Can someone please suggest some good holiday movie rentals?

[Maine Mary]

Preferrably family-friendly classics as my 12 year old neice will be spending the day w/me while I prepare the meal. Everyone else will be arriving later so it'll just be me and her for the day. She loves animals BTW. I'm thinking of "National Velvet". Any other thoughts?

[GOPisEvil]

1. To Kill a Mockingbird.

My parents showed it to me at around 12. I learned quite a bit from that one. :-)

[onebigbadwulf]

2. What the heck

what kind of holiday movie is to kill a mockingbird?

I was thinking it's a wonderful life

[GOPisEvil]

6. Well, excuse me...I mis-read the question.

Take it down a 1000...sheesh.

Fine - A Christmas Story then.

[Maine Mary]

9. Your suggestion was fine anyway

I meant "a good movie to rent for the holiday" as opposed to "a good holiday movie to rent" YiYiYi I suppose I should have worded the subject differently.

[GOPisEvil]

13. That's what I took you to mean.

See? The pool boy's got it goin' on. ;-)

[PunkinPi]

19. "You'll shoot your eye out kid." ;)

[Maine Mary]

3. I think that'd be a good one

Thanks. :-)

[tekriter]

4. Fly Away Home...

with Jeff Daniels and Anna Pacquin.

My daughter LOVES that movie

[Lars39]

15. About the geese? That was a very good movie!

[Snow]

46. There's a more recent migration flick, just out on DVD - what's it

called? "Winged Something". Really rave reviews on how beautiful it was, here in LA

[Esurientes]

5. Go ahead and laugh

But the Mary-Kate and Ashley travel movies are fun for that age group! The best one is "Our Lips Are Sealed", set in Australia. She will love Boomer the kangaroo.

If she is mature/serious, try "How to Make An American Quilt".

[Lydia Leftcoast]

7. Let's see, movies for Young Democrats

(By the way, how is your 12-year-old niece going to react when she finds out that the girl in the lead is --gasp!--Elizabeth Taylor?)

I believe that Whale Rider is now out on DVD, and perhaps VHS as well. That's a terrific movie for young girls.

The main human character in The Black Stallion is a boy, but if your niece likes horses, it should appeal to her. The photography is stunning.

[geniph]

38. Lydia, we ended up recommending two of the same movies!

GMTA! :D

[terrya]

8. "The Straight Story"

I recently saw it, and I absolutely loved it. It's David Lynch's best film...and very family friendly.

I like to think that the America in "The Straight Story" is what America should be. And the family values in the film are real.

One of the most honest films I've ever seen. And Richard Farnsworth gives a superb performance.

[Tyler Durden]

10. The Emperor's New Grove. REALLY.

Not holiday themed, but funny as HELL. One liners rapid fire, and the kids like it.

[mac56]

27. Second on "The Emporer's New Groove".

One of my all-time faves.

Other suggestions:

"The Iron Giant"
"A Christmas Story"

[Atman]

11. The Ref

ON Edit...sorry...I read too fast and missed the twelve year old niece part. In that case, the Nightmare Before Christmas is the best movie ever!

============

The Ref is dark. But hysterically funny.

Dennis leary in his only good movie role.

Kevin Spacey playing the same character as in American Beauty, which is probably why he rarely mentions this gem.

Not for the kiddies.

[terrya]

14. Oh, my god. I LOVE "The Ref"

Glynnis Johns, as Kevin Spacey's mother, is just a deliciously hateful woman in the film.

Very dark comedy.

Both Spacey and Judy Davis are wonderful.

[peekaloo]

18. lol

I almost posted the same thing! (btw I don't remember Spacey jerkin' the gherkin' in 'The Ref') :evilgrin:

How about 'Edward Scissorhands'?

[underpants]

36. Yeah I'd highly recommend the ref

to poop on

[gratuitous]

12. My own personal Thanksgiving tradition

I will happily share it: "Fiddler on the Roof". I make it a point to drag it out every couple of years or so, and watch the whole thing from beginning to end. And I always cry.

[Kolesar]

16. I like "Roger and Me"

Winter, snow, and people being evicted and having their stuff put out on the lawn. Cut to scenes at the GM executive party with well fed rich children singing jazzed up versions of Christmas songs. You can't get much more Charles Dickens than that!

[THUNDER HANDS]

17. Emmit Otter's Jugband Christmas

Can't go wrong with that one. Trust me, the kid (and you) will love it.

[tridim]

20. That's my favorite

Jim Henson at his absolute best. I only had a worn out VHS copy recorded from HBO in the early 80's, so I finally bought the DVD for my family last year.

[Richardo]

21. Nightmare Before Christmas

Elfman and Burton - great combo.

What's this? What's this?
There's color everywhere

What's this?
There's white things in the air

What's this?
I can't believe my eyes
I must be dreaming
Wake up, Jack, this isn't fair

What's this?

Love that song.

[bif]

22. "Chtistmas Story"

Based on a short srory by Gene Sheaphard. A true classic. Everyone in the family will enjoy it.

[Zomby Woof]

25. I second that

I find 99.9% of holiday movies to be treacly mind-numbing shit, and this one gets past my Zomby Radar. A classic every time.

[mac56]

28. Third that.

At the video store I worked at, we'd even rent this one out in July. It's that funny.

[Red State Rebel]

23. Meet Me in St. Louis

[thom1102]

24. Trains Planes and Automobiles

A real Thanksgiving favorite, and a strong advocate of my personal holiday philosophy "there's always room at our table for one more." If everyone practiced this, then maybe there wouldn't be anyone alone and lonely on Thanksgiving (or maybe I am just naive)

[bif]

26. Radio Flyer

n/t

[geniph]

39. Ouch!

[BiggJawn]

29. "Das Boot"

It took place around xmas time...
"Xmas with the macaronis, what's so bad about that?"
"IDIOT! Gibralter! we have to GET there first...Those straights are as tight as a virgin...The Old Man'll have to smear the boat with....

Oh....12 years old?

Uh, never mind....Rent "Scrooge" with Albert Finney, instead...

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

30. Sounder is the all time animal movie!

[maxanne]

31. we're doing Shakespeare

movies - Othello with Laurence Fishburne and Kenneth Brannagh and Romeo and Juliet with Leonardo DiCaprio. My son-in-law has finally forgiven my daughter and I for making him sit through the 4 hour version of Hamlet in a cramped movie theater a few years ago. ;-)

[geniph]

40. No, no, no, NOT that version of Romeo and Juliet!

The 1968 Zefferelli version is THE definitive R&J, and the ONLY one where the leads are properly cast (and the age the characters are supposed to be). It is flawless and cannot be improved upon.

[mrbill]

32. "christmas vacation" with the griswalds.

a definate holiday classic.

[jogi1969]

33. the ref

great movie
kinda subversive
lot of adult conversation

but funny as hell

[Faygo Kid]

34. "Bachelor Mother" - Ginger Rogers, David Niven

Check it out. Warm, funny, an underrated holiday classic.

[tigereye]

35. Hmmm there are a lot

Christmas Story, It's a Wonderful Life, various versions of A Christmas Carol, they are all pretty good, although we like the Muppet version with Michael Caine, too. Though a 12 year old might not be as up for it. The Bishop's Wife ( original one with Cary Grant) is neat, also Beauty and the Beast. If The Polar Express is out in the theatres, it looks just like the book. Beautiful. Harry Potter movies are fun, too. I have seen them both TOO MANY TIMES.... but they hold up pretty well.

[geniph]

37. Best in Show!

If she's ever seen a dog show, she'll be in stitches.

Milo and Otis is always good, and if you can find the original Incredible Journey (the one withOUT talking animals), it's phenomenal - really gorgeous cinematography.

You can't beat The Black Stallion.

I think ANY young girl should see Whale Rider, several times! I came out of that movie, turned to my husband, and said, "I wish I had a daughter just so I could take her to see that movie." PLEASE show Whale Rider to your niece. Bend It Like Beckham is great, too.

[Faygo Kid]

41. Great choices - not holiday movies, though

No disagreement, but stick to the theme.

[Faygo Kid]

42. George C. Scott's "A Christmas Carol"

Absolutely the best version, with apologies to Alistair Sims. If you have not seen this, please do so. My daughter loved it at 12 (she is 27 now; was about 9 when it came out).

[peterh]

43. Quentin Tarantino’s Four Rooms….

The setting is New Year’s eve and you’ll just laugh your ass off from start to finish. It’s very dark humor with a little nudity….as for your 12 yr old….it’s a coin flip…

[cosmicdot]

44. Is "Oliver" available for rental?

[jus_the_facts]

45. Well this is more for the adults after the kiddies are a 'sleepin'....

...but as you can see it's highly recommended here! ;-)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=105&topic_id=456215

[grannylib]

47. The Last Unicorn, Labyrinth, Desk Set (old Tracy/Hepburn classic)