During the Thanksgiving holiday, I noticed that VH1 had a “Throwback Thursday” with movies that have stood the test of time and are light, clever, and charming. VH1 aired Big with Tom Hanks, Clueless, and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Even with the changes in fashion, hairstyles, make-up, etc. they hold up. I think the common denominator in them is joy, and the capacity we have for it. These movies remind us that we need to plug into joy more.

This past Christmas weekend there were A Christmas Story and Home Alone – two favorites of mine. Surviving Christmas with Ben Affleck, James Gandolfini, Christina Applegate, and once again the super funny Catherine O’Hara, is an odd ball, maybe slightly lesser known, Christmas movie. I find it fairly hilarious and dopey — Ben Affleck’s manic overly aggressive cheerfulness and desperation to create a faux Christmas past is pretty good.

There are a bunch of other movies that come to mind that have a cavalier joy – Elf with Will Ferrell, and Planes Trains and Automobiles. Of course there are the old classic movies, and the new animated ones like Polar Express and Arthur Christmas. What are your favorite holiday or non-holiday escapist movies? Ones that even though you’ve seen them countless times, you still watch? I would love to hear from you.

Enjoy,

Clare Irwin

P.S. They’re not holiday movies, but Superstar with Molly Shannon is another funny goofy movie — haven’t we all known some version of Mary Katherine Gallagher? The other is Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion with Lisa Kudrow and Mira Sorvino. The first time I saw it I thought, what the hell is this? But on second viewing I thoroughly enjoyed its weird spacey humor – and heart.