The Monkees

I know the Horror Movie Challenge just started, but when checking for last year's thread, I did post the discussion thread on October 7th, this is a few days early but I really wanted to start it now.

The 4th Annual Holiday Movie Challenge

2005 Discussion & Lists Thread
2006 Discussion Thread
2006 Lists Thread
2007 Discussion Thread
2007 Lists Thread

OFFICIAL RULES

-Movies, TV shows/specials, Short Films & Cartoons Count

-The movie or TV show DOES NOT need to be holiday oriented. It could simply take place during the holiday season (i.e. Batman Returns, Gremlins, Die Hard, etc.)

-Although the movie doesn't have to take place during the holiday season, a MAJORITY of the film HAS to take place during the holiday season. No movies with just one scene during the holiday season. If you're not sure, ASK!

-Any holiday from Thanksgiving through New Years Day may count

-A film can only be viewed once, UNLESS you watch it and then watched it again with a commentary

-This year there won't be a goal, but instead a personal goal. Whatever you want your goal to be go for it. For returning participants maybe your goal should be to beat a previous year's goal.

-A new addition to this year's challenge, as suggested by bluelitespecial is a THREE Wild Card Option. This is here to include movies you might watch as a tradition during the holidays. My family used to watch Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory every Thanksgiving. So ANY movie is allowed, up to THREE. Thanks bluelitespecial

-PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE number your lists!

It doesn't matter how you see the film, VHS, DVD, Laserdisc, Theatrical release, it will be counted. Just have fun.

This year the challenge has been extended by 1 day to include all of New Years Day.

List thread is now up here

The challenge begins at 12:00am CST on November 24, 2008 and ends at 11:59pm CST on January 1, 2009.

NEW START DATE OF MONDAY NOVEMBER 24TH!!!!

CHECKLIST

--- Watch a Thanksgiving movie:
--- Watch a Thanksgiving TV episode:
--- Watch a Thanksgiving special:
--- Watch something animated about Thanksgiving:

--- Watch a Christmas movie:
--- Watch a Christmas TV episode:
--- Watch a Christmas special:
--- Watch something animated about Christmas:
--- Watch some version of A Christmas Carol:

--- Watch a New Year's movie.
--- Watch a New Year's TV episode.
--- Watch a New Year's special:
--- Watch something animated about New Year's:

--- Watch something Charlie Brown:
--- Watch something Garfield:
--- Watch an Oscar Winner:
--- Watch "It's a Wonderful Life"
--- Watch some version of "Miracle on 34th Street"
--- Watch "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation"
--- Watch "A Christmas Story"

--- 1920s
--- 1930s
--- 1940s:
--- 1950s:
--- 1960s:
--- 1970s:
--- 1980s:
--- 1990s:
--- 2000s:
--- Watch a Film From the Year You Were Born:

--- Watch the MST3K version of a film/show.
--- Watch a film/show and its remake:
--- Watch a film/show based on or turned into a video game. -
--- Watch a film/show based on a novel:
--- Watch a silent film.
--- Watch a film/show with commentary.
--- Watch a film/show that takes place in space.
--- Watch a film/show that takes place on or under the sea.

Watch a film/show for each rating:
--- G:
--- PG:
--- PG-13:
--- R:
--- Unrated:

islandclaws

Sure, I'll toss my hat in for this one. I don't think I participated last year, but my gf and I have been planning to watch a lot of Christmas movies in Dec, so I'll have some fun with it while I'm at it.

Doc Moonlight

I'm glad we're starting on the 17th, that gives us 10 days to get Thanksgiving movies in (we only had 3 last year).

The Monkees

Thanksgiving is on the 20th

Bluelitespecial

Awesome I am in again, I have already started looking for new dvds to add to my list this year. I hit 86 last year, I am hoping for at least 100 this year.

Crazee4DVDs

I'll play.

EdTheRipper

Not sure what calendar you're using but Thanksgiving is on the 27th.

WallyOPD

I'm in, I really enjoyed this one last year.

Bluelitespecial

If Trevor watches over 500 again we are all screwed.

Trevor

Nope, only doing about 100 this year. Promise.

FantasticVSDoom

Im in again, and not going anywhere at all this year so I should be good to finish...

LBCrazyFool

In again.

LickTheABCs

Ho, Ho, Ho.

The Monkees

Isn't Thanksgiving always the 3rd Thursday in November?

Trevor

Nope, always the fourth Thursday. But it's ok to be anxious.

Doc Moonlight

I thought of a new category for the checklist: Watch a Christmas Movie that takes place during a war or has a war scene. There are a surprising number of them, off the top of my head I can think of A MIDNIGHT CLEAR, JOYEAUX NOEL, and even WHITE CHRISTMAS.

Also, how do participants feel about movies taking place during December? Pearl Harbor Day really isn't an official holiday, but if you want to commemorate the attack on Pearl Harbor by watching PEARL HARBOR or TORA, TORA, TORA on December 7 or BATTLE OF THE BULGE or BATTLEGROUND in early December, should that count towards the challenge?

Trevor

Both ideas look good to me.

Here was the expanded checklist from last year.

The Monkees

Okay since November 27th is Thanksgiving, then the challenge has a new start date of November 24th, I like to keep it the Monday before Thanksgiving.

Trevor

But I already took vacation starting the 17th!

Just kidding. Btw you'll have to ask a mod to change your thread title for you.

Bluelitespecial

One idea I wish we could add to the challenge would be to watch movies that are a holiday tradition to you but they might not be christmas movies, for example I always watch the Lord of the Rings Trilogy during the holiday season. Maybe have a three wild card option for this.

RobCA

I'm in! Looking forward to it. I need to update the list of qualifying movies and TV shows I made last year, to add stuff that I've bought since then.

Rob

Doc Moonlight

The thing is, though, there are so many Thanksgiving movies that one could watch (movies about families getting together Thanksgiving have become a sub-genre unot themselves) and starting it the Monday before Thanksgiving doesn't even give us a weekend to get them in. I would prefer starting on the 17th as originally stated, or the 20th or 21st.

Trevor

That's a good point. No one like to watch Thanksgiving things after Thanksgiving Thursday, we all move on to Christmas then.

There is so much Thanksgiving content out there that 4 work days really aren't enough time to get much in.

RobCA

Last year, I started watching Christmas stuff the day after Thanksgiving... and ran out of stuff to watch on December 14th. (I only watch stuff I own on DVD, a couple of things on VHS, and any holiday-themed episodes of the handful of new shows I watch on TV) So this year, regardless of when the challenge starts, I'm not going to start watching any of my Christmas stuff until December 1st.

Rob

The Monkees

I'm going to stick with the 24th starting date, because every year I keep changing the dates, but I want to stick to the tradition of starting the Monday before Thanksgiving. I did change the end date this year (last year the last day was 12/31).