Meet Me in St Louis R/I (U)

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Director: Vincente Minnelli

With: Judy Garland, Mary Astor

HAVE yourself a merry little run up to Christmas with Vincente Minnelli's sumptuous exercise in feelgood filmmaking.

Judy Garland plays Esther, one of the four fabulous Smith sisters, all looking forward to the World's Fair opening in St Louis in 1904.

Just as preparations are almost done and excitement is boiling over, father announces that the family has to move to New York. That's about as intense as the drama gets, give or take one or two other incidents, but the film rattles along, punctuated by such classics as the Trolley Song, The Boy Next Door and of course the title track.

Above all, it's a Technicolor riot, with colours as rich and zingy as Garland's singing. First released in 1944, Minnelli's musical was intended as a tonic for those missing loved ones far from home, and it's still capable of generating a glow today.

Filmhouse, tomorrow-December 22; GFT, December 19-21.

A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas (18)

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Dir: Todd Strauss-Schulson

With: Kal Penn, John Cho

HAVING been to a burger joint and Guantanamo in their first two movies, stoner comedy duo Harold and Kumar go big, 3D big, on Christmas.

Now in their dull 30s, Harold (John Cho) has settled down in the burbs and is trying to start a family. Kumar (Kal Penn), despite a major development in his personal life, is still flying the flag for getting high and living like a teenager.

Reunited by the quest for a Christmas tree, the estranged pair are about to find out if they still love each other just as much as they ever did. Fans of the comedy twosome will be delighted to learn that while there is still some pretty smart comedy at work here, and several ace 3D jokes, H&K are as eye-wateringly crude and gob-smackingly laddish as ever. Non-fans should avoid for the same reason.

Comfort and Joy (PG)

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Dir: Bill Forsyth

With: Bill Paterson, Clare Grogan

BILL Forsyth's comedy drama is a quintessentially Glasgow Christmas movie in that it's a curious blend of bleakness and light.

Everyman actor Bill Paterson stars as the local radio DJ whose life takes a turn for the not so smashing and nicey when his girlfriend dumps him.

To further complicate matters, just as he begins to piece his life together again he finds himself playing peacemaker to rival Italian families fighting over pitches for ice cream vans.

The Ealingesque tone doesn't quite come off, and it's one of Forsyth's thinner efforts in the way it stretches a tale beyond its limits, but there's enough here to bring comfort and joy to a dreich Monday night in a mean city. And yes, the Santa Clause joke still works.

GFT, Monday only, 6.45pm.