It's a Wonderful Life / Miracle on 34th Street

Rating:
Summary: Good movie but...
Review: Miracle on 34th Street is a wonderful movie but on the DVD that I bought the sound isn't in sync with the actors lips but is a little bit ahead of them. However, It's a Wonderful Life gets five stars; there are no problems with that DVD.

Rating:
Summary: A Two-for-One Deal on All-time Christmas Classics
Review: These are easily two of the most beloved Christmas movies of all time. They might have been made in the 1940s, but each has a timeless quality that surpasses all generations.

"Miracle on 34th Street" has been re-made twice (once as "Miracle of 52nd Street"), and while the newer ones have their moments, they simply can't compare to this one. When Macy's Santa is found stone drunk as he's ready to board sleigh float in the famous Thanksgiving Day parade, a kindly old gentleman who happens by and also happens to bear a striking resemblance to Old St. Nick is hired on the spot, both to fill in during the parade and as the Macy's store Santa. Only problem is, this guy thinks he really is Santa Claus, and when his sanity finally becomes an issue, it makes for one of the best courtroom dramas ever put on film (take that, Al Pacino). Along the way, Santa also manages to teach a skeptical mother and daughter what it means to believe, and all about the real magic of Christmas.

In "It's A Wonderful Life", Jimmy Stewart is the kindly owner of a money lending company that for years has been helping his town live their dreams. But when one Christmas he has one calimity after another, to the point he's accused of embezzlement and on the lam, he decides to take his own life, believing everyone would have been better off if he'd never been born. A strange man claiming to be his guardian angel stops him from his act, but grants him the opportunity to see what things would have been like if he'd never had been born. The rest of the movie becomes somewhat dark and twisted, as Stewart finally sees all the good he's brought about in the town when suddenly things he'd made happen never did. It's all about the true value of one life, when it's the life of someone who really cares.

The good news is that both of these films are treasured classics, required viewing for many at the holidays. Heck, pop them in any time you feel depressed for a quick pick-me-up, most notably "It's A Wonderful Life". And these are the original black-and-white versions, not colorized.

Rating:
Summary: A Two-for-One Deal on All-time Christmas Classics
Review: These are easily two of the most beloved Christmas movies of all time. They might have been made in the 1940s, but each has a timeless quality that surpasses all generations.

"Miracle on 34th Street" has been re-made twice (once as "Miracle of 52nd Street"), and while the newer ones have their moments, they simply can't compare to this one. When Macy's Santa is found stone drunk as he's ready to board sleigh float in the famous Thanksgiving Day parade, a kindly old gentleman who happens by and also happens to bear a striking resemblance to Old St. Nick is hired on the spot, both to fill in during the parade and as the Macy's store Santa. Only problem is, this guy thinks he really is Santa Claus, and when his sanity finally becomes an issue, it makes for one of the best courtroom dramas ever put on film (take that, Al Pacino). Along the way, Santa also manages to teach a skeptical mother and daughter what it means to believe, and all about the real magic of Christmas.

In "It's A Wonderful Life", Jimmy Stewart is the kindly owner of a money lending company that for years has been helping his town live their dreams. But when one Christmas he has one calimity after another, to the point he's accused of embezzlement and on the lam, he decides to take his own life, believing everyone would have been better off if he'd never been born. A strange man claiming to be his guardian angel stops him from his act, but grants him the opportunity to see what things would have been like if he'd never had been born. The rest of the movie becomes somewhat dark and twisted, as Stewart finally sees all the good he's brought about in the town when suddenly things he'd made happen never did. It's all about the true value of one life, when it's the life of someone who really cares.

The good news is that both of these films are treasured classics, required viewing for many at the holidays. Heck, pop them in any time you feel depressed for a quick pick-me-up, most notably "It's A Wonderful Life". And these are the original black-and-white versions, not colorized.

Rating:
Summary: A Two-for-One Deal on All-time Christmas Classics
Review: These are easily two of the most beloved Christmas movies of all time. They might have been made in the 1940s, but each has a timeless quality that surpasses all generations.

"Miracle on 34th Street" has been re-made twice (once as "Miracle of 52nd Street"), and while the newer ones have their moments, they simply can't compare to this one. When Macy's Santa is found stone drunk as he's ready to board sleigh float in the famous Thanksgiving Day parade, a kindly old gentleman who happens by and also happens to bear a striking resemblance to Old St. Nick is hired on the spot, both to fill in during the parade and as the Macy's store Santa. Only problem is, this guy thinks he really is Santa Claus, and when his sanity finally becomes an issue, it makes for one of the best courtroom dramas ever put on film (take that, Al Pacino). Along the way, Santa also manages to teach a skeptical mother and daughter what it means to believe, and all about the real magic of Christmas.

In "It's A Wonderful Life", Jimmy Stewart is the kindly owner of a money lending company that for years has been helping his town live their dreams. But when one Christmas he has one calimity after another, to the point he's accused of embezzlement and on the lam, he decides to take his own life, believing everyone would have been better off if he'd never been born. A strange man claiming to be his guardian angel stops him from his act, but grants him the opportunity to see what things would have been like if he'd never had been born. The rest of the movie becomes somewhat dark and twisted, as Stewart finally sees all the good he's brought about in the town when suddenly things he'd made happen never did. It's all about the true value of one life, when it's the life of someone who really cares.

The good news is that both of these films are treasured classics, required viewing for many at the holidays. Heck, pop them in any time you feel depressed for a quick pick-me-up, most notably "It's A Wonderful Life". And these are the original black-and-white versions, not colorized.

Rating:
Summary: A Fun, Witty, and Charming Movie
Review: This is a good Christmas Movie to watch and it is far, far more superior than any remakes. This movie has charm and wit--and not the sickening sweet charm that modern movies often resort to when trying to duplicate the same popularity of these older films. Natalie Wood is a likeable child, Maureen O'Hara just cannot be beat. Everybody in this film is wonderful and the dialog is snappy just like it always was in that time period. A great choice for watching on Thanksgiving because the movie starts out on Thanksgiving with Macy's Parade. I have the DVD and I am quite pleased with it. I do like the colorized version which is now unavailable. I always wanted to see a bit more creativity with that process but that is another issue.

Rating:
Summary: A Fun, Witty, and Charming Movie
Review: This is a good Christmas Movie to watch and it is far, far more superior than any remakes. This movie has charm and wit--and not the sickening sweet charm that modern movies often resort to when trying to duplicate the same popularity of these older films. Natalie Wood is a likeable child, Maureen O'Hara just cannot be beat. Everybody in this film is wonderful and the dialog is snappy just like it always was in that time period. A great choice for watching on Thanksgiving because the movie starts out on Thanksgiving with Macy's Parade. I have the DVD and I am quite pleased with it. I do like the colorized version which is now unavailable. I always wanted to see a bit more creativity with that process but that is another issue.

Rating:
Summary: a true classic... evey collection needs this one!
Review: This the best of the classic holiday films... much like Christmas Vacation... your true holiday spirit will bubble through as you watch this again and again. This a great story of faith & love...its a story for all ages as well. Jimmy Stewart is great.

Rating:
Summary: a true classic... evey collection needs this one!
Review: This the best of the classic holiday films... much like Christmas Vacation... your true holiday spirit will bubble through as you watch this again and again. This a great story of faith & love...its a story for all ages as well. Jimmy Stewart is great.