Posted on 12/07/2012 4:42:03 PM PST by MNDude
What is your favorite Christmas movie and which do you hate the most?
3 year old girl on drugs was funny?
Not in my wildest imagination would I consider any of that movie funny
“I love ‘Jingle All The Way’ starring the idiot from CA”
You are going to have to be WAY more specific.
YOU’RE USING UP ALL THE BAND WIDTH ON PURPOSE!
There was a Roy Rogers western that involved the rustling of Christmas trees. I think it was called “Trail of Robin Hood.” No, it’s not necessarily my favorite. Just thought I’d mention it. My favorite is probably the Alistair Sim version (1951) of “A Christmas Carol,” followed by “It’s a Wonderful Life.”
I never really cottoned to “Christmas Story.” It had some good moments, but I found it way, way too cyncial, and not really reflective of the Christmas spirit. Too acidic.
Reviews/comments are very positive. Here's the link (free download):
BTW I use VSO DivxToDVD (last free version here: VSO DivxToDVD 0.5.2b ) to convert MP4 to DVD format, then I use "DVD Shrink" to burn them to DVD.
(Call me odd, but I don't like watching movies/TV shows on my computer.)
Not funny in the way intended. Funny in the irony of just how awful it was.
Best are White Christmas and The Bishops Wife, Worst are Christmas Story and Bad Santa.
Christmas in Connecticut is pretty good.
Least Favorite- Those stop-motion animations like Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer from the 70s and 80s. (at least that is when I saw them, I think they are much older). I remember they creeped me out when I was a kid.
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I love them and they are from the sixties.
It’s my favorite, a Christmas TV tradition at my house.
Worst: ‘Jingle All the Way’ starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jake Lloyd and Sinbad. Awful movie, with exactly one funny joke in it.
Not a movie but does anyone remember the episode of “Dragnet” where the orphan kid sells his revolver to buy a present for his little brother?
I haven’t seen it in probably over 50 years and those which seem so good when I was a kid sometimes turn out not to be but that one really affected me.
Eight Crazy Nights is surprisingly good.
There was a Roy Rogers western that involved the rustling of Christmas trees.
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I am going to have to find that since I was the pretend adopted daughter of Roy and Dale as I watched all their slows sitting on my rocking horse wearing my cowboygirl clothes and my six shooters and red cowboygirl hat and real leather cowboygirl boots when I was six.
Worst movie...here.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Claus_%28film%29
Best..A CHRISTMAS STORY and CHRISTMAS VACATION.
Holy crap, nobody has mentioned my favorite BY FAR, which is “Scrooged” with Bill Murray. Loosely based on “A Christmas Carol”, but HILARIOUS!
Also, not sure why all the hate for “It’s a Wonderful Life”...I wonder if it’s because the bad guy is the rich businessman? It’s okay to hate Lionel Barrymore’s character in this case, because HE WAS DISHONEST when he found the money, knew who lost it, and didn’t turn it over. A great classic.
Also agree with another poster on “The Bishop’s Wife” with Cary Grant, David Niven, and Loretta Young. Awesome.
They cast porn stars (judging by the mustache) in a Christmas movie. That's tough to beat for worst.
The Muppet Christmas Carol (Michael Caine)
I couldn't agree more. Merry Christmas, everyone!
Best:
“The Bishop’s Wife,” “Miracle on 34th St.”, “Elf”, “It’s a Wonderful Life”, “The Fourth Wiseman”, “Tokyo Godfathers”, original “A Christmas Carol”, Stewart’s “A Christmas Carol”, Diane Cannon’s “Christmas in Connecticut”, Twilight Zone’s “Night of the Meek,” Stanwych’s “Christmas in Connecticut”, “The Muppet’s Christmas Carol”, “Mickey’s Christmas Carol.”
Worst: ?? Maybe “Nightmare Before Christmas.”
Mrs. Esopman
I don’t remember that episode, but I vaguely remember a Dragnet involving a stolen Baby Jesus from a church Nativity display and a poor little boy who took it. I’m fuzzy about why he took it though.
The best for me
It’s a Wonderful Life
The Bishop’s Wife
White Christmas
end of list all others pale in comparison
I think that may be the same episode but it has been so long I am not really sure about anything.
IBTPLCSP? (In Before The Predictable Lame Christmas Story Post?)
That's right. Frank Capra intentionally set up Henry F. Potter as an evil guy yet there's a lot to like about that character in terms of thrift and self-reliance. His planned takeover of the broken-down Building and Loan seemed to be based on sound business principles, which was not the case under the slipshod management of Peter Bailey and the dim-witted Uncle Billy. George's protest about these people deserving a decent standard of living isn't a very good argument and Potter rightly rebuffs it, in my opinion.
Probably the part I dislike most about "It's a Wonderful Life" is when George Bailey (at the behest of his wife) parts with his own honeymoon money to give to those storming the BB&L. Sure, it was his own decision and not done under the strong arm of the government but he made it too easy on those people who should have abided by the rules when they deposited their money there. I think this is the kind of charity (borderline welfare?) that Ayn Rand was against.
All that said, if I just watch the film for sheer enjoyment, ignoring some of the sketchy economic lessons, it's an entertaining yarn. And George's telephone scene with Mary is a classic.
...and on a lighter note, a few years back, we had so give and take here on FR about whether Pottersville (a Las Vegas of sorts) was actually a better place than Bedford Falls. :-)
“Debbie Does Christmas”
“Santa Claus” (1959), a low-budget Mexican film dubbed in English, tells of a plot by Satan to sabotage Santa’s annual Christmas Eve mission to bring gifts to the world’s children. Satan warns the demon assigned to the task that if he fails, he will have to eat chocolate ice cream instead of hot coals. The film probably didn’t win much acclaim from the critics, but when I saw it as a kid, I loved it.
I liked “It’s a Wonderful Life” but never understood why it was considered so great. I would rate it about average tho.
Worst - Bad Santa is disgusting
Best - Prancer, Christmas Story, Family Man, Polar Express, White Christmas
My wife and I watch two movies every Christmas - “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “Blazing Saddles”.
One of my personal favorites. This is the one where the kids takes the baby Jesus from the Church right?
Great reply...I agree with your points on Potter’s attempted takeover being based on sound principles (given the limited info offered in the movie). I don’t mind how George saved the business with his own money...lots of people determined to save their businesses pump more money in, and after all, it was his dad’s business and he’s a loyal community & family guy throughout the flick.
SO many memorable scenes...I love the guy at the bridge who falls out of his chair hearing Clarence talk about being an angel. Or how about “...you like ALL the boys” - “What’s wrong with that?” LOL
I know what you mean. The color series ran from 1966 to 1970. There was an old black & white version of Dragnet which ran during the 1950s. The 1960s version shows up sometimes on classic tv channels, but I haven’t seen it lately. I miss it; it was fun to watch.
Trading Places
I think that is the one.
There have been so many Dragnet series that it is hard to remember them all.
Also the movie was really funny to me especially the scene where they are dancing in their goat leggings trying to explain what was going on.
How about the very un-PC Sheldon Leonard (as the bartender, Nick): "That's it! Out you two pixies go...through the door, or out the window!"
There's an interesting link here titled It’s A Socialist Life? with some choice quotes from Boston talk show host Michael Graham who characterizes "It's a Wonderful Life" as "...the worst movie ever made, but basically anti-American." I've got to think that Graham's analysis is at least partly tongue in cheek but there are parts that ring true:
Smart, ambitious George gets stuck at the modest Building and Loan back in Hickville when his brother marries into a cushy corporate gig and his father dies. After years of dreaming of going off to college, traveling the world and becoming a top engineer or architect, his life is spent scraping by, and helping others do the same.
Somehow the movie — like the Occupiers of today — tries to turn that into a virtue. Despite his wife and kids, George turns down $20,000 a year so he won’t have to work for that “evil banker,” Mr. Potter.
Occupy Bedford Falls!
Favorites:
A Christmas Carol, Miracle on 34th Street, White Christmas, It’s a Wonderful Life.
Least Favorite:
A Christmas Story. (I think it demeans the meaning of Christmas.)
“It’s A Wonderful Life”
“A Charlie Brown Christmas”
“The Little Drummer Boy” (haven’t seen it in ages, but it was my favorite as a child)
Also, “Elf” is wonderful. I don’t know how Will Ferrell pulled that out of his usual horrible choices, but Elf was really funny, clean, and although devoid of any Christian message about the reason for the season, quite sweet.
Hate: All the animated “we must save Christmas!” themed movies, there are like 100 of them, each one more banal than the last.
Holiday Inn, preceding White Christmas.
That is an interesting take on George’s life. Sliced either way, it’s a feel-good movie for me. As you mentioned, sometimes you just have to watch a movie without picking the hell out of it. :)
Worst: Elf (I hate Will Ferrell anyway, and this movie simply ENRAGES me)
A Shrek Christmas. Fart jokes have their place, but this special is just gross.
A very rare special: A Cosmic Christmas. Came out in the '70s. Creeped me out as a kid.
Two choices for best: “SCROOGE” starring Albert Finney, and “WHITE CHRISTMAS” with Bing, Danny, Rosemary and that girl with legs clear up to her butt.
“We’ll follow the Old Man wherever he wants to go, long as he wants to go, opposite to the foe; we’ll stay with the Old Man.......”
“Gee! I wish I was back in the Army! The Army wasn’t really bad at all. 3 squares a day, for which you didn’t pay......”
Agreed. Many did a good job as Scrooge. Sim was truly great; 61 years later Scrooge is the best of the best.
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