Every year when I put up my Christmas tree, I watch Irving Berlin’s White Christmas. Over the years, I’ve come to realize that it’s my favorite Christmas movie. There are a few others I watch fairly religiously–pun intended–and sometimes even in this order, so I guess you could say those are my favorites too. Here’s a handy list for your convenience:
1.) Irving Berlin’s White Christmas
2.) Love Actually
3.) Die Hard
4.) The Holiday
5.) Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
6.) A Christmas Carol (George C. Scott, Patrick Stewart, and/or the Muppets)
7.) Emmett Otter’s Jugband Christmas
8.) Scrooged
I’m sure there are more, but it’s still early. I will confess this, however: I have never seen It’s a Wonderful Life. I actually own it, since I found the DVD on sale one year and bought it so that I might finally watch it…and then never got around to it. Perhaps this year, the very first year I’ll have a Christmas with a family of my very own making, I’ll watch it and share it with them.
What are your favorite Christmas movies? What have I missed?
Edited to add: THE REF. Joe reminded me of this one, and I own it…on laserdisc. Guess who’s adding to her Christmas list RIGHT NOW?? Dennis Leary needs to be on my list.
Edited again to add: any of the Rankin-Bass films, tho my favorite is The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus. I only own the VHS. Why is this not on DVD??
A Christmas Story and National Lampoons Christmas Vacation are missing and they are must sees for me every year
Blasphemy, I know, but A Christmas Story has never been one of my favorites. National Lampoons was a lot of fun, though…I need to get that. As well as Holiday Inn, which I would totally watch every year if I owned it.
I highly recommend “It’s a Wonderful Life.” And if you enjoyed “Love Actually” and “The Holiday,” rent “The Family Stone.” It’s wonderful.
I like “Shop Around the Corner,” a 1940 movie starring Jimmy Stewart. Nobody’s heard of it, but it’s a great movie!
I thought about mentioning “You’ve Got Mail”, which is a sort-of remake of “Shop Around the Corner.” I’ve never seen the original, tho. I’ll add that to my list. Thanks!
Scrooged ranks very high on my list. As does Bad Santa–John Ritter is amazing in that movie.
1) “A Christmas Carol” (1951 B&W with Alastair Sim) I used to watch it every year with my mother–a fond memory at Christmas since she passed away.
2) “Great Expectations” (1946 B&W with John Mills/Tony Wager, Jean Simmons and Sir Alec Guinness–way before he played Ben Kenobi) I just watched this with my kids a couple of days ago.
3) “It’s a Wonderful Life” (1946 B&W with James Stewart and Donna Reed) This is one of the ONLY movies that has ever made me maudlin.
4) “Rover Dangerfield” (1991 Cartoon with Rodney Dangerfield and Susan Boyd) Hey – “I’ll never do it on a Chistmas Tree, oh what would Santa think of me…”
5) “A Christmas Story” (1983 with Peter Billingsly, Darren McGavin and Melinda Dillon) Grew up in southern Michigan, shared some of the overall feel–though it was way before my time.
6) “The Nightmare Before Christmas” (1993 Animated with Chris Sarandon and Catherine O’Hara)
7) “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” (1966 Cartoon with Boris Karloff and June Foray)
8) “Better off Dead” (1985 with John Cusack, Diane Franklin, Curtis Armstrong and Amanda Wyss)
9) “Gremlins” (1984 with Zack Galligan, Phoebe Cates)
10) “Stalag 17” (1953 with William Holden, Don Taylor, Robert Strauss, Peter Graves)
11) “We’re No Angels” (1955 B&W with Humphrey Bogart, Joan Bennett and Basil Rathbone)
12) “Frosty the Snowman” (1969 Cartoon with Jimmy Durante and Jackie Vernon)
13) “The Year Without Santa Clause” (1954 Animated with Mickey Rooney, George S. Irving, Dick Shawn) Mr. Heat Miser/Mr. Snow Miser.
14) “Goodfellas” (1990 with Ray Liotta, Joe Pesci, Robert De Niro, Lorraine Bracco, Paul Sorvino) climaxes around Christams.
15) “Lethal Weapon” (1987 with Mel Gibson and Danny Glover)
16) “The Long Kiss Goodnight” (1996 with Gina Davis and Samuel L. Jackson) I really like this movie.
17) “Toy Story” (1995 with Tom Hanks and Tim Allen)
18) “Toy Story 3” (2010 with Tom Hanks and Tim Allen) I actually liked this more than the first one.
19) “Soldier” (1988 with Kurt Russel) My favorite Russel film–he carries the entire movie on his expressions and a few lines.
20) “Trading Places” (1983 with Eddie Murphy and Dan Akroyd) I saw it in the theater, and almost every year since.
Ya know, I never saw Soldier. I heart KR.
ELF! It’s been our favorite family Christmas movie the last couple of years. Josh and Ian always ride escalators the way Buddy the Elf does and the boys would love to follow the elves’ four food groups (candy, candy canes, candy corns, and syrup). Ian and Josh would probably also add Ernest Saves Christmas to their lists, though I just can’t do it.
For me personally, White Christmas and Miracle on 34th Street are favorites. 🙂