My Christmas Movies
What’s your favorite Christmas movie? A lot of people would inevitably say It’s a Wonderful Life (1946). A beautiful classic no doubt, but I’ve only seen it once or twice and never on Christmas, so forgive me for excluding it from this list. My favorites are bound to disappoint anyway because they are (duh) MY favorites. They may not be masterpieces but they always bring out the true Yuletide feelings in me. I have watched these films over and over again, often for that very purpose. Perhaps it’s time for a new classic this year? Mmmm. I wish you all Merry Christmas.
Home Alone (1990) – What’s Christmassy about two burglars getting their butts kicked by a kid who’s been accidentally abandoned by his parents? Well, Chris Columbus’s violent and cute comedy (written by John Hughes) is set at Christmas time and is jam-packed with scenes where the familiarity and warmth of the season is cunningly exploited. Cute, funny and heartwarming.
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989) – Oh, the effort Clark Griswald (Chevy Chase) puts into trying to create the perfect Christmas for his family. Everything goes to hell, of course, and soon poor Clark’s sanity follows suit. The funniest chapter of the franchise has Chase in excellent shape as well as a message saying that we should never forget the simple things that make the Yuletide unforgettable. Love that squirrel, by the way (watch the YouTube clip).
A Christmas Carol (1984) – Which is the best adaptation of Dickens’s classic Christmas tale? There are many clever variations of the story, but few of them have outdone traditional screen versions. There’s the British 1951 film… and this TV movie, a lovely adaptation of this most engaging Yuletide story ever, featuring a wonderfully grumpy performance by George C. Scott as Scrooge. High production values, good direction by Clive Donner.
Die Hard (1988) – Nothing says Christmas quite like watching John McClane (Bruce Willis) run around in an L.A. highrise in a dirty, bloody tank top, killing German terrorists. It is strange, but somehow this seminal action movie has become a minor Yuletide classic just because the bad guys choose to attack during a Christmas party. There isn’t much else in the film that reminds you of jingle bells. But perhaps there is something very attractive in the violence as a counter to everything that’s too sugary and schmaltzy about the season.
Published by Stefan Hedmark 2008-12-23 13:04
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