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Christmas Movies: This Year’s Top 10
If you’re looking for a movie to get yourself or your family into the holiday spirit, these are 10 guaranteed top picks when it comes to Christmas Movies:
10 – A Christmas Carol (1999) starring Patrick Stewart
The Charles Dickens story has been remade into several television and movie adaptations through the years, yet the tale remains the same. Ebenezer Scrooge is a miserly businessman in 1840′s London whose only goal is to make more money and keep it for himself. On Christmas Eve, he sees the ghost of his deceased business partner, who tells him that he will be visited by three spirits-Christmas Past, Christmas Present, and Christmas Yet to Come. The ghosts appear to Scrooge in an attempt to help him change his ways.
9 – Elf (2003) starring Will Ferrell
Will Ferrell stars as Buddy, a human raised by elves at Santa’s workshop. Santa allows the now-grown Buddy to go to New York to find his birth father and hilarity ensues. The awkward but enthusiastic Buddy is a fish out of water as an elf experiencing human culture for the first time.
8 – The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
I am a big Tim Burton fan, and any film that can be watched for two holidays gets a thumbs up from me. I pull this one out at Halloween and we play it till New Year’s. The songs are great, the quirky characters are lovable in their own twisted ways, and I can’t think of any other film that has Santa Claus being questioned by a giant gambling ghost. Gets me in the Christmas spirit – pun intended.
7 – National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989) starring Chevy Chase
Number seven is truly a classic Christmas comedy. The Griswold family struggles to have an old-fashioned Christmas. With crazy Christmas lights, Cousin Eddie, and squirrels hiding in trees, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation will keep you laughing all night long.
6 – Bad Santa (2003)
Do I really want to admit I like this film? Thornton’s character has a dubious plan to rob a department store by dressing like Santa. He then proceeds on a crazy spree including getting drunk, beating up little kids, and cursing throughout. It may not sound like it, but there is a goodwill message hidden somewhere within. Yeah, this is not a family film – but it is pretty funny.
5 – Scrooged (1988)
Back when Bill Murray was still funny (meaning pre- “Lost in Translation”) he made this gem of a film. I especially love Carol Kane’s performance as the ghost of Christmas Present, and yes, it’s still kind of fun to laugh at what we thought was stylish in the 80s. The story is, of course, Dicken’s Christmas Carol – but with many more wisecracks.
4 – The Santa Clause (1994) starring Tim Allen
When Santa is killed, divorced father Scott Calvin is recruited to take his place and complete his Christmas rounds. Scott believes it’s all a dream, until he begins to morph into the jolly old man, much to the delight of his six-year old son Charlie.
3 – Miracle on 34th Street (1947) starring Maureen O’Hara
Schmaltzy? Sure. Love it anyway, and embrace that belief that there really is a Santa. Maureen O’Hara is of course stunningly glamorous. Black and white or colorized, it’s a great film.
2 – It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) starring Jimmy Stewart
Given the financial events of this year, this one was a close one, almost got number one for me. Sometimes it’s hard to remember that everyone’s life makes a difference, and that your family needs you. Get everyone to sit down together and watch it, enough said.
…This leads us to the number one Christmas movie to watch in 2008…
1 – A Christmas Story (1983) starring Peter Billingsley
“You’ll shoot your eye out!” Ralphie’s quest for a Red Ryder BB gun, and the aunt who thinks he’s “a perpetual four” are something we can all relate to. I find something funnier every year as I get older, layers of both irony and that child-like hopefulness tied up inextricably together, as well as the remembered frustrations of childhood. (Let’s just say I sympathize deeply with the kid brother in the snowsuit.) Jean Shepherd’s writing is transferred nicely to film, his voice comes through in Ralphie’s hopes and daydreams beautifully.
There you have it, the Top Ten Christmas Movies of 2008! Throw another log on the fire and get to watching these timeless movies.
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