The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause, 2006

Director: Michael Lembeck

Stars: Tim Allen, Martin Short, Elizabeth Mitchell, Spencer Breslin, Abigail Breslin, Wendy Crewson, Judge Reinhold, Eric Lloyd, Ann-Margaret, Alan Arkin, Liliana Mumy

Santa (Tim Allen) and Mrs. Clause (Mitchell) have been living at the North Pole for a while, and now Mrs. Clause is expecting, and she wants some human company. Scott decides that a visit from the in-laws (Alan Arkin and Ann-Margaret) are in order, so he and the elves disguise the North Pole as Canada and continue the lie that Scott is a Canadian toy-maker, to protect the "Secret of Santa".

In the meantime, more stress is added to everyone's lives when trouble-maker Jack Frost (Short) learns about the "escape clause", a way for Santa to escape from being Santa. It will make it as if Santa never became Santa at all.

And yes, that's exactly what happens. Now Scott must fight to become Santa in the first place! And also to save Christmas itself, which has lost all of its magic with Jack Frost in charge. This one very cleverly refers back to The Santa Clause, with a few scenes from that movie, when Scott first finds the Santa suit.

Very good stuff, though cheesy of course. Martin Short and Tim Allen are absolutely hilarious together. And, as you can see from above, an all-star cast joins them.

The Santa Clause 2, 2002

Director: Michael Lembeck

Stars: Tim Allen, Judge Reinhold, Eric Lloyd, Wendy Crewson, Elizabeth Mitchell, David Krumholtz, Spencer Breslin

Scott Calvin (Tim Allen) has been enjoying being Santa Claus for almost 10 years now, but back home Charlie (Lloyd) is acting up in school, probably needing more attention from his dad. On top of that, Scott has a huge new problem: he has to get married! Apparently, the elves forgot about the "Mrs. Clause", and now Scott has only 28 days (until Christmas Eve) to get married or he will stop being Santa Claus.

In order to go back home and be there for Charlie (now on the naughty list) and also stay at the North Pole and get ready for Christmas, a toy Santa is developed and given Santa's memories, and elves Bernard (Krumholtz) and Curtis (Breslin) take over the job of teaching the new toy Santa how to be Santa.

So, it's back home he goes, to be there for Charlie and help deal with the problems that arise, especially with Charlie's school Principal, Carol Newman (Mitchell). Over the next few weeks, Scott decides that maybe Carol is the one, and starts to romance her. But Scott only has a certain amount of magic to use, and he uses it all to impress her.

Meanwhile, the Toy Santa has decided that everyone in the world is getting coal for Christmas, because they have all been naughty. Now, Scott must get back to the North Pole--- to save Christmas, of course!

Did I give too much away? I hope not. This one is very cute, though the first will alwyas be my favorite.

The Santa Clause, 1994

Director: John Pasquin (Home Improvement)

Stars: Tim Allen, Judge Reinhold, Wendy Crewson, Eric Lloyd, David Krumholtz

Scott Calvin (Tim Allen) has partial custody of his son Charlie (Lloyd), who comes over for Christmas Eve, not looking forward to it very much. But after they startle Santa Claus and cause him to fall from the roof, Charlie starts to enjoy himself as he and his dad take over Santa's job for the night. Scott, of course, thinks he has gone crazy, especially after they reach the North Pole and he is told by the elves that he is the new Santa Claus.

The next morning, he wakes up in his home, thinking it was all a dream, until Charlie talks about it excitedly and tells everyone his father is Santa Claus. It takes Scott a while to realize it all really happened. He gains a lot of weight, his hair turns white, he gets a beard he cannot get rid of no matter how much he shaves, and children begin to follow him in the street and tell him what they want for Christmas.

All this begins to scare his ex-wife and her psychologist husband Neil (Reinhold), and she wonders if seeing Scott is the right thing for Charlie.

I love this movie. It is my favorite of all Santa Claus movies; Tim Allen definitely makes a great Santa, and the story is sweet. This one is a little cheesy, but you deal with it, because it's Christmas!

Elf, 2003

Director: Jon Favreau (Iron Man)

Stars: Will Ferrell, Zooey Deschanel, James Caan, Edward Asner, Bob Newhart, Mary Steenburgen

Buddy (Ferrell), a human who was raised by an elves at the North Pole, finds out he is actually a human (he never knew). When his Papa (Newhart) tells him the truth, he sets out to find his father Walter (Caan) in the magical land of New York City.

Buddy explores New York, accidentally acquires a job at a department store, and finds Walter and his wife Emily (Steenburgen) and son Michael. Buddy's ways are unconventional, but everybody loves him. He even gets himself a girlfriend, (Deschanel), one of his coworkers.

Then, on Christmas Eve, Santa crashes in Central Park, because not enough people believe in Santa anymore! If Buddy and his friends don't find a way to get more people to believe in Santa, the sleigh will never get off the ground again.

A wonderful, hilarious Christmas adventure! I love it!

The Shop Around the Corner, 1940

Director: Ernst Lubitsch

Stars: James Stewart, Margaret Sullavan, Frank Morgan, Felix Bressart

If you recognize the name from You've Got Mail, and wonder if they're connected, the answer is yes! You've Got Mail is the modern remake of this one.

Klara (Sullavan) walks into Matuchek's shop, desperate for a job, and proving herself an able salesperson, lands one. In doing so, she gets on Alfred's (Stewart) bad side. The two bicker and compete at work, and Klara struggles with the fact that Alfred is her boss.

But they also each have an anonymous pen pal with whom they are corresponding about anything and everything. And what they don't know is that they are writing to each other!!

Finally, Alfred decides he must meet his pen pal friend, as he is falling in love with her. He and his coworker Pirovitch (Bressart) go to the restaurant where they are scheduled to meet. And behold, it's Klara!!

It's so sweet! And not nearly as long as You've Got Mail, though I do like You've Got Mail even more. But Pirovitch has a wonderful character and lots of lines that will just crack you up. :)

The Cutting Edge, 1992

Director: Paul Michael Glaser

Stars: D.B Sweeney, Moira Kelly, Terry O'Quinn

When hockey player Doug Dorsey (Sweeney), gets hit in the head one too many times, his hopes of going pro are over. Meanwhile, figure skater Kate Moseley (Kelly) falls while skating at the Olympics and is now looking for a new partner for the next winter Olympics. Her coach finds Dorsey, a wonderful skater, and brings him in to audition for the part.

Doug and Kate clash instantly, but he's her last hope for a partner. She's run out of time. They begin to skate together, and Doug struggles through the transition from hockey skating to figure skating. And Kate doesn't make it easier for him. They make through Nationals and then onto France for the winter Olympics. And somewhere along the way, they fall in love.

I LOVE this one. Here's a crazy thing about it: whenever I watch it, I never think of Sweeney and Kelly having stunt doubles. I don't think you can tell, they made it so well!

It's not the cleanest movie, but not dirty. There's no sex, just implied sex. It's not exactly a Christmas movie, but most of it takes place in winter, and there's ice, of course.

25 Christmas Movies!

For December, I am doing what everybody does, really. I am havign a marathon of Christmas movies! Hopefully, you will come across a "new" gem you've never seen before and add it to their Christmas collection!

Starts today! And ends the 25th, of course. And after that, musicals will take up the rest of the year. Bet you can't wait!