Music:
Looking to sample some new Christmas music? Then check out Stubby's Stocking Stuffers at falalalala.com to discover new holiday music beyond the mainstream. Another amazing resource is Christmas A Go Go where I inevetably find the majority of my fave new tracks each season.
The last couple of days have been more about Thanksgiving so the tuneage around Casa Kringle has been more Americana than North Pole. I usually go all in on Christmas music while preparing the Turkey Day feast but this year , due to forces beyond my control, we went out for the big meal and I'm having trouble launching into the holiday spirit music-wise.
I'll be putting up some decortions later, we'll see if that inspires me.
Thanksgiving update
Earlier this month I mentioned that the Charlie Brown Thanksgiving Special didn’t do much for me this year. I put it down to over-familiarity. But, on Thanksgiving Eve the family gathered around the glowing flat screen to watch it again, together, and I had an entirely different experience. So much more enjoyable, it was as if I hadn’t even just watched it just days earlier.
The warm fuzzy feeling dissipated, however, while we watched the first episode of a 2016 sitcom called “Thanksgiving” starring Chris Elliot. We’ll never do that again.
Final Thanksgiving view of year was the new Bob’s Burgers and it was pretty good.
Movies and TV:
Broadcasting Christmas (2016)
Exes Melissa Joan Hart and Dean Cain spend the holidays competing for the same morning show anchor job.
Is it Hallmark? Yes
Guest stars? Cynthia Gibb, Richard Kline, Jackée Harry
From the Director of? The Secret Lives of Cheerleaders plus co-producer of a crazy number of Christmas movies.
Does it look like Christmas? Fairly
Does it sound like Christmas? Enough
Does it feel like Christmas? Sure
Did it make me laugh? Yeah, occasionally.
Did I finish it? It was a little long but yep.
Is it a good movie? For a Hallmark.
Is it a good Christmas Movie? For a TV movie, yeah.
A Bulldog For Christmas (2013)
Kid gets turned into a dog.
Unremittingly terrible.
Merry Christmas.
Santa Claus Punch and Judy (Rifftrax)
A rare riff that I can’t stand. Hadnt seen it in a few years and absence has not made the heart grow fonder.
Parks and Recreation - Citizen Knope (2011)
When Parks and Rec originally aired I could take or leave it, then a year or so ago one of my kids was binging it and I sort of got into it, so I was looking forward to checking out this Christmas episode. Citizen Knope is one of those where they’ve wedged Christmas into a serialized storyline, and so the holiday is almost an afterthought in, what I found to be, a pretty mediocre episode.
There is some Christmas content but it didn't feel Christmassy. Of couse the series has tons of fans who, I'm sure, disagree.
A Dream of Christmas (2016)
Given the incestuous nature of the genre, I guess it’s hard to say a movie has stolen its premise from another when it’s just a Lazy Susan of crap plot lines that all these films choose from.
Not a dream, that could be pleasing, nor a nightmare because that could be exciting or at least interesting, this was more of a coma of Christmas
Abbott and Costello Christmas Special (1952)
Colorized holiday variety show hosted by Bud and Lou. Features the usual comedy sketches, novelty dances, acrobats and special guests The Nicholas Brothers. This is all pretty dated, especially the included commercials, but fairly entertaining just the same.
Not a ton of Christmassy content, but enough to qualify as a Christmas show.
Christmas Icetastrophe (2014)
Low budget disaster flick that might not be very good but at least isn’t terrible. It has more Christmas content than some Hallmark efforts. Not great but not Sharknado.
