The Word On Film

Milton Bradley be forewarned... there is a new kid in town.

Well, not a new kid. Matel is maker of the game, but what a game! For all of you movie fans out there, this is one of three holiday gifts that I will recommend with all of my gusto. The movie trivia game sceneit? is incredibly awesome for two simple reasons. One, the game uses real movie clips, and two, after the game is done, players spend about an additional hour talking about my favorite topic, movies.

The interactive game requires a DVD-player and at least two players. Armed with nothing but your cinema smarts, each player (I found it much more fun to play in collaborative teams) must answer pop culture questions, view movie clips, decipher names of actors and movie titles from pictures, and guess names/title in a hangman/Wheel of Fortune fashion. Questions range from Kevin Spacey in American Beauty to Janet Leigh in Touch of Evil.

What I find to be the biggest hindrance of the game is my own inability to remain focused, especially when a clip is playing. Thirty seconds of Steve Martin's The Jerk leaves you longing to see the rest of the film. Brief snippets of Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Superstar, and Bottle Rocket always leave you wanting more... more of the movie and the titillation of what clip could possibly be next.

My second gift recommendation for the movie maniac in your life is Netflix. The concept... pure evil genius. Blockbuster should be very afraid.

The website allows you to select from, easily, thousands of movies. The DVDs are sent directly to your home for your viewing pleasure. Once you are done with the disc, toss it in the mail and prepare to receive your next movie. Depending on your membership, you can have a set number of movies "out" at one time. If you can diligently watch and then return the flicks, the influx of new movies should be seamless. For one monthly fee (approx. $20 for a basic membership), I challenge you to watch as many movies as you can in 30 days. With Blockbuster being $2 to $4 per movie, Netflix is freakin' phenomenal!

Lastly, my final holiday gift idea, which is so simple, is movie passes. You can't go wrong.

As for your viewing pleasure, what do you have to look forward to this holiday season? Well, the good old standbys, such as It's a Wonderful Life, A Christmas Story (Red Ryder BB guns rock!) and Holiday Affair. Some other great classics include National Lampoons Christmas Vacation, Bill Murray in Scrooged, and pretty much any rendition of A Christmas Carol. I must admit, I possess a grotesque curiosity to see A Carol Christmas, which stars Tori Spelling, Gary Coleman, and William Shatner. (If your cable provider doesn't have The Hallmark Channel-- and why would it not-- then you may have to ask Santa for the DVD next year.)

Have a Happy Holiday!

Rebecca invites your ideas, insights, reviews, arguments, thoughts and incredibly wrong opinions:
back-talk Rebecca

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