Friday 14 December 2007

The Film that stole Christmas...

We all have traditions and none more so than at Christmas where we dust off the tinsel and baubles each year and clothe our lives in glitter and glitz for the the few weeks that make up the festive season.
In our household we have a tradition that paves the way for Christmas day and tomorrow night we shall gather to pay homage to this favourite ...
Yes... it's Grinch time again!
When I first heard about this film based on Dr Seuss classic tale of 'The Grinch who stole Christmas'.. I was very keen to see it but then nearly declined when I heard that Jim Carrey was to play the main Grinch character. I am not a fan of his and in fact find him quite irritating with his facial gymnastics in earlier films like 'The Mask'. I put my prejudices aside and went with my son and beloved to see the film when it came round to our local flea pit.. cinema!
Well.. I don't think I have laughed so much... so much so that I had to almost be restrained and given the kiss of life when I couldn't catch my breath for laughing so hard. If you have not seen this film then I urge you to do so... even if you are not a fan of Mr Carrey.. please give it a try as it has some classic lines in the story and the Grinch character is utterly hilarious and charming in a green hairy cantankerous sort of way..
We are huge fans and each have our favourite catch phrases from the film... watch the clip below for some of the classic Grinchy highlights My personal favourite is when the Grinch is building his Santa sleigh with the help of his long suffering sidekick Max. He tests the sleigh in the fashion of a crash test dummy.. after hitting the target at high speed he announces "airbags a bit slow"...as two pathetic balloons inflate rather belatedly! Wonderful stuff.


There are other favourite classics of mine like The Railway Children that never fails to reduce me to tears.. tears of bitter- sweet happiness.

I would love to know what your favourite festive films are....please tell !

12 comments:

Lucy Bloom said...

Hi Michele, I haven't seen the Grinch, for the same reason as you didn't, i.e. Jim Carrey. I love the Railway Children though. Other favourites are Babe, the Secret Garden, in fact anything soppy that has animals in it. Seems your weren't as lucky as me with your velvet jacket. I have many more 'mum' tales like that including her not passing on a Christmas present from someone else to me, then presenting it to me the following year from herself!
Have a good weekend,
Lucy

TheVintageMagpie said...

Hi Michele, I love the You tube snippets but have never seen the film.. I might get it out for a 'sofa' moment on Sunday! I have blogged my present from you today, it is the envy of all, sitting on my mantlepiece. Have a great weekend x

TheVintageMagpie said...

Oh, and my favourite film over christmas is A Wonderful Life. I weep at that. And I love the Railway Children, oh and Second Star To The Left .. an animated childs film with Barbara Windsor as a hamster.. just gorgeous!x

Anonymous said...

ooh favourite festive films that they repeat each year,one would be Chitty chitty bang bang as long as you look away when the child catcher is on! and i like Jack Frost where michael keaton;s character turns into a snowman. Kat x

this is my patch said...

Hi Michele, I think I have seen bits of The Grinch, although I have seen all The Mask, which I enjoyed at the time! I liked Jim Carey until I saw him trash a luxury hotel suite when being interviewed by Ruby Wax, I was just so shocked by his immature behaviour, that it put me right off him. Although I have laughed many times at his films prior to this episode, he can pull some great grimaces! I haven't got a favourite festive film, most of them I have never seen all the way through, even though they are on the box every year! The Railway Children, I have seen more than once, now that is a lovely film and I love Babe, such a lovable little porker, and Chicken Run is really funny! Oh, not really a film, but me and my mum used to love Creature Comforts by Aardman Creations, I have that on video somewhere, I must try and find it, and dust it off for Christmas Day? x

Cape Cod Washashore said...

My children have watched The Grinch several times already this season! My ultimate favorite movie of all time is Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, even though the child-catcher used to give me nightmares every time I watched it! For Christmas movies, we also love "Elf" with Will Ferrell. It is VERY funny! If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it. =)

bj said...

I have not seen the Grinch because I can not STAND Mr. Carrey. He just makes my hair stand on in. HOWEVER....I will have to be honest and say that when I saw him in Bruce Almighty, I am pretty sure I wet my pants from laughing so hard.....
The traditional movie around our house has always been Frosty. My kids cried when he melted and now my grandchildren cry when he melts.
We love it.....
bj
P.S. Any sightings of Mr. Depp as yet If and when you do see him and let us know, I am pretty sure I am just going to melt and run down the walls........*sigh*

Gill said...

Hi Michele, The Grinch didn't appeal to me at all but maybe I need to look out for it and give it a whirl.
I adore The Railway Children, "Daddy my Daddy" sends shivers dowm my spine just typing it and I well up every time I see that scene.
I love to watch "Love actually" at Christmas time, there are some very poignant scenes in it and I could see it over and over again.

Enjoy your weekend, I'm really wnjoying your blog as you always seem to have something pretty to show us or interesting to tell.
Gill

Tracy said...

Such fun to read of your favorites. We have two favorites, more modern classics--Love Actually, and also A Christmas Story (a very American holiday film), DH and I watch there every year. And A Christmas Story is a fave from when I and my sister were young. And it wouldn't be Christmas without the Grinch and Disney's Christmas Carol either...Happy Christmas film-viewing! ((HUGS))

scj said...

Hmmm favourite Christmas films, I couldn't resist the temptation to tell you mine: Litte shop around the corner; You've got mail; The muppet Christmas carol; little Women - the old version is the best and as I have four daughters all the more meaningful. It never ceases to make me cry!! I love the Railway Children too, and While you were sleeping - such a delightful romance. And I haven't watched one of them yet this year!!!

Chelle said...

Your post made me chuckle. My husband and I disliked Jim Carrey in his earlier movies too. He has seemed to have calmed down a bit lately though. The one movie I associate with Christmas is "A Christmas Story." Its the one where all Ralphie wants for Christmas is a BB Gun and then shoots his eye out the way everyone predicted.

Ben said...

Jim Carrey annoys me too, though 'The Truman Show' and one or two other of his films are watchable.

My own Christmas selection:

Oliver!
Home Alone
Scrooged
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
Life of Brian
The Shining

Something for everyone there!