Let’s just jump right into this, because you don’t have much time to watch these before Santa comes. Fortunately, this is a good time for binging.
This list is varied, in terms of genres and eras and such. But there’s one commonality: They’re upbeat. No ironic stuff like “A Christmas Story” or horror stuff like “Black Christmas.” This is the most wonderful time of the year, and that’s what we’re going with here:
- It’s a Wonderful Life — This is the film you need to be watching on Christmas Eve, right up to the moment you hit the sack so Santa can come. You won’t find anything that will do more to make you feel legitimately (nothing phony here) good about Christmas, about America (yay, Frank Capra!) and about life, period.
- Elf — If you only watch two, make sure one of them’s this one. If you’ve avoided it because you don’t want to see Will Ferrell being sillier than ever, you’re missing out. The two best things Jon Favreau has ever done are this, and “Swingers.” And the kids can watch this one, and love it.
- Home Alone — Some great hilarity, with some of the best scenes being ones you might not think of (Kevin’s mom riding with John Candy and his polka band). But you know who the star is? That cool house the McCallisters live in. And in the end, there’s some heart-warming redemption, so you know it’s a real Christmas movie.
- Love Actually — Yeah, boys, it’s romance, but it’s some pretty good romance, spread thinly enough that you can enjoy the good bits, engagingly played by a fantastic cast.
- A Christmas Carol — Pretty much any version, from the 1938 classic to “Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol.” In fact, if you want to get really out there, the twist on the story that Apple+ rolled out last year — “Spirited,” with Will Ferrell (again) and Ryan Reynolds — is way better than you likely expect.
- Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer — Show the kids one that their grandparents watched when it first came out in 1964 as a TV special. It not only pretty much launched the stop-motion craze, but it’s got Burl Ives as a singing snowman. Can’t beat that.
- Christmas in Connecticut — Romance again, but funny. Also, you get some classic end-of-the-war exuberance. The star is the lovely Barbara Stanwyck, long before “The Big Valley.” There’s also Sydney Greenstreet. As you watch, try to pick out the other actor who played a great role in “Casablanca.”
- White Christmas — Yes, we got in a musical. And of course it’s this one.
- Miracle on 34th St. — We seem to be stuck in the ’40s (although technically the previous one came out in the ’50s), complete with Maureen O’Hara. But a very young Natalie Wood pretty much steels the show — well, she and Edmund Gwenn as Kris Kringle. We suspect that all the publicity this gave Macy’s may be why “Elf” moved the store-Santa action down the street to Gimbels.
- Die Hard — No, John McClane fanatics, we did not forget that (to you at least) this is a Christmas movie. And yes, despite all the murder and mayhem, the good guy wins, and lives to do it over and over.
- The Lion in Winter — First, you’re saying, Hey, that’s eleven! Well, yeah, because Santa told us you’d been extra good this year. Then, you’re saying, How is this a Christmas movie? Well, we didn’t think of it that way, but Esquire put it on their list, and we don’t think we’re smarter than Esquire. Finally, you protest, You’re trying to make us learn some history. OK, you got us. But you should also be reminded that however awkward things are at your family holiday gatherings, they’re not this bad…
Merry watching…
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