One Imperfect Christmas by Myra Johnson

Publication Date: September 1, 2009

 

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In [easyazon_link identifier=”1426700709″ locale=”US” tag=”rabidreaders-20″]One Imperfect Christmas[/easyazon_link] Natalie Pearce has been living with an all-consuming guilt of not having been there for her mother when she suffered a stroke. With her mother in a nursing home with no signs of leaving, Natalie’s family connections seem to drift further apart and her marriage is on the brink of dissolution. Daniel Pearce doesn’t know how he can help his wife and their daughter has been unmanageably rebellious. Is there any saving this family?

 

 

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Jewish Christmas by Jasmine Schwartz

Publication Date: January 18, 2014

 

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Melissa Morris has an annual day as a Christmas tradition, when she cooks a lavish seafood dinner for friends. While shopping for seafood she runs into a former sorority sister and gets caught up in an avalanche of events that takes her to the far flung reaches of New York City.

 

 

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The Mistletoe Mishap by Aileen Fish

Publication Date: December 14, 2011

 

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Robert, Viscount Alderton, sees his future wife under the mistletoe and kisses her, only to discover that the woman he thought was his future wife was her cousin, Isabella. A rake witnesses the encounter and sees Isabella as fair game. Can Robert protect Isabella (Lella) or is she ruined in society?

 

 

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National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989)

Movie Released: December 1, 1989 | DVD Released: September 30, 2008

 

DVD_National_Lampoons_Christmas_Vacation

Clark Griswold has a dream of surprising his family with a backyard pool. The only impediment to making the dream a reality is that his bonus has yet to arrive. While they wait, Clark and crew enjoy the most wonderful time of the year with cherished family and surprise visitors.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Elf (2003)

Movie Released: November 7, 2003 | DVD Releasd: October 24, 2006

 

DVD_ElfA child slipped into Santa’s sack one Christmas Eve and was taken to the North Pole where he was adopted by an older elf (Bob Newhart). When he finds out that he is human, the elf decides to go on a quest to New York City to find his biological father, a hard-hearted Children’s publisher. Will everything work out as Buddy expects?

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Doctor Who 2014 Christmas Special: The Last Christmas

DVD Release Date: February 17, 2015

 

DVD_Doctor_Who_Last_Christmas The Doctor (Peter Capaldi) and Clara (Jenny Coleman) must help scientists plagued by crab-like creatures at a North Pole Scientific Station with the help of Santa (Nick Frost) and his elves.

Readers of this blog will know that I am a big fan of Doctor Who as well as the comedic characters normally played by Nick Frost. In [easyazon_link identifier=”B00QHND1BO” locale=”US” tag=”rabidreaders-20″]Doctor Who: Last Christmas[/easyazon_link] the actor takes a darker interpretation of an iconic character.

 

 

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A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

Release Date: December 19, 1843 | Rerelease: June 1, 1991 (unabridged edition)

 

CD_A_Christmas_CarolEbeneze Scrooge is a miser that considers the Christmas tradition frivolous and an employee having a paid day off as a way to pick a man’s pocket. He is visited by three spirits that will show him who he is and where he’s going if his cruel ways continue.

 

 

 

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The Hebrew Hammer (2003)

Movie Released: November 16, 2004

 

 

The Hebrew Hammer
The Hebrew Hammer

Santa’s son is on a mission to eradicate Hanukah so The Hebrew Hammer teams up with the Kwanzaa Liberation Front to stop his evil plan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There’s something really fun about a movie that doesn’t pretend to be anything but what it is – absolutely ridiculous. The stereotypes are plentiful and unapologetic and the jokes just awful but the result was a truly hilarious film. The take no prisoners style of comedy reminds me of the great Mel Brooks but  [easyazon_link identifier=”B0002WZTQQ” locale=”US” tag=”rabidreaders-20″]The Hebrew Hammer[/easyazon_link] has a unique flavor all its own.

Watching one of the opening scenes in which young Mordechai’s (Grant Rosenmeyer) dreidel is crushed by Santa Claus and then the jolly old elf gives the young Jew the finger, I wonder how the movie would go over released in the Facebook age. Everyone and their grandmother is on Facebook and every holiday you can set your clock by posts touting the War on Christmas. That the bad guy is named Damien Claus (not to mentioned played by Andy Dick) screams that one should leave their preconceptions at the door and just enjoy the wonderful and crazy stupidity for 90 minutes. Savvy watchers will maybe take something away from how crazy it is that Damien wants December for Christmas and to eradicate all other celebrations. It only makes sense for Mordechai to team up with the other religious organizations to hilarious result.

Mordechai’s love interest is played by the fabulous Judy Greer who, I think, is one of the best comedy actors today. She’s not always permitted to be pretty or the coquette in movies but she played it to advantage in [easyazon_link identifier=”B0002WZTQQ” locale=”US” tag=”rabidreaders-20″]The Hebrew Hammer[/easyazon_link]. She’s a classic Jewish American Princess with a heavy dose of bravado and bad ass that this actor does well. I’ve been a fan of Adam Goldberg since the “Dazed and Confused” days. Goldberg has a good comedic timing and seems to have fun in the role which is fitting with a subject so stretching the bonds of taste. Nora Dunn and Rachel Dratch also have roles in the film.

In short, [easyazon_link identifier=”B0002WZTQQ” locale=”US” tag=”rabidreaders-20″]The Hebrew Hammer[/easyazon_link] was a delightfully fun movie with a few cringe moments. Watched in the spirit in which its intended, [easyazon_link identifier=”B0002WZTQQ” locale=”US” tag=”rabidreaders-20″]The Hebrew Hammer[/easyazon_link]  is a classic addition to any holiday library.

 

The Hebrew Hammer is available as a DVD, Blu-ray and on Amazon Instant Video:

Amazon U.S.Amazon U.K.Amazon Canada

Title The Hebrew Hammer
Director Johnathan Kesselman
Actors Adam Goldberg, Andy Dick, Judy Greer,
Mario Van Peebles, Peter Coyote
Length 1 hour and 25 minutes
Rating R
DVD Release November 16, 2012