Your Christmas Movies! Whatcha' Watchin' this Christmas season?

[MrBarlow]

Better Watch Out 2016.

A babysitter protects her charge when the home is invaded but things take a turn.

This film aint like Home Alone although there is a metaphore setting around it with paint cans. This is probably a film that will show how spoilt kids can get away with anything, dont be in a rush to go out and buy this movie unless its low in price. 4 out of 10.

[Dave Boy]

First thing Christmas themed this year..



Two Earth children who are accidently brought back to Eternia with Orko teach the Eternians about Christmas. Skeletor and Hordak are not happy about feeling the Christmas spirit. She-Ra reminds Skeletor not to worry as Christmas only comes once a year.

Awesome!

[MrBarlow]

Krampus 2015.

After a family arguement, Max is loosing his belief on Christmas, ripping up his letter to Santa and accidentally summoning the evil spirit Krampus.

The more i seem to watch it, the better it gets,, it does start off like your basic black friday day sale in a store to a Christmas panto that ends in a good fight, preparing the food for the arrival of the family that you really dont want to be around, summoning up a demon and band together to stay alive.

Adam Scott and Toni Collette play the not happy rich couple, David koechner and Allison Tolman play the happy and not so well off parents, along with the Aunt, Dorothy played by Conchata Farrell who wants the nog to be in the mood to get merry. It may not be the best Christmas horror movie but certainly not the worst, very little CGI is used which helps, good make up effects although we dont actually see Krampus face properly but get the jist of how he would look, there is some laughs in this film. 7 out of 10.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Nativity (2009)

Despite it at first seeming like a film that will annoy the hell out of you, Nativity is actually a charming and fun film which i believe was partially improvised scene by scene.

Martin Freeman and Ashley Jensen are always worth watching, and the kids give spirited performances, but it's Marc Wooton as the completely annoying Mr. Poppy who's stupidity throughout makes you cringe yet actually ends up winning you over. Just.

Nativity isn't the best Christmas film and it's not one i'd wish to see every year, however it is inoffensive fun that does bring a smile to the face, and that's twice now so who knows.

[Rik]

The sequels are pretty good too, love Mr Poppy

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

I've also watched the fun but OTT Deck the Halls (2006) in which Danny DeVito decides to make his house visible from space with Christmas decorations much to the chagrin of neighbour Matthew Broderick.

Alastair Sim portray the definitive Scrooge (1951) in the most Gothic version of Dickens classic tale A Christmas Carol. A fave in the Demdike household.

The BBC adaptation from 2008 of Oliver Twist. More Dickens with great performances by Tom Hardy as the nasty Bill Sykes, Sophie Okonedo as Nancy and Timothy Spall as Fagin. Three hours of Dickensian twists and turns that comes to a close round Edward Fox's fireplace on Christmas Eve. I always save Dickens tales for Christmas, he practically invented the Gothic Christmas.

Finally a couple of Tim Burton classics in Batman Returns (1992) and the following years The Nightmare Before Christmas.. Dark delights all round.

No Christmas build up is complete without Ghost Stories for Christmas and i've watched the lot save for Robert Powell's telling of The Mezzotint and Christopher Lee reading Number 13 - Both of which will be chilling my blood this Christmas Eve.

One final thought regarding Ghost Stories for Christmas with Christopher Lee. As Lee ends his tale as the clock strikes midnight the camera always pans round the now empty room. Does this mean the students have simply gone home or that they were Christmas ghosts themselves that Lee was reading to.?

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

One final thought regarding Ghost Stories for Christmas with Christopher Lee. As Lee ends his tale as the clock strikes midnight the camera always pans round the now empty room. Does this mean the students have simply gone home or that they were Christmas ghosts themselves that Lee was reading to.?

My interpretation is that the students were imaginary in those segments, though it has been a couple of years since I watched the entire set.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Nosferatu@Cult Labs

My interpretation is that the students were imaginary in those segments, though it has been a couple of years since I watched the entire set.

I thought they'd be a regular Christmas time watch, Nos.

What makes it odd are the glasses they were drinking from throughout the stories are shown dotted about the room empty at the end.

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

I thought they'd be a regular Christmas time watch, Nos.

What makes it odd are the glasses they were drinking from throughout the stories are shown dotted about the room empty at the end.

That is odd and makes it open to interpretation, something which makes those episodes and the series as a whole so re-watchable. They would be normal viewing for me at this time of year but I've been preoccupied with Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel!

actually, today is the first time I've watched anything Christmas-related because of working my way through unwatched films and TV box sets I've owned for many months and which have taken precedence over any festive viewing I have seen before.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Nosferatu@Cult Labs

That is old and makes it open to interpretation, something which makes those episodes and the series as a whole so re-watchable. They would be normal viewing for me at this time of year but I've been preoccupied with Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel!

actually, today is the first time I've watched anything Christmas-related because of working my way through unwatched films and TV box sets I've owned for many months and which have taken precedence over any festive viewing I have seen before.

We look forward to your reviews.