> The state of computer graphics has really
> progressed, but the one thing that is too
> distracting for me is that the characters'
> eyes do not track a subject very well. When
> the characters turn their heads their eyes
> usually remain stationary, giving the
> impression of deadness. Polar Express was a
> little better only because some of the
> action figures were really real people with
> computer contacts on their bodies that
> directed the computer animation. Overall it
> was a good movie, but not one I would go out
> of my way to see.

Some people I know don't like computer animation at all, but, I have adapted to it very well. As well animated as Polar Express was, that was the one thing about it that bothered me - the eyes of the children. As an artist who enjoys portraiture, I finally decided what was wrong. The illustrator should have shaded the portion of the eye just under the lid. It would have made the eyes a little more realistic, although they were very lifelike as they were. We bought the DVD, we liked it so much. The scene in town square when the elves and children are all together as Santa emerges from the building brings tears to my eyes. All those last scenes in Santa Town (or whatever it was called) along with the return home and finding the bell has so much magic and charm. To me, it captures the wonder of those childhood memories.

> "It's A Wonderful Life" has also
> fallen in my esteem, and each time I watch
> it I like it a little bit less. Why? One
> character...UNCLE BILLY!!! Who in their
> right mind would put such a dunce as Billy
> in charge of such large amounts of money?
> Just the fact that he has to tie strings
> around his fingers to remind himself of
> important tasks is enough to make me scream.
> George Bailey's father may have been too
> tolerant of his brother but George was just
> plain blind to Billy's incompetence. Family
> or not, he should have been reassigned to
> another job or just shown the door as gently
> as possible. I know this rant may place me
> in the company of Ebeneezer Scrooge but I
> don't care. Billy must go!

You just hit on something that has long bothered me, too, about that plot. I can't stand it when that portion of the movie comes up. It's too frustrating.

> That old favorite "A Christmas
> Carole" is always a must see for me.
> The old Alistair Sim black and white version
> or the George C. Scott version are my
> choices. The absolute worst? Mr. Magoo's
> Christmas Carole, by FAR!

I can take it or leave it.

> Always a "Must Miss" is "A
> Charlie Brown Christmas" I just can't
> handle pathos in a cartoon, much less one
> that's about Christmas. I never liked that
> kid with the big head who always let Lucy to
> push him around.

LOL I love Peanut's theme music, but I think that those cartoons are an acquired taste.

> "The Santa Clause", with Tim
> Allen, is one of the better modern films. It
> preserves the wonder of the season in the
> eyes of children and reminds adult to not
> take themselves so seriously. The sequels
> are good too, but not as good as the first.

never did see it...I'll have to check it out

> And number 1, numero uno, the best, da bomb,
> the ultimo pelicula in MY universe is
> "A Christmas Story"! I've watched
> this one so many times that it almost feels
> like it happened to me in MY past. Part of
> that has to do with the fact that I was
> raised in that part of the country, and part
> of the film was actually shot in my home
> town, Cleveland, and the rest has to do with
> residual memories of similar situations
> (getting my tongue stuck on a metal pole,
> dressing up so warmly that it was almost
> impossible to move, etc.). The neighborhood
> in the film is remarkably similar to the one
> that I grew up in, even though the film
> takes place in the 1940's after the war.

You know, just when I thought that there wasn't a special Christmas movie left to see, I happened to tune into this one on TV. I think that it was around 1993. What a charge that was. I thought that I had discovered something special. And all along it was a classic, just waiting for me to stumble over it. You know why I had never seen it, of course; it came out when I was in the Funnies. Grouch, you WERE that kid; I just know it.

The Christmas Story has some dark moments in it, very much like Polar Express but a different style altogether.

> Every year there is one television station
> that shows this film repeatedly, all day
> long, time after time, so that the staff can
> spend the day at home, and if I happen to
> see it while channel surfing I will always
> stop for a while to visit and reminisce.
> Just like an old friend or a favorite pair
> of slippers. And if I had the money I'd buy
> that stupid lamp that you see down below,
> and just like in the movie thew Grouchmate
> would do anything to make it go away.

The lamp!!! Too hilarious.