My family doesn’t want to spend all of Christmas break playing Scrabble like I would love to do. Instead, we watch movies.
Watching movies brings my family together two hours at a time. It keeps my dad from watching football games like crazy. It keeps my mom from reading her romance novels all day. It keeps my sister from sleeping the day away. And, it mostly keeps me from never-ending boredom.
Of course it wouldn’t make sense not to watch Christmas movies during the Christmas season. ABC Family does a decent job providing these with its “25 Days of Christmas.”
A lot of people enjoy some great live-action ones, like the “Preacher’s Wife” and “Prancer,” two of my personal favorites.However, animated Christmas specials are just as good, like the many made by Rankin/Bass.
One recognizable Rankin/Bass special appears annually on CBS. Remember watching “Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer” in your family room as a kid? I don’t understand why other Christmas specials aren’t more consistent with placing Rudolph at the front of Santa’s sleigh. Rudi is well-known!
“The Year Without a Santa Claus” is my favorite special by Rankin/Bass. I will never forget the Heat Miser and Snow Miser arguing with each other like school children. And, who can forget their own intros, each with a song. I also like how Mother Nature forces her sons to compromise to bring snow to South Town, USA.
Another personal favorite Christmas special of mine appears on NBC usually the week of Christmas.
Does anyone remember “It’s a Wonderful Life,” The 1939 black-and-white film? Does anyone still appreciate classics?
George Bailey (portrayed by Jimmy Stewart) basically is unhappy with his life and the events that take place in Bedford Falls, N.Y., As George is wishing he was never born, his guardian angel Clarence appears and prevents him from leaping off a bridge and committing suicide.
Clarence shows George what the town is like without his presence there. George finally realizes how much he matters to people’s lives and that his situation is not as bad as it seems.
You just have to see the movie for yourself, especially the ending. It will help you appreciate the value of your life and the people around you.
Finally, another live-action Christmas movie a lot of people love is “A Christmas Story.” So many people love it so much that TBS feels a need to provide a full-day marathon.
I don’t really understand why. I’ve never been a fan of it. I hate seeing the things little old Ralphie goes through in this comedy. OK, so my family, at times, gets worn out of watching nothing but Christmas movies during this season.
So, we take the opportunity of watching some classics.
What about some sci-fi? Everyone in my house has at least a small fascination with the “Star Wars” and “Star Trek” (Capt. Kirk cast only) films.
You could also go old-fashioned. My dad might check out the western “High Noon” if it is on. I’ve only seen the ending. From what I saw, the old film is pretty good.
Maybe a cult classic suits your style more? Aside from the first two seasons of the crime drama “Criminal Minds,” I recognize actor Mandy Patinkin in “A Princess Bride.” His memorable line “I am Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die,” is as much as I know about the movie. On a side note, Patinkin and Paget Brewster need to return to “Criminal Minds.” The show is not as good as it was between 2005 and 2006.
Other classics I enjoy are “The Wizard of Oz,” “Beauty and the Beast” and “The Drunken Master.”
Why not enjoy the awesome superhero films of this year? I’m a little exhausted by “Marvel’s The Avengers” only after viewing it twice because so many nerdy people push it on Facebook. But I can enjoy it in the calmness of my home.
Also, watch “The Dark Knight Rises.” If you do, please remember the victims of the Aurora, Co. shooting.
I’ve given you a short list of films to choose from. If you get bored over break, make some popcorn and watch.
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