My Must Watch: Christmas Movies by John Radzikowski
A self-proclaimed Christmas 'nerd,' Brian's high school buddy breaks the rules but totally gets the meaning of the My Must Watch: Christmas Movie project
From Brian:
Let me tell you a little bit about my friend, John.
He would likely be the first one to admit that 11 months out of the year, he’d more likely get mistaken for The Grinch than Kris Kringle. John, a natural introvert, likes to keep to himself, in his house in the woods, or on a golf course, and to spend time with his wife and cats.
Come Christmastime, however, John’s heart might just grow more than three sizes!
As you’ll see, John totally embraced the point of the My Must Watch: Christmas Movies project. And we all have that friend who if you give them an inch, will take a mile. That’s John when it comes to Christmas movies, as you’ll read.
But who am I to squash someone else’s Christmas spirit?
John is raring to go, so without further delay, John’s Must Watch: Christmas Movies.
Thank you for allowing me to dig through my mind full of nostalgia and my excitement for Christmas. This little project was very enjoyable. In a world not as jolly as it once was, I needed a healthy escape.
I know the assignment was a simple half page list of 5 movies and why, and I ended up with more than a half page. A lot more. But I enjoyed writing this, and I hope you enjoy reading it. I apologize for being too lengthy but I felt inspired to share. I don’t share with others very often.
God bless,
John
Christmas. Simply my favorite time of the year.
That period starts the day after Thanksgiving for me. Let’s not forget about the wonderful holiday of Thanksgiving though – to be thankful for all our blessings from our good Lord, and to spend it with your loved ones while enjoying a fantastic meal! Like the dad in A Christmas Story, I too am a turkey junkie.
But back to Christmas.
My good friend and high school alum, Brian, who has a podcast and sends out fantastic emails weekly1, tasked his audience with forming a list of our favorite Christmas films.
Last year it was our favorite Christmas songs, to create an album, but I missed that one, so I am going to try to complete both, and tell a little about myself and my love for this “most wonderful time of the year.”
Call this my Christmas “Theme” (another shout-out to the classic film that made my list). I am going to attempt this without giving Brian 7 pages to edit. God bless you, Brian, for letting me in on this. I hope you don’t regret it.2
In my adulthood, Christmas spirit finds me humming festive tunes long before it is socially acceptable. I do not like the materialism of the holiday season, so I avoid shopping on Black Friday.
Instead, that is when I decorate for my favorite time of the year. I discovered a few years back that a fresh tree from Home Depot (the trees from Home Depot have treated me well since I started purchasing them there the last decade or so) will last a day or two just fine without water, after all they sit out there at the store for days anyway, so I typically make this purchase the Tuesday before Thanksgiving.
I find a safe place outside my house to prop it up. After celebrating Thanksgiving, later that evening I grab the tree, saw off the bottom few inches and trim the dead branches and get that tree in the living room in water, and there it sits to breathe and drink until the next day.
Black Friday is not for shopping in my household, it is for decorating!
Music, drink, lights, glass ornaments, the star on top…and lots of indecision on what to do differently this year while usually doing a lot of the same things.
Then we finish well after dark and settle in with a film from this list that is to follow:
5. A Christmas Carol (TV movie — 1999) – When this was released, I was a big Star Trek fan and especially Star Trek: The Next Generation which was on TV at the time and, lo and behold, Captain Jean-Luc Picard himself was to be Ebeneezer Scrooge!!
I was all-in on the original broadcast, taped it on VHS, and have watched this version each year since. I like this version the best, due to Stewart’s portrayal, the amazing realism of 19th century England, especially the opening scene at Marley’s funeral and then in the church with their breath hanging in the air!
Apart from a few dodgy CG sequences (CG was new to television in those days), it is an amazing experience. I highly recommend it. Also, Tiny Tim, and all the Cratchit family, this is the best version of those characters in my opinion.
4. Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas (animated TV special — 1966) – I remember this growing up and cannot go a single year without re-watching. It helps to remind me what’s important about the season, and to do things that make my heart grow three times too big.
3. A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965) – It isn’t Christmas proper until I hear Linus explain the true meaning of Christmas, see Snoopy win first place in the lights and display contest, see those ridiculous dances in the pageant rehearsals, and of course, the Charlie Brown tree, which took all the children and their friendship to make it the beauty it could be…much like the season itself.
2. A Christmas Story (1983) – A classic. Well written, well made, with humor and heart. I save this one for Christmas Day and watch it all day long. My first viewing was at the Ritz Theater in Scranton when I was a boy. This film hits all the points of what makes a classic American Christmas perfect, though I wish they had gone to church!
1. It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) – Not only my favorite and arguably the best Christmas film of all time, it is also one of the best films of all time.
My first memory of it was many years ago (40?) in elementary or middle school in St. Mary’s AV room with a wheel away TV set and VCR.
I was thinking, Why are we watching this old movie? It’s not even in color! But many years and many tears later, it is a film that is so special to me, words cannot express.
I save this one for Christmas Eve before heading to bed to await Santa Claus3.
This is the only film I will watch on Christmas Eve.
**Now this list was supposed to be 5 and I pleaded with Brian to allow me 10, as 5 was just impossible to narrow down to, and he agreed. So naturally I made it 20.4 I’ll try to keep it short moving forward. And no descriptions past 10, I promise.**
6. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989) – So many great one liners and hilarious scenes. Just a wonderful – and heart-warming, at times – funny movie. You can’t have a list without this. “Is Rusty still in the Navy?”
7. The Ref (1994) – If you don’t know about this film, seek it out, but put the young kids to bed. I first saw it with family when my cousins and I were teens, and we all laughed out loud, and it was a delight. A bit dark at times, but a wonderful heart-warming finish. Denis Leary is hilarious in this. A must watch every year, typically the first movie I will watch of the season, on Black Friday evening.
8. A Christmas Carol (1951) – Starring Alistar Sim, this one is considered the best version of this well-known Dickens tale. I love this version. A great watch.
9. Scrooged (1988) – One of the funniest films. I love it. I watch this multiple times each holiday season. Bill Murray is just genius. Great retelling of the old Scrooge tale for modern times.
10. Home Alone (1989) – Narrowing down a number 10 was rough, but ultimately, I had to go with this. As funny as Kevin is trying to outwit the Wet Bandits, the end scene is even more powerful and heart-warming than the movie is funny, when the “creepy” old guy next door (who ended up being a great guy after all) reunites with his son and family.
If you do not shed tears here, you have no soul.
11. Just kidding, I won’t list 20…Okay, okay, I will — but in no particular order: Elf, Klaus, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, The Santa Clause, Miracle on 34th Street, Mickey’s Christmas Carol, The Grinch (2018), Santa Claus is Coming to Town, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, and A Christmas Story Christmas (Yes, the sequel was very good).
Be sure to subscribe to TheBrianLennonShow because coming tomorrow: John puts his own spin on his holiday musical favorites with his own version of My Christmas Album!
This is true!
I don’t regret it one bit!
I’m not telling John, and none of you should either!
See what I mean about that friend?
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