This blog is going out on Christmas day, so it’s likely never to be read. So, rather than give you life-changing financial advice that will drift to the bottom of the unread-holiday-email pile, how about some suggestions for holiday entertainment?
My comments are after the scores.
Jingling All The Way…
- Meet Me in St. Louis (1944) — #1 on RT’s “100 Best Christmas Movies” list. 99% Critics Score/86% Audience Score. KS Comment: Never seen it, maybe want to see it.
- The Shop Around the Corner (1940) — Ranked #2 on the same list. 97%/92%. KS Comment: Is watching You’ve Got Mail enough? Do I need to watch this.
- The Holdovers (2023) — A more recent entry, ranked #3 with a 97%/76% score. KS Comment: Haven’t seen it yet, but definitely want to watch.
- Tangerine (2015) — Surprisingly listed among “Best Christmas Movies” in RT’s modern-classics guide. 95%/76%. KS Comment: Never heard of it, sounds weird, taking a pass on this one.
- Miracle on 34th Street (1947) — Does this need explaining? 96%/87% KS Comment: Seen it many times, not as good as Elf.
Coal in Your Watching Stocking…
- The Nutcracker (2010) – 0% audience score, critics didn’t even bother. KS Comment: I hate that anything with Nathan Lane in it is panned, but looks like this is unwatchable.
- Christmas With the Kranks (2004) – 5% audience score, nothing from critics. KS Comment: I want good things for Jamie Lee Curtis, but the snippets I’ve seen of this movie say this isn’t it.
- Deck the Halls (2006) – Rising in the audience rankings with a 6%, still no critics score. An all-star cast, but that doesn’t always carry a movie. KS Comment: Never seen it, don’t plan to.
- Surviving Christmas (2004) – The early aughts were not good for holiday movies! 8% audience score, critics didn’t bother. KS comment: Never heard of it.
- Mixed Nuts (1994) – 16% audience score. KS comment: Looks like a rare miss from my fave Nora Ephron (may she rest in witty peace). A great cast, too. A shame to waste all that talent.
The life-changing financial advice can wait until New Year’s Resolution time in January.