I have done ‘Christmas Desert Island Discs’ before so here comes my new way to keep me happy on my shipwrecked island waiting for rescue. Throw out the Discs and slap on the DVDs. Everyone has their favourite list of Christmas Movies that they watch every year and here are mind.
If there is electric on this island for a CD player or Record player then you can have a CD player and a 50” flat screen TV. Being Christmas I decided to keep on script and choose Christmas films and all things Christmassy. Therefore, that means eight DVDs, a book and a luxury item, which will come to me very easy. The book would be ‘A Christmas Carol’ and I don’t care how hot it would be a full Christmas Dinner with ice cream afters as my luxury item but a real sex doll tempted me for company, Mother Christmas of course , to talk to I mean.
After building a little home re Swiss Family Robinson, you must have seen the film where they build a mansion among the palm trees I would settle down with one of my chosen eight DVDs.
First would have to be National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989) nothing better than a dysfunctional family over the holiday period. Clarke Griswold has his entire family at his house for a good old-fashioned family Christmas (some invited, others not). There are endless slapstick scenes and nothing that Clarke does goes right. There is a cat that is burned alive, a squirrel that terrorizes the family and an over done turkey, to name a few of the things that go wrong. Still, Clarke tries to fight through it and make a good Christmas for his family then he doesn’t get his Christmas bonus the final straw.
The British hit Love Actually (2003) would be the next DVD up. I know a number of critics called it an overdrawn rom-com gone very wrong but I actually like it. All those little stories helped make the film in my eyes all wrapping up nice in the end. It fills a niche in the Christmas market, and like every other film if you feel entertained what more can you ask for.
A Christmas Carol (2009) is an animated film. It is a spectacular feast with awesome special effects. The cast is excellent. It includes voices of great actors such as Jim Carrey as Scrooge, Gary Oldman as Cratchit and Marley, Colin Firth and Robin Wright Penn just to name a few. In conclusion, A Christmas Carol is a good option for the holidays. One for all the family and not to be missed if you get the chance.
Can you have any Christmas without It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) are you joking. James Stewart confirmed his status as one of the greats with his performance as George Bailey and this movie is, without a doubt, one of the best. It's movie that makes you think, about life in general and how each person makes a difference, and about how great life can be (hence the title "It's a Wonderful Life). Whilst making you think, it also entertains with many lighthearted moments, particularly towards the end of the film.
Scrooged (1988) is a cinematic gem, one of the most outstanding films in the Christmas gene with Bill Murray at his comedic best. He plays a bitter network exec who has lost sight of the important things in his life, like family and friends. You know the Dickens story of Scrooge, but this film version breathes life into the story and gives it extra meaning for modern audiences.
From the hilarious opening involving Santa Claus and Lee Mayors, (I say no more). He schedules a live broadcast of a Christmas Carol on Christmas Eve, spoiling Christmas for hundreds of employees and actors, only Frank Cross, would have to bottle to do something like that. Fun throughout the film until the wonderful ending the movie delivers nonstop fun and pure entertainment with a nice love story, brilliant dialog and a great and important message in it.
Surviving Christmas (2004) was another Christmas film panned by the critics with star Ben Affleck winning worst actor at Razzie Awards. I look to be entertained in film I watch and this film did. Affleck plays Drew Latham wealthy Chicago ad executive looking forward to a bleak Christmas alone until he makes a trip to his childhood home. He decides to rent the family now living there - husband and wife Tom, Christine, and their teenaged son Brian. Tom initially wants nothing to do with Drew until an exorbitant sum of money is involved, all written in a contract, which expires at the end of Christmas day.
Things don’t go to plan when Tom and Christine’s daughter turns up and he buys in a grandad and his girlfriend Missy and her parents turn up. It’s a good film and if you get the chance watch it.
A made for TV film on my list would be The Christmas Card (2006) it pops up regular on the Christmas film channels. US Army Sergeant Cody Cullen while on tour in Afghanistan receives a Christmas card from back home for a lonely soldier this card is from Faith Spelman. When his friend Jonesy is killed in an attack, he is sent off on leave and visits Jonesy’s wife. On his way home, he passes Nevada City, California, where the aforementioned Faith lives and they met at the diner but he doesn’t tell her about the card.
He happens to save her dad Luke from a serious car run-over. The Spellmans invite Cody home for dinner, then the Christmas holidays. He proves a great help in the family logging firm. Faith still seems committed to rarely present fiancé Paul, a wine broker but for how long.
There are a number films bearing the name Miracle on 34th Street but my favourite is the Richard Attenborough (1994) version I think that this movie is a perfect excuse to watch a Christmas film. The movie teaches us about religion and believing, and I see nothing wrong with that. Mara Wilson is fantastic as the young Susan Walker. I feel that even though she is the smallest of the cast members, she leads them perfectly. If Christmas films do nothing for you, then show it to your kids, because I am positive that they will love and cherish it. I think the movie was in much need of a re-vamping so that younger people would be able to adapt the movie more and to understand it a little bit better. I felt Richard Attenborough was a great Santa who was believable. I would recommend this movie to all.
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