Thursday Movie Picks-Family Get-Together/Reunions

I have to say...I am going nuts. I am the hazelnut amongst all the other nuts that come out this festive season. If you have not seen me at many of your blogs, I must apologize as I am busy like all the rest of you but, I guess, I just can't get it together as well as all of you. At least I am doing some blogging of my own and hope to do more cards soon enough (After Christmas).

This week is Family Reunions/Get-Together and if you wish to see what everyone else picked, head on over to the host, Wandering Through The Shelves. He already has the new list out for 2016...anyone else want to join in on the fun? Without further ado, here are my 3 and I picked only 1 Christmas film!

1. IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE-1946

Now, you know I was going to pick this movie at some point and talk about a great film! This IS my favourite film because of the message that we often take for granted. We all know the plot (I hope we all know it and if someone doesn't-tsk, tsk:)) This man, George Bailey, always wants to see the world and explore all he can but, whenever he gets a chance to, something always comes up. Christmas Eve is his crucial night when his guardian Angel, Clarence A2C (Angel, 2nd Class) comes to his hour of need to show him what the world would be like without him. Believe it or not, film noir comes into play while George ventures further than anyone else ever thought of. The ending with the entire family, blood relatives and beyond, come to his home,- makes me cry every time. Brilliant cast headed by the great James Stewart.

2. THE SEARCHERS-1956

Westerns need some love and I love Westerns! I am a big John Wayne fan and am saddened by the negative crap that has been written about this man. He has his faults like any person but he was not a coward nor a savage right ringer ready to kill. I am going off topic, which I tend to do. This film is actually all about reunions. Ethan (played by Wayne) comes home after many years, to visit his brother and his family. You see, very early on, that he has an unrequited love for his brother's wife and she has the same for him. You can sense how tired he is and is glad to be back but it is short-lived. While he is away, His brother's homestead is attacked by the Comanche and all are killed except for the youngest daughter. Ethan and the adopted son of his brother (who is part Indian) start a 5 year search to find the young girl and reunite her with her brother and other families that will take her in and raise her as their own.... or will Ethan's hatred for the Indians make he do something horrible? It is visually stunning with a harshness not usually shown at that time but also filled with some comedic bits that just enhance the film even more. When Wayne comes to his brother's home and sees it burning, the music along with the look of pain on Wayne's face is one moment in film that I feel is brilliant.

3. I'VE LOVED YOU SO LONG-2008

This is a foreign film-French film starring Kristin Scott Thomas who should have been up for an Oscar for this role. She plays someone who, at first, you have little sympathy for, but as the story progresses, you heart just breaks for her. She has spent 15 years in prison and is reunited with her sister and lives with her sister and her sister's family. I do not want to reveal much more because it would take away from the brilliance of this film. Thomas's character starts off as a pariah but through the love and patience of her sister, her true nature is revealed. I was lucky to pick this film up for $2.99 because the place had no idea what kind of film this truly is...a gem!

What movies would you pick?