Perfect movies to watch for the perfect time of year!
When you find yourself sitting around the house stuffing your face with your mother's leftovers, do something productive with your times while eating those leftovers... like watching excellent Christmas movies that never seem to get old, or always seem to strike a sweet spot and you inexplicably cry. So, without further ado, here is a list of some great Christmas movies to watch over break to keep you occupied while you no doubt increase your pant size:
1. "Home Alone 2: Lost in New York"
Nothing says Merry Christmas like two Wet Bandits (originally Sticky Bandits) who don't know when to stop harassing young children and/or robbing toy stores/houses. This movie is probably the only case where the sequel is better than the original movie. This film will make you cry when you realize (for the second time) that regardless of how many times that you fight with your family, they are the most important Christmas present that you can receive.
2. "National Lampoon's: Christmas Vacation"
This movie, on top of being one of the most hilarious movies of all-time, is one of the best Christmas movies out there. There are far too many excellent parts of this movie to sum it up in a few sentences, but thankfully there are moments in this movie that will make you happy-cry more than sad-cry. When you sad-cry, it will be when Clark finally realizes that a Christmas bonus is not what he needs to make him happy, but what he really did want was that "Griswold Family Christmas" (even Uncle Eddie).
3. "It's a Wonderful Life"
Everyone needs a little black and white in their lives, and you will get the perfect amount once a year at Christmas time. This movie has almost no happy tears, and is all depressing and sad tears. When you do cry happy tears, it is at the very end, when George Bailey realizes that he doesn't want to kill himself and his life does have value. This really is a sad movie, I'm watching it now; safe to say I'm not really in the spirit.
4. "The Polar Express"
Nothing sums up this movie better than "Believe." Every single person that no longer believes in Santa wishes that at the bare minimum, they could at least have the childlike wonder they had back when they got excited for him to come. When you take the train ride to the North Pole, you will cry remembering all the times growing up the joy and love you felt for Santa Claus and the wonder there was to the phrase, "Believing is seeing."
5. "A Christmas Story"
"You'll shoot your eye out." The famous line that started what seems to be the famous tradition of Christmas; there is a reason that this movie plays 24/7 on TBS during the holiday. This family epitomizes the traditional American family that rings true in all of our hearts. This movie makes you cry because it reminds you of your own family values, and brings your own family a little closer to your heart.
6. "Home Alone"
Although I personally love the sequel a little more, you definitely can't beat the original that started it all. Even though this has the same message of "the best Christmas present that you can have is family" this time, as opposed to Kevin getting on the wrong plane, the parents leave Kevin home; who does that? So, I think the more important lesson to learn here is check the car before you leave. Oh, and you will cry in this movie when the mom realizes what a bad parent she is for leaving her youngest at home (and pray your mom never does the same to you).
7. "The Santa Clause"
So, I would definitely shove Santa off the roof if it meant that my own dad could be Santa (don't lie, you would too). This movie is all about how Scott Calvin's son knows that his dad is Santa, but no one believes him (except SC) and then on Christmas (shocker) Scott gets shipped to the pole to get ready for Christmas and takes Charlie with him. Finally everyone believes Charlie and Scott that Santa is suddenly real and everyone is happy. You will cry in this movie when no one believes Charlie and everyone thinks Scott is crazy for taking on a "fake Santa" appearance so Laura and the terrible sweater guy can take custody away from SC.
8. "The Santa Clause 2"
This is also a great example of a great sequel, but not better than the first. Of course, something is funky when Santa doesn't have a Mrs. at the North Pole waiting up for him! So, Santa goes back down south to find himself a pretty wife. Finally he finds the principal of Charlie's school (weird?) and he lives happily ever after. You will cry in this movie when Santa's magic is about to run out before he finds a wife, and when you find out that the sweet, little Charlie from the first movie is a delinquent child who almost gets suspended from his soon to be step-mother.
9. "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" (Jim Carrey Version)
Everyone loves the cartoon version of this movie, but there is nothing quite like a dash of Jim Carrey to make a movie a lot more hilarious and enjoyable to watch. Everyone knows the original story of "The Grinch" being green as he hates everything about Christmas, the Who's and having the steamy crush on Martha May. So, you will cry when he realizes that he has a heart and re-distributes the gifts back to all the Who's and finally gets with the love of his life.
10. "Elf" (Obviously)
I honestly don't think you can enjoy the build-up to Christmas without watching "Elf." Will Ferrell completes all of your expectations about elf culture, and you know that is how you would expect to see an elf react to the Big Apple. But, I did wonder why the creators of the movie chose to dress him in the costume of the mean elf from Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer claymation movie... It doesn't make sense. Anyways, you will laugh-cry and sad-cry, but when you sad-cry, it will be after the midget kicks Will's butt and his dad kicks him out of his office. What kind of dad treats their son that way? So rude.
