Christmas DVDs

This is a heartwarming movie that depicts the love of a father to his son. Jack (father), played by Michael Keaton, just wanted to make it up to his son up to the last minute until he had accident and died. The events happened all before Christmas. His son waited for him to go home but he did not. His son just wanted to spend time with him, laugh with him and have bonding moments with him since he was too busy with his career as a singer. But it became unfeasible when he accidentally died. After a year, his father came back but not with a human body but a snow man body instead.  His son made that snow man while thinking all about his lost father. He played the harmonica which his father gave him before he died and that harmonica made the snow man came to life and magically made it his father. They had great times together. Even though his father was in a snow man body, he treated him the same as before. And so to his father. He tried to be a father all the time his son needs him to be, fought back every person who wants to hurt his son and tried to watch his son most important hockey game as quickly as possible even though the heat of the sun would him down.

Jack Frost is a movie about the love of a father and a son to each other that had gone through magic and life after death. Nothing in the world could be compared to a love of a father to his child which was really seen well in this movie. With this movie, Jack (Michael Keaton) portrayed the father figure very well despite of being a Frost man. With every father-and-son scene in the story, true love was well-defined that made this movie a two thumbs-up movie!

This movie would make you realize that it is not the effects, sounds, views that only make a movie a great one. But it is the story itself. It revealed something which is definitely true about family bonding. And if you are wondering what is the movie all about, then I guess it is the right time for you to watch it yourself. You will then realize that this movie is great. This movie is indeed a heartwarming one!

A Christmas Tale

This quirky tragicomedy stars Catherine Deneuve as the matriarch of the troubled Vouillard family. When she becomes sick and needs a bone marrow transplant she forces the whole family to come together for Christmas. The problem is: all of the children hate each other. A Christmas Tale is the story of a highly dysfuntional family. With two and a half hours this film is pretty long but it never gets boring. But you have to like subtitles. There is no dubbed version of this French holiday drama.

Tom and Jerry: Paws for a Holiday/A Nutcracker Tale

A Nutcracker Tale is pure Tom and Jerry madness. Jerry the mouse tries to stage a holiday-themed extravaganza to the music of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite. Thsi really looks great. I myself almost cracked up when Tom climbed through that hole in the sky:

Paws For A Holiday itself collects some of the best holiday-themed Tom And Jerry cartoons.

What’s New Scooby-Doo?, Vol. 4: Merry Scary Holiday/Scooby-Doo: Winter Wonderdog

After cat and mouse comes now one of the most famous cartoon dogs. Merry Scary Holiday has all you beloved Christmas traditions run amok. A headless Frosty the Snowman, Toyland wreaking havoc and a parody on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Winter Wonderdog takes place at a spooky ski lodge. We meet the ghost of Christmas and have another encounter with the nutcracker…but certainly different than the one with Tom and Jerry.

The Year Without a Santa Claus/Richie Rich’s Christmas Wish

Another two disc compilation this week. We already talked about The Year Without A Santa Claus before so let’s concentrate on Richie Rich’s Christmas Wish.  This is a sequel to the infamous Macaulay Culkin Richie Rich movie. It’s about another kid being mean to Richie and he wishes that he’d never been born. His wish is granted and we find ourselves in a situation quite like one of the greatest Christmas DVDs of all time. As you may already guess this movie is nothing special. The actors are unbelievable and I cannot imagine another reason for re-releasing this piece of trash in a bundle with a masterpiece other than milking the cash cow once again.

Bah, Humduck! A Looney Tunes Christmas/A Flintstones Christmas Carol

Another cartoon double feature. Both films do their own take on Charles Dickens‘ Christmas Carol. The Looney Tunes do a faithful adaptation of this holiday classic. And they deliver: Daffy Duck is one of the most greedy and severe Scrooges I’ve ever seen. The Flinstones take the classic tale as a backdrop. Fred has the role of Scrooge for the Bedrock Community Players and thus neglects all his other duties. A wonderful addition to your Scrooge collection.

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It’s always sunny in Philadelphia: It’s a very sunny Christmas

A special Christmas episode of the It’s always sunny in Philadelphia sitcom. For those of you who don’t know the series: it is very raunchy. Maybe you have seen this NSFW clip where Danny DeVito emerges naked out of a leather couch.

But this Christmas special is not only about nudity and sex (although there’s a good part of it). There’s an impressive claymation sequence that reminds me of the Rankin/Bass films like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

An Old-Fashioned Christmas

Everybody who grew up in the Sixties can remember the Bell Telephone Hour, a weekly music show that featured the best in classical and Broadway music. Most popular were the yearly Christmas specials with artists like Florence Henderson, Gianna d’Angelo, Phyllis Curtin, Lisa Della Casa, Anita Gillette and Mildred Miller. Here’s the famous Christmas song Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire performed by the show’s host Florence Henderson.

A Christmas Journey To Freedom

This production is an interesting experiment in tying together the history of the famour Underground Railroad and motives of Christian faith. The true-life story revolves  around the slave Joe (acclaimed vocalist Wintley Phipps) who gets saved from slavery by Harriet Tubman, a Moses-life figure who helped hundreds escape to Canada while risking her own life. Besides telling the story of this larger than life heroine the DVD contains insights by historian Dr. Allen Callahan and many Christmas songs like O Holy Night and Sweet Little Jesus Boy.

Tchaikovsky: Nutcracker – featuring the San Francisco Ballet [Blu-ray]

This new production of the classic ballet, choreographed by Helgi Tomasson, is a timeless holiday classic. From the lovely Waltz of the Flowers to the amazing Snowflake Waltz, each scene is breathtaking in its own right. They all bring to life the famous and popular characters with great originality.

I’ve just discovered this year’s MUST-WATCH holiday movie. Here’s the trailer:

Have you ever wondered how Santa Claus got to become Santa? The (somehow foolishly titled) movie Christmas Story reveals the background of Santa.

The story is set in Lapland where young Nikolas loses his family in an accident. To take care of the orphaned boy his village decides that Nikolas can stay at any family for one year. On Christmas Day he has to switch his home. To show his gratitude Nikolas decides to make toys for the children as good bye presents. I guess you can see where this story is heading.

The movie presents a different, more mature take on the whole Santa Claus myth. I even heard of an eleven year old who didn’t believe in Santa any more. After watching Christmas Story however she believes he did exist and that his message and his spirit live on. In my opinion this is much better than giving up believing at all. Even if you enter the realm of “enlightened” adults there is a great advantage in preserving those little moments of magic that you encounter as a child.

The fate of Nicholas and how he handles his situation is simply touching. The story moves along like a slowly falling snow flake. One can not escape it and is drawn deeper and deeper into it. The characters are described very affectionately. It’s Christmas DVDs like this that evoke the magic of Christmas and make you aware of what is really the most important thing for everyone. It is family and friends who help you even in difficult times and who you can trust.

The movie is shot in the gorgeous scenery of Lapland, in the dead of winter with real reindeer. It is this amazing scenery that gets you in the Christmas mood very quickly. Christmas Story was one of the most successful films in Finland for 2007, reaching 270,000 admissions.

It’s been a while since I’ve posted here. I tried to maintain this site the whole year through the summer has gotten the better of me. Now that we had the first snow last week (I live in Munich, Germany by the way) I want to try to get back into the Christmas DVDs mood as quickly as possible.

1. Disney fans will love the re-release of Mickey’s Christmas Carol. It is part of Disney Animation Collection series and contains other holiday favorites like Pluto’s Christmas Tree, The Small One and Santa’s Workshop as well.
2. Also Winnie the Pooh: Seasons of Giving is beaing re-released with two additional Pooh adventures and a collectible holiday stocking. Join with Pooh and his dear friends as they learn about friendship and the true meaning of Christmas.
3. There is an extended version out of the Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa show with Whoopi Goldberg and Uma Thurman. Sadly while it originally aired in HD quality it is now only available on regular DVD.
4. The Remastered Deluxe Edition of I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown presents the unique Peanuts character Rerun Ban Pelt, the lovable but ever-skeptical younger brother of Linus and Lucy. The story centers on Reruns quest to get a dog for Christmas. The short move isn’t completely indispensable but the real gem lies in the bonus features. Included is a documentary on the original Charlie Brown Christmas with interviews with cast and filmmakers.
5. More and more stuff is coming out on BluRay these days. How The Grinch Stole Christmas or A Charlie Brown Christmas are just two examples. So if you know that you are getting or giving one of those high definition DVD players for Christmas be sure to add one of those classics.

While buying all these nice releases might be a bit expensive I recommend setting up a Netflix account and adding your favorite Christmas DVDs to your wishlist. Click here to get a free Netflix trial. If you don’t like it you can cancel it immediately. Plus: You owe them nothing for having watched some delightful holiday movies.

One of 2004’s commercially most successful Christmas films is Joe Roth’s adaptation of the successful novel Skipping Christmas by author John Grisham. Christmas With The Kranks grossed nearly 73 million US dollars.

The story of Christmas With The Kranks is not too bad, which of course is due to the novel. It revolves around the Krank couple who instead of spending the holidays like everybody else has planned a Caribbean cruise. But who would have thought that the Kranks’ neighbors don’t like this idea at all. And when their daughter also announces her visit over Christmas the chaos is perfect. Overall the plot is typical for the holiday season and is focusing on all the cliches that come with it.

Especially in the first half of the film there are lots of them. It is a pleasure to watch the Kranks trying to get out of the hustle and bustle. Just think of the scene where they try to hide from carol singers. This movie is guaranteed to make even Christmas critics laugh.

The last half hour of the movie finally gives us some holiday spirit and (of course) more chaos. The daughter has announced her visit over Christmas and the house must glow with all the Christmas lights as quickly as possible. Only the last 10 minutes get somewhat annoying. As with every Christmas comedy there has to be some kitsch. While I personally have nothing against the usual Christmas kitsch in this movie it feels somewhat out of place. Unlike Bad Santa or Christmas Vacation the trash does not end ironically. Christmas With The Kranks goes even so far as to let Santa Claus fly over the city and of course everybody loves one another no matter how many arguments they had before. It’s the usual kitsch but somehow out of place.

In terms of production one can really be satisfied, everything is like you would expect from a comedy with no major blunders. And the soundtrack relies on the typical X-Mas Classics which create the right atmosphere easily.

But the largest part of the success of this movie can be attributed to the actors. Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis are simply the best choice. Allen is in his typical, wonderfully silly but never exaggerated style naturally earns the most laughs. Curtis as the mother shows some courage to be ugly.
These are some other familiar faces such as Dan Akroyd and Cheech Marin.

Conclusion: Christmas With The Kranks is a witty and beautiful holiday comedy which, although unlikely to provide surprises, wins my heart with some nice gags and a great cast. Only the finale is too corny for my taste.
Overall this is a fairly entertaining film even if you don’t like Christmas movies. For fans of Christmas DVDs watching it is mandatory!

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Blizzard is one of those Christmas DVDs that are at least two stages too corny, but a nicely laid out plot saves it from the worst:
Jessies boyfriend movies in a new town just before Christmas. To comfort her Aunt Millie tells her the following story: Katie loves ice skating witch her coach Otto. When Otto dies and Katie gets badgered at school the magic reindeer Blizzard hears her cries for help and comes to save her.

The film is sugary-sweet, sometimes a bit too much. There are many good ideas like a clever plot and convincing effects with real reindeer (fortunately no dolls). But some characters are portrayed too black-and-white like the evil Erin or Santa’s helper Archimedes. But there is an important message for children: Believe in yourself. And: Disappointments are a part of everyday life. I liked the fact that there was reality that even good wholesome characters make mistakes sometimes and that this doesn’t mean the end of the world; there is forgiveness and second chances. It teaches our kids that we don’t live in a perfect world and there are disappointments and we must learn to deal with them.

The actors in Blizzard, even the young ones do a good job and are not annoying. The soundtrack is vibrant and is therefore quite varied. Christmas atmosphere is also produced by a fabulous cinematography and the story is coherent – a little too much trash for my taste. But who has a problem with a little kitsch during holiday season. It is one of those Christmas DVDs that makes everyone “feel good” on the inside after watching it.

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Today I’d like to talk about one of the Christmas DVDs that I personally don’t like very much. Nevertheless it’s a holiday classic.

In the mid-30s a new trend occurred: Laurel and Hardy were put in fantasy, medieval, musical film. Many fans complain about today, because these genres were too “abstract” for the world-famous comedy duo. No doubt one can really say that these films are not necessarily their best ones. But there is one exception: Babes In Toyland aka March of the Wooden Soldiers.

Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy play two workers of a toy factory who live in a shoe. Their opponent in the film is the unscrupulous Barnaby (barely recognizable – Henry Brandon), who is portrayed accordingly: Mean eyes, dark clothing and a general unsympathetic appearance. These three performers surpass all the others in this movie by far.

Charlotte Henry and Felix Knight played two annoying characters. Now everything wouldn’t be that bad if these two characters would not sing all the time. If it would at least sound nice, but no. It is simply a pain in the ears. I want to follow the plot of the film and not listen to two annoying characters singing. Why annoying? Here’s an example: In one scene, Tom-Tom wants to seduce Bo-Peep but she rejects him. A gentleman would simply leave, or continue more subtly. What does Tom-Tom so? He binds his “sweetheart” at her feet and says something like “I won’t let you go until you like me!” Finally Bo-Peep agrees and Tom-Tom is delighted. That’s what I call true love!

However, we want to see Laurel and Hardy. But once again everybody is singing!

Surprisingly the end of Babes in Toyland is almost like a horror film! Barnabe kidnaps Bo-Peep and brings her to a dark cave. Later he returns with an army of awful creatures with which he wants to conquer the country. Some of these creatures are more horrifying than many of today’s movie monsters. In the end they are conquered by a life-sized army of toy soldiers. Everybody’s happy and dancing.

Now the movie is not what you would otherwise expect from Laurel and Hardy. The two are simply better when they play normal people. They are naturally funny and generally loosen the film but they fit better in other settings. While Barnabe was pleasantly frightening the rest of the cast is simply annoying. The numerous songs simply do hurt.

Nevertheless Babes in Toyland aka March of the Wooden Soldiers is a holiday favorite in many households yet still so strange to see Laurel and Hardy in such a surreal environment. The movie can drag along at points, but when the boys come to life, it’s business as usual and hilarity ensues!

We all know that Christmas is about family and not the TV. But some precious memories and stories of Christmas are very appropriate to recall on the tube. Watching television in this wonderful season does not necessarily mean that you are missing all the fun. It is an old tradition in the most popular television show and major stations to broadcast Christmas TV Specials every holiday season. Watching Christmas TV Specials at night with friends and family can release you of some holiday stress. Here are the three best shows that people would not want to miss in every holiday season:
A Charlie Brown Christmas

The 1965 Charles Schulz classic is first on the list. This Christmas TV special is about Charlie Brown’s quest to find out the true meaning of Christmas. He thinks his friends are obsessed by presents, ornaments and Christmas events and all others getting hooked on letters to Santa. He gets depressed over how Christmas has become commercial. When he gets the job to pick out a Christmas tree he seeks out the plainest looking. After a speech by Linus everybody realizes the true essence of Christmas and how fragile it is in this commercialized world.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

A very impressive Christmas TV Special is about Rudolph, badly treated by his colleagues because of his bright red nose. He discoveres a lot of misfit toys for children. With this film we see how unjust the world can be. Misfit toys for poor children and the best toy for the rich. Give a misfit toy to a rich child and it will throw it against the wall, but give it to a poor child, and you will have offered him something valuable throughout his life: the value and friendship.
A Muppet Family Christmas

This Christmas TV favorite of all time is for both children and adults. All Muppets are invited to spend Christmas at Fozzie Bear’s mother’s hosue. The Muppets present a lot of songs and dances, and reminds us that Christmas is a time for family.
There would be many more Christmas TV Specials on this list, but these are the three most popular of all time.
This Christmas, all you need is the remote, and some good Christmas DVDs.

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