Love Actually (2003): If you haven't seen Love Actually yet, I don't know what you are waiting for! This movie not only has an all star cast BUT an all talent cast including Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Liam Neeson, Colin Firth, Bill Nighy and well...many more. This who's who of British cinema doesn't really have to rely on the full talents of the actors as each superbly written vignette about love, loss, love and family tell their own story. It is a true gift to yourself to just sit and enjoy this movie.
The Holiday (2006): The unlikely combination of Jack Black, Kate Winslet, Jude Law and Cameron Diaz make for a delightful movie about two women on a search for a change in their lives during the holidays and do! Winslet and Diaz play two women at opposite ends of the world (but not in their love lives) who decide to swap houses for the holidays. With a stellar supporting cast this charming movie will be a more than pleasant surprise.
Elf (2003): Whether you like Will Ferrell or not - this movie is so much fun and such a delight that you will forget he is in it! I think it is important to point out the director - Jon Favreau, who is also an actor that has appeared in funny supporting parts as in Swingers, The Replacements and Somethings Gotta Give seems to give him a good pace for adding comic timing to his directing. He also directed Iron Man and Zathura and his humor and pace is seen there as well. I don't know if Will Ferrell is the kind of actor that needs a heavy handed director to keep his shtick in line but it works for this movie. Buddy the Elf (Ferrell) was raised by Elves in the North Pole but figures out that he doesn't fit in. After finding out he had human parents and his father is still alive - he heads to the Big Apple. A fish out of water story can always be fun and is taken full advantage of in this movie. A great cast to support Ferrell doesn't hurt either. Take a chance on this movie and I promise, by the end, you will have found your own Christmas spirit!
Miracle on 34th Street (1947): Only the original captures the simple innocence of the belief or non-belief in Santa Claus. I am sure everyone reading this has seen this movie - if you haven't seen it in a while, time to see it again. This movie never loses it's magic - black and white or "colorized" it is still a treat. Is the Macy's Santa really Santa? Young Natalie Wood would like to know! At the time 20th Century Fox used it's "stable of stars" to make this movie with Maureen O'Hara and John Payne who were known for more serious movies. But in a post-war America, it was time for some belief...in something. If your children have never seen this version now is the time!
Scrooged (1988): I wasn't a fan of this movie when I was younger but over the past couple years I have come to appreciate it's unbelievably cynical "Scrooge" as only Bill Murray can play him. Bill Murray plays a TV executive who is producing a live TV version of A Christmas Carol. It is ironic that someone with zero Christmas spirit is producing this show. Of course, he is visiting by the three spirits and learns what Scrooge learned. If you are like me - give it re-watch and you will catch some things you didn't before.
Merry Christmas from the movie mommy!
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