Here are choices to put you in the proper holiday spirit"Comic Capers" You've got the stockings hung by the fireplace with care and the presents wrapped, but the holiday spirit still hasn't hit. What are you supposed to do to inspire that yuletide feeling of peace and good will? Like they say on sportscasts, "Let's go to the video tape." Film classics that have been around for years can be depended on to get the Christmas mojo going. If you want to revel in the fact that someone had a tougher time with the season than you, pop in "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" and see how some dim bulbs think big light displays are the essence of the holidays. On the sweeter side, "A Christmas Story" tells of little Ralphie's quest for a Red Ryder BB gun. I double-dog dare you not to like it. If you need animation to get animated about Christmas, there are plenty of choices. "Frosty the Snowman" shows us the magic that can be found in one simple hat. And you thought only magicians knew how to pull off that kind of stunt. "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas" tells us how one seemingly old grouch has his heart melted by the warmth of the season -- even if it is cold outside. For seeing the underdog triumph, what could be better than "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer"? How can you not like a story that finds homes for a bunch of Misfits? Need to get warm and fuzzy but want a few yuks along the way? See the traveling travails of Steve Martin and John Candy in "Planes, Trains and Automobiles." Though the film centers on getting home for Thanksgiving, it's the embodiment of the holiday spirit of reaching out to others. If you need to believe in miracles, get your copy of the 1947 version of "Miracle on 34th Street," in which a young Natalie Wood learns there is a reason to believe in that guy who calls himself Kris Kringle. To show how a supposedly ordinary life can have profound effects, there's "It's A Wonderful Life." How can anyone not get choked up when Clarence the angel earns his wings? There also are "Toy Story" and "Toy Story 2." Toys always seem to be part of Christmas. And these films teach more about learning to enjoy life than many adult-themed films. Here's hoping these choices can shake you out of any "Bah, humbug!" moods. Merry Christmas. ON STAGE: Hilarities in Cuyahoga Falls tonight has Bil Benden headlining and Kerry White as feature act, while the Cleveland Improv has Jeff Jena as headliner. Both clubs will be dark on Christmas Eve and Christmas day. Those days are reserved for laughing with your family. Rodney Bengston, an editor in Sun Newspapers' Metro office, covers northeastern Ohio's comedy scene. © 1999 Sun Newspapers |