Beat Your Winter Blues Blog Tour: Favorite Winter Movie

Welcome to the April 4th stop on the Beat Your Winter Blues Blog Tour! Make sure you leave a comment for your chance to win the tour’s grand prize: a $200USD gift certificate to the e-tailer of your choice.

Don’t forget to check out Ethan Stone’s Subject 13, Clare London’s Ambush, JL Merrow’s Camwolf, or SA Meade’s Orion Rising

Coming Soon: Andrew Grey’s Legal Tender

Favorite Winter Movie

Kate McMurray
When I was thinking about all of my favorite movies, I realized almost all of them take place during the summer and/or in California (and, glancing over my DVD shelf, it looks like a lot of them are teen movies from the 90s, hmm). One of my favorite movies, though, may not count as a winter-themed movie per se, but it takes place during a time of year when it’s certainly cold enough to wear coats and scarves. It’s the musical Once, which came out a few years ago. If you’ve never seen it – stop what you’re doing and go rent it! Okay, I’ll tell you about it: it’s the story of a guy who busks on the streets of Dublin and a girl who is down on her luck; they meet and literally make beautiful music together. The music is amazing – one of the best movie soundtracks ever, if you’re into folksy acoustic music, which is kind of my sweet spot – and the story is heartbreaking, and the whole thing is beautiful. I heartily recommend it.

Heidi Cullinan
My favorite winter movie is Mystery, Alaska. It stars Russell Crowe before he was RUSSELL CROWE and is about this local hockey team that ends up playing a game against a pro team. It’s so small town and quirky and so full of winter that I watch it in the summer whenever it’s too hot to think.

Lara Brukz
My favorite winter movie let me think…Die Hard. No it’s not a porn movie could make a great title though. I’m talking about the one with Bruce Willis. Yes it’s a winter time movie – they were celebrating Christmas. You remember: “Now I have a machine gun. Ho ho ho.” John McLane a super-hero-cop who fears nothing (except heights), takes on the villains, armed with one handgun and plenty of balls. I still remember sitting in the theater with my mom and Bruce Willis busting out that window swinging down on a fire hose and smearing that blood all down the window. Hell yeah!! Not only is it a thrill-a-minute ride, but it has one of the best villains who hums “Ode to Joy”, dialogue that crackles with wit, and a lot of very impressive pyrotechnics. Just pop me some popcorn baby and serve me up some Die Hard! “Yippee-ki-yay, motherfucker!”

Josephine Myles
It’s hard to choose an absolute favourite – I adore It’s a Wonderful Life and look forward to watching it every year around Christmas time. James Stewart is one of my all time favourite movie stars and the film always brings a tear to my eye. My other favourite would have to be Groundhog Day – I watched that film back in 1993 when it first came out and have adored it ever since. Yes, Andie MacDowell is pretty irritating, but Bill Murray steals every scene away from her anyway, so I don’t mind. Not only is the plot concept genius, but the film is by turns hysterically funny, life-affirming and moving. I also love the way my enjoyment of the film has grown with each rewatching – there is always something new to notice going on in the background. I want my own Groundhog Day experience, so I can learn how to play honky tonk piano like Bill does! I’ve just realised I’ve chosen two films where the main characters attempt suicide. Hmmm… they’re still uplifting, though!

Andrew Grey
My favorite winter movie has to be the classic White Christmas. I watch it every year and I’m always fascinated by how beautiful the women are and by the incredible dancing. Of course it’s a movie, so everything is faked, but the music is wonderful and I always seem to immediately get into the spirit of the season after watching Bing Crosby trying to woo Rosemary Clooney.

***

Kate McMurray: Is there anything better than snuggling under a blanket with a book, a cup of tea, and the cat? I love to bake, too, so my kitchen sees a lot of action in the winter. (You gotta have cookies and pie to go with that cup of hot tea!) I also relieve stress by knitting, so it’s nice when the cold weather rolls in and I can finally wear all the handknit sweaters and scarves I’ve accumulated over the years. Plus, my winter wardrobe is pretty cute if I do say so myself.

Heidi Cullinan: Well, I’m an outlier because I love winter, but maybe that’s because I love our survival techniques so well. Winter at our house means watching a lot of TV with my husband and daughter, snuggling in chairs under blankets with cats draped all over me, and snuggling under the down comforter. That said, the bane of my existence in winter is cold toes. My solution? Two layers of socks, the top one fuzzy, and thick house slippers one size too large to accommodate the socks.

Lara Brukz: Another lover of winter, no blues here. Summer in the south keeps me inside more than winter does. When it actually gets cold enough I have my husband go chop up fire wood. I demand that we need extra wood just so I can watch his muscles flex as he is cutting. So getting busy in front of a nice blazing fire in the fireplace is an excellent way of beating my winter blues.

Andrew Grey: In order to break up the winter months, Dominic and I host a number of small dinner parties with friends. We both have a tendency to try to hibernate through the snow and cold, so hosting these small parties forces us to spruce up the house, get out the good china, and fill our home with some winter warmth and cheer. It’s also an excuse for Dominic to try new concoctions on people other than me.

***

Sixteen authors are here to do their best to make your winter brighter in January, February, March, and April. (Unless you’re south of the equator, and then we’ll just be jealous of your summer.) Every Wednesday will be a new stop on the tour (see schedule below). Be sure to leave a comment at each stop for up to sixteen chances at the grand prize: a $200 USD gift certificate to the e-retailer of your choice. Also keep an eye out for links to individual authors’ sites on their release dates for a chance to win some free books.

January 11: How We Beat the Winter Blues (hosted by Coffee & Porn in the Morning)

January 18: Favorite Wintertime Activities (hosted by Josephine Myles)

January 25: Join us for a January getaway (hosted by Andrew Grey)

February 1: Winter in My Backyard (hosted by Lou Harper)

February 8: “If I could get away right now, I’d go to…” (hosted by Ellis Carrington)

February 15: Valentine’s Day (hosted by J.L. Merrow)

February 22: Authors by the Fireside (hosted by Kate McMurray)

February 29: Join us for a February getaway (hosted by Z.A. Maxfield)

March 7: Things to Do in a Blizzard (hosted by S.A. Meade)

March 14: St. Patrick’s Day (hosted by Clare London)

March 21: Spring Break (hosted by Blaine Arden)

March 28: Join us for a March Getaway (hosted by Tales from the Writing Cave)

April 4: Favorite Winter Movies (hosted byStumbling Over Chaos)

April 11: Signs of Spring (hosted by J.P. Barnaby)

April 18: Join us for an April Getaway (hosted by Marie Sexton)

April 25: Farewell (hosted by Joyfully Jay)

April 30: Grand Prize Announcement (hosted by Heidi Cullinan)

***

“What makes you think I’m slee… zzzzzzz…” -Mayhem


Congrats to arzu, who won A Hole in God’s Pocket by KZ Snow! A Hole in God’s Pocket is being released by Dreamspinner Press today.

Congrats to Judi P, who won Daybreak for a Stolen Child (Stolen Child #4) by Anna Mayle! Daybreak for a Stolen Child  is being released today by Resplendence Publishing.

60 thoughts on “Beat Your Winter Blues Blog Tour: Favorite Winter Movie”

  1. Favorite winter movie…I’d have to say White Christmas…it’s an oldie but goodie, and one that I never get tired of singing to…
    Count me in please.
    Yvette

  2. I agree with Andrew and White Christmas, though any good movie in front of the fire, when its cold out, makes it a good winter movie. Do love those musicals tho!

  3. Hmmm, hard to say. These days Christmas movies normally mean kiddies movies, so Santa buddies, Snow Dogs, Grounded all readily spring to mind. If I’m on my own I’d probably indulge in some White Christmas 😀

  4. What are winter blues? Though, seeing as I prefer snow and cold to the stifling summer heat I guess I don’t suffer from those.
    Anyhow, favorite winter movie is kinda tough to pick. Maybe Miracle on 34th street (both the old one and the remake)?

  5. Favourite movie(s) the original 3 Star Wars & X-Men
    I can’t actually name any winter movies right now cause I don’t really watch these things :/
    I’m a book person and when I don’t read I have small periods of catching up on TV series

  6. Eva, winter blues is also known as SAD — Seasonal Affective Disorder. It’s when the body reacts to reduced sunlight by becoming depressed (I have noticed a *huge* reduction in symptoms since moving to Georgia).

    And, I’m with Andrew; best winter movie ever is White Christmas! But sometimes, when we lived farther north, when winter would get too much for me & the kids, we’d pull out the shorts, crank the heat WAY up, and watch those cheesy old Frankie and Annette beach movies from the 60s all day long.

  7. I hope this doesn’t disqualify me, but I don’t watch movies. My husband watches war and history documentaries most nights, so I hunker down with a book or my Kindle and let the hot scenes keep me warm. lol

    Please add my name to your list of contestants.

    Hugs,
    Donna

  8. Not sure I have a favourite winter movie as such, I just pick films based on how I feel at the time. Have to agree Die Hard is a fun film though. And I still have a soft spot for the original Lethal Weapon – another one set near Christmas.
    I like to watch a good ghost story on Christmas Eve though – What Lies Beneath or simliar.

  9. Well, I prefer reading books to watching films, so I don’t have any favourite films associated with Christmas or winter. However, I quite enjoyed White Christmas, It’s a Wonderful Life and While You Were Sleeping.

    Count me in, please! Thanks! 😉

  10. I am going to be showing my age here… but my favorite winter movie is The Santa Clause. You know the Tim Allen movie where he accidentally kills Santa making him the new Santa? I thought that movie was better than sliced bread and I still do! Bernard the snarky elf was my favorite! The sequels were crappy but I still watch them on TV!
    I have lived in Florida my whole life, so I always wanted the winter to be like it was in the movies. Never happened!

  11. I have two little kids 4 and 1 so my winter movies are mostly cartoons 🙂 hmmm so right now my favorite would have to be The Flintstones Christmas Carol or Eloisa at Christmas Time. LOL

    Kate I will def. check out ONce! It sounds amazing!

    Josephine I love James Stewart!! My mom had most his movies and when I was growing up, I use to watch Harvey non-stop! (Thats the one with the bunny lol)

    Count me in please! Thanks 🙂
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  12. My dd wanted to start Christmas early last year so we were watching Christmas movies from July through Christmas! Sometimes Netflix can be a bane 🙂

  13. My favorite movies are The Santa Claus movies. I just sit and laugh at them.
    Count me in, please. Thanks.

  14. Ernest Saves Christmas! Oh my god!

    “I don’t know if its Quaker or Amish, alls I know is its French.”

  15. A Christmas Story is one of my all time favorites. Doesn’t matter how many times I’ve seen it, it still cracks me up. 😀

    I used to watch Snow Day with my son when he was younger. I liked it because I can remember being one of those kids hoping for a snow day so we wouldn’t have school. Didn’t happen very often. 🙁

  16. Fargo! Okay so it’s not your typical feel good winter movie, but all that red on the white, white snow is such a great visual. Runners up have already been mentioned – Groundhog Day and A Christmas Story.

  17. I was just watching MYSTERY, ALASKA last week…I’d forgotten how much fun that movie can be (though I still wish Hank Azaria could have been one of the hockey players). This conveniently segues to my winter movie of choice: MIRACLE. The story of the 1980 US Olympic hockey team is very underrated from a technical standpoint (when you watch the making-of featurette and see what they had to do to replicate the games shot-for-shot, it’s breathtaking). Best of all: to this day, I have never seen a more adorable cast of twinky college hockey boys (and Eddie Cahill, God love him). Anyway, my favorite part is the team’s Christmas party sequence, where the boys…sigh, just go see it! (But not on network TV. They absolutely BUTCHERED that movie for network TV.) I still love A CHRISTMAS STORY too (I was one of the five people in the world who saw it in a theatre when it came out).

  18. Favourite winter movies are those you can snuggle up and watch to forget the dark, wet and windy outdoors. Like now – currently snowing – last week it was over 71F.
    Love the original 3 Star Wars movies and a good romance like Pretty Woman (good music too!).
    Oldies are the best.
    No particular movie set in the winter though.

  19. This winter season I was impressed by The Woman in Black. Extremely spooky and creepy movie. But my favorite movie is the Vertigo for any kind of season.

  20. May looks like M “reading” in bed. I can watch, out of the corner of my eye, his iPad fall backward. Then I elbow him, and he snorts and claims he was “not asleep.” Sometimes he snores while “not sleeping.” I am certain May never snores–very un-Panther Princess.
    A recent post from Brenda..Cool ThingsMy Profile

  21. You guys are always having great give-aways. Snow Dogs is a good movie.

    Count me in! 😉

  22. Count me in!
    A few of my faves….Home Alone, Christmas with the Kranks, Elf, and National Lampoons Christmas Vacation. I dunno why when i think ‘winter’ i think ‘Christmas’. It just is…lol.

  23. Movie set during winter, definitely Fargo. Christmas movie has to be Bad Santa. See you all next week.

  24. I love Disaster Movies! some of the Best ar Winter related. I gotta go with the Classic Airport Series. LOve the Fact that the storm closes down the entire airport and there are planes coming in.
    Please count me in as well.
    LAdystyx

  25. Thank you to Stumbling Over Chaos & the 16 Authors of the Beat Your Winter Blues Blog for making a stop here along your way.

    I don’t really have a favorite Winter Movie, but I’m a Paranormal Addict (I supppose yo never would have guessed that by my name lol). There are 2 I can watch over & over again, everytime it’s one, or put these Blue Rays in on those snowny days. 🙂

    The Blade Trilogy-I can watch these 3 movies EVERYTIME they’re aired & WoooHooo I get to watch Wesley Snipes, HE IS Blade, just Brilliant in that role!!!! & OMG do I EVEN need to say ANYMORE then RYAN REYNOLDS!!!! WOW he was just downright drool-worthy as “Hannibal King” with his SMOKIN” HOT Ripped-Muscled Body!!

    The Second that I can watch all 4 movies over & over again is the Underworld Series. Kate Beckinsale plays a Fantastic role as “Selene”, a Vampire Warrioress.

    Rhona Mitra also played a Great role as “Sonja”, the daughter of the Vampire Elder Viktor, featured in Underworld: Rise of the Lycans.

    There are 2 TV Shows on the SyFy Network that I can’t miss an episode & watch the re-runs; Being Human & Lost Girl….also on AMC I’m hooked on The Walking Dead.

    I would very much appreciate the opportunity to be considered for a chance to win the tour’s grand prize: a $200 gift certificate to the e-tailer of my choice Thank You!

    Take Care Everyone,
    PaParanormalFan (Renee’ S.)
    paranormalromancefan@yahoo.com
    http://paparanormalfan.wordpress.com

  26. As south of the equator is now heading towards winter *grin* I think this is a very apt topic. I thought I wasn’t going to be able to think of one, but then Love Actually sprang to mind. Brilliant movie (although I still cry over Laura Linley’s character).

    And can I just say I love James Stewart 🙂
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  27. I’m going to cop out and choose two! One is Fargo. It’s one of my favourite films of all time. The other is Doctor Zhivaho; strictly speaking, it’s not a winter film as much of it is set at other times of year but the scenes I always think of are when the doctor takes his family to the little house in the middle of nowhere and it’s all snowed up. It looks so magical!

  28. Oh, I’m also a James Stewart fan — my very first with him that I can remember is A Philadelphia Story. It’s still one of my all-time favorites, too. I lovelovelove the little girl who plays Katharine Hepburn’s sister and sings “Lydia, the Tattooed Lady.” 😀

  29. I’m sitting here racking my brains and can’t come up with a favorite winter movie. Not sure why but nothing comes to mind. The only one I could think of I can’t remember the name. I think its Renee Zelwigger and takes place in Minnesota.
    A recent post from Katy B McKee..Review: By His RulesMy Profile

  30. I don’t think I have winter-specific favorite movies… or books… I love winter as a knitter, though! Best time of year to be surrounded by wool.

  31. I have really fond memories from childhood of watching old movies with my Dad. He introduced me to films ranging from The Quiet Man (his favorite) and To Kill a Mockingbird to The Great Escape (my favorite of the movies we watched together). In the winter, while we watched White Christmas every year, his absolute favorite was Meet John Doe. Although I didn’t know it at the time, it must have been my introduction to Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck. It’s still my favorite winter movie.

  32. Wow, favorite Winter movie…that’s such a hard one, probably While You Were Sleeping, When Harry Met Sally, and of course Home Alone. Plus The Die Hard movies. I like It’s A Wonderful Life as well, but I”m in the minority in my family LOL. Oh and we like The Santa Claus movies, and Elf.

    OH and please enter me 😀

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