Xmas Eve Double

Neither of my choices for the third film in what was supposed to be a triple bill were available to watch online, so a double bill will have to do. Click the titles for the first part of each film.

Merry Christmas.


Elf

I'm not, generally speaking, a great Will Ferrell fan, but in this he's actually very funny and gives a real performance rather than just being Will Ferrell. He's a great deal fun as Buddy; a man raised by the elves at the north pole who comes to New York to find his father (James Caan, doing surprisingly well with the comic tone of the movie). As a bonus the movie also features two of the most boundlessly charming actresses around; Mary Steenburgen (as Caan's wife) and Zooey Deschanel (as Buddy's love interest). A modern Christmas classic.


The Shop Around the Corner
While the abysmal remake (You've Got Mail) has been out since the early days of the format, Ernst Lubitsch's sweet, romantic and very funny Christmas rom-com is, unaccountably, still unavailable on UK DVD. It's well worth seeking out though, whether through youtube, a rare TV showing or a seasonal turn at a rep cinema. James Stewart (and Christmas just isn't Christmas without Jimmy Stewart) and Margaret Sullavan are just brilliant as the unaware lovebirds who court one another through anonymous letters. It's a film that leaves you with a warm, Christmassy, glow.