By Michelle Berger
Christmas time is here, happiness and cheer.
OK, quick, name the movie that came from.
Yes, the holidays are here; time to bust out everything red and green, light up the neighborhood like a Samba float in Brazil and tell Jenny Craig to take a hike.
But most importantly, the holidays are a time to spend with family and friends, a chance to reconnect and perhaps strengthen a teetering relationship and so, what better way to do it then with a good holiday flick?
Now, in the course of the past decade we”ve had a few stinkers hit the box-office, for example: “How The Grinch Stole Christmas,” with Jim Carrey, which seriously made me want to die in a fire. I guess it”s OK for those who aren”t familiar with the original work and therefore missed the fact that the film completely warped the moral of the story and turned it in the opposite direction.
But I digress.
If you”re really looking for some good holiday flicks, look no further than the classics section at your local blockbuster or Netflix.com or wherever you prefer to snag your movies.
Ah, you can”t beat the classics, timeless and always enjoyable.
So, here is my personal month of December selection for your consideration with a couple contemporary picks thrown in for good measure. Enjoy.
“A Christmas Story” 1983?The all time favorite in my home. You can”t help but watch this film and feel like part of Ralphie”s family, and if you like the film, check out the book it was based on “In God We Trust?All Others Pay Cash.”
Careful, don”t shoot your eye out.
“It”s A Wonderful Life” 1946 ? Classic, classic, classic. Jimmy Stewart”s performance of a lifetime ? well, not as great as his role in “Harvey” but still great. If this movie doesn”t warm your heart and bring a tear to your eye, I have just one question for you: why are you hatin”?
“A Charlie Brown Christmas,” 1965?It”s Charlie at his Brownest. Just a little reminder of what Christmas is all about and how it”s the simplest things in life that are the most meaningful.
“How The Grinch Stole Christmas” 1966 ? The original animated classic narrated by the great Boris Karloff of Frankenstein fame. Bet you didn”t know that was him in this film, huh? And Tony the Tiger singing the notorious “You”re a Mean One Mr. Grinch,” yes, I”m serious. It stays true blue to Dr. Seuss” original with a great and truthful moral for us all. Maybe Christmas means a little bit more?
“The Lemon Drop Kid,” 1951 ? Bob Hope, as usual, will make you howl with laughter in this film. This movie finds a great balance between slapstick comedy and heartwarming drama. It”s also responsible for giving us the immortal carol “Silver Bells” sung by Bob Hope himself.
“White Christmas” 1954?And of course, if we”re going to have Bob Hope we have to have his partner in crime Bing Crosby at some point. Wonderful movie, full of laughs, tears and one of the most memorable endings in cinema history. This film also introduced Irving Berlin”s “I”m Dreaming of a White Christmas” to the world.
“A Christmas Carol,” 1951 ? Released under the title of “Scrooge” in the U.S., this British film starred Alastair Sim as the legendary Scrooge in Charles Dickens” classic story. Out of the million versions of this novel done on film, this is most definitely one of, if not the best adaptation.
“Christmas In Connecticut,” 1945 ? For all the ladies out there wanting a bit of romance this holiday season, this film is for you. Barbara Stanwyck plays a Martha Stewart-like woman who writes a column for a newspaper about her wonderful husband, perfect baby daughter and all the amazing recipes she concocts at home for her gaggle of guests each holiday season. There”s just one problem, it”s all B.S. You”ll love this holiday comedy.
“Miracle On 34th St.,” 1947 ? Every child will appreciate this film, it”s all about faith and the beauty of innocence and imagination. Yes Virginia, you really will enjoy this film.
“Home Alone,” 1990 ?More contemporary, but still considered a holiday classic. A true treat for the kids as Kevin”s transformation of the house into a battle fortress never gets old.
“Ernest Saves Christmas,” 1988 ? with the name Ernest attached, you would think this film to be a low-budget, poorly conceived and executed product of Hollywood kiddom. But no, this movie is surprisingly well-written and quite memorable. Know what I mean?
“The Nightmare Before Christmas” 1993?You get a double whammy with this one. Appropriate for both Halloween and Christmas and a true masterpiece, seeing as claymation is a dying art in this age of 3D-make-the-computer-do-it-for-me laziness. Not to mention Danny Elfman”s serenading voice sets a real mood for the evening.
Happy Holidays, Good Kwanzaa, Happy Chanukkah, Merry Christmas and all that jazz.
When Michelle Berger is not writing, she”s usually re-enacting famous fight scenes from Kung-Fu flicks. Reach her at mberger_om@yahoo.com.
