Holiday Movie Roundup
The holidays are...a lot. The season is a cocktail of joy, longing and sadness. Sometimes they're equal parts shaken vigorously. Hopefully this year the sadness is a mere dash.
I had a different newsletter planned and drafted. It was all about how this season serves us a cocktail of joy and pain, high-expectations and occasional deep disappointments. There’s something in the combination of twinkly lights, family that comes beckoning, and the end of a year around the corner that brings out deep feelings and a good bout of anxiety.
The thing about this time of year is that we want to do it all. We hope to wrap up work in a way that lets us forget about it for a week or more. But we also want to be doing anything *other* than work. We want to dress up for holiday parties but also want more sleep more and to wear nothing but fleece athleisure 24-7. We long to hug loved ones and we dread dealing with family neuroses (maybe from those same loved ones). We yearn to be generous in heart, mind and gifting but the current economic situation likely impinges on the last—but let’s remember we can still keep our hearts and minds open, and giving and gifting doesn’t have to rest on material objects. (Note to self.)
Speaking of doing it all, I really wanted to share this (dream) newsletter about some of my favorite Christmas movies and examine how they manage to make us feel the way they do—first, with the magic artistry of set designers transporting us (often) to a colder climate where we paradoxically always feel warm and snug (like in George Bailey’s grand, drafty house in It’s a Wonderful Life) while making us want to melt into the rich tones on the screen (think that red velvet dress on Judy Garland in Meet Me in St. Louis when she sings the all-time best version of my all-time favorite holiday song, “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”).
Since film was my first career love and my first job out of collage was as a movie producer’s assistant, I went even further into this cinematic exploration, wanting to pick apart the reasoning behind this Christian holiday as a seminal storytelling root that influences and inspires filmmakers to weave stories that continue to appeal to audiences. That first boss, the producer, said there were three kind of films that were almost always profitable: cop films, special agent/covert operation films, and wedding movies. (Also to note - this was 2001. Those types of movies, even bad versions, really could make a lot of money. Anyway….) If I were a producer, I would always be looking for a new Christmas classic. Because if you can bring together a few key elements:
family tension, drama, and dysfunction (The Family Stone, Home Alone, Elf, Christmas Vacation),
a production design with aspirational home interiors & sumptuous exterior shots—think fluffy snow and gorg homes (The Holiday, The Family Stone, Little Women—both recent versions….maybe all versions but I haven’t gone back to check the early ones.),
a love story or simmering romantic feelings (Love Actually, The Family Stone, The Holiday, Elf, all Hallmark holiday movies, from what I’ve seen),
and soul searching, a mild identity crisis, and/or a transformative understanding that you already have what you need (Kevin McAllister in Home Alone, George Bailey in It’s a Wonderful Life, Billy Mack in Love Actually),
…then you’ve definitely got a hit that people will want to watch over and over again.
Holiday movies are a *thing* for all of the reasons above, but—I think—most especially for the last one. We look outward to the screen to find the universal truths that help us look inward.
It’s a magical and downright brutally stressful time. Which makes for a smorgasbord of storytelling. We want to see a mirror of the weighty emotions we’re holding within. We want to cry at someone else’s pain as a release for our own. We want to apply the resolution on the screen as a salve to the longing in our hearts.
In my dream version of this newsletter, I wanted to go into the detail about each film’s way of connecting with our hearts, and helping us see what we want to see in ourselves.
But do I really need to?
You know this already, at least subconsciously. (Beware: loose spoilers ahead.) We love Elf for the sake of Buddy’s innocence and perseverance. We love The Holiday because we love oogling over perfect sets, pitch perfect hair, makeup, and costumes, and an easy romantic storyline. We cherish Meet Me in St. Louis purely for Judy singing the aforementioned “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas”; we love that The Family Stone acknowledged this (near GOAT) cinematic moment, basically coasting on it, borrowing that scene for their own dramatic plot point; we can’t get enough Love Actually because not every storyline is happily resolved but enough of them are to make us hopeful for our own seasonal storylines. We chew on the tension of rough personality edges in The Family Stone, only to feel relieved at how they are smoothed by the end. We love the adorable dysfunction of Clark Griswold and his extended clan in Christmas Vacation (PEAK Randy Quaid in his see-through sweater + neck dickie as formalwear) and we feel for the inciting moment that lead Clark to invest his heart so heavily in his Christmas lights—the supreme disappointment and shame that he didn’t get the year-end bonus he was hoping for and depending on. In every film there’s a struggle and there’s some sort of reckoning to overcome and find the way forward. We need that at the end of the year. We definitely need that as a salve to patch up the end of 2023.
A Moment to Honor the Christmas Movie GOAT (and why we love it)
Even if this newsletter isn’t as in-depth as I thought it was going to be, it’s come along pretty nicely, don’t you think? The one story that does merit more attention is the true GOAT of the holiday film cannon—It’s a Wonderful Life. (It’s ok if you disagree. But if you’ve haven’t seen the film recently or at all, stop reading and go watch it, posthaste.)
It’s a Wonderful Life is not just a classic, it’s the classic holiday film and is one of the best movies of all time, period. Why? Because there’s so much goddamn LIFE—with its hurt and pain and disappointment and trial—on the screen. We FEEL for George Bailey. We root for him and our hopes are dashed again, again and again. Life just keeps happening to him, in big and small ways. Our hearts break a bit for him and for the ways life has broken us in big and small ways.
But, but, it gives us a clue to our own salvation. (I don’t mean “salvation” in a religious way, but in terms of our spirit finding it’s full wingspan again.)
This story is about the gift that a shift in perception can bring to our mental state, and therefore to our lives overall (this is a tool I’ll talk more about in 2024). It takes the work of a guardian angel-in-training but George Bailey finally sees that even in his draining, depressing, plodding life, he made the world better. His didn’t need the valor of a war hero, like his brother, or the riches of his friend Sam Wainwright, or even the version of himself he longed to be—the cultured world traveler that was going to “shake the dust of this crummy little town off my feet and…see the world.” The poor guy just kept trying to make his life better, or at least somewhat different, and couldn’t. But, turns out, he didn’t need to be anything other than his own salty self to be a true hero. His low-key heroism came from getting just pissed off enough at the nefarious forces in his life1, that he took a stand when it mattered—like staying on at the Savings and Loan when he didn’t want to or using his honeymoon money to keep it running during the run on he banks—which ripple-effected (my newly coined term) into the lives of hundreds thousands in both his home town and across the shores during a particular WW2 battle.
In dark times, it may be hard to believe that our lives are “wonderful,” but never doubt that your life matters. You matter. We each are here for a reason. And we don’t have to be extraordinary in our actions to make our lives and the lives of others better.
So, for the rest of the year and into the next one, please remember how much you offer, just by being you. Just by showing up and doing what you know is right. Which is not always easy, but follow what your soul knows to be true and—perhaps quite suddenly some lonely night—you’ll be able to take stock of all that is around you and see that you created your own wonderful life.
And with that, I’ll leave you until the new year. May you have the best few weeks, hopefully spent in whatever way you want.
xx Mary
Holiday Movies Postscript!
Wanna keep talking movies? Read on!
If you’re looking for more movies to add to your holiday cannon, Genie with Melissa McCarthy was fun. (Always here for Melissa McCarthy doing Melissa McCarthy shtick.) So was Candy Cane Lane - I’m here for Eddy Murphy’s Renaissance Part Deux, if the Nutty Professor era was his original Renaissance. (Speaking of Muphy’s undeniable screen presence, I enjoyed You People a few months ago too.) This year, David and I are choosing to watch new or new-to-us holiday films, giving some of our favorites a respite this season. So in addition to the above, we also watched for the first time, A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas (in 3D no less!) which came out in 2011! Where have I been?! The movie doesn’t quite stand the test of time, but it also still made us laugh. So, yay, I say. I’ll take laughter wherever I can get it, even from a stoner film. Other “new” movies we’ve discovered in recent years that we enjoyed are, 1) (speaking of delightful stoner comedies) The Night Before with Seth Rogan, Anthony Mackie, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and other comedians. Have only seen it once but will rotate it in again in future years; and 2) last year’s Spirited with Ryan Reynolds and Will Farrell, which I was very surprised by. It was good! Impressive, even. Don’t just take my word for it, Erin Carlson included this in her Holiday round up last year. (More on this below.*)
A film I haven’t seen yet but an so excited for is Rescuing Christmas, with Rachael Leigh Cook, of She’s All That2 fame, on Hallmark’s streamer Hallmark Movies Now (because when you want a Hallmark film, you do want it now.) Candidly I’m excited about this one because it’s directed by a friend, Emily Moss Wilson. If you need a Hallmark movie fix, here’s one for your queue!
While we’re on the nepotism train (we are talking about Hollywood, aren’t we?), the movie at the top of my next-to-watch list is Love at First Sight on Netflix. One of my all-time best friends (and roommate in both high school and our early 20s), Lindsay Wolfington is its music supervisor…which means the music is *great.* And, nepotism aside, MovieWeb gave it a rave: “The movie takes place just before Christmas, however, it's not actually a Christmas movie. While it could easily be added to the annual watchlist of feel-good holiday movies, it can also be enjoyed any time of the year. Love at First Sight is a delightfully rewatchable movie everyone needs right now.” Brava, Linds! I can’t wait to watch! (Just as soon as I get control of the TV!)
*If you enjoyed this deep dive into cinematic topics, do check out Erin Carlson’s newsletter, You’ve Got Mail. She’s a seasoned pop culture reporter who loves explaining an d examining pop culture’s icons and stalwarts better than anyone I know (and has a few books under her belt to prove it. ;) Check out her full list of The Greatest Holiday Movies of All Time from last holiday season and much more from her archive!
Cue one of the best rants in screen history with my favorite line in bold (gorgeously lyrical, dripping with humanity and pitch perfect delivery by Jimmy Stewart), George Bailey to town nemesis Mr. Potter: “What'd you say a minute ago? They had to wait and save their money before they even ought to think of a decent home. Wait? Wait for what? Until their children grow up and leave them? Until they're so old and broken down that they... Do you know how long it takes a working man to save $5,000? Just remember this, Mr. Potter, that this rabble you're talking about... they do most of the working and paying and living and dying in this community. Well, is it too much to have them work and pay and live and die in a couple of decent rooms and a bath? Anyway, my father didn't think so. People were human beings to him. But to you, a warped, frustrated old man, they're cattle. Well in my book, my father died a much richer man than you'll ever be!”
Going full Hollywood here and giving one more friend shout out — to R. Lee Fleming, writer of She’s All That AND the recent He’s All That (in addition many TV shows and movies). I know this could come off braggy or “extra” but including all these names is important; I get so excited at the work people are doing in the world and love shouting out: watch these cool things my friends made! Let’s always celebrate the work of others <3
Oh, I will! I haven’t seen but it looked good. You have great taste so a rec from you is a must see!
If you haven't seen The Holdovers, yet, add it to your list to watch. I LOVED it and think you will, too! So many themes in it to discuss. It doesn't have a love story, but it has all the other elements you listed. Also, some amazing one liners!