My Ten Favorite Christmas Movies
Christmas is almost upon us, and with the holiday comes Christmas movies. We all have ones we like and ones we don’t. So in the spirit of the holiday, I want to share with all of you a list of my favorite Christmas films. Now, these may not be the most traditionally popular choices (though some may be just by chance), rather they’re the movies I think make Christmas a bit better, but you can probably enjoy them as just flat-out entertaining holiday movies if you want. So, without further adieu, here are My Ten Favorite Christmas Movies….
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10. Mystery Science Theater 3000
Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (1964)
Plot: Martians kidnap Santa Claus because they believe that he will make the children of Mars happy.
Why: Yes, this is technically an episode of a TV show, but it’s also probably the only way a sane person should watch the movie in question. But watch it they should, because this is one of those surreally bad movies that are so laughably inept they somehow become completely watchable. The sets literally look like they were put together with plywood, house paint, and knick-knacks. The Martians are clearly just people with green paint on their skin wearing cheap, generic sci-fi costumes. Santa Claus (John Call) never seems to acknowledge when he is in danger or the multiple attempts on his life by the evil Martian Voldar (Vincent Beck), which makes Old St. Nick seem vaguely sinister. This is probably one of the best episodes of Mystery Science Theater 3000 ever produced, with some great holiday-themed sketches, and it’s a perfect way to add some absurd comedy to your holiday.
9. It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
Plot: When a banker attempts to commit suicide on Christmas Eve, his guardian angel shows him all the lives he has touched and how worse off his hometown would be if he had never existed.
Why: Some people will probably want to crucify me for placing a film generally regarded as a classic so low on my list, but while I appreciate It’s a Wonderful Life, I’ve never been a huge fan (which is also how I feel about A Christmas Story and Home Alone). Personally, I think the film takes too long to get going, with what seems like the whole first half being almost nothing but exposition about George Bailey (James Stewart). But the movie comes alive once George meets his guardian angel Clarence Odbody (Henry Travers) and we are introduced to the alternate universe where George never existed. And Mr. Potter (Lionel Barrymore), the wheelchair-bound old businessman, is one of the great villains in cinema history. Most importantly, the film’s message is still touching and inspirational to this day.
8. Jack Frost (1979 TV special)
Plot: The immortal winter sprite Jack Frost becomes human after falling in love with a young woman, but he ends up having to save her hometown from the evil warlord who rules over it.
Why: I know I’m stretching the definition of “movies” by including a 48-minute TV special on this list, but I also think there’s some kind of law against making a list of holiday viewings that doesn’t include at least one Rankin/Bass puppet show. Jack Frost is one of the studio’s lesser-known specials, which is a shame, because it’s a whole lot of cheesy fun. All the elements you’d expect are here: the adorable puppet characters, the annoyingly catchy songs, and the smattering of famous voices. But the thing I really love about the film is its villain: the “Cossack King” Kubla Kraus (Paul Frees), essentially a cross between Boris Badenov and Rasputin, with a steam-powered robot horse and an army of mechanical soldiers. For this reason, if for no other, the film deserves to be seen by more people.
7. The Holiday (2006)
Plot: Two lovelorn women from opposite sides of the Atlantic Ocean decide to exchange homes for the holiday season to escape their heartbreak, and they end up meeting the men of their dreams.
Why: I know some people will think I should have my man card taken away for this, but I liked this romantic comedy quite a lot. Yes, it has most of the tropes and sappiness one would expect from the genre, but it uses the fact that several of the main characters are connected to the movie industry by having them acknowledge many of the conventions at work. It smartly makes the fact that the characters find themselves in a situation straight out of a movie into part of the joke. This “inside Hollywood” aspect is one of the main things I really liked about the film. I’d also say that the subplot about Iris (Kate Winslet) and Arthur (Eli Wallach) is one of my favorite depictions in movies of an intergenerational friendship. And the fact that the film has Winslet and Jack Black getting together gives hope to schlubby guys like me everywhere.
6. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966 TV special)
Plot: A grumpy, misanthropic hermit tries to steal Christmas from the people of nearby Whoville.
Why: Yes, this is another half-hour TV special, but for the purposes of this list, I’m counting it as a short film, because there is no way I can justify leaving it out (especially since I won’t be including Ron Hoard’s live-action version). This is the best adaptation of a Dr. Seuss work that exists, ever has existed, and ever will exist. The film is wonderfully narrated by Boris Karloff, who also voices the Grinch, and he makes the lines of description come alive. Hand-drawn animation is a perfect fit for the material, because it allows Dr. Seuss’ trippy imaginings to be visualized – my favorite moment of this being when the Grinch folds a full-size decorated Christmas tree up like an umbrella. And I have to gush about the song “You’re A Mean One, Mr. Grinch,” sung by Thurl Ravenscroft – the voice of Tony the Tiger. It’s easily one of my favorite songs from any film ever. This is the perfect celebration of Dr. Seuss, one of the greatest children’s authors of all time.
5. White Christmas (1954)
Plot: Two army buddies-turned-entertainers and a sister act decide to put together a show to help the guys’ former commanding officer, who’s now a down-on-his-luck innkeeper.
Why: Bing Crosby’s music has long been an important part of Christmas for me. So it should be no surprise that White Christmas is one of my favorite holiday films. Yes, the plot is basically there to string together all the songs, but isn’t that always the case with musicals? And when the songs and the performers are this good, that’s not really a problem. The four members of the main cast all get to show off their respective talents – Crosby is the wise, fatherly crooner, Danny Kaye shows his mastery of physical comedy, Rosemary Clooney has an amazing singing voice, and Vera-Ellen is a show-stopping dancer. Above all, this film is a showcase for some of the greatest musical performers of the twentieth century.
4. Die Hard (1988)
Plot: A New York police officer travels to Los Angeles to reconcile with his estranged wife at her company’s Christmas Eve party. But when a group of terrorists seize the building and take hostages, it’s up to him to save the day.
Why: When the holiday cheer gets to be too much, grab your beverage of choice and enjoy one of the best action movies ever made. This is the movie that made Bruce Willis a bankable star, and it’s easy to see why. Willis’ John McClane is the best kind of action movie hero – capable of incredibly badass feats, but with enough depth and humanity that we care about him as a character and fear for his safety. But Die Hard also boasts one of the greatest movie villains ever – Alan Rickman as terrorist/thief/criminal mastermind Hans Gruber. The back-and-forth between the two men is gripping to watch, even when they’re just playing mind games over a two-way radio. And don’t forget the thrilling action scenes, which you won’t find in other Christmas movies.
3. Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
Plot: A jaded single mother and an idealistic young attorney begin to wonder if a department store Santa Claus might just be the real thing.
Why: My favorite of the “classic” Christmas films, Miracle on 34th Street is a movie I make a point to watch every year. I love the cast and the characters, most of all Kris Kringle (Edmund Gwenn) himself. The scene between Kris and the little Dutch girl still gets me every time. I love the whole extended courtroom sequence that makes up the last act of the film, especially the scene between Judge Harper (Gene Lockhart) and his political advisor Charlie Halloran (William Frawley). I love the scene when Fred Gailey (John Payne) calls out Doris Walker (Maureen O’Hara) on her cynicism and makes it clear to her how important belief and ideals can be. And Kris Kringle’s message against the commercialization of Christmas is even more relevant today than it was when the film first came out.
2. The Nightmare before Christmas (1993)
Plot: The macabre-yet-friendly denizens of Halloween Town attempt to celebrate Christmas, but don’t quite understand the concept.
Why: My personal candidate for the best thing Tim Burton’s ever made (although contrary to popular belief, he only produced the film and came up with the original concept, but didn’t direct it), Nightmare is a movie I’ve loved since the first time I saw it. I still consider this to be some of the most beautiful stop-motion animation ever committed to film. The film is a visual feast, and I notice new details every time I watch it. Character designs are excellent, making creatures that would normally be grotesque cute and endearing. And the songs, by Burton’s frequent collaborator Danny Elfman – who also provides the singing voice of hero Jack Skellington – are incredibly catchy. You will find yourself humming the tunes to yourself after watching. Best of all, it’s also a Halloween film, so you have two holidays when you can watch it.
1. The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
Plot: Jim Henson’s Muppets tackle Charles Dickens’ classic story of miser Ebenezer Scrooge and the supernatural events that change his life.
Why: This is my absolute favorite Christmas movie of all time, bar none. I love this film – the dialogue, the characters, the songs, everything about it. This is a movie I watch without wanting to skip any part of it. And surprisingly, the film is actually a fairly close adaptation of the novel in many respects, with large chunks of dialogue taken from Dickens’ text. But what holds the film together, and gives the story its true emotional weight, is Michael Caine’s fantastic performance as Ebenezer Scrooge. Caine acts alongside the Muppets with as much seriousness and gravitas as he would give working with the Royal Shakespeare Company. Watching this film as a kid was my introduction to Michael Caine, and over the years he has become one of my favorite actors. For my family, watching The Muppet Christmas Carol is a Christmas Eve tradition that I look forward to every year.
Timothy Monforton
