you drive me crazy! / Joy to the world

Average rating: 8.667 (or, absent the specials, 7.5)

How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966) - "Bitter and hateful, the Grinch is

irritated at the thought of the nearby village having a happy time celebrating Christmas. So disguised as Santa Claus, with his dog made to look like a reindeer, he raids the village to steal all the Christmas things. The village is sure to have a sad Christmas this year." 

length: 26m  |  source: my DVD  |  directed by Chuck Jones, Ben Washam  |  why I watched: it's an every-year kind of thing (previously reviewed here)

IMDb: 8.3/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: 100% / 94% Audience  |  my IMDb: 10/10  |  MPAA: G

tone & texture: playful, high-color stylized

notable quote: "Fah-who-forays, Dah-who-dorays

    Welcome, Christmas, bring your light

    Fah-who forays, Dah-who-dorays

    Welcome in the cold, dark night

    Welcome Christmas, Fah-who-ramus

    Welcome Christmas, Dah-who-damus

    Welcome Christmas, while we stand

    Heart to heart, and hand in hand"

my notes: if this isn't the best (cinematic) Christmas story, then I missed the memo.

themes: redemption, found family

overall: most highly recommended

Enchantment (1948) - "Uncle Rollo finally retires to the house he

was brought up in. Lost in thoughts of his lost love, Lark, he does not want to be disturbed in his last days. However, the appearance of his niece and her subsequent romance with a soldier causes him to reevaluate his life and offer some advice so the young couple don't make the same mistake he did all those years ago." 

length: 1h, 40m  |  source: Amazon Prime Video  |  directed by Irving Reis  |  why I watched: Thanksgiving at my parents' house means watching a movie (previously reviewed here)

IMDb: 7.2/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: N/A% / 72% Audience  |  my IMDb: 8/10  |  MPAA: Approved

tone & texture: tender, lush & romantic

notable quote: "If I were you, I'd go and find him. Don't cheat yourself of love the way I did. Listen to me! Don't stop to bargain for happiness, for in one wasted moment, a door may close, a ship may sail, a train may leave, a man may die. Go after him or make your mind you'll never see him again."

my notes: two wonderful movies in one. The first time I saw it, I was captivated by Lark's story. This second time, I saw the more modern couple in a different light. Romantic and gently fun, and with a great villain. 

themes: love, courage

overall:  recommended

 

A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (1973) - "This annual special follows

Charlie Brown as he prepares for Thanksgiving dinner, initially planning to go to his grandmother's house. However, Peppermint Patty invites herself and her friends to the house, leading him to enlist Snoopy and Woodstock to help create a makeshift Thanksgiving feast, which includes toast and popcorn, rather than the traditional turkey."

length: 25m  |  source: my DVD  |  directed by Bill Melendez, Phil Roman |  why I watched: it's a turkey-day staple (previously reviewed here)

IMDb: 7.7/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: 67% / 76% Audience  |  my IMDb: 10/10  |  MPAA: TV-G

tone & texture: tender, soft & naturalistic

notable quote: "'I can't cook a Thanksgiving dinner. All I can make is cold cereal and maybe toast.' 

    'That's right. I've seen you make toast. You can't butter it, but maybe we can help you. Snoopy, you go out to the garage and make a table we can set up in the backyard."

my notes: some things just feel like home for me, and this special is one of them. 

themes: found family

overall: most strongly recommended

Under the Tuscan Sun (2003) - "Frances Mayes is a 35-year-old San Francisco

writer whose perfect life has just taken an unexpected detour. Her recent divorce has left her with terminal writer's block and extremely depressed, and her best friend, Patti, is beginning to think she might never recover. Frances decides to take a break and she buys a villa in the beautiful Tuscan countryside and decides to begin anew. Restoring her new home, she eventually finds the fulfillment she was searching for, including love."

length: 1h, 53m  |  source: my DVD  |  directed by Audrey Wells  |  why I watched: I'd seen it before but hadn't reviewed

IMDb: 6.8/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: 62% / 78% Audience  |  my IMDb: 7/10  |  MPAA: PG-13

tone & texture: warm, lush & romantic

notable quote: "Signora. Please stop being so sad. If you continue like this, I will be forced to make love to you. And I've never been unfaithful to my wife."

my notes: this is a light movie, warm and open and delightful (well, except the chunks that are sad). It's the sort of thing that, in the throes, makes me want to dye my hair red, trade in the SUV on a convertible, and learn Italian.    

    Once that all wears off, though, it just feels like a decent way to have spent a couple of hours but not a life-changing experience (for me). 

themes: transformation, found family, love

overall:  recommended

A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965) - "Charlie Brown feels depressed during the

holiday season, due to its commercialism. He takes on the role of director for a Christmas play, but struggles with his friends' lack of cooperation and their mockery of his choice of a small, sad Christmas tree, which ultimately leads to a heartwarming realization about the true meaning of Christmas."

length: 25m  |  source: my DVD  |  directed by Bill Melendez  |  why I watched: it is required by Christmas law (previously reviewed here)

IMDb: 8.3/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: 86% / 92% Audience  |  my IMDb: 10/10  |  MPAA: TV-G

tone & texture: tender, soft & naturalistic

notable quote: "Rats. Nobody sent me a Christmas card today. I almost wish there weren't a holiday season. I know nobody likes me. Why do we have to have a holiday season to emphasize it?"

my notes: hope

themes: the Peanuts gang are bullies and jerks, but in the end they really come around. I'm such a sap for this stuff.

overall: completely recommended

It's Christmastime Again, Charlie Brown (1992) - "The Peanuts gang

preparing for the holidays through various storylines, including Charlie Brown's attempts to sell Christmas wreaths, Sally's nerves about a school play, and Peppermint Patty's struggles with her book report."

length: 23m  |  source: my DVD  |  directed by Bill Melendez  |  why I watched: it's on the DVD with the standard special, and I just let it run to see what this one was all about

IMDb: 6.8/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: N/A% / 70% Audience  |  my IMDb: 7/10  |  MPAA: TV-G

tone & texture: warm, soft & naturalistic

notable quote: "Duck, sir. Easter is coming."

my notes: less a story than an overlapping group of situations, this certainly doesn't have the magic of the original special. Still, it has some good moments and is an unoffensive way to spend a half hour over the holidays. 

themes: chaos v. order

overall:  recommended

 

[the title quotation is from It's Christmastime Again, Charlie Brown]