Holiday Guide 2015

y a d i l o H 2015

DECK THE HALLS WITH LOCAL CREATIONS ART, PAGE 4

DON’T BUY STORE BRAND EGG NOG DRINKS, PAGE 8

LETTING IN THE LIGHT CELEBRATIONS, PAGE 12

THE MOVIES TO ADD TO YOUR HOLIDAY TRADITION FILM, PAGE 18

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CITY 1

2 CITY

HOLIDAY GUIDE 2015

CITY NEWSPAPER'S

y a d i l o H 2015

Seasonal greetings [ INTRODUCTION ] BY JAKE CLAPP

You should have some fun this holiday season.

It’s so easy to get wrapped up (no pun intended) in gift giving, party planning, and frantic family events that you forget to relax and enjoy the time with friends and family.

This is a season for celebrating. Ignore the commercials and the pressures to host the perfect gathering; turn your attention to making memories and those quirky stories that everyone will still recite five years from now.

Whatever occasion you celebrate between now and the end of the year, take a deep breath when you’re feeling overwhelmed and look for the fun, small things that will make you joyful.

We hope that City’s annual Holiday Guide can give you hints on how to incorporate a little more fun into your season.

Egg nog has been a holiday tradition for centuries but it doesn’t have to always be the store-bought kind. City dining writer Katie Libby talked with several local bartenders for their favorite egg nog recipes that you can make at home.

And once you have glass in hand, take a couple of hours to slow down and watch a holiday movie. Adam Lubitow, our film critic, breaks down a list of great seasonal movies based on genre — and gives you a few lesser-known alternatives, so you can finally put away that worn-out VHS of “Die Hard.”

If you’re still looking for a few trinkets for gifts, or just want to decorate your home, Arts & Entertainment staff writer Rebecca Rafferty profiles four local artists who create their own ornaments, from the quirky to the stunning.

Also, a growing number of Rochesterians are celebrating the winter solstice. City’s editorial intern, Olivia Lopez, talked with a couple of groups that welcome the coming light of the new year.

Given the timing of this year’s Holiday Guide, we have decided to hold on running a list of events happening this season. But check City’s December 2 regular issue for a full list of holidayrelated activities happening in December.

Stress might be inevitable during the holidays, but we hope you can find some time to unwind and let loose. Let us know how you’re celebrating by leaving a comment below this article online at rochestercitynewspaper.com.

INSIDE ART.............................................. 4 DECK THE HALLS WITH LOCAL CREATIONS

DRINKS........................................ 8 DON’T BUY STORE BRAND EGG NOG

CELEBRATIONS........................... 12 LETTING IN THE LIGHT

FILM.......................................... 18 MOVIES TO ADD TO YOUR HOLIDAY TRADITION

On the cover: Illustration by Ryan Williamson Publishers: William and Mary Anna Towler General Manager: Matt Walsh Editorial department themail@rochester-citynews.com Arts & entertainment editor: Jake Clapp Calendar editor: Antoinette Ena Johnson Contributing writers: Katie Libby, Adam Lubitow, Rebecca Rafferty Editorial intern: Olivia Lopez Art department artdept@rochester-citynews.com Art director/production manager: Ryan Williamson Designers: Aubrey Berardini, Mark Chamberlin Advertising department ads@rochester-citynews.com Sales Representatives: Christine Kubarycz, Betsy Matthews, Sarah McHugh, Bill Towler, David White Operations/Circulation kstathis@rochester-citynews.com Circulation manager: Katherine Stathis Distribution: Andy DiCiaccio, David Riccioni, Northstar Delivery, Wolfe News Holiday Guide is published by WMT

Publications, Inc. Copyright by WMT Publications Inc., 2015 - all rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, photocopying, recording or by any information storage retrieval system without permission of the copyright owner.

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CITY 3

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Confession: I don’t put up a tree during the holidays. My living space is modest in size and I’ve never adored the ritual of cutting down a whole tree, only to curb it a few weeks later. But I’m not a Grinch — I enjoy expressions of seasonal cheer during the bleak months as much as anyone. And somehow, I’ve accumulated quite the collection of ornaments, which hang in the windows and from the crown molding.

Ornaments make great gifts. They’re versatile, and you can truly find something for everyone. They can serve as a small gift for an office mate or party hostess, or supplemental gifts for loved ones. And they can be found locally: Several Rochester artists, each working in different media, have put their own twists to holiday ornaments.

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A one-woman operation, Cat Clay offers a truly huge variety of ornaments for various holidays, as well as any ole time of year. Included in this latter group are the fortune cookie ornaments, which are folded and pinched slabs of clay textured with various patterns, and glazed in a variety of hues. One of the coolest parts about this ornament is that you can slip a customized message into the cookie.

Many of Cat Clay’s ornaments appeal to specific fandoms, including hand-designed decals with such imagery as “Doctor Who” Daleks with the phrase “Celebrate!” or the Weeping Angel with the word “Hark!”; the “Star Trek” Vulcan “Live Long and Prosper” hand or the Starship Enterprise with the phrase “Make it Snow!”; or the “Star Wars” Death Star snowflake.

For those with hometown pride, Sabra Wood (the woman behind Cat Clay) offers ornaments adorned with the Flower City logo arranged into a star, or a crow with a Rochester logo snowflake, among others. Her Celebrity Mugshots series has expanded from mugs to ornaments, too, so you have options for fans of everyone from David Bowie (arrested in Rochester on March 25, 1976), to Martha Stewart. Hint: There are lots of musicians in this category.

Cat Clay's "Furryosa" ornament, a play on

Imperator Furiosa from "Mad Max: Fury Road."

PHOTO BY MARK CHAMBERLIN

Aside from all of the pop culture, Wood also makes sweet, snarky, and clever ornaments, such as the Gingerbread Men (with various limbs bitten off), or the fuzzy ocean puppies with the phrase “We Otter Celebrate.”

Cat Clay offers loads of decorations for hyper-specific fans, as well as plenty of pretty ornaments suitable for anyone on your list. You can check out her ornaments and the rest of her beautiful wares at Cat Clay (studio 242, floor 2, The Hungerford Building, 1115 East Main Street) or visit her website at catclay.com. Cat Clay will host a group Holiday Sale on December 4, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.; and December 5, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wood’s ornaments will be available at the Memorial Art Gallery Store through the holiday season as well.

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Sabra Wood, the artist behind Cat Clay, displays some of her ornaments in her studio. Many of her pieces are twists on pop culture. PHOTO BY MARK CHAMBERLIN

Earthy:

THE KNOTTY OWL

The Knotty Owl creator Ashley Landon is known for her serious skills with wood burning and staining stunning natural imagery onto hand-carved wood, and making it-girl adornments with them.

Popular creations include moon phases, detailed leaves and feathers, serpents, moths, and of course, owls. She’s also branched out to create bird skull pendants, snake arm cuffs, foliage hairpins, and other items with cast, forged, and etched metal.

This year, TKO (which I affectionately think of as The Knock Out) will offer a variety of her nature-based creations in ornament form. So far, this includes small wood-burned and painted feathers (I can see a whole tree decked out with dozens of these and tiny twinkling fairy lights), but Landon is busy creating a whole line of ornaments, in the same vein as her jewelry, ready for the holiday season.

These will include floral designs, mixed with butterflies and other beautiful insects, trees, and some animal skulls for a more niche audience.

Because they’re so neutral in theme, The Knotty Owl’s ornaments are suitable for year-round home décor, especially for the nature lovers. Check out Landon’s wares at Second Storie Market (November 28, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the VSW Auditorium at 31 Prince Street), and Cat Clay’s Holiday Sale

(December 4 and 5). To preview and purchase her work, and for more information on craft fairs, visit theknottyowl.com.

Fuzzy:

MOYA LAZY FACTORY

Jina Park, the woman behind Moya Lazy Factory’s sweet and funny fiber creations, also offers many of her cute creatures in ornament form. The most common are piglets, angel bunnies, penguins, and bears, often in patterned pajamas or swaddled in colorful cloth. Some of the critters are also set in a festive glitter-covered ring ornament.

Park’s more off-beat creations include double-headed bunnies; mustachioed bunnies; coiled poo with smiling; friendly yetis; tiny green Yodas; and wooly Wookies, which are little more than a mass of brown fur, two beady eyes, and a bandolier, but immediately recognizable.

Not all of the ornaments depict creatures.

Park also creates little winter wonderlands in glass teacups. The interior is transformed into a snowy scene with quartz for ice, tiny trees, and fiber snowmen. With a ribbon tied around the handle, the ornament tips toward the viewer to showcase the little world.

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At Christmas time As we welcome The One who inspires us We wish Peace on Earth for All May the prayers of the People Spoken in the words of many faiths Rise up to The Creator And bless us every one.

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Ornate glass ornaments from More Fire Glass Studio. PROVIDED PHOTO continues from page 5

All cuteness aside, Park has made some more serious pieces for different shows around town. For her “Tiny Twisted Worlds” show at Cat Clay, she created a tribute and memorial piece to Trayvon Martin (in bunny form), sewed into a hooded sweatshirt, and laying on a bed of actual skittles.

You can check out and purchase Moya Lazy Factory’s work at etsy.com/shop/ moyalazyfactory. Park will also be present at the Holiday Bazaar Arts & Crafts Sale at RMSC from November 20 to 22. For more information, visit rmsc.org.

Shiny:

MORE FIRE GLASS STUDIO

More Fire Glass Studio (80 Rockwood Place) offers an eclectic sampling of hand-blown and cast glass ornaments, ranging from traditional themes to special interests, as well as other glass goods to fill your home with warmth and light. These include votive holders made of delicate and expressive glass petals, elegant vases, and beautiful bird sculptures.

The ornaments are a team effort between founder Elizabeth Lyons, studio manager Jennifer Schinzing, and others. Some of my favorites include the wide variety of colorful, 6 CITY

HOLIDAY GUIDE 2015

light-catching globes (there are buckets full of them, and you could spend hours picking out your favorite hues and textures), and the utterly perfect candy canes that look good enough to nibble.

In addition to pretty, traditional pieces like the Christmas pickle ornament, crystalline snowflakes, snowmen, or amanita mushrooms (the red caps with the white dots), there are lots of options for those with specific interests. Hit the breakfast enthusiast friend with the scrumptious-looking bacon and eggs set, or your yogi friends with the Om symbol.

Other special-interest ornaments are created in tribute to businesses that surround More Fire’s neighbors. These include pieces with imagery of bicycles (in tribute to Tryon Bike), and pet paws (Dog E. Woggy’s K-9 Playtime). And proceeds of a special pink ribbon ornament will benefit Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester.

The ornaments and more will be available for purchase at More Fire’s Annual Holiday Sale, on Friday, November 27, through Sunday, November 29, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and Saturday, December 5, and Sunday, December 6, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

There will be glass blowing demos each day of the event. For more information, visit morefireglass.com.

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LOCAL BARTENDERS PUT THEIR TWIST ON THAT DIVISIVE, SWEET HOLIDAY DRINK:

Egg Nog [ DRINKS ] BY KATIE LIBBY

After talking to people about egg nog, I’ve come to realize that they either love it or abhor it. Personally, I love the stuff.

I’ll put it in my coffee, use it in pancake or French toast batter — I’ll even buy the pre-mixed stuff at the liquor store.

But I’ve found what people find most disturbing about the thick, sweet holiday drink is that they think they are drinking raw egg — which is not wrong — but as bartender Jacob Rakovan at The Daily Refresher explains, we consume raw egg in other things that we don’t have a problem with.

“We eat meringue,” he says. “We eat mayonnaise. We eat raw eggs in its emulsified form all the time. Usually the most dangerous part of the egg is the shell in terms of Salmonella.”

Egg nogs, and their popularity, can be followed back to the flip, a mixed drink that dates back to the 1600’s, says Dan Kajdas, general manager at La Casa.

“People would take a hot poker and stick it in beer with rum and sugar to make it foamy and warm. Eventually they started making nogs that used cream, so flips and nogs are very close; flips will have liquor,

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Bartender Jacob Rakovan mixes the "Cratchit's Comfort" at The Daily Refresher.

PHOTO BY MARK CHAMBERLIN

8 CITY

HOLIDAY GUIDE 2015

(Clockwise from top) The "Cratchit's Comfort" at The Daily Refresher; "The Rompope" made at La Casa; and the "Father Kalikimaka" also at The Daily Refresher. PHOTOS BY MARK CHAMBERLIN

sugar, and egg, whereas nog has all that in addition to cream.”

For the holiday season, La Casa (93 Alexander Street) is making a Southern American Spanish-style egg nog called “The Rompope.” “We do a take on a traditional egg nog, flip drink with Horchata heavy cream that we make inhouse with cinnamon, vanilla, and rice milk that we thicken with heavy cream,” Kajdas says.

The drink is made with a whole egg, one ounce of Horchata heavy cream (you can buy RumChata at the liquor store in lieu of making your own), two ounces of Myers dark rum (you can use any spiced rum, but Kajdas recommends an aged rum because it has more notes of vanilla), and a half ounce of brown sugar simple syrup (equal parts brown sugar and water boiled together until sugar is dissolved). Shake the mixture in a shaker with no ice, this is called a dry shake and is used to incorporate the egg with the rest of ingredients, like whisking. Add ice and then give it a strong shake again — the longer the better so you get a nice, foamy head on it — strain into a chilled glass and garnish with nutmeg and cinnamon.

Rakovan is making a more traditional egg nog recipe called “Cratchit’s Comfort”

at The Daily Refresher (293 Alexander Street). The drink uses Sorel, a spiced liqueur made in Brooklyn, or as Rakovan calls it, “Christmas in a glass.” Start by separating one egg yolk from the egg white, and placing the egg white in a shaker with a quarter ounce of simple syrup and one ounce of heavy cream.

Then you dry shake. After shaking, add one and three quarters ounce of bourbon; a quarter ounce of Gosling’s Black Seal Rum; a quarter ounce of Sorel; and the egg yolk; add ice and shake hard again. Strain into a glass and garnish with cinnamon and nutmeg. The drink offers a “beautiful, creamy, mouthfeel texture of traditional egg nog,” Rakovan says.

Matthew Pawloski, also of The Daily Refresher, went downright tropical with his take on an egg nog drink: the “Father Kalikimaka” (think of Clark Griswold staring out the window to Bing Crosby’s “Mele Kalikimaka” in “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation”). In a shaker, combine a whole egg; one and a half ounces of aged, spiced rum (he used Angostura 7 Year); a half ounce of Orgeat (an almond syrup); a half ounce of Dry

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Curacao; a third of an ounce of fresh orange juice; a third ounce of Falernum (a syrup flavored with almond, ginger, clove, and lime); and a third ounce of Gosling’s Spiced Rum (or any spiced rum).

For this cocktail you will reverse dry shake, which means shake first with ice, strain, and then shake again with no ice and strain into a rocks glass. Garnish with an orange peel and dust with nutmeg. The end result will look, and taste, something like an Orange Julius.

If you’re wondering where to get all of these ingredients, they should all be available at your larger liquor stores. The bitters used are from Fee Brothers, which is a local company.

At The Cub Room (739 South Clinton Avenue), bartender Michael Bolis has created his version of a nog cocktail, the

“Wake N’ Bake Apple Pie.” The cocktail starts with a whole egg; three quarters of an ounce of Rittenhouse Rye; one to one and a half ounces of Iron Smoke’s Rattlesnake Rosie’s Apple Pie Whiskey; a dash of lemon, honey, and grenadine; and topped with cinnamon. The egg lends a creaminess that is reminiscent of apple pie with whipped cream or ice cream on top.

While none of these drinks are made with egg nog right out of the carton, as Dan Kajdas explains, “We’re basically making fresh egg nog on the fly — we’re making it to order when we’re making these drinks.” Of course there is nothing wrong with breaking out that crystal punch bowl, pouring in a gallon of egg nog and adding brandy, bourbon, or whiskey, whatever you prefer. Either way it’s going to be the holidays in a glass.

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First Unitarian Church Senior Minister Kaaren Anderson leads a "howl" during the 2014 winter solstice celebration. PHOTO BY DAVE BURNET [ CELEBRATIONS ] BY OLIVIA LOPEZ

Beyond the traditional presents, decorations, trees, and dinner plans, there is another holiday practice that is capturing the attention of some Rochester groups. Supplementing the traditional holidays, or even sometimes foregoing these activities and replacing them, a growing number of people are celebrating the winter solstice.

“We’re not just getting our own folks that are attending worship at this service,” says Erin Julian, the executive assistant of the First Unitarian Church of Rochester, which began holding winter solstice

ceremonies in 2013. “They’re bringing their friends to check it out.”

The December winter solstice, as an astronomical event, marks when the Northern Hemisphere is exposed to sunlight for the shortest amount of time due to the Earth’s tilt. (The Southern Hemisphere marks its winter solstice in June.) The event signifies the seasonal shift of winter to summer and the longer days and shorter nights to come. This year, the winter solstice falls on Tuesday, December 22, the first day of winter.

continues on page 14

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Scenes from the First Unitarian Church's 2014 winter solstice celebration. PHOTOS BY DAVE BURNET rochestercitynewspaper.com CITY 13

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“Winter Solstice is a time to pause, with the restraints of winter, to perceive the sense of our future growth,” Mary Kate Hagan writes in “Winter Solstice Celebration,” an article published in The Furrow, a journal for the contemporary church.

“It is an invitation to align ourselves with the tuning of the seasons and the natural world, experiencing ourselves as beings woven into the sacred web of life, acknowledging the mystery of the Divine creates presence pulsating through all.”

Two years ago, First Unitarian held its first service “to celebrate the winter solstice which is preparing to welcome light as we head into spring,” Julian says. “We started completely in the dark, which is what solstice is, and then gradually created more light throughout the service.”

The church (220 South Winton Road) will host this year’s solstice ceremony on Saturday, December 19, with three services: 4:30 p.m., 7 p.m., and 9:30 p.m. A yoga service will be held the following morning, at 10 a.m.

During the service, the congregation participates in activities, music, and meditation, all centered around the idea of welcoming in the light both physically and spiritually.

One activity that seems to resonate with the congregation is an act of diminishing stressors or bad memories.

“On each seat in the sanctuary, everyone was given a piece of flash paper,” Julian says. “On the flash paper we were asked to write down what it is that we want to leave behind as we welcome the light.”

Sections of the congregation are then asked to come up and throw their pieces of paper into the fire pit that was in the center of the sanctuary.

“At that point they actually just flared right up,” Julian says. “It was really beautiful.”

Maryellen Meleca, a Unitarian Universalist who has been a member of the church for five years, says that moment was one she would remember, too.To Meleca, the service is an emotional, unforgettable, and impactful experience that she looks forward to it each year.

“It’s really meaningful to share that with a group of people,” to realize we all have worries or stressors, Meleca says.

“We all have these things and we can brighten our world together and share the lightness and welcome back the light on multiple different levels.”

continues on page 16

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Although small in numbers — about 200,000 Universalists in the United States — the First Unitarian Church in Rochester is a leader of the religious community.

“The First Unitarian here in Rochester: we’re the third largest Unitarian church in the country.

We’re often looked up to by the denomination,” Julian says. “That’s an honor for us.”

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solstice into their practices.

“Like most religions, we have a ceremony and then we eat afterwards,” says Thomas De Fiore-Schmidt, the High Priest of the Coven of Sangha-Sho. Fiore-Schmidt leads a Wiccan group in Rochester that meets at his personal home in Irondequoit. “Our religion is based on the changing of the seasons,” he says. “Were entering the lighter half of the year where you gain daylight … it’s the promise of the goddess and the sun will come back and warm us again.”

Fiore-Schmidt says he celebrates with his coven like many other religions by gift giving and spending time together. In the middle of a ritual, Fiore-Schmidt says, there is a lesson just like most other religious traditions.

However there is a lot of freedom in a smaller practice religion like Wicca — Fiore-Schmidt’s coven has an inner circle of 12 members, and 13 members in its outer circle, which according to him, is a sizeable coven.

“In Wicca, there’s no centralized church, like Catholicism has the Vatican.

There is no one place or one person.”

Fiore-Schmidt says he is not surprised to hear when someone is celebrating the solstice, and see many

The First Unitarian Church's winter solstice celebration has nearly tripled in attendance since 2013.

PHOTOS BY DAVE BURNET

people celebrating in addition to their traditional holiday celebrations. “I don’t know if Wicca or paganism is growing as quickly as I hoped, but I think people are not following the original tradition as strongly as they used to,” he says.

Meleca says she has been hooked since she first heard of the Unitarian church’s celebration. “It’s hard to actually capture the solstice celebration in words that really describe it fully,” she says. “It’s an experience on a lot of different levels.”

Meleca isn’t abnormal either. Julian says that the numbers at the solstice services have nearly tripled since 2013, demanding more attention and planning.

The sanctuary at the First Unitarian Church of Rochester holds about 350 people. For the services in the past, the church was at standing room only. In

2014, two separate services were hosted in an attempt to make more room and accessibility for people. They were still at standing room only in each service.

The church will now host three services to accommodate those wishing to participate in the service, and Julian says the hype is only growing. Many of the participants of the church are eager for the next solstice celebration.

“We had all this wonderful positive buzz to the point where six to nine months after that service, people we’re still saying, oh my God that’s so amazing, I can’t wait until the next one.”

For more information about First Unitarian’s solstice celebration, call 271-9070 or email office@rochesterunitarian.org.

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SOMETIMES YOU JUST NEED A MOVIE BREAK DURING THE HOLIDAYS. HERE ARE OUR SUGGESTIONS ON WHAT TO WATCH THIS SEASON [ FILM ] BY ADAM LUBITOW

The term “Christmas movie” means different things to different people. Just like the holiday itself — which can be both universal and extremely personal — we all celebrate in our own way, and certain films speak to us for different reasons. As “Community” once wisely told us, “The meaning of Christmas is the idea that Christmas has meaning. And it can mean whatever we want.”

Thankfully, holiday films can come in just about any genre you can imagine, from comedies (“A Christmas Story”) to superhero movies (“Batman Returns”); from musicals (“White Christmas”) to slasher films (“Christmas Evil”). There’s more than a few people out there who feel that “Now I have a machine gun, ho ho ho!” is an even more festive sentiment than “Happy Holidays.”

This season is all about tradition, and nothing gets me into the spirit more than curling up on the sofa once the snow starts to fall, wrapping myself up in a cozy blanket, and watching one of my favorite holiday movies. While the old stand-bys can be comforting, sometimes it’s good to mix things up and try something new. In preparation for the Yuletide, City has compiled a list of some of the more popular films in a variety of genres, along with some suggestions for alternative viewing. So whether you consider yourself more of a Scrooge or a Tiny Tim, there should be something here that speaks to you.

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Family Popular choice: “Home Alone”

For many of my generation, Chris Columbus’ festive tale of negligent parenting and criminal mischief is the movie for Christmas. If you want to go all out with it, the RPO is even holding a special onetime showing of the film with live orchestral accompaniment on December 12.

Alternative choice: “Millions”

Like “Home Alone,” this heartwarming fable also concerns a young kid on the run from a band of thieves. But director Danny Boyle brings a welcome eccentricity to this story of a saint-obsessed boy who decides to do some good with a bag of ill-gotten money that accidentally lands (literally) in his possession. continues on page 20 rochestercitynewspaper.com CITY 19

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Don't forget, "Die Hard" wasn't the only action movie for Christmas time. "Lethal Weapon" also spread the Yuletide cheer. PHOTO COURTESY WARNER BROS. continues from page 19

Comedy

Popular choice: “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation”

The misadventures of the Griswolds continue as they prepare for a peaceful family Christmas celebration, with predictably disastrous results.

Alternative choice: “The Ref”

Denis Leary plays a jewel thief who ends up taking a bickering married couple (Kevin Spacey and Judy Davis) hostage after a Christmas Eve burglary goes awry. With a caustic sense of humor, the film is a wicked delight, even if it does end up going a bit soft by the end. If you want even more bite, you might want to try “Bad Santa” on for size.

You can skip the 3,475th viewing of “It’s a Wonderful Life” and still get your Jimmy Stewart fix with this ever-hilarious comedy from Ernst Lubitsch. Yes, it inspired a regrettable remake in the form of the instantly dated Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan AOL infomercial “You’ve Got Mail,” but don’t hold that against it. Plus, if you want to catch “Shop” on the big screen, it screens at the Dryden Theatre on December 26.

Action

Popular choice: “Die Hard”

Popular choice: “Love Actually”

“Die Hard” is undeniably the greatest Christmas movie ever made, but there are still worthy substitutes if for some reason you want to give John McClane the year off.

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20 CITY HOLIDAY GUIDE 2015

Alternative choice: “The Shop Around the Corner”

Alternative choice: “Lethal Weapon”

Sometimes even Santa has a breaking point, like in "Silent Night, Deadly Night." PHOTO COURTESY ANCHOR BAY ENTERTAINMENT

A scene from "Arthur Christmas." PHOTO COURTESY SONY PICTURES

buddy cop movies, but “Lethal Weapon” doesn’t always get the holiday love that “Die Hard” enjoys. And that’s a shame since the movie is absolutely saturated in Christmas — though this is true of pretty much anything from writer Shane Black’s filmography. The guy’s got a Yuletide obsession, and just about any of his films — including “The Long Kiss Goodnight,” “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang,” and even “Iron Man 3” — would make worthy substitutes.

Kids

Popular choice: “The Muppet Christmas Carol”

Kermit, Piggy, and the whole gang are joined by Michael Caine in this wonderfully Muppet-tastic retelling of the Charles Dickens classic.

Alternative choice: “Arthur Christmas”

In this wittily inventive adventure from Aardman Studios (working outside their usual medium of stop motion), Santa’s well-

meaning but accident prone son, Arthur (voiced by James McAvoy), takes it upon himself to make a Christmas Eve delivery in his father’s place when one child’s present is accidentally left behind.

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Horror Classic choice: “Silent Night, Deadly Night”

There are few demented pleasures as keen as watching a psychotic Santa Claus unleash a reign of festive terror.

Alternative choice: “Black Christmas”

“Halloween” often gets the credit for inventing the slasher film as we know it today, but this other seasonal horror flick — about a sorority house harassed by disturbing phone calls that turn progressively deadlier — predates it by four years. Fun fact: director Bob Clark is the same guy who brought us “A Christmas Story.” continues on page 22

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Darkly funny monster movies Classic choice: “Gremlins”

It may be difficult to classify, but this genredefying classic, in which mischievous little monsters wreak havoc on a small town, is pure holiday magic. If you need a break from family late on Christmas night, the Little will be showing the film at 10 p.m. on December 25 as part of its ongoing Mondo series.

Alternative choice: “Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale”

A mountain excavation awakens Santa Claus, and he’s not the jolly old man we think he is in this dark fable from Finland.

“Rare Exports” is moodier than “Gremlins,” but has the same pitch black sense of humor — imagine a whole movie with the tone of Phoebe Cates’ Christmas monologue.

WTF

Classic choice: “Santa Claus Conquers the Martians”

Gizmo is worried that Christmas will be ruined in "Gremlins." PHOTO COURTESY WARNER BROS.

Holidays or not, sometimes you just want to laugh at a truly terrible movie. For years, this bonkers film about Santa Claus getting kidnapped by Martians has been the schlock of choice for connoisseurs of junk cinema.

Alternative choice: “Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny”

Even more ineptly made than “Martians,” this 70’s family film follows what happens when a group of children try to help Santa when his reindeer abandon him (thanks for nothing, Blitzen!), leaving him stranded on a beach in Florida. It even comes complete with awful musical numbers. “Ice Cream Bunny” will get a theatrical release this year, courtesy of a Live RiffTrax screening in theaters on Thursday, December 3, and Tuesday, December 15. Honestly, their snarky commentary is the one thing (aside from some spiked eggnog) that might make this bearable.

An evil Santa is taken captive in "Rare Exports."

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