Several publishers are getting into the holiday spirit by creating Christmas videos featuring writers whose work they publish. Penguin Group recently produced one with Nora Roberts, Vicki Lewis Thompson and Charlaine Harris, who offered their recommendations for holiday gifts. Now Simon & Schuster makes its contribution by having its writers discuss their favorite holiday films in "Happy Holidays from Simon & Schuster."

Several of the Simon & Schuster writers - with the notable
exception of Stephen King - consider It's a Wonderful Life
their favorite Christmas movie. (Creative Commons
Attribution photo by FoXMuLD3R )

In the video below, Vince Flynn, author of the Mitch Rapp series, leads off that publisher's Christmas video offering.  Flynn has two films he recommends. He likes Love Actually because  "it's a very poignant story;" but he also enjoys Christmas Vacation, noting that Cousin Eddie "is one of my all-time favorites."

Sandra Brown favors the Meryl Streep and Robert De Niro film Falling in Love, with its setting in a New York City bookstore. "I love Falling in Love," Brown says.

Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life gets a strong endorsement from Ruth Graham, George Wendt and Stacy Johnson. Jeff Garlin comments that the film is one that "makes me happy to be a human being."

Stephen King has a problem with It's a Wonderful Life, though, and with holiday movies in general. "Most holiday movies really suck as far as I am concerned," he comments. He adds that he thinks It's a Wonderful Life would have been better if George Bailey, the character played by Jimmy Stewart, "had died in the end."

David Bianculli and Bethanny Frankel recommend the television movie A Charlie Brown Christmas. Bianculli picks it, he says, because "it's the best holiday special ever."  Frankel likes it too, but adds that "hokey" movies in general "are not my deal."

The Simon & Schuster video ends with a relieved Stephen King finally announcing his choice of a favorite holiday movie – the original version of A Christmas Carol with Alistair Sim. "Thank God I've found a holiday movie I could say I like!" exclaims King.