LOGAN – With Thanksgiving safely behind us, the Utah Theatre here is justifiably focusing its next movie marathon on the upcoming Christmas holiday.
That film fest will lead off with screenings of Home Alone on Friday, Dec. 7 and Saturday, Dec. 8.
The 1990 movie, directed by Chris Columbus, made young Macculay Culkin a star — although most people don’t hold that against the film.
Culkin ingeniously defends his home against burglars Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern after his family leaves him behind during a Christmas vacation to Paris.
The film also stars John Herd and Catherine O’Hara as Culkins’ absent-minded parents.
Next on the Utah’s holiday schedule will be How the Grinch Stole Christmas on Monday, Dec. 9.
Directed by Ron Howard, this film version of Dr. Seuss’s children book of the same name centers on a misanthropic creature who attempts to sabotage his neighbors’ holiday celebration in Whoville.
The movie stars Jim Carrey, Christine Baranski and Molly Shannon.
Since one good turn deserves another, Home Alone 2 will be screened on Wednesday, Dec. 11.
Culkin is back, of course, but this time he’s stranded in New York City by forgetful parents who never seem to learn their lesson from bitter experience.
This 1992 sequel, again directed by Chris Columbus and written by John Hughes, brings back most of the cast of the original movie.
Naturally, the Wet Bandits (Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern) escape from prison and run afoul of Culkin. Chaos ensures.
A truly classic holiday film – A Christmas Story – will be shown on Friday, Dec. 13 and Saturday, Dec. 14.
Based on humorist Jean Shepherd’s anecdotes about his childhood, this film by Bob Clark has been a fan favorite since its original release in 1983.
A Christmas Story strikes a chord with Baby Boomers since its depiction of an average middle class family living in a small town in the 1940s reminds many of us old-timers of our own childhoods.
The film stars Melinda Dillion, Darren McGavin and Peter Billingsley.
The movie marathon’s next attraction will be The Polar Express on Monday, Dec. 16.
It’s a frankly odd little 2004 animated film directed by Robert Zemeckis, featuring characters created with live action and motion capture computer animation.
Set in the 1950s, it tells the story of a young boy who boards a mysterious train bound for North Pole to join other children on a journey to visit Santa Claus preparing for Christmas.
The Muppet Christmas Carol is slated at the Utah Theatre on Wednesday, Dec. 18.
This 1992 musical film is based on Dickens’ famous tale, with Michael Caine as Scrooge. The Muppets appear in numerous supporting roles, although artistic license is taken to suit their unique aesthetic.
And what would the holiday season be without White Christmas?
The immortal 1954 musical film, directed by Michael Curtiz, stars Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and dancer Vera Ellen. It also features the songs and music of Irving Berlin.
White Christmas is also notable for being the first film released in VistaVision, a widescreen process developed by Paramount to yield finer-grained screen images. The result is certainly pretty.
White Christmas will be shown as a double-header at 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 20, paired with the laugh-fest National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation at 9:30 p.m. that same evening.
This is the third in the series of National Lampoon Vacation movies. Based on producer John Hughes’ short story “Christmas ’59” that was published in National Lampoon, it tells the story of the Griswold family spending Christmas vacation at home with their relatives and the resulting holiday mayhem.
Christmas Vacation stars Saturday Night Live alum Chevy Chase, Beverly D’Angelo and Randy Quaid.
On Saturday, Dec. 21 and Monday, Dec. 23, we finally get to what is arguably the most popular Christmas movie ever — It’s a Wonderful Life.
This film has been copied numerous times in an effort to update its story, but none of those efforts come close to the heartwarming nature of this original 1946 version by famed director Frank Capra.
Co-starring James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore and Thomas Mitchell, It’s a Wonderful Life was nominated for five Academy Awards and has been recognized by the American Film Institute as one of the 100 best American films ever made.
After the Christmas holiday — just for the heck of it — the Utah Theatre will screen E.T. – the Extra-Terrestrial on Friday, Dec. 27 and Saturday, Dec. 28, and Hook on Monday, Dec. 30.
Okay, so E.T. is actually a Halloween movie. But Hook definitely has a Christmas setting.
Directed by Steven Spielberg, E.T. is sort of a science-fiction version of Home Alone, where a cuddly alien get left behind on Earth.
Found and protected by Henry Thomas, the alien puppet is almost as cute as young Drew Barrymore in her film debut.
The 1982 classic also stars Dee Wallace and Peter Coyote.
About a decade later, Spielberg also filmed Hook, a heart-warming fantasy starring the late Robin Williams.
It’s a fresh take on Peter Pan, where Williams as Pan has forgotten his high-flying past and turned into modern-day lawyer.
It’s worth the price of admission just to see Dustin Hoffman crew up the scenery as the nefarious pirate captain.
All show times at the Utah Theatre will begin at 7 p.m., unless otherwise noted.
The Utah Theatre is located at 18 West Center Street in downtown Logan.