A True and Timeless Classic. It Can and Will Endure the Test of Time.

Rating: 10/10 (17 May 2003)

It annoys me to no end to see movies like "My Cousin Vinny" depicted as a "new classic" on certain cable stations. I mean, no way can that movie hold up to TRUE classics such as It's A Wonderful Life. Sure, I can understand certain films being deemed "new classics" considering times change and so do our interests in movies and their plots. But It's A Wonderful Life can and does withstand the test of time and will forever be a True Classic. Very few movies can surpass generation after generation and still hold up as one of the all time best movies ever made. This movie certainly accomplishes that...and this is after watching it 9.2 million times a year around Christmas time for the past 20+ years (only a SLIGHT exaggeration).
The acting is phenomenal, and throughout the sometimes depressing story there are bits of humor sprinkled in...simply perfect! Clarence is one guardian angel I would LOVE to have for no other reason than his humorous outlook and childlike demeanor.
The storyline depicts a real man struggling to maintain his values and responsibilities all the while putting aside his own dreams, only to find that all he wants and needs he already has before him. He is a real hero in a realistic world and can still be identified with today...even though times HAVE changed.
I watched this film time and again growing up and it has become a tradition...like with many families. Now, my husband and I enjoy this movie with our kids and they love it as much as we did. This is definitely a movie the ENTIRE family can watch and enjoy...from the oldest to the youngest.
Few movies are able to be so profound, entertaining, and yet still reach out to all audiences. It's A Wonderful Life has done that time and again.
A definite 10 stars out of 10 and a must see.