?
Andrea Ryan: A Christmas Story! One of my favorite quotable movies of all time. This is funny. I'm thinking about Charlie Brown, Winnie-the-Pooh and the Abominable Snowman over here and talking about "The Terminator" on my other tab. I'll have to be careful I don't mix up my posts. Only on Ricochet. :-) · Nov 23 at 6:57am
Edited on Nov 23 at 06:59 am
A Christmas Story, of course! You know, I've actually never seen it. I'll put it on my list.
Jul '10
Re: Favorite Holiday Movies?
"A Christmas Story" Classic.
"Planes, Trains, and Automobiles"
Jul '10
Re: Favorite Holiday Movies?
Groundhog Day.
Re: Favorite Holiday Movies?
Love the Charlie Brown holiday movies. I especially love the MUSIC from A Charlie Brown Christmas. I listen to it non-stop around the holidays.
Re: Favorite Holiday Movies?
Another great one. My brother went through a big Groundhog Day phase--I've probably seen the movie 20+ times, but it never gets old.
Re Planes, Trains, and Automobiles: how could you go wrong with Steve Martin? (My favorite Steve Martin fact: he was a philosophy major).
Sep '10
Re: Favorite Holiday Movies?
You beat me to it. Now I must crush you. Remember: "Don't drive angry."
Jul '10
Re: Favorite Holiday Movies?
How could You go wrong with John Candy? R.I.P.
"Groundhog Day" Classic.
"Christmas Vacation"
May '10
Re: Favorite Holiday Movies?
"Yippee-ki-yay - "
Die Hard!
My teens have never seen "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles", will have to get that.
May '10
Re: Favorite Holiday Movies?
One more thing - my oldest blessing (19) has Down Syndrome, and for him every day is Christmas. I watch Rudolph, Charlie Brown, Miracle on 34th (the original) all through the year with him :)
Jul '10
Re: Favorite Holiday Movies?
Die Hard
"Come out to the coast, we'll get together, have a few laughs..."
Re: Favorite Holiday Movies?
Mike, my daughter (4) has Down syndrome, and she also loves Charlie Brown & Rudolph at any and all times of the year. I spent most of the summer putting on the YouTube version of Frosty anytime she was in a foul mood. Instant happiness!
May '10
Re: Favorite Holiday Movies?
Every year, we must watch these, several of which are from the '40's and '50's:
1) Holiday Inn- Der Bingle & Astaire
2) White Christmas- Der Bingle & Danny Kaye
3) Christmas in Connecticut- Barbara Stanwyck (edit- had to fix the spelling)
4) Will Vinson's Claymation Christmas (find it- for the "We Three Kings" camels and the skating walruses)
5) The Man Who Came to Dinner (Monty Wooley)
6) We're No Angels- original version with Bogie, Peter Ustinov, Aldo Ray, Leo G. Carroll, and a cute little viper
Emily- when you see "A Christmas Story", forget the tongue and pole; instead stick around to the end for the Chinese singers at Christmas dinner.
Edited on Nov 24, 2010 at 9:43amSep '10
Re: Favorite Holiday Movies?
Not to get all religiousy (which is a stretch for me anyway), my favorite is currently "The Nativity Story" from 2006. It got a little play in theaters, but wasn't very successful. But it's still an incredible telling of the Christmas story, being as true to to story and times as can be. Last year I caught it on TNT-HD.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0762121/
That said, the other "Christmas Story" is still a close second. :)
Re: Favorite Holiday Movies?
Duane Oyen: Every year, we must watch these, several of which are from the '40's and '50's:
1) Holiday Inn- Der Bingle & Astaire
2) White Christmas- Der Bingle & Danny Kaye
3) Christmas in Connecticut- Barbara Stanwick
4) Will Vinson's Claymation Christmas (find it- for the "We Three Kings" camels and the skating walruses)
5) The Man Who Came to Dinner (Monty Wooley)
6) We're No Angels- original version with Bogie, Peter Ustinov, Aldo Ray, Leo G. Carroll, and a cute little viper
Emily- when you see "A Christmas Story", forget the tongue and pole; instead stick around to the end for the Chinese singers at Christmas dinner. · Nov 23 at 7:38am
Great list...I *love* White Christmas.
The Chinese singers, you say? Will do!
Jul '10
Re: Favorite Holiday Movies?
John Carlson a local columnist and radio host in Seattle once did a dissertation on the difference between Democrats and Republicans at the Holiday Season.
It contained such comparisons as;
Democrats say "Happy Holidays."
Republicans say "Merry Christmas."
But I've been reminded now of the kicker...
Democrats favorite Holiday Movie is "Miracle on 34'th Street."
Republicans favorite fare is, "It's a Wonderful Life."
Right Wing Republicans favorite Movie is "Die Hard."
He went on to point out the Republicans became Republican when they stopped believing in Santa Clause, but Democrats were Democrats because they never stopped believing in Santa Clause.
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My favorite Movie at this time of year is George C. Scott's interpretation of A Christmas Carol.
Followed very closely by A Chrismas Story. (Although if you read Sheppard's book The Greatest Fourth of July Ever and Other Disasters is the best story in there.)
May '10
Re: Favorite Holiday Movies?
Thanksgiving through New Years is Cros-ember in my house. Any and all things Crosby finds time to play on the stereo or the TV. Holiday Inn, The Bells of St. Mary's, maybe even a Road picture.
But the one, family-has-to-sit-down-and-get-out-the-popcorn-picture is White Christmas with Bing, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen.
It's a continuity disaster but a great Irving Berlin score and Crosby and Clooney, well, no two voices ever blended so well. They were the best of friends and it always comes through when they worked together. (Get the CD of Fancy Meeting You Here)
The great Louis Armstrong once called Bing's voice "pure gold poured from a cup."
Count Your Blessings.
Edited on Nov 23, 2010 at 7:54amRe: Favorite Holiday Movies?
I'm surprised no one's mention It's a Wonderful Life. Although I love that movie, I really need to prepare myself each time I watch it for the emotional investment required to sit through it start to finish.
Jul '10
Re: Favorite Holiday Movies?
I still have a soft spot for It's a Wonderful Life.