*Edit: Some people have commented to me on the fact that the first movie on my Christmas movie list is actually a Thanksgiving movie. To which I say… my bad. I have this hang-up where I view movies like this as Christmas movies and then view them as such. Think about it, how many movies would you really classify as Thanksgiving themed? To me, it’s the meaning behind Planes, Trains, and Automobiles that makes it a great Christmas movie. Getting home for the holiday. Togetherness. Friendship. I took it for granted that people would understand where I was coming from. So if you were confused by my addition of this movie on a Christmas list, I apologize. *
Howdy there folks. I originally wanted to do a Christmas podcast for the full 12 days, but life had other plans. Instead I’ll have the final three or four movies mentioned in episode 71 and do the rest in a blog form! So yay! More writing on the website. I was sick on the 13th and 14th so I wasn’t able to get this out in time, so I thought I’d put day one and day two together in this first post.
Day 1
So what should my first movie be? I know! How about a classic from 1987 starring Steve Martin and the late great John Candy. That’s right, the first movie this holiday season is…
This movie is a favorite for a lot of people but it can also be thrown into the same category as It’s A Wonderful Life, if you’re familiar with the movie, then you’ll know what I’m talking about. This is quite a sad film and that’s exactly why I put as the first film of the season. This is such a great comedy but the ending hits you right in the feels so you’re not really left with that warm fuzzy feeling that other classics like Scrooged, Elf, or Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer leave you with. It’s exactly why this isn’t the best movie as Christmas approaches.
This is still a great movie though. A classic directed and written by John Hughes that really makes me realize the season has begun. It actually took me a long time to finally watch this film. Since it was rated R I didn’t get to watch it when it came out and by the time I was old enough, or that my parents no longer cared, I was on to other movies. It was my college years that put this back on my radar. Friends who couldn’t believe I’d never watched it. But now I have and here it sits in the perfect spot. The perfect movie to kick off the season. A great story with great actors and an ending that makes you chop onions.
Day 2
There are certain films that aren’t actually Christmas movies but they make it on a lot of people’s list. These are movies that take place during the season and feature a lot of decorations or mentions of the holiday, but still aren’t full on Christmas. The second movie on the Future Flicks with Billiam’s 12 Days of Christmas is exactly one of those films.
I remember being a kid and walking into the local video rental store (this was back before blockbuster) and I saw this on the shelf. The cover art made me think of movies like Ghoulies and Critters, movies that I (at my young naive age) thought were horrors. So I wanted to watch it and my dad got it for me and I popped in the tape expecting to be scared, but I wasn’t. In fact, I loved it. I loved every moment of the movie, I wanted my own Mogwai and I would be responsible too, I knew the rules after all.
Come on! Look at that face! Who wouldn’t want one? But I digress. Gremlins was a great movie and one that can be watched any time of year though I think it fits best during the holiday season. Just the right amount of action and suspense to get you pumped, enough comedy to get a few good chuckles out of you, and a triumphant ending that wraps the whole thing up in a nice little bow, that is until you watch Gremlins 2.
For those of you who may have never known, this movie was written by Chris Columbus who directed the first two Harry Potter movies and also produced movies like Night at the Museum, Rent, Percy Jackson, and he wrote the script for The Goonies. This was directed by Joe Dante who did movies like Innerspace, The Howling, and Small Soldiers.
Like Snarfkris has mentioned before, this movie is a lot more brutal than most of us remember, so while it may not be a good kids movie, it’s a great movie for us to watch in the beginning of the Christmas season.
I hope you liked the first two films in the 12 Flicks of Christmas, stay tuned for more!