Friday, January 5, 2024

What I Watched In November and December

 


I missed last month due to Christmas mayhem  so I’m going to do November and December together and here we go. I will do my best to make my comments short…

NOVEMBER 

1. THE MORTAL STORM-1940


Finally saw this film starring Jimmy Stewart who is a German and is not one for the Nazi Regime unlike his friends. It’s quite a good film and glad I finally saw it.

2. COUNTERPOINT-1968


Granite statue Charlton Heston plays a famous orchestra leader who, with his troupe, end up being held captive by Hubba Hubba Maximillian Schell as a Nazi General. Bad Nazis killing old people and women with some great music. Not bad even with the typical thin-lipped evil Nazi who can’t wait to kill them all. Will they die?

3. RKO 281-1999


Orson Welles makes a movie called “Citizen Kane” and we meet all the people who may be part of the film. We see William Randolph Hearst not happy with the making of this film. It’s good…not great but I do like the story since it is famous in film lore.

DECEMBER

1. LOVE, ACTUALLY-2003


2. MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET-1947


Edmund Gwynn is the perfect Santa and this is a great movie.

3.  IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE-1946


What more can I say? My all time favourite 

4. HOLIDAY AFFAIR-1949


Janet Leigh is a war widow trying to earn money by sizing up the toys in different department stores. She meets Robert Mitchum who works in the toy dept. Hahahaaa..sorry, Robert Mitchum selling toys. Not a bad Christmas movie which is not as well known as the others but still quite nice.

5. A CHRISTMAS CAROL-1951


Love Alastair Sim as Scrooge…my favourite.

6. HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS-2000


Jim Carrey plays the Grinch. It’s ok but I prefer the cartoon. I do love the dog.

7. GOING MY WAY-1944


I’m a sucker for this film about a young priest who is told to take over from the old priest when the church is ready to be foreclosed upon. Love the music, Bing Crosby, Frank McHugh and the great Barry Fitzgerald. Rise Stevens is the perfect Carmen.

I can’t think of any TV shows that I watched that 8n have not already spoke about,

14 comments:

  1. The cartoon Grinch is light years above that crappy Carrey one. You should try the computer animated one that came out a few years ago. It's surprisingly really good.

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    1. I hVe to watch the new one. I heard ot was good.

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  2. I prefer the cartoon Grinch as well. My son haaaated the Jim Carrey version. I was surprised lol

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  3. Hi Birgit - I hadn't heard of RKO 281 ... interesting trailer, while I didn't think much of the British 'Love Actually' ... but I admire your knowledge of films ... cheers and Happy New Year - Hilary

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    1. Wow! You are in the minority as most love that movie

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  4. The ones I love: "Miracle on 34th Street," "A Christmas Carol," and "Going My Way." The last scene of "Going My Way," where the old priest's even older mother shows up, is a killer...

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    1. I cry every time. She must be 130 yra old..lol

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  5. Interesting list! For Christmas movies, Love, Actually is my favourite contemporary one and Alistair Sim's A Christmas Carol is the favourite classic.

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    1. I do love Alastair Si. As Scrooge..the best.

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  6. Considering it came from MGM, whose films never dug under the gritty surface the way Warner Bros. films did, The Mortal Storm is a sobering look at the creep of Nazism and the damage it caused. Great cast.

    Counterpoint was fine, neither great nor awful but an okay time passer.

    I could say the same for RKO 281 though I was more disappointed in it since I was more interested in the story it was telling.

    Love all of your Christmas watches except Jim Carrey's Grinch which was a one and done for me.

    I tried out a couple of new Christmas movies this season, all more contemporary, but didn't stumble on any hidden gem. However I did have my annual viewings of Christmas in Connecticut, White Christmas and the George C. Scott version of A Christmas Carol which satisfied me no end!

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    1. Ughh..I thought I would give that Grinch a 2nd try but I just want to sma k Jim Carrey who is overacting. I ant stand the company Loompas..yeah wrong fil. But it works. I never saw Holiday Affair so that was new to me and..I still have to see the classic Christmas in Connecticut...a must to see this year I hope.

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  7. I finally finished The Last of Us on Max. Can't wait for season two.

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  8. Again, it appears my comment fell into the spam folder. I think I said something about many of those Christmas movies not needing explanation.

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