tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18439960.post5725398719813689769..comments2024-03-23T21:46:50.843-04:00Comments on the passionate moviegoer: happy gratitude day!joe baltakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11467420961490314339noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18439960.post-62513353536562100792015-12-02T19:49:06.954-05:002015-12-02T19:49:06.954-05:00Miracle on 34th Street is, as your fans confirm, a...Miracle on 34th Street is, as your fans confirm, a holiday season movie, not a strictly Christmas movie. Of course, the entire premise of the movie questions — and sweetly answers — the actuality of Santa Claus. It has been part of my life for so many years, I cannot remember when I first saw it. But it is the primary reason I bought a VCR when they came on the market, long before DVRing. “Miracle” was often scheduled to air at an ungodly hour or at a time when it was impossible to see so I bought it in VHS and still screen it every year. <br /><br />As essential as “Miracle” is, it is not the first Christmas season movie I was. That honor belongs to another Christmas season spanning movie, an oldie and my wittiest and sweetest favorite: The Man Who Came to Dinner. As you noted, though, I screen them close to Thanksgiving. Both movies are essential to properly begin my parade of Christmas favorites, which I own and watch (in VHS) in this order, typically.<br /><br />Christmas in Connecticut<br />A Christmas Story<br />The Santa Clause<br />Holiday Affair<br />Holiday Inn<br />The Holiday - obviously a recent addition<br />A Christmas Carol - the Alistair Sims version<br />The Bishop’s Wife - Loretta Young, Cary Grant, David Niven (and another charmer with Monty Wooley)<br />White Christmas - usually the concluding movie because of its sentimentality, memories of my father, and the song White Christmas.<br /><br />Two other films are in my library and sometimes I watch them, but not always: Elf and It’s a Wonderful Life. Will Ferrell is cute in Elf, but I have to be in the mood for his brand of zaniness. Bob Newhart’s wonderfully dry, droll appearance helps a lot. Then there’s IAWL. Frank Capra’s saccharin opus is iconic yet I can’t say it genuinely entertains me. Mostly watch this one, if I do, because of some need to check off a mental list of Christmas films, staying on the Nice list, I suppose. <br />Sharonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18439960.post-5217641673495498182015-12-02T16:16:02.461-05:002015-12-02T16:16:02.461-05:00I watch this every year with my family on Thanksgi...I watch this every year with my family on Thanksgiving. I couldn't be with them this year, so we had a quote-off. My mom would text me a favorite line from the movie and I would text her back the next big one. Aka I've seen this film way too many times! aloserefforthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02600559228326129169noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18439960.post-32884640104124574672015-11-26T12:39:31.440-05:002015-11-26T12:39:31.440-05:00I agree with Brian, the film traverses two holiday...I agree with Brian, the film traverses two holidays. That said, I think the TV stations that air "Miracle" every year should start showing it on Thanksgiving day and not wait until Christmas.Mike in KCnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18439960.post-91592015940246293672015-11-26T11:48:46.824-05:002015-11-26T11:48:46.824-05:00Good point, Joe, but the film actually covers both...Good point, Joe, but the film actually covers <i>both</i> holidays. Still, Thanksgiving movies are rare and it would be nice to include this one among them. Brian Lucasnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18439960.post-4509543603843165232015-11-26T11:26:59.425-05:002015-11-26T11:26:59.425-05:00So true!So true!Sheilanoreply@blogger.com