Although I'm partial to Halloween, I can't pretend that I still don't love Christmas as everyone else does. Yes, it can be too much for many reasons, but at its heart, it's still a holiday I cherish, with family, friends, and traditions. One of my favorite traditions, of course, is watching Christmas movies and specials, which do not offer a ton of new material for me to watch compared to Halloween. At least during spooky season, I have access to more horror films than I can ever count, especially as someone who's obsessed with the genre. Still, there are plenty of options where I'm likely not going to see the same ones every year. And while I don't mind playing a piece of Christmas media every once in a while, out of season, it doesn't feel nearly as special as watching them during the season, making these viewings a real treat. There is so much Christmas material I love watching that putting it all in one list, while an interesting challenge, I don't find necessary. For this list, I'm only focusing on Christmas movies. That means there won't be any short films or TV specials unless they're above an hour-long movie. Feeling A Christmas Carol can have its own list, aside from one notable exception, I won't be including any of the films. Finally, as traditional Christmas classics will be present, alternative ones will definitely make the list as well. And if you disagree with some of them not counting as Christmas films, that's fine. Just keep in mind that this is my personal list of favorite Christmas movies, and while there are plenty I left out, or have yet to see (which I'll probably do a few runner-up lists in the future), I can safely say that these are my absolute favorite Christmas movies that fit the criterion for the list! Join me as I not only discuss the films but also share some of my Christmas memories with a few of these films, and how they motivate me through the holidays! Oh, and please note, there will be SPOILERS!
Tyler's Top 25 Favorite Christmas Movies
Number 25: Eyes Wide Shut
I know that placing Stanley Kubrick's artsy erotic psychological drama is an unusual choice for a Christmas film, and though the following entries get me more invested in the holiday, I couldn't leave this one out. Ignoring how the film itself provides compelling themes such as commitment and fantasy vs reality, strong believable performances, a suspenseful story, strange sexual imagery, and serving as a filmmaker's last hurrah and breaking the record for the most extended film shoot, what is it about this movie that gets me into a Christmas mood? Initially, the story was set during Mardi Gras, only for Kubrick to set it during Christmas, where the story could take place at any time of year, but Christmas is far from ignored. People send Christmas greetings (either formally or through assault), the young daughter wishes to watch Christmas classics like The Nutcracker and holiday-themed Looney Tunes cartoons, and there are Christmas trees in half the places Bill visits. The film's dilemmas begin at a Christmas party, where the couple's loyalties are questioned, and when Bill meets an old friend who later leads him to an orgy that transforms the film into a mystery thriller. And at the very end of the movie, the couple make amends as they go Christmas shopping in a toy store with their daughter, which is decorated for the holidays.
A visual associated with the holidays that Kubrick loves to exploit is the Christmas lights. Whether on the buildings of the city, at a formal Christmas party, inside a dark cafe, at a closed costume shop, or in the living room, Christmas lights are shown more than any particular decoration in the movie. The purpose of the heavy reliance on Christmas lights is to create an atmosphere resembling a dream, with its seductive colors and hazy lighting standing out in an environment usually surrounded by darkness and shadows. Kubrick does use studio lights to achieve the effect without showing the Christmas lights (most notably the use of blue lightning to create a stylized vision of moonlight), but the frequent use of the decoration is shown often enough to be part of the film's identity, the same way as how the masks in the orgy scene are.
Part of the reason why Eyes Wide Shut is not regarded as heavy as other alternative Christmas movies is how it handles its theme of consumerism. Unlike other Christmas films, which are a little more explicit in their critiques and satire of the holiday, this film is more subtle. Despite how festive the Christmas imagery seems, it mainly appears in environments that are either seedy, ominous, or plain. Most of the locations where holiday imagery appears are places of business that either treat the holidays as an afterthought or strive to make money off them. Despite the film showing Christmas activities, they usually feed into consumerism rather than the wholesome values that bring families and people together during this time of year. Whenever something Christmas-related happens with the daughter, it either revolves around her desire for Christmas gifts, watching Christmas movies with little to no engagement from her parents, or wrapping presents without enthusiasm. On top of the film's critique of consumerism around the holidays, at its core is a married couple struggling to be together, which just so happens to be on a holiday ideally about togetherness, especially among families. And when you have a daughter who is still at an age when her parents' presence and financial support are needed most to create Christmas memories she will cherish when she gets older, the timing of Christmas during the ultimate test of their relationship makes it worse. For a movie where one could easily find the Christmas element as an afterthought, it is actually more relevant to the film's story, visual style, and themes than is given credit.
Number 24: Brazil
Similar to what Kubrick would later do in Eyes Wide Shut, Christmas decorations are everywhere, yet their placement feels soulless. There are Christmas trees in essentially colorless, gloomy, fascist-like government buildings, where their presence feels more like a business symbol for this time of year than a wholesomely festive reminder of what Christmas is about. As neon lights in the shapes of Christmas items light up the streets, they look beautiful, but feel artificial and manipulative, persuading people to buy rather than embrace the Christmas cheer. And when the decorations do look wholesome, they're in shabby apartments with people in poverty or who have had their lives destroyed by the government. The scenery looks festive, but it doesn't feel it for lacking the true Christmas spirit. A moment that really stands out for its satire of consumerism is when a marching band plays Joy to the World while holding a banner that reads "Consumers for Christ," as they march past a kid meeting a mall Santa asking for a credit card for Christmas. It's a brief scene, but a hilarious bit that nicely summarizes one of the movie's many themes.
The image most people think of when it comes to the Christmas aspects of Brazil is Peter Vaugn dressed as Santa, smiling dastardly as he greets a solitary, confined Sam. Before this scene, Vaugn's character was a boss as humble and jolly as old Saint Nicholas himself. Now, to see him in attire resembling the greatest boss to work for reveals his true self: a humbug who cares more about business and the government than his "friend," despite still sounding pleasant. To add insult to injury, just as he betrayed his "friend," he is on his way to entertain the orphans as Santa, who cares as much for them as he does for Sam. And the scary part is that he doesn't think he's a villain and actually believes he's doing the right thing. Many of the people Sam encounters at his job are no different from his boss, as the use of holiday shows who they really are. Despite receiving Christmas presents from friendly people at work, none of them came from a place of thought and care for how useless the item is. And when the nazi-like stormtroopers are not destroying someone's life, they spend their downtime singing The First Noel to overlook the cruelties of the people they have harmed. What everything comes down to when depicting Christmas in the movie is that it is the best time when businesses and the government can be at their worst and get away with it by using the holiday's beauty, jolly attitude, and supposed nobility to distract people from their selfish intents. The film did not need to be a Christmas movie, but the more I think about its Christmas setting, the more I see it as the perfect holiday to deliver cynical satire on technology, consumerism, bureaucracy, government, and capitalism.
For those who follow Tim Burton's career, you may notice that he was in a Christmas phase from 1990 to 1993, which all began with Edward Scissorhands. Compared to two of his later Christmas films, this is the one I watch the least around this season. The main reason is that a good half of the movie takes place outside the holiday season, whereas his later works embrace the season more. The film, however, starts strong with Christmas imagery in the prologue, with snow falling out the window as an older woman tells her Granddaughter where the snow comes from. The scene itself has a warm, wholesome tone, with imagery reminiscent of a Brothers Grimm fairytale, which beautifully sets up the film's unusual Christmas tale and fantasy atmosphere, fueled by emotion.
How do I describe a film like Krampus? I would say to picture if the McCallister's and Cousin Eddie's family were made into one family, and that Kevin's wish led to him staying home with the family in a snowy environment as harsh as John Carpenter's The Thing filled with unassuming chaos as Evil Dead II and Christmas monsters suitable for Gremlins and a film made by Full Moon Features led by a Satan-like Santa. As deliciously mad as all this sounds, I can't call this film an underrated horror masterpiece. The film tries to be way too many things, making the presentation over the map. While offering plenty of dark insanity, the film feels restrained from going all out due to its PG-13 rating. In some scenes involving the monsters, the excessive use of darkness and fast editing makes it hard to see or enjoy their designs or to feel what is at stake. And some of the acting can feel very wooden at times. The film has plenty of flaws that could keep it off my list, so why do I bother placing it above better Christmas films?
When I heard about this Netflix movie, I didn't think too much of it. I heard it was suitable for what it is, but not something I was highly intrigued to see. On an evening when I was going to watch old Christmas shorts with my younger brother Jack, who had not seen them in ages, my mom encouraged us to watch The Christmas Chronicles with her. I wasn't too thrilled about the last-minute change, but I decided to give it a watch with them. I was immediately intrigued by how the story of the Pierce family celebrating Christmas together throughout the years is shown through home movies, as I started to get a sentimental, warm, nostalgic Christmas feeling. Afterwards, the film became average, but entertaining. When Santa arrived, I was intrigued but didn't think the movie would amaze me. Despite Kurt Russell in the role, which hinted we were going to get a different kind of Santa, I thought he was going to be decent, but I wasn't sold when I heard him make a forced political reference, fearing his jokes would be pandering to the modern adult jokes that would become quickly dated or in poor taste. But as I let the film play on, I not only started to enjoy the characters and get sucked into its fun Christmas whimsy, but I was starting to feel like a kid again, especially when watching it amongst the family, which was familiar in the right ways and fresh and original in so many other ways. While I had some issues with the CGI, occasional forced jokes, and the elves, I thought this was one of the best Christmas movies I have seen in a long time. And after rewatching it a couple of times since then, the film's magical charm still works just as effectively as when I first saw it.
I was in High School when the film came out, and from the TV spots, the movie didn't seem to be for me. The film felt obnoxious in its humor, as if it were trying too hard to give a cool, comical, modern take on Santa to entertain kids. I was further repulsed by the film's character designs, which had creepy, oddly shaped eyes. And while I don't recall paying attention to Justin Bieber's cover of Santa Claus Is Coming to Town during the promos, I know that if I had, it would have made me want to distance myself further from the movie. For a while, I thought nothing about the film and practically forgot about it, as I thought most people did, especially since it bombed at the box office. Then I saw a few videos from the Nostalgia Critic during my college years, in which he gave the film great praise. The movie sounded promising, but I wasn't sure if I would see it as the underrated classic that he did. Eventually, I gave it a watch during the holiday season and came out of the film amazed. Afterwards, I did spend a few Christmases without seeing it, but every time I decide to give it a watch, I leave the film highly impressed.
In High School, I recalled hearing about this movie through two of my teachers. Discovering in World War I that Scottish, German, and French soldiers had a Christmas truce in the trenches astonished me, and hearing that there is a movie based on it made me highly curious to see it. As time went by, I finally took a look at this film and was emotionally touched throughout. Before the legendary Christmas truce, naturally, the film's first act plays out like a usual anti-war movie. The kids in each country the film presents are brainwashed by propaganda; naive civilians are excited to become soldiers; a brutal battle takes place in the trenches; and soldiers are either severely wounded or miserably homesick. Apart from a corny death scene between two Scottish brothers (who I could have easily mistaken for lovers), the film proves to be a competently made war movie, perfectly establishing how propaganda can manipulate the minds and showcasing the harsh reality of war. Christmas slowly enters the first act, as the holiday is first used to contrast the soldiers' conditions with those of their superiors. Generals have a big Christmas party in their warm headquarters miles and miles away from the action, while the troops in the trenches are miserable and hungry out in the cold, surrounded by snow, where the only festive decoration any side has is a bunch of Christmas trees that were sent to them. Given the rough conditions and the reason these men are there in the first place, despite the snow and trees, Christmas at first feels like an afterthought to them, for having none of the qualities of home.
I did say I was going to count one version of A Christmas Carol on this list, and what better alternative film version of A Christmas Carol is out there than Scrooged? I have yet to see a modernized telling, or a version starring fictional characters as themselves (the Muppets and Mickey played as the characters from the source material, which does not count) in any film or even TV media that can top this! When I caught clips of the movie on TV as a kid, I instantly became obsessed with it. And when receiving a VHS copy of the film as a Christmas present, I went chestnuts over this movie, watching it multiple times growing up, even out of season! Setting "Charles Dickens' immortal classic" in modern times was an ingenious idea I had not seen before in a live-action film. As my love for horror was big at the age I saw the film, I particularly loved seeing whenever the ghosts appeared, going from ghastly, to mischievous, to unique through the zany performances, amazing special effects, and incredible make-up designs (that I won't hold back saying it really rivals the make-up in Beetlejuice for the Oscar). My all-time favorites were witnessing the decaying corpse of a former boss and seeing the Ghost of Christmas Past as a reckless, fun-loving New York City cab driver (with a meter designed to take the passenger to the date of their past). What fascinated me as much as the ghosts and the film's fresh take on the story were the fake Christmas Specials promoted on the movie's fictional channel, IBC. As a kid, I wanted to unironically view these Specials in full, specifically The Night the Reindeer Died and IBC's televised recording of A Christmas Carol. Now, they're some of the funniest parts of the movie that I still wish were real for how amusingly bad they appear.
I loved the original National Lampoon's Vacation films growing up (though I didn't see Vegas Vacation when I was super into them), and as much as I loved all three, believe it or not, Christmas Vacation used to be my least favorite. While the other films were about the misadventures of exploring the United States or Europe, this film took place mainly at home, which was less exciting. There were plenty of bits I loved, like the animated opening credits, Clark decorating the house with 25,000 incandescent lights, the Griswolds looking for a Christmas tree after Clark's road rage and witnessing the ultimate reckless sleigh ride. But given how dialogue-heavy the film can function, with a pacing that's a little slower than the others, I was bored many times as a kid. For me at the time, the film didn't really pick up until the Christmas Eve celebration, with the constant gags and chaos. From there until the end, there were the crunchiest dry turkey you ever seen and heard, a cat getting fried, the Christmas tree burned to a crisp, a squirrel running around the house, and a kidnapping. That section, to me, was what made the film worth watching, along with some of the other scenes and Chevy Chase's performance as Clark. And having a pleasant tuneful Christmas soundtrack doesn't weigh the film down in any way.
I have often mentioned in the past how many cherished films were introduced to me by my father, but this time it was my mother who showed me the film. When I was a kid, I saw promotional material for the film and took an interest, only to lose it after it stopped playing in theaters and took ages to come out on home media. One day, I caught my mom watching the film, and she invited me to join. Despite missing the first five or so minutes, I was already taking an interest in the story, humor, and the Rankin/Bass-influenced visual style of the North Pole, so I decided to watch it alongside her. Thinking the film was just going to be a comedy, I found myself delighted that the film was more than that. The film had plenty of heart, whimsy, and likability to suck me into the story and characters as much as many other Christmas classics I enjoyed growing up. Without question, the person who easily made the film so enjoyable for me was Will Ferrell as Buddy the human elf. The laughs did not at all fail to make me bust a gut numerous times, as I thought it was one of the funniest Christmas movies I ever saw. Seeing this cheerful child-like character constantly get beaten up, embarrass others, or cause trouble because of his naivety never made me frown when used for comedy. And watching Ferrell play around and say some of the most quotable lines in Christmas film history (my favorite quotes come from his excitement and disappointment with a Santa imposter) made me either reenact scenes or quote the lines as a kid who was still trying to figure out how to harness my hyper energy. But what really drew me into Will Ferrell's performance was his sincere innocence, optimism, and lovable nature. As loud and energetic as Ferrell's performance is, he does capture the heart, spirit, imagination, and helplessness of a child, with a fair share of gentle and softer moments to make the character feel more than just an obnoxious comic relief. The unconditional love and absolute pleasantness this character shows as he tries to find his purpose felt very deeply inspiring to me when I first discovered the movie. I unfortunately did not own a copy of it, but that did not matter as the film would constantly play on TV and was shown throughout my Middle School years during Christmas time, never getting old.
And Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
Number 23: Edward Scissorhands
For those who follow Tim Burton's career, you may notice that he was in a Christmas phase from 1990 to 1993, which all began with Edward Scissorhands. Compared to two of his later Christmas films, this is the one I watch the least around this season. The main reason is that a good half of the movie takes place outside the holiday season, whereas his later works embrace the season more. The film, however, starts strong with Christmas imagery in the prologue, with snow falling out the window as an older woman tells her Granddaughter where the snow comes from. The scene itself has a warm, wholesome tone, with imagery reminiscent of a Brothers Grimm fairytale, which beautifully sets up the film's unusual Christmas tale and fantasy atmosphere, fueled by emotion.
When Christmas returns to the film after an hour, it comes casually, with talk of a Christmas party, decorating the tree, and the father putting up lights on the house while singing On Christmas Day in the Morning. And then we get the film's most iconic scene: Edward carving an ice sculpture, causing its shavings to snow as Kim dances around it. In concept, the scene sounds like a forced, whimsical moment, but there are a few significant aspects to it. Despite dating a thug, Kim remained a sweet, compassionate girl who worried about Edward. She knew Edward had feelings for her but was unsure if she loved him back. This scene gorgeously expresses her falling in love with Edward, who is more than enchanted by Edward's talents of sculpting and making snow fall in one of the hottest towns in America. She has a feeling she has not felt in a long time, childlike wonder and innocence. Spending so much time with her rebellious, lustful boyfriend made her forget what it was like to be truly happy, where this moment allows her to be the person she truly is, knowing she won't be judged. The incredible part is Edward does not even notice her presence; he's busy tending to his work to create art for the love of it, rather than trying to prove his love to her again to win her, which makes Kim's transformation and feelings for Edward all the more special for fully seeing his genuine self and beauty. And all of these feelings are expressed visually and through Danny Elfman's haunting, whimsical score. Elfman's score is the film's real backbone, its emotional core that never feels hammered in, with this scene serving as a perfect example of why it exceeds. Although the acting, shots, and writing are as impactful, without Elfman's score, the scene, in all honesty, would be less enchanting and more awkward and weird.
After this majestic scene, tragically, most of the film's saddest events are shown. Edward acts as a monster after being bullied by Kim's boyfriend Jim, the gossiping neighbors form an angry mob, and Edward hides in the very place he was built after killing Jim in self-defense. The saddest scene for me does not happen in modern times, but during the flashback when Edward receives hands from his creator as an early Christmas present, only for him to suddenly pass from a fatal heart attack in front of Edward, as the hands get damaged. What really gets me is Edward trying to wake him up, only for his Scissorhands to slice his creator's face, causing him to bleed with no chance of reviving him. The blood, the destroyed fake hands, and his current condition further convince Edward that he'll never be fully human and that his hands could easily destroy anything he touches, which leads him to become an artist, turning what he touches into something beautiful while developing his creative thinking. Throughout all the sadness in the third act, there's still enough tenderness to balance it out, which usually involves Kim comforting him, who knows him better than anyone else in town (even more than his mom, who brought him to suburbia). Though a tragic story, the film's Christmas setting delivers with its fantasy and wonder that are unforgettably iconic. You can even look at the needless cruelty that Edward suffers as Kim provides unconditional love and compassion for him when needed as a reminder of how important it is to show goodwill to those who are less fortunate and different, especially during the holidays. And to have an emotionally gripping story leading up to why it snows in a southern suburban town ends the film on a very magical, bittersweet note.
Number 22: Meet Me in St. Louis
Given how Meet Me in St. Louis covers all four seasons, the film can be enjoyed at any time of the year. The film even surprisingly succeeds as a Halloween movie during the Fall season. But let's be honest: while the other seasons are well captured, it's the winter portion of the film that leaves a more substantial impact, even with Spring as the film's finale (which lasts only a few minutes). The imagery upon proceeding the film's winter segment looks like a Currier & Ives print, with snow covering the ground as kids go sleigh riding and build a snow family, while sleigh bells ring. Later on, the film's protagonist, Esther (Judy Garland), attends a Christmas ball wearing a gorgeously festive red dress, where she waltzes with her grandfather and (a few seconds later) her love interest, John, by a Christmas tree. In the next scene, as John proposes to Esther, he does so against a stunning moonlit winter background, where she lovingly wishes him a "Merry Christmas" as the church bells ring.
The true highlight of the Winter segment, which makes the film a holiday classic, is the scene in which Esther sings to her little sister, Tootie. She finds her sister sitting in her room late at night, waiting for Santa Claus' arrival as she plays with her toys. As Esther sits alongside her by the windowsill gazing at the snow family they created earlier, Tootie shows concern about the family moving to New York worried that Santa may not find their new address. Though she plans to bring all her dolls with her (including the dead ones) she and Esther acknowledge how foolish it would be trying to get the snow family with them. To soothe Tootie's negative feelings about the move, Esther plays one of the musical toys and sings the film's most iconic song Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas. As wonderful as the songs are (including the title song and the Trolley Song), none of them have been covered to death nor played as often as the film's Christmas number. Surprisingly, the song was almost completely shelved by songwriter Hugh Martin. When his music partner, Ralph Blane, heard him play the song on the piano, enchanted by the melody, he encouraged Martin to bring out his notebook and work on it again. When Garland saw the finished lyrics, she was outraged at how depressing they were, particularly how the song explicitly says it could be their LAST. Esther even sings to Tootie how there's "no good times like the olden days," stating that their Christmas memories in St. Louis are all they will have to cherish when celebrating Christmas in New York. Fearing that the song would make her seem like a "monster", Garland demanded the lyrics to be changed. The result is less harsh, but still very melancholy. Garland's singing is absolutely powerful, filled with despair about what the family is leaving behind, but also hope that "they will muddle through somehow" in the future, while also trying to prize the present.
Esther's attempts to calm little Tootie like a mother trying to tell their daughter everything will be alright when it is far from the truth do not work. Throughout this bittersweet tune, Tootie looks like she's going to burst out in a flood of tears at any second. For those who think Kevin from Home Alone was a psycho, Tootie will definitely challenge that perspective when you discover her warped imagination and violent behaviors (she tries to derail a trolley car with people as a Halloween prank during the Fall segment). When the song ends, a sobbing Tootie rushes to the backyard, violently destroying the snow family in a fit of rage, exclaiming she'd rather "KILL" them if she can't take them with her, as the father watches. The following scene brings everything together, highlighting the family's unity. In a silent scene of the father wandering through empty rooms stripped of their warm and colorful glamour in a dark house, we see the family's strict, authoritative father going through a complete change of heart, carried out by brilliant, subtle acting of showing various emotions, a soft score that builds, and expressive use of the mise-en-scène. This is not the first time the father has shown a gentler side, but this is when he performs a complete selfless act by allowing the family to remain in St. Louis, recognizing the happy life everyone has established there and the numerous opportunities he has overlooked. And seeing him reform is just as heartwarming as seeing Scrooge, George Bailey, the Grinch, and (on an unrelated Christmas note) Mr. Banks learn the lesson that helps them become better people. Once he makes his enthusiastic announcement, the family opens presents under the Christmas tree, concluding the Winter portion of the film on a merry note. For having its Winter imagery resemble old fashioned American Christmas prints, the family remaining in St. Louis after all the tension of leaving everything they established behind (The decision was also to assure fearful American audiences during World War II looking for escapism that nothing will be altered for the American family), and introducing one of the most moving Christmas songs of all-time sung by an absolute legend are what makes the film a Christmas classic, despite the film not wholly functioning around the season.
Number 21: Krampus
How do I describe a film like Krampus? I would say to picture if the McCallister's and Cousin Eddie's family were made into one family, and that Kevin's wish led to him staying home with the family in a snowy environment as harsh as John Carpenter's The Thing filled with unassuming chaos as Evil Dead II and Christmas monsters suitable for Gremlins and a film made by Full Moon Features led by a Satan-like Santa. As deliciously mad as all this sounds, I can't call this film an underrated horror masterpiece. The film tries to be way too many things, making the presentation over the map. While offering plenty of dark insanity, the film feels restrained from going all out due to its PG-13 rating. In some scenes involving the monsters, the excessive use of darkness and fast editing makes it hard to see or enjoy their designs or to feel what is at stake. And some of the acting can feel very wooden at times. The film has plenty of flaws that could keep it off my list, so why do I bother placing it above better Christmas films?
As messy and restrained as the film is, there are many times when the horror elements do work. The film's director, Michael Dougherty, is no stranger when it comes to depicting horror while capturing the spirit of a holiday (Trick 'r Treat), and he does the combination with the same amount of justice with Christmas. The killer Christmas toys are freakishly creepy and silly in all the best ways. The army of Gingerbread men looks cute and tasty, but their comically mischievous and violent personalities make them anything but sweet. The winter setting seems like the classic Christmas prints and cards we see depicting the season are taken over by an apocalypse written by Stephen King, with an unseen monster plowing through the snow, munching on those who walk in its path. If you thought the Rankin/Bass stop-motion specials were creepy, we get a flashback sequence in the style of those Specials that looks nightmarishly gloomy. And to have the famous alternative Santa from Central and Eastern Alpine folklore as the one responsible for this holiday chaos makes one understand why we must keep the Christmas spirit alive. I know the film gets some flak for not showing Krampus enough, which I was at first disappointed by, too. But this is one of those cases where the less-is-more element makes him scarier. We don't need to know too much about his personality or see him in action constantly for him to be frightening; all we need to know is that he takes away from those who have no Christmas spirit, and that all the misery happening around the family is his doing. The small glimpses we see of him and the discussions about him are eerie, and while he does little when he appears, there is still frightful anticipation of what he might do given the build-up, his powers, the vagueness of any morals he may have, and his demonic design. When the film wraps up, there is uncertainty about whether the family is safe. All we know is Krampus has their eye on them and has left them a little gift to remind them he's watching them, which is an ugly bell-shaped bauble with his name attached to it.
While enjoying the film's horror, what made it a keeper on my list is how it tackles the stress of Christmas and why we put up with it. At the very start of the movie, we see crowds of people rampaging through a mall while shopping, as Bing Crosby croons It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas on the soundtrack, which perfectly sets the film's comically dark, mean-spirited tone. After the sequence, we witness the stress of celebrating Christmas with family, mainly through the kid who would later wish for the bad to befall them, Max. Aside from his loving Omi, his unhappy immediate family doesn't want to participate in traditions with him, while his relatives yell, argue, and mock him and his parents. Like Max, you hate his relatives and are frustrated at how miserable his family is during a time to be merry, but as the film progresses, you grow to find some merit in them. Uncle Howard may be a self-righteous jerk, but he is willing to protect his family at all costs. The nasty alcoholic Aunt Dorothy is an absolute pain; however, while still acting harshly, she will comfort the kids, even when feeling a bit stubborn to do so. The mom and her sister may not get along because of their differences, but their Christmas memories of their happiness when they were younger remind them that there's still hope of finding positivity together. And cousin Stevie, who brings Max to his breaking point, is still a vulnerable kid, as naughty as she is. These characters don't exactly reform their negative traits in the end but show the good and human decency that can still be found in the people we know and have trouble tolerating around the holidays. I can imagine that, since the film has a feel-good message about seeing the goodness in people we have difficulty dealing with it during a stressful holiday, the film wanted to tone down the R-rated material it's more than capable of to a broader audience. The thing is, since there are already plenty of Christmas classics that have this moral, why not deliver it on a harsher, more gruesome level to an older crowd dealing with the holiday madness more than the kids? Regardless of the flaws, the film is a wild, cruel, funny, and intense Christmas ride, nonetheless, with characters you grow to appreciate, and Krampus and his monsters serving as a harsh reminder of why the holiday is worth celebrating even when things seem hectic and hopeless.
Number 20: Holiday Inn
Like Meet Me in St. Louis, Irving Berlin's holiday classic can be watched almost any time of year, since it covers most holidays. However, given how iconic and essential the Christmas scenes are to the plot, audiences tend to associate the film more with Christmas than with any other holiday depicted in the movie. Admittedly, Meet Me in St. Louis is a better film, but when it comes to personally connecting with the holiday season, Holiday Inn is more my type of Christmas movie. Whereas Meet Me in St. Louis takes forever to get to its Christmas portion (even longer than It's a Wonderful Life), the film's first act takes place at Christmas time (and that's not even counting the New Year's Eve segments, which we also associate with the holiday season). Although the winter scenery in Meet Me in St. Louis is gorgeous, I find myself remembering the Christmas imagery from Holiday Inn just a bit more. After seeing a festive Christmas calendar transition to the film's first scene, Fred Astaire makes his first appearance, briefly dancing outside a club on a snowy sidewalk during a snowfall with some Christmas decorations around him, as the kids dance and play harmonica while a sidewalk Santa rings a bell (and briefly lets Astaire use it). Right from that lovely image alone, I'm into the Christmas spirit and the film's sense of holiday fun. But most of the film's winter beauty comes from the Inn itself. As evident as it is a set, it's a lovely-looking one that captures that wholesome, classic winter atmosphere. The peaceful image of snow falling out the window, Marjorie Reynolds riding in a one-horse open sleigh, and the old-fashioned look of the Inn looks like a relaxing place to get warm, relax, and sing Christmas carols together after playing in the snow.
Of all the holidays in the movie, the Christmas scenes have the most songs. Bing Crosby and Astaire try to woo Virginia Dale during a Christmas show in the film's first song sequence I'll Capture Your Heart. And in the next Christmas show, Astaire and Dale dance the night away with You're Easy to Dance With. Both are incredibly performed and tuneful, but in terms of connecting with the holiday season, two songs have become popular thanks to this film. The song Happy Holidays, while not about Christmas in the movie (though it is sung on the final holiday of the season, New Year's Eve), would later be reworked into a timeless Christmas tune. The film's most popular song, which staples the movie as a Christmas classic, is none other than White Christmas. This was not the first time the song was ever sung. The song was sung twice by Crosby, once on a Christmas airing on the NBC radio show The Kraft Music Hall in 1941 (while the film was still being shot), and as a commercial recording the following year. Surprisingly, the song was not expected to be a hit, as others thought the Valentine's Day song Be Careful, It's My Heart would be the one people associate with the film. I find that odd, given that White Christmas is played twice in the movie at critical moments, but that was the mindset at the time. It's even more surprising that Crosby didn't care about the song at first when he first heard it, until Irving Berlin played it during rehearsals, which made Crosby change his mind. The song would become popular enough to win the Oscar for Best Song. During World War II, the song would have a significant impact on homesick American troops fighting overseas, as it evoked sentimental, nostalgic memories of celebrating Christmas with their loved ones. The soldiers' reaction to White Christmas during the war would later be captured in another Crosby film, also titled White Christmas, in 1954. Berlin originally planned to make the intro of this song a little humorous, about getting stuck in L.A. and wishing to spend Christmas on the East Coast, which would have taken away the song's sentimental tone.
The song's presentation in the film is filled with that subtle, warm, cozy yuletide spirit. Instead of the song performed during one of the shows, it's privately sung at the Inn between Crosby and Reynolds (with Martha Mears dubbing her). Rather than flashy Christmas visuals or shots of things mainly away from the two leads, like decorations or exterior shots of the Inn with snow falling, the focus is on the two performers, with a roaring fire in the background and a Christmas tree in front of the piano, where Crosby plays. Neither of the characters is dressed in any Christmas attire or formal clothing; they are in robes, like a romantic couple waking up together on Christmas morning to sing. The only image that really glistens like the treetops is Bing Crosby's hand hitting bells on the tree with his pipe, which would later serve as a payoff for a scene in the movie, and that's all the visual dazzle the scene needs. The real soul of the scene is witnessing two people beautifully singing one of the most moving Christmas songs of all time, with subtle Christmas imagery and dim lighting to set the mood, which is one of the best Christmas images that comes to mind. Yes, the Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas sequence in Meet Me in St. Louis is moving, but I think about the song more than I do the imagery, given that there is none. And beyond that, I am more partial to White Christmas, as well as Bing Crosby. The scene itself is more than a lovely, soft Christmas scene; it also shows the two forming a lovable bond, and we, the audience, get to associate with the Inn before it opens. When a reprise of the song is heard during the climax, it happens when Crosby surprises her after the two break up, as she is recalling the White Christmas she shared with him while singing the song on a soundstage on a set resembling the Inn (which is the film's way of breaking the fourth wall without saying so) as she's filmed. What sounds like a forced corny finale has plenty of emotional weight given Reynolds' reactions to the memories, finding the pipe, and processing Crosby's presence, and how Crosby goes from whistling to humming (as he did in the earlier scene) to gently and sincerely singing one of the verses to her before the two embrace each other. I always find myself incredibly moved by the performances and use of the song. The Christmas scenes may not have a big holiday moral or grand visuals like Meet Me in St. Louis, but the simplicity of its winter aesthetic, the actors' performances, and the introduction and use of the iconic Christmas song capture the homely holiday warmth that the troops who heard the song felt. And to have Christmas serve as the first act of the story, and as the climax, makes me want to revisit the Inn a little more often around Christmas, rather than taking a trip down to St. Louis.
Number 19: Babes in Toyland (Aka March of the Wooden Soldiers)
Given how I grew up with various adaptations of Babes in Toyland, I had to choose one for the list, and it was no contest. As much as I have a soft spot for the animated MGM film and the Disney film, neither has as many strengths as the classic 1934 film version starring Laurel and Hardy. I know the film is usually regarded as a Thanksgiving movie given how it typically airs on that holiday, but let's be honest with ourselves, apart from the airdate, what does the film have to do with Thanksgiving? The closest I can think of is that Santa is in it, and people watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade always look forward to seeing him as the grand finale. But if that were the case, then every film with Santa would be a Thanksgiving movie. But then again, Santa is not getting ready to make his rounds, unlike many other films with him. Fair enough, but the film takes place in July, that's months away from Thanksgiving. I respect the nostalgia and tradition people have for watching it on Thanksgiving (it was mine too for a bit when I was a kid), but with that said, there's nothing about the film itself that ties to the actual holiday.
While the film doesn't happen during Christmas either, the fantasy world it takes place in does tie into Christmas. In some respects, it is weird that Santa doesn't make his toys at the North Pole with elves, and that he has to go to the magical place of Toyland, where nursery rhyme characters live in toy houses, to pick up his toys from a factory. I mean, does Santa spy on kids full-time? It's pretty creepy when you think about it. Regardless, having an alternative place for Santa's toy supply outside the North Pole is an inventive concept that does not hold back on its possibilities when adapting famous fantasy characters and showcasing its innovative sets. I can't call the Santa in the film one of my top ten favorite Santas, given his limited screen time. But Ferdinand Munier gives the character a ton of heart with his jolly personality (even when appearing to be in pain, he's laughing hard), and he has a welcoming, sincere gentleness. And while Santa does get one scene, we get an intense but fun climax with two former toymakers fighting the monstrous bogeyman at the toy factory (with the help of a torpedo-throwing Mickey Mouse) and oversized wooden soldiers bringing the fight to a triumphant end. Most fans will likely tell you that the wooden soldiers marching is the highlight of the film, and it is, as it is shown in cool stop-motion while Victor Herbert's iconic Christmas instrumental, March of the Toys, plays loud and proud, which is my favorite arrangement of this instrumental piece.
Outside of March of the Toys, and the theme song to Toyland, the rest of the songs are not Christmassy, but unlike other versions, hardly ever bore, for how powerfully sung they are (mainly thanks to Felix Knight and the choir), and that there are still at times a few neat visuals to keep one from losing interest (my favorite song sequence demonstrating it is Go to Sleep (Slumber Deep)). While it's easy to see how most of the effects are used to make Toyland and its inhabitants come to life, the design and ingenuity are impressive for early-30s MGM, before the studio would outdo itself with its musical fantasy classic The Wizard of Oz. What really makes this version my favorite Babes in Toyland movie is the characters. A good portion of the characters in other versions come across as bland and annoying, but in this film, I have no problem with any of them. Henry Brandon is still the best Barnaby, supporting characters like Mickey Mouse, the Cat and the Fiddle, and the Three Little Pigs don't overstay their welcome, Florence Roberts is humbly sweet as the woman who lived in the shoe, and Charlotte Henry and Felix Knight make for a legitimately adorable couple as Bo Peep and Tom-Tom. Of course, the performances that top them all are Laurel and Hardy as the two ex-toymakers. To have a musical fantasy feature them as supporting characters would work, but as starring roles, it would feel stupidly out of place. But in the end, they prove that their slapstick comedy, along with their likable charisma, can carry an entire film of this type in the same way that Tim Allen can as Santa Claus, or Will Ferrell in Elf. And it was a wise decision, too, given that in other versions having the romantic couple or the children carry the film makes it a chore to sit through to get to the best parts. There's not a single moment with Laurel and Hardy on-screen that makes me frown or roll my eyes, making them the absolute life of the film. Whatever time of year a person wishes to watch the film, it still works just as well as a Christmas movie, with its Christmas town made of toys, Santa visiting, and a few songs and musical pieces heard around this time of year. And with memorably charming characters, visually appealing effects that are impressive for the time, nicely sung renditions of songs from the operetta, and with solid elements of wonder, tenderness, action, terror, and especially comedy, make this the definitive if not most accurate film adaptation of this operetta, which is still available to everyone in the Public Domain.
Number 18: Ernest Saves Christmas
I know this film can be corny, obnoxious, and nonsensical, but I can't help but be both happily entertained and endeared by this silly Christmas movie. As critical as I am of the Ernest films, the truth is I really do adore Jim Varney as Ernest. Sure, plenty of his mugging, slapstick, and dialogue can feel forced or annoying, but he is still overall highly charming and enjoyably entertaining as the title character with impressively skilled energy that reaches past a hundred. The film is not as funny as my previous entry, but it is heavier with its Christmas theme. There are more than a handful of scenes that stand out when I think about Christmas in this film. Some include Ernest fooling around with the toys from the magic sack, the cheesy science-fiction Christmas horror film in which one of the characters stars, Christmas Slay, Ernest recklessly driving the sleigh with frightened elves, and the subplot about the dock workers taking care of the reindeer. The funniest Christmas scene for me is when Ernest visits his old pal Vern, and we watch from Vern's point of view, as Ernest accidentally destroys his house while putting up a Christmas tree, which only gets worse as he continues. What particularly makes this scene special is that this is the only time Vern is ever present in the movies. Considering he's a silent character we see only from his point of view, I can see the difficulty of adapting this character to the big screen compared to the commercials and TV programs Ernest starred in. Nonetheless, it would have been nice to have him in a segment in other films.
As goofy as Ernest and the humor are, what grounds the film on the gentle side of Christmas is through its characters. While I am aware that some of the emotional scenes and stories can feel cliched and at times suitable for a Hallmark movie, the performances from the cast are too lovable for me to fault them fully. Everyone seems so passionately devoted to their roles that it doesn't feel half-baked, or manipulative compared to other run-of-the-mill Christmas movies. And I'm not speaking from a nostalgia lens, as I have never seen the film in full as a kid or teenager. Characters like the runaway teenage girl Harmony, Joe, the children's entertainer who is next in line to be Santa, the cute elves, and Mary, the humble security guard with whom Santa builds a relationship, are all very charismatic in their roles due to their sincere innocence. But the actor who towers above them (including Ernest) is Douglas Seale as Santa. While his performance does echo Edmund Gwenn's Santa from Miracle on 34th Street (1947), his endless love, caring, and humility, his enjoyment of doing good for others, and the magic surrounding him make him come across as a refreshingly new Santa. A Santa so wholesome and sweet that you would not expect to see such a dignified portrayal of him in an Ernest movie, making him one of the most overlooked Santa Claus' in film. And the best part is, there is more to him than his kind and whimsical personality and presence. He loves bringing so much joy to people through his job that it makes him a little selfish, which will ultimately end the Santa part of Christmas altogether if he does not hand over his career to a worthy candidate. While admiring how jolly he is, there is also constant sympathy for him for his distress of trying to convince Joe about the job, and the guilt he feels for not giving up his job sooner, even when knowing he's becoming absent-minded and slowly losing his magic. This Santa may be gentle, but he has his moments of aggression when correcting people for using his name and hitting someone out of disgust, which makes him a bit hardcore. Easily my favorite comical, touching, and badass scene with Santa is when he makes friends with a bunch of criminals while in jail and sings The Twelve Days of Christmas together, who later stand up for him when people deny who he is. The only dumb thing about this Santa is how he uses his Santa name, expecting people to believe it, especially when his actual name is not Santa, and he remembers it. Outside of that, this film offers one of the best Santas you've never seen! Funny enough, the film's Santa is not the only whimsical part of the movie, where the comedy is not always constant regarding the character himself. The film's opening credits, while out of place for an Ernest film, do subtly hint that, as wild as this film will get, there will be a Santa that we can connect to the warm feeling of Christmas. These hints are displayed through retro illustrations of Santa as a Christmas choir powerfully yet softly sing a medley of Christmas carols, which always sucks me into the film.
During my recent viewing, what surprises me about the film is how ahead of its time its ideas and concepts are, predating many Christmas classics. The whole mythos of Santa passing a job to another would be more evident in The Santa Clause, along with an inexperienced civilian driving Santa's sleigh. Having a Santa who is forgetful and unwilling to stop his job would later serve as the basis for Santa the 20th in Arthur Christmas. A person from the North Pole cheering up criminals or people who look sketchy through music has become a highlight in films like Elf and The Christmas Chronicles. And though the poem The Nightmare Before Christmas was written in 1982, there's a scene in Ernest Saves Christmas with the military trying to stop Santa's sleigh before the film adaptation of the poem would show them shooting down Jack Skellington as he makes his rounds. Once more, the only movie that stands out that this film does not predate is Miracle on 34th Street, by casting an English actor with a soft-spoken voice as Santa, who the character insists publicly he is Jolly Old Saint Nick and is mainly harmless, but hits someone due to their toxicity, and at some point, in the film, finds himself imprisoned. Regarding the other examples, I'm not saying this is the first time some of these ideas were used, and obviously, the later films would improve upon these concepts into something more substantial. Nonetheless, it is fascinating to see an earlier film that packages all these wonderfully iconic ideas together. I can understand why this film doesn't reach a larger crowd, because plenty of it has what critics and people detest about Ernest movies. But the amount of heart, imagination, energy, and likability this film has, with tons of underrated Christmas scenes and performances, makes it more than a generic stupid Christmas movie, YouKnowWhatIMean?
Number 17: The Christmas Chronicles
When I heard about this Netflix movie, I didn't think too much of it. I heard it was suitable for what it is, but not something I was highly intrigued to see. On an evening when I was going to watch old Christmas shorts with my younger brother Jack, who had not seen them in ages, my mom encouraged us to watch The Christmas Chronicles with her. I wasn't too thrilled about the last-minute change, but I decided to give it a watch with them. I was immediately intrigued by how the story of the Pierce family celebrating Christmas together throughout the years is shown through home movies, as I started to get a sentimental, warm, nostalgic Christmas feeling. Afterwards, the film became average, but entertaining. When Santa arrived, I was intrigued but didn't think the movie would amaze me. Despite Kurt Russell in the role, which hinted we were going to get a different kind of Santa, I thought he was going to be decent, but I wasn't sold when I heard him make a forced political reference, fearing his jokes would be pandering to the modern adult jokes that would become quickly dated or in poor taste. But as I let the film play on, I not only started to enjoy the characters and get sucked into its fun Christmas whimsy, but I was starting to feel like a kid again, especially when watching it amongst the family, which was familiar in the right ways and fresh and original in so many other ways. While I had some issues with the CGI, occasional forced jokes, and the elves, I thought this was one of the best Christmas movies I have seen in a long time. And after rewatching it a couple of times since then, the film's magical charm still works just as effectively as when I first saw it.
A significant reason why I enjoyed the film is how it captures the childlike wonder of witnessing Santa work his magic. The kids, noticing an image of Santa's arm in one of their home movies and staying up late, home alone, waiting to record him as they stuff themselves with junk food and recall old memories, capture the excitement of hoping to get a glimpse of Santa at a young age. It also shows a rebellious innocence when it comes to disobeying a parent's rules to have a little fun (which is much more harmless than the brother stealing a car in an earlier scene). From its opening sequence, with the kids getting excited to break the rules and spy on Santa, the film establishes how thrilling, humble, and wonderful celebrating Christmas can be as a kid. When Santa finally appears, making his rounds, the film neither rushes nor overstays its welcome, staying true to its commitment to giving kids the mystical excitement and experience surrounding the character. Despite how digital the reindeer look, the acting, pacing, some shots, and their expressions create a gentle scene of meeting one. The inventive set design for Santa's Workshop, which looks both old school and modern, sparks curiosity when one of the kids explores it. And how the movie captures the awe and weight of riding on Santa's sleigh, whether it is sneaking aboard or aiding him in the climax, is as adventurous as hopping on The Polar Express or walking through the air with The Snowman. The film captures many fantasy elements we are familiar with from other Christmas films, and yet it does not fall short in reinventing them. Santa's sack of toys leads to a magical abyss of floating presents and a way to transport to the North Pole. As the Workshop is loaded with filing cabinets of Christmas letters, there are monitors of children sending video messages to Santa. And when flying on Santa's sleigh at light speed, passing various landmarks and cities, we see them all through the Northern lights, creating a small, surreal experience.
Without likable characters, the experience this film offers, which looks mostly good, would feel sappy and hollow. The kids who embark on this journey are both relatable and endearing, and their relationship is interesting given their differences in beliefs, age, and ways of dealing with grief. As well-acted and engaging as they are, the person who not only tops the whole cast but makes the film for me is Kurt Russell! I saw this when I was first interested in Russell as an actor, for his portrayal of a variety of badass characters, and while skeptical at first, his portrayal as Santa did not disappoint. He's a Santa who can be rough, rude, and wisecracking, who criticizes people's perception of him as a fat man who goes Ho-Ho-Ho. As Santa possesses the incredible power to teleport down chimneys, like James Bond and Scott Calvin, he carries magical gadgets on his quest, including a tracking device on his sleigh and a watch to monitor the Christmas spirit. While the character is as tough and cool as Russell's other roles, he still maintains a kind, wise, and at times humble personality that we associate with Santa. He knows everything about everyone he encounters, can make gifts magically appear to appeal to people's childhood memories, and can make toys and devices out of any raw material he comes across. While the scene with him in the restaurant or the interrogation with the cop are some of my favorite scenes, what really sold me on the pure awesomeness of this Santa is how he gets a bunch of criminals in prison to play a rock n roll musical number. A part of me should be annoyed by this sequence for how the film randomly jumps into a needless musical number that feels like it's trying way too hard to make Santa cool, like those obnoxious Christmas toys of animated Santas acting hip. The concept of Santa befriending criminals in prison through music has already been carried out in Ernest Saves Christmas, which is more low-key than this. But this sequence, as out of nowhere as it is, is for me the highlight of the film. Seeing a former Elvis impersonator cover one of Elvis' rockin' Christmas songs alongside other criminals (with Little Steven as one of them) and cranking it up to 11, with some magical surprises in a jail cell that's lit in cool colors, is one of the most incredible things I've seen a Santa ever do! Due to the film's curious lead characters, sense of awe and nostalgia that plays to both kids and adults, gentle emotional scenes, adventurous storyline, and Kurt Russel playing one of the coolest Santa's ever with an inventively new depiction of the character adds to an experience that makes me feel as much of a kid as Santa does for the adults who have lost their Christmas spirit in the movie.
Number 16: Bad Santa
Back in my elementary school days, Bad Santa was the first R-rated Christmas film I ever heard of. I was not obsessed with seeing it compared to other R-rated films I was interested in at the time, but I did not forget the TV spots I saw. The older I became, the more I started hearing rave reviews and a few of my friends expressing their enjoyment of the film. A longtime friend showed it to me during our pre-Christmas gathering, and I was left shocked about how unconventional it is. I knew the film was going to be crude, harsh, nasty, unpleasant, aggressive, and transgressive, but it's very unapologetic about it. There are plenty of Christmas films that aim for a mean-spirited tone; however, they usually don't go all the way because the film also wants to emotionally sway people, given the holiday aesthetic, which can work but is incredibly hard to balance. This film pulls no punches; it fully commits to its cynical, brutal, vulgar, comedic tone from start to finish.
Who owns the movie the same way as Will Ferrell makes Elf, or Kurt Russell in The Christmas Chronicles, is Billy Bob Thornton as one of the greatest bad Santas imaginable. He's a pathetic, sleazy, swearing, drunk, with no compassion or empathy for others, making safe cracking his career. When around kids at the mall (used in Jackie Brown), he is anything but jolly; he looks like he wants to die as he curses at them and sneaks in a drink. If he has the chance to steal or free-load off of someone, he'll do it without second thought. There is hardly ever anything likable or moral about this character. When he does do something good, despite his heart being in the right place, he is still doing something bad. He destroys an Advent calendar only for him to fix and replace the chocolate he ate with out-of-season candy and pills. If a kid is bullying the kid he's mooching off of, he'll punch out the bully. And if the kid wants something special for Christmas, he'll go out of his way to steal one. Even when doing something legal, like making dinner or decorating the house, he still keeps his nasty, filthy attitude. But the fact that he's ever thinking of anybody but himself is a true Christmas miracle, making these scenes harshly bittersweet at best.
Thorton is the highlight of the cast, backed by a witty and cruel script, but that does not mean the rest of the cast is not up to par. John Ritter (in his last on-screen film role) is humorous as the concerned boss, Bernie Mac is enjoyably slimy as the head of security, Lauren Graham is sweet as a bartender with a Santa fetish, and Cloris Leachman as a confused Grandmother makes the most of the little screen time she has. My absolute favorite performances in the supporting cast go to two people. The first is Tony Cox as Thornton's partner in crime. I usually see Tony Cox in those awful parody movies, where I know in my heart that he can be funny, but is not given the right material. This movie gives him the advantage to exercise his comedic and acting talents by playing a brutal, cunning, and wisecracking criminal who is more professional at conning and organizing robberies, as well as putting on a better show for the kids than the main attraction. However, he is the most dishonest and backstabbing, not to say Thorton isn't, but at least for a good chunk of the time, he's honest about how he feels, whereas Cox has to mask himself to keep his eyes on the prize. And he walks a fine line where you can take him seriously and still get plenty of good comedic material out of him. The best supporting performance I saved for last is Brett Kelly as the kid. Instead of looking and acting like the curious, wide-eyed, naive, innocent who obviously exists to touch Thornton's heart, while not ugly, he's the opposite of a kid you'd see in a live-action Disney movie. He's gross, awkward, and weird, who does not seem to be on earth half of the time. But yet you can't help but feel pity for him for how defenseless, gullible, and lost he is. You wish a kid like him had a better mentor but given the little choice he has and that he does find some good in Thornton's help and advice, it's strange that it's made him better than where he was before, even if the actions and tips are far from ideal. The holidays can be a miserable time, even if you don't plan on it to turn out that way. When I'm not in a jolly mood and need something miserable to feed my despair while bringing raunchy, savage, and cynical comedy with a cast of fierce, unhappy characters, a visit from this bad Santa is welcome!
Number 15: Black Christmas (1974)
As a horror fanatic, I had to place a Christmas slasher movie on the list, so why not pick the best and most influential one of them all! It's no secret that I consider the original Black Christmas as one of the greatest horror movies of all time. Like plenty of alternative Christmas movies, the film didn't need to take place on Christmas, but having this eerie foreboding imagery juxtaposed with a sweet and pleasant holiday makes it scarier. And having Bob Clark direct a successful holiday horror film shows his ability to create an alternative Christmas before making a more traditional Christmas film, which will become his most popular film of all time: A Christmas Story. That means when I'm not interested in seeing Ralphie celebrate Christmas in hope of receiving a B.B. gun, I want to see a mysterious killer hide in the attic of a sorority house, making frightening and wildly unusual phone calls, and murder the inhabitants.
I can't stress enough how awesomely chilling the film's grim Christmas aesthetic is. It's ominously dark, but not so much that one can't see and appreciate the festive lights and decorations. But as pretty and innocent as they are, the dim lights, muted colors, and heavy use of shadows make them unsettling, as the events unfold on one of the blackest, coldest nights of the season. Adding to the tension is the sound design and soundtrack. Many of the scenes carry a stillness to create anticipation for the actions the unseen killer may take. The sound effects and Carl Zittrer's unusual, haunting score are spine-chilling when heard; however, their use is as subtle as the visuals, hardly ever sounding overwhelming. And when they do, they feel earned rather than a cheap scare tactic. Occasional Christmas carols play on the soundtrack, which would sound beautiful and spiritual under different circumstances, but not in this old house with the killer's watchful eye; if anything, they sound melancholy with an alarming sense of doom. In one scene, a choir of children passionately sings for a delighted Olivia Hussey, while one of the women gets stabbed to death by a glass unicorn head, making the scene the film's most violent and goriest kill. While on kills, as violent as they are, I appreciate that the scares are built more on suspense, atmosphere, surprise, and mystery, with gore kept to a minimum. For me, the scenes that make my skin crawl are when the killer, Billy, is alone in the attic. From the impressive P.O.V. shot for when he climbs up and enters, to the image of rocking a dead body in a rocking chair in front of a window filled with frost by candlelight as he sings, to his destructive temper tantrum, it always gives me the heebie jeebies. That is not to say that Billy is not still as petrifying, with his creepy voice, deranged eyes, mysterious background, and methods of stalking and killing his prey, making him one of the greatest slasher villains that the general public has never heard of.
Does all that sound a little too intense for a Christmas movie? Need some laughs from the guy who will later direct A Christmas Story? Well, instead of a kid obsessing over a B.B. Gun, how about a housemother who has alcohol hidden in every room in the house? Want to see a Santa Claus who makes the Santa in A Christmas Story look nice? Try the Santa who is cursing in front of the kids, not even trying to put on a show (he needs to smuggle some booze to make it to Billy Bob Thornton's level). You thought the leg lamp was erotic for a Christmas film? Wait till you see the artwork in the sorority dorm room with a father gawking at them with disgust. The suggestive pictures are nothing compared to the most festive of the sorority women played by Margot Kidder, who drinks as much as the housemother, who has a colorful vocabulary and loves making dirty jokes in front of the wrong people. When the women aren't having Christmas parties, reporting to the authorities, or getting killed, the main character talks about abortion to her boyfriend while sitting by a heavenly-looking Christmas tree? Black Christmas takes something as peaceful as sitting by a warm fireplace, listening to music, or comforting your friends, and turns it into paranoia that something other than Santa is lurking about in this relaxed holiday environment. By having the perfect combination of holiday and horror, supported by cynical humor, a strong cast, a horror story filled with murder, twists, and turns, and some of the best filmmaking you'll ever see in a film of this type, Black Christmas establishes itself as the best horror Christmas film for adult audiences. Further giving the film, the seal of holiday approval is the late Elvis Presley, who loved the movie so much he would watch it with his family in his screening room every Christmas Eve, a tradition that became part of his wife, Priscilla, and his late daughter, Lisa Marie's, after his death. It's pretty awesome to know that one of the most outstanding musicians of all time enjoys this sick alternative Christmas film as much as I do.
Number 14: Batman Returns
For some people, this claim may sound strange, but of all of Tim Burton's Christmas movies, Batman Returns is the most Christmassy when you think about it. Christmas in Edward Scissorhands becomes relevant only in the third act, and The Nightmare Before Christmas arguably emphasizes Halloween more than Christmas. I'll go even further and claim that Batman Returns is more of a Christmas movie than Die Hard and Gremlins. That's not to say I'm not glad that these films are becoming more of an alternative tradition for people as the years go by, because they should. I'm only emphasizing how big Christmas is in Batman Returns because the film doesn't receive the same attention as the alternative Christmas movies I've mentioned.
Now, don't get me wrong, there's plenty of Christmas imagery in the alternative Christmas classics, and Burton films people love to praise and watch around this time of year. But in Batman Returns, there's rarely ever a scene that goes by where the holiday goes unnoticed. People mention the holiday or exchange holiday greetings; Christmas decorations are present (even in scenes that barely show them, with a small tree); Gotham City is drenched in snow; and Danny Elfman's grim, dramatic, brassy score is as Christmassy as the visuals, with carolers and a booming organ. The film itself begins and ends with Christmas visuals. The first scene shows snow outside the baby Penguin's former home, followed by a scene of the baby celebrating Christmas in a cage by a Christmas tree as he kills the family cat. And the final scene ends on a bittersweet note with Bruce Wayne receiving a cat left by Catwoman during a snowfall as a present, with the film's final lines as Merry Christmas exchanges between Bruce and Alfred, preceded by a final shot of Catwoman standing on top of a building looking at the BatSignal as the snow continues to fall. It's really outstanding how much Burton exploits the holiday from start to finish in this movie. Christmas serves more than just a background for the story, as many events are tied to the Christmas theme. There's a mistletoe motif between Batman and Catwoman that eventually leads them to learn their true identities at a Christmas party. During a Rockefeller Center-style tree lighting ceremony, a gang of circus freaks breaks out of a giant present to attack, and later, the woman who's supposed to light the tree gets killed by the Penguin, who also pins the murder on Batman. Wealthy tycoon businessman Max Schreck is blackmailed to work for the Penguin after discovering what is in his stocking. Bruce and Selina (Catwoman) express romantic interests to one another (with Bruce comparing himself to Ted Bundy and Norman Bates, and an unfazed Selina expressing loving interest to "sickos" since they're "committed") as they cozily sit by a giant roaring fire. And instead of kids sleeping in their beds waiting for Santa's arrival, clowns snatch them from their beds to lock them in a cage on a colorful train to take them to their watery grave (where are the Gotham police when you need them). When you think the film can't get any more Christmassy, elements from The Nightmare Before Christmas make their way into the film as well. A brief instrumental of Making Christmas plays as a fire-breathing devil burns a toy shop, and Catwoman calls her backstabbing, murderous boss "Sandy Claws" before frying him.
As a maniac who has seen the film repeatedly, I find more subtle aspects to appreciate in its Christmas theme. As Kubrick would later use the Christmas decoration and lights to create a dream-like alternative fairy-tale environment in Eyes Wide Shut, Burton uses them to establish a gloomy, nightmarish, gothic fantasy fueled by expressionism. Just as the film Eyes Wide Shut and Brazil has a cynical look at the morality of the holiday, this film is hardly any different. Gotham City resembles Fritz Lang's Metropolis if set on Christmas, with fascist-looking statues on almost every street you go down, and beautiful decorations are mainly there to divert from the hidden terrors about to befall the city. The villains Max Schreck and the Penguin are as two-faced as the characters in Brazil, who warm the hearts of the naive citizens of Gotham and use the holidays to distract them from their true, heartless nature: wanting to control the city through violence and embezzlement. The only people who catch on that don't let the holidays sidetrack them and are willing to do something about it are the vigilantes who will fight (even kill) those in their way. Implications of anti-consumerism can mainly be noticed with Catwoman, who snaps after hearing about a product on her voicemail from the company she works for, about how the item could please her boss, who tried to murder her minutes ago. And one of her methods of getting even with her boss is blowing up one of his famous department stores at a time when people shop there the most. For all my praise of Batman Returns as a Christmas movie, while I'll always defend it as a film that deserves as much attention as other alternative Christmas films do, that doesn't mean I think it's close to perfect. Compared to Burton's other Christmas films, as well as Die Hard and Gremlins, it has plenty of flaws, whereas the other films have a better judgment of tone and are better written. Regardless, as over-the-top as the film is, though I do prefer many of the movies I mentioned over this, that does not take away from its place as an alternative Christmas film that is way heavier on its holiday setting than the others.
Number 13: Gremlins
If a trip to Gotham during Christmas time is too dark, depressing, and sadistic, going to Kingston Falls is hardly ever different, except it has likably quirky characters, one of the cutest creatures a person has ever seen, and a prettier Christmas aesthetic. After hearing a Merry Christmas exchange in a neo-noir Chinatown, the song Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) by Darlene Love plays as we gaze upon the small town of Kingston Falls, beautifully covered in snow, with kids playing in the snow while the adults decorate the town or try to sell Christmas trees. At nighttime, the town looks just as pretty as the snow falls, Christmas lights shine bright, and Carolers sing from house to house. The town is filled with as much Christmas warmth as Bedford Falls in It's a Wonderful Life, which is precisely what the town pays homage to. The constant snow, the decorations, and the old-fashioned look are all intentional choices to create a film resembling Christmas films from the 40s. A direct reference to this comparison appears when the mom is chopping onions while watching George Bailey happily run through Bedford Falls on TV. Like George Bailey, the main character of the film, Billy works at a colorless (except for Christmas decorations) business, heavily relying on handling and lending money, and wears similar attire, just with a sweater and a clip-on tie. The town itself has a character similar to It's a Wonderful Life's antagonist Mr. Potter, who is an older rich woman Mrs. Deagle that is as heartless as Potter (who in a deleted subplot wants to control the town), with the same yearning to want to destroy a dog for his misbehaviors (in this case for ruining a Christmas decoration) as Miss Gulch in The Wizard of OZ. Unlike Potter, she does not use a wheelchair, but she does use a stairlift at her home as a subtle nod to her male counterpart. Had no one known about the film's premise, it would be easy to mistake her for the film's main villain, when the true villains are much worse than her.
What sets the film's plot in motion is a Christmas present, which turns out to be a pet named Gizmo from a rare species known as Mogwai. Without Gizmo serving as a Christmas gift, there'd be no movie, and for a decent period of time, we get to experience his cute, humble, and cuddly nature (at one point, wearing a Santa hat). Of course, the rules of taking care of a Mogwai are broken, which causes Gizmo to spawn new ones as they later turn into green, red-eyed monsters called gremlins, who wreak havoc on this Christmassy town. Most audiences would point to scenes of chaos, like the gremlins at the bar or in the movie theater, which are among the film's best, but there is indeed plenty of mayhem and a few deaths related to Christmas. The family dog gets tangled up in Christmas lights nearly freezing to death; a guy dressed as Santa is covered with vicious gremlins; Mr. Futterman watches a Christmas special as his wife sets up a fake Yule log before getting attacked; and the head gremlin Stripe plows through the snow (Still doesn't make sense why he doesn't spawn more gremlins from this). The most memorable Christmas scene for many is when the gremlins attack the mom in the kitchen as she is making Gingerbread people. She hears the song Do You Hear What I Hear by Johnny Mathis, which lures her downstairs while she's checking Billy's room, building tension for the fight about to happen. When entering the kitchen, we get our first full glimpse of the gremlins as one eats a gingerbread man. After killing three gremlins in the kitchen in the most violent, gruesome ways possible (that would give the film an R rating if the gore were red), the mom thinks a gremlin is hiding in a stocking, only for her and the audience to discover that it's really hiding in the Christmas tree with its glowing red eyes blending in with the lights. This scene is one of the Christmas highlights, but for me, my favorite is when the Gremlins pose as Christmas Carolers as they sing the film's theme song to Mrs. Deagle, before murdering her by launching her out the window with the stairlift, giving us a comical yet satisfying death.
While the film contains plenty of Christmas scenes that are wholesome, funny, horrifying, and demented, it also explores the holiday's depression through Billy's love interest, Kate. As Carolers sing Silent Night on a lovely, quiet Christmas night, Kate tells Billy about the holiday blues, stating in this family Christmas film, "While everybody else opens up presents, they're opening up their wrists." Kate makes it clear she doesn't celebrate Christmas and hates how people react to those who don't. As we've been wondering all this time why she dislikes Christmas, a monologue reveals that it's because her father died on that holiday. Expecting it to be something ordinary, like a car crash or falling off a ladder, it was something absurd. He intended to surprise the family by going down the chimney with a bag of toys dressed as Santa, only for him to slip and break his neck, resulting in his corpse getting stuck, where he'd later be set on fire, where the smell would cause him to be pulled out, revealing his burnt, dead body to little Kate. And as if this scene can't get any sadder for kids, Kate bluntly says that her father's death made her realize "there was no Santa Claus." Nothing like telling the kids the truth about Santa in a film with murderous, fun-loving monsters and in a story about the death of a family member. When Batman Returns feels a little too intense, Gremlins, while having all that too, has enough lighthearted sweetness, cartoony comedy that does not feel out of place, and a more pleasant Christmas atmosphere. The experience of watching Gremlins is like seeing Bedford Falls invaded by a '50s monster B-movie with a hardcore '80s edge in family entertainment.
Number 12: Arthur Christmas
What makes this film an underrated Christmas masterpiece is that it primarily focuses on the characters, who are variations on Santa. First, there's Grandsanta, who reminisces about the good old days of delivering presents on a magical wooden sleigh with eight reindeer. The current Santa, Malcom Claus, loves to give so much that he does not want to lose his identity, so he refuses to leave his job despite feeling forgetful, tired, stressed, and behind the times. The Santa who is next in line, Steve Claus, is all about the future, focusing more on speeding up delivery and less on Santa's ideology. And then you have our protagonist, Arthur Claus, who is clumsy and afraid, but has his heart set on the spirit of Christmas. If I were ever to make a list of the best Santas, all of them would make the list for having different ideologies about how to deliver gifts and present themselves, yet still want to spread Christmas cheer, even when forgetting the true purpose of their duty as Santa. How they all clash when trying to deliver the forgotten Christmas present before morning is one of the most innovative, intriguing, and mature takes on the Santa Claus mythos. The three Santas are stuck in their ways, either too outdated, too selfish, or too focused on the corporate side. With any other film, one of them would probably be the villain, particularly Steve, due to his strict behavior, military warmonger design, and having zero chemistry when interacting with children. But instead, he, like all the other Santas, is relatable: he cares about organizing gift deliveries, but is always scolded by his father for acting like Santa despite doing most of the work and knowing the new technology better than him. As each of the three has flaws, they also offer magnificent ideas, and rather than the movie fighting over which side is right, Arthur (with flaws of his own) serves as the perfect middle ground by combining the past, present, and future to deliver the last present. And though Arthur's spirits and beliefs are challenged, he still manages to push through, remain optimistic, and use his fears to the better effect. To him, it's not how the present is delivered, as long as it arrives and the spirit of Santa is kept alive.
As the characters and themes are clever and relatable, everything else regarding the film is handled just as well. Despite the eyes looking odd from time to time (especially on the elves) and the film not resembling Aardman Productions' style nor using Claymation, the animation is still incredible. When the film started, I was instantly drawn to its mythos surrounding the North Pole, as the camera passes by pictures of former Santas, moving from the past to the present as we explore the size and scale of this magical place. Nearly every place in the North Pole reflects the characters. The control center, looking plain and futuristic, matches Steven's thoughts. The former workshop and reindeer stable appear as old, freaky, and yet nostalgic and magical as Grandsanta. And Arthur's room, where he responds to letters for Santa, is, is filled with decorations and lowly lit Christmas lights, creating a cozy, mellow Christmas environment that most people associate with the holiday. The film's humor never gets obnoxious to the point where one cannot connect with the characters, story, and themes, as it flows naturally rather than feeling forced. The humor is so energetic, with gags happening left and right, that it's hard to spot all the jokes. And even without catering to the humor, there are so many little details that this film has hidden throughout with its visuals that it leads to plenty of rewatch value. Unlike its marketing, the film puts story before humor and style which shows in the final product making the characters engaging (as well as the supporting characters like Mrs. Claus and an energetic elf who loves to wrap presents), a refreshing new take on the Santa mythos with a riveting adventurous story, a perfect voice cast (including Hugh Laurie, Bill Nighy, James McAvoy, Jim Broadbent, and Imelda Staunton), great animation, and genuine moments of atmosphere, magic, and subtlety. I swear the film contains one of the best scenes I've seen in any Christmas film, and that's when all four Santas watch the unwrapping of the final gift, making this journey all worthwhile in the end.
Number 11: Joyeux Noel
The somber feeling that has carried through most of the first act begins to fade at the start of the film's second act. How they all get together is my favorite sequence in the movie. The Scottish sing I'm Dreaming of Home to ease tension and feelings of homesickness. The Germans, acknowledging the fun the Scottish are having, put up the Christmas tree for other armies to see and sing Silent Night, led by an opera-singing soldier, causing the Scottish to later join in with their bagpipes. The German soldier leading the second song walks across No Man's Land, holding a tree, singing a heartfelt rendition of O Come All Ye Faithful, ending with an evening greeting to the Scottish soldiers who have joined him. The positive communication through music on a joyous holiday leads to the idea of a truce, as it shows that even an enemy can share something peaceful in common. And how the scenes are played out to build to this idea, along with such powerful singing of these wholesome Christmas tunes, gives me absolute goosebumps. That's not to say the truce itself isn't as powerful. After the agreement to cease fire, all the soldiers get together, drink, share chocolates, show pictures of their wives, fire flares like fireworks, listen to more songs, and hold a big mass. Although the scene is based on actual events, this entire truce celebration could have come across as corny, whimsical, and overreaching, and it never does in the slightest. Every performance and moment feels genuine to the point where you believe that such love and compassion can truly exist in the hearts of people, where you don't want this party to end, knowing that they'll have to resume back to the harsh reality of their reason for being out in the trenches. I especially appreciate that the truce shared doesn't entirely ignore the awkward tension felt. As peaceful and inviting as the gathering is, realistically, there will be people who would still find it odd or even still holding a grudge against the very same person who tried to kill you or killed someone you love who is now acting as a genuine, friendly human being, which is a natural reaction the film does not shy away from.
After this magical evening, when Christmas day arrives, they attempt to continue what they started, still engaging with one another, playing football together, and even giving proper burial to the dead bodies on No Man's Land. Once all the ties to Christmas end, the film returns to the terrors of war, but this time it's not about the bloodshed or the loss of home; it's about dealing with the consequences of their peaceful actions. Soldiers have trouble shooting each other, some characters are arrested, killed, or lose their position, and a whole army is replaced with soldiers who are willing to destroy. The most disturbing part for me is watching a priest preach about killing in the name of God after the priest from the trenches had been scorned for help in bringing peace on the battlefield. To hear someone whose ideal is to teach about love and hope, yet do the opposite, is one of the most sickening and hypocritical things a person with such power can do. In terms of accuracy, I'm not an expert in this subject, but even with an idea of what liberties the film takes, it doesn't change the fact that a truce did happen, which is worth remembering and celebrating. Though a very tough film to watch at times, it is still a very endearing story, leaving me with hope for humanity in the divided, judgmental, self-righteous, and hate-filled society we live in. The fact that these men, who viciously fought against each other, would put aside their hate and politics for Christmas, acting as brothers, is an act of peace I hope to one day see. Uncomfortable tension will still be there, and people will be against it (like in the film), but doing the impossible through love and understanding will inspire and lead to greater things, making it comforting to know that such a wonderful thing could happen in real life.
Number 10: Scrooged
At the helm, you have Bill Murray as the film's Scrooge, who is so nasty and so hysterically out of his mind that he is as entertainingly animated as the ghosts. Murray's energetic movements and snarky, cynical personality really made me become a fan of his. Now, in the past, I did mention that, when viewing the film, I did take issue with Murray's performance. As funny as he is, he is at times too over-the-top, to the point where his big emotions come across as sarcastic and forceful during moments of tenderness or grief. I don't fault Murray for this, as it's been reported that the film's director, Richard Donner, has been pushing him to be louder and more energized, which is why Murray turns in this performance. And it is not just the acting from Murray alone, as the writing has some flaws of its own, particularly how the ending involves Murray hijacking the televised airing to talk to people on the air, the unneeded slapstick from the Ghost of Christmas Present, or how a minor and forgettable character like Herman suddenly becomes essential. The film would work better if it were aiming more for mean-spirited, pessimistic humor rather than a dark comedy meant to tug at people's heartstrings. However, though I do acknowledge these problems, I will not act as if they bother me as much as I am leading on. The slapstick with The Ghost of Christmas Present provides enough laughs to make me overlook the unfunny parts and the pointless abuse Murray gets from this visit. As I wish we saw a bit more of Herman alive to feel more for his demise and Murray acting a little more subtle when greeting his frozen corpse, the scene is still chilling (no pun intended), sad, and a clever modernized way to ty to the Dickens story of how important it is to do good for others before it is too late. And while Murray has been directed to overact throughout the film as the set-up for his redemption scene is hostile and, in some ways, selfish, I still not only admire how much energy he has but still can show his acting chops for profound or subtle scenes when he's not required to yell, and there are still more than enough pleasant moments in the ending to make me go along with the extreme circumstances of it enough.
The older I get, the more I appreciate the film, the scenes, and the elements I overlooked or didn't care about as a kid. I knew the score as a kid sounded very Burtonish, but later discovering it was composed by Danny Elfman made me enjoy the music with the monstrous imagery more. And knowing that this is Danny Elfman doing a score for an alternative Christmas movie before he would collaborate with Burton on his Christmas films is impressive, particularly when hearing the similar sounds and cues that would be perfected in future films. Visually, I admire the various styles the film offers more from its corporate and downbeat '80s New York City; the details to create the 50s and 60s for Frank's past; the designs for the fictional shows and promos (especially for A Christmas Carol); and the future looking colorless (except when color counts), cold, gloomy, and distorted. The film is also loaded with so many cameos that don't feel pointless; they add to its humor, wit, and even its tenderness. Some of the best include Buddy Hackett miscast as Scrooge, Miles Davis and Paul Shaffer playing on the street, Robert Goulet singing uncomfortably, Lee Majors taking on terrorists, and all the Murray brothers. The casting itself is all spot-on; some I didn't realize I had seen in other films or shows, like Wendy Malick (whose voice work I am more familiar with) or Mabel King (best known for playing Evillene the Witch in The Wiz). The acting itself, backed up with excellent writing, has so many different layers of character that I couldn't help finding more to enjoy, whether it is John Glover as Murray's rivals, who is as cruel as him except, he does it with a smiling attitude, or how Bob Cratchit is split into two characters played by Alfre Woodard and Bobcat Goldthwait. What I truly grew to love, though I was too young to enjoy it, was the romance between Murray and Karen Allen. Despite some elements of the writing feeling forced, the chemistry between them still feels real, as Murray struggles to choose between "run the world" and being with her to "save the world." Murray's heartbreak at seeing his ex-girlfriend's future self, how the two joke and argue, and Allen's sweet smile all feel more believable than the at times contrived writing. If you were to ask me what my favorite scene was as a kid, I'd say it is when Murray meets his old boss. As an adult, I would definitely go with Murray and Allen celebrating Christmas Eve together, for having a home movie feel through the natural acting, the cozy Christmas environment, and how present-day Murray's character reacts and reminisces to probably the best Christmas he has ever had. Despite some issues, I still love the Dickens out of this movie just as much as I did as a kid, where I am always left in a cheerful mood when the cast sings Put a Little Love in Your Heart at the end.
Number 9: National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
I loved the original National Lampoon's Vacation films growing up (though I didn't see Vegas Vacation when I was super into them), and as much as I loved all three, believe it or not, Christmas Vacation used to be my least favorite. While the other films were about the misadventures of exploring the United States or Europe, this film took place mainly at home, which was less exciting. There were plenty of bits I loved, like the animated opening credits, Clark decorating the house with 25,000 incandescent lights, the Griswolds looking for a Christmas tree after Clark's road rage and witnessing the ultimate reckless sleigh ride. But given how dialogue-heavy the film can function, with a pacing that's a little slower than the others, I was bored many times as a kid. For me at the time, the film didn't really pick up until the Christmas Eve celebration, with the constant gags and chaos. From there until the end, there were the crunchiest dry turkey you ever seen and heard, a cat getting fried, the Christmas tree burned to a crisp, a squirrel running around the house, and a kidnapping. That section, to me, was what made the film worth watching, along with some of the other scenes and Chevy Chase's performance as Clark. And having a pleasant tuneful Christmas soundtrack doesn't weigh the film down in any way.
Like Scrooged, the older I grew, the more I began to relate to and fully appreciate the movie as the Christmas classic it is. Some jokes I found myself confused by at a younger age, like why Clark is all sticky all of a sudden, only to grow up and understand it was from the tree sap, which I had no idea what it was as a kid. I also remembered laughing while at the same time confused to why a local storm drain suddenly has radioactive toxic waste, until I picked up through the dialogue that it was from Cousin Eddie's chemical RV toilet that he fills the drain with, making his famous sewer bit one of the funniest scenes in the movie with a big pay off when I initially found it gross and boring. For jokes that could happen for no rhyme or reason, the natural yet humorous dialogue that went over my head adds plenty of sense and builds up to the situation, making the punchline a hilariously rewarding pay-off. The songs add plenty to the film's comedic Christmas charm as well. There were many scenes that I was unamused by, but I heavily enjoyed listening to the Christmas music. Later in life, by recognizing the songs and paying closer attention to the scene, I realized how joyfully silly the soundtrack is when it isn't supposed to be. Sure, I knew the S.W.A.T. team heading for the Griswolds' house was subbing for Santa Claus as Gene Autry's Here Comes Santa Claus plays. But then you have a lovely soothing Hawaiian Christmas song, Mele Kalikimaka, sung by Bing Crosby as a woman slowly undresses by the pool, and the sound of a tuba playing Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, that's not only funny for playing for Eddie, but implies he's similar to Rudolph, given his misfit status among the family when later proving himself. I further began to appreciate the characters more as well. I used to view Clark as a silly, moronic family man who just wanted to give the family the best Christmas ever, despite going to extremes to do so and struggling with temptations that could break family unity. As an adult, though likable in some ways, I tend to notice him more and more as a filthy, self-centered, backstabbing jerk. You know he wants to do his family good, but it's all under his terms to a hostile degree while making casual, nasty quips about people (especially to Cousin Eddie) and looking to have sexual intercourse with other women. I hardly appreciated the rest of the characters outside Clark's immediate family as much as I do now. I found many of them bland and slightly annoying, but now they only get better. The snobby rich next-door neighbors (who look like they can be boring, unfunny villains in a '90s kids movie) are pleasant when compared to Clark (all they want is a lovely romantic Christmas). I laughed more at Cousin Eddie's wacky, destructive personality and crazy dialogue while appreciating him more as a character for his dumb yet kind intentions for Clark and his own family. And putting aside how I never realized the rest of the family are played a talented cast consisting of E.G. Marshall, William Hickey, Doris Roberts, Diane Ladd, and Marge Hines (who voiced Betty Boop), though still annoying at times, their annoyance is warranted for wonderfully capturing the chaos of having family over, and at times surprising when you learn there is more to them for how relatable they can be.
Underneath the film's mean, crude, wild, and slapstick nature, there are still some genuinely nice and gentle moments. Scenes like Clark talking to Cousin Eddie's younger daughter about Santa Claus existing (which later encourages him to provide them a better Christmas for the side of the family he can't stand), Clark having a heart-to-heart talk with his father about Christmas, and Clark offering to help Eddie's family as they shop don't ever feel like forced corny moments to pander on the emotional side of Christmas. My personal favorite moment is when Ellen's father, who hates Clark, is the first to stand up for him. And my favorite scene is when Clark is locked up in the attic, getting nostalgic while watching home movies of his Christmases as a kid, with Ray Charles' The Spirit of Christmas playing in the background. Apart from coming across as a legitimate sweet scene, it particularly speaks to me about why people usually stress so much about having a perfect Christmas, which stems from the powerful recollections they had (or didn't have) as a kid. People try so hard to have the best Christmas ever, or one reminiscent of their own as a kid, that they tend to overwork themselves, missing the fun and beauty of the holiday, and letting the slightest blemish ruin it. I have had many lovely Christmases, but I always noticed unnecessary stress and madness in my family during preparation, and ever since I became part of the preparations, I relate to the film more than ever. The movie to me serves as a comically delightful reminder to not completely stress over the work of holidays or overdo to it the point where there's no passion or amusement, and roll with the punches as best I can instead of letting them ruin it (though to be fair even I would have a hard time keeping my cool with half the stuff that happens in Clark's house during Christmas Eve). To this day, while preparing for Christmas, my brother Jack and I would quote and reference this film when things would get too crazy, as well as my family adopting one of the Griswold's' Christmas traditions by reading 'Twas the Night Before Christmas on every Christmas Eve before going to bed (only we each read a verse while passing the book around). For a film I did not fully understand, relate to, or appreciate at a young age (and neither did critics at the time of the film's release, especially Siskel and Ebert), it has become one of my essential holiday favorites. The true genius of the film lies in its small, subtle details that make it better than it appears on the surface, in comedy and relatability. Things you don't think too much about when watching it, or hardly notice, but do when you start paying close attention. For me to say whether I enjoy this or Vacation better is hard to say, but out of the two, it is the one I've seen the most, thanks to its take on one of the most hectic times of year.
Number 8: Elf
Upon recent rewatches of the film, I do notice a few problems. One that I had with the film (even a little bit as a kid) was the climax. It's not that it's written poorly; if anything, it is needed since everything from a story standpoint comes in full circle with plenty of scenes and moments that are funny and whimsical (How could I not react in awe by watching Buddy riding on Santa's sleigh through New York City with John Debney's enchantingly wholesome score). But after enjoying mainly a slice of life Christmas comedy, to suddenly make it something as big and cliched as about saving Christmas, it gets a little dull. The visuals are boring, as people just stand around; the chase with the shoehorned "villains" is unexciting; and even how the crowd of New Yorkers is persuaded to sing feels a touch too corny for me (even for a Christmas film). The romance subplot, despite some cute moments, needed more development and attention, particularly towards Jovie's character, since we know nothing about her. And the supporting characters, while mostly well-acted and likable enough, make me wish there was more personality or humor. But honestly, those problems are mere nitpicks. A problem I acknowledge that other people have, but does not bother me in the slightest, is Will Ferrell. I get how people can find this character annoying with his yelling and cheery personality, but I still find him just as amusing and endearing as I did as a kid. And when it seems like Will Ferrell is phoning it in or playing it too much to the camera, his reactions and delivery are so funny that I never feel like it's unnatural for this character to behave. But as I get older, I begin to notice how perfectly hilarious James Caan plays the straight man. When I was a Middle Schooler at the peak of my obsession with The Godfather franchise, I went nuts when I discovered that Buddy's father played the hot-headed Sonny Corleone. It made watching the film with my schoolmates extra merry, and the film just a little funnier. It's evident that Will Ferrell is what sells the movie, but James Caan is incredibly underrated. It's no surprise how well he can play a sour-faced, strict workaholic father. But what I have admired over the years are his deadpan, subtle, and underplayed reactions to Ferrell's antics. His confusion, anger, and annoyance are always present, but he never goes over the top as Ferrell, making him a great, believable comedic foil.
Typically, when I think back to this movie, I remember more of the performances and jokes than I do its special effects. Special effects for the snowball fight and Santa's sleigh are typical 2000s CGI, passable but nothing impressive. But once I think about the North Pole, I find myself amazed at how marvelously they hold up. That's primarily because computers were largely not used to create the effects for Buddy looking taller than the elves; they had to use many forced-perspective tricks to achieve their realism. Offhand, I would have thought the animated animals were done in CG to resemble the stop-motion animation of Rankin/Bass Christmas Specials, but they used actual puppetry (it took one puppeteer a whole day to finish Buddy's encounter with the snowman due to a strict deadline). These decisions were made because the film's director, Jon Favreau, feared the CGI effects would date the movie quickly, and the payoff was undoubtedly worth it. As a fan of Rankin/Bass, I wish the film had done something funny with its visual references to the Specials, but apart from how visually fun the sets, costumes, and puppets are, I found it clever how the film subtly borrows story elements from them, notably Rudolph. Some may find it obvious because it's about a misfit elf who leaves and saves Christmas, but I'm thinking more about the whole human-being-an-elf idea. You'll notice if you're paying close attention in the Special that Hermey is the only elf with human ears. My guess is it was to make him stand out as different from the other elves, but I can't help but think that there's more to him than we know and that his human-like appearance may have had some influence on the film's premise. With as much praise as I give the North Pole, New York City does not look half bad either. I particularly like how the city does not look as wondrously glamorous as Home Alone 2 by appearing at times gritty to make Buddy's fish-out-of-water presence and his artistry stand out, and the environment a bit uninviting. And I can't forget how significant the music is in setting up the film's comedy and Christmas magic. John Debney's score can range from simply wholesome (such as the theme song), to fueling the comedy's energy when trouble ensues, or feeling like a grand experience. The choice of licensed songs is also used well. For me, though, I always loved hearing how non-Christmas-related songs like Louis Prima's Pennies from Heaven or Frank Sinatra's You Make Me Feel So Young fit organically in the film's soundtrack, proving you don't always need Christmas music to help tell the story or set the mood in a Christmas film. If films like Bad Santa or Christmas Vacation make me laugh for their relatability when the holiday stress gets to me, Elf bounces me right back up to get into the Christmas spirit, mainly thanks to an endlessly laughable character who is fueled by it with sincere compassion.
Number 7: Miracle on 34th Street
Of all the Christmas movies I wish I had seen sooner in my life, the original Miracle on 34th Street tops them all. I remember seeing the beginning of the film as a kid, as it was aired on Thanksgiving, where the film begins, making it a part of Thanksgiving movie (and arguably a Christmas movie in the summer, since it was released in the summer, which caused the promotional material to be vague about it as a Christmas movie). I enjoyed watching Santa Claus giving people tips, taking part in the parade, and the exchange about giants between the lawyer Fred Gailey and the little girl Susan (played by a young Natalie Wood), and yet I somehow lost interest. I would still catch clips of it on TV, and though it seemed like a good movie, it was not exactly a film I was dying to see, even though a part of me knew I should. It wasn't until 2017 that I finally watched and reviewed it, realizing I had made a colossal mistake: a film I thought would feel a little too corny for me is surpassed by marvelously committed performances that are grounded and distinct, in ways that feel believable rather than forced or one-dimensional cliches. Susan may act older than her age, but only because of how she was brought up, and despite her maturity, she still talks and acts like a kid to the point where seeing her indulge in fantasies she missed out on feels absolutely delightful. Her mom is more than a strict parent; she herself was heartbroken when her ideas of love from fairy tales did not come true, which led her not to wish to see her daughter follow the same path, and she can still be reasonable and loving. Even the film's villain, Mr. Sawyer, who is as heartless as Mr. Potter from It's a Wonderful Life, is a character I still pity a little bit for his denial of his own miserable life.
I have yet to really think about who I consider the best Santa Claus, or who my personal favorite is, but the Oscar-winning performance by Edmund Gwenn as Kris Kringle is close to the top of my list! Gwenn is familiar as Santa with the white beard, the famous outfit, round belly, a jolly and gentle personality, and a love for making people happy. However, plenty of things about what we associate with Santa are absent. We see no evidence of the North Pole's existence; he does not laugh Ho-Ho-Ho; there's not one little elf insight to assist him; and we never see him make deliveries or his actual sleigh with reindeer pulling it. For a film with a magical title, there's no use of magic shown in the movie. When you really think about it, likely, the man who claims to be Santa is not the actual one. With having no magic demonstrated on-screen aside, really examine about how illogical his presence is. What would Santa be doing in New York during his busiest time of year? He's probably there to fight against commercialism, but isn't he needed most at the North Pole to make sure everything is in check before his big flight? On top of that, he did not seem to be in New York to fight it until he started working for Macy's. Why does Santa need to stay at a home if he's visiting? Can he not use his powers to get a hotel room? Yes, this man speaks fluent Dutch to another child, implicitly leaves the house for Susan at the end, and starts a new store policy for both Macy's and Gimbels, but all of that has a logical explanation. He's proven to be Santa in court with the massive bags of letters sent to him, only because the post office wanted to get rid of those useless letters. There is plenty of evidence supporting the idea that Kris is not Santa, and yet the film goes beyond merely challenging the characters' beliefs about him; it invites the viewer to decide for themselves as well. No magic is shown on-screen, but he still does remarkable things. Kris's presence in New York makes no sense, but there are plenty of things about Santa that do not make sense that people overlook or suspend their disbelief in other films and Specials. But what really makes one believe he is Santa is how much he acts and thinks like Santa. He's pleasant, wise, playful, and has endless love for most of the people he meets, as one would picture Saint Nick. The way he expresses his knowledge of how he works and demonstrates many talents and skills that Santa would have, you probably believe that he can do the impossible. And his appearance, in every way, looks like the big man (even without the iconic suit), can make one think he is more than just "a nice old man with whiskers." It's likely Kris is not Santa Claus; however, for how much this man embodies a Christmas legend, one's gut feeling is that he is, rather than logic. And since the film gives no official answer on whether he is or not, it becomes the real test of faith and belief in Santa.
What impressed me on my first viewing of the film is how it handles commercialism around the holidays that predates A Charlie Brown Christmas. Sure, the movie in many respects is marketing Macy's by making the businesses look wholesome, while A Charlie Brown Christmas does not sell anything in the story (except mentioning its sponsor, Coca-Cola, in the opening and end credits, which have now been removed); however, the product placement does not deviate from the story and message. The film is not ashamed to show Macy's selfish need to push toys that children probably are not interested in, and it's not Macy's company owner or manager who breaks the rules, but a man who claims to be Santa. Kris puts the customer's needs before the business by pointing out other stores that have what they're looking for (including the store's rival, Gimbels), pleasing customers with his goodwill, which inspires both stores to do the same, and even make peace around the holidays. I'm no business expert, so I cannot say whether this logic works, but the emotions of Kris' actions are so authentically kind and unselfish, along with seeing how his good deeds inspire or humorously amaze others, that they outweigh the logic in this emotional storytelling tied to the Christmas spirit. As heartfelt as Kris' choice to put people over profit and what he does for Susan and her family, the scene that touches nearly everyone's hearts is when he interacts with the Dutch girl. It's a sweet scene that adds to the wonder if this man is who he says he is. What makes the scene more profound is that, given World War II was not too far in the past, you realize this girl is a refugee with a face that misses home. To see her speak her native language with Kris as they sing a Christmas song from her country together is the closest she has ever felt to the comforts of her old home, which is why the scene is so fondly remembered. I may have more memories with the prior entries on my list, and while I'll always treasure them, Miracle on 34th Street feels a little richer with its fantastic cast, showcasing childlike faith juxtaposed with adult cynicism, is daring with its messages, themes, and even release date, and magic that is felt but not seen. I regret not seeing this as a kid in full, and in other ways, I'm glad I didn't, since the film wins me over the same way Kris charmed all the different characters. Buddy the Elf is what gets me excited about Christmas, whereas Kris Kringle inspires me with the soft, gentle, loving nature of Christmas...I just wouldn't hit anyone with a cane, no matter how much a person deserves it.
Number 6: The Santa Clause
There are versions of Santa Claus I prefer to Tim Allen's, and yet, out of all the films that focus on him (that's a traditional Christmas movie), The Santa Clause is my favorite version of the big man's mythos. Questions like how Santa goes down the chimney, how his sack can carry so many toys, how he's able to visit people who don't have fireplaces, and why he's practically immortal are answered best in this movie. The answer is simple, which is magic, but to see a fireplace appear, discovering the magic sack can refill itself, watching how the chimney consumes Santa, and learning how the role of Santa is a torch passed down to another, while still keeping the extent of the magic vague, felt like an experience. No other film about Santa has brought so much whimsy and wonder to me as a kid, and even with knowing so many different (and some objectively better) versions of the character as an adult, I'm still in the same amount of awe! I love that the film allows audiences to experience what it's like to be Santa as he flies on his sleigh and delivers toys, rather than using it to save Christmas on a tight deadline and with a dramatic tone, as most films do. Having outsiders interact during all this certainly helps the audience to relate. I still want to interact with the reindeer (their puppetry is still realistic), drink Judy the elf's hot cocoa, fly on a jetpack with the elves, and gaze at a magic snow globe. The North Pole is also my favorite version. I prefer seeing little people play elves, but having kids in the role makes it cuter and more charming, given how Christmas is cherished among most kids. The workshop has a ton to see, with plenty that is incredibly magical and full of personality, leaving little things like the rooms and the elf city vague enough for our imagination (which is much better than how the sequels explore them). With the fantasy elements aside, how this film celebrates the holiday looks just as fun, whether it's an office Christmas party or seeing the town and neighborhood get into the holiday spirit. My favorite, which is also one of the funniest and harshest scenes in the movie, is when Scott and Charlie dine at Denny's after a burnt Christmas dinner, surrounded by divorced fathers there for the same reason, while the restaurant is out of everything advertised. Plus, it became my introduction to the Drifters' version of White Christmas.
While on the subject of music, Michael Convertino's score conveys the emotion and mystique beyond what's captured on the screen. I could not imagine most of these scenes working as well as they do without this beautiful Christmas score. Whether it is catching the first glance of the reindeer, having the music (as well as sounds) signaling Santa's arrival, riding in the sleigh, seeing the reveal of packages in Scott's house, feeling how the powers of the snow globe effects the character, or even the hint that the magic of the Santa Clause is around every corner of Scott's daily life, it all carries the film very effectively. The songs have the same effect, such as entering the North Pole with The Bells of Christmas by Loreena McKennitt, Christmas Will Return to close the film, the Chipmunks singing Santa Claus is Comin' to Town to fuel Charlie's obsession comically, and even ZZ Top's Gimme All Your Lovin' making Santa look cool while the heat is on with the cops. At the very start, I am instantly pulled into the movie through its music with a jazzy version of Oh Christmas Tree and Carolers singing Carol of the Bells. I could not even dare to imagine the film as fun and enchanting without its delightful cast of characters. I love Charlie's excitement, determination, and helplessness. Bernard, the head Elf, is tough and snarky but has a heart as kind as Santa's. Judy is an absolute sweetheart with a lot of wisdom. And despite that, Laura and Neil act as antagonists; they're not villainous. They want what's best for Charlie, making it refreshing to have a Santa film without a villain. The most underrated performance goes to Larry Brandenburg. Everybody focuses on Tim Allen's delivery during his interrogation, but Brandenburg makes for a funny foil. Every time he says the name, there is an increasing difference in his tone. The first time, he is casual, the second time his tone expresses "that was cute, Calvin, but let's get serious now," the third time utter annoyance, and it is so natural and subtle. Without Tim Allen, we wouldn't be watching this at all. The decision to cast him was very daring for the time, and it really pays off. He's always likable on-screen, but his sarcastically rude quips (which many have flown over my head as a kid) are funny, and he's entertaining to watch when acting like a jerk or someone who doesn't care about the Christmas spirit. The more I think about it, I can't think of any other actor who can play one of the worst people to wear the Santa suit and later become the loving Santa we are familiar with, while still having a cool, witty sense of humor. My favorite scene as a kid was Allen's earlier scenes when he first plays Santa, but now it's him making amends with the little girl Sarah, whom he treated so rudely in the past. The chemistry they share is on a par with Kris and the Dutch girl in Miracle on 34th Street.
In my review of The Santa Clause, I criticized the film's second act, which I still have problems with but find myself enjoying more through recent viewings. After seeing so many wondrous things, when the characters return to reality, the film feels a little slower in its pacing, as we're given way too many dialogue-heavy scenes in unappealing locations like schools and office buildings. And with a good part of the drama focused on people not believing in Charlie and on discussions of separating him from his dad, while it is necessary to move the story, it feels dull at times. The second act does come off as a bit of a buzzkill, however, that doesn't mean there's not plenty to enjoy before Scott realizes who he's become. The acting is still on par and can get very emotional at times (the highlight is learning when Laura and Neil stopped believing in Santa). There's still plenty of quotable funny line deliveries and subtle jokes from Allen. And seeing the transformation slowly work its way through and how it changes Scott's life is always amusing, and at times hilarious. A scene that bored, annoyed, and confused me as a kid that has now become my favorite scene in this act is when Scott has nothing but sweets for lunch at work while criticizing the company's new Santa toy line. There are many layers of details that I have pretty often overlooked growing up, such as Scott's untouched salad, the use of the Jeopardy theme (which I had no idea what Jeopardy was as a kid), the attack on commercialism, and the big grimace Scott gives when hearing about Santa. The film is not only one of my favorites but also my family's, and we are always willing to play it when it's available. Plenty of other movies about Santa come close to topping this movie, but no matter how good they are or having better Santa's than Tim Allen, I will always prefer this over the others for capturing the thrill and imagination it is to be Santa with some good comedy, sweet characters, a charming tuneful score, and visuals that get me into the joys of the holidays I felt as a kid.
Number 5: Die Hard
People still debate whether or not Die Hard is a Christmas movie, and just as I consider alternative titles like Eyes Wide Shut, Brazil, Batman Returns, and Gremlins to fit the category, this film is no exception. Most people would put something more traditional in their top five favorites, and admittedly, three of the previous entries came very close. However, since I find alternative Christmas films just as crucial during the holidays, I had to at least place one in the top five. Despite my love for horror, Die Hard is the holiday movie I go to when I'm craving something with extra spice during the season. The film has everything I would want in an action film. A badass, quipping hero who is vulnerable and in constant peril. A devious, charismatic villain who is as witty as the hero. A strong supporting cast of memorable characters. Writing that exceeds past conventional action films of their time. A fun sense of humor that flows with a dark and suspenseful premise. Tons of combat, gunplay, blood spraying, and explosions. And a grand size and scale with its visuals, editing, and music. But when you set all of this on Christmas, it gives it an extra kick of awesomeness!
How exactly does Christmas fit? Generally, the film is about terrorists taking control of a building as an out-of-state cop foils their plan as he strives to survive. It doesn't sound at all like Christmas until one realizes a few essential details in the premise. The events take place on Christmas Eve, which could be an afterthought, but, like other alternative Christmas films, it's far from ignored. John's reason for coming to the building is to reconcile with his wife so he can be with his family for the holidays. John's goal is a classic holiday trope of a dysfunctional family reuniting, and while John spends most of his time away from his wife, Holly, in the film, he does go through an arc, realizing what a fool he's been to her and wants to survive to come home for Christmas after rescuing everyone. During his visit with Holly at the building, he's attending a big Christmas party before the terrorists crash it and take them all hostage. If the concept still sounds like Christmas is an afterthought, the holiday is constantly acknowledged throughout the film. Visually, Christmas decorations are displayed everywhere in the building, including Christmas trees, Santa figures, Christmas lights, and even graffiti reading "Merry Christmas." On the streets outside the building, Christmas lights are hung around the trees or in the shape of giant snowflakes. Before John even enters the party, he's seen carrying a giant teddy bear with a bow as a Christmas present. The dialogue does not ignore the spirit of the holidays either, as people verbally send Christmas greetings, the terrorist Theo does a mock 'Twas, the Night Before Christmas to explain the S.W.A.T. team's whereabouts, the head terrorist Hans reminds Theo that Christmas is "the time of miracles", and Holly tells the kids to not look for presents and will speak with Santa if they can arrange John coming home. The characters can also be shown at times whistling or singing Christmas tunes like Jingle Bells and Let It Snow. In fact, the soundtrack features Christmas sounds, including sleigh bells, and a few Christmas songs.
The film has many unconventional Christmas highlights that stand out to me, some of which involve the action. Rather than John sending a corpse down an elevator with a message to Hans, knowing he's out to stop them, he discovers a collection of Christmas decorations and places a Santa hat on the corpse's head, and turns the sweater into an ugly sweater that writes "Now I have a Machine Gun. Ho-Ho-Ho." This action does more than concern Hans about their unknown "party crasher," it causes the terrorist Karl to seek vengeance for John killing his brother. When it comes to killing Hans, it's through the use of presents. An instrumental of Let It Snow plays when John spots holiday wrapping tape that reads "Season's Greetings" and features a picture of Christmas holly. John uses the tape to attach his gun to his back (as sleigh bells ring when the tape is revealed) and unwraps it like a present to shoot Hans. What causes Hans to have his climactic fall from the building is clipping off Holly's watch, which was previously given to her as a Christmas present. Aside from the Christmas-related action, two scenes bring me the joy of the holidays. The first is when "A Christmas Miracle" helps the terrorists open the vault full of $640 million in American bearer bonds. The lights shine brighter than a Christmas tree, and like kids finding Christmas presents under the tree, the terrorists gaze at it with awe as Theo exclaims, "Merry Christmas," and then joyfully raid it while Ode to Joy plays loudly and then softly on the soundtrack. When someone asks if you "make like a bandit" on Christmas, this scene is the perfect visual representation of that term. As for the second scene, it's the ending. John reunites with his wife and meets the officer who's been prepping him during his journey in person, while office papers fall like snow from the building. And to end the film on the most Christmassy note possible, John's limo driver delivers the film's final line, "If this is their idea of Christmas, I gotta be here for New Year's.", leading to Vaughn Monroe's rendition of Let It Snow playing on the soundtrack to close the film. Most like to point out that the use of Let It Snow during the credits gives the film its Christmas seal of approval. Still, I'm one of the few who think Christmas in Hollis represents the film's idea of Christmas better. When hearing the song, John asks to play Christmas music, only to be corrected by the limo driver that it "is Christmas music," which is a metaphor for the movie itself. On the surface, the film is not a traditional Christmas movie by any means, just like how Christmas in Hollis is not a conventional carol like Let It Snow, but it's still Christmas-related. Not everyone will agree or like that Die Hard is a Christmas movie, nor think to associate it with the holidays, and while that is understandable to some degree, regardless of whether you think the film fits the genre or not, it's still watched and discussed by many during this season. And while there are indeed alternative Christmas films that are heavier on their holiday backdrop and themes, Die Hard is the most popular example, which I agree deserves that place.
Number 4: A Christmas Story
As high as the film is on my list, like many people, I get annoyed by how overmarketed and referenced it is. The 24-hour marathon does not make it any better either. I sincerely love this movie, but not where I'd rather have it on all day long, especially when there are so many other Christmas classics to fill that time slot. Like anything that gets overexploited during the holidays, it can get tiring to the point where the marketing (as well as the sequels and spin-offs) misses the mark on how beloved it is. I get why people think it's overrated, and why they would get sick of seeing it everywhere. And when it's deemed a better Christmas film than cherished classics, backlash is inevitable. Regardless of how I feel about the hype and marketing that does not reflect the true nature of the film, it's one of the greats that stands the test of time! I remember hearing about it as a kid and being mildly interested. When I first saw little Ralphie encounter one of the worst Santas of all time, I was engaged and laughing at how cruel the kid's experience was, while still admiring the Christmas imagery. Eventually, I received a copy of the film and watched it in full as a kid in 5th grade, relating to the characters, enjoying the storytelling through Jean Shepherd's narration (who I was amazed to find out voiced the father in Disney's Carousel of Progress), and laughing at the film's humor. I also learned never to stick my tongue on a pole in the winter through the harshest way possible. Could not get enough of the family's reaction to the infamous tacky leg lamp. Loved when we would enter Ralphie's fantasies. Could not stop quoting "Oh Fudge" when I felt the need to give a G-rated curse as a kid. And felt the thrill of the kids going downstairs on Christmas morning and ravaging through the presents. The film was so funny, warm, and cute that you can bet it became an instant holiday classic for me.
The film has a wholesome comedic reputation when marketed or discussed, but an element that helps makes it stick is its edge. On the surface, the film is not as grim or dark as Gremlins, A Christmas Carol, or Bob Clark's very own Black Christmas, but it is as pessimistic, savage, and at times mean-spirited as National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation and Home Alone (which this film predates both). People and pop culture still remember the sexy lamp, the rude Santa with nasty elves, and the pole scene, and laugh at most of them, but when you really think about it past the comedy, it's much darker than one remembers. People who watch it on TV or watch it now and then will recall the funny censorship of a four-letter f-word, but overlook that the kids are bluntly cursing as harshly and rudely as possible. I remember that shocking my 6th-grade Math teacher when we played my copy in Middle School during class, as PG films were not commonly shown at my school. The leg lamp is iconic (for the wrong reasons), and people laugh at how obsessed the father is, thinking it's a rare grand prize, and how much the mother hates it. But then you have Ralphie feeling up the lamp to his mother's horror, and older Ralphie calling it "electric sex" (both also shocking my math teacher, as the students and I laughed). If seeing Ralphie sucking on Lifebuoy soap is not cruel enough, how about hearing the mom of one of Ralphie's friends' insanely spanking her son off-screen in the most exaggerated and cartoonish angry voice possible (even rivaling Ralphie's old man). Ralphie himself gives the bully Scut a good licking, which is funny enough, hearing him curse in gibberish as he pathetically hits him where you think it wouldn't hurt much (showing how weak this big kid really is), but adding blood smeared on his face makes this revenge hardcore. Let's not forget that this whole film's plot revolves around a kid wanting a functioning B.B. gun that could not only hurt people but also has him nearly "shooting his eye out" when he receives it! Having a lethal weapon as a MacGuffin in a family movie is not usually smiled upon, and in a Christmas movie, beyond that. My favorite untraditional Christmas moment that often gets overlooked is the father instructing to wife to get the presents after the kids go to sleep, insinuating that Santa's not real in this family Christmas film starring kids. It's a brief, subtle moment that will most likely fly over little kids' heads, as the line is delivered quickly (without saying the word' presents'), and we don't see the parents in action, but it's there! How many Christmas movies for families (aside from Gremlins) imply Santa's not real at all?
As funny, iconic, and edgy as the film is, the charm and heart are not in the imagery we think back on. It isn't the B.B. gun obsession, the leg lamp, the mean Santa, the dream sequences, or the pole scene. It is from its authenticity and simplicity. Despite the film taking place in 1940, its portrayal of childhood feels timeless. The kids in this film, while exaggerated at times, don't feel like the typical Hollywood kids; they mostly come across as naturalistic. They're allowed to act rudely, curse behind their parents' backs, and be self-centered, which keeps them from becoming sugar-coated. But they are also innocent, naive, and filled with curiosity and excitement, which keeps them relatable. For all the film's humor, it truly does have an honest portrayal of childhood that can relate to anyone at any year like how we obsessed over items we were forbidden to have, how juvenile we behaved when the adults weren't present, having a parent getting involved in the fun while the other is annoyed, and especially how many of us get on Christmas morning. Watching the family open presents (like the Christmas Eve scene in Scrooged) almost feels like watching a home movie for how authentically it is portrayed, even with those bunny pajamas. Unlike many Christmas films, which are either an attack on commercialism or about the spirit of giving, as vital as it is to teach families, it is just as important to tell kids every once in a while, that it's perfectly normal to enjoy what you receive. What helps make enjoying Ralphie unwrapping his present is how genuinely happy he is, and how the father who gave him the present is just as excited as he is, as he reminisces about his own childhood of having one, which still fits with the love of giving lesson. That's one of the many things I relate to when watching the film, because when it came to me wanting to watch an R-rated film that I was obsessed with seeing as a kid, like Ralphie's parents, my mom would reject it for my protection, while my pop would later surprise me with the film regardless of how my mom felt. Aside from the unwrapping of presents, there are other moments and little details I love during the Christmas Day portion of the film. The parents cuddling together, with the Christmas lights low, as they watch the snow fall outside while sipping wine and listening to Silent Night, is a gorgeously overlooked moment that shows the beauty of Christmas for adults. Despite the racist singing at the Chinese restaurant, it is sweet to see the whole staff show appreciation for giving their small restaurant business on a holiday mainly spent at home, while the family has a jolly time having duck (which I do prefer over turkey myself) with a few small gags (my favorite is the Bowling sign). And sometimes I watch this film on Christmas Eve, stop it when the kids go to bed, turn it on when I wake up to watch Ralphie wake on Christmas morning, looking at the snow and icicles outside, and finish the rest of the film to get me into a nostalgic Christmas mindset. For those revisiting the film after a long time, or those who haven't seen it yet but can't stand the hype, try not to see it as an energetic Christmas comedy with gag after gag. Also don't expect to look for its moral to be as direct as Christmas classics like A Christmas Carol or It's a Wonderful Life. Look at it as a small simple Christmas film based on how we grow and reflect on our childhood memories (both good and bad), that uses comedy to exaggerate some of our memories and to help paint a reality that is not entirely wholesome either while still capturing the sweetness and fun of our youth which is where the real heart of the film is.
Number 3: Home Alone
And Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
As a kid, the first two Home Alone films were my favorite live-action family films starring a child. With A Christmas Story serving as a humorous, relatable portrayal of childhood, Home Alone was about a kid living a fantasy many kids only dream of. Having an entire house to ourselves for more than a day to do things we were forbidden to do, like eating junk food, watching forbidden media, and doing dangerous childish stunts, is something we all crave at some point. And for a kid to have a whole vacation alone in New York City, in a luxurious hotel complete with a pool, a limo, a trip to a giant theatrical toy store, and the best pizza to ever appear in a movie is absolute paradise. Furthermore, we're seeing more than just a kid making the most of everything; his character is that of a clever prankster and a hero we wish we could be, while having vulnerable characteristics we can connect to. Which kid has not once imagined creatively manipulating adults and getting away with it as Kevin did with his TV set, Talkboy, and life-sized puppets? How noble would it feel to stop criminals from committing a crime while also secretly taking sadistic pleasure in their suffering by playfully finding ingenious ways to torment them? All that's missing (for me) is a trip to an amusement park and meeting celebrities to complete the ultimate kid's fantasy depicted on the screen! While capturing the awe of the cool things Kevin does, the films are also incredibly hilarious, with animated reactions, quotable one-liners, and great slapstick and innovation when the burglars find booby traps. A considerable part of the fun of the film's humor, like A Christmas Story, comes from its edge, with its swearing, exaggerated violence, and how downright cruel and mean-spirited both films can be. It was so edgy that one of my Middle School teachers would forbid this film to be shown under any circumstances, which, you can imagine, annoyed most of the kids I knew. I guess showing a film in school in those days of wanting a B.B. gun is less offensive than being exposed to violence you'd see in a cartoon or The Three Stooges. Oh, who am I kidding, Kevin has the time of his life using one too. But beyond the harsh comedy are the cast of characters, who, without them and the people cast to play these roles, these films would have been as nearly overlooked as the sequels and knockoffs. Every actor plays their part perfectly as the characters themselves all stand out. Macaulay Culkin is cute, badass, and amusing in the lead role. Catherine O'Hara is filled with big emotion and energy as the mom. And Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern as the two burglars outshine the film's star whenever they're present. I could go on forever with the supporting characters because there are so many great ones to cover. Some of my favorites in the very least are the "cheapskate" Uncle Frank, the brother Buzz (who transforms from an obnoxious bully to a sophisticated manipulator), Fuller a creepy bedwetting cousin played Macaulay's Oscar winning brother Kieran, the lovable Mr. Duncan, the gangster Johnny, a lousy Santa who at least still tries at his job, and the Polka King himself Gus Polinski played by the late legendary John Candy (who improved most of his dialogue and spent 23 hours of filming straight in one day without pay). Further making these two films extra special is the fact that they serve as Christmas movies.
Although the first film mainly takes place at the McCallister home and in a small town, director Chris Columbus and the film's writer and producer, John Hughes, do everything in their power to make these minimal locations as visually appealing as possible while maintaining the holiday atmosphere. There's snow everywhere, Christmas lights glow as bright as Rudolph's shiny red nose, and people take part in Christmas activities like ice skating, watching Christmas movies, decorating the tree, and sleigh riding. Even when the scenes don't look Christmassy at times, the holiday is either discussed or subtly incorporated into the art direction. My favorite element to spread the holiday feel is the music. I was introduced to many of these delightful Christmas songs as a kid, as they fit each scene brilliantly. I was rocking out to my first Chuck Berry song Run Run Rudolph as the McCalister's rush through the airport (that I can still recall my grandmother singing along), Kevin preparing for Santa's arrival to the soothing classic Christmas song Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas performed by Mel Torm, and dancing along to Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree as Kevin has a house party with mannequins to fool the burglars. With the songs I knew, I was happy to see them used just as effectively, like hearing a polka version of Deck the Halls, and watching Kevin lip synch to the Drifters rendition of White Christmas while in the bathroom before screaming from the burns of the aftershave. Beyond the use of these timeless songs is the tremendous score composed by John Williams, with one memorable piece of music after another, sounding comically chaotic, soft, eerie, hardcore, and emotionally heartfelt. And yes, for a film that likes to be silly, rude, and cartoony, the emotions it evokes are powerful, which sets it apart from a typical kids' comedy. Kevin slowly coming to miss his family and realize how much he loves them, plays out organically, whereas the family that was mean to him worries about him (except for Buzz and Uncle Frank), showing how much they genuinely care, especially his mom. The lengths to which Kevin's mom goes to be with her son, and the constant stress she feels, are funny but believably endearing. Her lashing out at the airport about what she will do to "get home to her son," or her desperate pleading with a couple to have their seat, are some of the best acting I've seen from O'Hara. Initially, the famous subplot with the creepy next-door neighbor, Old Man Marley, was not part of the film; it was added later. You'd think his inclusion would feel forced, when in execution, it's not even close to out of place. Kevin's meeting with Marley in the church has become one of the all-time favorite scenes in a Christmas movie. The atmosphere in the church is both beautiful and intimidating, playing on Kevin's feelings of hope and safety, but also on his fears of confronting his sins and the menacing-looking Old Man who happens to be there too. The choir of children singing Oh, Holy Night not only gives me chills but also serves as Kevin's spiritual guide as he faces his fears, while giving Marley hope of someday being with his granddaughter (who's singing in the choir). The scene itself is phenomenally acted, as we witness both characters relating to their complicated feelings about their families and yet manage to give each other the motivation to make amends, even when it's hard. The fact that they help each other, rather than Marley just mentoring Kevin after revealing the sweet person he is, makes the connection more impactful. When the time comes for Kevin to have a reunion with his family, as the acting and score go all out, pulling on your heartstrings, there are little nice touches that make this reunion richer. Kevin doesn't suddenly embrace his mom when she shows up; he still feels a little hesitance and bitterness toward her for what she did to him earlier, which leads her to realize, sincerely, what a fool she's been. And having the family come in loudly, arguing with each other, rather than immediately crowding towards Kevin, captures the realism of this dysfunctional yet still loving family. To top it all off, through a curious, slow pacing, perfect framing, acting that looks genuinely happy, and a score that builds in emotion, we see Marley have his happy reunion with his family, who would not have found the courage without Kevin's advice.
The first film thrives tremendously on its Christmas message about family rather than shoehorning in emotions and morals as a means to manipulate audiences into believing the film has a point beyond its comedy. That's the second film's job. As many fond memories as I have for the second movie, I refuse to say it's on par with the first one. It's an obvious cash grab. The film is too predictable with its repeated formula. The mom has little to do. The characters constantly remind each other of previous events, but learn nothing about the point of the first movie. The lesson of performing an act of good deeds comes out of nowhere, nor does it have much focus. And the homeless pigeon lady has a half-baked story and arc. It's an incredibly flawed sequel, but I still love it! I prefer the visual simplicity of the first film, but I still love how big it feels when capturing Christmas in New York City, while offering more extraordinary things for Kevin to do and explore. From a comedy standpoint, I have no shame in admitting that I find this film funnier than the first one, thanks to the repeated gags being taken to new heights! The score from John Williams still sounds grand, and the choice of Christmas songs is used just as well. I laugh at hearing Jingle Bell Rock play as Kevin walks in his dad's swim trunks, enjoy seeing the family gaze with great disappointment at the hotel they're staying at as Andy Williams sings It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year, and feel Kevin's joy as he ride in a limo with Johnny Mathis' rendition of It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas playing. The film even creates new Christmas songs that are underrated classics like Darlene Love's All Alone on Christmas, Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas, and My Christmas Tree. My favorite song on the soundtrack isn't even a Christmas song; it's the Cool Jerk, sung comically by Uncle Frank in the shower, which I sang constantly as a kid. From an acting standpoint, even if it can't overcome the film's poor writing, everyone is making the most of their roles. Well, everyone aside from Culkin, who I still enjoy watching, but it's clear his heart is not as into it as it was in the first. But the person who fully commits to the film and gives my favorite supporting performance in the two movies is undoubtedly Tim Curry as the Plaza Hotel's concierge. Curry is in the film for less than 10 minutes, and no time is ever wasted on him, right from his confused reaction to a sinister stare when he first sees Kevin check in. His performance becomes more menacing as he creepily stalks Kevin's suite, sporting a smile that doesn't look like an "I got you" kind of smile. Of course, he has plenty of other dastardly smiles, including when Kevin asks him for help, and how he mirrors the Grinch's. While playing his role as the second antagonist maliciously, he has more than enough funny moments that are so hilarious that Curry's reactions are iconic. At first, Curry ranges from subtle, such as how he puts on a phony accent of some kind when posing as a maid, to camera mugging when a clown in the shower scares him away. On a side note, it is genius to see Curry get scared by a clown in a shower, as he played an infamous one in a similar setting a few years prior in IT. Curry can say simple words and phrases like pizza, stolen, matter, and "have a lovely day," and make them his own by pronouncing and delivering them in a way no one else could. Everybody cracks up when he is on his knees, shouting "I love you" after thinking someone in the room and out of sight confronts him with a Tommy gun for smooching with his brother. But for me, it's funnier how hard Curry has to conceal his emotions with a consistently pleasant attitude. Watching him trying not to crack when greeting Kevin and asking him about his father, or telling his mom the hopelessness of finding him, and not crying when put in his place are some of the best subtle comedic moments in his entire career. Make no mistake: the sequel lacks the heart of the first movie, but it has too many amusing moments to prevent me from despising it. These films were introduced to me through my mom, were rented many times to watch with my brothers, grandma, cousins, and friends, were eventually bought from my pop to keep, and to this very day, my friends and I discuss these films fondly, while I still watch them with my immediate family. Whenever these films are on, no matter what we are doing, the first two Home Alone films are guaranteed to be watched and enjoyed, which really brings my family together during the holidays for Christmas movies.
Number 2: Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas
In my Top 25 Favorite Halloween Specials, I talked about how perfectly this film works as a Halloween movie, whereas a Christmas movie, it's just as perfect. The main characters are from Halloween Town, but what drives the story to create a different kind of holiday crossover is Christmas. The film's source material is a poem Tim Burton wrote as a Disney animator, which serves as a children's fairytale while adding a Halloween spin to many classic Christmas tales. The film's adaptation is faithful to the source material, capturing that storybook feel. Although there is not a narrator throughout the film to provide a twisted take on the famous poem A Visit from Saint Nicholas, commonly known as 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, we still see Jack Skellington dressed as Santa drive a coffin sleigh with skeleton reindeer delivering his idea of presents, and witness a child (voiced by Andy from Toy Story) encounter this Santa imposter. Actually, the story has more in common with Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas rather than the poem the film's title is a pun on. Both are monstrous creatures who do their thinking on high ground. In Jack's case, he does it on Spiral Hill and shows sadness about how his holiday makes him feel empty, despite his talents, rather than having anger and frustration towards another. Unlike the Grinch, who despises Christmas, Jack is happily obsessed with the holiday to the point where he wants to make it his own. Although it is not shown (though emphasized in the poem), when Jack returns to Halloween Town, he comes back with items that he clearly stole from Christmas Town, much like the Grinch, only for different reasons. And eventually, he steals the holiday for a bit, where, like his Seuss counterpart, he dresses like Saint Nick with his faithful dog companion Zero guiding his sleigh. Zero is not just any dog, but a ghost with a glowing nose resembling a jack-o-lantern to light Jack's way through the fog, just like Rudolph the red-nosed Reindeer. Considering the film is a part Christmas movie in stop-motion animation that references holiday classics, animating it in stop-motion makes perfect sense, since the famous Rankin/Bass Christmas specials are a huge staple of holiday entertainment. Like the specials, the film has an easy-to-follow story that leads to a moral, with identifiable characters, expanded with bizarre imagination, new characters (in this film's case, the welcoming inclusion of Sally and Oogie Boogie), and songs.
Regarding the songs, I stand by the fact that they can be listened to on either holiday, but as someone who typically does not like listening to Christmas-related songs during Halloween, this film is an exception. More songs mention Christmas than Halloween, despite being sung by Halloween characters. This is Halloween is a Halloween song all the way to the point where I feel a little awkward hearing it on my Christmas playlist. Jack's Lament and Sally's Song are neutral, but the majority of the rest are mainly Christmas-themed. A good portion of the songs are sung by Jack, who usually sings about how fascinated he is with Christmas, either by exhibiting items he stole from Christmas Town for the Town Meeting Song or questioning where the heart of Christmas lies after spending countless hours scientifically examining everything he has and knows about it in Jack's Obsession. When Jack isn't singing about Christmas, Halloween's finest trick-or-treaters sing about the violent ways to Kidnap the Sandy Claws (or more appropriately, murder him in various ways), and a giant sack of bugs named Oogie Boogie dances with a helpless, tied-up Santa, taunting him about his doom through Oogie Boogie's Song in his Vegas-style torture chamber. As excellent as those songs are, the two that launch me into the Christmas spirit are What's This and Making Christmas. With the former song, as we, the audience, know about Christmas when Jack has never heard of it, how this world is presented looks just as gorgeous and wondrous to us as it does to him. Like This is Halloween, not a single frame of imagery is wasted when showing off the magic of Christmas Town filled with snow, festive buildings (some with faces), and cold and warm colors as beautiful as the northern lights while the elf residents take part in holiday fun (like throwing snowballs, ice skating, caroling, decorating the tree, and making toys). The place even has its own carousel and a train that delivers toys. The song itself brilliantly captures the beauty, whimsy, and excitement Jack discovers, thanks to its catchy melody and lyrics. Seeing the residents of Halloween Town in the process of Making Christmas is as thrilling and creative where they decorate the town and make their own Christmas toys, while the clock spins. My favorite part is the crosscutting editing that compares and contrasts how both worlds are preparing for Christmas. Watching the elves happily work is wholesome and mystical, whereas the monsters are zany and creepy. And adding to the comparisons is more than the visuals; the music is part of it as well, with Christmas Town sounding soft and gentle through flutes and Halloween Town sounding menacingly intense with a loud organ. The song is as hummable as a Christmas carol, making it the perfect alternative to sing while making toys. As it progresses, the sense of the holidays getting closer builds until it reaches its big finale, with the toys loaded into Jack's coffin sleigh.
When it's time for Jack to take Santa's place on Christmas Eve finally, the film does not disappoint. It's clear from the start of the sequence that Jack is not a good Santa, with his skeletal appearance, maniacal Ho-Ho-Hoing, crashing onto roofs, and not knowing a child's name despite having a list. But at the very least, he's still as jolly and welcoming as Saint Nick, with a sincere love of giving to make kids happy. That is, until the presents he gives go from a hideous shrunken head to monstrous toys that attack. If seeing Halloween characters interact with Christmas isn't cool enough, the toys are just as unique: they resemble traditional Christmas toys but look too frightening to be considered pleasant. There are toys with vampire teeth, hidden bats in the tree, a man-eating Christmas wreath (Santa knows what happened to the poor old lady who got attacked), and a giant sandworm-like snake as a pet. My favorite is the jack-o'-lantern in the box, with its creepy smile, horrible cackling, and equally scary box art of a clown face. The attack on the Christmas toys starts an actual war against the Santa imposter, causing civilians to lock their doors and turn up the heat in their fireplaces, and having the military fire cannons, each image looking badass while at the same time threatening. Until Jack gets tragically blown out of the sky, he thinks people are screaming with joy over their toys (unaware of the harm they cause humans) and celebrating with fireworks as a thank-you, which still tickles my funny bone. To then see Poor Jack, depressingly, sing about his failures for wanting to do something new, special, and great for others is more heartbreaking than seeing him sigh on top of Spiral Hill. But to suddenly see the song become uplifting when Jack learns to cope with his failure makes him as happy as when he found Christmas Town, who is delighted to have at least tried, and accepts his true calling in life. And in the end, when Santa resumes his position, Jack has learned to appreciate the life he leads, and Santa manages to bring Christmas to Halloween Town for Jack and the others to experience for themselves. Jack reuniting with his Halloween friends is joyfully triumphant, but the holiday greetings Santa and Jack exchange almost make me shed a tear of joy, knowing Santa has no hard feelings and allows Jack to participate in the holiday he loves as much as Halloween. It's fun seeing these monsters play in the snow and partake in ice hockey with a pumpkin (I wish they stuck with using Tim Burton's head), but what makes the ending and moral all the more touching is that sometimes that empty void in our heart we seek to fulfill can be right in front of us without realizing it. Jack's realization leads him to develop a romantic relationship with Sally as the two sing atop a snowy Spiral Hill and embrace each other. With all my reasons why, this film succeeds as a Christmas film; some see it more as a Halloween film, which holds as much water too. Nonetheless, whether you believe the movie is leaning toward one holiday more or think it works for both seasons (which I fall into), there is one thing to acknowledge: this film can't exist without the two together.
Number 1: It's a Wonderful Life
Unlike most Christmas films I discovered, which were either through family or critical praise, my exposure to It's a Wonderful Life was neither. Though as a kid I remember seeing the McCallister's in Home Alone watch the film in French (which I had no idea what they were seeing or that it was a Christmas movie), my interest in seeing it was actually through a Sesame Street Christmas. The Special was Elmo Saves Christmas, where nothing on TV is shown on Sesame Street except for the Frank Capra Christmas film (which honestly would annoy me as much as A Christmas Story on a 24-hour loop). Though I had little idea what the film was about, except that it involved a guardian angel, whenever a scene played, I found myself swept away by the black-and-white Christmas imagery, the performances, the music, and the mention of Bert and Ernie. What really sold me was seeing the Special end with the film's ending, where little Zuzu tells her father how an angel gets their wings, which really made me feel something special than usual, especially given it was an old movie from the 40s. After that point, I kept hearing about the film's reputation and seeing clips of the ending here and there and decided to watch my parents' VHS copy. Now I can never be too sure, but I did turn it off before the 5-minute mark, either because I couldn't see who was talking (as the film intended) or because the tape was broken and blurry. When I was in Middle School, where I began my deep dive into classic movies, I saw the 30-second bunnies reenact the movie and discovered the film's plot about someone wishing he had never been born. While not new to me, as I have seen it in TV shows, it amazed me that it was this Christmas movie that popularized it. I was at a Staples with my mom, and upon discovering a DVD copy on the shelf, she sweetly purchased it for me. When I turned it on, I was emotionally invested through its performances (especially from James Stewart), playful humor, Christmas setting, seeing George Bailey's life from the perspective of angles (by either seeing an image slowly become clear, a scene freezing, or through montage), and visiting a dark alternate reality before George receives his happy Christmas ending. The film touched me in a way no other Christmas film has pulled my heartstrings before. Because of the haunting impact it left on me, my little brother Jack and I would typically wake up incredibly early on Christmas morning to watch the film before the others woke up. There was one point when we didn't have a copy, which would have canceled our tradition, but our mom, on Christmas Eve, surprised us with a copy that came with a red cardboard box of cutout characters in front of a Christmas tree, and inside was a little silver bell. With traditions changing for various reasons, though we no longer get up early to see it, I still keep it a tradition to watch it every Christmas because of how important the film is to me.
A significant reason the film is a must-watch for me every holiday season is its moral, told through incredible emotional storytelling. Throughout life, I have always dealt with severe depression. I felt alone, did not feel like I was getting to where I wanted to be, lost people I loved through their dismissal of me, and at times, I thought my place in life was meaningless. In other words, I related to George Bailey too much. And as I mentioned earlier, Christmas is partly a time full of overwhelmingly negative emotions regarding stress, regrets, and people we miss. Participating with the family always puts a big smile on my face (when it isn't chaotic), but watching It's a Wonderful Life is more than a tradition; it's also in many ways therapeutic. It's a reminder that no matter how cruel and sad life can get, the joys of it are more than worth living for. You may feel depressed and unaccomplished in life, but you are loved and make a difference to someone's life more than you think. You may believe your life is pointless and uneventful, but the truth is you're doing better than you give yourself credit for. While there is no shame in wanting bigger and better things, a person should not undermine their own accomplishments. And having this message as a Christmas moral, a time that emphasizes love for friends and family and doing selfless good for others, makes it more profound. In terms of entertainment, this is the film that helps me reflect on my life the most when I am feeling down, and I don't just mean it as a Christmas movie! Why this movie, other than its traditional holiday appeal, is that it does everything I expect it to do to perfection. James Stewart gives arguably his most powerful performance, with emotions that are relatable and real, never coming across as forced or corny. For every time I tear up when he's at the end of his rope or haunted by visions of a world without him, I warmly smile with almost a tear of joy when he realizes how meaningful his life truly is, even if it's not what he dreamed of. And I don't just mean the second half of the film; Stewart delivers the same powerhouse performance in the first half, where you believe his excitement, conflicts, disappointments, and sincerity toward others during rough times. The entire cast brings as much emotion to the film as Stewart, playing unforgettable characters like the cruel, Scrooge-like Mr. Potter, the loving, supportive wife Mary, the gentle, childlike angel Clarence, the pitiful yet funny Uncle Billy, the flirty Violet, and the friendly comic duo Bert and Ernie. And it's more than just the characters and performances that bring emotional support to this story. It's the absolute perfect balance of fantasy, reality, sweetness, bitterness, humor, drama, romance, family, and friendship. It's knowing when to include Dimitri Tiomkin's subtle and effective score and when to keep things silent to feel the weight of the characters' feelings. It's the magnificent pacing that determines how long a scene should last or be shortened. And it's the lighting, black-and-white cinematography, and set design that create an atmosphere filled with emotion. Whether looking as beautiful as a Christmas card or picture prints, depressingly realistic and even documentary-like when showing how historical events affect the story, appearing dreamlike during the romance scenes, or a nightmare-film noir for George's alternate reality, it's all visually compelling. I've seen this movie in color once, and my goodness, did it feel empty, ugly, and unnatural, proving how important it is to see it the way it was shown. Any nitpicks I have with the film are the little continuity errors, jump cuts, and the apparent cheapness of some of the effects, which, granted, the latter actually work stylistically.
Over the last few years, I have heard people claim that the film is not a full-on Christmas movie, which, granted, they are not wrong to a degree, but when I hear someone say how little Christmas has to do with the film, I question if they have seen the movie. The film opens up with a storybook of Christmas illustrations for the opening credits, and the first few scenes we see is the Christmas decorated snow-covered town of Bedford Falls as we hear people pray, galaxies of angels communicate with each other, and see the first flashback take place at least in the winter as they go sleigh riding down the hill and over an ice pond. After that point, the holiday is absent for the rest of the first half, but it does return strongly for the entirety of the second half, which, granted, is not a full hour but close to it. The Christmas aesthetic is typically expressed through snow, decorations, festivities, a guardian angel by George's side, and themes of love, giving, and appreciation for what one has. I'll go even deeper and claim the spirit of Christmas is very much present in the scenes without the holiday. The whole point of Christmas is to do good for others out of the kindness of one's heart, whether to people you know or to strangers in need, even if it requires a sacrifice at times. George Bailey, despite wanting particular things (like an excited kid wishing for a specific present on Christmas), winds up acting selflessly for the greater good of his community and family, due to the greed of Mr. Potter wanting to control the whole town and put them in debt (as Scrooge would do all year round). George realizes his worth and receives the love he gives for others back on Christmas, but the non-Christmas portion of the film shows the importance of keeping those holiday values all year round, which is more critical than implying we only have to do charitable good for people on Christmas. And even then, George is helped by the people he aids before the Christmas finale for his noble deeds, showing the loving goodwill that people can always share. However, for those who still think Christmas is not in the film long enough, well, if films that don't function entirely as Christmas movies like Holiday Inn, Edward Scissorhands, and Meet Me in St. Louis are still cherished around the holidays; I don't understand why this film should be treated any differently. No Christmas for me is complete without watching this masterpiece, as it exceeds everything it promises to do. It's heartfelt, it's challenging, it's deep, it's phenomenally performed, it's entertaining, it's an altogether wonderful movie that continues to bring me on the same emotional and spiritual journey as it did when I first experienced it!
