This is the first of a series of 12 Christmas posts I’ll try to write in the next couple of days/weeks (up until a couple of days after Christmas). Besides that there’ll be a couple more Holiday themed posts: Geeky Christmas Gifts, Christmassy Videos and 5 Giveaway Contests, where you can win some cool presents!
To get us all in the Christmas spirit, here’s a list with my favourite Christmas movies. Now this list is pretty personal; there’ll be a lot of movies some of you will miss on it (some things I’ve never seen before like It’s A Wonderful Life, others I just hated, like Bad Santa).
12. Miracle on 34th Street
I’m talking about the newer 1997 version here with Elizabeth Perkins and Dylan McDermott (I’ve never seen the original 1947 version, so I can’t compare the two). It may be a little bit cheesy, but it’s still one of the better kids films with a Santa Claus in it.
11. Jingle All The Way
Arnie! In a Christmas movie! Yes, it got plenty of cheese and silliness, but I just can’t help liking this movie. It’s about a father who forgets to by his son the ultimate Christmas present of that year: a Turbo Man. He then proceeds to do anything on the eve of Christmas to get his hands on one.
10. The Long Kiss Goodnight
Not your typical Christmas movie and one of my favourite action movies. How can you not love a kick-ass heroine like Geena Davis? A woman with 8 years of amnesia suddenly start remembering things from her past, including wielding a knife and loading a gun.
9. Home Alone
This was the Christmas kids movie when I was growing up (although some might say I’m not completely grown up yet, lol). It has influenced me a lot though; so many of my plans and ideas of booby trapping have their roots in this movie.
8. Die Hard
The ultimate action movie! Bruce Willis plays John McClane, the New York cop who tries to stop terrorists taking over a building. Alan Rickman is perfect as Hans Gruber, the German terrorist.
7. Trading Places
I think this was the Christmas movie my family would watch every single year. A snobbish investor (Dan Akroyd) and a wily street con artist (Eddie Murphy) find their positions reversed as part of a bet by two callous millionaires.
6. While You Were Sleeping
Also another not really known Christmas movie. Sandra Bullock plays Lucy, a ticket collector for the subway, who is smitten with one of the commuters that passes her till everyday. When he’s mugged and pushed off the platform, she manages to save him, but he lands in a coma and she is somehow mistaken for his fiance.
5. Bridget Jones’ Diary
I’m not keen on this movie as other girls are, but it’s still an enjoyable movie. I love how Hugh Grant is just such an arrogant bastard here, but that Colin Firth remains his sweet, yet uptight self.
4. The Muppet Christmas Carol
The traditional Dickens story but with a Muppet twist! Michael Caine is perfectly cast as old Ebenezer Scrooge, who despises everything about Christmas. Then the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future (all muppets of course) come to visit him.
3. White Christmas
Not many people know that the famous Christmas song was the main song in the 1954 movie of the same name. Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye play a successful song-and-dance act, who team up with a sister duo (and of course fall in love with them) to save the failing inn of their former commanding general. Besides the well-known White Christmas song, there are a couple of other beauties in this classic.
2. The Nightmare Before Christmas
I remember I was about 8 when I saw the trailer for this movie and I was completely scared by it. I truly thought it was some horror movie. It was only years later that I actually sat down, watched and discovered the wonderful songs and story of The Nightmare Before Christmas. It’s also the first movie where I fell in love with Danny Elfman’s music (why, oh, why, doesn’t he sing more often? He’s got a great voice).
1. Love Actually
I know some people hate this movie, but ever since it was released it’s been my number one Christmas movie. I have to watch it every single year. And who can ever get enough of Hugh Grant’s hilarious gyrating and Bill Nighy’s singing? Plus it’s got one of the greatest scores (just listen to the PM’s Love Theme with your eyes closed).
Care to share your favourite Christmas movie with me?
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December 15th, 2008 at 19:23
You must watch Elf, the one with Will Ferrell. The funniest christmas movie ever! (rated by me anyway).
December 15th, 2008 at 23:15
12. I love this film! Me and my Mum watch it like every year! Just because it’s so sweet! The little girl (Myra Wilson – is it?) is just adorable!
11. Don’t think I’ve seen this one but I think I remember it all the same.
10. Haven’t seen this one.
9. Home Alone – I love this film! Another one! My brother used to try and plot how he could stop people breaking into our house.
8. Die Hard – isn’t really a Christmas movie?! lol Alan Rickman plays baddies really well!
7. Trading Places – I think I’ve seen this one but I don’t remember might need to re-watch it.
6. Thats such a sweet film! It’s the way she does her best to own up but no one listens.
5. Bridget Jones – Colin Firth had to be Mark Darcy – If you read any background to it, Helen Fielding saw it as a bit of Pride and Prejudice story – would it have been the same with out him? I like the way at the end that they have the manners to stop fighting and sing happy birthday to the guy in the resturant.
4. and 3. I’m sure these were played in my house when I was younger but I don’t actually remember seeing them! I remember that my Mum would watch White Christmas when we were at school or after bed time because me and Rich found it really boring.
2. I’ve never seen the Nightmare Before Christmas. I didn’t get into Tim Burton till I went to see The Corpse Bride on my own because none of my friends would go with me.
1. Love Actually – minus the “interesting” filming of Martin Freeman and Kris Marshall interesting singing I love this film! My favourite bit is when the boy (I can’t remember his name!) runs through the airport dodging the guards. When the girl sings All I want For Christmas – I always sing along and dance round the living room.
December 16th, 2008 at 15:29
You picked some interesting choices, for sure. I guess I didn’t really think of Die Hard, While You Were Sleeping or Bridget Jones as Christmas movies, but why not? I was a total Home Alone fanatic for years and still have to play the soundtrack a few times every Christmas. Maybe it’s too obvious, but I’d have to include A Christmas Story, the best film adaptation of the storyteller Jean Shepherd’s work.
December 17th, 2008 at 23:07
[...] Blogger Miss Geeky and I disagree on this one. Her favorite "Miracle On 34th Street" is the 1997 version with Elizabeth Perkins and Dylan McDermott, but since she admits she’s "never seen the original 1947 version, so I can’t compare the two," I’ll give her a pass for not knowing that’s the better one. But Miss Geeky, get thee to a video store. [...]