A Christmas Story is indeed a classic and does NOT go unseen for me, at least once lol. The story is burned into my head.
Christmas Vaca? Classic as well but not a given every year like "The Christmas Story".
Movies I like that are associated around this time of year outside of above mentioned?
Die Hard Home Alone Scrooged (Bill Murray version) even though all versions are acceptable. The Santa Clause, with Tim Allen. Polar Express (animated but good)
I'll leave out all the cartoon classics involving Rudolph, Charlie Brown and Frosty. Cuz they are a given.
Oh right, Home Alone is a classic. My favorite Home Alone is Home Alone 3 and then the one in New York.
Polar Express is a GREAT movie. I enjoyed watching this at the theaters. This movie fills me up with happyness. Maybe because I've read the book countless times and absoutely LOVED it when I was small? I don't know but they have done a great job making the movie.
I also seen Elf a while ago, with Will Ferrel. Also was a great and funny flick. Never really got tired of watching that flick whenever I seen it on. I guess I would add that to the list.
Like many remakes, 'Miracle on 34th Street' is hollow. I'll stay up late to watch the original.....and the original 'The Preacher's Wife'...which while not a Christmas movie, is certainly a perennial favorite of mine. Most people don't know, but Cary Grant and David Niven were originally cast in what became the OTHER's Role!
I'd forgotten about Scrooged! Even though the Alastair Sim, 1951 version of the Classic is maybe the best, I still can't get over the George C. Scott portrayal.
If I may, music from this holiday plays a huge roll in my youth/life today. Because of my parents and their taste in music of the time I am forever married to the seasonal sound of Xmas tunes. Because of the season's powers I can instantly feel good listening to Xmas music in June. My ex always questioned my view on it.
Too bad she's not here anymore............................................
Oh another one of my favorites is "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" (Jim Carrey). Didn't get too good of reviews but I enjoyed every minute of that movie. Also one of the movies i can watch countless times and not get tired of.
I hear ya. I have a few movies I can watch almost on a weekly basis.
Avatar Transformers Iron Man The Hangover
Ect.
Xmas movies though are an annual event and IMO aren't subject to the "seen it" mentality.
I grew up in the 70's and 80's so you can bet I have all the Charlie Brown and Xmas claymation movies memorized for life. It wasn't Christmas without them.
I've seen many of the 'Scrooge' movies. Here are the main stars. The Jim Carey version Alastair Sim.....1950s George C Scott Vanessa Williams......awful. Reginald Owen.....mid 1930s....might be the BEST of 'em.
There are a bunch more, most of which I've never seen. This might be the 'most' adapted novella EVER. Radio? TV? Film? Animated? Audiobook? and more.
SCCTM was featured on 'Mystery Science Theater 3000'.
I'd honestly never heard of it before.
And Sean, with all due respect, and I DO overall value your opinion, they didn't start making movies when you (or me, for that matter!) were born. I love going thru 'old' movies and seeing what amounts to a filmed history lesson. And while SCCTM is certainly on the all-time worst list, other movies which get no respect are terrific stuff, but simply OLD.
The recently passed Leslie Nielsen, for example, is remembered for the Naked Gun stuff and other wacky stuff was in a serious role back in the 50's. Yep, he was the Commander of the ship sent to rescue an expedition which had disappeared 20 years earlier. Forbidden Planet, based on the Shakespeare play 'The Tempest' is slow, deliberate but stunning. Ann Francis? She is the love interest.
It takes a special breed of actor/actress to pull off acting on both sides of the fence and do it naturally to boot.
Robin Williams. A classic stand up funny man known for his "spastic" on stage energy and hair trigger punchlines yet, can gracefully pull off serious rolls like Good Will Hunting.
Tom Hanks. Nuff said about him.
Anybody can be themselves and pull the roll off. It's the ones who do it convincingly while being something they're not who are impressive.
HELP:: Wife has begun watching the Seasonal Christmas Movies. I'm gonna go NUTS.
I can now sadly report I've seen a good part of the Vanessa Williams Scrooge fiasco. Awful. And some 3X AWFUL Christmas movie set a girls school with a 'mystery' that I simply couldn't bring myself to care about. The 'Acting'? I've seen better in high school plays. SAVE ME BEFORE I HAVE TO RESORT TO GOING SHOPPING AND SPENDING $$ I DON'T HAVE