LJG765

I know a lot of people consider it a favorite but I don't think I'll watch it again to get to that point. I'll stick with The Muppet's Christmas Carol!

The Monkees

I loved Scrooged. I can't believe there are this many people who don't like it!

Trevor

They just haven't watched it enough. It's the second best 'modern' Christmas film, after Elf, imho.

LorenzoL

Agreed 100%.

The Monkees

I disagree with that part. Elf and Scrooged are great films but I prefer Christmas Vacation over both of them. Elf wouldn't be that high on my list honestly.

BobO'Link

Yeah... I'm not a fan of Elf solely because of Will Ferrell's presence. There's something about the guy that just rubs me wrong. Were someone else (almost anyone) in the main role I'd like it much better.

Finally watched another Holiday film: The Santa Clause. My daughter-in-law selected that one. If they can get the kids to sleep fairly soon we're supposed to watch Mixed Nuts. Both she and my son are Steve Martin fans and I've talked that one up a bit so they're primed for a viewing as it's one neither has seen before.

Gobear

Merry Christmas to all!

LorenzoL

I'm not part of this challenge but just wanted to share that I rang Christmas with two holiday movies: Christmas in Connecticut (1945) and Remember The Night (1940). First time seeing both movies and found them very enjoyable. It makes you fall in love with Barbara Stanwyck. I found the latter better and you can tell that MacMurray and Stanwyck shares a great chemistry. I need to watch Double Indemnity.

Merry Christmas!

shadokitty

Merry Christmas

Trevor

Merry Christmas friends!

Stuck at work today, but have already watched a bunch of the classic animated specials like The Year Without Santa Claus and such. Hoping to get to Scrooged before the day is done.

Lining up a few New Years specials and films for the next week.

PhantomStranger

I think it's airing on Hallmark, but I recently watched the heartwarming Signed, Sealed, Delivered For Christmas television movie. Surprisingly good for a television movie.

BobO'Link

My son and his family came in for a couple of weeks and brought a stomach flu with them! They thought everyone was in the clear but the 1 year old got sick the first night here. Of course we'd all been hugging/kissing on him so... At this point the only person who's escaped infection is my daughter. Needless to say that put quite a crimp on movie watching as well as other holiday events (we cancelled everything except for our Christmas this morning). In a way it was somewhat a blessing as I was dreading Christmas Eve celebrations with my brother-in-law's "upgraded" family (I'd love to spend time with my brother-in-law and his wife as long as the grown kids stay "home"). It's been a *very* quiet Christmas. I'm heading back to the couch... Batman has been put off a day or two 'cause I want to feel good when I start watching.

Merry Christmas to all!

LJG765

Merry Christmas! I have been view less the last couple days having been at my brother's for the holiday. "Elf" was on, but I managed about 10 mins before leaving for something else. I am not a fan of that one either. For me, it's definitely Will Farrell. I've tried several of his movies, but I just don't like him. At all! I may pop something in later tonight, but I am fairly tired so may just fall asleep first. We'll see...

davidh777

I did have the Annie viewing party with friends that I mentioned earlier, and their experience was pretty much like yours, I think. Both people are fans of musicals, but they grew up with the 1982 movie, which I realized before we started.

See, this is my opinion, but that's based on my knowledge of the stage show. I love the NYC number in the 1999 movie, but the people I was with watched it and said "That song wasn't in the movie, was it?" Then I mentioned Andrea McArdle did the cameo.... blank stares. "She was the original Annie on Broadway." "Ohhhh!" Then they asked if Paul Reubens was playing Rooster. "No, it's Alan Cumming." Blank stares. Fortunately my kids watched it and asked if that was Eli Gold!

So when I'm recommending things to people (and I was selling this pretty hard), I should take into account what they're used to. I'll try to keep this in mind when I see Into the Woods with the same friends later today.

LJG765

I try to do that too, keep in mind what people are used to, but sometimes I feel like people won't take that leap. I feel like I can appreciate all versions of something, not just the original. Like Alice in Wonderland. There are tons of different takes on it and I don't think I've watched one that I totally hated as there were at least one or two scenes in each that I appreciated.

So the '82 Annie, I love Tim Curry and Carol Burnett. I also love the Punjab character. And to me, Aileen Quinn is the original Annie. I also have the made for TV Annie: The Royal adventure which is very cheesy, but still fun to watch. It wasn't until a few years ago that I even realized that there was a Broadway play on it. I'm not sure why it slipped through my knowledge as I'm a fan of musicals and have seen quite a few (just not Annie) so I don't have the attachment to the songs as many people do.

I did go and get the '99 version after that when I found out it follows the play better and like the end better than the '82.

I do think that people's first experience with a show is what sets their expectations for any redos that follow.

davidh777

Absolutely, which is why the original Broadway cast is the way I prefer to listen to at least... 85% of my musicals. (It might be more, but there are some very fine revival and studio recordings of stuff like Guys n Dolls and Oklahoma! I'm not as much of a purist snob as I sometimes sound. )

I think I do owe the 1982 Annie a rewatch as I'm not that familiar with it, and then I'd at least have a basis for my snobbery.

shadokitty

Without trying to, I watched the Christmas episode of Lassie today. It was very touching how all Timmy wanted was for Lassie to get better, as while saving a little girl, she got hit by a truck and needed emergency surgery.

PhantomStranger

A Starry Christmas was really good if you like Sarah Carter, the actress playing Maggie on Falling Skies. It was on Hallmark, I believe. The romance was pretty predictable in it but Carter sparkles as an astronomer.

LJG765

So, it's the end of the challenge and I'm trying to finish off the check list. I am going to end up watching one more movie to finish off the New Year's Eve portion, but will not watch one for the MST3K one, the on/under the sea and the takes place in space.

I think for next year, these should be replaced with something else. There are just not a lot of options. There are 2 movies for the MST3K. "Santa Claus" and "Santa Claus Conquers the Martians." (if there is another, please let me know because I've watched these several times and while I enjoy "Santa Claus Conquers the Martians," I don't need to watch it every single year...

What are some of the movies people watch for this? Does anyone watch any for them?

Also, the Garfield one. I don't know that this deserves it's own check mark. Maybe add it to the Charlie Brown one to give people a choice between the two?

I just checked and it looks like no one has watched any movie for the under/on the sea one or the takes place in space. Only one person watched a MST3K (it was "Santa Claus"). I liked the show, but with only 2 options, I am not so sure it makes a great check list item...

Trevor

I just watched a rifftrax Santa Claus and the Ice Cream Bunny.

Trevor

Plus you have the whole Turkey Day marathon of MSTs which would satisfy the checklist. YouTube the skits to get your check.

LJG765

Thanks for pointing those out-I didn't know they did those. If I have time tomorrow, I'll do that for the check.

I just want to clarify though-my issue isn't that I don't have access to a MST3K-I own the "Santa Claus Conquers the Martians" one, but I really just don't want to have to watch the same 2 over and over again. Those Turkey Day shorts help, but still, there doesn't seem to be many people eager to fulfill the check mark. It might just be time to switch things up.

How about adding a few different themes of holiday movie, like "someone trying to get home for the holiday" or "a movie with elves in it" or "dealing with an annoying family holiday" or "takes place at the North Pole."

Or if people really don't want these 3 removed (takes place on/under the sea, in space and MST3K), add a few new checks and then make it "watch 5 out of 10."

Trevor

Yeah, we might want to ask TM to go to the '5 of 10' or such format that all the other Challenges are doing.

bacigalup

This episode of The Love Boat should do the trick:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EfUL8A1ivM

Dimension X

Teen-Age Crime Wave (1955) (riffed in episode 522 of MST3K) takes place on Thanksgiving. I watched the MST3K episode during the '08 challenge, and the movie itself (recorded off TCM earlier that year) in '09.