Holiday Favorites

[Nihonophile]

I don't think anyone has mentioned it, but The Junky's Christmas is a magical short narrated by William S. Burroughs. I found it somewhere online and downloaded it because I think it was only broadcast on Vh-1 and never released to a video format.

[Alonzo the Armless]

Recently, my wife and I watched the original Miracle On 34th Street. Afterward, we commented on Natalie Wood's character and how she learned to use her imagination. That inspired me to pop in Curse Of The Cat People, which also had a little gil in a main role and even the last section taking place at Christmastime. Plus the scene of Irena singing "Il Est Né Le Divin Enfant" was one of the most beautiful and magical scenes of any Xmas film. It made for a perfect Christmas movie double feature.

[Anonymous]

I too am fond of Remember the Night but it's hard to find on TV, even around the holidays, and isn't available on DVD. Too bad, I'd like to see it again. I first caught it one Christmas Eve while I was wrapping presents.

I wish a theater around here would show Brazil at Christmas time. It's my favorite Christmas movie but I prefer to see it in a theater; I have the DVD but it's not quite the same.

Also, the first time I saw Singin' in the Rain was on Christmas Eve so I've always associated it with the holiday somehow. It's a lovely movie to watch after all the holiday hullaballoo dies down and you want to relax.

[GringoTex]

My favorite xmas film: Scrooged

Bill Murray at the height of his powers, before he started making "serious" comedy. He's never been more scary, off-balance, and just flat out fucking hilarious.

[Fletch F. Fletch]

Another one is a neat little indie film called Hi-Life set in NYC during the Christmas holidays starring Campbell Scott, Charles Durning, Peter Riegert and the late great Katrin Cartlidge. Also, I don't know if anyone's mentioned it but some of The Hudsucker Proxy is also set during part of the holiday season and that opening shot of the NYC in the snow always gets me the Christmas vibe...

[scotty]

Billy Wilder's The Apartment is always good for some holiday cheer, suicide-wise . . . Umm. Well, I did watch Rudolph again the other night and it still works for me.

Broadway Danny Rose is a Thanksgiving ritual, and now that I've seen the extended Fanny and Alexander, episode 1 may have to be a Christmas one.

[Polybius]

It's obvioulsy not a Christmas movie, as such, but I love the scenes in The Godfather where Michael and Kay are shopping. The milieu of postwar New York in winter is meticulously recreated and completely engrossing.

The way they relate to each other, with Michael thinking his whole life is open ahead of him, full of possibilities, is one of my favorite parts of that rich, rich film.

[Gregory]

Just curious if anyone counts Mr. Krueger's Christmas among their holiday favorites? My guess is, uhh, 'No'. It's a made-for-TV film from 1980, starring Jimmy Stewart, produced by the Mormon Church. I've never seen it and had never heard of it until i saw it being peddled by the church on TV. Has anyone ever seen this? I'm really curious to hear what this is like. Is it super preachy? If so, is it just pushing the Jesus (it is a Christmas movie after all...) or is it pushing the Mormon church (besides the reference to the Tabernacle.) More importantly: was Jimmy Stewart a Mormon? crazy.

Sorry to reply to this so late, but I actually didn't realize at first that I had Mr. Krueger's Christmas taped off of TV a long time ago. It's on the same tape as Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter (a funny combination) which I'll be able to retire soon. Anyway, it's pure Xmas schmaltz and not in a funny way, to me at least. Both commercial breaks led off with LDS commercials featuring a woman enticing the viewer to order a free Book of Mormon as a supplement to the biblical scriptures and then commenting that she read it and it changed her life, or words to that effect.
The feature itself wasn't that preachy, just very cliched. Stewart played the lonely old widower, so desperate for companionship at Christmas that he continuously lapses into holiday fantasies of conducting a chorus of "Sleighride Together With You" to an ovation, having a snowball fight with children, and so on. The highlight of the film is a fantasy that transports him as an invisible presence at the nativity, where he talks to the baby Jesus in typical elderly-Jimmy-Stewart-monologue fashion and ends up weeping. The point seems to be that the holiday is about love and togetherness -- only when a child reaches out by urging him to join the caroling group is he saved from spending the entire holiday alone in his basement with the cat.
Well, I hope I satisfied your curiosity and perhaps saved you $2.

[Gregory]

I also wanted to add that Desk Set has a brilliant Christmas sequence -- an all-day-long, Champagne-soaked office party that ends with a very serious tone. It's one of the highlights of a film with many fine moments. For me, this is the most satisfying of the Hepburn-Tracy comedies on all levels, surface appeal and subtexual richness -- and one of the very best of Hepburn's films after the 1930s.
EDIT: Desk Set, not "Dest Set"!

[Gordon]

The Christmas Martian (1971, French-Canadian) hasn't been on British TV for a long time, but I recall watching it a few times in the late 80s as a kid and being totally freaked out by the alien. McCabe & Mrs Miller plays best in winter, especially if it is snowing outside. Groundhog Day, despite the presence of Andy McDowall, is a fine film and has always been a favourite of mine over the holidays. Although, I wish that it was a bit darker - but I say that about almost every film! The atmosphere of Ang Lee's, The Ice Storm must be overwhelming at this time of the year. I don't own it on DVD, though. Guy Madden's, The Saddest Music in the World must also work considerable magic in December; but, again, I don't own the DVD, unfortunately. Ditto for Sam Raimi's, A Simple Plan. I might watch Egoyan's, The Sweet Hereafter, which has an incredible wintry atmosphere. December is the only month of the year that I can watch Doctor Zhivago. I'll probably dust off the Sergei Bondarchuk, 6½ hour version of War and Peace (the Ruscico/Image Ent. 5-disc set). Part 4 - the invasion of and ultimately, the retreat from Moscow is an astounding piece of grand filmmaking. Might as well watch Waterloo, as well (the region 2 disc).

Strangely, it isn't snowing in NE Scotland yet. Aye, that's the gas-guzzling Americans warming the globe, ye see! Bastards.

[exte]

Home Alone.

[Murdoch]

I don't know what it is about the holiday season, but it always fills me with great nostalgia that ends up with me watching black-and-white films. I usually watch the Marx brothers a lot, but I think I'll start a Godard double feature of Breathless and Band of Outsiders this year to accommodate my changing taste (Not that I'll ever disown the Marx brothers, I just feel like a change of pace for once). I tend to favor films that mention Christmas, but only put it in the backdrop while centering on a story that does not revolve around the holiday season. 2046 has become a favorite of mine during this time since it approaches the holiday season with a sense of hope and magic, but also a sort of reminiscence for past Christmases and how when you're an adult the holidays never quite match that sense of wild excitement that you felt for them as a child. Rohmer has also become a holiday staple for me since I bought the CC Moral Tales, especially My Night at Maud's which is a great reflection upon Christianity itself in such religious time, even if the religious part takes a firm back seat to shopping.

[Grand Illusion]

I always watch Die Hard for the holidays.

[Awesome Welles]

Over the holidays if I manage to get the time I like to just sit on the sofa and take in a nice long film that I can't usually watch (last year was Satantango). I was thinking about Fanny and Alexander this year (though when I first saw it it wasn't around Christmas) it has been on my mind a lot recently and look forward to seeing it again, I may also take the opportunity to revisit Once Upon a Time in America. Other festive faves are It's a Wonderful Life, Citizen Kane, Home Alone, something Wes Anderson and/or Ben Stiller and Harvey. Never seen Bad Santa, may have to check it out this year.

[Mr Sausage]

I always watch Curse of the Cat People on Christmas Eve. Lovely, lovely film.

[Jeff]

I always watch Die Hard for the holidays.

You're not alone. I know this discussion came up before and several people mentioned that Die Hard was a Christmas tradition. My whole family has watched it on Christmas Eve for nearly 20 years now.

[GoldenPilgrim]

Its good and not surprising to see Fanny And Alexander making many lists. It's my favorite movie of all time, especially around this time of year.

Amarcord and practically any Woody Allen (Stardust Memories, Radio Days, and Broadway Danny Rose mostly) are seasonal treats as well.

However, Christmas Vacation, Jingle All The Way, Three Amigos, and CLIFFORD are the family favorites. We've suffered countless relatives through countless viewings of Clifford - a film I will defend all the way to the grave.

[pauling]

The essential holiday viewing in my household would be 'A Charlie Brown Christmas', 'Fanny and Alexander', 'A Christmas Story' and 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas' (1966). For some reason I also enjoy watching 'Alone in the Wilderness - The Story of Dick Proenneke' after eveyone else has gone to bed. I saw it on PBS one Christmas night about five years ago and it's sort of the gift I give myself.

[ineedyoubad]

Since movie came out, i been watching the lord of the rings trilogy on holiday.
All three films and all the special features.

[Dr Amicus]

I'll be rewatching Fanny & Alexander this Xmas as well - my wife and main film watching friend have never seen it (and my son is called Alexander!)

I'll probably try and sneak in viewings of Nightmare Before Christmas and, if I can find a cheap DVD, Muppet Christmas Carol. Oh, and Bad Santa - I watched it when it came out but haven't got round to my DVD yet.

Not forgetting Christmas themed episodes of Dr Who. The Unquiet Dead, with Simon Callow as Dickens, and The Runaway Bride, the first appearance of Catherine Tate, are top of the list this year. And finally the Xmas League of Gentlemen - a genius pastiche of Amicus anthologies.

Now - when do I have time to watch anything new?

[Antoine Doinel]

However, Christmas Vacation, Jingle All The Way, Three Amigos, and CLIFFORD are the family favorites. We've suffered countless relatives through countless viewings of Clifford - a film I will defend all the way to the grave.

Clifford is definitely Martin Short at his demented best. It marks a certain brand of kids movie that they don't make anymore.

[PillowRock]

I've always liked The Ref quite a bit. It just makes me laugh.

[King Prendergast]

Best (and possibly only) Thanksgiving movie: Scent of a Woman.
My Thanksgiving eve tradition, before going out and getting wasted, is popping this late fall classic in.

[tavernier]

Best (and possibly only) Thanksgiving movie: Scent of a Woman.
My Thanksgiving eve tradition, before going out and getting wasted, is popping this late fall classic in.

The Italian original, I hope.

[King Prendergast]

Best (and possibly only) Thanksgiving movie: Scent of a Woman.
My Thanksgiving eve tradition, before going out and getting wasted, is popping this late fall classic in.

The Italian original, I hope.

They don't celebrate Thanksgiving in Italy, so no, I watch the Chris O'Donnell version.