Holiday Movie Hall of Fame

You can record the old VHS tapes onto DVD-Rs, and then you would have the nostalgia of VHS, with all the graininess still in tact, and the convenience of DVD.


I bought the Rankin/Bass DVD box sets too, but they air on TV so often during the holiday season that I rarely have to watch them on DVD.

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OPEN FLOOR.

Just Friends (2005)

I like both Ryan Reynolds and Anna Faris, so I really wanted to like this movie, but sadly, it let me down. I thought this movie was going to be a romantic comedy, and rom-coms are one of my favorite genres, so I had high hopes that I was going to like this movie.

Unfortunately, it turned out to be more comedy, and less romance, which wouldn't have been that bad because I like comedies too, but this movie went for bad taste comedy, and that just didn't work for me. I don't think it's funny to keep seeing someone get physically hurt over and over again.

Another problem that I had with this movie was that most of the characters weren't even likeable, with the exception of Jamie. By about halfway into the movie, I didn't even care if Chris got together with her in the end because I didn't think that he deserved her. (In a rom-com, it's usually a big problem if the viewer doesn't want to see the two characters to get together in the end.)

Most of the supporting characters were so annoying that I wish they weren't even in the movie. His brother Mike, Samantha, and Dusty were all horrible people who should have been left on the cutting room floor. The only supporting character who wasn't terrible was his friend, the dentist, Clark, and even he was only mildly likeable.

I didn't hate the movie, but I would have liked it better if it had been more romance, and less low-class comedy.

Just Friends seems to be the go-to movie for kicking off the Holiday HoF. I'm going to try and watch this sooner than later, so I can know what you guys are talking about I don't even know who Ryan Reynolds and Anna Faris are? Though I've heard Blake Lively is good in it

Ryan Reynolds is probably best known as title character in the Marvel Comics Deadpool movies, and Anna Faris is probably best known as Christie in the current sitcom "Mom", but she just left the show this season.

I COULD copy them but I never have the time lol

And, even though they do show up on TV I have noticed that they do get edited for time and so forth. Also, NO COMMERCIALS when you watch them that way.

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May need help finding Just Friends if anyone knows the whereabouts.

I do. Is your message box open? I'll PM you.

Children are young and believe in the simplest things. Santa, Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy and yes, even Jack Frost. Jack was a confused young man because the children couldn't see him. They could only see the frost that Jack left behind. If children don't believe, these things disappear and then fear can take hold a child and all hope is lost. This is how the Guardians of Children beat that fear, with Jack at the forefront.

I really liked this film! It was the first time I saw it, I think I confused it with another one. It was interesting and cute. I think my daughter would enjoy it more. The story and animation were done well.

1 out of 3 got the silly sense of humor of this movie.. That's how I saw it as well. Especially Anna Faris. I find Ryan Reynolds always has an odd, somewhat dark sense of humor. To me, the two of them make this weird little holiday film.

Those who follow me on letterboxd, I have learned to not rate or mark the film "seen" on there until I am completely done with the HOF.

Home Alone (1990)
This is a cute movie, but I think it's a bit overrated. I'm not really a fan of Macaulay Culkin, but he does a good job as Kevin. At times, he reminds me a little bit of the kid who plays Young Sheldon. He's intelligent, especially for his age, but a bit socially awkward.

His siblings are all so unlikable that it makes me think that their parents are just bad parents. Not just because they somehow managed to leave young Kevin behind, but also because they either don't see how badly the older kids treat Kevin, or because they know about it, but let it happen anyway. And then when the older kids cause problems, somehow they blame Kevin, and punish him.

And how is it possible that the pizza delivery boy didn't report someone shooting at him to the police? If he had done that, they would have found Kevin that night.

Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern are fun as the Wet Bandits, but it doesn't make sense that they can be so inept that they have already robbed a bunch of houses in the area, and the police still have no idea who they are, or how to catch them. But somehow, an 8-year old kid could do what the police couldn't do.

And like in the movie "Just Friends", I don't think it's funny to watch someone getting physically hurt over and over again.

On the plus side, I liked the relationship Kevin formed with the neighbor, Old Man Marley, and the ending with him.

But I could have done without the scenes with the spider.

Some ones in the Christmas mood early, giving a gift of a review to this 😏

Rise of the Guardians tonight after work. Looking forward to it

Rise of the Guardians



I haven't seen a lot of DreamWorks animated films but from what I've seen they have at least been entertaining. This is no different. The story seems cool due to the Guardian characters and some really solid voice acting performances, with my favorites being Hugh Jackman and Jude Law. The film looks pretty solid although not spectacular.

Another great thing I enjoy is the incorporation of the evil villain as a nightmare type concept. Real cool idea.

I've seen better animated films (I do really have a pretty big love for them) but this is well worth watching.

I'm watching an extra film. However, I wish it wasn't dubbed. I will write up about it after I watch it. I soooo want to watch it with Finnish dialog with English subs.

The story of a young Laplander orphan boy named Nikolas and how he became what we know as Santa Claus or Father Christmas

After the death of his parents and baby sister, Nikolas goes to live with each family in the village for one year. As Christmas, comes around, he makes small animals and objects from wood and gives it to the previous families he lives. One year, the harvest is not bountiful nor are the lakes providing fish for food. Nikolas is sent to live with an old carpenter who treats him as a slave. One night, as Nikolas is found making gifts from discarded pieces of wood, his master scolds him but then decides he will give Nikolas the night of Christmas eve off to deliver the handmade gifts. Over time, the carpenter's heart softens and begins to help. After many years, the carpenter's sons finally come to take him to live better. Nikolas inherits the old carpenter's land and workshop. Nikolas becomes close friends with his best friend's daughter, Aada. Nikolas begins to deliver gifts to children who live in surrounding villages and wears a red suit to hide his identity. After many, many years, Aada convinces Nikolas, that in his old age, he needs to give up delivering gifts on Christmas eve. That Christmas eve, Aada is unable to find Nikolas and as her, her husband and son stand at the lake, where so many years ago, Nikolas lost his family, he comes by flying through the night, on his sleigh and with his reindeer.

I thought it was a cute telling of how Father Christmas came to be. It was imaginative and the acting was decent. However, I could only find the English dubbed version and not the original Finnish dialog with English subtitles.

If anyone is interested in viewing, its IMDB tv and Tubi tv for free.

The story of Aaron, a young boy, whose parents were killed by desert bandits. Aaron, hates people for what happened to his family. On his birthday, he received a drum from his father. With the drum, he was able to have the animals of the farm dance around to his playing. He is captured by a group of performers and forced to perform in Bethlehem during the great census called for by Ceasar Augustus. Aaron's hatred for the crowd causes the band of performs to leave Bethlehem. While setting up for the night, they see the three Wisemen following the great star. One of the Wisemen's camel is exhausted and unable to carry the heavy load so Aaron's camel, Joshua, is sold to them. Aaron, along with Baabaa, his sheep and Samson, his camel, find their way to the Wisemen outside the manger in Bethlehem. As they rush to Joshua, a Roman soldier, in his chariot, runs over Baabaa and Aaron is heartbroken. He thinks the Wisemen will know how to heal Baabaa but he is told that only the babe in the manger can heal the little sheep. Aaron notices that many had brought gifts to the babe but he had nothing but the music of his drums. As he plays, his eyes and heart open and he understands it's wrong to hate. Once he is done, he notices his sheep is healed and he is reunited with all three of his animal friends.

Ok damn it! This show makes me cry! I'm 53 years old and when that Roman hits Baabaa, I struggle to keep a dry eye. The world is full of hate and destruction that a show like this, a story like this, can be so heart-touching! This has always been a favorite and will continue to be.

I had stopped watching this in my twenties BECAUSE of how it made me cry and about 5 yrs ago watched it again. . . and. . . yep. Teary-eyed.
This and Rudolph were my childhood favorites and I was very tempted to nominate Rudolph for this HoF.

Here in a few days, I will review another childhood favorite. I'm going to watch a HOF nomination tomorrow night.