Christmas Movie Marathon, Day 31 — New Year's Eve (2011)

THE FINAL MOVIE. WOW. This marathon took forever, and I apologize to you who actually followed along. I dragged you all through the mud, but thanks for sticking with me through this little challenge. I've literally had only 2 posts left to write for the past 3 weeks, but couldn't find the motivation or time.

While I was in the middle of this movie-a-day challenge, I was offered an internship at a local publishing company/up-and-coming artist's community whose members I've been hanging out with every week. Some of that job definitely came before my blogging in late-December/early-January. I was proofing some, and also... you try to get work done at your parents house between your birthday, Christmas, and New Year's Eve! Whew.

Speaking of New Year's Eve...
I didn't really like this movie at all..
WHAT A WAY TO ANTI-CLIMACTICALLY END A MONTH-LONG MOVIE MARATHON THAT SUBSEQUENTLY LASTED 2 MONTHS.

Okay, okay. You could say I had some premonitions about this movie. I really enjoy this movie format when done right. The "Love Actually" if you can bear to call it that. More so, though, I'm referring to the two twin movies called New York, I Love You and Paris, Je T'aime. These movies are what you should look towards if you want to see a movie like this done correctly, and without the parade of familiar faces.

Seriously, though. If all the actors in Hollywood had a break room or water cooler, even a cork board with a sign-up sheet on it saying, "Hey, who wants to be in a movie?" and then they write a story line for everyone who signs up... It would be these films: New Year's Eve, Valentine's Day, What To Expect When You're Expecting, and He's Just Not That Into You (the latter two aren't as guilty and aren't as boring, and are also based on best selling self-help books that they bought the rights to).

Many of the small story lines are interesting and cute, but very surface. There are honestly just too many different ones in this movie that it's hard to keep up with any of them, which garners little emotional response from the audience. I want to be sucked in and consumed by the stories in these movies, but rather then being given a glimpse into someone's pain or pure joy without wasting time with introductions, we are forced to get to know them in five minutes instead of simply witnessing them. If any of that makes sense, good. These movies also break their backs to connect everyone in some way, and besides thinking "oh, cool," I'm thinking, "okay, who cares." The characters' connections with each other are usually revealed near the ending and we don't even get a chance to see why that connection is important.

The stories that I wish I had more of in this movie were the Michelle Pfeiffer/Zac Efron bit, (Though doing all that nice stuff for tickets to the "best party ever" is a plot point that is sort of lost on me, Pfeiffer was charming) and Karate Kid Hilary Swank planning the ball drop and her father seeing it for the last time. I mean, honestly, a better telling of any of the stories would have improved them greatly. From my count and according to IMDB, there are 8 story lines coming into play in 118 minutes. That's 2 hours for 8 little stories.... that's around 15 minutes a story if you're playing at home. Gee-sus. No wonder I feel like I can't focus fully on any of the story lines or have a favorite character... I don't know them at all.

Anyway, in conclusion, I liked a lot of these story lines and I feel like this movie could have really blown up and become a classic, but unfortunately I think it's going to stay buried in 2011 until people like me watch it on New Year's to be kitschy.

And with that, folks, I'm finished!
I'll save you the post where I philosophize about what it meant to me, and just say that I had fun and I have a lot of plans to keep this blog up and running and relevant.

LUV ME,

Stephanie

P.S. I didn't gain any followers. Bummer. Oh wells, pahahha.

Christmas Movie Marathon, Day 30 — The Holiday (2006)

I remember the first time that I saw this movie I was going through something dramatic, and I remember crying more than I would have during some sad parts because I related to the emotions happening. Now, that was in high school and I have an idea of what I could have been sad about, but I can't place it specifically or how it relates to this movie.. so.

Cool story.

I didn't expect this movie to be as good as it is at all, but I should have known because Kate Winslet can do no wrong and Jack Black is shockingly charming! He rarely is offered a role with this kind of depth. I really actually like this movie! It surprised me by not being too... Rom-Com-like. Romantic Comedies tend to attach themselves way too much to the time when they are made, and though that is cool and funny when you see the movie, after awhile I feel like it gets really exhausted. I like a movie that doesn't really mention Facebook, binge-watching, Charlie Sheen, or other #trendingtopics that they cherry-picked from the internet.

I guess they did use a sort-of Craigslist-type website to find each other and switch houses (and man, did they both freaking score with that deal) which is a "trend" if you wanted to be picky, but at least the house-swapping tale is not one we're tired of hearing.

As far as this movie goes, life is hard, but everything was adorable and nothing hurt.

But, really though, this movie has very sad beginnings and the reasons for these women switching houses are really devastating for them, yet they have some great experiences that aren't all about love and sex. They both pretty much experience how the other person saw the world and adapt those traits to use for themselves. No wonder they actually become good friends in the end, because their personalities contain what the other lacks in a complimentary way.

From a holiday perspective, I think it's safe to say that the Christmas aspect of this movie works merely to set up the plot and pin these women so desperate to leave the lives they currently lead and skip the whole "happy family Christmas" for the chance to break away. I guess there is much more at play here about how stepping outside of your comfort zone can produce amazing results, and how to figure out which people in your life are worth sticking around for.

So yeah, sorry for more pictures than post, but I didn't want to play favoritism with the main characters.

January is almost over! Who's paying attention, right?
Stephanie

Christmas Movie Marathon, Day 29 — Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)

It is really tempting to just type, "DUH," and publish this post.

I don't want to go on and on about how Harry Potter affected my life or whatever, because almost every kid in my generation who read the books could tell you the same story. For me, it was my first real fandom that I got to be involved in. I mean, I didn't write fan-fiction or anything. (Trivia: The only fan-fiction I've ever read was Ricky Ullman from the Disney show Phil of the Future fan-fiction, cause he is so fine and I googled him a lot as an adolescent girl who had nothing better to do with her summer days pre-license.) The series was something that my whole family was involved in. My dad never read the books, but he would always go see the movies with us. My mom and sister actually read most of the books before I even started the first one (they weren't all out yet.. oh how I remember the anticipation!) and they bullied me to read them, too. It was kind of one of those things where I knew I was going to read it and probably love it, but I just wasn't in the mood to start that emotional investment right away. Everyone was like, "I know you'll just love it" etc., and I knew I would, too, I just wasn't ready to start it.

The same damn thing is happening with me and Game of Thrones/Breaking Bad/Mad Men right now! A  lot of people I know have been telling me to watch them, and it's not that I don't want to or think I won't like them, I just need to do it on my own time. I'm distracted enough from my work and goals, trust me.

I feel like Christmas in this movie is so sweet and memorable because we are experiencing the story through Harry's eyes. We see his cousin's birthday at the beginning of the movie, which was extravagant to say the least. Can you imagine what Christmas at the Dursley house is like? It's nothing for him. In fact, it was probably one of the worst days of his year, because he didn't know what it could be. When he celebrates Christmas at Hogwarts, he finally has a home where he feels accepted, a family that basically takes him in, best friends, and presents under the tree! I love Harry so much and even thinking about it now, it's hard not to get a lump in my throat when I think of him finally getting what he has deserved in life from the beginning. It's really satisfying.

Also, in this movie we figure out that HOGWARTS IS BEAUTIFUL. I remember seeing the footage of the Great Hall for the first time after reading the books and it was just breathtaking and better than I had imagined. All dressed up for Christmas it is even better. (But does beg the question of freedom of religion in Hogwarts and the wizarding world. Do they have religion? Who knows.)

Anyway, I KNOW you all have seen this movie and at one time worshipped Harry Potter, so I don't need to drone on and on about how wonderful it is and how heart-warming Harry's first Christmas is. I really miss watching these movies. I think that means I should have a marathon? Yes.


It's Levi-OH-sa, not Levio-SAH,
Stephanie

Christmas Movie Marathon, Day 28 — Gremlins (1984)

So, this post was supposed to be about the movie Four Christmases, but when it came down to actually watching the movie (which, no surprise here, I had only seen parts of before) I just didn't feel like watching Reese Witherspoon and Vince Vaughn earn a fat paycheck by making a silly Christmas movie that has just a little bit of heart… but is mostly slapstick.

SO I WATCHED GREMLINS, Y'ALL.

For those of you who don't know, I'm a scaredy cat, truly. I mean, I'm interested in scary movie plots, because they are almost all pretty interesting and thought-out, but the images will stay with me forever. Like, I watched The Strangers on Halloween junior or senior year of high school (5-6 years ago!) and I still think about scenes from the movie when I'm taking the dog out at night or at my friend's cabin. Just that one dude with the creepy sack over his head, standing in the road or out the window... just standing and staring. That freaks me the hell out, for real.

So, I didn't know Gremlins was going to be very scary, and it wasn't in the traditional sense, since most people brand any movie with little "cute" creatures as a kids' movie, but it still was a lot more violent than I thought.

I've decided (possibly since award season has started… and possibly because I want to hurry the hell up and finish these Christmas blogs) that I'm going to give the characters awards for their performances.

Movie MVP: Mom

Okay, the Mom seriously rocked. She loved and trusted her husband, using all his contraptions and always having a good sense of humor about everything. She also knew at first glance that those mother-effin' cocoons had some bad juju, and grabbed the knife at the first sign of trouble. She was not your run-of-the-mill "run and hide and wait for a man" lady, oh no, she took down those little aliens one by one, and in very creative ways!

Worst Way to Learn That There is No Santa Clause: Kate

This part of the movie really came as a surprise for me. I have a theory that one of the writers thought this up years before the movie came out and had always planned to give one of his characters the greatest Christmas sob story ever, but was merely waiting for the perfect opportunity to come up. This is the saddest thing I've ever heard, seriously.

Worst Idea Haver: Dad

God love him.

Most Epic Man/Smart Animal Throwdown: Stripes and Billy

They literally fought for like 20 minutes in that store, and in the end freakin Gizmo saved all their asses.

Cutest Badass: Gizmo

Smartest person in the movie, hands down. When Billy was like, "Gizmo, do you want this chicken wing?" He was like "Hell no! " and was definitely giving Billy his shits-about-to-get-real face the entire time he was feeding the other Mogwai babes.

Most Tiny Props ever Used in a Moton picture: Gremlins

Literally. So. Many. Tiny. Hats.


P.S. — Also, I've always known there is a band called Mogwai, but I finally get itttttt.


Love to your mothers,
Stepha-kneeees

Christmas Movie Marathon, Day 27 — When Harry Met Sally (1989)

I don't know if I say this a lot, but THIS IS MY FAVORITE MOVIE of all time. Do I say that a lot?

I actually discovered this movie on accident. Of course I've always heard of it, but never really investigated it further other than learning it was another Meg Ryan 90's rom-com. Honestly, that should have been my first indication that I would fall in love with it, I don't know how I missed it. I was flipping channels and one afternoon in high school from the cushy armchair of my parents house, and I don't remember which scene I caught, but I continued to watch the movie from that point. And because some channels really have no idea what to play sometimes, they give themselves breaks by building up the fact that they are going to play the same movie twice a day for 3 days by calling it "Romance Weekend!" or "Meg Ryan Marathon!" ABC Family does this shit all the time with the Harry Potter movies! Halloween weekend? Harry Potter Marathon! Christmas Weekend? Harry Potter Marathon! Labor Day? Harry Potter Marathon! Veteran's Day? Harry Potter Marathon! You get it.

So, anyway, it was one of those weekends for When Harry Met Sally and it was coming on again right after, so I got to watch the beginning that I had previously missed… and then I finished the movie again. And then I watched it the next day, too.

Now.. how is this a Christmas movie, you might ask? Mostly because I said so, and you probably weren't even wondering that because of how much you also love this movie and miss it if you haven't seen it in awhile. But, really, it is a sort of wintry movie because big moments happen on New Years and around the holidays. My Christmas movie list goes a little rogue after Christmas Day, because it feels weird to watch movies that are too seasonal after the main event. So, the 6 movies that follow it are not all necessarily holiday themed, but they are at least a little wintry in one way or another.

This is such a sweet and awesome movie. (Weird. I basically typed that sentence without using my brain. I'll try to give you more than my unconscious stock opinion.) The movie, to me, is realistic and romantic without being too mushy about it. My boyfriend, Daniel, does not like romantic comedies and completely scoffs when I say that I like a good SOLID romantic comedy (not the horrible shiny-happy people ones) and that they are as close to reality as movies get, in my opinion. Maybe I just see my life as a romantic comedy. I want to write a story where a character says that.

I digress, I was going through the channels at Daniel's house earlier this year and what do you know, When Harry Met Sally was on TV. I stopped on the movie with no contest from Daniel. I figured he just hadn't realized what movie it was yet. He laughed. I laughed. He watched the screen intently. I watched him intently. SUCCESS. This is my greatest victory.


P.S. - They somehow managed to make Billy Crystal completely charming, and this was the first and last time that ever happened.

P.P.S - God bless the BFFs in this movie, because the relationships they have with Harry and Sally are supportive and hilarious. Just a really well-written movie. Good on you, Nora Ephron.


Surrey with the fringe on top!
Stephanie

Christmas Movie Marathon, Day 26 — It's a Wonderful Life (1946)

I don't know if you guys follow a long with (or accidentally read too much about) internet fandoms for TV shows, books, or movies, but THEY ARE REAL, and they are a big deal to those involved. When it comes to romances among characters, there is a specific language used to describe them. For example, if you think two characters should be in love or have feelings for each other and you want them to be in a relationship, you "ship" them. (get it? relationship?) Everyone who is involved in fandoms, be it one or multiple, or even overlapping fandoms where people pretend that the characters of different TV shows or books interact, you have an OTP. One True Pairing. The two characters that you ship above all your other ships, and whose love burns hotter than one thousand overheated laptops.

MY OTP IS GEORGE AND MARY BAILEY.

They are perfect and their love and friendship is the stuff of legends. Seriously, the scenes where they are courting and he wants to give her the moon. I mean, it's too much. I just tear up with joy and my heart swells whenever I see it.

I kind of find it weird that this is a traditional Christmas Eve movie for so many people, when it only centers on Christmas for the last 30 minutes of the movie. I know it technically starts on a grim Christmas Eve, and then his past is played out in front of him, but the only reason it would matter that it takes place on Christmas Eve is that it would be the end of the year for his business, which is notoriously a hard time for money and when people need money the most for their families, so the tension is higher. Otherwise, it's the story of a great man who sacrificed his big dreams to keep his town and family afloat, and who fell in love with a great lady who saw his sacrifice, appreciated it, and shared in his dream.

I didn't realize how much I adored this movie, Frank Capra, and not to mention Jimmy Stewart, who is just wonderful and charming (i.e. Shop Around the Corner, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, and duh, the Hitchcock movies) until I took a film class my second-to-last semester in college. We watched a few Jimmy movies in class, but this one was one we could watch outside of class as a bonus. It was the first time I actually sat down gave it my full attention, forgetting about the classic Christmas references to it, and that horrible child voice screaming, "Every time a bell rings, an angel gets its wings!" and I really just fell in love with it. And his voice! His voice. He's just dreamy.


Let's be honest, most of this movie marathon turned out to be about me fully watching movies instead of just seeing parts of them. This one is definitely worth every single minute of the watch.

Love, the only member of the It's a Wonderful Life (IAWL) fandom,
Stephanie

Christmas Movie Marathon, Day 25 — A Christmas Story (1983)

I finally made it to the Christmas post! You know, though these few weeks have probably been the most chaotic of my entire year, the twelve days of Christmas have just ended, so I'm not as late as it seems. Trust me, I'm a Catholic.

I literally had no choice but to make this my movie for Christmas Day, because, as you may know, TBS plays this movie over and over again all day long on Christmas. It's a wonder how I managed to not sit down and watch it from start to finish EVER in all the years of seeing parts of it on TV every year. The movie is super funny, but I completely forget it exists just about every other day of the year. It's just such an institution. No wonder it is just simply called "A Christmas Story," because I honestly couldn't tell you anything about it other than that it's a normal family celebrating the holidays together and they go through some funny stuff. I guess it was meant to really just be a snapshot of an era in United States culture and history. The internet has just told me that it was recently preserved in the National Film Registry for it's cultural significance. So there!

In this movie, like The Princess Bride, there is a narrator who is basically telling the story and dropping in personal comments here and there, but, also like The Princess Bride, you totally forget there is even a narrator until you watch it again. Or at least I did/do. The greatest part of this movie is the older Ralphie looking back and remembering this as the best Christmas he ever had, or at least the story of his life surrounding the time he got the best gift he ever received. It completely elevates the comedy to a higher level, not to mention age group, and adds a layer to the movie itself. Though we never actually see the narrator, unlike The Princess Bride, (sorry for bringing up The Princess Bride so much, I can't stop) we do get to see him as a child. It's funny, though, because his older narrating voice kind of plays out situationally as Ralphie's 9-year-old inner dialogue.

It works. I'm just trying to say it works and it works on so many levels. It's hard to say sometimes what is so good about a movie that is lodged in the hearts of so many people, and just like other movies that people ritually watch this time of year, you can't touch tradition. Literally, if I sat here and typed up the most scathing review of A Christmas Story that you ever read, even if you agreed with some of my points, you would never stop watching it. (nudge, nudge, Love Actually.)

Blah Blah,
Stephanie

Christmas Movie Marathon, Day 24 — The Santa Clause (1994)

THIS MOVIE is one of my favorite truly Christmas movies, oh man. We watch it every single year on Christmas Eve as a family after we get back from mass. These days, "as a family" means my mom and I, and occasionally my sister and her husband when they are in town. Nowadays we get back from mass, take off our fancy clothes and slip into our pajamas, pour some wine, (or drink Miller Lite, if you're Mom) and settle down to play the movie. Because it's become a tradition in our family, the movie is so familiar and comforting to me. It also seemed to go by really fast because I was probably writing one of these blogs while half-watching it!

This year was an anomaly. We didn't watch it. It freaks me out when we mess with tradition, but Daniel wanted to come over, and my mom had some presents to wrap. So, it just didn't happen. I think things can still be traditions even if you skip a year. At least we didn't force ourselves to watch it begrudgingly, or skip it because we didn't feel like it.

This is a good movie for Tim Allen, and also came out while he was in his prime. The 90s were good to him: Jungle 2 Jungle, Toy Story, and Home Improvement was just taking off. It really is too bad that his run is practically over, but not as bad as Wild Hogs, The Shaggy Dog, or Christmas With The Kranks, let's be real.

I don't know if I've said this yet during this marathon, but I really like movies where Santa is real. I know I've talked multiple times about how these movies are problematic, because when adults don't believe in Santa but still have presents show up every year, how do they not get it? Otherwise, I like to imagine Christmas world where Santa is real and the spirit of Christmas helps people to get along with each other and remember the magic of childhood. It's nice, and always something that people need to hear. I feel like sometimes Christmas is a good excuse to remind people that they should be more kind to one another, give, and be patient with people.

Churches like to pedal the whole "Keep Christ in Christmas" thing around this time of year, and though I totally get it, I think it sounds a little threatening to everyone. Especially when people are like.."It's CHRISTmas" and so on. I much prefer movies full of teaching kindness and loving your neighbor and no religion, to a forward approach that just ends up making people feel guilty about loving to give and get presents. The former is much more Christ-like to me.

Anywho... Tim Allen, woooo!  This movie is too funny and also hurts your heart a bit somewhere in the middle. I won't make a comment about the other 2 movies in the series except that I'm glad they were able to make them, because I think that says something about the popularity of the first movie, but they, to me, are not made to the same standard as the original.

Kisses, all,
Stephanie

Christmas Movie Marathon, Day 23 — Christmas Vacation (1989)

So, I definitely let you guys down a little bit with my late posts, and I'm sorry about that. Being productive over winter break, student of not, is really difficult, especially in this last week. The last 8 movies will filter in as I get back into my routine, I promise!

I also promise to make a resolutions/plans post about the future of the blog and what I've got in mind for 2014. Happy New Year, guys!

—

It's pretty hard to think of watching a Christmas movie without Christmas Vacation coming immediately to mind. (Along with your favorite scene: Mine's the pledge of allegiance prayer.) I actually had seen some parts of this movie a ton of times before, catching it randomly on TV during the holidays, but, strangely enough this is the first time I've ever seen it all the way through! It's kind of been like that with a lot of these movies.

Even this past week while staying at a cabin with some friends (a dancy, drinky, relaxing time) a friend of mine word-for-word said, "Clark, I'd like to try to fumigate this here chair, it's a good quality item. If you don't mind me asking, how much did she set you back?" Having just watched the movie, I got the joke, and getting the joke is one of the sweetest things in life! This movie is a staple. Something I really liked about it, too, was that it wasn't too "stuck in time" like some movies can be. I mean, people love It's a Wonderful Life, and its most obviously set in the 1940s, but people romanticize that time much more than say the 1980s. Luckily there aren't too many instances of bad hair, pet rocks, or embarrassingly on-trend clothing... it's just understated and classic.

Sometimes I can get really exhausted with movies or TV shows where everything, and I mean everything, goes wrong just one thing after another. (Kenan and Kel is a GREAT example.) And I mean even in this movie, by the time the cat exploded and then the boss was kidnapped, I was a little annoyed by just how many setbacks there were, but I can't forget so soon that this is a National Lampoon's comedy. At least there were characters who sole purpose in the film was to react and comment on the ridiculousness of the Griswolds. Cue Elaine from Seinfeld, her pretentious husband, and their gross art deco style home! (fine, maybe that keeps the movie distinctly 80s, but the rest is timeless, okay.)

For a lot of people, my boyfriend included, going home for Christmas is not a fun and magical experience. People dread being forced to reunite with their families, immediate and extended, for a few days a year to endure torturous questions like, "What are you doing with your life?" or "How are you going to make money?" The only way to survive it is to avoid all political conversations and drink a lot of alcohol. Or maybe it's not even that, some people's families just don't get festive or particularly have anything in common, and that's really rough. I can understand it, because a lot of my friends go through those things, but I can't imagine it in my own house. The Griswolds seem to like each other at the end, but this movie really is relatable to people whose holidays are anything but normal, whatever normal actually is. Dang, I mean the entire National Lampoon's "Vacation" trifecta is about how abnormal family life is in general. Maybe that's why people love them so much?

Also, they're hilarious.


Tomorrow's movie is a Christmas movie that I've seen so many times that I could quote it to you..
Stephanie

Christmas Movie Marathon, Day 22 — The Year Without A Santa Claus (1974)

I don't know about you guys, but I get super excited about the claymation Christmas specials they show on TV. Maybe one year I'll actually break down and buy the box set, but meh, I really just love The Year Without a Santa Claus above all the others. I just want to see the Heat and Snow Misers sing their songs! They are probably the most entertaining thing about it. That and maybe the cute rendition of Blue Christmas, I mean, come on.

For some reason I assumed that these specials came out before 1974, just because it's stop motion and all that jazz, but I don't know. I've never looked up the history of them. (*looks up short history of TYWASC*) Apparently, it premiered on ABC in 1974 and was played every year for Christmas until the early '80s. Cool. Mickey Rooney plays Santa!

Basically, one freaking tiny angry doctor dude comes over to make sure Santa was okay, and he makes a remark that no one on Earth believes in him or the spirit of Christmas anymore and that makes Santa completely put a halt to the pinnacle of his existence each year. That one dude! Well, that and Santa's bad attitude. The wife seems to think that she can pretend to be Santa, then promptly gives up on that idea and makes the elves do her bidding. They are charged with the task of finding "proof" that people still believe, somehow. And then the guys that control the weather sing catchy songs about themselves and they are brothers and their mom is Mother Nature and they agree to make it snow in the southern United States (HAH!) on Christmas Day. It does. Santa tells some people he's Santa, and then the children give him presents and the entire world swoons. Basically it's adorable.

I've been watching these since I was pretty young, and I guess with this show, as it is with any classic Christmas movie that people watch every year, it's part nostalgia and a little bit of entertainment that keeps people coming back. Like, a lot of the movies are really not the best movies ever, but it feels like they are all we have to choose from when the season arrives. I sometimes wonder why movie people keep making Christmas-themed movies, but I guess they hope that they will become one of those holiday classics that people will pull out year after year after year, and after 20 years they can re-release it with a golden wrapper and people will buy it again as the "Anniversary Edition."

/endrant

But it's true. I mean, I guess I didn't realize how many there were and how easy it is to get sick of the ones you really don't like, because they will almost never go away. Some poor soul like me will pull them out for the first time one Christmas and add it to the list of movies to watch to get them into the holiday spirit.

I hope you all had a really great Christmas,

Stephanie

Christmas Movie Marathon, Day 21 — Love Actually (2003)

It's my birthday today! (12-21) I specifically put this movie on my birthday so I could watch it and be happy. It is a great movie and one that I've always really liked. It wasn't until this winter season that I've learned how many people actually hate it and rally against it as sexist and overrated.

The best post I've read on Love, Actually that points out all the things wrong with it, had me literally laughing out loud (LLOL) in my empty apartment. If you're really familiar with the movie, like I am, you will die. It's really funny and completely correct, but this movie is such a part of me and so second nature, that I just can't stop loving it. These situations are questionable and the sexist patterns are hard to ignore, but doesn't it make it more realistic that way? I know it's a sucky reality, but doesn't the sucky-ness of their reality make it more believable? I know it's a movie and should be scrutinized because people wrote it to be romantic and more than that, contain diverse romances (of which are seriously lacking in diversity) because people wrote this movie to be romantic, and they miss a big opportunity.

I don't know where I really stand on it, though. I've read a ton of the blog posts and they do make great points. They talk about things that never even crossed my mind while enjoying the movie: the women are passive and the men go out and take the romances they "deserve." And I guess the real sad thing is that I'm just used to those kinds of stories playing out in front of me that I don't even notice. Please don't think I'm blind to these things normally, but honestly with movies, especially comedies that I have enjoyed for many years and with lines I know by heart, I feel like I just relax while watching them.

In saying this, I really mean that I tend to let the more subtle things slide and not that I ignore them all together. Unfortunately, though, this movie relies on tried and true comedy tactics, timing, and subjects and if it is found guilty of sexism and misogyny, I urge you to look a little closer at some other movies our society holds dear. If I overthought all forms of entertainment as deeply as some people have looked into Love, Actually, I think I would be completely depressed and burdened. Of course, it is the presence of these burdened individuals that will change our world for the better and teach people like me to see more than just fun in their entertainment and read between the lines. I'm not trying to be apart of the problem, but what I'm trying to say is that I like this movie and I still think there's some good in it, and that it is NOT the most horrible or most sexist, if you get what I mean.

I CAN'T QUIT YOU, LOVE, ACTUALLY !

LOVE, STEPHANIE

Christmas Movie Marathon, Day 20 — While You Were Sleeping (1995)

I don't know if you guys have ever seen this movie, but for some reason it has been a big part of my sister's and my life for so long. I guess a really good romantic comedy just sticks with you, and especially with a just darling Sandy Bullock at the lead. She is really just so great in everything and this movie is no different. I sort of feel like this was a movie I sort of just lucked into knowing about, because I wouldn't think of it as a movie that is played on cable a lot (which, let's be honest, it's how a lot of us see awesome movies from the 90s/00s) but it has a great cast.

The "big day," when the main plot of this movie is set into motion, is Christmas Day, and the family ends up celebrating all of the holiday season together which I think justifies this as a winter-movie, if not a full-on Christmas movie. 

This movie is another one that really makes you wish you had a crazy huge family who could simultaneously make your life that much more difficult and that much more full of love. Sandy plays a girl who had never experienced this kind of family and grew up with only her Dad by her side. Though the premise of the movie is kind of really horrible and, I think, a little unlikely when I imagine someone doing this in real life, it is really charming and their love story is definitely unique. It's kind of like it was in The Family Stone, when SJP comes to spend the Christmas holiday with one son and ends up with the other. You know that it feels unlikely, but with *truuuue love* shit happens, right?

This has always been one of my favorite comedies because it is so well-rounded and well-acted. It just makes me feel really good, and movies that can do that are worth obsessing over.

Also: Bill Pullman. That is all.

Keepin' em coming over here...

Stephanie

Christmas Movie Marathon, Day 19 — How The Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)

This movie is so much better than I ever remembered! Like.. seriously.

Even thinking back on it now I can't remember really identifying with Cindy Lou Who so much or thinking that she was so smart, kind, and freaking pensive and self-reflecting! I really admired her and her struggle the entire movie to figure out what Christmas really is. This is the first of the bunch of movies that I've been totally and pleasantly surprised by.

I feel like I started this whole movie thing to really just try my hand at finding an explanation for Christmas and if it's a thing or a what, a who or a where? I mean even her darling little song (that miss powerhouse Faith Hill redid for the soundtrack, bleh) says, "Christmas, why can't I find you? Has Christmas changed or is it just me?"

Talk about right on the money. Hit me in the gut. That's exactly how I've been feeling lately. Like have I suddenly gotten a bad attitude about my parents giving me money and getting me exactly what I tell them, no surprises? I guess when I was a kid (and like the Whos in this movie) Christmas relies a lot of the magic that we really have to try hard to make ourselves: presents, lights, food, decorations, and movies even. If we're missing some of these details we close up a little bit and think, "Well now Christmas isn't Christmas."

When the Grinch takes all the presents as revenge to the town that rejected him and made him into a monster, the mayor, upon finding that all the presents have been taken, says: (in a totally rude and snotty way) "Well, I guess Christmas is canceled because Cindy Lou HAD to be a really nice person, so I guess we'll all just go home and stare at the wall until it's not Christmas anymore." Like, for one, who talks to a CHILD like that, and number two, you're a big dummy and no wonder Martha May doesn't want to marry you.

Highlights:
• Jim Carrey doing Jim Carrey.
• Baxter the dog being so loyal and wonderful.
• Molly Shannon in anything.
• Subtle adult humor, (when they are explaining how babies come to Whoville in little flying baskets, one lands in front of a random doorstep and the husband comes out and says, "Honey! Our baby's here!! It looks like your boss...")
• Cute noses for everyone.


These are all coming in late but they're coming!!

I hope you all had a really great holiday and are still having a really great season,
Stephanie

Christmas Movie Marathon, Day 18 — Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (1987)

I think it's obvious that I had never seen this movie before, because I totally thought it was a Christmas movie and it's about getting home for Thanksgiving... uhhhh...

Awkward.

At least it was a good movie! It's hard to get much better than two comedy legends working side by side in one movie. Like.. they are literally the only characters in the entire thing.

I've always been a Steve Martin fan, and it's hard not to be when his brand of comedy can be so subtle and down-played. When it's paired with John Candy's boisterous humor, both actors are able to shine without over-shadowing the other. It's basically a match made in comedy heaven.

They are both such phenomenal actors, as well, and can be super poignant when the role calls for it. John Candy damn near broke my heart in the end. To be honest, I already knew the "surprise" ending because my film teacher had showed just the last few minutes in class one day for some teaching reason, I suppose, so I was able to understand Candy's character from the beginning.

I don't really have anything holiday-themed to say about this movie, because well, it's the first of the three holidays in the season and right after it's through, it's all aboard the X-MAS X-PRESS and play our Christmas music until it's all over. It's a little hard to go back. You know what they always say: "Once you pop, the fun don't stop" (which is a saying that is completely relevant to everything).

I'd say if I watched this movie on Thanksgiving I would have been pretty happy about it. It's a good start. I kind of already want to watch it again because it was so short!

Maybe next year ;)

Bye, kids,
Stephanie

Christmas Movie Marathon, Day 17 — Jingle All The Way (1996)

I think I've seen this movie, but I really can't remember! I would have been 5 years young when it came out... It's hard to tell. I know it would have been daycare times, but that was even before daycare times, so maybe not. Man! 1996!

So, while Ahhnuld is busy mis-pronouncing words and barely showing emotions in this movie, he's also a horrible dad, but don't worry because SINBAD IS HERE. Basically Sinbad's role in the whole movie is to make Arnold Schwarzenegger (had to look that one up..) look like a good guy. Seriously, though, if Sinbad's character wasn't in the movie, it would just be a movie about a bad and negligent father who tries really hard to get a last minute present for his son, fails miserably and gets screwed over, even stumping to stealing the present from his neighbor's kid. He gets incredibly lucky and is mistaken for a superhero-actor (Oh, Ahhnuld, such muscles) and gets a free TurboMan and is able to give it to his son.

Really the only character in this movie who goes through a real change is the son! In the beginning of the film, the son just wants the toy and puts it above all else, even convinching his dad if he got the toy for his son that their relationship would be repaired. In the end, after his crazy experience of being sought out and saved by his hero, he's inspired to give his dad a second chance, gives away the doll to someone who wants it more, and puts his family before his material needs.*

*Though, it is SUPER problematic that he now thinks his dad is the "real" TurboMan, and probably thinks that all that time he was missing his karate tournaments that he was fighting bad guys and saving the world from danger. NO, actually he was just a shitty dad.

The only plot line in this movie that I actually enjoyed was their neighbor, who did his best to be the perfect "husband," even though he was divorced, just to win the affections of Arnold's wife. It is fun to watch all the neighborhood and karate moms swoon over him and ask him to come fix things at their house. Also, he is reeeeeeally creepy, which is a big part of why his storyline is the most entertaining.


And introducing Dr. Leo Spaceman (Spa-che-men) a hilarious actor and resident doctor of 30 Rock.

Until tomorrow,
Stephanie