Merry Christmas! I say Merry Christmas, you can say whatever you want, but today we celebrate the best Christmas movies ever made. The list is extensive and will include most of the films you may expect, but there are a couple of surprises. Feature films only, even though the claymation Rudolph and Charlie Brown Christmas deserve honorable mentions. Sleigh bells ring!
Miracle on 34th Street- Maureen O'Hara, John Payne and Edmund Gwenn, with a very young Natalie Wood. Exceptional story about a lawyer who needs to prove Santa is real. 8/10.
It's a Wonderful Life- Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed. Probably the best Christmas film ever. Jimmy has life coming at him at 100 mph, and wishes he had never been born. He then finds out the meaning of love and life. 9/10.
The Santa Clause- Tim Allen as the man who accidentally becomes Santa, causing his son a whole lot of angst over why the world, and his mom and step dad, just won't believe. Excellent performances by Eric Lloyd, David Krumholtz and Judge Reinhold. 8/10
Die Hard- Yes I said it. It took me a while to warm up to Die Hard as a Christmas movie, but if you remove its Christmas elements, it's not Die Hard. Bruce Willis has to save the day and get home for Christmas. 8.5/10.
Elf- one of only two Will Ferrell films I will watch (the other being Megamind). It didnt hurt that elf Will had Bob Newhart and Edward Asner help him find his "real" family after he figures out he's not a normal size elf. Also James Caan at his cynical best. 7/10.
Rise of the Guardians (animated)- Chris Pine, Hugh Jackman, and Alec Baldwin
have to save the world from boogeyman Jude Law who is trying to stamp our Christmas, Easter and all the hope in the world. 8/10.
Jingle all the Way- yes Arnold can act. He forgets to pick up a Turbo Man action figure for his son for Christmas, and has to fight Sinbad throughout the city to get one. We watch it every year. BTW, the Johnny 7 OMA gun was a real toy. 7/10.
Little Women- Winona Ryder. Louisa May Alcott's brilliant story of a family of sisters navigating love, life, loss, success, failure, loyalty and ambition. Tears will flow. 8/10.
The Nativity Story- In the Holy land, Mary gets pregnant, her fiance Joseph gets challenged, Herod (Brilliantly played by Ciarán Hinds) gets jealous and Jesus gets born.
An exceptional film about the Nativity. 8/10.
Home Alone- Kevin gets left behind at Christmas as has to save the world, or at least his house, from incompetent crooks Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern. Stern deserves an award for being the most durable moron ever. 8/10.
NOTABLY MISSING- Christmas Story (meh), Gremlins (not a Christmas story at all because it could have been set any time of year at a birthday) and Christmas Vacation (a film which I just do not like, it's just not funny. See above entries on list for tips on how to be funny at Christmas).
NOT CHRISTMAS MOVIES- Batman Returns, Gremlins (a Christmas horror film. No.) and Nightmare before Christmas (another Christmas horror film for kids? And No.).
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