CLASH OF THE CHRISTMAS MOVIES

JonJacob wrote:

wadenels wrote: GREMLINS

Cause nothing says Christmas like dead rotting daddy dressed as Santa in the Chimney.

Valuable life lessons. Responsibility. Mogwai came with instructions.

1. It's a Wonderful Life (1946).
2. A Christmas Carol (1938).
3. Scrooged (1988).
4. A Christmas Story (1983).
5. Nightmare Before Christmas (1993).
6. A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965).
7. Frosty the Snowman (1969).
8. Love Actually (2003).
9. Die Hard (1988).
10. 3 Godfathers (1948).

I don't care how overplayed A Christmas Story is played, it's still the best and nothing else even comes close. Fock those dogs

Another movie that nobody's mentioned yet is Nativity! with Martin Freeman.

I watched Rudolph with my kids this morning. There's definitely a cruel streak that runs through it, though most of that is "redeemed" in that most people apologize to Rudolph, and not just when they realize they need him. But I felt bad for the Bumble. He gets a giant rock dropped on his head, all of his teeth pulled out, and then Yukon Cornelius sees fit to torment him until they both fall off of a cliff. I tell you, in that moment I felt that ol' Yukon got what he deserved.

Also I watched A Christmas Story the other night, and though I agree that it's awfully overplayed it's one of those Christmas movies that has played totally different as an adult, and in a positive way. When I was young I mostly identified with Ralphie, as will most kids. As an adult I found myself watching through the eyes of the parents, since my own kids are closer in age to Ralphie and Randy. That was an entirely enjoyable experience, and I'm glad I gave it another chance after assuming it was a little played-out for me.

Another magical Christmas Story moment: I once watched that movie with my (then three) surviving grandparents, who all identified with the more period-specific moments in the movie. They were intensely familiar with all of the little details in the movie. The best was when Ralphie gets his mouth washed out with soap. The shot where he has that bar of soap in his mouth, and my grandparents all three laughed when they saw recognized that he had a bar of Lifebuoy in his mouth.

My mom put the fear of God in me that she would wash out my mouth with soap if I swore. I never did and I sure as Fuck make up for it now.

For the last 8 years or so, and for some reason that completely escapes me, our Christmas' time starts with Armageddon. By now, It is almost a Pavlovian response to the decorations and carols - as soon as I see the first signs of Christmas, I also find myself thinking about the meteor and how Bruce Willis needs to drill it or we're all doomed.
That's usually followed by Love Actually, followed by LOTR, followed by Kill Bill.

I try to make my wife watch Die Hard, but she usually falls asleep half way through.