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Shelf Life

As we approach the holidays and embrace the cooler weather, what better way to be cozy at home and get away from it all than by losing yourself in a Christmas movie? Here are some options available on DVD at the library – a mix of my personal favorites and some newer titles. 

 

A Blue Ridge Mountain Christmas

Hotel manager Willow returns to her stunning Virginia hometown to help her sister plan a Christmas wedding at the inn her family once owned.

 

Gremlins

In this 1984 classic, a gadget salesman is looking for a special gift for his son and finds one at a store in Chinatown. The shopkeeper is reluctant to give up the ‘mogwai’ but sells it to him with the warning to never expose him to bright light, water, or to feed him after midnight. All of this happens and the result is a gang of gremlins that decide to tear up the town on Christmas Eve.

 

Entertaining Christmas

The daughter of a lifestyle mogul is poised to become the new face of the brand in this Hallmark Channel original movie starring Jodie Sweetin. Liz is a cookbook author, crafting expert, and television personality whose name is synonymous with perfection. As she contemplates retirement, her daughter Candace is set to take over. The only trouble is, she can’t cook. Or sew. Or do any of the signature things her mother is known for.

 

Krampus

While the holiday season represents the most magical time of year, ancient European folklore warns of Krampus, a horned beast who punishes naughty children at Christmastime. When dysfunctional family squabbling causes young Max to lose his festive spirit, it unleashes the wrath of the fearsome demon. As Krampus lays siege to their home, the family must band together to save one another from a monstrous fate.

 

Cranberry Christmas

A separated couple feign marital bliss on national television to help their town’s Christmas festival – and their business. But what will happen when rekindled love is complicated by new opportunities?

 

Love Actually

Nine intertwined stories examine the complexities of the one emotion that connects us all: love. Among the characters explored are David, the handsome newly elected British prime minister who falls for a young junior staffer; Sarah, a graphic designer whose devotion to her mentally ill brother complicates her love life; and Harry, a married man tempted by his attractive new secretary.

 

Fatman

To save his declining business, Chris Cringle (played by Mel Gibson), also known as Santa Claus, is forced into a partnership with the U.S. military. Making matters worse, Chris gets locked into a deadly battle of wits against a highly skilled assassin, hired by a precocious 12-year-old, after receiving a lump of coal in his stocking.

 

Jen Pace Dickenson is the youth services librarian for Polk County Public Libraries. For information about the library’s resources, programs, and other services, visit polklibrary.org or call 828-894-8721.