A Charlie Brown Christmas:The Christmas Edition of Charlie Brown and the gang’s antics continue to bring fun stories for the family. Charlie Brown’s woes of another holiday are brought front and center once more, but this time his luck changes when Lucy tells him the school play needs a director. Now, order must be maintained, despite the cast’s unwilling behavior, and Charlie Brown will do whatever he can, alongside his friend Linus, to restore true Christmas spirit.
Elf:Will Ferrell plays Buddy the Elf, an elf that has lived in the North Pole for all of his life, but things change when he finds out that he is not an elf at all. Now, he must leave what he has always known in order to form a relationship with his father and help get him off of the naughty list, but along the way he will have to deal with new relationships and a need for Christmas cheer. This movie is easy to turn on at any time, and the family is sure to enjoy Will Ferrell’s iconic, comedic antics.
Christmas Chronicles:In this Netflix original film, siblings Kate and Teddy Pierce, played by Darby Camp and Jude Lewis, sneak onto Santa’s sleigh in order to prove he is real, but things get out of control when they accidentally cause him to crash. Now, the three have to work together in order to get the reindeers back and make sure Santa can deliver all of the gifts before Christmas morning. Kurt Russell plays a very good Santa Clause in this film, with a fun mix of serious and comedic reactions throughout the film. The movie’s plot is yet another fun Christmas adventure that nearly any family is sure to enjoy.
It’s a Wonderful Life:While not set during the Christmas season the entire time, its central themes signify much of what Christmas is about. The story follows the life of George Bailey, played by Bobby Anderson as a child and James Stewart as an adult, and the good he did for so many. Yet, in the Christmas in which the latter half of the film takes place, he is faced with a painful decision and potentially large amounts of debt. His guardian angel Clarence, played by Robert Carradine, must try to reason with him and show him why his life is so special. The final words of “No man is a failure who has friends” help to focus on being thankful for the blessings of one’s life, and the love of one’s family and friends.
Die Hard:Some argue it is not a Christmas movie, but by definition, taking place during and involving elements of the season, it should be. This movie takes Bruce Willis, playing New York City policeman John McLane, through an action packed journey, as Christmas plans at his wife’s workplace are hijacked by terrorists. Now, McClane must venture through the Nakatomi building, hoping to survive and make sure that the villain Hans Gruber, played by Alan Rickman, and his henchmen are brought to justice.
The Grinch:The classic story of How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss is one that has infiltrated many facets of the Christmas holiday. It has been adapted three times, and I feel that Illumination’s The Grinch does the original justice. This movie adapts the story in a fun, new way with CGI animation, while also expounding upon characters’ motives and relations: such as, Cindy Lou Who or The Grinch, voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch, and Max the dog.
Home Alone:Kevin Mcallister, played by Mcaulley Kulkin, is left at home while his family go on vacation, now he has to defend his home from a pair of thieves calling themselves The Wet Bandits, played by Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern. This is an action packed, comedic film asking the question of “what would you do to defend your home if you only had the items around you?”
A Christmas Story:This is a classic family Christmas movie. The film follows Ralphie, played by Peter Billingsley, goes through monumental lengths in order to get the Red Ryder BB gun, dealing with the excuses from his mother and other negative adults. An all time classic, A Christmas Story is a great family movie with a fun filled plot.
8-Bit Christmas:Following a similar idea as A Christmas Story, Jack Doyle, played by Neil Patrick Harris as an adult and Winslow Fegley as a child, recounts to his daughter the monumental efforts he would go through in order to get a Nintendo in the Christmas of 1988. 8-Bit Christmas brings a fun story with comedic tones mixing with sweet relationships. This modern take on a classic story brings a refreshing idea that is sure to become a classic in many households.
Spirited:Ryan Reynolds and Will Ferrell band together to make a new, fun Christmas comedy. Spirited adapts the already well known idea of ghosts visiting a bad person in order to change their spirits from Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, but it adds a fun, modern twist to this plot. This musical brings catchy tunes with some really funny acting, while somehow maintaining the balance of a mostly serious plot.
Honorable mention
Gremlins:If Die Hard is tentatively a Christmas movie, then Gremlins is definitely a Christmas movie. Set directly during the Christmas season with lights and snow covering the screen, as festive music plays throughout various scenes. Along with this, there are various allusions to Santa Clause, along with the main plot device, a small creature called a Mogwai that is named Gizmo, was given to the main character Billy Peltzer, played by Zach Galligan, by his father as an early Christmas gift. The one issue with Gizmo is that if he touches sunlight, he will die, if he touches water, he will multiply, and if he is fed after midnight, the Mogwai will become nightmarish creatures called Gremlins. This movie helps to expand the genre within the Christmas movie collection, and it brings some tension with the Gremlins’ cartoonish, malicious antics throughout the latter half of the film.
