So, by my count, I wrote 18 posts last month. Eighteen. That's a personal record for me-by quite a bit. Although, honestly, if it wasn't for the fact that I can blog from my phone (which is where 98% of my posts happen), I probably would have written maybe six, tops. Also, to be honest, there were a few of those that I consider to be "junk posts" because I didn't have the time and energy to put thought into them-making them rush jobs. I hate that. And now that it's December and the holidays are in full swing, what "free time" I had to write last month is completely gone. Which means that I most likely will be blogging less and focusing on life more. Possibly, anyway. You never know with me when the urge to write will strike.
I'm not sure why, but growing up (and even into much of my adulthood), Christmas has taken a backseat to Halloween. I have my theories on this, but this post isn't about that. Now that I'm in my 30s, however, I would say they're tied in importance. I still love my ghosts and goblins, I can now say I fully appreciate snowflakes and Scrooge. Actually, since watching the Jim Carrey rendition of A Christmas Carol, I have a new appreciation for that particular story, as well.
*segue alert* Holiday movies! If there were two things I wish I could be a curmudgeon about, it's Christmas movies and music. Especially the latter. Actually, to save you the time on this post, I'll be writing a second post after this about my thoughts and theories on Christmas music. I have much to say on the topic, but I digress.
If there are two things we need to be honest with ourselves about is that there are far too many terrible Christmas movies out there. From a writer's standpoint, it's disappointing the amount of hack writing that is put into these films. As a film love, I dread the inevitable onslaught of banal trite that Hollywood scrapes up this time of year. My niece could write better scripts than half the films that come out and she's nine. I'm not exaggerating either-she tells some pretty good stories. Yet, that being said, I do have my favorites to which I shall list below in no particular order (other than the first one)
1. It's a Wonderful Life (I'll be discussing this film in a second)
2. Miracle on 34th Street (1947 version, of course)
3. Go (not technically a Christmas film, but one that takes place around that time of year. Phenomenal film and not for everyone)
4. Elf (one of my three favorite Will Ferrell films; with Stranger Than Fiction and Old School being the other two)
5. Love Actually (thanks to my friend Kati for introducing me to this film)
6. A Christmas Carol (Jim Carrey version)
7. Home Alone & Home Alone 2 (I'm putting these two together because you should watch both. As bratty as Kevin is, he does mature and humble himself in both movies)
8. The Santa Clause (honestly this film is under-rated in my opinion. Scott Calvin truly loves his son and wants the best for him)
9. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (one of my favorite flicks growing up and it still makes me laugh)
10. Hook (again, set around that time, so I'm counting it. And as I've mentioned before, it's one of my favorite films of all time)
The one film that is not on this list that I will receive significant flack over is A Christmas Story. Everyone loves this film but me. Why? Because growing up, the department store Santa scene scared me and the kid just comes off as being a brat every time I watch it. Judge how you may, but that's how I feel. The other film that's not on the list that I'll get flack over is Nightmare Before Christmas because I personally don't see it as a Christmas movie. The same goes for the first two Die Hard films. I also didn't include the holiday specials like Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and A Charlie Brown Christmas because those are television programs and not actual movies.
So why It's a Wonderful Life? Most people have it on their list because of sentimental reasons; but I didn't view it until I was already in my mid-twenties. My dad had already passed away and the depression that poor George Bailey goes through throughout the film was one that I was living in. Dead also (in my opinion at the time) was my dreams of becoming a famous novelist; and all poor George Bailey wants to be is an engineer who travels all over the world. Instead, he gets roped down with a job he never wanted and a wife we're not sure he even loves until the end of the movie. It's one of those rare times when Hollywood takes a page out of life's book and makes a movie out of it. It's honest, genuine, and real. It even brushes with the very taboo topic of suicide (something Hollywood skirts as much as the real world) and it takes a literal act of divine intervention to pull his head out of the mental fog that he's living in and realize that he truly has a wonderful life. Two other things I want to point out is that even though he's a grouch, he cares, and everyone in the town cares for him. He just doesn't see it. People living with depression rarely ever know how much others appreciate them because they suffer through so much internal strife that they feel no one could love them. The other thing is that the real miracle isn't everyone coming together to save George from his plight-that was already in the works when he took off in his car. The real miracle is that his eyes are finally opened to see it happen. That alone is why it has become my favorite holiday film and will always be so.
So there you have it. I know everyone has their personal favorites and these just so happen to be mine. From a writer's standpoint, I havd zero desire to write a screenplay for a holiday movie. Although, push comes to shove, I know I could if I had to. What I have considered doing instead is writing a brief little literary piece about the same length as Holidays On Ice by David Sedaris (my favorite by him and it also makes me laugh every time). Who knows-perhaps, some day someone in Hollywood will read it and turn it into a decent holiday film. Although, considering the hack job they did with Skipping Christmas (by John Grisham), perhaps that wouldn't be the best idea, after all.
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