This article actually got me thinking about movies that we always watch around Christmas time. I forgot about a classic movie called "Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence" It stars David Bowie and Tom Conti. Conti and Bowie are prisoners in a Japanese pow camp in WWII. A very dramatic and amazing movie with a beautiful soundtrack. I can't believe I forgot about this movie. I used to watch it every Christmas years ago on VHS. I never replaced it on DVD so that's probably why it slipped my mind. Hitting up Amazon while I type this to fix that. This is a movie that you would probably not watch with your grandmother, as there are some rather dark and disturbing scenes in it.
My Favorite Anti-Santa Christmas Movies
- Thread starter Elizabeth Grunewald
- Start date
Glad to see Ghostbusters 2 make the list. That movie gets way too much shit for "not being as good." It isn't, but it's easily the best possible Ghostbusters sequel anyone could make. It was brilliant having the ghostbusters relegated to pathetic birthday party gigs.
And hairless cats. Weird.
And hairless cats. Weird.
It's not a Christmas movie by any stretch of the imagination, but I watch Clerks. on Christmas Eve.
The story goes with me is that I saw the Animated Series and rented it a bunch growing up, but I had never seen the movie, so Christmas Eve, I rented it and watched it before Midnight, thereby declaring it an Xmas Eve movie.
It was the first movie I had seen that made me look at film in a more grownup sense at 13 years old than any other time in my life before that.
Seven years later, I watch it every Eve, and I use it as a look back at my life from January 1st to December 24.
It's kind of sad, in a way, but its pretty cool too.
The story goes with me is that I saw the Animated Series and rented it a bunch growing up, but I had never seen the movie, so Christmas Eve, I rented it and watched it before Midnight, thereby declaring it an Xmas Eve movie.
It was the first movie I had seen that made me look at film in a more grownup sense at 13 years old than any other time in my life before that.
Seven years later, I watch it every Eve, and I use it as a look back at my life from January 1st to December 24.
It's kind of sad, in a way, but its pretty cool too.
Gotta admit, I agree with alot of what I'm seeing here. "Scrooged" is truly a staple of my holiday movie regiment, still one of my favorite performances by Bill Murray ever. And also, "Gremlins" is indeed a bit of Crimmus classic-ness...
But you know, I was just thinking about this while I was at work last night. Irony of Ironies... I liked Gremlins 2. In many ways I preferred it to the original. YES I know it was hokey, campy and a parody of itself. But this is exactly why I enjoy it so much. If I want a more legit "scary monster" experience, I can watch "Gremlins". If I want to laugh and quote along with the goofy dialogue a bit, I watch "Gremlins 2".
Also, come on, who doesn't enjoy the femme-Gremlin hanging all over that smarmy doctor from Star Trek: Voyager? As he flees in terror down the hall, she clings to his leg, shouting "Why won't you commit?!" Cheese-tasticly awesome...
But you know, I was just thinking about this while I was at work last night. Irony of Ironies... I liked Gremlins 2. In many ways I preferred it to the original. YES I know it was hokey, campy and a parody of itself. But this is exactly why I enjoy it so much. If I want a more legit "scary monster" experience, I can watch "Gremlins". If I want to laugh and quote along with the goofy dialogue a bit, I watch "Gremlins 2".
Also, come on, who doesn't enjoy the femme-Gremlin hanging all over that smarmy doctor from Star Trek: Voyager? As he flees in terror down the hall, she clings to his leg, shouting "Why won't you commit?!" Cheese-tasticly awesome...
I agree wholeheartedly with Die Hard, not to mention Lethal Weapon, since that was set at Xmas as well, plus Ghostbusters 2 is a good fall back, should you want to go there. You cna keep Harry Potter, as I was never really into that and now the commercial demons got their hooks into it, we're in need of a little something else to brighten things up on the fantasy scale:Elizabeth Grunewald said:
May I present to you Hogfather. Terry Pratchett has been writing books professionally since JK Rowling was studying for her exams, long before anyone had ever heard of the word "Alohamorah". This isn't to say that he's better at it, by any stretch, but the way that he touches on the spirit of Christmas in a hilarious way, not sparing any aspect of it from the satire that defines the very fabric of Discworld, is reason enough to read it.
Hang on a second, weren't you talking about MOVIES? I rather think you were!
Step forward Vadim Jean and an all star cast (including Sir Terry, who dresses up as Joshua Isme, a toy maker, for a brief cameo). They made a wonderful first instalment of the Discworld series, which was only slightly tarnished by the fact that David Jason returned the following year to play Rincewind, despite having a) already played Albert (Death's assistant) and b) being about 30 years too old to play Rincewind. The small price you have to pay to give a man his one dream job of a lifetime, eh?
Still, buy it, stream it, download it, borrow it off a friend, but watch this over Xmas and enjoy a nice Pork Pie, while you're at it.
