Christmas Movies

[Shannon L.]

The scream that the burglar lets loose when Kevin place the tarantula on his face is one of the best movie screams I've ever heard (second only to "What's happening?!" in Poltergeist.) and as dumb as it is, I always tend to laugh when the one guy gets the feathers all over him.  Also, as a New Englander, I can relate to trying to walk up icy steps. 

[SmithW6079]

I remember liking it when I saw it the first time -- and the ending with the old man makes me tear up.

Now? I find it sadistic and unfunny. I think there's an Internet theory that Kevin grew up to be the killer in the "Saw" movies.

[Athena]

I saw Home Alone 2 first and as a result, I always prefer it to Home Alone. HA2 is still one of my favourite Christmas movies in that I will definitely watch it if it comes on. Others I'll watch if they are Muppets Christmas Carol and The Santa Clause. The 90s were a good decade for me apparently.

[frenchtoast]

I love Muppets Christmas Carol. Mostly because of Gonzo, Rizzo and Sam the Eagle. "It's the American Way." "Psst, we're in Britain." "It's the British Way." Cracks me up every time for no reason.

[scarynikki12]

Cabin In The Woods has a white board that lists various demons and monsters.  One of the names on the list is Kevin.  You cannot convince me that isn't Kevin from Home Alone all grown up.

 

That said, I also have a nostalgic fondness for that movie.  I miss John Candy.

[GHScorpiosRule]

I just rewatched Home Alone and I timed it: the most hilarious hijinks of Marv and Harry getting their asses kicked runs on for 15 minutes and no lie, I was laughing hilariously.

 

It's one of the top five Christmas movies for me.

 

And Diehard is another one.  That goes without saying.

[Schweedie]

Yeah, to me it's a live-action cartoon.  It's been a while, but the last time I saw it, it still worked on that level.

 

That's a good way of describing Home Alone. I mean, the traps Kevin sets are pretty nasty, but it's the kind of stuff that would happen to characters in old cartoons like Tom & Jerry.

 

Cabin In The Woods has a white board that lists various demons and monsters.  One of the names on the list is Kevin.  You cannot convince me that isn't Kevin from Home Alone all grown up.

 

Ha! Oh, that's perfect. I've often wished we could've known what Kevin on that list was, but now I'm gonna go with that, too.

Like a few others I actually prefer the second one. Tim Curry is such a great petty nemesis.

 

There aren't a lot of Christmas movies I like, but Christmas Vacation is one of them. Watching that has been a tradition since I was little.

[Spartan Girl]

Trading Places is one of my favorite Christmas movies, even though it isn't exclusively a Christmas movie (it spans from Thanksgiving to New Year's Eve).  The sight of Dan Aykroyd crashing a Christmas office party in a ratty Santa suit and later eating a stolen fish through that disgusting beard NEVER EVER gets old.

[proserpina65]

I've always been curious, does Home Alone hold up for people who didn't grow up with it? I wouldn't know, since that movie has been so seared into my brain since I was four, that I have no outside perspective on it. I think I know every scene by heart. But it's such a classic- I just wonder if it's mostly for people of a certain age.

I absolutely hate it.  I don't find Macauley Culkin's character cute.  I think his parents are obnoxious and irresponsible, and, even pre-9/11, the idea that the family would make it onto the plane (after apparently checking in at the counter, showing their tickets & passports, and getting boarding passes) without anyone noticing that Kevin was missing was completely ridiculous and so implausible that I couldn't buy any of what the film was selling.

[Shannon L.]

With all due respect to those who are extremely nostalgic and in love with this movie (remember, I really liked it), I thought this was hysterical:

 

Macaulay Culkin Goes Full ‘Saw’ In ‘Home Alone’ Follow-Up Short

 

Warning:  very strong language

[Ruby25]

I don't think it's that hysterical, but it does kinda remind you that Macaulay Culkin can actually act. He's only been in a very few things as an adult, like Saved and Party Monster, but he himself was suprisingly good in both of those. I even thought he was really funny when he guest starred on Will & Grace once. No one will ever be able to think of or see him as anything except the massive child star he once was, but he does have talent.

Edited December 18, 2015 by Ruby25

[Trini]

Answering in the Future of Movie Stars thread.

[Haleth]

I went to On Demand to watch Love Actually and apparently found the ABC Family version. They cut the whole Martin Freeman storyline. Gee, I wonder why? Lol

[Ruby25]

Wow- the fact that there's an actual ABC Family version speaks to how widely loved that movie has become, I guess.

[Amethyst]

I absolutely hate it.  I don't find Macauley Culkin's character cute.  I think his parents are obnoxious and irresponsible, and, even pre-9/11, the idea that the family would make it onto the plane (after apparently checking in at the counter, showing their tickets & passports, and getting boarding passes) without anyone noticing that Kevin was missing was completely ridiculous and so implausible that I couldn't buy any of what the film was selling.

 

What really irked me was the scene when the cop goes to the MacAllister house.  So he knocks once or twice, looks around and reports on his radio "Yeah, the house is dark.  There's no one here."  

 

Nice investigating skills.  Why not go inside and take a look around?  Way to do the absolute minimum.  Even as a kid that scene made no sense to me.

[Janet Snakehole]

I just rewatched Home Alone last night, and, man, was Kevin a little shit. He called his mom a dummy or a jerk or something and she didn't blink. It also seemed like his dad could not care less about him, which I found kind of hilarious. How long was the family actually gone for?

Really, the old neighbor was the only likeable one.

[spaceytraci1208]

Really, the old neighbor was the only likeable one.

YESSSS! I love that sweet, scary, shovel-toting bastard lol.

Kevin was definitely a brat, but look at the examples he was following. The McAllisters, as a familial unit, left much to be desired.

Edited December 20, 2015 by spaceytraci1208

[GHScorpiosRule]

I don't know. Kevin was 8. I thought his oldest brother, Buzz? The idiot who couldn't tell between numbers and letters, was a bigger asshole and Kevin was right, Buzz did start it.  Now maybe because I'm the older sibling, whenever my younger sister started something, or even if I did, I was the one punished because, I was the older one.

 

Then you had Kevin's uncle call him a "little Jerk" or whatever, and Mom and Dad just let him get away with that. And Kevin is the one sent upstairs into the attic to think about what he's done and said. Right.  Not saying that Kevin calling her a dummy was right, it wasn't. But I'm more on Kevin's side than his family. And of course, if any of that didn't happen, we wouldn't have a movie.

 

Old Man neighbor was the same dude that sold Christine to that guy in the movie Christine!

[Popples]

Then you had Kevin's uncle call him a "little Jerk" or whatever, and Mom and Dad just let him get away with that. And Kevin is the one sent upstairs into the attic to think about what he's done and said. Right.  Not saying that Kevin calling her a dummy was right, it wasn't. But I'm more on Kevin's side than his family. And of course, if any of that didn't happen, we wouldn't have a movie.

 

I've always hated Uncle Frank, mostly the part when Kate and Peter realize they've left Kevin home, he equated it to leaving his reading glasses. What an asshole. The only thing Uncle Frank has given me is yelling "Get out of here you nosy little pervert, or I'm gonna slap you silly!" every single time I listen to "Cool Jerk."

[Sarahsmile416]

I just rewatched Home Alone last night, and, man, was Kevin a little shit. He called his mom a dummy or a jerk or something and she didn't blink. It also seemed like his dad could not care less about him, which I found kind of hilarious. How long was the family actually gone for?

Really, the old neighbor was the only likeable one.

I love Home Alone for two reasons - Catherine O'Hara, who I adore, and John Candy.

Not to say his mom didn't say some pretty horrible things and truly, there is no excuse for them because Kevin is 8 years old and in a house where every single person either calls him incompetent, a jerk or a disease. He's a kid, she is the adult. I get being angry and saying things you regret, but she kept it going. That being said, I truly think she knew she made a mistake later but never apologized for it. His whole family really should have apologized for much more than leaving him...that whole night before they left was one big clusterf*ck!!

There were a lot of things I doubted in the movie - how his father felt about him, how his siblings felt about him, and if Uncle Frank was psycho, but the one thing I never doubted was that his mother adored him. That hug when she comes home is only second to the hug the daughter in Uncle Buck gives her mother when she comes home. Both make me cry everytime. Honestly, it's her devotion to make it home to him that truly makes the movie for me.

Edited December 21, 2015 by Sarahsmile416

[anna0852]

My personal theory is that Kevin was an oops baby. Since his siblings all seemed to at least 4 years or more older than him. And that Kevin being overlooked was nothing new. If the only attention you get is negative, then that's what you learn to provoke.

[Ruby25]

John Hughes always had a tendency to kind of mock the rich as being assholes. They were always the bad guys in his teen movies, and in the one where they're not (Ferris Bueller), Ferris isn't bad but he's still pretty arrogant and full of himself (definitely the most shallow of his teen heroes), and his parents are clueless idiots. In this one the McCallisters are obviously extremely wealthy and they all seem to be entitled pricks. It was kind of a trend with him. At least he was consistent about it.

Edited December 22, 2015 by Ruby25

[Sarahsmile416]

John Hughes always had a tendency to kind of mock the rich as being assholes. They were always the bad guys in his teen movies, and in the one where they're not (Ferris Bueller), Ferris isn't bad but he's still pretty arrogant and full of himself (definitely the most shallow of his teen heroes), and his parents are clueless idiots. In this one the McCallisters are obviously extremely wealthy and they all seem to be entitled pricks. It was kind of a trend with him. At least he was consistent about it.

It's funny you mention Ferris Bueller, I was just watching Home Alone today and I was thinking Kevin is going to grow up to be Ferris Bueller...

[Amethyst]

There were a lot of things I doubted in the movie - how his father felt about him, how his siblings felt about him, and if Uncle Frank was psycho, but the one thing I never doubted was that his mother adored him. That hug when she comes home is only second to the hug the daughter in Uncle Buck gives her mother when she comes home. Both make me cry everytime. Honestly, it's her devotion to make it home to him that truly makes the movie for me.

 

IA with this.  Honestly, I didn't get the impression that anyone else in the family really cared about Kevin save for his mother.  And the moment she realizes what's happened, she's clearly distraught and holds herself responsible.  The moment she touched down in Paris, Kate did whatever it took to get back as soon as possible.  She ditched the trip to Paris, pawned anything she had (watches, jewelry) in exchange for tickets, and bummed a ride from a random polka band just because they were heading to Chicago.  All this in what, two-three days?  

 

Granted, they really messed up leaving Kevin behind, but I gotta give that woman credit; she busted her ass trying to get home to her son.  Meanwhile, the rest of the family is chilling in Paris, kinda down in spirits, but nowhere near the level of panic that Kate had as she was trying to get home.

[Sarahsmile416]

IA with this. Honestly, I didn't get the impression that anyone else in the family really cared about Kevin save for his mother. And the moment she realizes what's happened, she's clearly distraught and holds herself responsible. The moment she touched down in Paris, Kate did whatever it took to get back as soon as possible. She ditched the trip to Paris, pawned anything she had (watches, jewelry) in exchange for tickets, and bummed a ride from a random polka band just because they were heading to Chicago. All this in what, two-three days?

Granted, they really messed up leaving Kevin behind, but I gotta give that woman credit; she busted her ass trying to get home to her son. Meanwhile, the rest of the family is chilling in Paris, kinda down in spirits, but nowhere near the level of panic that Kate had as she was trying to get home.

Absolutely!! Even after the rest of the family gets back the way the father greets Kevin is just odd, like he is ten years older than he is. It's unbelievable to me that he wouldn't have moved heaven and earth the way Kate did to get back to Kevin. But I guess it shouldn't surprise me since Uncle Frank equated Kevin's being left behind to leaving his glasses behind and none of his siblings clearly giving a crap about Kevin except for his oldest sister.

I don't agree with everything Kate did but the second she realizes what happened she doesn't care what she has to do - she is going to get back to him.

[Shannon L.]

I agree about Kevin's mother's devotion and about the rest of the family being jerks.  I, too, loved the hug at the end.  I also liked the neighbor and the talk he had with Kevin as well as the end of his (the neighbor's) story.  There's a third moment, too, that I really liked-- when he talked to Santa's "helper".  That serious, thoughtful tone when he said "Look, I know you aren't him, but I know you work for him..." then asking for his family back, was a nice moment.  Although, I do wish the man playing Santa had followed up on it.

[VCRTracking]

I know people joke about DIE HARD being their Christmas movie but it kind of is one of mine!

[GHScorpiosRule]

I know people joke about DIE HARD being their Christmas movie but it kind of is one of mine!

 

I wasn't joking. I really do consider this one of the Christmas movies I watch! I'm totally watching it again tonight! I watched it a couple weeks ago, and fortunately for me, Die Hard 2 and Die Hard With a Vengeance is part of the Free Movies list, so Naturally, I watched those as well. Though I just learned the last was not originally intended as a Die Hard movie-hence the continuity whaa? between the second and third.  That John had moved to LA to support Holly and became a LAPD cop (Lt.); but in the third one, he was back in New York, but no line about how he did move to LA, etc. etc.

 

Wish there was a Die Hard thread to discuss more...

 

But Anywayzzzz, The first is the best, and worth a repeat viewing while I sip egg nog tonight.

[VCRTracking]

Oh I didn't see your post I mean people in general like on Twitter!

 

Here's a nice new essay about the movie from noted Did Hard and action movies in general buff Outlaw Vern and it's also very touching as well. You'll have to read it to find out why.

[methodwriter85]

John Hughes always had a tendency to kind of mock the rich as being assholes. They were always the bad guys in his teen movies, and in the one where they're not (Ferris Bueller), Ferris isn't bad but he's still pretty arrogant and full of himself (definitely the most shallow of his teen heroes), and his parents are clueless idiots. In this one the McCallisters are obviously extremely wealthy and they all seem to be entitled pricks. It was kind of a trend with him. At least he was consistent about it.

 

I honestly never looked at Ferris as being rich. I guess they were, especially if the mother was capable of making deals that you could use the profit to buy a car with, but I always kind of figured that Ferris's family was upper-middle-class, not actually rich.

 

I still wonder how the rich kids in the schools were even going there...where I'm from, no one with means sends their kids to public school.

 

Back to Christmas movies...it's really only one section of the movie that takes place at Christmas, but damn I love the scene of Judy Garland singing Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas to Trudy in Meet Me in St. Louis.

Edited December 25, 2015 by methodwriter85

[Last Time Lord]

I saw Krampus earlier this month, when it first came out.

It felt to me like the spiritual successor to Gremlins.

A holiday themed thriller, that is tense, but nothing too scary or violent.

Though I would say any comparisons to Gremlins and it should really be between Gremlins' original script Draft than the final film.

[Ruby25]

I honestly never looked at Ferris as being rich. I guess they were, especially if the mother was capable of making deals that you could use the profit to buy a car with, but I always kind of figured that Ferris's family was upper-middle-class, not actually rich.

 

 

I didn't notice much when I was younger, but watching it later on it seems obvious how well off the Buellers were- their house is massive. And Ferris complains that Jeannie got a car for her birthday and he "only" got a computer. Then his mom is going to use her commission to buy him a car too, and his dad seemed to have a pretty plush job.

[Bastet]

I honestly never looked at Ferris as being rich. I guess they were, especially if the mother was capable of making deals that you could use the profit to buy a car with, but I always kind of figured that Ferris's family was upper-middle-class, not actually rich.

 

Same here, especially as compared to Cameron's family.

[navelgazer]

While You Were Sleeping
Die Hard
The Ref
Bad Santa
The Santa Clause
The Long Kiss Goodnight

[methodwriter85]

I kind of got a kick out of Surviving Christmas, where Ben Affleck pays a family who lives in his old family home to pretend that they're his family. It's not a heartwarming family drama but I enjoyed it. Ben just chewed the scenery out of this one.

[Ms Blue Jay]

[Ms Blue Jay]

On 12/15/2015 at 0:36 AM, Ruby25 said:

I've always been curious, does Home Alone hold up for people who didn't grow up with it? I wouldn't know, since that movie has been so seared into my brain since I was four, that I have no outside perspective on it. I think I know every scene by heart. But it's such a classic- I just wonder if it's mostly for people of a certain age.

Not for me, but I sort of like Home Alone 2.  It's one of those great fantasy movies like Dumb and Dumber (fantasy like we'd all like to have that chance).  Macaulay Culkin can do no wrong for me though.  Uncle Buck is wonderful and he is so sweet I want to die.

[jewel21]

"Christmas with the Kranks" and "Home Alone" are my two go-to Christmas movies.

[methodwriter85]

I always like watching "Little Women" when I want to pretend I'm living in a small New England town in the winter during the Civil War.

[Spartan Girl]

Ernest Saves Christmas is a guilty pleasure favorite of mine. Fun fact: Santa was the same guy that was the Sultan in Aladdin!

I do miss poor old Jim Varney, though.

Anyway, The Nativity Story was on AMC this morning. I know it's a religious movie, but it's still pretty good. I don't think you have to be super religious to enjoy it; it's the only time I've ever seen Mary and Joseph being portrayed as real people. There was a bit of controversy due to Keisha Castle-Hughes becoming a teen mom during filming/the release but I don't think she deserved to get so much crap over it.

[jewel21]

"I'll Be Home for Christmas" played the other day on TV. I haven't seen that movie in over 15 years and I still loved it. Jessica Biel and Jonathan Taylor Thomas were so young!

[Chaos Theory]

My usual Christmas movies are:

1. Every version of A Christmas Carol I can get my hands on.

2. How The Grinch Stole Christmas (the original version not the Jim Carrey version)  

 

i think those are the only too 

 

oh and although not a fan of Tim Allen I do enjoy the first two Santa Clause movies.  

[tennisgurl]

My two favorites? I love so many Christmas movies, but I REALLY love A Muppet Christmas Carol and Miracle on 34th Street. 

A Muppet Christmas Carol is just hilarious (and surprisingly emotional) and I freaking love Gonzo as Charles Dickens with Rizzo as his sidekick. "Well hoity toity Mr. God like"

Miracle on 34th Street is a super charming and well done movie in general, but what always sticks out to me when I watch it is how much detail and character is given to the supporting and minor characters. It makes the world of 1940s New York seem so real and lived in. Everyone from Mrs. Walkers somewhat neurotic co-worker Mr. Shellhammer, their boss Mr. Macy (and his counterpart rich guy in Gimbals), Alfred the teenage janitor that Chris befriends, to the long suffering DA and his family, to the judge who just wants to get through this whole thing with his political career somewhat in tact and his snarky, cigar chomping campaign manager, to the most minor characters like the Dutch orphan and her adopted mother, to the overworked postal workers who inadvertently save the day, are just so filled with character, even if they're just around for a scene. Its just a great movie. 

Edited December 26, 2017 by tennisgurl

[Ubiquitous]

I watched National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation for the first time in years. Why did I used to enjoy that film? Everyone in the movie is an asshole, including the protagonist, not that Chevy Chase is likable in the first place. It didn't help that a lot of the funny were so contrived that it made it impossible to enjoy.

[SlovakPrincess]

I adore the Muppet Christmas Carol - Michael Caine really gives it his all while acting with Muppets, and it's very touching.  Also, Jacob AND ROBERT! Marley ... hee hee, kills me every time that they made up an extra Marley to accommodate the grumpy old men from the Muppet Show balcony!

Miracle on 34th Street (but only the original!!) is pretty great, although as a lawyer I do a lot of head shaking at how that judge runs his court room, LOL.   Little Natalie Wood is just so great.   Also, drunk Mrs. Shelhammer answering the phone is never not funny to me: "Hell-ooooooooo?!"  

[AimingforYoko]

3 hours ago, Ubiquitous said:

I watched National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation for the first time in years. Why did I used to enjoy that film?

Because when Grandma starts singing the Star-Spangled Banner when Cousin Eddie's sewage ignites and blows the Santa decoration into space is funny as hell. When I saw this in the theatre, I damn near passed out from lack of oxygen.

[Ubiquitous]

9 hours ago, AimingforYoko said:

Because when Grandma starts singing the Star-Spangled Banner when Cousin Eddie's sewage ignites and blows the Santa decoration into space is funny as hell. When I saw this in the theatre, I damn near passed out from lack of oxygen.

Have you watched it recently? It all seemed so contrived and insincere to me. Chevy sexually harassing a young sales girl, the family mocking Chevy's Xmas lights (the wife figuring out why it wasn't working but taking her time to fix it), Randy Quaid parking his RV in the drive without anyone noticing, Chevy getting trapped in the attic, the sled with lube on the bottom going a zillion miles per hour down the hill for a couple minutes but still within sight of the family when he crashes... Yeah, it wasn't sppsd to be realistic, but things like that just kept me from getting involved.

[Kel Varnsen]

6 hours ago, Ubiquitous said:

Have you watched it recently? It all seemed so contrived and insincere to me. Chevy sexually harassing a young sales girl, the family mocking Chevy's Xmas lights (the wife figuring out why it wasn't working but taking her time to fix it), Randy Quaid parking his RV in the drive without anyone noticing, Chevy getting trapped in the attic, the sled with lube on the bottom going a zillion miles per hour down the hill for a couple minutes but still within sight of the family when he crashes... Yeah, it wasn't sppsd to be realistic, but things like that just kept me from getting involved.

It is basically a series of kind of related sketches with a common theme and a common cast. But that makes sense considering Chevy Chase's background, and it is basically how all the National Lampoon Vacation movies work. In those movies the bits were also kind of cartooney. Also Cĺark sexually harassing tye lingirie sales woman? I don't see it. He says some inappropriate things by mistake and then apologizes. If that is harassment  then wouldn't her showing him her underwear also be harassment?

[Dandesun]

White Christmas and The Holiday were the ones we made a point to watch this year. Also, my sister and I turned 'Olaf's Frozen Adventure' into a drinking game.

Drink whenever you see the decorative Yule Goats.

We had to make it each set because, often, there were 8-15 goats in a scene... on the side of the doors, in the banners of the city, on the hem of Anna's dress.

Yule Goats, man.

[Spartan Girl]

I just watched Scrooge for the first time ever this month. "Thank You Very Much" was definitely the highlight. I'll admit my jaw kind of dropped when they literally started dancing on the coffin. The Scrooge in Hell fake out scene was an interesting touch too. 

But Muppet Christmas Carol is still the best. "We're Marley and Marley....woooooooooah!"