With all this Star Wars mania I almost forgot that I promised to do a post about the best Christmas films of all time. Now with Christmas just over a week away it seems like an appropriate time to finally get around to that post, so sit back with a nice cup of hot chocolate or whatever that eggnog shit is as I take you through the 15 greatest Christmas films of all time!
15. Black Christmas (Bob Clark, 1974)
First on the list is Bob Clark's festive slasher flick Black Christmas. Predating films like Halloween and Friday the 13th, this Canadian horror film sees a group of sorority girls facing a psychotic killer who terrorises them over the phone before killing them. It truly is a macabre masterpiece and is among the best horror films of all time. Elm Street alum John Saxon also makes an appearance as the local law enforcement.
14. A Christmas Story (Bob Clark, 1983)
Another Bob Clark film only with less homicidal maniacs and more bunny suits. All Ralphie wants for Christmas is a Red Ryder Carbine Action 200- shot Range Model air rifle, but due to his mothers fears of it taking his eye out he may not get his wish. I've only seen this pretty recently but watching it took me back to being a little kid, Ralphie's child perspective on the holiday season is something we could all once relate to and this film will make you experience it all over again.
13. Bad Santa (Terry Zwigoff, 2003)
Billy Bob Thornton embraces his festive side as the Fargo star brings his talents to this obscene Christmas comedy. He truly shines as the foul mouthed Willie Stokes, a thief disguised as a department store Santa with a penchant for sex and booze. Joining Thornton are the always entertaining Tony Cox and the late Bernie Mac in a comeidic Christmas farce, a sequel is also apparently in the works.
12. Gremlins (Joe Dante, 1984)
Not much is heard of Joe Dante these days but back in the 70's and 80's he was at the top of his game with films like Gremlins. Written by Chris Columbus, it follows a group of small creatures who when fed after midnight transform into grotesque little monsters who terrorise the small town of Kingston Falls over the holidays. Gremlins had the perfect blend of comedy and horror along with that 80's charm that many of us love and is a must for the Christmas season.
11. The Nightmare Before Christmas (Henry Selick, 1993)
It is often debated whether this is a Christmas film or a Halloween film, to me a macabre Christmas film makes more sense than festive Halloween one. Based on a story by Tim Burton, the film sees Halloween Town resident Jack Skellington (Chris Sarandon) as he tries to incorporate the festive holiday of Christmas into Halloween. A perfect treat for aspiring goth kids and Burton fans everywhere, The Nightmare Before Christmas is bound to bring some scares to your Christmas.
10. Miracle on 34th Street (Les Mayfield, 1994)
Now I chose the 1994 remake for two reasons, the first being that I actually haven't seen the original so sorry about that. The second is because of Richard Attenborough, for me he is the perfect Santa Clause; the white beard, the pleasant demeanor, he basically is Kris Kringle. Since I haven't seen the original I don't really have much to compare it to but I will always remember this as being a funny and heartwarming Christmas film with one of the greatest portrayals of Santa Clause ever. I mean come on, even Siskel and Ebert gave this one two thumbs up.
9. The Muppet Christmas Carol (Brian Henson, 1992)
There are plenty adaptations of Charles Dickens' classic Christmas tale, but for some reason this one is my favourite, perhaps Muppets just make things more festive. It really works well and Michael Caine is both menacing and sympathetic as Ebenezer Scrooge. The combination of Christmas spirit (haw haw) and Muppet humor has made for excellent family fun in this hilarious A Christmas Carol adaptation.
8. Elf (Jon Favreau, 2004)
Will Ferrell has played some odd characters in his time, but Buddy the Elf was by far one of the best. Elf sees Buddy leave the North Pole in search of his father (James Caan) in New York City, only Buddy's customs are slightly different to normal people. This hilarious fish out of water comedy sees Ferrell at his best and also marks an early appearance for Zooey Deschanel who displays both her acting and singing talents. Definitely one of the funniest Christmas movies out there.
7. Jingle All The Way (Brian Levant, 1996)
Whether you like him or not, Arnold Schwarzenegger is the undisputed king of one liners, and this Christmas caper is packed full of them. It sees Schwarzenegger as a father looking for the perfect gift for his son (played by Jake Lloyd, that's right, Anakin himself) in the form of a Turbo Man doll. Things don't go so easy for him however as he finds himself competing against psychotic postman Myron (Sinbad) who also wants the doll. There is also an appearance from the late Phil Hartman, you may know him as Troy McClure on The Simpsons.
6. The Grinch (Ron Howard, 2000)
Before Mike Myers came along and ruined live action Dr. Seuss adaptations, another Canadian comedian starred in a surprisingly decent one. Jim Carrey plays the mean green anti-Christmas machine as he plots to terrorise the citizens of Whoville on Christmas Eve. It's en extremely fun film for all of the family and a surprisingly entertaining performance from Carrey. Taylor Momsen is also in it as the young Cindy Lou Who, this was before she discovered eyeshadow however.
5. The Polar Express (Robert Zemeckis, 2004)
I've been watching this film religiously every Christmas Eve for almost ten years now and it never gets old. Forrest Gump director Robert Zemeckis gives us this mysterious computer animated film about a boy losing his faith in Santa who hops aboard a magical train to the North Pole. Tom Hanks is brilliant as usual however and there is an air of mystery about the whole film with references to ghosts on the train. It will make you think but it will also make you laugh and will certainly get you in that Christmas mood.
4. Christmas Vacation (Jeremiah Chechik, 1989)
The Griswold family get together for the holidays in the most festive of the National Lampoons films. This one sees Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase) and co. making it through the holidays while Clark anticipates his Christmas bonus. The film has an ensemble of talented actors along with Chase such as Brian Doyle Murray and Beverley D'Angelo, however the real highlight of the film is Randy Quaid as cousin Eddie who causes chaos from start to finish in one of his funniest performances. Since it's release, Christmas Vacation has become a modern classic.
3. The Santa Clause (John Pasquin, 1994)
What better way to celebrate Christmas than watching a film about the big man himself? Tim Allen stars as the eponymous Saint Nick, well sort of anyway. You see this Santa Clause is a bit like the wolfman, a curse of sorts, and when the first Santa falls off the roof of businessman Scott Calvin, he becomes the new Santa. It's a pretty odd concept but it works and is an original take on the Santa story, along with teenage elves (including a young David Krumholtz) and the technologically advanced North Pole, it's a film that retains that old-fashioned Christmas spirit and still does over 20 years later.
2. Home Alone (Chris Columbus, 1990)
If I told you about a film where two burglars are repeatedly tortured while attempting to rob a house you'd assume it was a horror film right? Well Home Alone is far from horror but that's essentially the plot. When his idiot parents forget him while going on holidays, young Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) is left to fend for himself when two burglars (played by Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern) attempt to rob his house. With Chris Columbus directing and John Hughes writing, it's safe to say that Home Alone is one of the greatest family comedies ever, along with it's worthy sequel Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. Merry Christmas ya filthy animal!
1. It's A Wonderful Life (Frank Capra, 1946)
The undisputed big daddy of Christmas movies, It's A Wonderful Life is one of those films that makes even grown men cry. Jimmy Stewart stars as George Bailey, a beloved member of the community of Bedford Falls who hits a rough patch during the holidays. After saving an angels life, George wishes that he was never born and so Clarence the angel (Henry Travers) shows him what the world would be like if this was the case. This is an emotional rollercoaster that will make you smile and make you burst into tears by the time it's over as we see how much George Bailey truly means to those around him. If you haven't seen this one I highly recommend that you watch it this Christmas as it is by far the greatest Christmas film of all time.
So when you're done re-watching the Star Wars saga and have watched The Force Awakens I suggest you make your way through this list to get yourself into the Christmas mood, there are plenty more festive films but there but in my opinion these are the best of the best. So when the weather outside is too frightful to leave the house why don't you stick on a pizza (because pizzas are for all year round) and watch a couple of these. Enjoy and have a great Christmas!
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