This year I started watching holiday films on the day before Thanksgiving, opening with the wonderful Home for the Holidays and Planes, Trains and Automobiles. A month later, I’ve sat through just about every Christmas movie, TV special and Christmas sitcom episode there is to sit through. 68 in total. Before getting to my ten favorites, a few notes.
- I can’t deal with It’s a Wonderful Life. It’s just so damn dreary. I know it’s beloved but not by me.
- No, A Christmas Story is not on this list. And I recognize that will be an issue for many but this is my list and I legitimately dislike that movie.
- Those stop motion pictures creep me out. Year Without Santa Claus, Rudolph…etc.
- Can’t an argument be made that A Christmas Carol is the greatest book ever written? Look at how many brilliant interpretations of that novel have been created (two on this list alone).
- Even the non-great films produce some beautiful scenes:
- Mila Kunis and Christine Baranski in the church at the end of Bad Moms Christmas.
- Seth Rogen tripping out at the sight of a crucified Jesus in The Night Before.
- Nic Cage coming clean to the town in Trapped in Paradise.
- Schwarzenegger rifling off the names of the reindeer in Jingle All the Way.
- Tim Allen giving the cruise to his neighbors in Christmas with the Kranks.
- John Lithgow’s scenery chewing in Santa Claus the Movie.
- Danny Elfman’s great tunes in Nightmare Before Christmas.
The list, with clips and such instead of writing. All of these movies are known.
#10 Die Hard
I’m sure people have discussed this but here’s my verdict on Die Hard as Christmas movie.
The villain is named Hans Gruber.
The music of “Silent Night” was written by a man named Franz Gruber.
Christmas movie.
— HughesReviews™️ (@HughesReviews) December 15, 2019
#9 Bad Santa
#8 Home Alone
#7 Gremlins
#6 The Ref
