Best of Christmas
OK, as you know, Nick is trying to take a break here and there from politics. It's theraputic, and funny to see how someone else is warped and twisted enough to make up some of the following reasonings.
Best Christmas movies, ever.
1. It's a Wonderful Life- George Bailey contemplates suicide, God sends angel to talk George out of it, George sees what could have been, and what is, and realizes life is a great gift of The Lord. And America, did not suck and was not a conquest crazy land, it rocked and was number one for good reason! Also a time, when God's name didn't include dammit, or a few other four letter words. Frank Capra, Jimmy Stewart, Donna Reed, you're all missed big time!
2. Christmas Vacation- complete difference of Jimmy Stewart's classic, but seeing Eddie empty a chemical toilet into a sewer, Snots the Dog, and Great Aunt Bethany saying the Pledge of Allegiance and notGrace, is all funny it's own sick and menacing way. If you watch, Elaine from Seinfeld is a neighbor who catches hell from the Griswolds antics.
3.Christmas Carol - My favorite is the version with George C Scott as Ebeneezer Scrooge, but Dickens immortal tale of loveloss, redemption, and Christmas is immortal. Scott made the role of a scowling and mean Scrooge believable, but also his leap to Tiny Tim's new grandfather figure in the end.
4. DIE HARD I & DIE HARD II- That's right, nothing says Merry Christmas better than Bruce Willis stacking dead terrorists ten high! Blowing up the bad guys, and saving Americans and other innocents, and yes his wife. Wife gets in trouble, hmmm sounds like Kim Bauer on 24 (minus the stupid cougar episode). John McClane, one bad MF, and a guy who will not take being screwed with on the day of the Lord's birth. Yippy Kayay.........
5. The Ref- Yes Denis Leary and Kevin Spacey have dueling rants, as Leary takes Spacey and his disfunctional wife and son hostage. Some of it is painful, other parts, gut busting humor. Leary is classic as the thief who ends up wanting to give up crime. Not because of its risks or lack of money potential, just his hostages were annoying as crap!
6.Lethal Weapon- Christmas is the setting, and yes Mel Gibson kills guys in a way that inspired Die Hard, A Long Kiss Goodnight, and later Jerry Bruckheimer's slough of films. However, Mel's detective Martin Riggs, is a suicidal adrenaline junkie of a cop. In the end, he has a friend in his partner, wants to save the partner's family, and in the end regains part of his soul, and even visits his wife's grave with some sense of peace.
7. Christmas Story- Ralphie Parker, a 10 year old kid, is in need of a BB Gun, he gets that and a whole lot more for Christmas. Classic slice of Americana, grumpy dad, doting mom, teachers from hell, and Ralphie getting his mouth washed out with soap. Deck The Hall With Bow of Rory, Fararararah, Rarararah......
8. White Christmas- Classic with Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye as a pair of crooners, former war buddies, who take a wild and comic tour, and end up saving Christmas and the business of their former commander. There's some romance, some human, but a whole lot of singing.
9. A Midnight Clear- A newer war movie. Gory and disturbing in some scenes, but an interesting story of WWII cease fire, and Americans and Germans seeking to lay down arms and enjoy the winter season. Sadly, it was not meant to be during The Battle of The Bulge. Stars Ethan Hawke, Gary Sinise, Peter Berg, and John C McGinley. Different type of war film, but a good one.
10. Polar Express- Tom Hanks lends his vocal talents in a story about a child who never had Santa or Christmas and is taken on a journey to the North Pole. He meets other kids and finally Santa.
TV SHOWS and Christmas:
1. Charlie Brown Christmas- Though recently lampooned and horribly butchered by Denis Leary's Merry F#&%in Christmas Special, this classic cartoon shows Charlie Brown trying and failing to get a tree, and finally Linus puts everyone straight on Christmas. It was overtly Christian, and still gets lots of airtime nowadays, lawsuits be damned.
2. Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer- Classic claymation about Rudolph, Hermie The Elf, Yukon Cornelius, The Bumble, and other characters. Rudolph saves the day. We see a skinny Santa, he'd been on South Beach, and then Santa does Atkins and fattens up.
3. A Freakin Family Guy Christmas- Peter Griffin, Brian, Lois, Stewie, and the whole Griffin clan make fun of Christmas celebrations and TV and the artificial traditions to the Nth. Lois goes off after everything goes wrong. Worth a watch, but not for the kids.
4. Saturday Night Live Christmas Special- Between Steve Martin's Christmas Wish, Belushi being a whino Department Store Santa, Mainway Christmas watch, Chris Farley as The Motivational Santa, and the lost ending to It's A Wonderful Life (Dana Carvey as George Bailey, and the Baileys bring a lynch mob and a can of whoop ass to Mr. Potter). Will Farrell as Andy Williams is classic, spinning, and singing, and well, losing it.....
5. Bugs Bunny Christmas Special- old school funny, with Bugs as the Christmas Ghosts, and as Cratchet's helper, and Yosemite Sam as Scrooge. Funny, worth a watch.
That's just a few. Name some others if I missed em......
Now Songs......
No summaries, just a list for this one.....
1. Christmas Song- Nat King Cole.
2. Oh Holy Night- NKC, or even Josh Groban.
3. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer- Gene Autry or Harry Connick Jr.
4. Winter Wonderland- Johnny Mathis version.
5. God Rest Yea Merry Gentlemen- Bing Crosby.
6. White Christmas- Bing Crosby.
7. It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year-Andy Williams.
8. The Grinch Song- Boris Karloff.
9. Holly Jolly Christmas- Burl Ives.
10. Little Drummer Boy-Bing Crosby and David Bowie
11. We Three Kings-Orchestra
12. Christmas in Sarajevo and Christmas Canon- Trans-Siberian Orchestra.
13. Hark The Herald Angels Sing- any classic or crooner version.
14. Believe- Josh Groban.
15. Let It Snow, Let It Snow- Vaughan Monroe.
16. I'll Be Home for Christmas- Doris Day.
17. Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer.
18. Blue Christmas and Peace In The Valley- Elvis Presley- The King!
19. Here Comes Santa Claus- tie between Gene Autry and Elvis Presley.
20. It's Christmastime- City on a Hill (has Third Day singer, Mac Powell)
Best Christmas movies, ever.
1. It's a Wonderful Life- George Bailey contemplates suicide, God sends angel to talk George out of it, George sees what could have been, and what is, and realizes life is a great gift of The Lord. And America, did not suck and was not a conquest crazy land, it rocked and was number one for good reason! Also a time, when God's name didn't include dammit, or a few other four letter words. Frank Capra, Jimmy Stewart, Donna Reed, you're all missed big time!
2. Christmas Vacation- complete difference of Jimmy Stewart's classic, but seeing Eddie empty a chemical toilet into a sewer, Snots the Dog, and Great Aunt Bethany saying the Pledge of Allegiance and notGrace, is all funny it's own sick and menacing way. If you watch, Elaine from Seinfeld is a neighbor who catches hell from the Griswolds antics.
3.Christmas Carol - My favorite is the version with George C Scott as Ebeneezer Scrooge, but Dickens immortal tale of loveloss, redemption, and Christmas is immortal. Scott made the role of a scowling and mean Scrooge believable, but also his leap to Tiny Tim's new grandfather figure in the end.
4. DIE HARD I & DIE HARD II- That's right, nothing says Merry Christmas better than Bruce Willis stacking dead terrorists ten high! Blowing up the bad guys, and saving Americans and other innocents, and yes his wife. Wife gets in trouble, hmmm sounds like Kim Bauer on 24 (minus the stupid cougar episode). John McClane, one bad MF, and a guy who will not take being screwed with on the day of the Lord's birth. Yippy Kayay.........
5. The Ref- Yes Denis Leary and Kevin Spacey have dueling rants, as Leary takes Spacey and his disfunctional wife and son hostage. Some of it is painful, other parts, gut busting humor. Leary is classic as the thief who ends up wanting to give up crime. Not because of its risks or lack of money potential, just his hostages were annoying as crap!
6.Lethal Weapon- Christmas is the setting, and yes Mel Gibson kills guys in a way that inspired Die Hard, A Long Kiss Goodnight, and later Jerry Bruckheimer's slough of films. However, Mel's detective Martin Riggs, is a suicidal adrenaline junkie of a cop. In the end, he has a friend in his partner, wants to save the partner's family, and in the end regains part of his soul, and even visits his wife's grave with some sense of peace.
7. Christmas Story- Ralphie Parker, a 10 year old kid, is in need of a BB Gun, he gets that and a whole lot more for Christmas. Classic slice of Americana, grumpy dad, doting mom, teachers from hell, and Ralphie getting his mouth washed out with soap. Deck The Hall With Bow of Rory, Fararararah, Rarararah......
8. White Christmas- Classic with Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye as a pair of crooners, former war buddies, who take a wild and comic tour, and end up saving Christmas and the business of their former commander. There's some romance, some human, but a whole lot of singing.
9. A Midnight Clear- A newer war movie. Gory and disturbing in some scenes, but an interesting story of WWII cease fire, and Americans and Germans seeking to lay down arms and enjoy the winter season. Sadly, it was not meant to be during The Battle of The Bulge. Stars Ethan Hawke, Gary Sinise, Peter Berg, and John C McGinley. Different type of war film, but a good one.
10. Polar Express- Tom Hanks lends his vocal talents in a story about a child who never had Santa or Christmas and is taken on a journey to the North Pole. He meets other kids and finally Santa.
TV SHOWS and Christmas:
1. Charlie Brown Christmas- Though recently lampooned and horribly butchered by Denis Leary's Merry F#&%in Christmas Special, this classic cartoon shows Charlie Brown trying and failing to get a tree, and finally Linus puts everyone straight on Christmas. It was overtly Christian, and still gets lots of airtime nowadays, lawsuits be damned.
2. Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer- Classic claymation about Rudolph, Hermie The Elf, Yukon Cornelius, The Bumble, and other characters. Rudolph saves the day. We see a skinny Santa, he'd been on South Beach, and then Santa does Atkins and fattens up.
3. A Freakin Family Guy Christmas- Peter Griffin, Brian, Lois, Stewie, and the whole Griffin clan make fun of Christmas celebrations and TV and the artificial traditions to the Nth. Lois goes off after everything goes wrong. Worth a watch, but not for the kids.
4. Saturday Night Live Christmas Special- Between Steve Martin's Christmas Wish, Belushi being a whino Department Store Santa, Mainway Christmas watch, Chris Farley as The Motivational Santa, and the lost ending to It's A Wonderful Life (Dana Carvey as George Bailey, and the Baileys bring a lynch mob and a can of whoop ass to Mr. Potter). Will Farrell as Andy Williams is classic, spinning, and singing, and well, losing it.....
5. Bugs Bunny Christmas Special- old school funny, with Bugs as the Christmas Ghosts, and as Cratchet's helper, and Yosemite Sam as Scrooge. Funny, worth a watch.
That's just a few. Name some others if I missed em......
Now Songs......
No summaries, just a list for this one.....
1. Christmas Song- Nat King Cole.
2. Oh Holy Night- NKC, or even Josh Groban.
3. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer- Gene Autry or Harry Connick Jr.
4. Winter Wonderland- Johnny Mathis version.
5. God Rest Yea Merry Gentlemen- Bing Crosby.
6. White Christmas- Bing Crosby.
7. It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year-Andy Williams.
8. The Grinch Song- Boris Karloff.
9. Holly Jolly Christmas- Burl Ives.
10. Little Drummer Boy-Bing Crosby and David Bowie
11. We Three Kings-Orchestra
12. Christmas in Sarajevo and Christmas Canon- Trans-Siberian Orchestra.
13. Hark The Herald Angels Sing- any classic or crooner version.
14. Believe- Josh Groban.
15. Let It Snow, Let It Snow- Vaughan Monroe.
16. I'll Be Home for Christmas- Doris Day.
17. Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer.
18. Blue Christmas and Peace In The Valley- Elvis Presley- The King!
19. Here Comes Santa Claus- tie between Gene Autry and Elvis Presley.
20. It's Christmastime- City on a Hill (has Third Day singer, Mac Powell)
posted by NDwalters @ 7:45 PM
2 Comments:
At 5:32 AM,
NDwalters said…
Thanks for the reminder. Christmas Story and that dang lamp!
At 10:51 AM,
blamin said…
I can't believe you didn't list "A Nightmare Before Christmas"!
I think that's one of the all time best "kids" movie.
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