From About.com.........Courtesy of Rebecca Murray.
My favorite is ....A Christmas Story. What's yours?
1. 'Love Actually'
© Universal Pictures
One
of the best written romantic comedies in decades happens to have a
Christmas theme. Eight storylines collide in this touching, funny, and
highly entertaining look at love, lust, loss, and relationships.
Starring Hugh Grant as the British Prime Minister, Keira Knightley as a new bride, Liam Neeson as a newly widowed father, and Bill Nighy as an aging rock star, Love Actually has a lot of heart and a lot of engaging characters to get into.
2. 'A Christmas Story'
© Warner Home Video
"You'll
poke your eye out!" Anyone who's hoped and wished and dreamed of that
one gift, that one item so special nothing else will do, will absolutely
adore A Christmas Story. Ralphie (Peter Billingsley, director of Couples Retreat)
wants a Red Ryder BB gun, but his parents keep telling him it's too
dangerous. But that doesn't stop Ralphie from driving his poor parents
crazy by actively campaigning for the gun.
3. 'Elf'
© New Line Cinema
6'3" Will Ferrell is raised by Santa and thinks he's an elf in this hilarious comedy directed by Jon Favreau (Iron Man).
After getting kicked out of the North Pole because he's too ungainly to
handle elf duties, Buddy sets out to find his real father. But once he
meets his biological dad, things don't go smoothly. Being raised by
Santa creates a lot of problems in a real world where most people don't
believe in the jolly old elf.
4. 'Scrooged'
© Paramount
Bill Murray hates Christmas and everything associated with the holiday in this modern retelling of Dickens' A Christmas Carol.
Childhood memories combined with a failed relationship with the love of
his life have made this TV producer an unpleasant fellow to be around
during the holiday season. But when he's visited by three ghosts, he has
a dramatic change of heart.
5. 'National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation'
© Warner Home Video
This
is my personal favorite film of all the National Lampoon Griswold
family adventures. When the squirrel comes flying out of the Christmas
tree, it never fails to send me into a fit of uncontrollable laughter.
All Clark wants is for this family (even those members he didn't invite)
to have a great holiday, but just about everything that could go wrong,
does go wrong.
6. 'A Nightmare Before Christmas'
© Walt Disney Pictures
Like your holiday films a little twisted? Are you into Tim Burton? How about musicals with bite? If you answered yes, then the stop-motion A Nightmare Before Christmas
should be right up your alley. Jack Skellington is supposed to be all
about Halloween, but he finds himself fascinated with Christmas and
wants to take over that holiday by kidnapping Santa.
7. 'Home Alone'
© 20th Century Fox
The
first film of the series (there have been four all together, and a
video game) is still the best, and still deserves a viewing during the
winter holidays. Written and produced by John Hughes and directed by Chris Columbus (Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Rent), Home Alone
introduced us to the dysfunctional McCallister family and their
youngest son, Kevin, played by Macaulay Culkin who will forever be
remembered for his surprised pose on the film's poster. Kevin's left
home (hence the title) at Christmas and after the initial joy of being
away from this family wear off, he realizes that even if they get on his
nerves, he really does love them all.
8. 'Bad Santa'
© Dimension Films
Billy
Bob Thornton is a bad, bad Santa. He smokes, he drinks, he hits on
women, and he has really, really bad hygiene. As far as we know, none of
these traits apply to the real Santa... Thornton plays Willie, a
seasonal Santa hired on to work in a shopping mall along with his
associate, Marcus (Tony Cox). Marcus may fit the physical
characteristics of an elf, but he's just as R-rated as Willie. But
Willie has a change of heart when he meets a beautiful bartender and a
troubled kid who truly believes in him.
9. 'The Muppet Christmas Carol'
© Walt Disney Home Entertaiment
Who
can resist The Muppets even when it's not Christmas? All of the
familiar puppets, including Kermit, Miss Piggy, and Fozzie Bear, help
bring Dickens' A Christmas Carol to life in this G-rated family friendly 1992 film.
10. 'Gremlins'
© Warner Home Video
I'm guessing the first film that pops into your head when you think of Christmas movies isn't Gremlins,
but the 1984 horror comedy from writer Chris Columbus and director Joe
Dante actually is Christmas-themed. And quick, don't think about it,
what are the rules for raising a gremlin? 1) Don't let them near water,
2) no bright lights, and 3) do not under any circumstances feed them
after midnight!
