Paul Giamatti plays a stressed Santa in ‘Fred Claus’
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When Paul Giamatti plays Santa in the new comedy “Fred Claus,” he sports the familiar round belly that shakes when he laughs like a bowlful of jelly.
He may be chubby and plump - but he’s no jolly old man. In fact, Giamatti’s St. Nick has problems with anxiety, which leads him to eat out […]

Christmas Movies

When my mom started her first job around 1950 or so, she didn’t have a 401(k), but she did have a Christmas club. Every paycheck showed a deduction for her Christmas club savings account, an account she emptied each December to buy gifts for her family and friends. She tells the story about her Christmas club deductions in the same tone of voice my father uses when he talks about ten-cent ice cream cones, with a hint of nostalgia about the former way of doing things.
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The comedy Fred Claus contains something you practically never see in a Christmas movie — an acknowledgement that not everybody celebrates Christmas.
Subbing for his brother, Fred (Vince Vaughn) slides down a chimney to encounter a surprised family of Hasidic Jews eating dinner. They generously offer him a knish, and off he goes (though it’s […]

Christmas Movies

Season’s pumped-up movies vie for viewers’ attention
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Among your choices on Hollywood’s holiday menu - you can have talking chipmunks or savage aliens and predators. You can have jolly elves and pretty princesses or the mother of all mythic monsters. You can have music, or you can have blood. And in at least one case, you can have both.
“I remember I did […]

Christmas Movies


The House Without A Christmas Tree
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The House Without A Chrismtas tree is a holiday classic to say the least. It was released back in December 1972 and was shown on CBS. It was then enjoyed for years and years to come as the number one Christmas movie to watch during the holiday season. The film was directed by Paul Bogart […]

Christmas Movies

Jingle All The Way
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Arnold’s venture into the realm of family film making takes him into the role of Howard Langston, a man on a mission of sorts.
It’s the holidays and his son wants the latest, greatest toy out there: Turbo Man.
Having forgot about the toy, its days before Christmas Eve and now Howard has to venture […]

Christmas Movies


A Christmas Story house opens
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Ralphie Parker never slept here.
He did, however, take aim at imaginary nemesis Black Bart from his perch on the kitchen sink. And he was spotted through the front window once, caressing a tarted-up leg lamp.
This is A Christmas Story House, the real Cleveland home that housed the fictional Parker family in the movie “A Christmas […]

Christmas Movies, Christmas News


Reason for the season
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he most famous Christmas story, not to mention the reason for the holiday, is live and in living color this holiday season for the entire world to witness.
“The Nativity Story,” based on accounts from the Bible, portrays the events leading up to the most famous birth in history and the burden of such a blessing.
Keisha […]

Christmas Movies, Christmas News


“A Christmas Story” House Becomes Tourist Attraction
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Brian Jones thinks he knows a thing or two about great movies and tourism.
He’s spent a small fortune combining both in a way he hopes will attract your dollar the next time you head to the U.S.
What did he do?
He spent $500,000 to buy and fix up a house at 3159 West 11th St. in […]

Christmas Movies, Christmas News

‘The Nativity Story’ puts Christ back into Christmas
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“With the release of ‘The Nativity Story,’ Hollywood is finally putting Jesus Christ back into Christmas,” Dr. Ted Baehr, chairman of the Christian Film & Television Commission, said. The film, which has been called a prequel to “The Passion of the Christ,” heads to more than 3,000 of the nation’s movie theaters on Dec. 1. […]

Christmas Movies, Christmas News


Christmas is Coming, and Christ is Making a Comeback
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The guest column/op-ed piece below was received via the newswire.
I believe our nation is on the threshold of a major revival, perhaps not equaled since the Great Awakening. The signs are there – some of them subtle, some not-so-subtle. One important sign is what appears to be the re-emergence of Jesus Christ in Christmas.
Christians have […]

Christmas Movies, Christmas News


Top 10 Worst Christmas Movies
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No sooner is Halloween over than we’re faced with the The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause. The holiday spirit has produced a handfull of classic films and a steaming pile of holiday turkeys. Here are the bottom 10.
10. Eight Crazy Nights (2002) In all fairness, this is not one of the ten worst […]

Christmas Movies, Christmas News


‘Shrek’ director helms Christmas comedy
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Victoria Jenson is in final negotiations to direct New Line’s holiday comedy Four Christmases, according to Variety.
Written by Matt Allen and Caleb Wilson, the script tells the story of a young couple who are forced to visit their respective parents, all of whom have divorced, giving them four Christmases to celebrate.
The film will mark Jenson’s […]

Christmas Movies, Christmas News


IMAX’s Christmas Miracle
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When Time Warner’s The Polar Express rolled out at multiplexes everywhere last year, it was simply life imitating art. That bell that Santa doubters fail to hear in the classic Christmas tale? That was the box-office cash registers going silent as the seasonal flick tanked at the box office.
However, IMAX proved to be the […]

Christmas Movies, Christmas News


Movies for people who hate holiday movies
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Had it up to your teeth with the sickeningly sweet holiday movies all over the place? You know, the type of movies that try to make you feel all warm and fuzzy, and teach everyone a lesson about being nice to each other?
I couldn’t agree with you more. I do love “A Christmas Story,” probably […]

Christmas Movies, Christmas News

Holiday Movies to Warm the Heart
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Top 10 Holiday Movies
During the holiday season, one of my favorite things to do is watch holiday movies with my family and friends. There is nothing better than sharing laughter, tears and excitement with the people closest to your heart. If you’re looking for perfect holiday movie to enjoy with family or friends this holiday […]

Christmas Movies, Christmas News


After 40 years, it’s still ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’
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Good grief! Has it really been 40 years since the release of “A Charlie Brown Christmas”? [A Charlie Brown Christmas : The Making of a Tradition]
Yes it has, and United Media, which owns the the licensing rights to the Peanuts property, has teamed with various companies to offer an array of products to commemorate the […]

Christmas Movies, Christmas News


King Kong climbing to the top over Christmas
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After the worst summer of box-office flops in a generation, Hollywood is pulling out the stops over the next month as a trio of films vie to be the Christmas blockbuster.
With Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe and a re-make of King Kong all to be released […]

Christmas Movies, Christmas News


A Charlie Brown Christmas: The Making of a Tradition
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As far back as I can recall, I was always a fan of Charles Schulz Peanuts comic strips.
Living here in Northern California, Sunday just was not complete until I had the chance to read the large panels on the front of the San Francisco Chronicle’s comic pages that carried those adventures in full color. […]

Christmas Movies, Christmas News