The second film in our official Holiday pairing is about as far away from "A Christmas Carol" as you're able to get! It's "Ernest Saves Christmas," a story about Santa Claus choosing his successor, a task that would have been made easier, but also wouldn't have been possible, without the help (or interference) of one Ernest P. Worrell! Ernest is, of course, played by the multi-talented Jim Varney, who ends up driving Santa Claus, played expertly by veteran actor Douglas Seale, to a meeting with local personality and former children's TV host Joe Carruthers (Oliver Clark) who has, unbeknownst to him, been chose to be the new Santa. Along the way, they pick up Harmony Star (Noelle Parker), a street-kid who isn't buying the whole "Santa" thing. But when Santa's sack goes missing, Joe fails to believe Santa, and Ernest is left in charge of getting the reindeer and sleigh to Santa, who must have his successor in place before 7:00 p.m. on Christmas Eve, it looks like this might be the end of Christmas! But, of course, as the title suggests, Ernest saves Christmas. A surprisingly sweet film at its core, behind Varney's clowning, and a wonderful film to show to children during the holidays, especially those who might not know who Ernest is! Knowwhuddimean? And the trio reveal which two films they'll be reviewing as they honor the passing of the great Sean Connery in the next pairing!

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This film begins our official Holiday pairing for 2020! Chosen by Chad, it's the 1938 version of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol!" This version of the story contains a few changes from the original tale, but all of them work for this particular telling! Directed by Edwin L. Marin, and adapted for the screen by Hugo Butler, this film clocks in at a trim 69 minutes, but it doesn't skimp on Christmas cheer! Starring Reginald Owen as Ebenezer Scrooge, Gene Lockhart as Bob Cratchit, Kathleen Lockhart as Mrs. Cratchit (and yes, they were real-life husband and wife), Terry Kilburn as Tiny Tim, Barry MacKay as Fred, Lynne Carver as Bess, the great Leo G. Carroll as the ghost of Jacob Marley, the dazzling Ann Rutherford as the Ghost of Christmas Past, and Lionel Braham as the Ghost of Christmas Present, in many ways, this film set the standard to which all subsequent versions would mimic! This film is also the very first cinematic appearance of a young June Lockhart as well!

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The second film covers close to a whole year, but features the December holidays significantly, in a story about people at cross purposes, in love without knowing who each other are. Kathleen Kelly (Meg Ryan) is the owner of "The Shop Around the Corner," a small New York bookstore specializing in children's literature she inherited from her mother. Joe Fox (Tom Hanks) is the youngest member of a corporate dynasty known as "Fox & Sons Books." When their newest store imperils the survival of Kathleen's bookstore, the two meet and are immediately at odds with one another. But, unbeknownst to either, they have already fallen for each other online. After meeting in a chatroom, they've struck up an email correspondence and are both quite taken with each other, sight unseen. This is a modern take on the original 1940 film which shares a title with Kathleen's book store, and at the same time, a nod to the classic "Pride and Prejudice" story as well! Director/Screenwriter Nora Ephron, with screenwriting help from her sister Delia Ephron, create an engaging, twisty love story for the modern age, and brings Hanks and Ryan together for the third time to cement this as a lovely light-hearted romantic film! Featuring supporting roles by Dabney Coleman, Dave Chappelle, Greg Kinnear, Parker Posey, Steve Zahn, and the legendary Jean Stapleton! Plus, the trio explain how their own rules for picking films resulted in a horse-trade between two of the crew, resulting in the Christmas films chosen for 2020!

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The holiday season is approaching, and we're easing our way into it as well! Our first film, set around Christmas, is directed by Jon Turteltaub and written by Daniel G. Sullivan and Fredric Lebow. The story follows Lucy (Sandra Bullock), a subway toll-booth worker for the Chicago Transit Authority, who develops a huge crush on a handsome rider, Peter (Peter Gallagher) who comes through her booth every day. When he is attacked on the platform and falls onto the tracks, Lucy springs into action and saves him. Later on, at the hospital, she is daydreaming and talking to herself about how she was going to marry him. A nurse overhears her, assumes she is Peter's fiance, and announces her as such when his family arrives. Lucy protests, but is steamrolled by Peter's family. She soon finds herself swept into the family she never had by Peter's father Ox (Peter Boyle), his mother Midge (Micole Mercurio), family friend, and Peter's godfather, Saul (Jack Warden), family matriarch Elsie (Glynis Johns), and little sister Mary (Monica Keena). But it's meeting Peter's younger brother Jack (Bill Pullman) that really starts one of the strangest love triangles on film! A few plot holes, but they don't really detract from this sweet, enjoyable film, set during the December holidays!

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