Santa Claus: The Movie
Half Santa biography,
half modern day tale.
When one of Santa's
elves goes rogue and
joins up with an evil
toy
manufacturer, the big
guy must come to his
rescue.
Submitted by Francine Marie Boylan,
Saint Olaf College
Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas
When you grow weary
of cute cartoon
Santas and
heartwarming
holiday films, pop
"The Nightmare
Before Christmas"
into the DVD player
and enjoy a twisted
Christmas movie.
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
Chevy Chase is the
perfect antidote to
too much holiday
schmaltz. Watch him
bungle around for an
hour and 37 minutes
and you can sit
through three
viewings of "It's a
Wonderful Life."
A Charlie Brown Christmas
There's nothing like
Charlie Brown -and his blind love
for a sad, little
Christmas tree -to remind you to
look out for the
little guy during
the holidays.
Holiday Inn
This is the movie that
originated the song "White
Christmas," which is probably
why we still think of it as a
Christmas film. Jilted by his
fiance, Bing Crosby gives up
show business to run a farm
only to find that farm life
isn't as easy as he thought.
He opens Holiday Inn, staging
shows only on national
holidays and falls in love with
his star. But the man who
stole his fiance ( Fred
Astaire) threatens to steal
his new leading lady too.
The Polar Express
Sure, it's a little
creepy that every
character looks like
Tom Hanks (including
the young main
character). But the
magical movie about
a little boy who lost
his faith in Santa is
still required
viewing.
A Christmas Carol
True to the book
with great
performances,
this is the best
telling of Charles
Dickens' classic
tale.
Dr. Seuss How The Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
Jim Carrey had great
material to work
with when he
transposed Dr.
Seuss' classic into a
live action movie. But
if anyone could take
on the over-the-top,
greedy, Christmashating Grinch, it was
Carrey.
Scrooged
You've got Bill Murray,
crazy 1980s greed
and Charles Dickens.
Really, it couldn't go
wrong.
Frosty the Snowman
The charming cartoon
tale of the man of
snow who came to
life one day is a
required holiday
viewing. And Jimmy
Durante's narration
ensures it will be
around for years to
come.
Christmas in Connecticut
Barbara Stanwyck is a
newspaper columnist
who portrays herself as
a happily married 1940s
Martha Stewart. But in
reality she's a single gal
who knows more about
shopping for furs than
cooking, cleaning and
sewing. Trouble starts
when her magazine
invites a war hero to
spend a perfect
Christmas with her and
her perfect family.
Bad Santa
Billy Bob Thornton is so
bad he's good as a
department store Santa
with a wandering eye, a
foul mouth and a
drinking problem. The
movie is full of cringeworthy moments but
Thornton plays his
Santa so bad, you can't
look away.
Home Alone
We love this movie not just
because of the incredible
premise (you forgot your
kid?) or the ingenious burglar
proofing (blow torch above
the front door?). We love it
because when left on his own
Macaulay Culkin not only
danced around in his
underwear and ate junk food
-- just like you'd expect a kid
to -- but he also acted like an
adult, buying a toothbrush
and decorating the house.
The Bishop’s Wife
Loretta Young is a bishop's
wife watching her
ambitious husband lose
sight of what matters.
Then an angelic Carey
Grant steps in and uses
a little magic refresh
the bishop's wife and
save her husband from
ruin. Don't miss the
scene where Carey
Grant decorates a
Christmas tree with a
few flicks of his wrist.
Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town
It's the E! True Hollywood
Story of Santa Claus. How he
went from rogue outlaw to
beloved toy distributor. How
he won the heart of an
initially cold Mrs. Claus. And
why he runs around with all
those elves.
This stop-motion animation
TV special drags a little, but
it's worth it for the
narration by Fred Astaire.
Love Actually
These interlocking stories
of love lost and found at
Christmastime are pitch
perfect. Funny and sad
with just the right
amount of schmaltz,
they're enough to make
you believe that, at
Christmas at least, love
really is all around.
Elf
Buddy the elf is happy,
hopped up on sugar
and determined to
connect with his real
dad, a cynical James
Caan. If you haven't
watched Will Ferrell
pour syrup on
spaghetti, you
haven't had
Christmas.
The Muppet Christmas Carol
The classic Muppets
taking on the classic
Christmas tale -- of
course it's perfect!
And Kermit was born
for the role of Bob
Cratchett.
White Christmas
Bing Crosby singing
"White Christmas" is
the definition of the
holiday season. And
this happy, colorful
1950s musical is the
perfect medicine for
a holiday season
filled with worries
and fears.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Thank goodness for stop motion
animation, because Rudolph
wouldn't be nearly as
charming in cartoon form.
Somehow the jerky
movements and static sets
make Hermey the misfit elf,
Yukon Conelius the
prospector and the Bumble
seem timeless.
And the songs will get stuck
in your head (you're humming
“Have a Holly Jolly
Christmas” right now, aren't
you?)
Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
The uplifting story of
a little girl who's
cynical about life
and the department
store Santa who
teaches her to
believe in magic.
Favorite scene:
Natalie Wood
learning to be a
monkey.
The Santa Clause
It's every kid's dream:
Dad could be Santa
Claus. All he has to do is
push the other Santa
off his roof. That
perfect mix of whimsy
and mature laughs made
this Tim Allen comedy
an annual favorite. Who
can forget Allen
desperately trying to
lose weight and shave
his fast-growing beard?
It’s a Wonderful Life
Oh, George Bailey! Our
hearts break for him
every year as we watch
him do the right thing
and only to be knocked
down again and again. If
you don't cry at the end
-- when George is
surrounded by all the
lives he changed -- then
you might need to take
up residence with the
Grinch.
Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966)
Boris Karloff's wonderful
narration. Max, the dogturned-reindeer.
Adorable Cindy Lou
Who. That nasty green
Grinch with his toosmall heart. And a feelgood message love and
eschewing materialism.
How can this NOT be on
your Christmas watch
list?
A Christmas Story
If you don't know that
phrase, or any of the
countless other gems in
this off-beat holiday
movie, then get thee to
the video store now.
Ralphie's Christmas
quest for a Red Rider
BB Gun will make you
laugh until your funny
bone is sore. Don’t miss
the leg lamp and the
bunny suit!