FESTIVE FLICKS
Nothing says Christmas like curling up in front of a warm fire with loved ones and sipping hot chocolate, as the snow falls outside your window. But if you don't have a fireplace, a hot beverage, or even snow, you can still enjoy the Christmas spirit with one of these classic holiday movies. There's enough for a 12-days-of-Christmas movie marathon.
A Christmas Carol
The ultimate Christmas movie. The story of Ebenezer Scrooge, and his visits from the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future, illustrates how the Christmas spirit extends well beyond the trimmings and gifts.
Miracle on 34th Street
Do you believe in miracles? Do you believe in Santa Claus? No matter what your answer, this movie is sure to make you think twice about the magic of Christmas. The next time you walk into a department store, take a second glance at the Santa working at the mall. That beard may not be false after all.
It's a Wonderful Life
On Christmas Eve, it's almost guaranteed that you'll be able to catch It's a Wonderful Life on television. George Bailey, a depressed businessman on the verge of suicide, meets his guardian angel who shows him what the town would be like if he hadn't been born. This is a classic story about the divine powers that emerge during the holidays.
Home Alone
Christmas just wouldn't be the same without family. And nobody knows this better than Kevin McAllister, a mischievous 10-year-old left behind when his family goes on vacation without him. Although he has fun at first, later he is kept busy fending off two bumbling burglars, and Kevin eventually learns that without family, Christmas can be a lonely time.
A Christmas Story
Ask anyone about this movie and chances are, they'll only know that it's about Ralphie and his Red Ryder - a BB gun that he desperately wants for Christmas. And they might also remember the boy getting his tongue stuck to a flagpole. It's a funny, charming story about a boy and his quest for his ultimate present.
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Is it a Halloween movie or a Christmas movie? When Jack Skellington stumbles from Halloweentown to Christmastown, it's safe to say that it's a little bit of both. Tim Burton's quirky story mixes two holidays together and shows that maybe they aren't so different after all.
White Christmas
Irving Berlin's Oscar-winning holiday tune provides the background music for this classic Christmas movie. Song-and-dance men Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye follow sister act Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen to Vermont at Christmastime. They try to put on a big show to benefit the struggling ski-resort lodge they stay at, which just happens to be run by the retired general of the boys WWII army troop. An all-Irving Berlin score, talented actors and a great script make White Christmas a perennial holiday favourite.
Scrooged
This modern retelling of A Christmas Carol stars Bill Murray as a nasty New York executive with all the characteristics of Dickens' Scrooge.
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
Watch as the Griswold family prepare for a Christmas at home with all their eccentric relatives. This goofball, slapstick comedy is full of catastrophes and will make you appreciate your own family that much more.
A Charlie Brown Christmas
Charles Schulz' animated classic A Charlie Brown Christmas is perhaps more timely now then when it originally aired in 1965. Amidst the glitz and commercialism of the holiday season, Charlie Brown finds himself depressed and searches for the true meaning of Christmas. The jazz music score, composed by Vince Guaraldi, has become a classic in it's own right.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Whether you choose the original animated version or the recent adaptation starring Jim Carrey, Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas is a must-see every holiday season.
A Muppet Christmas Carol
This kid-friendly adaptation of Charles Dicken's classic Christmas story stars Kermit and the Muppet gang in a retelling unlike any other. Watch for Michael Caine as Scrooge and Gonzo as an unlikely Charles Dickens.
For more great holiday flicks, check out the following resources:
Amazon.com Listmania! of Essential Christmas Movies
MyMerryChristmas.com
A website devoted to all-Christmas, all the time. Read viewer reviews on some of the holiday's best and worst movies.
ItsChristmas.com
From holiday favourites to unknown treasures, this is a compilation of movies in alphabetical order.
Reel.com
There's a movie for everyone. Buy and send movies as gifts from the reel.com gift centre.
Santas.net
Santa rates the movies he's appeared in.
