Christmas Movies for the Holiday Season

There are many lists of Christmas films that you should watch for the holiday, some are older, others newer, some are sad, and others make you laugh. Although Christmas is far off, it is never too early to start planning what Christmas films you should watch during the next holiday season. Whether you like deep, or just plan funny Christmas films, this list of Christmas movies has something that for everyone next Christmas.

Arthur Christmas
This animated film was only recently released in the theater, but there is no doubt it will shortly be out on DVD and Blue Ray. This film follows several characters that are on a mission to get a small child that Santa has forgotten their Christmas gift on time. The characters travel around and visit several places such as Idaho in the United States. Do the loveable characters succeed in getting the small child’s gift to them on time? You will just have to watch it to find out.
A Christmas Story
This true classic, and has been loved by both young and old for many years. There is a lot of American humor in this film that follows a little boy who desperately wants a red Ryder bee bee gun for Christmas. This story is not only a film, but a play as well. It is the all American classic Christmas tale that you shouldn’t miss during the holiday season.
Love Actually
This is a modern story that follows several different lives during the Christmas holiday season that end up connected in different ways. The cast is what really makes this movie enjoyable, actors and actresses such as Hugh Grant, Will Furth, and Keira Knightly, do a great job of getting everyone into the Christmas spirit.
It’s a Wonderful Life
It’s a Wonderful Life is another classic Christmas story that follows George Bailey whose life just doesn’t seem to be going the right way. George Bailey contemplates suicide, but is saved by his guardian angel, who shows him that life is worth living.
I’ll be Home for Christmas
This is a teen film starring Jessica Biel, as she makes her way home from college for the holidays; her crush follows her and tries to win her heart. But is it too late when he discovers she has a boyfriend?
There are many enjoyable holiday films, but if you want to make your holidays extra special, consider watching these films first.



 

Movies Or DVD At Home?

Every time a new movie comes out I sit at home and wonder whether to bother paying out to see it at the cinema or whether I should simply wait for it to reach the DVD shelves. Sometimes I’ve realized (after I’ve seen a movie at the cinema) that the best parts in or about the film were the scenes that I saw in the trailers before the movie even hit the big screen.

Other times I find that I’m not as comfortable as I would be had I waited for the DVD, or I’m surrounded by a bunch of kids that are still of an age whereby they’re not overly concerned with the fact that other people might actually want to sit and watch the movie in peace. Then there’s 3D – which works in some films, not so in others.

Plus the dumb, oversized glasses – which I hate. It’s not as if they look remotely like a pair of Oakley sunglasses, heck if they even looked a little like a cheap pair of glasses I’d be a bit happier! Anyway, the point is that it’s getting more and more difficult to gauge whether or not I should bother watching a film on the big screen, or not.

3D - hardly stylish looking sunglasses

When I was a kid the decision was easy – the cinema. I don’t know why but back then going to the movies with firneds and/or family was a huge deal. The whole ‘which film, what showing, popcorn or hotdogs?’, you know? I mean … I can still remember the awe and jaw-dropping experience that was Star Wars, at the end of the 1970′s.

Even as young as we all were back then, we all knew that we’d just seen something incredibly special. These days it feels more as though the big movie power-houses are trying to outdo each other all the time – special effects, big budgets, super SUPER stars – as opposed to remaining focused on producing the best cinematic experience that they can.

Despite my misgivings, I’m still a huge fan of the whole movie experience, even when I watch a mediocre film. I just think that the way in which the home entertainment industry has developed (in the last 5 to 10 years) means that we’re almost left with no choice – why bother going to the effort of watching a movie anywhere else but in your own home?

The home cinema experience

Oddly, writing this has been a bit cathartic. Now I’m of the mind that it’s about time that I simply went out and bought a new TV (the great big wide screen type), a new set of top quality surround sound speakers and started stocking up the DVD library …

Are 3D Movies Here To Stay?

It seems like every new movie that is released at the moment is in 3D, especially the kids’ films. So we all have to sit there in those 3D glasses that start to become annoying after awhile. Now don’t get me wrong, sometimes going and seeing a movie like this is great. Take Tangled, for instance — that was a great movie that really deserved to be in 3D. But sometimes it just seems that they have started to make them this way for the sake of it because it is fashionable to watch them this way.



Maybe soon it will stop being the “in thing” and movies can go back to being how they were before. After all, this is what usually happens. There is a big surge in movie makers using the latest technology, and then it starts to die down a little, as something new comes along in the special effects department. However, with the new 3D TVs that are now on sale, this might not be the case. In fact, if these take off and they sell a lot of them, then I think that 3D may be here to stay. With the cost of them being so high though, this may take a little while, especially in the current economic climate.  

Enough with 3D Movies Already

A few years ago, the concept of 3D movies was pretty cool. Many people have already witnessed 3D technology in various forms. There are even some shows and rides at theme parks like Disneyland that requires you to wear 3D glasses to get the full effect. Yes, it was quite cool to see things popping out from the screen at you. Lately, it seems like half the movies coming out are in 3D, enough where there are some folks coming up with home business ideas to capitalize on this. Although, they’re probably going to have to do more than sell 3D glasses as part of their retirement planning.

I get the appeal of these types of movies but it can get annoying. For instance, I went to see Avatar in 3D. I also saw it again in the regular version honestly, I couldn’t tell the difference and for the extra $5 or so that it costs to see the upgraded version, it just wasn’t worth it. Now I don’t know about you but wearing those 3D glasses isn’t exactly comfortable and who knows how well their minimum waged employees clean them afterwards for the next group of people to use. Until they can come up with technology where it will feel like I’m actually in the movie, I’m hoping this 3D movies era is just a fad.

3d glasses