Movies, Music, TV, Books, Pop Culture

by **OldDawg** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 12:24 am

"It's a Wonderful Life" is a lot better now that they restrict the number of showings. For years, it seemed that you could find it at any channel check during the holidays. Still one of my favorites. I am also fond of the classic, "Miracle on 34th Street."

I am partial to "The Santa Clause" and "The Grinch." I would have never imagined that cartoon could have been made into a movie. Jim Carrey was perfect in that film.

by **Bill the Butcher** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 12:48 am

The Santa Claus and Home Alone 1 & 2

Look what you did, ya little jerk!

by **aoxo1** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 1:04 am

Hate most Christmas movies, but love Bad Santa and Elf.

by **davemanddd** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 1:11 am

die hard

by **Triple-S** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 1:16 am

aoxo1 wrote:Hate most Christmas movies, but love Bad Santa and Elf.

Bad Santa is mint.

Thorton in one of his best roles. Just awesome how screwed up this movie was. I was disapointed he that even with him in it, he couldn't make the "Bad News Bear" role work, Because he seems like he would have fit that role of Coach Buttermaker like a glove.

by **Doc** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 1:28 am

Christmas Vacation in a landslide. Didn't we vote it as one of the top comedies ever?

by **swerb** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 1:35 am

Just rewatched Elf for the first time since it came out ... I forget how funny that flick was. Had me laughing out loud through much of the first hour. Christmas Vacation is a classic as well on the comedy side of the ledger.

Liked The Grinch and the first Home Alone. But me, I prefer the animated Christmas shows. To me, one of my favorite parts of being a parent is being able to relive your youth and rewatch Rudolph, Frosty, and Charlie Brown Christmas.

by **Ziner** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 1:56 am

Elf, hands down no question. I love that movie, one of my favorites, not just Christmas favorites.

by **OldDawg** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 1:58 am

Swerb wrote:But me, I prefer the animated Christmas shows. To me, one of my favorite parts of being a parent is being able to relive your youth and rewatch Rudolph, Frosty, and Charlie Brown Christmas.

+1000

I was thinking the exact thing as I started this thread. I love the old classic Christmas cartoons. My favorite moment is in Charlie Brown Christmas when Linus steps onto the stage to tell everyone the true meaning of Christmas. Touching piece of spiritual interlude.

Also, I will always remember my mom always telling us how mom and dad's first Christmas together was on a military base in Arizona and my dad picked out a real "Charlie Brown Christmas tree." My dad never lived that down!

Great memories.

Swerb, I also loved reliving my childhood with my son's toys at Christmas. Man, I got my son a ton of Hot Wheels cars and tracks, and we had track starting on the second floor and ending in the basement. And all of the various "building" toys that we loved. Not just happenstance that my son is now studying Mechanical Engineering, hoping to work in the auto industry!!

by **hermanfontenot** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 2:21 am

davemanddd wrote:die hard

Seconded.

by **justmebd** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 9:39 am

I'm partial to Christmas Vacation and Bad Santa.

But remember, the first Lethal Weapon movie also is a Christmas film, and that movie kicked ass.

by **Larvell Blanks** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 10:46 am

Gremlins

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPRBObAbT0o&feature=related[/youtube]

by **motherscratcher** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 11:30 am

It's tough to narrow down but I think I have to go with Christmas Vacation.

I do like the Christmas specials a lot, though. If I had to pick one of those it would be Emmet Otter's Jugband Christmas. It's a shame that less and less people seem to know what that is every year.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnIG1WuHaW0&feature=related[/youtube]

by **Naxos** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 11:35 am

I love the specials. I got a real kick out of the new one "Prep and Landing"

As too movies: Christmas Vacation and White Christmas

by **rebelwithoutaclue** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 11:42 am

Can't believe A Christmas Story hasn't even been mentioned yet. Blasphemy.

Also, Elf and Bad Santa.

by **peeker643** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 11:45 am

rebelwithoutaclue wrote:Can't believe A Christmas Story hasn't even been mentioned yet. Blasphemy.

Also, Elf and Bad Santa.

The Holy Trinity for me.

by **Naxos** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 2:37 pm

rebelwithoutaclue wrote:Can't believe A Christmas Story hasn't even been mentioned yet. Blasphemy.

Also, Elf and Bad Santa.

You are correct, Christmas Story should be on the list as well. I like Bad Santa but I do not think I would put it on a best of list.

Elf on the other hand, I do not understand the facination with it at all.

by **Ziner** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 2:39 pm

Naxos wrote:Elf on the other hand, I do not understand the facination with it at all.

Do you like Ferrell? How many times have you watched it? If you like Ferrell and you have only watched it once, watch it again. Like alot of his movies they get better each time you watch them. I consider that to be the truth with Old School, Anchorman, Talladega Nights and Elf.

by **Erie Warrior** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 3:02 pm

Elf is terrible. Not "funny because it's terrible on purpose", just regular terrible.

Christmas Story
Christmas Vacation
Rudolph the Rednosed Raindeer (I don't want to make toys, I want to be a dentist)

by **skatingtripods** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 3:17 pm

Ziner wrote:
Naxos wrote:Elf on the other hand, I do not understand the facination with it at all.

Do you like Ferrell? How many times have you watched it? If you like Ferrell and you have only watched it once, watch it again. Like alot of his movies they get better each time you watch them. I consider that to be the truth with Old School, Anchorman, Talladega Nights and Elf.

I thought Anchorman got worse as I saw it more. Now, it's only funny if I watch it once a year or so. If that.

Definitely agree with Rich. Gotta be Rudolph, Frosty, and Charlie.

by **FUDU** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 5:50 pm

HermanFontenot wrote:
davemanddd wrote:die hard

Seconded.

Was waiting for somebody to say this, BS it is not a Christmas movie.

The only way I will ever acknowledge it as so is when Blockbuster has it on it's holiday/Xmas shelf.

by **motherscratcher** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 6:21 pm

FUDU wrote:
HermanFontenot wrote:
davemanddd wrote:die hard

Seconded.

Was waiting for somebody to say this, BS it is not a Christmas movie.

The only way I will ever acknowledge it as so is when Blockbuster has it on it's holiday/Xmas shelf.

Agreed. Same with Lethal Weapon. The use of Christmas In Hollis/Jingle Bell Rock does not make these Christmas movies. Sure, they are set around Christmas time, but the movies themselves have nothing to do with Christmas.

That doesn't mean that they aren't awesome.

by **hermanfontenot** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 7:37 pm

Motherscratcher wrote:Agreed. Same with Lethal Weapon. The use of Christmas In Hollis/Jingle Bell Rock does not make these Christmas movies. Sure, they are set around Christmas time, but the movies themselves have nothing to do with Christmas.

How can you say that when the entire movie takes place in and around a hijacked office Christmas party?

by **mattvan1** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 7:42 pm

by **FUDU** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 7:59 pm

HermanFontenot wrote:
Motherscratcher wrote:Agreed. Same with Lethal Weapon. The use of Christmas In Hollis/Jingle Bell Rock does not make these Christmas movies. Sure, they are set around Christmas time, but the movies themselves have nothing to do with Christmas.

How can you say that when the entire movie takes place in and around a hijacked office Christmas party?

Love the movie, but it has zip to do with Christmas, take Christmas out of Die Hard and the movie goes 100% unchanged. Hell the movie was even released in July.

by **dem425** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 10:28 pm

1. Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol

2. Albert Finney/Christmas Carol

by **Cerebral_DownTime** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 10:55 pm

1) Christmas Vacation
2) Gremlins
3) Bad Santa

by **Larvell Blanks** » Wed Dec 16, 2009 11:49 am

FUDU wrote:
HermanFontenot wrote:
Motherscratcher wrote:Agreed. Same with Lethal Weapon. The use of Christmas In Hollis/Jingle Bell Rock does not make these Christmas movies. Sure, they are set around Christmas time, but the movies themselves have nothing to do with Christmas.

How can you say that when the entire movie takes place in and around a hijacked office Christmas party?

Love the movie, but it has zip to do with Christmas, take Christmas out of Die Hard and the movie goes 100% unchanged. Hell the movie was even released in July.

Argyle listening to "Christmas in Hollis" in the limo= Christmas movie

by **Cease** » Wed Dec 16, 2009 12:33 pm

Classics Division
1. Charlie Brown Christmas
2. Holiday Inn
3. It's a Wonderful Life

Comedy Division
1. Lampoon's XMas Vacation
2. Trading Places
3. Scrooged

Not an Elf guy. Something about Will Farrell shouting absurd lines with a dazed look in his eye got old to me during his SNL days. Yearly view limit: 30 mins.

by **hebner20** » Wed Dec 16, 2009 11:50 pm

Christmas Story
It's a wonderful life

by **jfiling** » Thu Dec 17, 2009 3:46 am

hebner20 wrote:Christmas Story
It's a wonderful life

Amen. It starts and ends with those two for me.

by **waborat** » Thu Dec 17, 2009 11:55 am

Toss up between A Christmas story & Christmas Vacation for me...

Favorite scene is definitely when they show the old Higbee's store displays in XMas Story...Damn, does that bring back some magical memories of my childhood...

Favorite kid's special is probably A Year Without Santa Claus...The Miser Bros Rock!!!

by **OldDawg** » Thu Dec 17, 2009 10:31 pm

waborat wrote:Favorite scene is definitely when they show the old Higbee's store displays in XMas Story...Damn, does that bring back some magical memories of my childhood...

You guys are killing me. My grandma used to work at the O'Neils store in downtown Akron. When I was a kid we used to go down there to look at all the window displays. And then we would walk through the store and it was decked out in holiday decorations as well. Eventually we would find our way to the cosmetics department to see grandma.

http://www.virtualakron.com/oneils/index.php?vr=1
http://www.virtualakron.com/oneils/index.php?vr=2

You guys are gonna make me cry!!!

by **justmebd** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 12:15 am

No discussion of X-mas movies can be complete without talking about which version of "A Christmas Carol" is your favorite.

Mine, hands down, is the George C. Scott version. The Alastair Sims version has not aged well, the Patrick Stewart Version was crap from day one and the new Zombie-eyed Zemeckis version is something I'm not wasting any time on.

Scott didn't portray Scrooge as just a cranky old guy, he portrayed him as a ruthless prick who ENJOYED being a ruthless prick. Plus, Frank Findlay's Jacob Marley still scares the shit out of me. Great performances all around.

by **davemanddd** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 12:52 am

FUDU wrote:
HermanFontenot wrote:
Motherscratcher wrote:Agreed. Same with Lethal Weapon. The use of Christmas In Hollis/Jingle Bell Rock does not make these Christmas movies. Sure, they are set around Christmas time, but the movies themselves have nothing to do with Christmas.

How can you say that when the entire movie takes place in and around a hijacked office Christmas party?

Love the movie, but it has zip to do with Christmas, take Christmas out of Die Hard and the movie goes 100% unchanged. Hell the movie was even released in July.

wrong. the only reason bruce willis even came out to california was to see his estranged wife holly (bonnie bedelia) for christmas. if it takes place at any other time, he's still in new york and you don't have a story. besides that, the only reason why the bad guys even try to rob the nakatomi plaza in the first place is because they knew that security would be lax because everybody else would be at the office christmas party and that the police would be short-staffed as a result too. they took their cue from the tet offensive that was also launched on christmas which took the americans completely by surprise and turned the vietnam war in favor of the communists, so yes christmas certainly is an important part in the movie. 'nuff said.

by **motherscratcher** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 1:38 am

davemanddd wrote:
FUDU wrote:
HermanFontenot wrote:
Motherscratcher wrote:Agreed. Same with Lethal Weapon. The use of Christmas In Hollis/Jingle Bell Rock does not make these Christmas movies. Sure, they are set around Christmas time, but the movies themselves have nothing to do with Christmas.

How can you say that when the entire movie takes place in and around a hijacked office Christmas party?

Love the movie, but it has zip to do with Christmas, take Christmas out of Die Hard and the movie goes 100% unchanged. Hell the movie was even released in July.

wrong. the only reason bruce willis even came out to california was to see his estranged wife holly (bonnie bedelia) for christmas. if it takes place at any other time, he's still in new york and you don't have a story. besides that, the only reason why the bad guys even try to rob the nakatomi plaza in the first place is because they knew that security would be lax because everybody else would be at the office christmas party and that the police would be short-staffed as a result too. they took their cue from the tet offensive that was also launched on christmas which took the americans completely by surprise and turned the vietnam war in favor of the communists, so yes christmas certainly is an important part in the movie. 'nuff said.

Really? Is it a different movie if he is visiting for his kid's birthday? or Easter? or Kwanzaa? or Earth Day?

Every reason you mention (visiting for Christmas, lax security, office Christmas party) is interchangeable with may other reasons that could have accomplished the same thing. They really aren't that important to the story at all.

by **hermanfontenot** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 4:50 pm

Motherscratcher wrote:Really? Is it a different movie if he is visiting for his kid's birthday? or Easter? or Kwanzaa? or Earth Day?

Of course it is. Natakomi Corp. wouldn't have had a party for John and Holly McClane's kid, or Easter, or Kwanzaa (which I'm not sure was even invented in 1988) or Earth Day. The Christmas party was the entire rationale for him being out there (although the real reason was to woo Holly back into the fold.)

Argyle playing "Christmas in Hollis" in his limo... "Now I have a shotgun, Ho Ho Ho"... Officer Powell humming "Let it Snow"... Hans reminding Theo that "Christmas is the time of miracles" when the latter expresses doubt about breaking the last lock... it all adds up.

As for Die Hard's July release, well... Miracle on 34th Street was released in May, and would anyone argue that isn't a Christmas movie?

BTW, the best version of "A Christmas Story" is the George C. Scott version IMO. And since Mitch hasn't mentioned it yet, I'll go ahead and give a shout out to The Ref as an excellent holiday movie.

by **Hi Oktane** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 5:01 pm

A Christmas Story, without a doubt. (However, I have to watch it alone. Otherwise, I drive others insane as I cannot help but recite EVERY DAMN LINE.)

Love Christmas Vacation also.

FTR - Die Hard : Christmas :: Plains, Trains, & Automobiles : Thanksgiving

by **British_Pharaoh** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 6:14 pm

Cream Pie Orgy 7

by **davemanddd** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 9:50 pm

British_Pharaoh wrote:Cream Pie Orgy 7

what???

by **Cerebral_DownTime** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 9:53 pm

British_Pharaoh wrote:Cream Pie Orgy 7

I don't know, man. I think the writting went down hill after Cream Pie Orgy 5.

by **FUDU** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 11:11 pm

wrong. the only reason bruce willis even came out to california was to see his estranged wife holly (bonnie bedelia) for christmas. if it takes place at any other time, he's still in new york and you don't have a story. besides that, the only reason why the bad guys even try to rob the nakatomi plaza in the first place is because they knew that security would be lax because everybody else would be at the office christmas party and that the police would be short-staffed as a result too. they took their cue from the tet offensive that was also launched on christmas which took the americans completely by surprise and turned the vietnam war in favor of the communists, so yes christmas certainly is an important part in the movie. 'nuff said.

That is absurd. If the story was written for McClain to be in LA for a completely different party the movie would have worked EXACTLY the same. Any reason for a company work party would have produced lax security. New Year's Eve, St. Patrick's Day...a big merger/takeover. IF, a BIG IF, the setting of the movie was in a city in a region where there would have been snow in the story then I could at least respect your angle but other wise pfft. Let's put it this way, when I saw somebody above say Die Hard it took me a few minutes to remember what holiday was actually involved in the movie...tells you just how vital Xmas was to the story line and overall effect of the film.

by **peeker643** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 11:21 pm

FUDU wrote:
wrong. the only reason bruce willis even came out to california was to see his estranged wife holly (bonnie bedelia) for christmas. if it takes place at any other time, he's still in new york and you don't have a story. besides that, the only reason why the bad guys even try to rob the nakatomi plaza in the first place is because they knew that security would be lax because everybody else would be at the office christmas party and that the police would be short-staffed as a result too. they took their cue from the tet offensive that was also launched on christmas which took the americans completely by surprise and turned the vietnam war in favor of the communists, so yes christmas certainly is an important part in the movie. 'nuff said.
That is absurd. If the story was written for McClain to be in LA for a completely different party the movie would have worked EXACTLY the same. Any reason for a company work party would have produced lax security. New Year's Eve, St. Patrick's Day...a big merger/takeover. IF, a BIG IF, the setting of the movie was in a city in a region where there would have been snow in the story then I could at least respect your angle but other wise pfft. Let's put it this way, when I saw somebody above say Die Hard it took me a few minutes to remember what holiday was actually involved in the movie...tells you just how vital Xmas was to the story line and overall effect of the film.

This is the best board argument going since Rich nipped the Chris Henry thread in the bud.

Really, that's an indictment of all of us and I'm praying for a tasering of a newborn or for Pacman Jones to be hospitalized for injuries sustained in a strip club robbery that he was going to use to turn his life around to save the day.

We're arguing the lack of any snow in the film as well as referencing the Tet Offensive to categorize Die Hard as a Christmas movie or not.

Despite my deep reservations, I should probably leave the two youngest at home and go drink myself into some holiday alcohol poisoning. My death might be attributed to the holidays too since it's entirely possible there will be a wreath or a Christmas card or someone who bought or received a gift also drinking there.

by **FUDU** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 11:24 pm

Who would have thought that we'd NEED a Browns game in December to keep us focused and inline huh.

by **Cerebral_DownTime** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 11:25 pm

Peeker643 wrote:
FUDU wrote:
wrong. the only reason bruce willis even came out to california was to see his estranged wife holly (bonnie bedelia) for christmas. if it takes place at any other time, he's still in new york and you don't have a story. besides that, the only reason why the bad guys even try to rob the nakatomi plaza in the first place is because they knew that security would be lax because everybody else would be at the office christmas party and that the police would be short-staffed as a result too. they took their cue from the tet offensive that was also launched on christmas which took the americans completely by surprise and turned the vietnam war in favor of the communists, so yes christmas certainly is an important part in the movie. 'nuff said.
That is absurd. If the story was written for McClain to be in LA for a completely different party the movie would have worked EXACTLY the same. Any reason for a company work party would have produced lax security. New Year's Eve, St. Patrick's Day...a big merger/takeover. IF, a BIG IF, the setting of the movie was in a city in a region where there would have been snow in the story then I could at least respect your angle but other wise pfft. Let's put it this way, when I saw somebody above say Die Hard it took me a few minutes to remember what holiday was actually involved in the movie...tells you just how vital Xmas was to the story line and overall effect of the film.

This is the best board argument going since Rich nipped the Chris Henry thread in the bud.

Really, that's an indictment of all of us and I'm praying for a tasering of a newborn or for Pacman Jones to be hospitalized for injuries sustained in a strip club robbery that he was going to use to turn his life around to save the day.

We're arguing the lack of any snow in the film as well as referencing the Tet Offensive to categorize Die Hard as a Christmas movie or not.

Despite my deep reservations, I should probably leave the two youngest at home and go drink myself into some holiday alcohol poisoning. My death might be attributed to the holidays too since it's entirely possible there will be a wreath or a Christmas card or someone who bought or received a gift also drinking there.

This is one of the funniest fucking things i've ever read. That last paragraph is solid gold. Holy shit. :lmfao:

by **hermanfontenot** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 1:24 am

Peeker643 wrote:We're arguing the lack of any snow in the film as well as referencing the Tet Offensive to categorize Die Hard as a Christmas movie or not.

There was snow in Die Hard. It was in Ellis's office.

Hans... boobie... Die Hard was a Christmas flick. I stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the estimable "dave..." on this one.

by **Ziner** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 2:55 am

This thread is crying for a poll. My vote? Christmas movie

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