Tag: Christmas
-
That poor little tree
Ken Priebe on why A Charlie Brown Christmas works so well: There are so many reasons why this perennial special from 1965 shouldn’t work. It’s weird, sloppy, has no real plot, its storyline meanders all over the place, and it feels like it was edited with a chainsaw. … And yet, this is exactly why…
-
The wit and wisdom of ‘Grumpy Old Men’
Grumpy Old Men has become one of the few movies I return to every Christmastime, along with The Family Stone and It’s A Wonderful Life. Though (or maybe because), like those other movies, it’s only partially about Christmas. It’s schmaltzy to a fault, but also an hilarious showcase for the legendary comedic chemistry between Jack…
-
Entertaining ‘Angels’: which ‘Home Alone’ fake gangster film is the filthiest?
Here’s an important question for the Christmas season: which is better, Angels with Filthy Souls or Angels with Even Filthier Souls? Both share a template: character walks in, gets threatened/insulted by Johnny, gets blown away by Johnny, and gets a memorable kicker. Kevin McCallister also enjoys a smorgasbord while watching both of them, and gets…
-
Little Women
I was a good amount into a post celebrating the 1994 film Little Women when I discovered I was basically writing Alissa Wilkinson’s appreciation of the film at Vox from last year. It’s one of many movies I watched a lot with my sisters as a kid, in rotation with other female-focused ’90s films like Ever After, Never…
-
Favorite Christmas song lyrics, ranked
I’m terrible at remembering lyrics. Even for favorite songs I’ve heard dozens of times. It’s an annoying deficiency when I try to sing along as so often I end up having to mumble certain lines. But now, my yearly Christmas music binge in progress, I’ve started paying attention to the lyrics that have peaked my…
-
Family Video to the rescue
Home for Thanksgiving weekend and in the market for a Christmas movie to watch, my sister suggested Die Hard. A great choice for many reasons, one of which being I hadn’t seen it in a while and was due for a seasonal rewatch. Plus my wife hadn’t seen it. (Perish the thought!) The problem was…
-
The Family Stone
The Rotten Tomatoes critics consensus of The Family Stone says that “This family holiday dramedy features fine performances but awkward shifts of tone.” I mean, yeah. That’s why it’s so good. I didn’t come away loving it when I saw it in the theater. Too mercurial, I thought. And that excruciating dinner scene… But upon…
-
Song: ‘Christmastime Is Here’
“Be Still Your Fears (Christmastime is Here)” – Chad Comello This is a demo I made last October, using only my guitar and GarageBand. May it bring tidings of a merry holiday.
-
The Warmth Of The Snow
Living in a warm climate during the Christmas season is good and bad. On one hand, you can walk around in shorts and a t-shirt while your northern friends brave harsh winds and icy roads just to get to their mailbox. But on the other hand, it’s just not Christmas without the cold. As a…
-
My Mouth’s Bleedin’!
Today is the day, the only day of the year, when I watch It’s A Wonderful Life. Watching the classic Christmas movie with a bowl of popcorn and a crackling fire on Christmas Eve has become perhaps the longest tradition with my family. Another tradition, getting up at 5 a.m. on Christmas morning and waiting…