"Life moves pretty fast."

"If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."

Ferris was right. This past month (and year, for that matter) has flown by. So, my posts have been a little, well, non-existent. So, my apologies for those who've been paying attention, but I was, indeed, swept up in holiday merriment. I do look forward to getting back to business in the New Year. Here are a couple of topics that I'll be addressing in the near future:

1. The January Casualties. There may have been a flood of tourists in New York this season, and most of them visited the Great White Way. But, some shows got no love and will not see Valentine's Day.

2. I know that this may not be a secret to many, but it is starting to become more official: Government funding for the arts is literally being described as "discretionary spending." Non-essential, if you will. And the non-profit arts establishments around the country are suffering. Without some help, 2010 may see the closing of many a theater and the loss of many a job.

But, it is always darkest before the dawn, as they say (and, no, I cannot quote the source "they"). So, I'm looking for a brighter and happier dawn for the arts in this country and around the world. Stay tuned...

Until then, enjoy what you have in your life and celebrate the people who share it with you. Here's wishing you a very happy, healthy, wealthy, and bright New Year!

We interrupt theatre blogging (or recent lack, thereof) to bring you...

Movies that I look forward to every year and will watch EVERY time they come on during the holiday season.

I venture to say this will not be agreed upon by all of you. I try to defend my picks, but, you know what, sometimes logic escapes me. Some of you may not enjoy the holiday season at all-- "It's all a bunch of greedy commercialism, blah, blah, blah". And I agree, in part. But, the kid in me wins over the cynic in me this time of year. I even act like a kid. Just ask my wife. Anyway, if that's how you feel, perhaps you may want to skip the blog this month. Because I anticipate more holiday-themed entries. That is, if I take the time out of my Christmas movie viewing schedule.

I wanted to write this before all of the programs aired, as the holiday season seems to start earlier and earlier. I might have gotten it in just under the wire. Click on the titles and it'll take you to the imdb.com page for the movie. Some pages include times and channels for when these movies will be on during the month (You're welcome). Christmas Spirit Warning: This list goes to 11.

1. A Christmas Story--A gun. An eye. An icicle. A Christmas Miracle. It's the story of a boy's simple Christmas wish, told by an adult, for the child in all of us. Ralphie's relentless pursuit of his Red Ryder BB Gun is a great story in and of itself. But, told with the backdrop of the suburbs in the 1940s, it gives us fantastic characters to fill in this simple story. Scut Farkas and Grover Dill: You feared them. At 8pm on Christmas Eve, my TV is set and locked into a 24-hour marathon of this classic. And when I turn it off to go to sleep, I turn it right back on in the morning.

2. Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer--My sentimental favorite. Well, I guess all of these are sentimental favorites, but Rudolph holds a special place in my heart. When Clarice starts singing "There's always tomorrow for dreams to come true," I melt like the Winter Warlock in "Santa Claus is Comin' to Town" (we'll get to that later). A couple of misfits (Rudolph and Hermie the Elf/Dentist) are finally accepted by the society that shuns them and Christmas is saved by a glowing deformity! Plus, it contains one of my favorite bits of dialogue ever:

Yukon: This fog is as thick as peanut butter.

Hermie: You mean pea soup.

Yukon: YOU EAT WHAT YOU LIKE, I'LL EAT WHAT I LIKE!

3. Santa Claus is Comin' to Town--So, we got to it sooner rather than later. Taking a page out of the Rudolph Animation Handbook (both are Rankin/Bass productions), Fred Astaire and Mickey Rooney provide their voices to tell us the evolution of the Fat Man. They give us the whole history, from Burgermeister Meisterburger outlawing toys to a message of peace on Earth. The characters we meet along the way, including the Burgermeister himself, Topper the Penguin, Mr. Warlock ("Winter, please"), and the Kringle family (Tanta, Jingle, Tingle, Wingle, et al.) are, in a word, ridiculous. But, the fact that they can throw in all these superfluous details and connect the dots of Christmas tradition is kind of a treat to watch.

4. It's a Wonderful Life--Be a holiday cynic all you want. But, if you don't like this movie, you need to ask Santa for a soul this year. When I was a kid, this used to be shown from Thanksgiving to New Year's Day, basically every day, in color and black and white. Now, the networks are a little more sparing in the airing of this classic. A misplaced $8000 sends a good-hearted family man, with abandoned dreams, to consider offing himself until a simple angel comes to show him what the world will be like if he were never born. It makes us realize how many lives one person can actually touch, if only for a short while. The movie is perennially inspiring, and is very interesting to watch these days, as we are seeing plenty of Mr. Potters in our world. Plus, the end of the movie gets me every time. Yeah, Zu-Zu's "Angel gets its wings" thing is cute, but it's the inscription in the book that always makes me reflect on my own life (and cry like a toddler): Remember, George: no man is a failure who has friends. (Ray's eyes = "Niagra Falls"--we'll get to that later, too).

5. Elf--I saw this movie in the theatre in 2003, and I immediately deduced the following: This is a classic. It's Will Ferrell at his most sincere. Now, I'm a fan of Will, so that helps. But, I know some people get sick of his schtick. If you have not seen this performance, do yourself a favor. You will be giddy. If Will, as Buddy the Elf, can get James Caan (Sonny Corleone, for those struggling with a mental picture) to believe in Santa Claus, I know he can sell you. Plus, it takes the whole Rankin/Bass animation and brings it into the 21st Century. Appearances by Bob Newhart, Zooey Deschanel, Peter Dinklage, and Peter Billingsley (Ralphie from "A Christmas Story") aid our hero in bringing Christmas cheer back to New York, and the world, "by singing loud for all to hear."

6. Christmas Vacation--Clark W. Griswold is on a quest for the perfect old-fashioned family Christmas. Hijinks ensue. And they are consistently hilarious. I've already seen this movie 3 times in the last week. One of the most quotable movies ever. Click here to refresh your memory. Clark's tirade against his boss at the end rivals his rant about the "pilgrimage to see a moose" in the original "Vacation." And, in the interest of dating itself, the yuppie couple next door (that includes a pre-Seinfeld Julia Louis-Dreyfuss) provide a wonderful late-80s foil. Too bad they didn't end the "Vacation" movies with this one, instead of this pile of trash.

7. How the Grinch Stole Christmas!--Yes, I mean the cartoon. A wonderful half-hour adaptation about the biggest hater in Whoville. He literally stole candy from a baby. However, he learns that you don't need material things to enjoy the holidays. You just need to be around those who make you happy. It makes my heart grow 3 sizes every time I see it. I actually want the cartoon to be longer when I'm watching it. So, having said that, I'm going to admit something. I liked the movie, too. And I will also watch that whenever it's on. I'm a sap. Deal with it.

8. A Charlie Brown Christmas--"Lights, please." Need I say more?

9. Bad Santa--A brilliant "anti-Christmas" movie. A foul-mouthed crook, who bleeds vodka, gets a job as a department store Santa so that he and his "little person" partner can wipe it out on Christmas Eve. But, our anti-hero doesn't count on a snot-nosed chubby kid, with an unusual desire for a pink elephant, and a bartender with daddy issues to come into his life. Throw in two comedic actors that left us too soon (John Ritter and Bernie Mac) and one that is still kicking and obsessed with making sandwiches (Cloris Leachman), and you've got a movie that the adults can watch after they put the kids to bed, sugar plums and all.

10. Scrooged--The best movie version of "A Christmas Carol" out there. I respect the classics, but this film pays homage to the original story (A live broadcast, starring Buddy Hackett as Scrooge--That is GOLD!--oh, and they have the Solid Gold Dancers too) while playing out its own version with TV network president Frank Cross (Bill Murray) at the center. It's so Meta. In my opinion (obviously), this is Murray's finest hour. A late-80s backdrop of commercialism and corporate greed frame this story perfectly, as we toggle between the "live broadcast" and Frank's "visitations." He goes from greedy douchebag, to needy douchebag, to schmuck (the Jews taught him that word), to not-a-schmuck (his words, not mine). If you haven't seen it, let me entice you: Bobcat Goldwait: Drunk with a loaded shotgun. Who's feeling the Christmas Spirit?

11. Just Friends--Maybe your definition of "Holiday Movie" is different from mine. But, there is snow on the ground and they celebrate Christmas in the movie. I include this movie based on my original criteria: I look forward to seeing it and will watch it EVERY time it's on. While I always enjoy Ryan Reynolds and Anna Faris, I have yet to see them top their performances in this movie. Write it off if you want, but if you went to school in the 90s (or even if you just remember the song, "I Swear"), you've got to identify to at least part of this movie. Ever been put into the "friend zone?" Ever have ridiculous fights with your little brother? Ever get a socialite messed up on Vicodin, then let her play with blue toothpaste? No? Never? In any case, the Town Carolers wondering about town as our protagonist gets shot down in various ways produce that fuzzy Christmas feeling. Plus, it also contains one of my favorite lines in all of cinema:

Clark: Are you kidding? You're Chris Brander! You're Hollywood; you date models. He's Jersey; he skis in his jeans!

So there you have it. Yes, I know, there are no legitimate "Christmas Carols" or "Miracles on 34th Street." Don't get me wrong. I love those movies too. But, if I'm gonna pick based on the criteria, I've gotta do, what I've gotta do.

At worst, this list at least gave you a little insight into two fundamental areas of my character: I love the holidays and, during these times, I have a penchant for sentimental tears and easy laughs. Not a surprise to some of you, I know.

Hope the kickoff to your holiday season brings tons of comfort and joy.