One of the many traditions associated with the holiday season is the viewing of Christmas movies. I've got a group of friends who get together every Monday leading up to the big day to watch a few of the classics. I have found, though, that while I love the Christmas season and most of the stuff that comes with it, I don’t love a lot of the traditional holiday classics. I’ve never been overly impressed with It’s a Wonderful Life or White Christmas, have soured on Christmas Vacation over the last decade, and have always loathed A Christmas Story. I do have a few favorites, however; a set of movies that I’m sure to mix in with the classic holiday specials and The Office Christmas episodes every year. Here are my top five.
5. The Santa Clause (1994)
I liked this movie well enough as a kid then mostly forgot about it for 20 years. Then, when my son got super into Christmas a few years back (as kids are delightfully wont to do), I threw this movie on and it’s remained a stalwart of our Christmas rotation ever since. Santa Clause has a strong conceit, a few jokes that work for adults, and a classic “rediscovering the spirit of Christmas” storyline that feels genuine rather than forced.
4. Love Actually (2003)
A solid romantic-comedy with a Christmas background, Love Actually also qualifies as one of my favorite chick-flicks of all time. The interweaving of the lives of the ensemble cast is excellent and the realistic good feeling of the movie allows you to look past the far-fetched connections and questionable relationships. Is it weird that the future Rick from The Walking Dead quietly lets his best friend’s wife know that he’s into her? Yes. Does it bother me within the movie? Nah, not really. We get some stellar performances as well, particularly from perpetually overlooked Liam Neeson. And there's always something awesome about an (almost) all British cast. Hugh Grant for life.
3. Elf (2003)
I have found that there is a large anti-Elf contention out there trying to keep Elf-awareness down, but I will not be silenced. Here's how great Elf is: I know lots of people (some family members included) who hate Will Ferrell. HATE him. To a man, those haters will happily sit and watch Elf any time it comes on TV. Likewise, lifelong Ferrell that I am, I would call this one of my favorite Ferrell movies. Just like Caine in The Muppet Christmas Carol, Ferrell absolutely goes ALL OUT for his role in a children's movie and that performance makes the film. There’s an infectious energy to this movie that jives well with the feeling of the holiday season, too, and I love it for that.
2. The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
Am I correct in assuming that no one doesn't like the Muppets? There's no one out there with a secret vendetta against Kermit or Fozzy, right? (Editor’s note: I know one person who doesn’t like the Muppets and I do not trust him, obviously.) Because no matter how old I get, the Muppets still hold some awesomeness for me. While all the Muppet movies are good, The Muppet Christmas Carol is, in my opinion, the crowning achievement of the pre-Jason Segel franchise. It's a wonderful blend of music, classic literature, and general silliness capped off by a surprisingly strong performance by Michael Caine. Caine, who's been known to take a paycheck and mail in a performance from time to time, plays Ebenezer Scrooge like he's in a big-time stage adaptation of the Dickens novel. Just absolutely goes all in for a kid's movie starring a puppet and you gotta love that.
1. Home Alone (1989)
Absolutely no question in my mind that this is the best holiday movie of all-time. If I see a Christmas movie list like this and it doesn't contain Home Alone, I scoff in anger and immediately disregard its validity. Whether watching alone, with a group, or with my kid, there are numerous moments that make me laugh out loud despite the fact that I've seen this movie upwards of 50 times. I LOVE it. Home Alone is INSANELY quotable, too, with a litany of lines that I can and do quote in everyday life. As I've gotten older my viewing of Home Alone has changed some and I appreciate different elements. For instance, the Wet Bandits’ plot, I think, is genius and the Bandits themselves are incredible characters. Pesci and Stern just CRUSH those roles. “Maybe he killed himself” is one of the funniest lines of the movie and Stern delivers it with such earnestness. Knowing that the scene with Candy and O’Hara in the back of the Budget van is completely improvised, too, adds to my great appreciation for the film. And as I get older, I feel the pain of Kevin’s attacks on Marv and Harry so much more deeply. My son loves this movie so much that we have to put a limit on the number of times he can watch it in one holiday season and then won’t let him watch it between New Year’s and Thanksgiving. Even still, it remains my absolute favorite and a true hallmark of the holidays around our house.