Christmas At The Movies

Welcome to Bandit country…

t hardly needs to be said, but Elf is very much the Finest Christmas Movie Of All Time.

It’s a film that delivers laughs and emotional tugs aplenty, but, most importantly, it’s a Christmas movie that believes…

So, it’s hardly surprising that the Greystones Film Club’s annual screening of the Will Ferrell festive classic tends to sell out in seconds. Which is why those nice people at The Whale have decided to screen two more Christmas classics. And the winners of their public vote for Thursday, December 22nd are…

With Michael Caine actually turning in one of his best-ever performances as Ebenezer Scrooge, The Muppet Christmas Carol is undoubtedly one of the finest adaptations of the Charles Dickens Yuletide classic.

Despite the fact that the bulk of the cast is made up of Muppets.

Released on December 11th 1992, this was the first Muppets film to be distributed by Walt Disney Pictures, and it proved to be a giant leap forward for the Jim Henson-founded company.

Directed by Henson’s son, Brian (his feature film debut), The Muppet Christmas Carol (USA/G/85mins) stays largely close to the 1843 novella, even if there is singing, and dancing, and pratfalling aplenty.

What is surprising is that the Muppets managed to maintained the original source’s sense of good vs evil, of enlightenment vs darkness, and most of all, the pure joy of helping your fellow man. By giving them pressies.

Screening at 1.30pm at The Whale on Thursday, December 22nd, your €10 admission comes with a free box of freshly-popped popcorn – tickets here.

It’s perhaps surprising given that it’s one of the most-loved Christmas movies ever, Home Alone (PG/103mins) conveyer belt of violence and torture.

And we’re talking violence and torture that would make Itchy & Scratchy wince.

Somehow, the great John Hughes came up with a script that manages to be both a cuddly Christmas story and a slapstick comedy that goes all the way up to 11 on the painometer.

Released on November 10th 1990, Home Alone was an instant hit, and an instant Yuletide classic, the central performance of 10-year-old Macauley Culkin just the right balance of cute and cunning, whilst Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern as the bungling burglars who bit off more Christmas cake than they could chew prove themselves worthy of joining Laurel & Hardy, Abbot & Costello and Varadkar & Martin as one of the greatest comedy duos of all time.

Back on the big screen at The Whale on Thursday, December 22nd at 4pm, your €10 admission comes with a free box of freshly-popped popcorn – tickets here.

Now, go check out what else is happening at The Whale here, and other Christmas shenanigans here.