There are certain movies that I watch every year to get into the holiday spirit.
I'm telling you this, because I've been told for years that I have a glaring hole in my Christmas movie repertoire.*
Until this morning, I had never, in my 31 years, seen It's a Wonderful Life.
(My mother, when I would mention the film, would always squinch up her face, and say "Oh, that's sad. You wouldn't like that." So I never watched it. Even though it is reputedly played on cable about 4000 times in December.)
It is sad, but not horribly. I sniffled and teared up the end, predictably. I finally understand some of the in-jokes or quotes from it that I've missed for 31 years.
But my own Christmas movies are a different list altogether:
Love Actually: Hugh Grant dancing around as Prime Minister. And Alan Rickman. I wouldn't care if Alan Rickman sat on a stool in the middle of an empty stage and read the back of a shampoo bottle, I'd show up and buy a ticket.
Holiday Inn: My parents bust this one out every year. It's okay, but I actually like...
White Christmas: ...this one better. I always thought Vera Ellen was lovely. Better costumes for the girls. :-)
Sound of Music: Though it has nothing to do with Christmas, somehow this was shown on TV around the holidays every year, so I associate it with doing a Christmas puzzle, food cooking, and a fire roaring. It makes me happy. :-)
Bridget Jones's Diary: It starts off with the holiday Turkey Curry Buffet. Mostly, this is just an excuse to watch Colin Firth for a couple of hours. ;-)
*I should probably mention that I've never seen A Christmas Story either. Maybe next year...
What are your holiday movies?
I'm telling you this, because I've been told for years that I have a glaring hole in my Christmas movie repertoire.*
Until this morning, I had never, in my 31 years, seen It's a Wonderful Life.
(My mother, when I would mention the film, would always squinch up her face, and say "Oh, that's sad. You wouldn't like that." So I never watched it. Even though it is reputedly played on cable about 4000 times in December.)
It is sad, but not horribly. I sniffled and teared up the end, predictably. I finally understand some of the in-jokes or quotes from it that I've missed for 31 years.
But my own Christmas movies are a different list altogether:
Love Actually: Hugh Grant dancing around as Prime Minister. And Alan Rickman. I wouldn't care if Alan Rickman sat on a stool in the middle of an empty stage and read the back of a shampoo bottle, I'd show up and buy a ticket.
Holiday Inn: My parents bust this one out every year. It's okay, but I actually like...
White Christmas: ...this one better. I always thought Vera Ellen was lovely. Better costumes for the girls. :-)
Sound of Music: Though it has nothing to do with Christmas, somehow this was shown on TV around the holidays every year, so I associate it with doing a Christmas puzzle, food cooking, and a fire roaring. It makes me happy. :-)
Bridget Jones's Diary: It starts off with the holiday Turkey Curry Buffet. Mostly, this is just an excuse to watch Colin Firth for a couple of hours. ;-)
*I should probably mention that I've never seen A Christmas Story either. Maybe next year...
What are your holiday movies?
Labels: movies
I'm almost ashamed to admit to knowing you! How can you have never seen A Christmas Story?!?! It's a Wonderful Life, I can understand, because I only ever get to see it once a year here. Christmas Eve, baby! But TNT/TBS has a 24 hour marathon of A Christmas Story.
Seriously, you need to watch it. It's a kick.
Love Actually is on my Christmas movie list, too. Which storylines are your favorite? I love Hugh's, Keira's (the scene outside her door with the cue cards kills me) and the storyline with Liam Neeson.
It's A Wonderful Life... love the dance scene.
Scrooged w/Bill Murray. Everyone in that movie is just brilliant and every time I watch it I find a joke that I missed the first 84 million times I've seen it.
I wouldn't call it a must-see tradition but I always find myself watching Jack Frost (Michael Keaton as the snowman) this time of year, too.
I second the "Christmas Story" recommendation - very very funny and a true Midwest Christmas classic! Don't worry, though... I never saw it 'til I was an adult. ALSO, I've never seen "It's A Wonderful Life" and I don't think I will any time soon... I can't get past that "Every time a bell rings an angel gets its wings..." line. It annoys the crap outta me. ;p
I'm also with you on two other pts.:
1. Alan Rickman. Holy crap, he's the bees knees. I enjoyed Diehard because of him. Le sigh.
2. Sound of Music - absolute staple in my house too. A must-view for Xmas festivities... even in the background.
Hmm... what else? We always seem to watch the 70s/80s PBS showing of the Nutcracker Ballet and Midnight Mass at King's College in Cambridge. Yes, my Dad (and me) are anglophiles... but you would know nothing about that ;p
So, clearly "A Christmas Story" needs to go into my NetFlix queue. ;-)
Meg - that lined annoyed me too, but overall it was not as sappy a tale as I was expecting...
Alan Rickman. *sigh*
I used to love going to hear the choirs at Kings College when I was a kid. :-)
I forgot about The Nutcracker ballet! *goes to check tv listings*