Michael's Top 20 Christmas Movies
Merry Christmas everyone!
Today mark's the 1st of December, which to some people means we can now officially say it's the Christmas season, though personally I've been in that mood for weeks! Anyway, seeming I'm really feeling that festive spirit, I thought it would be fun to write a blog about my top 20 Christmas movies.
Now before we get right into it, I thought I would just say that the only rules for this list is that each film has to feature scenes taking place during the Christmas season, so there may be a few surprises on the list, and before you say it, no, I've not included 'Die Hard' on the list, though many would! I've also not included 'Frozen', which appears on many modern Christmas movie lists. I mean come on guys, it doesn't even take place during the Winter but actually Summer!
So now you know the rules, why don't you sit back, pour a glass of mulled wine and enjoy my top 20 Christmas movies list!
20 - Black Christmas (1974)
Olivia Hussey in a much different role to her iconic portrayal of Juliet in 1968's 'Romeo and Juliet'.
First up is probably the most controversial Christmas movie on my list, the 1970s horror classic 'Black Christmas'. This cult classic is notable for being one of the earliest examples of the slasher horror craze and was one of the biggest influences for John Carpenter's 'Halloween' in 1978. This Canadian movie tells the story of a group of sorority sisters who receive obscene phone calls and are eventually stalked and then murdered by a deranged killer, all taking place during the Christmas season. The film was noteworthy for starring Olivia Hussey, Margot Kidder and was also well received for not revealing the identity of the killer. Hey, nothing like kicking off a list with a bit of a shocker!
19 - Jack Frost (1998)
That's one creepy looking snowman! This is supposed to be a kids film!
This is a classic for any child growing up in the 90s. Whilst it's definitely not high on my favourites, it's still a very memorable film to me, the reason being that it is one of the first films I can recall seeing at the cinema. Starring the always great Michael Keaton, Jack Frost tells the story of a recently deceased father who comes back to life as a snowman. While it is certainly a heartwarming story, I can't help but look back and think to myself, who on earth designed the look for the snowman in this film! I don't know about you but I think it's almost unsettling in many ways!
18 - Miracle on 34th Street (1994)
Richard Attenborough with the essential portrayal of Santa Claus.
Another standard from the 90s, this remake of a 1947 classic tells the story of the real life Santa Claus battling in court to determine that he really is the real thing. Considering I haven't watched this film for many years, one thing has always stood out about this film, Richard Attenborough's portrayal of Kris Kringle. Richard Attenborough just totally nailed the role as Santa and I think he's right up there with the best ever portrayals of our favourite festive friend.
17 - White Christmas (1954)
Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney, Danny Kaye, and Vera-Ellen. What a cast!
What's not to love about this charming musical starring the likes of Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye and Rosemary Clooney. I'm a sucker for musicals, so it should come as no surprise that this holiday classic is included on my list. Fantastic songs aside, the thing I love most about this film is the sentiment of the story. Following the end of World War II, two ex-soldiers become a popular song-and-dance act who both fall in love with a sister act. Together, both acts put on a show to save the failing business of the soldiers former commanding general. It really is a true Christmas classic and for good reason too.
16 - Elf (2003)
I'm sorry Buddy, you just don't cut it for me anymore.
Now where do I start with this film. You may love me or hate me for saying this but this is a film that I've actually grown to dislike as I've gotten older. Now don't get me wrong, the story of a real life elf trying to find his biological father in New York City is a good enough plot point but I just find Will Ferrell as Buddy incredibly irritating. Now I know that his character is supposed to come across as pretty in your face but I just don't find it as funny as I used to. However, the 'angry elf' scene is still up there as one of my favourite and most funny Christmas movie scenes.
15 - The Snowman (1982)
You just can't top hand-drawn animation.
"We're walking in the air..." Now if you've never heard that song lyric and you're British, then I'd be shocked. I'm of course mentioning the song from the British television cartoon 'The Snowman'. This classic short film tells the story of a little boy who creates a snowman that comes to life for one night only. This beautifully hand-drawn animation has become a true staple of British Christmas television. I also love having conversations with different people about the intro of the film. There are two different versions. Whilst I grew up with David Bowie introducing the film, it appears that most people I know grew up with the creator of the story introducing his own work.
14 - The Grinch (2000)
Don't be such a grinch!
13 - Bridget Jones's Diary (2001)
You can't beat a good Christmas jumper!
Perhaps one of the first inclusions on the list that some may not consider a Christmas film. Stop right there though! May I remind you that some of this film's best scenes take place at Christmas time, including the opening and ending scenes, to me the most memorable in the film. The film stars Renee Zellweger in the career-defining title role, and tells the oh so typical love triangle story. It's one of them British romantic comedies that many of us can relate to on different levels. This has so many hilarious moments, including the ending I already mentioned, when Bridget runs out in the snow, just dressed in a jumper and tiger print underwear, not to mention the hilarious fight scene. I do really love this film and dare I say I'm actually quite partial to a good rom-com!
12 - Gremlins (1984)
"Tis the season to be jolly..."
Now if you thought the last film wasn't exactly festive, many would also argue the same for 'Gremlins'. I absolutely love this film and yes, it really is a Christmas film. For a start it's set during the festive period and it has many scenes involving Christmas related things, including the infamous scene of the gremlins singing christmas carols! What's not to love! Though originally intended as a straight up horror film, director John Dante decided to make 'Gremlins' a black comedy. The film tells the story of a failed inventor picking up a rather strange creature as a Christmas present for his son. This rather odd yet cute creature, a mogwai, comes with three basic rules - never expose them to bright lights or sunlight, which will kill it, don't get it wet, and most importantly of all, never feed it after midnight. Safe to say all three rules are unintentionally broken and all hell ensues. The main mogwai Gizmo is certainly cute but the same can't be said for his offspring once they turn into the gremlins! This film is certainly a wild ride but it's just so much fun. Let's just hope it's one that's never remade!
11 - Christmas with the Kranks (2004)
Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis as Luther and Nora Krank, just perfect casting!
A recent favourite of mine, 2004's 'Christmas with the Kranks' is one of the funniest Christmas films out there. I mean for a start it stars two of my favourite American comedy actors, Tim Allen and Dan Aykroyd. Also starring in the film is the always fantastic Jamie Lee Curtis, who is once again amazing in this. This film sees Allen and Curtis as parents who decide to skip Christmas for the first time while their daughter is away, much to the annoyance of their neighbours. This was a film I'd only seen for the first time about 5 years ago and it became an instant favourite of mine. I definitely think a good cast defines a film and this is certainly no exception. Unsurprisingly, this isn't the only Christmas film featuring Tim Allen on my list...
10 - The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
"My name is Ebenezer Scrooge, and not a lot of people know that!"
Who doesn't love The Muppets right? When mixed with Christmas and one of England's greatest actors of all time, it couldn't get much better than that could it? Nope! This is the first version of Dickens Christmas Carol story to feature on my list and what a great version it is. The said English actor I just mentioned is none other than Sir Michael Caine himself, who is phenomenal as Ebenezer Scrooge. Watching different Muppets shows and films, you can sometimes tell when the actors are feeling uncomfortable acting alongside the hilarious creatures, however, Caine seems to excel. This is a very worthy top 10 Christmas film contender.
9 - Love Actually (2003)
Surely one of the most iconic dance scenes in the history of film!
What a film this is. 'Love Actually' was one of them rare films that comes along and becomes an instant classic. I'm not just saying that for me personally but I know that the film is widely seen as one of the best Christmas films this side of the millennium, and for good reason too. With a strong ensemble cast and many different love stories, all set around Christmas time, you just can't find faults with this Richard Curtis comedy. This is very much like the Harry Potter series in that it features the best of the British. However, with so many amazing performances, it would be hard to narrow down the best but my personal favourites would have to be those by Emma Thompson (what a bastard her husband was!), Alan Rickman (the said bastard husband), Colin Firth, Liam Neeson, Bill Nighy, there are just way too many to mention! Also, who can forget that legendary dancing scene from Hugh Grant and the unforgettable cameo from Rowan Atkinson as a over the top shop assistant. Writing this I've really come to realise just how much I love this film.
8 - The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
"What's this? What's this?"
This one of the only films I can think of that can be considered a classic staple for two different holidays, those being Christmas and Halloween. Tim Burton's 'The Nightmare Before Christmas' is a masterpiece. Why? Many reasons! The biggest reason for me being the fact that it was made with traditional stop motion animation, which is so rare nowadays. Tim Burton is known for creating worlds which are very out there so to speak, with this world of Halloween Town being no exception. Head of the town is Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King. One day he stumbles into the world of Christmas Town. On his return, he decides to create his own version of Christmas. Safe to say the mix of Halloween and Christmas aren't a good mix, though they are for the watching audience! It's also worth noting that the film is a musical and features some absolutely amazing songs, such as 'This Is Halloween' and 'What's This?' However, my all time favourite song from the film comes from the villain, Mr Oogie Boogie, and what a song it is! I love it so much that I even recorded my own cover of it, and no, I'm not sharing it here. Have to save myself from some embarrassment!
7 - Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)
"Feed the birds..."
Now we're getting into the territory where I had trouble ranking these following films. 'Home Alone 2' is one of them rare sequels that manages to be just as good as the first, if not even better. Don't worry though for those of you who prefer the first, you may have noticed I've not included it yet, and it's definitely on here! Instead of his parents leaving him at home before jetting off on a Christmas holiday, Kevin McAllister is this time mistakenly left at an airport and ends up on the wrong flight. Instead of heading to Florida with his family, Kevin ends up at New York City. Kevin is not alone though, because the villains of the first film are also in New York and end up hot on Kevin's tail. Aside from the hilarious Macaulay Culkin as Kevin, the film features many other great characters but there are two I really want to mention. First is Tim Curry as head hotel concierge Mr Hector, who is overly suspicious of Kevin. Tim Curry is one of my favourite characters and he is just so utterly conniving in this. Secondly I want to mention Brenda Fricker as the Pigeon Lady. Much like the first film with old man Marley, the Pigeon Lady is a character who Kevin is initially scared of but ends up growing rather fond of.
6 - National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989)
Clark Griswold, now that's what you call a real American Dad!
God bless the Griswold family. You just can't help but love Chevy Chase and the rest of the cast as the Griswolds. Though American and British culture is very much different, you can still relate to the issues of family visiting during Christmas, whether it's good or bad. What I love about this film is just how much Clark wants to make his Christmas perfect for the whole family, even the ones he's not so fond of! There are so many funny scenes in this film that I've lost count! I do have my favourites though of course! I absolutely love the scene when Clark is trying to make a grand event of the turning on of his Christmas lights, and as to no surprise, it doesn't quite go to plan. I also love the scene when he goes sledding, I'm laughing about that scene as I'm typing this!
5 - The Santa Clause (1994)
Charlie: "You killed him!" Scott: "Did not!"
"Seeing isn't believing. Believing is seeing!"
Now what a premise this film has. If you kill Santa Claus, accidentally or not, you have to take the full responsibility and become Santa Claus himself, thus making the Santa CLAUSE. I'm not sure if that's actually quite morbid but heck, it's hilarious and works so, so well! What makes this work so well, that's simple, Tim Allen. Looking back on my childhood, I've grown to realise that Tim Allen is one of my childhood heroes. Why? Because he was just amazing in this film, he was also freakin' Buzz Lightyear, and starred in many other films and series that I love. Aside from my love for Mr Allen, I really do love the story here. Seeing Scott transform from a struggling single Dad into Santa Claus is so funny and yet compelling. It's also very, very emotional towards the end. Then again, it wouldn't be a Disney film without some emotional moments, right? Mentioning Disney, which of course is my favourite film company, this is without doubt my favourite Disney Christmas film ever!
4 - Last Christmas (2019)
Emilia Clarke makes for a pretty adorable elf!
"This year, to save it from tears, I'll give it to someone special"
The most recently released Christmas film has managed to find a place in my top 5 Christmas film of all time. Why is that? I'm not actually quite sure myself yet! I have seen the film twice already and am planning on seeing it again very soon. It was one of them films that I instantly loved. I don't want to write too much for anyone reading as I'm sure many are still yet to see it. However, I can offer a spoiler-free synopsis. Struggling Christmas shop worker Kate is in a slum. She hates her family life. Her love life changes on a daily basis and she just can't seem to catch a break. That is until she meets Tom, who shows her a different outlook on life. I think one reason I loved this film was because I fell in love with the characters. Kate is played by Emilia Clarke, who gives an utterly loveable performance, one which I think many of us can relate to. Her love interest Tom is played by Henry Golding, who I can see becoming the Hugh Grant of this generation. Though being directed by Paul Fieg, whose films I generally really dislike, I thought this was an absolute delight. It's one of them Christmas films that I can imagine being on television every year, and I can tell you one thing, I'll definitely be watching each time!
3 - Jingle All The Way (1996)
If only Arnie remembered just the one toy his son wanted for Christmas!
The lengths people will go to get the ultimate toy!
Oh boy do I love this film. I love this film so much that I quote it with friends very often. Considering the film is a swipe at consumerism, it is still very much relevant today, because in this modern age you still get many people flocking to buy the latest toys and gadgets. Much like my love for 'The Santa Clause', my main love for 'Jingle All The Way' comes from it's main star, everyone's favourite Austrian, the legendary Arnold Schwarzenegger. Arnie is just fantastic in this. The 90s saw him starring in many family friendly and comedic roles, with this being my personal favourite. I was surprised to see this film got a lot of hate back in the day but it appears that more people have grown to love it in recent years. The basic premise of Arnie having to find a toy for his son's Christmas present all last minute is just so hilarious and I'm sure many parents have been guilty of it too. Also hilarious in the film is Sinbad as a disgruntled and rather psychotic postman, who is also on the hunt for the same toy for his own son. There are way too many funny scenes for me to mention but I've got to say one thing... "Put that cookie down... NOW!"
2 - Home Alone (1990)
Kevin setting up traps for the unsuspecting Harry and Marv!
This moment gets me every single time!
Now this was tough for me. So, so tough! 'Home Alone' is a film that I absolutely adore. It will always hold a special place in my heart, the biggest reason being it is one of the films that my Grandad loves watching with me the most, I still laughs at it just like he did when he first saw it, as do I. I would imagine that you would be familiar with the plot of the film reading this but if not, it tells the story of little Kevin McAllister mistakenly being left at home all alone, while his large family fly away for Christmas. This film became an instant classic when it was released and it's not hard to see why. Young Macaulay Culkin became an overnight sensation with this film. The story of young Kevin having to fend off two criminals could be absolutely terrifying, yet creator John Hughes managed to turn it into one of the greatest slapstick comedies of all time. There are so many classic scenes in this film, well to be honest, the whole film is a pure classic. My favourite scene though is part of the ending. Not Kevin being reunited with his Mum, but seeing old man Marley being reunited with his estranged family. Seeing him hug his Granddaughter then giving a wave to Kevin as if to say thank you, man, that still brings tears to my eyes. No surprise as the scene is accompanied by an utterly unforgettable score by John Williams. This would have been a very worthy number 1 but I do have my reasons for number 1 topping the list. So let's see!
1 - Scrooge (1970)
Amazing to think Albert Finney was only 33 years old while making this film! Amazing make-up!
Obi Wan is looking rather ghostly these days!
It's finally here, my number 1 Christmas movie of all time. It was so hard narrowing all of these down, especially the top 5, however, here we are! Topping my list of festive film favourites is 1970's 'Scrooge'. This isn't just a favourite film of mine but it is a family tradition. We have always watched this during the Christmas season and have watched it on Christmas Day itself most years. I guess it's a sentimental favourite but don't we all that with films? I love so much about this film. As I mentioned earlier, I'm a sucker for musicals and this film, rather much in the vein of 1968's 'Oliver', is no exception. This musical retelling of A Christmas Carol has so many fantastic songs. There's also some pretty ironic songs, including 'Thank You Very Much', which is essentially an undertaker standing on Ebenezer Scrooge's grave, singing about how thankful he is for Scrooge's death! I also love Scrooge's song 'I Hate People', which perfectly sums up his character. One of the most amazing things about the film is that despite being made during the time of every film being overdubbed, Albert Finney made the decision to sing everything live on set. It was a great decision because despite not having the best voice, it sounds so pure and natural. Talking of Albert Finney, there's no denying that this is one of his finest if not best ever roles. Finney was only 33 years old at the time of filming yet, with the help of fantastic make-up, was able to portray a much, much older man. Though the whole cast are fantastic, I must give a special mention to Obi Wan Kenobi himself, Mr Alec Guinness, who plays the ghostly role of Jacob Marley, and to great effect. If you've never seen this film, I could not recommend it any more highly!
Merry Christmas everyone!
I certainly hope you enjoyed reading about my favourite Christmas movies. I'm sure one or two may have surprised you, but thats the beauty of a film blog, our own opinions. I also hope that it if you came across new films to you that you may go and check them out. You may surprise yourself and end up enjoying them.
What else can I say but I would like to wish you a very, very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Love Michael x
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