This is topic What's You're Favorite Top 5 XMAS Movies? in forum Film-Yak at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.


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Posted by Phil Hill (Member # 371) on 11-22-2008, 03:51 PM:
 
Mine (In no particular order) are:

Bad Santa (2003)
A Christmas Story (1983)
A Christmas Carol (1938)
It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

(Bah! Humbug!)
 

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Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 11-22-2008, 05:19 PM:
 
A Christmas Story (1983)
Bad Santa (2003)
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989)

Die Hard technically isn't a Christmas movie, but it is set during Christmas. Home Alone is another decent one set during Christmas.

Planes, Trains & Automobiles is probably my favorite movie involving Thanksgiving.
 

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Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 11-22-2008, 05:46 PM:
 
Planes,Trains and Automobiles

For Christmas...it's gotta be 'A Christmas Story'.


and 'It's A Wonderful Life'.
 

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Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 11-22-2008, 05:52 PM:
 
Phil, I'm right along with ya on some of those. My list also has to include one TV movie:

Scrooge (Alistair Sim) (1951)
It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
A Christmas Story (1983)
Truman Capote's Trilogy (segment: A Christmas Memory) (1969)
The Homecoming (The Waltons pilot) (1971)

Sorry, "The Magic Christmas Tree" is NOT in my top five!
 

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Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 11-22-2008, 11:38 PM:
 
I've seen plenty of Christmas movies over the years but I've never seen "It's a Wonderful Life" or "Miracle on 34th Street" I'm ashamed/amazed to say.

My top favorite Christmas movies in no particular order are:

The Polar Express
A Christmas Story
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

I thought (and still think) "The Nightmare Before Christmas" was overrated, and I haven't seen "Bad Santa." "Home Alone" was good only for the crowds it generated - it got annoying when it started vomiting sequels, and the nail was put in its coffin when Macaulay Culkin became the Britney Spears of his generation.

Another traditional must-view is the TV special, "A Charlie Brown Christmas."
 

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Posted by Benny Walters (Member # 4894) on 11-23-2008, 09:51 PM:
 
My favorites:

It's a Wonderful Life (which I am screening a copy of tonight)
Bad Santa
Gremlins
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
Christmas Story
 

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Posted by Scott Jentsch (Member # 1681) on 11-24-2008, 11:13 AM:
 
The Bells of St. Mary's
Going My Way
White Christmas
Scrooged
The Santa Clause

What can I say? I'm a Bing Crosby fan when it comes to Christmas movies. The other two are just plain fun even if they aren't examples of cinematic genius.
 

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Posted by Joe Tommassello (Member # 4632) on 11-24-2008, 02:56 PM:
 
A Christmas Story
Monty Python's Life of Brian
Nat'l Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
It's a Wonderful Life

and for every dad who's ever needed that elusive gift...

Jingle All The Way
 

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Posted by Brad Allen (Member # 470) on 11-24-2008, 04:33 PM:
 
A Christmas Story.
Lampoon's Christmas ("the shitters full") Vacation.
Bad Santa.
 

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Posted by Joshua Waaland (Member # 287) on 11-24-2008, 08:33 PM:
 
1. Christmas Vacation
2. A Christmas Story
3. It's a Wonderful Life
4. Elf
5. Polar Express

No offense to the fans of this movie, but I am still dumbfounded at how many people liked Bad Santa. I must have been missing something or my sense of humor has went way off of the map. My wife and I heard so many great things about this movie and we went to see it at the theater. Everyone was laughing their heads off but I didn't find a single thing about it funny. In fact, we left after the first 45-60 minutes and went to watch something else. I rarely walk out of a movie unless I think it is really bad. I guess as I have gotten older my time has become too valuable to waste it watching something I don't like. Was I seriously missing something or does it get much better later in the film?
 

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Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 11-24-2008, 08:42 PM:
 
In this order....

Its A Wonderful Life
Christmas Story
Polar Express (Not the Imax version!)
Bad Santa (I'd like to see an Imax Version of this!)
Christmas Vacation

Josh... How is it that a black midget playing one of Santa's Elfs is not hilarious in and of itself???????

Aw Tim... The Magic Christmas Tree is an absolute classic!
 

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Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 11-24-2008, 08:59 PM:
 
Well, it's just way down my list. Right down there with "Santa Claus Conquers the Martians" and the K. Gordon Murray imports.


 

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Posted by Fred Georges (Member # 505) on 11-25-2008, 08:57 AM:
 
1) Christmas Vacation
2) Gremlins
3) Holiday Inn
4) Donovans Reef
5) DIE HARD
 

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Posted by Joe Tommassello (Member # 4632) on 11-25-2008, 10:26 AM:
 
Forgot "The Christmas That Almost Wasn't"!
 

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Posted by Chris Slycord (Member # 4239) on 11-25-2008, 11:36 AM:
 

quote: Joshua Waaland

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Everyone was laughing their heads off but I didn't find a single thing about it funny.

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quote: Joshua Waaland

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Was I seriously missing something or does it get much better later in the film?

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I think the former answers the latter.

And my faves are (in no particular order)
Christmas Vacation
Bad Santa
Christmas Story

Though why no love for Reindeer Games?
 

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Posted by Jim Cassedy (Member # 4115) on 11-25-2008, 11:56 AM:
 

quote: Tim Reed

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and the K. Gordon Murray imports.

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Not to pick nits, but I think it was K. Gordon Murray.

I'm old enough not only to remember seeing most of them when they were first released, but also projecting them when I started working a booth.

I also remember getting a print of "Santa Claus" on which the the leaders had been 'spliced' back on with "Merry Christmas" scotch tape with little Santas and snowmen on it. Weirdly appropriate for the season!

My all time favorite Chrismas movie is "A Christmas Carol" with Alistar Sim (1951) (I think it was re-named "Scrooge" on some TV releases)

Others, in no particular order are:
Christmas Story
Nightmare Before Christmas
Miricale On 34th St (original version)
It's Good Life

I recently ran a print of "THE MAGIC BOX" about film pioneer William Freise-Green which was filmed the same year and by the same studio that produced " A Christmas Carol".
Many of the same sets and costumes, and even some of the same supporting cast members appear in both films, which are set in approximately the same historical time period.
(give or take a decade )
 

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Posted by Hillary Charles (Member # 769) on 11-25-2008, 04:46 PM:
 
Thanks for posting that poster, Tim!

"Santa Claus" has to be one of the weirdest Christmas movies ever. If I first saw that as a child, I would have been very confused by its mythology, and "Scratch" is just TOO fabulous!

The MST3K version is a holiday staple here.

And in addition to many already mentioned, it isn't Christmas to me without:

A Holiday Affair
On Her Majesty's Secret Service
 

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Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 11-25-2008, 07:51 PM:
 
Hillary, I saw the trailer of that movie in the theatre when I was a kid... and knew I DIDN'T want to see it. It shows Santa being shot with an arrow!

Horror of horrors!
 

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Posted by Sally Ann Burgess (Member # 4746) on 11-26-2008, 05:25 AM:
 
How could anyone forget the Muppet's Christmas Carol? That would be in my Top 5, as well as Scrooged, Bad Santa, It's A Wonderful Life...
Sorry I couldn't actually think of a fifth one...
 

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Posted by Mike Schindler (Member # 1309) on 11-26-2008, 04:42 PM:
 
1. Die Hard
2. Sydney
3. Zack and Miri Make a Porno
4. Batman Returns
5. Reindeer Games

Also, these don't quite make my list, but I'm surprised no one's mentioned THE THIN MAN or BRAZIL.
 

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Posted by Julie Lucero (Member # 4959) on 11-26-2008, 05:29 PM:
 
1) A CHRISTMAS STORY (1983)
2) IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE (1946)
3) MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET (1947)
4) EDWARD SCISSORHANDS (1990)
5) THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS (1993)
 

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Posted by Chris Slycord (Member # 4239) on 11-26-2008, 07:27 PM:
 

quote: Mike Schindler

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5. Reindeer Games

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quote: Sally Ann Burgess

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How could anyone forget the Muppet's Christmas Carol?

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quote: Chris Slycord

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Man I was kidding. I didn't expect anyone to say that one. I absolutely hated that movie.

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Have you seen the director's cut? Way better than MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL
 

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Posted by Chris Slycord (Member # 4239) on 11-27-2008, 12:59 AM:
 
No I only saw it in theaters.

If it's a huge improvement are you saying the director's cut doesn't have Affleck?

I'll add it to my netflix queue to see how much less it sucks than the theatrical version
 

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Posted by Mike Schindler (Member # 1309) on 11-27-2008, 01:28 AM:
 
It's actually really interesting because it's one of those movies where it feels like scenes were re-cut almost from scratch instead of just being extended. Kind of like ALMOST FAMOUS.

But yeah, I could never figure out why people don't like that movie. I thought it was really funny. Great performances, great photography, etc. It's actually one of my favorite Frankenheimer movies.
 

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Posted by Geoff Jones (Member # 3668) on 11-29-2008, 10:22 AM:
 
Many of these films are showing in theatres during the next month. (Sadly not Die Hard, though. )

I'm hoping to catch It's a Wonderful Life in a couple of weeks. I've acually never seen it. (gasp!)

Find Screenings of Xmas Movies

Cheers,
Jonesy
 

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Posted by Mike Schindler (Member # 1309) on 11-30-2008, 01:07 AM:
 
Somehow, I neglected to put EYES WIDE SHUT on my list! That should be #2, behind DIE HARD.
 

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Posted by Claude S. Ayakawa (Member # 1401) on 12-07-2008, 03:29 PM:
 
I always watch HOME ALONE every year at this time and regard it as one of my favorite Christmas movies. Another jewel is a wonderful Academy Award winning short Don Siegel Christmas movie Warner Brothers released in 1945 titled A STAR IN THE NIGHT" starring J. Carrol Naish and Donald Woods about the retelling of the Holy Nativity story in a modern American south west setting. Another one I enjoy is the Christmas episode from the first season of the WEST WING television series. Other movies I like to watch include--

It's A WONDERFUL LIFE
HOLIDAY INN
THE BELLS OF ST MARY
GOING MY WAY
WHITE CHRISTMAS

-Claude
 

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Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 12-07-2008, 10:18 PM:
 
We are showing "The Polar Express" for a matinee next week and got the film in time to pre-screen it this week. That's a movie that just kills on the big screen. Print was in excellent shape - I replaced one splice (made with opaque tape) and that was it.
 

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Posted by Kurt Zupin (Member # 2751) on 12-08-2008, 01:47 AM:
 
1) ELF (a must watch around Christmas time for me and my family)
2) Die Hard (1 and 2 both take place during Christmas and are both great)
3) Grinch (The Animated version, not Jim Carrey)
4) Charlie Brown Christmas
5) Bad Santa (Another must around Christmas for the family and myself)
 

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Posted by Scott Jentsch (Member # 1681) on 12-08-2008, 08:24 AM:
 
I do have to admit to really liking While You Were Sleeping.

The family dinner takes the cake, and is one of my all-time favorite movie scenes!

And, if you're in the mood for schmaltz, you can throw in The Family Man (Nicolas Cage) for good measure. Not nearly as good as While You Were Sleeping, but still worth watching. Extra points are awarded for his choice of car and choice of wife!
 

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Posted by Geoff Jones (Member # 3668) on 12-10-2008, 02:43 PM:
 
Die Hard is showing on 12/14 at the Alamo Westlakes in San Antonio Texas.

http://www.drafthouse.com/westlakes/shows.php?id=390

There is very little of interest to me this holiday season...

but I'd happily pay full price to see Die Hard on the big screen if it was showing near me.

Jonesy
 

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Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 12-10-2008, 04:10 PM:
 

quote: Geoff Jones

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I'd happily pay full price to see Die Hard on the big screen

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