The Belcourt Theatre announces a hearty helping of holiday films and festive events, beginning Dec. 10 with a Saturday morning screening of the family 
favorite, A Christmas Story.
Families and individuals looking for retail respite during the holiday season will find safe haven at the Belcourt, where all ages can enjoy a wintry mix of special screenings, from classics presented in 35mm—It's a Wonderful Life, Bing Crosby’s Holiday Inn—to rare and retro—Santa Claus Conquers the Martians, vintage ads/cartoons—to Gremlins at midnight, and much more. This satisfying slate of films, along with a seasonal selection of tasty refreshments, will transform this holiday season from mundane to magical.
“Sometimes it’s easy to lose the spirit of the season with hectic schedules and shopping overload, and the Belcourt is the perfect antidote to the madness,” says Stephanie Silverman, managing director for the Belcourt Theatre. “The simplicity of visiting the Belcourt—settling into a comfortable seat with a little hot chocolate to experience an amazing film—may be all you need to capture the joy and magic of the holidays with family and friends.”
Holiday Films and Events, Dec. 10-25
A CHRISTMAS STORY
Saturday, Dec. 10, 10 a.m.
A Saturday Kid Shows’ event
This humorous, nostalgic look at Christmas in 1940s Indiana is a holiday classic concerning nine-year-old Ralphie’s (Peter Billingsley) desperate wish for a “Red Ryder carbine-action, 200-shot Range Model air rifle with a compass in the stock and a thing which tells time.”
IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE
Friday, Dec. 16 through Sunday, Dec. 25
Showtimes will be posted online, www.belcourt.org, Monday, Dec. 12
The Belcourt’s annual screening of this classic film presented in 35mm format is a Nashville holiday tradition. The film tells the story of an angel who helps a compassionate but despairingly frustrated businessman by showing him what life would have been like if he never existed. Starring Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed. Following the Dec. 19 screening of It's a Wonderful Life, the Belcourt hosts a Cinematic Conversations gathering at nearby Fido, 1812 21st Ave. South. This group engages in conversation about film and related topics. Cinematic Conversations can expand participants’ film knowledge and provide opportunity to meet others with similar interests.
HOLIDAY INN
Saturday, Dec. 18 through Tuesday, Dec. 20
Showtimes will be posted online, www.belcourt.org, Monday, Dec 12
Bing Crosby croons to the tune of the Oscar-winning “White Christmas” in Irving Berlin’s love triangle romantic comedy. Tired of the bright lights of showbiz, Jim Hardy (Crosby) retires to the countryside to become a farmer. He converts the farm into the Holiday Inn, open only on holidays, and then competes against his pal (Fred Astaire) for a singer-dancer’s (Marjorie Reynolds) affection.
SANTA CLAUS CONQUERS THE MARTIANS (plus rare retro shorts)
Thursday, Dec. 22 Showtime TBA
A delightful “retro” Christmas event that begins with holiday film clips from the 1940s through the 1960s—including vintage "Season's Greetings From The Theater Management" ads, Technicolor Max Fleischer cartoons like Christmas Comes Out Once a Year and Rudolph theRed-Nosed Reindeer, Christmas greetings from 1960s celebrities like Ozzie and Harriet, Shari Lewis and Lamb Chop, and odd-ball items such as Howdy Doody’s Christmas, and even a 1940s bouncing ball sing-along to “Jingle Bells”! All this culminates with the hilarious 1964 cult-favorite Santa Claus Conquers the Martians.
GREMLINS
Friday, Dec. 23 at Midnight; Saturday, Dec. 24 (showtime TBA)
A Midnight Movies’ event
When a man brings home an adorable creature from Chinatown as a Christmas present for his son Billy, the shopkeeper’s sage advice—no midnight snacks, no water, mood lighting only—goes unheeded. As a result, devilish green creatures with a million vices take over the small town on Christmas Eve. This 1980s hit was written by Chris Columbus and executive produced by Steven Spielberg.