Christmas Movies

On Thanksgiving evening, I watched "Pieces of April" with Javier, because it is a Thanksgiving movie. I love watching holiday movies every year, for tradition. And Christmas time -- wow. There are so many to choose from! Here are 10 that have meant the most to me throughout the years.





Christmas Movies Of My Life




Miracle on 34th Street (original)


I understand the remake is good, but I just can't. "Miracle on 34th Street" to me means Natalie Wood, Maureen O'Hara, and the most Santa Clausy man ever. I think he is Santa for real. Anyway, as someone who staunchly defended Santa's existence for years, I could not have loved this movie more when I was young. My two favorite parts:

1) When Santa sends the customer over to Gimbel's the first time. If only the world had more honesty like that.

2) "I believe, I believe. It's silly, but I believe." What a great sentiment, muttered halfheartedly until – the "silly" faith pays off! There's your house, kid! Rock on. Also, is it just me, or was young Natalie Wood a lot like young Christina Ricci?









Emmet Otter's Jug Band Christmas


This is one of those movies that you watch over and over, and it is the weirdest thing ever and yet/therefore awesome, and stays with you, but you think it's your own thing that just your family knows about because you watched it 10 times a day on HBO back in the day, but then as it turns out, everyone else has seen it too, and ideally you will discover this in a bar, because few things are awesomer than a drunk person reminded of Emmet Otter; like, they lose it completely and it is great. Try it this holiday season!












A Christmas Story


Are you ready to get mad? I never liked this movie. A few years ago, my mother said, "It's a boy movie, I think." Not that girls don't like it, but it is true that I've only known girls who didn't like it, not guys. Which makes sense, because for all the testosterone injections I've gotten in the past couple of years, you would think I actually was preparing for my operation. This is thanks to Javier. I've always had a lot of tomboy qualities, but he got me into more hardcore boy stuff, and now my tastes are better. Not different, I still like all my old stuff, but now I can appreciate things like "A Christmas Story." I watched it alone a couple of years ago and was shocked to discover myself enjoying it! Then last year at Javier's house, they had it on in the den and I enjoyed it even more. I asked Javier if we could keep watching it when we went to his apartment! One thing I decided is that the mother is my hero. A bit nutso, but talk about a woman ahead of her time. She loved her kids so much, and let them be kids. Fabulous.










Little Women (1995)


I'm going to save the emotional why for its own blog, and just talk about the movie itself. My love for the remake is not a slight to the older versions; it's just the version that has my heart. I've discussed my Little Women obsession that I've had since I was 4 years old, and that Amy was my favorite. Well, Kirsten Dunst totally OWNED the role of Amy. She could not have been more perfect, and that went really far with me. I loved the casting in general. But like I said, I'll write more on this in a separate blog. It's about loneliness, yay!










My So-Called Life's "So-Called Angels"


It's not a movie, but I don't care. I love this episode and it may as well be a movie, for how amazing it is. Wilson Cruz's performance is outstanding; he just breaks my heart, and I LOVE Juliana Hatfield and especially the song in this episode, "Make It Home." This is a great character study about love, compassion, family, friendship and Christmas itself, and I'd really recommend it to parents to watch with their kids. I'm going to stop writing about it before I get all teary. I'll conclude it with one of the best/saddest television metastatements of all time: "Do we have to talk about religion? It's Christmas." ~ Danielle










Elf


"Elf" has to hold some kind of record for movie I've seen the most, that I couldn't tell you one thing about except that it stars Will Ferrell and that Zooey Deschanel is in it as a blonde, and she sings. I love Zooey Deschanel so much. But see what happened was in 2005, Babz hosted a Christmas sleepover party for our girlfriends from the office.

There was liquor.

There was beer pong.

There was this:








And all while it went down, "Elf" played in the background, on a loop. Over and over and over again. I can't tell you what happened, but I've technically seen it more than anything else on the list except the real old-school stuff.











A Charlie Brown Christmas



For the tree alone. I always had mad love for the scrawny trees no one wanted. Awwwwwww. One of my favorite new Christmas decorations is the Peanuts ice skating rink I got for Javier two years ago. "Christmas tiiiiiiime is herrrrre…" Annoying at a point? Yes! Awesome anyway? YES.










A Very Brady Christmas


What is NOT to love about "A Very Brady Christmas?" It has everything! Love overcoming all…bulldozers…Gwendolyn Pierce in "Charles in Charge" as replacement Cindy…and best of all, Marcia's immortal quote: "Don't be sorry. Just be Wally." Best. Line. Ever.

Seriously though, "A Very Brady Christmas" is special to me. I was born at a weird time, Bradywise, like this strange time when "The Brady Bunch" had been over for years before I was born, yet they did the variety hour, and "The Brady Brides," and just in general never seemed to give up on the Bradys reuniting and becoming family once more. "A Very Brady Christmas," Gwendolyn Pierce-Cindy notwithstanding, was the last time they were able to capture that true "Brady Bunch" feel. Aw.










Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Dude. It's an outcast reindeer and outcast toys. How could I not love this movie? "She thinks I'm cuuuuuuuute!" is one of THE cutest scenes of all time. I love my Rudolph!










It's a Wonderful Life


What can I say about this movie that you don't already know? It's a classic, one of the classic movies. It has everything – fantastic cast, JIMMY STEWART who is of course one of the awesomest men of all time, laughter, tears, supernatural events, time travel, and people falling into a pool.

This movie is not overrated. If you've never sat down and watched it all the way through, give it a shot this year. It is a work of art, with an incredible amount of heart and life insight. I LOVE this movie!!!







Please tell us what your favorite holiday movie is! Feel free to post pics, videos -- have fun!







©2008