It's the holiday season and it's time to bust out the Christmas movies. Each one of us has their own favorite pair of movies that they watch every year, and these are my top Christmas movies to watch during the holidays. First off:
Elf
I'm a cotton-headed ninny muggins. You sit on a throne of lies. Son of a nutcracker! There are so many great lines from this modern-day classic. I swear, in high school, this is the only Christmas movie we wanted to watch in class. Is it how Will Ferrell plays a lovable elf that is the human embodiment of the joy of Christmas? Is it...wait, I think I figured out what makes this movie so great. Will Ferrell is just perfect. Everything he does in his role of Buddy is amazing. His delivery, his enthusiasm- I have no words to say how great he is in Elf, and he will be fondly remembered because of it. Just a great movie!
The Polar Express
This movie holds a special place in my heart because seeing it for the first time was magical. In kindergarten, my entire kindergarten class got to see The Polar Express in theaters, where we got to be in our pajamas, and drink hot chocolate; we even received our own sleigh bell at the end of the movie. To this day, I love it just as much as I loved it when I was five years old. This film just perfectly embodies the holiday spirit that a child has, what we have all felt as children, and brings back our belief in Christmas. The perfect movie to watch while drinking hot chocolate (Hot chocolate! Hot! Hot!).
A Charlie Brown Christmas
Who am I kidding? I'd be nuts if I didn't include the Peanuts on this list. They're just wonderful. The characters, the music, the story and it's themes, it's basically makes your life when you watch it. The ideal movie to watch while decorating your Christmas tree.
Home Alone
"Merry Christmas you filthy animal." I'd be even more insane if I didn't include this John Hughes classic. It's just a fun and required comedy to watch. Seriously, what's more fun to see than an eight-year-old kid outsmarting two grown thieves in the most painful and clever way possible? Plus, Joe Pesci's face when his head is blasted with fire is gold. I could watch that scene all day and never stop laughing. Just look at him!
White Christmas
"Snow..."
"Snow..."
"Snow..."
"Snow..."
"...Snnooooow!"
The ultimate and classic holiday musical with Bing Cosby, Rosemary Clooney, Danny Kaye, and Vera Ellen. It's just a feel-good movie all throughout. From the classic show tunes, dance numbers, the humor, it's an essential to watch.
The Holiday
Now I know this isn't an iconic movie like the ones listed above, but to me this is just a nice movie to put on when I don't want to be all Christmasy, but still have the atmosphere. Two women, one who has broken up with her cheating boyfriend and the another trying to get over a newly-engaged man, decide to swap houses for the holiday season in order to move on and get over the men they lost. However, fate leads them to the men they're meant to be with, as well as allowing them to do some soul-searching and to find out more about themselves. With title characters that are played by stars such as Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Jude Law, and Jack Black, you can't go wrong, especially when Nancy Meyers is writing and directing.
And finally, the best for last...
It's A Wonderful Life
"Every time a bell rings an angel gets his wings." This movie, in my opinion, is the best Christmas movie of all time. If you haven't seen It's A Wonderful Life, go see this film please. You have to see it at least once while you're on this Earth. It tells the story of protagonist George Bailey, who, one Christmas Eve, starts to consider throwing away God's greatest gift: his life. As the angel Clarence prepares to help George Bailey in order to gain his wings, he, along with the viewer, gets to see George's life as it leads to his crucial moment. What I love about this movie is that, compared to other movies on this list, it doesn't focus solely on the holiday season, but on one man's entire life, all year long. I don't think any other Christmas movie does that. It's A Wonderful Life not only focuses on being with your friends and family, but also calls to focus on being grateful for what you have, who you know and love, and for just existing. It makes you wonder how much you have influenced or changed a person's life just by being born. It even ties the commercial and spiritual messages of Christmas very well, contrasting everyday life with the teachings of God. I will never stop watching this movie every year, and no matter how many times I will watch it, I will always cry like a baby at the end. Make sure you have a box of Kleenex before you watch this movie; it's a requirement. This classic Frank Capra film is an absolute must.
Hope you enjoyed this list and I wish you a happy viewing! Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas!
