As I have said, I'm a bit of a film nut, so I enjoy watching movies on Christmas. As such, I recommended some films to watch on Christmas Day...if you celebrate it. You don't have to celebrate Christmas to watch these movies, they're still great.
Gremlins (1984)
Released the same year as Ghostbusters (it seemed that at the time, combining horror and humor was a thing in movies), I do feel that Gremlins sometimes does get overshadowed. Think about it. Ghostbusters has been going strong for over thirty years as a franchise, getting movies, two cartoon series, comics, video games, and a recent reboot that got mixed reception and has the power to make fanboys throw temper tantrums. Gremlins...not much. I know there was a Game Boy game based on the second one, and there were a couple of games for the Atari 2600 and 5200 based on the first one, but that's about it, as far as I know. Would love to see a comic book.
The film is about an inventor's son named Billy Peltzer who gets a creature known as a mogwai, which he names Gizmo. However, mogwai come with three rules of care: Do not expose to light (because light can kill mogwai), do not feed after midnight (because mogwai turn into monsterous gremlins), and do not get a mogwai wet (because it makes them reproduce and create more mogwai). You can guess what happens next. Yup, gremlins wreak havoc all over a small town at Christmas time.
Why do I consider it a Christmas film? Well, it's set on Christmas. It's a good film if you got a bit of a twisted sense of humor, or if you are tired of Christmas specials that can get a bit sappy and/or schmaltzy and want something a little different.
I love this film for many reasons. The Gremlins' antics are hilarious to watch, and as someone who doesn't really have the stomach for horror movies, the comedy gives me a reason to watch. To me, the funniest part is how the Gremlins unintentionally give the mean Mrs. Deagle her comeuppance. The rest of the film is enjoyable, too. The actors do great work with their roles, and it's very well-made. There's also a cameo by Chuck Jones. Old-school Looney Tunes fans should look out for him.
As long as I'm talking about this one, I do want to recommend that you give the sequel, Gremlins 2: The New Batch, a viewing as well. It's more light in tone, but it's still a funny movie, and I think it's a great sequel with some great laughs.
A Christmas Story (1983)
This film has become a classic Christmas film. In fact, TNT broadcasts the film in a marathon for 24 hours every Christmas Day. It even got into the National Film Registry in 2012. Yup, this film was considered important enough to be preserved by the Library of Congress. I think it's one of the only films in this list that was given such an honor.
Based on the book In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash (Which was a collection of short stories) by Jean Shepherd, it tells the tale of a young boy named Ralphie Parker of Hohman, Indiana, who wants a Red Ryder BB Gun for Christmas, and his family in the days leading up to Christmas Day. The original stories were semi-autobiographical, based on Shepherd's own childhood in Hammond, Indiana. In fact, the narrator in the movie? That's the late Jean Shepherd himself. Yup, that's his genuine voice. He made his name in radio.
I think it's a film that's required viewing on Christmas. Many elements and scenes from the film have become rather iconic, from the leg lamp the Old Man lusts over, the Old Man vs. the neighbor's dogs and his battle with the heater, to Ralphie's pink bunny suit, "You'll shoot your eye out", and Flick's tongue getting stuck to the pole. Classic stuff.
I never thought about it as a kid, but now, there is something about the film I have thought about recently. You see, I always thought the film was set in the 1950s. However, in the DVD commentary, Bob Clark (the film's director), revealed that he and Shepherd wanted the film to be seen as set in a time around the late-30s, early 1940s. I imagine it's a source of debate among fans of the movie.
Based on the book In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash (Which was a collection of short stories) by Jean Shepherd, it tells the tale of a young boy named Ralphie Parker of Hohman, Indiana, who wants a Red Ryder BB Gun for Christmas, and his family in the days leading up to Christmas Day. The original stories were semi-autobiographical, based on Shepherd's own childhood in Hammond, Indiana. In fact, the narrator in the movie? That's the late Jean Shepherd himself. Yup, that's his genuine voice. He made his name in radio.
I think it's a film that's required viewing on Christmas. Many elements and scenes from the film have become rather iconic, from the leg lamp the Old Man lusts over, the Old Man vs. the neighbor's dogs and his battle with the heater, to Ralphie's pink bunny suit, "You'll shoot your eye out", and Flick's tongue getting stuck to the pole. Classic stuff.
I never thought about it as a kid, but now, there is something about the film I have thought about recently. You see, I always thought the film was set in the 1950s. However, in the DVD commentary, Bob Clark (the film's director), revealed that he and Shepherd wanted the film to be seen as set in a time around the late-30s, early 1940s. I imagine it's a source of debate among fans of the movie.
If you haven't seen it, give it a watch. It's fun, and rather sweet.
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989)
Much like A Christmas Story, this film focuses on a family's misadventures during the holiday season. In this film's case, it focuses on the ever-hapless Griswolds, especially their mishap-prone patriarch Clark Griswold, played by of course, Chevy Chase.
Based on the short story "Christmas '59" from the National Lampoon magazine, which was written by the same man who wrote the film, John Hughes. That's actually really neat, that he got adapt his own story to other media. That's pretty neat.
Clark Griswold just wants to have in his own words, "A fun, old-fashioned family Christmas", but it seems that fate has other plans in mind for that. Bickering relatives, Christmas lights being hopelessly entangled, yuppie neighbors, Cousin Eddie, and even a rampaging squirrel threaten to wreck Clark's dreams. Through it all, Clark realizes what Christmas means to him after all.
This film has been regarded as a modern Christmas classic, and it's not hard to see why. It's funny, well-made, and it's genuinely heartwarming at times. My favorite scene in the whole film? Clark Griswold's epic cursing out of his boss after his Christmas bonus turns out...not quite like he hoped.
The theme song, Mavis Staples's "Christmas Vacation", never fails to make me smile. Give it a listen here.
Based on the short story "Christmas '59" from the National Lampoon magazine, which was written by the same man who wrote the film, John Hughes. That's actually really neat, that he got adapt his own story to other media. That's pretty neat.
Clark Griswold just wants to have in his own words, "A fun, old-fashioned family Christmas", but it seems that fate has other plans in mind for that. Bickering relatives, Christmas lights being hopelessly entangled, yuppie neighbors, Cousin Eddie, and even a rampaging squirrel threaten to wreck Clark's dreams. Through it all, Clark realizes what Christmas means to him after all.
This film has been regarded as a modern Christmas classic, and it's not hard to see why. It's funny, well-made, and it's genuinely heartwarming at times. My favorite scene in the whole film? Clark Griswold's epic cursing out of his boss after his Christmas bonus turns out...not quite like he hoped.
The theme song, Mavis Staples's "Christmas Vacation", never fails to make me smile. Give it a listen here.
Santa Claus: The Movie (1985)
You know how many superheroes have origin tales? Superman, rocketed to earth from the doomed planet Krypton. Batman, death of parents leads him to take of the life of a crime fighter. Spider-Man, bitten by radioactive spider and learns a lesson about power and responsibility from a tragedy. This film was an attempt to tell the origins of Santa Claus, produced by the team of Alexander and Ilya Salkind, who also produced the 1977 Superman film.
The film tells how a peasant named Claus ends up becoming the Santa Claus we know of today, and also tries to explain other aspects of the Santa Claus mythos, like how his reindeer fly, and how he manages to ascend chimneys. Honestly, I like the idea of it. I do like the idea of exploring how Santa became the Santa we know and love. Grant Morrison has been doing something similar recently with his comic Klaus. I would love to pick it up, heard it was pretty good.
The film also focuses on an elf named Patch, played by the late, great Dudley Moore. An inventive elf, and feeling unappreciated, Patch goes out on his own, and falls under the wing of an evil toymaker named B.Z., the step-uncle of a rich girl Santa befriends. B.Z., played by John Lithgow, seeks to displace Santa as the provider of children's toys on Christmas, and with Patch as his pawn, he just may do it.
My major criticism is really, with the villain. John Lithgow does the best he can with what he's got to work with, and his scenery-chewing is fun to watch, but it's clear that not a lot of thought was put into the character. For example, the toys B.Z. makes. They're shoddy. I get that he wants to displace Santa as the premier provider of children's toys on Christmas, but it would make more sense to make high-quality toys. Sheesh. Not to mention...what does B.Z. stand for?!
Despite the flaws, the film has become a bit of a cult classic, and it is worth a watch, especially on this time of year.
The film also focuses on an elf named Patch, played by the late, great Dudley Moore. An inventive elf, and feeling unappreciated, Patch goes out on his own, and falls under the wing of an evil toymaker named B.Z., the step-uncle of a rich girl Santa befriends. B.Z., played by John Lithgow, seeks to displace Santa as the provider of children's toys on Christmas, and with Patch as his pawn, he just may do it.
My major criticism is really, with the villain. John Lithgow does the best he can with what he's got to work with, and his scenery-chewing is fun to watch, but it's clear that not a lot of thought was put into the character. For example, the toys B.Z. makes. They're shoddy. I get that he wants to displace Santa as the premier provider of children's toys on Christmas, but it would make more sense to make high-quality toys. Sheesh. Not to mention...what does B.Z. stand for?!
Despite the flaws, the film has become a bit of a cult classic, and it is worth a watch, especially on this time of year.
Die Hard (1988)
Yes. Yes, I consider this a Christmas movie.
Based on Roderick Thorp's 1979 novel Nothing Lasts Forever, albeit heavily altered in ways, it stars Bruce Willis as NYPD cop John McClane. McClane has come to LA to visit his estranged wife Holly Gennaro, portrayed by Bonnie Bedelia. However, the visit turns into a nightmare when a group of terrorists, led by Hans Gruber (the late great Alan Rickman) take over the building they were in. It's up to McClane to stop the terrorists, whose motives may not be what everyone thinks...
Based on Roderick Thorp's 1979 novel Nothing Lasts Forever, albeit heavily altered in ways, it stars Bruce Willis as NYPD cop John McClane. McClane has come to LA to visit his estranged wife Holly Gennaro, portrayed by Bonnie Bedelia. However, the visit turns into a nightmare when a group of terrorists, led by Hans Gruber (the late great Alan Rickman) take over the building they were in. It's up to McClane to stop the terrorists, whose motives may not be what everyone thinks...
This film showed that Bruce Willis, who was mainly known for comedic performances on TV (One word: Moonlighting), could not only be an action star, but be a bankable one. Die Hard was a critical and box office smash, creating a franchise that has encompassed five films, with a sixth in preproduction. Yeah, it's about ready to start competing with Star Trek for amount of sequels.
I love this film for many reasons. Rickman and Willis steal the show, and Reginald VelJohnson is underrated, in my opinion. Everyone does some great work in this movie, and it has some great dialogue and action sequences. It also does some clever things with action film tropes. If you're looking for something more...action-packed for Christmas, give this a watch.
I love this film for many reasons. Rickman and Willis steal the show, and Reginald VelJohnson is underrated, in my opinion. Everyone does some great work in this movie, and it has some great dialogue and action sequences. It also does some clever things with action film tropes. If you're looking for something more...action-packed for Christmas, give this a watch.
There's my list of recommendations for Christmas time film-watching. Heh, they're all from the 80s. Who'd have thought that? Maybe that decade was a bit of a Golden Era for these kind of movies? I have no idea. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this old blog entry that I George Lucas'd up.
No comments:
Post a Comment