Yes, it’s that Hallmark time of year – as in Hallmark and Lifetime Channel Christmas movies! There’s nothing like watching a good, classic holiday movie, snuggled up on the couch with a cozy blanket and a cup of hot cocoa to get you in the mood for the most wonderful time of the year.
What is your favorite Christmas movie? I can tell you what movie I am NOT a fan of. Every year, I tell myself, “I will not watch ‘Elf’, I will not watch ‘Elf’!” (one of silliest Christmas movies ever made). But then, one of the grandkids comes over and we watch it. And I find myself laughing and laughing at the ridiculousness of it all.
The movies I really love are the kids’ Christmas movies like the “The Polar Express.” I still remember my grandsons sitting in front of the TV, completely enthralled in the wonder of it all as they munched on popcorn and Christmas cookies. My other favorite kid’s movies: “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” “A Christmas Story” (“you’ll shoot your eye out!”) and “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.”
One of my all-time favorite Christmas comedies that I watch year after year is “Scrooged,” starring Bill Murray as Frank Cross, a cynical and selfish TV executive who is visited on Christmas Eve by a succession of ghosts intent on helping him regain his Christmas spirit. “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” is another favorite. I also always watch “The Holiday” starring Kate Winslet, Cameron Diaz, Jude Law and Jack Black – romantic comedy at its best. “The Family Stone” is another good one, starring Sara Jessica Parker as an uptight woman who meets her fiancé’s free-spirited family for the first time over the Christmas holidays. My favorite Hallmark classic is “The Christmas Pageant” starring Melissa Gilbert. I watch it every year.
What’s in store for us at the theatre this year? “Frozen 2” is coming out just in time for the holidays. Elsa, the Snow Queen, and her sister, Anna, embark on an adventure far away from the kingdom of Arendelle. They are joined by friends, Kristoff, Olaf and Sven. Critics say this Disney sequel is even better than the original!
“Feast of the Seven Fishes” is a holiday tale that follows the ups and downs of a large Italian family, the Oliverios, on Christmas Eve as they prepare for the traditional feast while reminiscing about the past and seeking love for the future. “Last Christmas,” starring Emilia Clarke and Henry Golding is also playing. In this story, nothing seems to go right for young Kate, a frustrated Londoner who works as an elf in a year-round Christmas shop. But things soon take a turn for the better when she meets Tom, a handsome charmer who seems too good to be true.
There is something for everyone this holiday season. Also showing: “Artic Dogs,” “Charlie’s Angels,” “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood,” “Jumanji: The Next Level” and “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.” Don’t forget the popcorn!
