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Tag Archives: family
Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs 2: Directors Signed?
Based on a children’s book, animated family movie Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs was one of the surprise cinematic hits of 2009, pulling in almost $250m in box offices worldwide.
The book centered on the story of the town of Chewandswallow, where the weather comes three times a day, at mealtimes, and is always in the form of food and drink.
The idea of a sequel has been mooted for a while now, and the writers for the script signed on, but the director’s chair has been left yawningly empty since the first movie’s makers, Chris Miller and Phil Lord, have signed up for other projects, although they are still involved as executive producers.
Now, however, all the indications are that Cody Cameron and Kris Pearn are to direct Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2, having worked on the first version as story artist and head of story respectively. This flick will be their mainstream movie debut.
The plot of the second picture is being kept under wraps for now, and this project is still in need of a green light.
But it’s a fairly safe bet that it will continue the adventures of eccentric inventor Flint Lockwood, who dreams of creating something that will change everyone’s life, voiced in the first movie by Bill Hader. Anna Faris provided the voice of the other lead character, weathergirl Sam Sparks.
Many are hoping that all of the original cast will reprise their roles. But until more information is released, we’ll just have to wait and see.
Photo © Sean Gladwell – Fotolia.com
Celluloid Santas: Which Is Your Favorite?
Santa Claus features in so many motion pictures that it’s almost as if Santa movies are their own sub-genre of cinema. In fact, these films go way back to 1897, when, in a short called Santa Claus Filling Stockings, the bearded one is just doing that. Nothing else is happeningjust Santa filling stockings! There were other Santa pictures in the three subsequent years after that. And there were further interpretations of the fat guy in the red costume in the 1920s, 1940s and 1960s. Some films even explored the origins of the mythical figure.
More recently, notable Saint Nicks include Dan Ackroyd in the 1983 picture Trading Places, which portrayed the world’s most famous gift-giver as a down and out. David Huddleston took on the role in 1985’s: Santa Claus: The Movie.
In 1994, legendary British actor and director Richard Attenborough donned the red suit in Miracle on 34th Street, though perhaps his beard needed a little work. The films centers on the disbelief of young Susan, whose mother employs a kindly old man to play Santa Claus at Macy’s; he later persuades Susan that he really is Santa
In the same year, Tim Allen committed the ultimate Yuletide crime in The Santa Clause by accidentally causing the man himself to fall off his roof. Allen dons Santa robes to do the job of Father Christmas himself, eventually falling in love with the role. The movie spawned two sequels.
Other pictures, such as The Nightmare before Christmas (1993) by Tim Burton and 2003’s Bad Santa feature impostors. In the latter, Billy Bob Thornton plays a miserable conman.
Finally, this year’s Arthur Christmas is an animated movie about the Claus dynasty, with Santa passing on the title, workshop and responsibilities to his son, down the generations.
These are just some of the celluloid incarnations of the great onewhich one is your favorite?
Photo © Sandra Cunningham – Fotolia.com
Tagged Christmas, family, Santa Claus, Seasonal
Five Classic Christmas Movies
Which of these iconic Christmas films have you seen?
1. Miracle on 34th Street (1947, 1994) Kris Kringle reluctantly becomes Macys’ Santa Clause after their other employee is fired for intoxication. Kris is such a convincing Santa Clause that people begin to wonder whether he could in fact be the real thing.
2. A Christmas Carol (1938, 1951, 1971, 2001, 2009) Ebenezer Scrooge is a miser who hates Christmas and refuses to participate in the holiday. He is visited by three spirits: the Ghost Christmas Past, the Ghost of Christmas Present, and the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, and all three teach him the true meaning of the holiday.
3. It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) Perhaps the most iconic Christmas film, depressed George Bailey (James Stewart) is visited by an angel trying to get his wings (Henry Travers). The angel shows him how important his life has been, and what his town of Bedford Falls would be like if he were never born.
4. A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965) Charlie Brown is frustrated by the over-commercialization of Christmas. He buys a sad little Christmas tree and helps his friends remember the importance of the holiday by putting on a Nativity play.
5. How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966, 2002) The Grinch lives on Mt. Crumpit and swoops down in a Santa costume in an attempt to steal Christmas from innocent and merry Whoville. However, Whoville continues on with their joyous spirits, much to the dismay of the grumpy loner.
Photo © Jon Le-Bon – Fotolia.com
Tagged Christmas movies, classics, cult classics, drama, family, Seasonal
Christmas Movies To Watch Every Year
Ring in the holiday with these all-time favorites.
1. A Christmas Story (1983) All Ralphie (Peter Billingsley) wants for Christmas is an “official Red Rider, carbine action, two-hundred shot range model air rifle,” to which everyone in his Indiana hometown exclaims, “You’ll shoot your eye out!” Ralphie undergoes many humorously traumatic events such as encountering a not-to-jolly Santa Clause, having to wear a homemade bunny suit, getting his tongue stuck to the flagpole outside of school, and being tormented by the school bullies.
2. Love Actually (2005) “Love actually is all around” in this British romantic comedy about the intersecting lives of its protagonists. Harry (Alan Rickman) is tempted by his secretary even though he’s happily married with children. Mark (Andrew Lincoln) struggles with his feelings for his best friend’s new bride (Keira Knightly). Prime Minister David (Hugh Grant) finds himself drawn to his sweet and insecure junior member each time she brings him tea and cookies. And in its biggest story arc, prepubescent Sam (Thomas Sangster) develops his first major crush and enlists his stepdad Daniel (Liam Neeson) to help him win her over.
3. A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965) In this timeless animation, Charlie Brown is dismayed by the commercialization of Christmas that he sees all around him. Even Snoopy has given in by entering a holiday lights decorating contest. Charlie rouses his friends by organizing a play based on the nativity scene, but his friends are reluctant to keep it simple and sweet. When Charlie finds a tiny tree to add to the play, his friends first scorn him but then help him decorate it, realizing that Christmas is about more than just commercial interests.
Photo © AlessandraM – Fotolia.com