Christmas Movies

Started by modage, December 01, 2003, 08:20:18 AM

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Gloria

Guilty as charged.  I really enjoy this move.  My favorite part is probably Arnold taking on "santa" and his elves.  I understand why some people find this movie annoying beyond rational thought, but I found it harmless, christmas fluff.  I also think that Phil Hartman has the best scenes in this movie.  I saw this movie in theaters and it came out the same year as Tickle-me-elmo, right? It gains whole new meaning when you can actually imagine some of these desperate attempts happening.

modage

#11



MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET (1994)
Macy's department store refused permission for its name to be used in this remake.

a pretty faithful remake of the classic original.  and another john hughes involved holiday movie, (he produced and co-wrote), he's all OVER the damn season!  this was only my 2nd time watching it.  this story is familiar: cute little girl is told not to believe in santa claus until she meets the real thing and he makes a believer out of everyone.  the cast is good and likable, including the little girl who is so cute you just want to rip her cheeks off.  the movie does a good job of trying to stay away from anything that will date it making the clothes and design of the film pretty vague so it could pretty much take place anytime.  that i really appreciate.  unfortunately where the movie strays from the original is pretty lame: the whole store across the street with super melodramatic music playing during the bosses scenes, the jailing of santa for punching some dude out, and most unfortunate the changing of the classsic mailbag ending.  however there are a share of good moments in this, some heartwarming family stuff and Richard Attenborough is good as Claus.  but really, a pretty harmless remake but in the end completely unneccesary.  as i said in another thread i believe, the only reason to remake this is that the first one is good, but kids dont like black and white.
Christopher Nolan's directive was clear to everyone in the cast and crew: Use CGI only as a last resort.

Gold Trumpet

I gotta say, for the length thread goes in covering an entire genre, its a damn good thread.

Christmas movie wise in the warm and fuzzy sense, I admit admiration for The Family Man. Yes, a fucking Brett Ratner film. I seriously can't turn the channel when that movie is on. I've only recently been able to flip A Christmas Story off.

Ghostboy

I really dislike the Miracle On 34th Street remake. You're right, it's mostly innocuous, but the new ending is TERRIBLE. Ugh.

I do like The Family Man well enough to recommend it, though.

Gloria

I didn't care for the remake either.  I found it really boring at times. I admit, the little girl is cute and Elizabeth Perkins does her best.  I found that this one seemed to be missing the spark that made the original so charming. Harmless, but I agree it was an unneeded remake.

modage

#12



THE GRINCH (2000)
The Whoville set was built mostly on the backlot of Universal Studios behind the still-standing Bates Motel. During a break in filming Jim Carrey surprised and scared tourists on the Universal Backlot Tour by running out of the hotel wearing a dress and brandishing a knife. Nobody recognized him, and the tour guide at Universal Studios will tell you the story when you pass by the hotel on the Backlot Tour.

sort of torn on this one.  i actually enjoy this as well, although its not 1/1000th as good as the cartoon which is A CLASSIC, its still entertaining for what its worth.  jim carrey is good as the grinch and there are certainly some funny moments, including my favorite dialogue....

THE GRINCH: The nerve of those Whos! Inviting me down there--and on such short notice! Even if I wanted to go my schedule wouldn't allow it. Four o'clock, wallow in self pity; 4:30, stare into the abyss; 5:00, solve world hunger, tell no one. 5:30, jazzercize. 6:30, dinner with me. I can't cancel that again! 7:00, wrestle with my self-loathing; I'm booked! Of course, if I bump the loathing to 9 I could still be done in time to lay in bed, stare at the ceiling and slip slowly into madness. But what would I wear?

and you cant forget the impact, (pre-cat in the hat with mike myers) that this was the first ever live action big screen translation of dr. seuss, which was pretty incredible to see at the time.  (only three years ago), but still i was impressed.  the attention to the swirly details and such is pretty wonderful to look at.  too bad the movies best scenes are carrey seemingly going out on his own or scenes copied right out of the damn cartoon.  the pop music throughout is pretty obnoxious, especially when faith hill belts out the theme over the end credits, because if anything doesnt fit the mood of THAT movie its that song.  (and if anyone else is thinking about rhyming 'changing' with 're-arranging' EVER, ill puke.)  still, with its flaws, and like i said although INCOMPARABLE to the chuck jones cartoon with the perrfect boris karloff as the grinch, its still something i enjoy watching.

also, does anyone else remember when the film was released on all the posters and in the trailers the movie was simply titled "The Grinch".  but when it was released on video all promotional items were changed to match the books title "How The Grinch Stole Christmas".  isnt that weird?  i wonder why they didnt just use the full title to begin with, or furthermore, why if they didnt use it they decided to go back and change it and not just stick with their decision?
Christopher Nolan's directive was clear to everyone in the cast and crew: Use CGI only as a last resort.

modage

#13



A CHRISTMAS CAROL (1984)
So many versions of this damn story.

this was my first time seeing this version, which as i said earlier is my dads favorite and the one we own.  obviously the story is familiar at this point but some things that stood out about this version to me were 1) George C. Scott played the most sympathetic version of Scrooge i've ever seen.  he didnt really seem all that nasty.  he seemed more human and less like a sunuvabitch.  which was interesting, and certainly a different take on the character.  also, the story in this, (which i was told is closer to the book) was different than any previous versions i'd seen.  certain scenes in the past and towards the resolution of the film played out differently than any other version i know.  looks like i wont have time to see the Alastair Sim or the Muppets version this year but 2 scrooges is good enough for one year.
Christopher Nolan's directive was clear to everyone in the cast and crew: Use CGI only as a last resort.

Gloria

Shoot! I'm falling behind.

I never cared for the Grinch with Jim Carrey.  It just made me realize how wonderful the cartoon version was.  I don't think it was a good idea to try to make a feature length film out of such a little story.  The cartoon was perfect, but I found the movie long and kinda boring.  It had unneeded additions to the story.

For A Christmas Carol....I like the George C. Scott version a lot.  I agree that he made the character a lot more human and not quite the cliche mean man.  The last ghost used to scare me when I was little.

modage

#14 :yabbse-thumbup: ONE OF MOD'S TOP FIVE CHRISTMAS MOVIES OF ALL TIME :yabbse-thumbup:



MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET (1947)
Despite the fact that "Miracle On 34th Street" is a Christmas movie, studio head Darryl Zanuck insisted that it be released in May because he argued that more people went to the movies during the summer. So the studio began scrambling to promote it while keeping the fact that it was a Christmas movie a secret.

this is a classic.  a great, funny, heartwarming classic christmas movie.  and tonite i saw it for the second time ever.  unfortunately it wasnt one that i had grown up with and didnt see until last year but it has now become one of my FIVE FAVORITE CHRISTMAS MOVIES EVER.  and watching this tonite reminded me of the many ways the 94 version screwed up the original.  basically all of the changes werent really a good idea, but tis the nature of remakes.  anyway, if you've never seen this one before it is highly highly recommended.  i'm sure someone else can probably describe it more intelligently than myself.
Christopher Nolan's directive was clear to everyone in the cast and crew: Use CGI only as a last resort.

MacGuffin

Quote from: themodernage02#14 :yabbse-thumbup: ONE OF MOD'S TOP FIVE CHRISTMAS MOVIES OF ALL TIME :yabbse-thumbup:

I'd put it in my top two. One of the best movies to put someone into the Christmas spirit.
"Don't think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it's good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art." - Andy Warhol


Skeleton FilmWorks

Ernie

Hmmmm, I don't think anybody has mentioned "The Santa Clause" yet so I guess I'll have to. Along with "A Christmas Story", "The Nightmare Before Christmas", "Home Alone 1 & 2" and the Rankin-Bass movies....that is the Christmas classic in my house. It's one of the movies I have really vivid memories of seeing in theatres. It still makes me laugh everytime I watch it every year too. Tim Allen is a funny man. I still actually haven't seen the second one. I'll have to rent that this coming week.

And then I have to mention Edward Scissorhands cause, even though it's not technically a Christmas movie, a good portion of it does take place during Christmas and I for one always have to watch it around this time of year. It's a great great GREAT movie for any season but it's especially fucking awesome right around now, it's a classic masterpiece.

I also have to mention Elf and Bad Santa, I'll definitely be revisiting those each year from now on. 2003 really was a year of instant classics with those plus All the Real Girls, School of Rock, Kill Bill, and Lost in Translation....it's the best year in awhile I'd say.

Tommy Both

My #1:



HARD EIGHT

I don't care if it's only because of the end credit song Christmastime on the dvd... But, geez, that movie has just that 'christmas' vibe/feeling to it... Especially the score... Boy, a wonderful score by Penn and Brion.. I'm just puttin' that second commentary on during the holidays, just for the music.... the 'christmastime' theme still beats it all... especially paul's murming of it on the commentary..

Alethia

i always like to watch adventures in babysitting around christmas time

Pubrick

only christmas movie i'll be watching this year..

under the paving stones.

Gamblour.

Quote from: Ponly christmas movie i'll be watching this year..


I wish I had the unedited version with no cg black robed cock blockers.
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