Christmas Movies

I stumbled upon It's a Wonderful Life http://www.filmsite.org/itsa.html when I was freshman at college.  I tried to watch it every year I could, until the year it was on non-stop for at least 24 hours.  I did watch it, but I kind of got tired of it...

I love Dicken's A Christmas Carol. I am not sure which version I like, but I will watch it hopefully at least once during the Christmas season.  I frequently also read the book, often in one night, Christmas Eve, or thereabouts. http://www.stormfax.com/dickens.htm

I was a late comer to the movie A Christmas Story. It is wonderful, hilarious, has so many great moments and is just fun.. Did you know that the house where the movie was filmed in Cleveland has been restored and is open as a museum? http://www.achristmasstoryhouse.com/.

There is White Christmas http://www.imdb.com/media/rm1931648512/tt0047673 from Irving Berlin, and which this year, is having it's own 24 hour marathon.  But wait, the song I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas was actually introduced in another Irving Berlin movie, also starring Bing Crosby, called Holiday Inn http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0034862/.

Not a movie about Christmas, but set in the season is a favorite movie of mine: Desk Set. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0050307/ One of the main characters, Bunny Watson is played by Katharine Hepburn, and is a reference librarian. I have always identified with her character since the first time I saw the movie.  And, my director long ago identified me with that character, also...

Last year, at Christmas time, the Hallmark TV channel http://hallmarkchannel.com/ had several movies about life, family, love, and careers that were set during the holiday season.. They were schmaltzy but good. just the same.

I am sure that there are other Christmas classics out there.  Would you care to share your favorites with me?

Getting Weepy

My movie viewing intelligence quotient is pretty low... I like feel good with lots of schmaltz movies, such as are aired on the Hallmark Channel:  http://www.hallmarkchannel.com/.  I do not apologize for this. I do not explain.  I just tell you that the stories have a "feel good" story line that I like, and sometimes, weep over.

I think my life needs some "feel good."  My work exposes me to some of the worst of the worst criminals in Texas.  Granted, they are mentally ill, but so many of their crimes are so heinous, that it really assaults your psyche.  Whether or not you want to admit it...

So, feel good and schmaltz is not so bad...

Having said that, I like police investigative shows, attorney shows, and lay mysteries (Miss Marple, Jessica Fletcher) . They are fun and diversionary...

But, I can spend an afternoon or evening watch the feel good movies on the Hallmark Channel....Oh well.