Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Top 10 Christmas Movies

Capra's It's a Wonderful Life is essential.

Merry Christmas! Here's a quick list of my holiday favorites. Some honorable mentions: The Bishop's Wife (1947), It Happened on Fifth Avenue (1947), Elf (2003), Christmas in Connecticut (1945), and The Fitzgerald Family Christmas (2012). Note: I don't consider Meet Me in St. Louis (1944) or Die Hard (1988) Christmas films, so I'll give them a special mention here.

10. Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)

9. Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

8. The Family Stone (2005)

7. The Polar Express (2004)

6. Love Actually (2003)

5. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989)

4. Home Alone (1990)

3. The Shop Around the Corner (1940)

2. White Christmas (1954)

1. It's a Wonderful Life (1946)

10 comments:

  1. Merry Christmas, Josh! Ending of A Wonderful Life is magical, and lifts your spirits.
    I watched Love Actually for first time this Dec, the story hadn't really dated, so didn't matter I was 10 years too late :)

    I heard Remember the Night (1940), is a pretty good Xmas film (with Barbara Stanwyck). Going to try and see that next Dec.

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    1. Thanks, Chris! The same to you.

      I still have a couple of Christmas films to rewatch, including Love Actually.

      Remember the Night was on my longlist. I love that film! :)

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  2. OMG! The Family Stone! I watched that last night again, and despite it being kind of bad it's such a great movie. Also, it's clearly one of McAdams' finest performances and it is a real shame she never could capitalize on her talent.

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    1. I'm going to rewatch it this week. I usually watch some of it whenever it's on TV. Despite some tonal issues, I think it works quite well, and McAdams is fantastic! I wish her career had gone a different direction.

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  3. Lovely list! I'm actually gonna see Home Alone again tonight, but the ultimate Xmas movie for me is Love Actually, it's just so hilarious, mostly thanks to Bill Nighy.

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    1. Thanks! I'm going to rewatch Love Actually in the next day or two.

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  4. I'm obviously late to this one since I came in through the 2014 Christmas song list but these are some great films, a lot would be on mine too, except the Home Alones-I hate those movies.
    My ten would be:

    1. White Christmas
    2. Christmas in Connecticut
    3. A Christmas Carol-The George C. Scott TV version. I know it wasn't a theatrical feature but to me it's the best treatment ever.
    4. The Shop Around the Corner
    5. Love, Actually
    6. Miracle on 34th Street
    7. It's a Wonderful Life
    8. The Lemon Drop Kid
    9. Remember the Night
    10. Beyond Tomorrow

    One I absolutely love but isn't strictly a Christmas movie is We're No Angels with Humphrey Bogart, Peter Ustinov and Aldo Ray as three Devil's Island escapees subbing for the Three Wise Men.

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    1. Haha, the Home Alone movies were the first Christmas ones I watched as a child, so I still enjoy them.

      Love that so many classics make your list. I haven't seen The Lemon Drop Kid, Beyond Tomorrow, or the George C. Scott A Christmas Carol, but I'm a big fan of the other films you listed.

      I still haven't seen We're No Angels. I need to check it out.

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  5. I just realized I forgot to include A Christmas Story on my list!! Can't believe that since I love it so, that's what the holidays will do to you. If I recall correctly you're not that fond of it but it would be in third or fourth position for me.

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    1. Yeah, I like it just fine, but I've never been a massive fan. Still, I can see why it has so many admirers.

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