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About Polk County itemizer observer. (Dallas, Or) 1992-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 16, 2015)
Polk County Living Polk County Itemizer-Observer • December 16, 2015 7A HOLLYWOOD HOLIDAYS Itemizer-Observer staff report With two three-day weekends coming up for the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, you may have time to watch something other than football and basketball. Why not pick in a good flick? By the end of December, some people might be suffering from a bit of Christmas overload, so after combing over multiple lists of “un- conventional Christmas movies,” we’ve compiled our own list that maintains the holiday mood, but with an edge. It is Christmastime after all, so we tried to keep the list “family friendly”… mostly. Happy viewing. 1. “Die Hard” (1988, R): OK ac- tion flick fans, here’s one for you. New York cop John McClane takes his Christmas va- cation to visit his wife in Los Angeles, but the holiday cheer is 20th Century Fox quickly inter- rupted. A group of bank robbers hold everyone at Holly’s compa- ny’s Christmas party hostage and it’s up to McClane to save the day. 2. “The Nightmare Before Christmas” (1993, PG): For those who like a little Halloween with their Christmas, “The Nightmare Before Christmas” highlights the best of both holidays. Jack Skellington, the pumpkin king of Halloween Town, is bored with doing the same thing every year for Halloween. He discovers Christmas Town, and tries to have residents of Halloween Town put on Christmas, with a few bumps along the way. 3. “Gremlins” (1984, PG): These little mogwai are the strangest — and most destructive — Christmas present ever. Remem- ber, don’t feed after mid- night, or give them water, or expose them to bright light, lest the cute, Warner Bros. fuzzy crea- tures become little green mon- sters. 4. “Lethal Weapon” (1987, R): This is another one for the action fans in this Mel Gibson and Danny Glover cop buddy movie. Lethal Weapon is set in December, with the opening scene taking place with “Jingle Bell Rock” playing and ends with an invitation to eat the “world’s lousiest Chr istmas turkey.” 5. “Trading Places” (1983, R): This movie, starring Dan Aykroyd as Louis Winthorpe III and Eddie Murphy as Billy Ray Valentine, has the two main characters becoming pawns in a bet between Winthor- pe’s two millionaire bosses. Is it “nurture” or “nature” that makes us who we are, they wonder. Only one problem, Valentine and Winthorpe find out about the bet during the company Christmas party and de- cide to turn the tables. 6. “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang” (2005, R): Robert Downey Jr. stars in this as a petty thief — he’s robbing a toy store to find the per- fect Christ- mas gift in an early scene — who through Warner Bros. a series of events tries to help solve several Christmas-season murders. 7. “Edward Scissorhands” (1990, PG-13): Do you know where snow comes from? It is created by a b oy n a m e d Edward, who has scissors for hands, when he carves ice sculptures. That’s at least according 20th Century Fox the plot of the quirky Tim Burton-directed movie starring Johnny Depp and Winona Ryder. 8. “Rent” (2005, PG-13): There has to be a musical on this list, you know, because there must. But “Rent” fits the bill, beginning on Christmas Eve and ending on Christmas Day the next year. 9. “Batman Returns” (1992, PG- 13): It’s Christmastime in Gotham City in this se- quel starring M i c h a e l Keaton as the Caped Cru- sader. The holiday serves as a backdrop to Warner Bros. B a t m a n’s battle with Penguin and Cat- woman. 10. “The Thin Man” (1934, Prior to rating system): More a murder mystery than Christmas tale, but it is set during Christmas. In addition, former private de- tective (forced back into service) solves the mystery over a holiday dinner gathering. Sources: Details for plot sum- maries courtesy of Internet Movie Database, www.imdb.com and December 2014 Time article “11 Christmas Movies You Didn’t Know Were Christmas Movies.” Staff Picks: Staff Writer Jolene Guzman Staff Writer Emily Mentzer Sports Editor Lukas Eggen “A Christmas Story” (PG) “Elf” (PG) “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” (PG-13) www.polkio.com Thanks to my brother-in- law introducing us to the 24- hour marathon some years ago, Ralphie’s quest to be given a Red Ryder BB gun al- ways is in the background of my family’s Christmas gath- erings. It wouldn’t be Christmas without Flick getting his tongue stuck on a frozen flag pole after the issuance of a “triple-dog dare,” the infa- mous “leg lamp” incident, and Santa crushing the little guy’s hopes for the best Christmas present ever by saying to Ralphie, “You’ll shoot your eye out, kid.” I love the childhood nos- talgia of the movie. It’s a must-see for the holidays. Pencil us in! www.polkio.com There’s only one time of year you get to stick to the four main food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corn and syrup, so why not enjoy it while watching this holiday classic. Buddy’s at- tempt to find his father after learning he is not a real elf offers countless hilarious and touching moments. Buddy’s love for all things Christmas and his endless enthusiasm for others is con- tagious. His childlike inno- cence is charming and heart- warming — “Congratula- tions! You did it! World’s best coffee!” It’s just not Christmas until Buddy the Elf has graced our living room at least once. Clark Griswold’s attempt to have a good, old-fash- ioned family Christmas is a comedic adventure I could watch over and over again. The Griswolds’ misadven- tures from sledding to get- ting an extreme light display working to dealing with a pesky squirrel, the laughs just keep coming. Many of us have experi- enced a dysfunctional family member (or two) but this is one family holiday outing you’ll want to enjoy again and again. This hilarious and, in parts, heartfelt romp is one Christmas adventure I look forward to reliving year after year.
