Patricia Stoltey

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Holiday Movie Marathon

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I hardly ever go to movies in a theater anymore, unless it’s a big screen feature like the Harry Potter films were, or Lord of the Rings. It’s just easier to watch movies at home, make my own popcorn the way I like it (popped in olive oil and only lightly salted), take a break whenever I want.

So if I decide I want to binge on movies, which often happens during the holiday season, I have to plan ahead. I subscribe to the two DVD a month plan on Netflix, plus the streaming options available at the time. I also peruse the Guide and find things to record. This Thanksgiving week, I hit the sentimental romantic holiday bonus with the weekly new movies on Lifetime and Hallmark channels. I was getting such an overdose of sweetness and joy that I had to stick a PBS black and white suspense tale in the mix to cut the sugar.

Strangers on a Train was pretty tense, though. I’m going back to happy movies this evening. The stories are well written, often adapted from works by well-known authors such as Debbie Macomber, and the actors do a lovely job.

And since I tend to read a lot of books which lean toward the dark side and have lately been writing darker tales, it’s probably doing my psyche and my soul good to lighten up a little with these holiday movies.

What kind of movies do you like?

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Comments

  1. I’d say quirky and twisted humor is a big one for me. eg. I loved “Thank you for Smoking.” Love sci-fi flicks, but really need to go to the theater for those where the explosions are bigger. Old, really bad sci-fi is a hoot. (Look up “Cat Women of the Moon” on YouTube). i adore old Marx Brothers films. My husband has hooked me on old film noir. So sort of an eclectic mix.

  2. I like all kinds of movies except for horror, especially the macabre kind, which I no longer watch. I recently saw a superhero, a real-life suspense, and an animated film in the theatres. They were THOR 2, CAPTAIN PHILLIPS, and FROZEN.

  3. I’ve not been to the cinema in years either. Last year I was in UK and my daughter had tickets for us to go, but there was a blizzard, she was stuck in her car for 8 hours on what should have been a 20 min drive home, so we never went. Obviously Fate was against us!

  4. Hi Julie — I haven’t seen White Christmas for a while. It’s appearing live at our dinner theater in December. But you’re right, without Bing, is it really White Christmas?

    Lady Gaga and the Muppets. I’d love to know who came up with that idea. Probably Lady Gaga. About halfway through I started fast-forwarding to the Muppet only scenes. Especially Miss Piggy. I love her.

  5. I love White Christmas. No holiday is complete for me without a little Bing. Sigh.

    Your comment to Alex about Lady Gaga and the Muppets is a hoot. That combination just ain’t right.

  6. Margot, I also prefer suspense over graphic violence on the screen. I’m not fond of the blood and brains splattering the wall scenes.

    Hi Gary. I hadn’t noticed the “amazing” similarities in dialogue yet. I’m sure after the novelty wears off, I’ll see more stuff like that. As for the noise in the theaters, that’s another good reason to watch movies at home.

    Alex, I just watched the Lady Gaga and the Muppets special. It wasn’t pretty. Combining the Muppets with a singer whose b**b threatens to fall out of her costume, weirdly gyrating dancers and RuPaul in a feather gown didn’t work for me. Muppet movies, however, are wonderful for lifting the spirits.

  7. One of these days I’m going to binge and watch all three LOTR extended editions on a Saturday.
    Tend to like the happy movies for Christmas, or the funny ones. Muppet movies and Elf usually do the trick.

  8. I’m also a fan of the Hallmark movies, but they need some new script writers. If someone utters the word “amazing” one more time, I’m apt to go postal!

    I haven’t been to a movie in a theater in about 8 years. I can’t stand the special effects noise, and the language turns me off entirely. Shock and awe are so commonplace they no longer shock or awe. Hollywood could really use a few classy actors and creative writers.

  9. Pat – Movie binges can be a lot of fun, can’t they? And it sounds like you’ve got a nice setup. I have to say I’m not one for movies with brutal violence. I think it’s the visual aspect that really has an impact on me. So I tend to prefer movies that are lighter on violence unless they’re really, really good plots. Taut drama though, like Gone Baby Gone (Based on the Dennis Lehane novel) – that can be great.