C.C.C. Issue #3: Top Five Christmas Movies

C.C.C. Issue #3: Top Five Christmas Movies

I guess I should have done this top 5 list and my previous one before I did my Grinch vs. Gremlins article. If you've read it, then you'll already know number one on this list. Nevertheless, enjoy this final Christmas themed list on Christmas Eve. Merry Christmas readers, I will see you in the new year with lots more issues of C.C.C.!

Top Five Christmas Movies

These are the top five movies I watch during the holidays that put me in the Christmas spirit. If you don’t see your favourite on here, please don’t go all bah humbug on me. These are my personal picks; I know I left out numerous classics. Any whom, let’s get on with the movie merriment!

Honourable mention: Home alone. Although very well known and beloved by many of you I’m sure, it just isn’t a Christmas film I seek out each holiday season, and it just doesn’t resonate with me as extremely special for whatever reason. It still is an entertaining and fun film, but just not as jolly as these other five.

5. The Santa Clause

Kicking off this list is a holly jolly Christmas comedy (some pretty festive wordplay right there, I must say). It stars Tim Allen, who accidently causes Santa to fall off his roof, thus making him obligated to fill in for the big guy. This premise won over audiences and critics alike in the holiday season of 1994. It holds some palpable significance with me as the first film I ever saw in the theater, according to my mother any way, who claims I (a baby at the time) slept through the whole thing. Steer clear of the lame sequels; this family film is where it’s at. Tim Allen makes for a likeable Saint Nick fill-in, the Christmas soundtrack is great, and overall it’s a fun film.

4. Die Hard

If you’re not into the family friendly, light hearted Christmas antics found in The Santa Clause, you could watch Die Hard, which is the polar opposite of The Santa Clause, but still a Christmas movie. Of all the movies on this list, this is the one that most people associate the least with Christmas. It follows Bruce Willis as John McClane, the man in the wrong place at the wrong time, his most famous role. McClane, a New York cop, flies out to Los Angeles to meet up with his ex-wife on Christmas Eve, but finds himself in a pickle when terrorists take over the building. Die Hard is a genre classic, fuelled by excellent action, clever dialogue, and mounting tension. It doesn’t fully embrace the Christmas setting at all times, but that doesn’t matter. Not only is Die Hard a great movie in its own right, it’s by far one of the most exhilarating Christmas movies you can find. The sequel, Die Hard 2: Die Harder also takes place during Christmas, but the setting is switched from a sky scraper to an airport. I must say, I really don’t like this sequel. Up until I saw A Good Day to Die Hard, I always thought this was the weakest entry in the Die Hard franchise. Having said that, Die Hard 2 is one of the most action packed holiday films around next to the original.

3. Elf

This Will Ferrell comedy, from Iron Man director Jon Favreau, isn’t for everyone. My mom, who loves pretty much everything and anything to do with Christmas, refuses to watch this movie. What it comes down to is if you like Will Ferrell or not. If you don’t, then obviously this movie isn’t for you. If you do, Elf is hard to resist. It’s enduringly hilarious and heartfelt, and there are a couple of concepts that are among the more original ideas I’ve seen in modern Christmas flicks. One is that of Santa’s sleigh running on Christmas spirit, and the other being to feature a human who thinks he’s an Elf. Will Ferrell does a great job in the role of Buddy, who ventures to New York where he meets his real father (played perfectly by James Caan) who is less than thrilled to find him suddenly thrust into his life, bringing much needed Christmas spirit to their family, and eventually all of New York. There are numerous great moments throughout the film, but my favourite has always been Buddy’s love for everything sweet, prompting him to lather his plate of spaghetti in syrup and candy. I highly recommend this holiday delight; it offers humour for both young and old, and packs a good message about Christmas in there too.

2. It’s a Wonderful Life

For many, this is the ultimate Christmas film. But, it seems modern audiences and younger generations just brush this movie off as some stupid, boring black and white flick their parents always watch and cry over. I’m telling any naysayers that Frank Capra’s It’s a Wonderful Life is a timeless classic. Jimmy Stewart plays George Bailey, a man with a good heart who faces much adversity over his life, which we get to see first hand along with Clarence, an angel who hasn’t got his wings yet. Clarence is shown important moments throughout George’s life, then told if he can convince him not to commit suicide, he will earn his wings. As George is about to plunge into the icy river on Christmas Eve, Clarence leaps off the bridge first, prompting George to save him. Clarence then shows George what life would be like had he never been born, and how many people he’s affected. Although the first half of the film moves quite slowly, everything that’s shown is shown for a reason. We see the ups and downs of George’s life, and begin to understand why he feels so down. The audience wants George to succeed and not kill himself, but we are powerless to help convince him. We root for Clarence to show him the way, and when things finally come to a head in the final minutes of the film, our emotions are soaring. Forget that the film is from 1946, forget that it’s in black and white. Sit back and enjoy this classic. It doesn’t become a happy and uplifting Christmas film until the end, but it is well worth watching.

1. Gremlins

How the Grinch Stole Christmas may be my favourite Christmas TV special (see Movie vs. Movie Issue #1) but Gremlins is my favourite Christmas film ever. Billy Peltzer (played by Zach Galligan) receives a mysterious gift from his father for Christmas. It’s a Mogwai—the cutest movie creature ever. Things quickly get out of hand when the Mogwai, named Gizmo by Billy’s father, gets wet and spawns several new Mogwai. Once the new Mogwai consume fried chicken after midnight, they become Gremlins. The Gremlins are nasty, hard partying creatures that turn the once quiet town upside down.  This movie goes against the grain as far as a typical holiday movie. Instead of being merry and bright, it acknowledges how not everyone is happy during the Christmas season (the ultimate example being why Billy’s girlfriend doesn’t celebrate the holiday, I won’t spoil it if you don’t already know). That isn’t to say the movie isn’t fun. It’s hilarious! It’s clear to me director Joe Dante loves the Looney Tunes, because some of the greatest moments are when the Gremlins are just causing mayhem in the tavern, everything from swinging on the fan to shooting each other over a game of poker. Even sound effects from Looney Tunes are used, like birds’ chirping after one of the Gremlins gets smacked on the head. In one scene near the end, the Gremlin group leader is hiding among stuffed toys in a department store. On one side is a plush Sylvester, on the other Bugs Bunny (and in the middle an E.T. toy, probably put there by producer Steven Spielberg). The movie is chocked full of great moments. It’s the perfect balance of creature chaos and characters we care about. There is never a dull moment. Gremlins is fantastic, I cannot recommend it enough.

C.C.C. Issue #2: Top Five Christmas TV Specials

C.C.C. Issue #2: Top Five Christmas TV Specials

Originally I was going to do a top ten Christmas movies list, but then I realized almost half of them weren't technically movies. So, I created my top 5 favourite Christmas movies, and top 5 favourite Christmas TV specials. You can expect to see the top 5 x-mas movies list soon, so for now, enjoy!

Top Five Christmas TV Specials

Criteria: must air annually on any channel or be available on DVD, length does not matter 

5. Frosty the Snowman

First up is this animated short produced by Rankin/Bass, which originally broadcast on CBS in 1969—nearly twenty years after the song of the same name was released. Frosty is brought to life via a magic hat from one of the most pathetic and slimiest magicians I’ve ever seen. Frosty makes for a quirky yet lovable character. I always liked his running theme of saying “Happy Birthday!” It’s only a half hour long, so it’s easy to tune in and watch from beginning to end without taking up much time. I always try to watch Frosty along with the other four specials on this list every Christmas. I’ve seen some of the other Frosty incarnations, such as The Legend of Frosty the Snowman and Frosty Returns, the latter of which appears on my Frosty the Snowman DVD as a bonus feature. I feel the original is the only one to deftly combine the holiday and winter themes. You could watch the other Frosty features if you’re really into the character (or have nothing better to do), otherwise skip them and just stick to the original.

4. Bugs Bunny’s Looney Christmas Tales

This one I taped on VHS as a kid during holidays in elementary school, and it was one I watched for many years until VHS became obsolete and I forgot about it. I recently rediscovered this classic thanks to Teletoon Retro. What I like about this special is it’s actually three mini Looney Tunes episodes all packed into a half hour of pure entertainment. The first is Bugs Bunny’s Christmas Carol, which is basically just a loose adaptation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Bugs Bunny teaches Scrooge (played by Yosemite Sam) a lesson about being kind during the holidays. In the second part, The Road Runner is pursued by Wile E. Coyote through a winter wonderland. There are some great gags here; The Road Runner and Wile E. have always been my favourite Looney Tunes characters, and seeing them here in a slightly different setting is a real treat. Finally, there is The Fright Before Christmas. The Tasmanian Devil ends up dressed as Santa and in his sleigh, and arrives at Bugs Bunny’s house. Bugs Bunny entertains the Santa imposter in a typically hilarious fashion. All three episodes are entertaining, and maintain the traditional Looney Tunes antics without divulging into too much Christmas mumbo jumbo like so many Christmas specials end up doing. When I originally taped this, I taped both this Christmas special and Casper’s First Christmas which was on right after, featuring some of Hannah Barbara’s most famous cartoon characters such as Yogi Bear and Quick Draw McGraw. It’s not as entertaining as these top five, but still a decent half hour of holiday fun which I would recommend if you liked the Looney Tunes special.

3. A Charlie Brown Christmas

This Peanuts holiday special is a classic and endearing half hour that I always look forward to each year. Charlie Brown is depressed. He isn’t sure why. It’s Christmas, and everyone else is in high spirits, but he isn’t, and just wants to know what Christmas is all about. He takes on the duty of directing the Christmas play, but is continually ridiculed by his peers. He sets out to find the perfect Christmas tree for their play with his pal Linus, but when the tree fails to satisfy his peers’ parameters, he breaks down and demands to know what Christmas really is all about. Linus reminds Charlie Brown (and the audience) that Christmas is about celebrating the birth of Christ. Whether you’re heavily religious or Atheist or somewhere in between, A Charlie Brown Christmas points out that Christmas is not about the commercial value, but rather the spirit of the holiday and what it’s title actually reflects. It bears resemblance to the messages of other Christmas specials, but this charming Charlie Brown TV special is unique. The music is great as always, there isn’t an overabundance of singing (some might like the limited vocals and some might not, I love it), and the animation is distinct yet simple. It’s short, sweet, and a perfect TV special that deserves to be played year after year.

2. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

You know Dasher, and Dancer...and the other six...but do you recall, my second favourite holiday special of all? Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer was produced by Rankin/Bass, the same team behind Frosty, and rendered in stop motion animation. I am a huge fan of stop motion, which is one of the reasons I love this Christmas show. It runs a bit longer than most—an hour with commercials—but is essential holiday fare. Everyone knows the story: Rudolph has a nose that glows red, so he is ridiculed for being different and runs away from his home in Christmastown. He meets up with Hermey, an Elf who dreams of being a dentist, and my favourite, Yukon Cornelius, with his uncooperative dog sled team and unconditional love for silver and gold. Together they discover the island of Misfit Toys, pursued the whole way by the Abominable Snow Monster. The Bumble actually terrified me when I was a little kid; there was something about his crazy eyes and sharp teeth that made me shiver, just like it did Sam the Snowman who narrates this tale. There are several memorable songs throughout, and many quotable lines. Other than the Looney Tunes special, all of these Christmas classics are telecast every year on TV, but Rudolph has been the longest running special in history. Perhaps it’s because of the timeless message: just because someone is different, doesn’t make them any less important.

1. How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

What did you think would be in the number one spot, the Star Wars Holiday Special?! I’ve already talked quite a bit about this special in my Grinch vs. Gremlins article (which you should check you if you haven’t already), so I’m going to explain why I think this version is superior to the film adaptation Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas from 2000. The cartoon runs 26 minutes, and perfectly encapsulates the story of the Grinch. The movie is 104 minutes long, and contains numerous elements not from Dr. Seuss’ original book. I love that in the original cartoon, there is some speculation as to why the Grinch loathes Christmas. What it comes down to is simply his heart being too small. We don’t need to know where the Grinch came from, why his heart is small, or what the true root of his problem with the holiday is. In the film, it’s shown that the Grinch is an orphan from somewhere other than Whoville, and he is bullied by kids which makes him hate Christmas and leave Whoville. It’s not as simple as the cartoon, and not necessary. The film’s look is also sort of bizarre. Everything is dark, the Who’s look creepy, and the Grinch’s lair is revolting. However, I have to hand it to both Rick Baker and Jim Carrey for making the Grinch a dynamic and entertaining character. Baker did a great job on the effects and appearance of the Grinch and Carrey is hilarious as always. The film just feels like lots of filler—from the flashback to Grinch’s childhood to the entire first act of him nearly being won over by the Who’s only to be ridiculed yet again by receiving an electric shaver as a gift—and the cartoon streamlines the story in a much more enjoyable and respectful way. Dr. Seuss never lived to see the Grinch feature film, but I don’t think he would have appreciated some of the divergences from his book. Stick with the cartoon for all the reasons I listed and more. The cartoon is a lot more entertaining, fun, enjoyable, and true to the spirit of the original book. Obviously the film had to be different and unique, but it wasn’t necessary. I’m sure we’ll see another attempt one day.

A Brief History of Cinema Issue #1: Friday the 13th series

A Brief History of Cinema Issue #1: Friday the 13th series

I'm switching it up for this special Friday and bringing you something I won't do too often: a look at an entire film series from beginning to end in brief (hence the title). I won't likely be doing another until the new Godzilla film comes out in May 2014, but until then, here is the Friday the 13th series, in its entirety as it currently stands.

I'm hoping this day will be a lucky one rather than the alternative; I'm going to see The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug today, and fingers crossed that it will be as epic as I hope. But enough about Middle Earth: Happy Friday the 13th, stay safe out there!

A Brief History of Cinema:

Friday the 13^th series

One of the most iconic slasher villains in film is the unstoppable machete-wielding teen killer, the ultimate momma’s boy, with his trademark hockey mask and burly stature, known as Jason Voorhees. To date, there have been a dozen films featuring this unstoppable killer, including a 2009 reboot and a 2003 crossover with other slasher favourite Freddy Krueger from the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise. There have been comics, novels, and television shows all inspired by this renowned character, and even his hockey mask is synonymous with horror fans and a staple of every Halloween costume store. However, I’m only going to be looking at the film series.

It all began in 1980 with Friday the 13^th, a title that would be continually utilized despite the plots not being concerned with the actual day of Friday the 13^th. Directed by Sean S. Cunningham, this film was a product of cashing in on the success of 1978’s Halloween—another film that spawned a string of sequels featuring a killer who continues to come back from the dead. Friday the 13^th was a sleeper hit when it first came out, and is now viewed as one of the scariest slasher films of all time, ranking number 31 on Bravo’s Top 100 Scary Movie Moments. Cunningham never returned as director, but did produce a few of the later entries in the series.

Ironically, the original is the one entry in the series that doesn’t feature Jason as the killer. Spoilers ahead for those who haven’t seen it, but at the film’s climax, it is revealed that Jason’s mother is the killer. She is trying to keep the camp from reopening by killing everyone, and is getting revenge for her son’s death. Jason drowned at Camp Crystal Lake because some camp counsellors were too busy having sex to notice that he couldn't swim. At the end of the film, the last survivor decapitates Mrs. Voorhees with what would become Jason’s signature weapon: a machete.

Friday the 13^th Part 2 reveals that Jason is indeed alive, now fully grown and really disfigured. He returns to Camp Crystal Lake to protect it from intruders. Another group of teenagers shows up to start a new camp, but they are all executed one by one. At the end, the lone survivor discovers a rundown shack in the woods, with the severed head of Mrs. Voorhees on a shrine. The final girl battles Jason and impales a machete through his shoulder, leaving him for dead. It's not a bad sequel, especially in comparison to some that were to come, and is closer to what the series eventually became most well known for.

In Part III, Jason pulls out that machete and leaves the shack, wandering to a local homestead where he hides in a barn and kills anyone who comes in. Again, he is seemingly killed at the end, this time by an axe to the head. This was the first film where Jason put on the hockey mask, which he stole from one of his victims. The film was also originally presented in 3D, and features some of the cheesiest 3D gimmicks I have ever seen. At one point, a guy plays with a yo-yo and the camera is below him pointing up, with the yo-yo going right at the screen.

The biggest lie of the series came in part four, wrongfully titled Friday the 13^th: the Final Chapter. Jason targets teens renting a house on Crystal Lake, slaughtering all except for two. One of them is Tommy Jarvis, played by 80's child actor favourite Corey Feldman. Tommy kills Jason at the end, but if we’ve learnt anything so far, it’s that a good killer can’t stay down for long.

Only a year later, Friday the 13^th: A New Beginning came out. This time it follows Feldman’s character Tommy—now an adult and traumatized by his encounter with Crystal Lake’s killer—who is in a mental institution and always fearing that Jason will return. Never fear, Jason isn’t gone long. This sequel was where the formula of the story started to seriously dwindle, as we get a guy who takes on the persona of Jason, and then after he is killed, his son who was killed by a patient at the institution does the same.

Next up is Friday the 13^th Part VI: Jason Lives. Having just got out of another institution, Tommy visits Jason’s grave, where he gets resurrected Frankenstein-style by a bolt of lightning. Jason heads back to Crystal Lake and kills the new summer camp workers there. Eventually Jason gets sunk to the bottom of the lake by Tommy, who chains him to a boulder. In addition to the very beginning and very ending being great, this sequel has some of the best kills and moments throughout.

Friday the 13^th Part VII: The New Blood is the first to have actor Kane Hodder portray Jason, who would play the killer another three times. A telekinetic woman accidentally brings Jason back to life, and lo and behold, he goes on another killing spree. At this point, the series was starting to get tired, and they needed something new to keep people watching, but the new direction that followed was a flawed endeavor.

Friday the 13^th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan may be the most disappointing of all the sequels. Jason doesn’t even get to Manhattan until the end. Most of the film takes place on a boat, which was due to budget restrictions. New York had to be substituted by Vancouver during shooting, as well. All I can say is despite a couple fun moments this one really dropped the ball.

The ninth entry, Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday, doesn’t even explain Jason’s latest resurrection. He gets killed by the FBI in the first act, and the rest of the film entails Jason surviving by passing on his heart to others. Finally, Jason is dragged to hell at the end. Freddy Krueger's glove made a cameo in this one, indicating a Freddy vs. Jason movie was coming in the future, but it wouldn't end up being the next movie to feature Jason.

The tenth sequel, titled Jason X, takes the only logical next step in a franchise this exhausted: it goes to space. Jason is cryogenically frozen and gets on a space ship. This plot was designed not to confuse audiences with continuity, as the Freddy vs. Jason film was in development hell at the time—what an appropriate term for it. The plot wasn’t supposed to confuse us? This sequel is so ridiculous and over the top, it’s entertaining, but for all the wrong reasons.

In Freddy vs. Jason, Freddy Krueger resurrects Jason in order to bring terror to a community so their fear will be strong enough for him to invade their dreams—it’s kind of stupid, I know, but it's a good enough excuse to get the characters together. Who wins isn’t certain, and overall this made for an even more ridiculous versus film than Alien vs. Predator, though it's about as entertaining as horror versus movies get.  

As for the 2009 remake of the original, I tried to avoid all the pointless horror remakes from producer Michael Bay (Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Amityville Horror to name a couple) after seeing the Nightmare on Elm Street remake, which I thought was extremely unnecessary and downright terrible. But, I did eventually get around to seeing it, and when teens started getting killed by traps Jason had set for them, I started to check out. It's a dull, generic remake that is genuinely the worst movie from the entire series, and it should not have been made. 

 

2023 update: I thought I would give this original Brief History of Cinema post a little refresh for the last Clayton's Creepy Cinema October horror movie marathon. Currently, there is a prequel series called Crystal Lake in development for the Peacock streaming service, which will be the first new Friday the 13th story in a long time! With the Halloween reboot trilogy coming to an end last year, it would seem appropriate that they reboot the Friday the 13th movie franchise with a requel (reboot sequel) and ignore all the later sequels and make a direct sequel to the original in the same style as Halloween 2018, but as of writing this update there are no plans for this to happen. Whether or not we need a Friday the 13th reboot at this point is iffy for me, but I would rather see something like that and have that be the new most-current-entry in the franchise over the lousy 2009 remake.

 

How The Grinch Stole Christmas vs. Gremlins: Movie vs. Movie Issue #1

Movie vs. Movie Issue #1: How The Grinch Stole Christmas vs. Gremlins

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, everywhere you go, including CCC! Here's a fun little Christmas movie comparison, looking at two of my favorite holiday flicks. You can expect more movie merriment this month! 

Grinch vs. Gremlins

Come December, school starts winding down and the holidays kick into high gear. Suddenly you’re running out of time to buy gifts and decorate and visit with family and friends. But at some point this winter, you have to sit back on the couch with a warm mug of cocoa and watch a holiday movie. There are tons to choose from, but with such a busy schedule you have to be selective. I’ll make it easy for you: the original How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966) and Gremlins (1984) should be the two at the top of your holiday movie wish list. Which one should you watch first? Which one is ultimately the better Christmas film?

The cartoon classic How the Grinch Stole Christmas was directed by Chuck Jones, who directed many of the greatest Looney Tunes episodes. The Grinch, a green, mean spirited creature who lives on Mount Crumpit, despises Christmas, and attempts to steal nearby Whoville of all its merriment. I liked it better when no one was quite sure of the reason the Grinch was so anti-Christmas, as opposed to the lame back story given in the live action film starring Jim Carrey that came out in 2000.

Aside from being in colour, featuring the Grinch’s pet dog Max, and three different original songs, this animated adaptation is extremely faithful to the book of the same name by Doctor Seuss. The Grinch was voiced by Boris Karloff, who most famously portrayed the monster in the 1931 Frankenstein. This Christmas special is aired on television every holiday season, and the Grinch himself has become an icon forever associated with the holiday. Watching this is the most important Christmas tradition in my household; I have watched it with my family every Christmas of my life.

The newest holiday tradition I adapted a few years back, was also watching Gremlins every December. This classic eighties horror comedy is not only a rousing and darkly comic treat, it’s also a statement on consumerism. A young man, Billy Peltzer, receives a mysterious creature called a Mogwai from his father for a Christmas gift. Billy names the cute critter Gizmo, and Gizmo appears to be the perfect pet, at first. Billy accidently gets Gizmo wet, and numerous other Mogwai spawn from his back. Then, come midnight, the creatures have a buffet, become grotesque, mischievous creatures, and wreak havoc on the unsuspecting town. Gizmo remains the only Mogwai unchanged, and together he, Billy, and his girlfriend have to destroy the Gremlins and save everyone from their naughty—and often deadly—antics.

Gremlins was produced by Steven Spielberg and directed by Joe Dante, director of the werewolf flick The Howling and original Piranha. The sequel, Gremlins 2: The New Batch, was also directed by Dante, but not set during Christmas and had a much lighter tone. The original actually has some graphic moments and contains plenty of black humour. Even though it’s critical reviews range from positive to mixed, many consider this a film classic, including myself. Not only is it one of my favourite holiday flicks, it’s among my favourite films ever.

Both of these essential Christmas specials should be seen by everyone, but which one is superior? The Grinch is beautifully animated, with great voice acting and a sweet yet simple plot. Gremlins, on the other hand, is not as family friendly. Anyone any age can enjoy The Grinch, but younger kids might be a little freaked out by green pointy eared creatures running around setting things on fire, getting blown up in microwaves, partying at bars, and trying to torture poor Gizmo whom the audience is rooting for. Having said that, I first saw Gremlins when I was in elementary school, and I thought it was more hilarious than scary. The effects seem a little dated at times, but overall the puppetry effects for the Mogwai still work today. The Grinch is an enduring piece of entertainment, and really doesn’t feel aged—it certainly doesn’t feel 47 years old. Even though both films are timeless, Gremlins still feels like a product of the eighties.

Even though The Grinch is such a classic, it might feel like a kids show to some. Cartoons aren’t for everyone, and Gremlins might appeal to an older audience because of the more mature content. Gremlins also has the advantage of appealing to fans of various genres. It’s a comedy, horror, creature feature, all wrapped up in a dose of holiday fun. At the same time, serious fans of strict comedy might dislike the creatures and plethora of special effects, or horror fans will feel it’s too light hearted and silly. This is the reason genre hybrids like Gremlins often receive such mixed reactions.

It could be argued that Gremlins is the best Christmas film because it constitutes the length of a feature film, and The Grinch is a TV special. Ultimately, The Grinch comes out on top as the best Christmas special for me, only because it’s such a strong tradition in my family. Gremlins is a film I could watch anytime of the year, but watching The Grinch in July would just feel wrong.

So now you have two great Christmas specials to watch this holiday season. If you don’t have time for both, I recommend going with The Grinch. The unedited version runs 26 minutes, the TV version 22 minutes (without commercials). If you are able to see both, then you definitely should do so. Watch The Grinch first to set the Christmas feeling, and end with Gremlins for the madcap entertainment. It should make for a great night of family fun. Merry Christmas, and happy holidays!