|
|
Post by dvdjunkie on Nov 27, 2011 16:46:13 GMT -6
It's that time of the year as we have just recently complete the "100 Horror Movies in 31 Days Challenge" and now it is my favorite time of the year when the "100 Holiday Movies in 31 Days Challenge" is upon us. Here is where we have some leeway as they don't count Dec. 24 and 25 and December 31 in the days of the challenge. That still gives us a bonus of about four extra days to play with. So here goes:
Saturday, November 26, 2011:
1. Miracle on 34th Street (1947) - Maureen O'Hara, John Payne and Natalie Wood star in this classic for the ages.
2. Christmas in Connecticut (1945) - Barbara Stanwyck is amazing in this film. One of my favorites for this time of the year.
3. Santa Clause, The Movie (1985) - Starring Dudley Moore, and this one is a real charmer.
|
|
|
|
Post by Midge on Nov 27, 2011 17:51:52 GMT -6
Good choices! I don't think there are 100 holiday movies that I'd care enough to watch, but It's a Wonderful LIfe, A Christmas Carol, A Christmas Story and Meet Me in St. Louis would also be on my list.
|
|
|
|
Post by dvdjunkie on Nov 28, 2011 11:14:33 GMT -6
Oh Midge!!! There are so many great Holiday films that I love this time of the year, and I hope I bring back some memories for you to want to see some of these Holiday films!!! I am shooting for 120 films this year, and that is not counting the Holiday shorts that I will be watching in-between the movies.
Sunday, November 27, 2011:
4. Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987) - Classic Thanksgiving themed movie starring Steve Martin and John Candy. Can be watched anytime of the year.
5. A Christmas Carol (1951) - Alastair Sim is Scrooge in this classic film, that we will probably watch once a week from now until Christmas (but will only count once).
6. Jingle All The Way (1996) - Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jake Lloyd, and Tom Arnold star in this holiday comedy about a father's quest to get a certain toy for his son for Christmas. Laughs all the way around, and will become a classic.
7. Meet Me In St. Louis (1944) - Vincente Minnelli directed this classic musical that stands up after all these years as one of the best Holiday films that can be watched any time of the year. Starring Judy Garland, Margaret O'Brien, Mary Astor, Leon Ames and Marjorie Main, with some of the most memorable music ever, including "The Trolley Song". Don't miss watching this one!!
|
|
|
|
Post by dvdjunkie on Nov 29, 2011 9:29:40 GMT -6
Those of you who watch TCM on a regular basis will need to pay attention to their Holiday movie schedule. A lot of the movies that I own are because of watching them on TCM.
8. The Santa Clause (1994) - Tim Allen and Judge Reinhold star in what has become a Christmas classic from Walt Disney. Allen is the divorced father who gets his son for Christmas holidays and also gets the assignment of being Santa Clause at the same time. Hilarious from opening credits to the end, and this film spawned two sequels, neither of which are as strong as this film.
9. Fred Claus (2007) - Vince Vaughn and Paul Giamatti bump heads in this hilarious "what if" film that is sure to become a Holiday classic. A very funny film and it should be on everyone's 'must-see' list.
10. Scrooged (1988) - This is Bill Murray at his funniest and best in the modern day version of 'A Christmas Carol'.
|
|
|
|
Post by dvdjunkie on Nov 30, 2011 8:59:13 GMT -6
Tuesday, November 29, 2011:
11. Christmas With The Kranks (2004) - Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis in a story about a family who decide not to decorate their home for Christmas because all the kids are gone. The neighbors think they are getting a divorce and all decide to pitch in to help decorate for the Holidays. Some pretty funny situations, and some dumb, crude, off-the-wall jokes.
12. Deck the Halls (2006) - Matthew Broderick and Danny DeVito are what make this silly comedy worth watching. Not a whole lot of unpredictability, but a lot of fun because of them. Watch it, you won't be sorry.
13. Four Christmases (2008) - Vince Vaughn and Drew Barrymore are a couple who have a dilemma. Both side of the family have divorced parents, and all four families want them to commit to coming home for Christmas. How they do it makes for some very funny, if not whacky entertainment. This is a movie that will make you laugh and cry, sometimes at the same time. Watch this one every year, and I hope it will become a classic.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011:
14. The Nativity Story (2006) - Beautiful telling of the story of Joseph and Mary. If you haven't seen this one, you should.
15. Prancer (1989) - A little girl thinks she has found Santa's lost reindeer. Very touching, and very heartwarming holiday fare.
|
|
|
|
Post by tclion on Dec 1, 2011 19:03:10 GMT -6
16. White Christmas.The story of and old Sargent is trouble of losing his inn. All his old army unit visit the inn during Christmas to help keep the place open starring Bing Crosby and Danny Kane
17. The Toy That saved Christmas a vegetail story about a toy built to destroy other toys and he ends up saving Christmas.
18. Wacko's Christmas Wish. An Annimanics Christmas show about getting to the wishing star to first to get a wish.
|
|
|
|
Post by Midge on Dec 1, 2011 23:21:49 GMT -6
White Christmas is such a cornball movie, the chemistry between the two leading men and their ladies is zero, and the plot is completely absurd -- but I absolutely love it and watch it faithfully every year when it comes on TV. One of the highlights for me is the song "Love, You Didn't Do Right By Me" in which you can see a very young George Chakiris (seven years before West Side Story) as a male chorister striking poses behind Miss Clooney.
|
|
|
|
Post by dvdjunkie on Dec 2, 2011 8:34:39 GMT -6
tclion, not to be rude, but my numbers are what I am watching in the 100 Holiday movie challenge, and you don't have to follow consecutively, as you did. Also I am not counting any television movies or shorts in this viewing Challenge.
Also, just to keep things on an even keel here, it's "Danny Kaye", not Danny Kane as you wrote.
Merry Christmas and good luck with your viewing, I didn't watch any movies on Thursday, but will be watching some tonight, and now that NASCAR is over, I have all day Saturday and Sunday to watch some of my favorite Holiday movies and get closer to the 100 Holiday Movie Challenge.
|
|
|
|
Post by dvdjunkie on Dec 3, 2011 11:06:35 GMT -6
Continuing in my quest to watch 100 Holiday Movies I spent most of Friday watching:
16. The Shop Around the Corner (1940) Amusing little holiday film that has been remade several times.
17. Susan Slept Here (1954) - Dated, but still funny comedy about a script-writer (Dick Powell) struggling for a story stumbles on a juvenile delinquent (Debbie Reynolds, as cute as ever) on his front step on Christmas Eve. Look for a hilarious cameo from Red Skelton, and you will never forget the snazzy sportscar that Powell drives or the famous line - "I like dill pickles and peanut butter!!" You'll laugh everytime you think about that.
18. The Bells of St. Mary's (1945) - This beautiful seauel to "Going My Way" features Bing Crosby as Father O'Malley, who challenges Sister Mary Benedict (Ingrid Bergman) to rally around fixing up the old delapidated school they are in charge of. I know I watched this one out of order, but it just seemed to be the time to watch this one. Great holiday film with Crosby in fine voice.
19. Pocketful of Miracles (1961) - One of my favorite modern-day Frank Capra movies starring Glenn Ford, Hope Lange, Bette Davis, Peter Falk, Edward Everett Horton, Thomas Mitchell and introducing us to the beautiful Ann-Margret. The story is about Apple Annie (Davis) who is a rollicking old gutter snipe that sells apples for a living, and Dave the Dude (Ford) who is a bootlegger at heart but has big plans for his own nightclub with the help of his long-time girlfriend Queenie Martin (Lange), and believes that Apple Annie's apples bring him good luck. All of the plans are brought to a sudden halt when Annie tells Dave about a situation she is in - her daughter (Ann-Margret) is coming to New York and bringing along her boyfriend and his father. She has been raised in a Spanish convent and this is her first trip to the US and she thinks her mother is the 'queen' of society and it is up to Dave and his gang to bring this dream to fruition. Great holiday film that I watch at least two or three times each year, but especially during the Christmas season. If you haven't seen this film, you owe it to yourself to find it and watch it. You won't be disappointed.
20. The Matador (2005) - Pierce Brosnan, Greg Kinnear and Hope Davis star in this very off-beat comedy about a lonely hitman (Brosnan) who meets a 'buy-the-book' salesman in Mexico, and they stike up a friendship, the result neither of them sees coming. The second half of the movie takes place on Christmas Eve and the days that follow as Brosnan becomes an unwanted guest in Kinnear's and Davis' home for the holidays. All turns out well, and ......... I'll save the punch line and twist for you to discover in the uniquely funny film for the holidays.
|
|
|
|
Post by Midge on Dec 3, 2011 16:54:09 GMT -6
The Shop Around the Corner is one of my favorite holiday movies, too. An interesting side note to the love story is that in real life, James Stewart had been carrying a huge torch for Margaret Sullavan since they were both struggling actors in the 30's. She briefly married Stewart's best friend Henry Fonda but wouldn't give Stewart a tumble. He never got over her and remained a bachelor until he was in his 40's. It gives the tender final scene a special poignance for me, knowing that Stewart truly did love her.
I haven't seen the remake of Pocketful of Miracles, but I enjoyed Capra's original version, Lady For a Day (1934), with May Robson as Apple Annie, Warren William, Glenda Farrell, Guy KIbbee and Jean Parker. The screenplay was adapted from a Damon Runyon short story, "Madame La Gimp."
|
|
|
|
Post by dvdjunkie on Dec 4, 2011 11:21:06 GMT -6
Midge, I was very reluctant to see "Pocketful of Miracles" because it was a remake, but then I saw the cast and said to myself that 'this has to be good' and surprisingly enough it was better than good, it was great!!!! Try to keep an eye on TCM, it will be shown at least twice this month.
21. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe (2005) - Walt Disney Studios and Walden Media combine efforts to bring these wonderful stories to the screen, and this first film standsout from the rest because of it faithful adaptation to the screen from the book. A must see anytime of the year, but especially at Christmas.
22. Scrooge (1970) - The musical adaptation of the 'Christmas Carol' story starring Albert Finney as Ebenzer Scrooge. Really a very good movie to watch during the Christmas season.
23. O'Henry's Full House (1952) - A collection of five vignettes directed by five different directors including Henry Hathaway and Howard Hawks, and featuring almost every contract player at 20th Century Fox studios. The cast reads like a who's who in Hollywood - Fred Allen, Oscar Levant, Anne Baxter, Jeanne Crain, Farley Granger, Dale Robertson, Charles Laughton, Marilyn Monroe, Jean Peters, Richard Widmark, David Brian and many, many more. Of the five stories three have a holiday theme and that's why I watch this during the Christmas holidays. The three stories are The Cop & The Anthem, The Last Leaf and the wonderful The Gift of the Magi. A very nice way to spend a couple of hours.
24. Arthur (1981) - Starring Dudley Moore as the chonically drunk Arthur, and also starring Liza Minnelli as Linda, the quirky little shoplifter that Moore falls in love with and can't have because then he would lose all of his fortune. John Gielgud is Hobson, Arthur's butler and confidant, and steals almost the whole movie. Very funny, and very touching, and perfect for the Holidays.
25. Arthur 2: On The Rocks (1988) - The sequel to the 1981 film and this follows the lives of Arthur and Linda after he has been stripped of all his wealth. The hilarious visions of him trying to hold a steady job are riotous and heart-warming at the same time. Again John Gielgud is along for the ride and lots of scene stealing. A really good Holiday film to watch on a cozy afternoon.
|
|
|
|
Post by dvdjunkie on Dec 5, 2011 10:05:22 GMT -6
My Sundays are pretty empty now that NASCAR has completed their 2011 campaign and crowned a new champion, so to keep my withdrawals from being to severe, I am going to make the next few Sundays my definitive movie watching days.
Sunday, December 4, 2011:
26. Babes in Toyland (1934) - Also known as March of the Wooden Soldiers, this tour-de-force for Laurel and Hardy is a wonderful holiday tradition in our home. Great family viewing for the holidays.
27. Holiday Affair (1949) - Wonderful story about a Christmas mystery shopper, and single mom, Janet Leigh, who almosts costs a retail sales clerk (Robert Mitchum) his job. Wendell Corey is along for the ride as the misunderstood boyfriend who wants to marry Leigh and has to compete with Mitchum for her hand. Great Holiday movie and its being shown on TCM three or four times this month.
28. A Christmas Carol (2009) - Walt Disney's motion-capture animation film starring Jim Carrey in the role of Ebenezer Scrooge is a wonderful re-telling of the story. The visuals alone make this film worth watching. If you missed it last year in the cinema, see it this year on DVD or Blu-ray. It is worth a watch.
29. Santa Claus Conquers The Martians (1964) - Silly sci-fi story about Martians who kidnap Santa Claus and take him back to Mars to bring the joy of the season to the children of Mars. Not as bad as it sounds, but worth at least one watch.
30. Walt Disney's Lady and the Tramp (1955) - Wonderful love story about a pure-bred Cocker Spaniel and a dog from the wrong side of the tracks. Some very entertaining moments involving two Siamese cats, and my favorite scene and song, "Bella-Note" as the two touch noses over a string of spaghetti. Just the perfect film for the Holidays.
|
|
|
|
Post by Midge on Dec 5, 2011 17:23:24 GMT -6
Babes in Toyland used to be shown on TV at the holidays when I was young, and I looked forward to it every year. The wedding scene is hilarious. I wish they'd show it again some time. It's not color and it's not HD so there isn't much chance of that. *sigh*
Lady and the Tramp is the first Disney movie I ever saw, and I will always have a soft spot for it because of that. "We are Si - a - mee- eese if you plee - eese! We are Si- a - meese if you don't please!"
Santa Claus Conquers the Martians got named one of the Fifty worst films of all time in a very funny book of the same title that was published in 1978. Now I can't watch it with a straight face because I read the book first. Here is the book's wry comment on John Call as Santa: "His jolly presence throughout the film suggests that he prepared for his role by consuming seven double martinis or ingesting a blast of laughing gas." The future star of the 1980's Pia Zadora appears as one of the Martian children and demonstrates why she couldn't act as a child and she still can't act now. This is a movie that's so bad, it's almost good.
I loved Holiday Affair but can't comment on Scrooge as I haven't seen it.
|
|
|
|
Post by dvdjunkie on Dec 8, 2011 17:55:55 GMT -6
Our cable company (Cox Communications) just added TCM to our HD Channels, and what a difference in watching it on standard display. My first movie to watch in HD was "How The West Was Won" and it was marvelous in color and clarity and the stereo sound jumped out of my speakers.
"Holiday Affair" has been one of my Top 10 Holiday movies for a long time and it was just released on DVD last year.
Here is my movie watching for yesterday.
Wednesday, December 7, 2011:
31. Gremlins (1984) - Blu-ray - Hoyt Axton is a father looking for that perfect Christmas gift in a Chinatown shop and is mezmerized by this little animal in a cage. He has to have it at all costs, and is warned "don't get it wet!" Well we know what happens and the office building where Zack Galligan and Phoebe Cates work turn into the living quarters of the 'Gremlins' in the title of the film. Great fun for the holidays.
32. Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990) - More fun with Gizmo and his friends, Zack Galligan and Phoebe Cates and a sinister Christopher Lee. Depending on which version you have (I have both) we get saved by Hulk Hogan or John Wayne, either way it is more fun than one should have in a movie for the holidays.
|
|
|
|
Post by Midge on Dec 8, 2011 18:54:19 GMT -6
Bill, I'm so glad you got TCM in HD! We've had it for a while. Al says he doesn't notice a big difference in older black-and-white movies, but the newer ones, especially wide-screen, do look better in HD.
|
|
|
|
Post by dvdjunkie on Dec 9, 2011 8:25:48 GMT -6
I agree with Al wholeheartedly. While the newer films and ones in color, especially, look amazing, the older films look okay. I am sure that cost-prevention is the only thing that keeps them from going through their library and enhancing these for Hi-Def. But they look good anyway!!!
Thursday, December 8, 2011:
33. It's A Wonderful Life (1946) - A regular in my Holiday watching festival, and it will be watched more than once, as it usually is, during the holiday season. James Stewart and Donna Reed headline a cast that makes you feel good all over. Love this movie.
34. Home For The Holidays (1995) - Directed by Jodie Foster and starring Holly Hunter, Robert Downey Jr., Anne Bancroft and Charles Durning, this is a wonderful, if overly sweet, story for the holiday season. I like this one, but there are a lot of people who don't care for it.
35. The Grinch (How The Grinch Stole Christmas) (2000) - Ron Howard directed this retelling of the Dr. Seuss story starring Jim Carrey, Jeffrey Tambor, and Taylor Momsen. Great viewing for the whole family, and I find myself liking this version more each time I watch it. Perfect film for the grandkids to watch for the Holidays.
|
|
liz
Regular Diner Patron
Posts: 53
|
Post by liz on Dec 9, 2011 18:00:46 GMT -6
Continuing in my quest to watch 100 Holiday Movies I spent most of Friday watching: 19. Pocketful of Miracles (1961) - One of my favorite modern-day Frank Capra movies starring Glenn Ford, Hope Lange, Bette Davis, Peter Falk, Edward Everett Horton, Thomas Mitchell and introducing us to the beautiful Ann-Margret. The story is about Apple Annie (Davis) who is a rollicking old gutter snipe that sells apples for a living, and Dave the Dude (Ford) who is a bootlegger at heart but has big plans for his own nightclub with the help of his long-time girlfriend Queenie Martin (Lange), and believes that Apple Annie's apples bring him good luck. All of the plans are brought to a sudden halt when Annie tells Dave about a situation she is in - her daughter (Ann-Margret) is coming to New York and bringing along her boyfriend and his father. She has been raised in a Spanish convent and this is her first trip to the US and she thinks her mother is the 'queen' of society and it is up to Dave and his gang to bring this dream to fruition. Great holiday film that I watch at least two or three times each year, but especially during the Christmas season. If you haven't seen this film, you owe it to yourself to find it and watch it. You won't be disappointed. . Bought this one years ago. Must admit,Lady for a Day,is my favorite story of this movie. Falk,Ford,Davis,Lange,Corbin,etc. performance is wonderful. Just like the first movie better. |
|
|
|
Post by dvdjunkie on Dec 10, 2011 11:32:26 GMT -6
Thank you Liz for your comments. If you have read anything about me, you will know how much a dislike 'remakes' and in fact we have a thread here about "Re-Make Mania taking over Hollywood".
While I love "Lady for a Day", I was surprised when I saw "Pocketful of Miracles" for the first time. Peter Falk was the chief scene-stealer of the film and Bette Davis was remarkable as Apple Annie. I love both movies, but will always watch "Lady for A Day" each year because it is the original and best.
-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
Friday, December 9, 2011:
36. Love Actually (2003) - Headed by an all-star cast featuring Hugh Grant, Liam Neesen, Emma Thompson, this film tells the story of eight couples trying to struggle through the days before the Christmas holiday in England. I get in arguments every year about this movie, and I will stand by my belief that this is truly a wonderful Holiday movie.
37. Elf (2003) - One of the very few movies of Will Ferrell that I can tolerate in the least bit, but I love the story and the supporting cast led by James Caan. Ferrell is kept close to the character in this one so he doesn't spoiil the absolute hilarity of this holiday film.
38. Bad Santa (2003) - Each year I question my reasons for having this in my collection, and after watching it, I realize that in spite of the gross toilet humor of the film, Billy Bob Thornton is truly a Bad Santa Claus. Not for everyone's taste, but it is a very funny movie.
39. Going My Way (1944) - Bing Crosby and Barry Fitzgerald star in this movie that has withstood generations of movie lovers to become a classic film for the Holidays. And I have already watched the sequel "Bells of St. Mary's" out of order, and I will remember not to do this again. Don't miss this Holiday film that will make you laugh and cry for the joys of Christmas.
40. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) - Tim Burton's animated tribute to days between Halloween and Christmas, filled with a wonderful story, and wonderful music. This is a must watch each and every year.
|
|
|
|
Post by Midge on Dec 10, 2011 18:22:28 GMT -6
Bill, I will gladly take your side of the argument on Love, Actually. I enjoyed it so much and would be happy to watch it again any time, especially because Colin Firth is in it. I would like to revisit his performance and compare it to his characterization of George VI in The King's Speech. At the time I first saw Love Actually, I had never heard of him.
|
|
|
|
Post by dvdjunkie on Dec 11, 2011 11:01:35 GMT -6
Alright we have reached the time in my Challenge where I usually get challenged by other Holiday movie lovers about what movies I call Holiday movies. The following movies fall into that category.
Saturday, December 10, 2011:
41. Die Hard (1988) - Bruce Willis stars as John McClain, a New York Police Detective, who comes to Los Angeles to visit his wife and kids for Christmas and he walks into a hostile takeover by terrorists who have the guests as hostages. This film all takes place on Christmas Eve, and thus I always watch this film during the Holidays, along with other times of the year. It is one of my favorite Bruce Willis films.
42. Die Hard 2: Die Harder (1990) - Christmas Eve again, but the location this time is Washington D.C. (with Denver, Colorado being used for the actual filming set) and John McClain is once again in a terrorist plot that is keeping planes from landing at the airport, and his wife happens to be on one of those planes. Lots of action, and another one of those movies I watch any time of the year, but especially during the Christmas season.
43. Home Alone (1990) Blu-ray - Macaulay Culkin (when he was young, cute and innocent) stars as Kevin, the youngest child in a family that is trying to make it to Florida for the Christmas holidays and gets left behind accidentally. His adventures in lliving alone and trying to thwart some neighborhood bandits (Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern) make for some hilarious hijinks. Another one of the films I watch at different times of the year, but especially at Christmas time.
44. Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992) Blu-ray - Once again we have Macaulay Culkin mistakenly getting on the wrong airplane and ending up in New York for the Christmas holidays. Lots of silliness ensues as Kevin runs into the "wet bandits" (Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern) who are planning on robbing a toy store. Lots of fun, and another film I can watch any time of the year, but always watch at Christmas.
45. The Muppets Christmas Carol (1992) - Michael Caine costars in this Muppet version of the Dickens classic story of Ebenezer Scrooge. A fun family film from the Jim Henson studios.
|
|
|
|
Post by dvdjunkie on Dec 12, 2011 7:41:18 GMT -6
Another Sunday without NASCAR, so here are the movies in my Challenge that I watched:
Sunday, December 11, 2011:
46. Babes in Toyland (1961) - Disney's remake of "March of the Wooden Soldiers". A very good film with a terrific cast!!! Good Holiday watching.
47. The Bishop's Wife (1947) - Loretta Young stars in this wonderful holiday film. We watch this every year.
48. [Dutch/b] (1991) - Ed O'Neill stars in this poignant tale of a divorced man reuniting with his son. Will make you laugh and cry.
49. Ernest Saves Christmas (1988) - Jim Varney brings his character to life in a story about saving Santa Claus. It's pretty silly, but worth a watch once a year.
50. The Polar Express (2004) - Tom Hanks' brilliant Christmas movie about a train that takes non-believers in Santa Claus to the North Pole to prove that Santa does exist. Excellent movie, and gets better with each watching.
|
|
|
|
Post by dvdjunkie on Dec 15, 2011 18:10:27 GMT -6
Ten days before the Christmas goings-on so I need to get my movie watching in gear:
Wednesday, December 14, 2011:
51. Diner (1982) - Holiday film that features breakout performances by some of Hollywood's young guns. Look for a younger Mickey Roarke, Kevin Bacon, Tim Daly, Ellen Barken, Steve Guttenberg, and Paul Reiser. Lots of fun and this film gets watched a lot more often than just for the holidays.
52. Mickey's Christmas Carol (1983) - Walt Disney animated take on the Christmas story about Ebenezer Scrooge featuring a plethora of Disney animated characters. Great family viewing.
53. The Santa Clause 2 (2002) - Tim Allen is back in this funny sequel that finds Santa being forced to find a wife or lose his time as Santa Claus. Funny film and great for the whole family.
|
|
|
|
Post by Midge on Dec 15, 2011 22:03:36 GMT -6
Diner is such a great movie. My favorite scenes are when a tearful Ellen Barkin is subjected to her husband's angry rant as she slowly comes to realize that his beloved record collection is more important to him than she is. As an oldies fan I can relate in a way. I used to have a roommate, a former deejay, who was almost that obsessive. I also liked the scene when one of the other guys makes his fiancee endure a really grueling football trivia quiz to prove her worthiness and makes passing it a condition of their marriage.
|
|
|
|
Post by dvdjunkie on Dec 16, 2011 8:25:05 GMT -6
Beverly says she can relate to that scene about the guy with the music collection jumping all over her because of the alphabetization thing. Beverly says that I am that way about my movies. I don't mind someone borrowing one but please don't put it back until I check it and make sure the disc is in the case and then I will put it back in its correct place in the alphabetical order that my DVD's and Blu-rays are in. I can watch "Diner" any time of the year. It is so well done, and the story just grabs you from the get go. When is the last time you had 'gravy fries'  |
|
|
|
Post by dvdjunkie on Dec 16, 2011 14:39:32 GMT -6
Since I have finished my Christmas shopping, I can stay at home at watch some movies. Had time for a couple more yesterday.
Thursday, December 15, 2011:
54. Alvin & The Chipmunks (2007) - The original premise of this film was to introduce the Chipmunks to a new generation of youngsters, but they ended up just playing "The Chipmunk Song" early in the movie during the holiday season. Good movie viewing for the whole family.
55. The Ref (1994) - A cat-burglar (Denis Leary) who gets abandoned by his partner during the heist, takes a dysfunctional coupoe (Kevin Spacey, Judy Davis) hostage in their own home and ends up having to be a referee for all the holiday squabbles. Hilariously entertaining and just the right thing for the holidays.
|
|
|
|
Post by Midge on Dec 16, 2011 19:14:54 GMT -6
Congratulations on finishing your Christmas shopping, Bill  I haven't seen either of your movies, but I'm old enough to remember when "The Chipmunk Song" first came out in 1958. |
|
|
|
Post by rmichaelpyle on Dec 17, 2011 12:46:40 GMT -6
I'm old enough to remember when "The Chipmunk Song" first came out in 1958. Oh, yeah, ditto! My sister got the 45rpm of that for a Christmas present, and for months and months after that we heard, "AL-L-LVI-I-I-N!!!" played over and over and over and over... My sister was a whole 8 years old, and I was 10, but I already had had enough of THAT! Still goes, too... |
|
|
|
Post by dvdjunkie on Dec 17, 2011 13:24:57 GMT -6
I am on my own today, the rest of the family is out finishing their Christmas shopping and I am staying home to watch a whole bunch of movies. Here's what I watched yesterday.
Friday, December 16, 2011:
56. Eight Crazy Nights (2002) - Adam Sandler's animated flop about the Christmas holidays. Don't waste your time watching this waste of time. I just had to get it out of the way.
57. Trading Places (1983) - Eddie Murphy, Dan Aykroyd, Jamie Lee Curtis, Don Ameche, Ralph Bellamy and the scene stealing Denholm Elliott star in this riotous comedy about a couple of brothers who think they can take any one off the street and make them a success. Hijinks galore in this very funny movie. Just sit back and watch and let it entertain you.
58. We're No Angels (1955) - Humphrey Bogart, Aldo Ray and Peter Ustinov star in this Holiday film about three convicts who have just escaped from prison who decide to hold up a store. Upon hearing the plight of the owners they decide to stick around and "fix" things up. A lot of fun and laughs from a who's who of Hollywood. A must see for those who only know about the remake from the 90's. This is the original and it is great!!!
|
|
|
|
Post by Midge on Dec 17, 2011 15:52:52 GMT -6
Beverly says she can relate to that scene about the guy with the music collection jumping all over her because of the alphabetization thing. Beverly says that I am that way about my movies. I don't mind someone borrowing one but please don't put it back until I check it and make sure the disc is in the case and then I will put it back in its correct place in the alphabetical order that my DVD's and Blu-rays are in. I can watch "Diner" any time of the year. It is so well done, and the story just grabs you from the get go. When is the last time you had 'gravy fries' I used to live "back East," as we say here on the Left Coast. I've eaten at diners lots of times but have never had "gravy fries." To tell you the truth, they don't sound that good. Al is pretty obsessive about keeping our record and movie collection organized, and he even wrote his own database program for it. If I want to know how many Jimmy Stewart movies we have, he fires up the computer and gives me the answer. If I loan out a book or movie, I have to "check it out" first as if we were the public library, and he notes in the database who borrowed it and the date. If it doesn't come back in a timely fashion, I get verbal "overdue notices." I don't have to take any quizzes, though.  |
|
|
|
Post by dvdjunkie on Dec 18, 2011 15:23:56 GMT -6
Well I said that I was all alone Saturday, so here's the movies that I managed to get through.
Saturday, December 17, 2011:
59. The Family Man (2000) - Nicolas Cage portrays a man who wakes up one morning to find that he is no longer single and living the good life, driving an expensive sports car, but married, with two kids and a mini-van that is hard to start. A lot of fun, and lots of funny moments. Good movie to watch any time of the year, but especially at Christmas.
60. Reindeer Games (2000) - Ben Affleck is an ex-con who assumes the identity of his best friend who was killed in prison and tries to hit it off with his friend girlfriend (Charlize Theron) and ends up involved in a Christmas robbery of a casino with a very mean-spirited man (Gary Sinese). This movie is really very disjointed and it probably won't be in my collection much longer. I forgot how terrible this film is.
61. Sleepless in Seattle (1993) - Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan in this charming love story that has all the makings of a remake of "An Affair to Remember". Good watching at this time of the year, and any time really.
62. Assault on Precinct 13 (2005) - Remake of the 70's cult classic from John Carpenter, about budget coming and closing small precincts in an outlying major city. Ethan Hawke, Laurence Fishburn, Maria Bello star in this grisly, foul-language filled, film that still is a film worth watching but really not at this time of the year. I had forgotten about the language and other things about this film. Good movie if this is your cup of tea.
63. Ice Harvest (2005) - John Cusack in a role he was made to play, stars as a cynical crook who thinks he has made the perfect crime. Along with his best friend (Billy Bob Thornton), they have scammed $2 million dollars from Cusack's old boss (Randy Quaid). They have to get out of town, but an ice storm is coming, it is winter at its worst, supposedly in Wichita, Kansas. Unfortunately, not one foot of this film was filmed here, in my home town, but all filmed in Chicago. Sorry, but enjoy this holiday film anyway.
64. I'll Be Home For Christmas (1998) - Jonathan Taylor Thomas stars in this Disney Christmas film that tells the story of a college student trying to get home for Christmas after a hazing by his college buddies. Nice little way to spend an hour and a half.
65. The Lemon Drop Kid (1951) - With a cast that includes Bob Hope, Marilyn Maxwell and Lloyd Nolan this is the story about a rube who persuades his crooked boss' girlfriend to bet on a losing horse and finding himself having to rake up $10,000 in a hurry. Movie is really remembered because it introduced the song "Silver Bells", sung by Hope and Maxwell. Good little holiday film to watch.
|
|
