My top 10 Christmas films I watch every year...
Well yes, it’s that time of year and I have begun to see a tradition brewing each year. A pattern of films, from November onwards, that I seem to watch each year. On top of that I find myself Googling lists of various Christmas films people enjoy…so here’s another one to that someone else can Google…
10. It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
The most classic of all Christmas movies. A good one to have on while drinking hot chocolate and wrapping presents. A story still relevant today, especially around the holiday season, but still has plenty of sweetness for the holiday season.
9. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
This is premium Tim Burton and Danny Elfman. The style, the music, the Christmas anti-hero. This is true classic of animation. Only Tim Burton can make something so visually dark have a heart that Christmas deserves.
8. National Lampoons Christmas Vacation (1989)
Ah the third chapter in the Vacation franchise…This one is genuinely laugh out loud with the same variety of comedy as its predecessors except adding the Christmas factor breathes new life into it with the warm toasty feeling inside. This one is the original average dad trying to do the best he can for his family on Christmas.
7. The Muppets Christmas Carol (1992)
I’m a sucker for this story, as you will see there’s another entry further down of Charles Dickens’ classic tale and I’m a sucker for The Muppets too. There’s enough humour in it and one-liners to get you through the heavy sentimental parts. Muppets and Michael Caine!!
6. How The Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
An underrated film, that didn't achieve the success it should have at the box office. Jim Carrey at his kid-friendly best it's very had to see anyone else play the role and be this entertaining. It’s based on a picture book by Dr Seuss and the only film version before it is a 26-minute cartoon. So Ron Howard does wee to stretch it out to feature-length. It’s quite a technical feat regarding costumes and set and little reliance on CGI at all.
5. Home Alone 1 & 2 (1990 & 1992)
Macaulay Culkin and the terrible McCallisters who seem to have a lot of money for trips, but can’t afford $976 on room service??? I’ve put these two together because the second one is better, but you can't just watch a sequel by itself. Plus, just watch them together! Bonus drinking game: Drink every time there's a form of slapstick comedy and whoever can’t drink anymore determines how that person would die in the movie. DOUBLE SHOTS for the second film.
4. The Family Stone (2005)
This is not only a good Christmas film, it's just generally a good film. An ensemble cast where every performance is genuine and relatable in some way. Even Sarah Jessica Parker as the uptight ever-frustrating Meredith is humanised by the end, some may think it's overly sentimental, but what the hell! It's Christmas! Incredibly underrated.
3. Love Actually (2003)
All of the likeable British actors bumbling in awkwardness and behaving somewhat inappropriately because if you can't act like that at Christmas, when can you? It’s a modern classic and it is one of the most successful modern attempt at the “New Year’s Day”, “Valentine’s Day” multi-character-all-connected-in-some-way-genre movie. So many things to like about this movie and just an amazing cast.
2. Scrooged (1988)
Bill Murray at his Bill Murray-est, the CEO of a major television studio is visited by the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future in the hope that he finds the true meaning of Christmas. It's a "modern" 90s take on the classic tale and my favourite version. It has a great supporting cast and is incredibly funny. Plus, it all finishes with a song, what's not to like?
1. Elf (2003)
This is my "go-to everyone-loves" Christmas movie. This often gets more than one viewing each year. Will Farrell as a man-child Elf and Zooey Deschanel as his love interest. It's sweet, yes there's a song at the end and Farrell's sense of humour helps it appeal to the adolescent at heart!
List yours below if I missed any out! Because it's the internet...everyone's got opinions...
Honourable Mentions:
Miracle on 34th Street
Jingle All The Way
The Santa Clause
Bad Santa
The Holiday
Die Hard
Earnest Saves Christmas
The Family Man
