Christmas movies

[domestic goddess]

In addition to Christmas music, I am also looking to build my collection of Christmas movies. Looking forward to having an evening or two with my granddaughters, watching Christmas videos and sipping hot chocolate (I know, I am just the pinnacle of excitement!). I think we have most of the usual suspects, but I wonder if there is anything out there new and fresh that someone has seen. Hallmark movies really don't do it for me; at this joyous season I really don't want some tear-jerker of a movie that dwells on some horrible incident, although most movies do start off with something pretty bad that, by a Christmas miracle, turns out okay in the end. My dh's favorite Christmas movie, which he watched periodically throughout the year, was "A Christmas Story". Not really my top pick, but I can take it. The kids like "Elf" and "Nightmare Before Christmas". Can't imagine I would want to see "Bad Santa", but I should probably try to watch it before I make a judgement. But that is not really my kind of humor. So, any suggestions?

[Jilly]

The only holiday film I like is Elf. So, no help at all here. :)

[bunnys]

I am not in love with A Christmas Story. It's ok and it was filmed in part in Lakewood, Ohio where I grew up so I do harken back to that idea but I just don't find it that entertaining.

However, my absolute favorite Christmas movie is White Christmas. It's a Technicolor Extravaganza it's about putting on a show and it's beautiful to look at with lots of great song and dance numbers.

I would recommend White Christmas.

[Gardenarian]

"It's a Wonderful Life" is my favorite Christmas movie. I liked "Love, Actually" as well. For some reason I think of "The Sound of Music" as a Christmas movie. I also like those short ones - "Charlie Brown Christmas" and "The Grinch who Stole Christmas."

[bae]

"Die Hard"

[Miss Cellane]

You could try "Fitzwilly." It isn't a Christmas movie per se, but the main action does take place on Christmas Eve. In Macys in NYC. They rob Macys on Christmas Eve. But it's for a good cause, more or less.

There's a pretty good cast--Dick van Dyke and Barbara Eden and a very young Sam Waterston in a small role. And you'll recognize a lot of old Hollywood character actors in it.

I just think it's a fun movie.

[AustinKat]

I second the recommendations for "White Christmas" and "Love, Actually."

[treehugger]

Personally, I think Bad Santa is hilarious, but I wouldn't watch it with children. I am a sucker for any version of A Christmas Carol, including the Muppets one. The 1990s version of Little Women is a great family movie and starts with a Christmas scene and has a second one half-way through, so feels like a Christmas movie somewhat.

Kara

[Simplemind]

We watch Love Actually every year and every time I cry - in a good way :0)

[iris lily]

I have never seen A Chirstmas Story. I didn't see It's a Wonderful Life until I was about 35 years old (and now am glad that I did.) I am skeptical about most Christmas junk that is forced down our throat in this season.

Bruce Willis has a new Die Hard film coming out very soon so DH and I will definately go to that--we both like our Bruce Willis films but for different reasons. :D

Kara that suggestions of Little Women is nice, and the OP has granddaughters that she would watch it with.

[AnneM]

The Santa Clause

[libby]

The Christmas Box starring Richard Evans.

[Kat]

I like "It's a Wonderful Life," too. There a also cheesy modern-day version staring Nicholas Cage called "The Family Man" that is not overly terrific but still enjoyable. That one has some suggestive parts, though. It seem to recall it being pretty mild, but you might want to pre-view before showing children just to be sure.

[Gregg]

"Die Hard"

Gotta clean up my coffee now...


It's A Wonderful Life closely followed by Miracle on 34th Street. Both in black and white, btw. Cliche' you say? Isn't that the beauty of them? Both are Thanksgiving weekend, between football game traditions at my house.

[domestic goddess]

I've seen "White Christmas", "It's a Wonderful Life", and "Holiday Inn", "Miracle on 34th Street". "The Wizard of Oz" is a Christmas movie to me; it was always shown on Christmas Eve when I was growing up. We would be at church when it started, and I was scared of the witch, so didn't stick it out until the end, and was an adult before I knew that part of it was black and white. What a surprise! "Die Hard"?? Can't quite see that. But dsil will probably find some exploding Christmas movie to annoy us all with. I wonder if you can still get "Ahmal and the Night Visitors"? It has been a loooong time since I've seen that.

[iris lily]

The first Bridget Jones movie--doesn't that take place at Christmas time?

[KayLR]

The Bishop's Wife, with Cary Grant

[Spartana]

"Die Hard"

Don't you know that "Die Hard" is really just "A Christmas Story" where Ralphie get real bullets instead of BBs? "Watch it kid! You'll shoot your eye out with that thing!"

[Spartana]

I like the original "Heidi" movie with Shirley Temple. The one where she's an orphan and goes lives with Grandpa in the mountains. Also, not sure if it's "heidi" or not, but the one where Shirely Temple is...an orphan... and lives in tatters in the attic of a orphanage and is treated very poorly and awakes on Christmas Morning to find all kinds of exotic treats left by a mysterious stranger. And then there's the Shirley Temple movie where she's an orphan......OK, she's ALWAYs an orphan :-)!

[Gardenarian]

Oh, and I am eagerly awaiting the release of "The Hobbit" this year!! We watch the "Lord of the Rings" every Xmas - the only DVD set I own (director's cut, too.)

[goldensmom]

I don't care for 'A Christmas Story' but my husband likes it because, although not the same time period as his childhood, he can relate. I like 'Christmas Vacation' for fun and 'The Nativity' for serious. In between falls 'Prancer', 'The Twelve Dogs of Christmas', 'Santa Paws', 'Elf', 'The Grinch' type movies.

[Miss Cellane]

I like the original "Heidi" movie with Shirley Temple. The one where she's an orphan and goes lives with Grandpa in the mountains. Also, not sure if it's "heidi" or not, but the one where Shirely Temple is...an orphan... and lives in tatters in the attic of a orphanage and is treated very poorly and awakes on Christmas Morning to find all kinds of exotic treats left by a mysterious stranger. And then there's the Shirley Temple movie where she's an orphan......OK, she's ALWAYs an orphan :-)!

That second movie is "A Little Princess." Takes a *lot* of liberties with the book, but not a bad film.

If you watch "It's a Wonderful Life," make sure to watch the whole thing on DVD and not the edited TV version. It really makes a difference--they edit out a lot to make it fit into TV schedules.

And whatever you do, do not watch "Nestor, The Long-Eared Christmas Donkey." It's animated. It has to be one of the saddest Christmas movies ever made and plunged my unsuspecting family into deep gloom one Christmas Eve. It has a message of hope and joy, but after Nestor's mother dies saving his life, no one was feeling very cheerful.

Not exactly a movie and probably not suitable for children of all ages, but there's one or two Saturday Night Live Christmas DVDs out there. Even if you don't watch the show at all, most of the sketches are pretty funny.

[boss mare]

Polar Express... I can very much relate to the main character... A Christmas Story .. love love it... Nation Lampoon's Christmas Vacation notsomuch.... DH could watch it over and over again and Bad Santa it is so bad that it's good Fred Claus with Vince Vaughn has a good scene with a meeting group the is about being the sibling of famous people that is great

[Tussiemussies]

How about the old version of Rudolph? How abut Scrooge, like the original version the best!

I don't think it is boring at all to watch Christmas movies and have hot chocolate. These are some of the fondest memories I have...:)

[The Storyteller]

Every year we watch the same three movies...

It's a Wonderful Life
Christmas Story
Miracle on 34th Street (the original)

And every year for Halloween... Young Frankenstein

[freein05]

A Christmas Carol with George C. Scott is a must for us every Christmas.

[The Storyteller]

Think you mean A Christmas Carol.

[Tussiemussies]

There is a list from Hallmark and when are on, maybe you can tape some of them for your night, think these are all new movies...

http://www.hallmarkchannel.com/christmas/new-originals

:)

[goldensmom]

Add 'Eloise At Christmastime' to my previous reply.

[rodeosweetheart]

The Bishop's Wife and It's a Wonderful Life--and oh, White Christmas, too!

[pony mom]

Christmas in Connecticut---LOVE that house! I always try to borrow The Lion in Winter during the holidays; not exactly a Christmas movie but takes place during that time. Really like Love, Actually too.

[CatsNK]

I'm very surprised no one has mentioned Holiday Inn. It is where the song White Christmas came from - NOT from the White Christmas movie! Holiday Inn is by far my favorite Christmas film - you can't go wrong with Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire. Where else can you see Bing Crosby in blackface!? I kid you not. There is also this very patriotic/WWII era segment that is fascinating from a historical point of view.

My DH doesn't like it, but Mall Cop is a fun, ok-for-kids Christmas movie. As others have mentioned, Christmas Vacation is a classic.

Bad Santa is FANTASTIC but definitely not for children.

South Park Christmas episodes can be bought as a collection and are terrific adult viewing around the holidays!

[JaneV2.0]

I liked Miracle on 34th Street as a kid, but never could get into It's a Wonderful Life. Love the idea of a South Park compilation. I'm hoping Tim Burton comes out with a Christmas movie.

[Tussiemussies]

The Snowman is a beautifully drawn illustration supposively for children, but I found it fascinating.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Snowman

[Tiam]

Has anyone mentioned The homecoming? The old original pilot to the Waltons with Patricia Neal? That's very nice. Not sure where you'd get it other than Amazon.

[MaryHu]

One of our favorites I haven't seen on this list is:

The Ref with Dennis Leary, Judy Davis and Kevin Spacey.

Denis Leary is an inept cat burglar who takes a highly dysfunctional family hostage on Christmas Eve. It's hilarious. Check it out here http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110955/

[Mrs-M]

A Christmas Carol and Home Alone, have become two of my very favourites! I just know you'll love, A Christmas Carol, Domestic Goddess!

[Maxamillion]

Two of my favorites are The Santa Clause and Earnest Saves Christmas. Also, if you have Netflix, Amazing Stories has a really good Christmas episode, called "Santa '85". It's Season 1, episode 11. We used to watch this every year when I was a kid. If you don't have Netflix, you can find it on Youtube, but it's in Spanish.

[goldensmom]

Two of my favorites are The Santa Clause and Earnest Saves Christmas.

FINALLY, a kindred spirit.

[leslieann]

My kids LOVED the Ernest movies. He was a character that originally showed up doing commercials, at least where we were living at the time, in DC. Then those movies...Ernest Goes to Camp is a classic for my adult children.

[Miss Cellane]

The Snowman is a beautifully drawn illustration supposively for children, but I found it fascinating.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Snowman

And there's another movie, Father Christmas Takes a Holiday, by the same author. Isn't as Christmasy, because it is set in the summer, but it is a nice movie.

The Snowman has no dialogue, just a lovely musical score, and one song. It's very calm and peaceful and relaxing. My brother's kids watched this nightly as part of their going-to-bed routine for years. It calmed them down and got them in the right mood for bed. Every night, even during the summer.

[catherine]

You guys have named a lot of my favorites. My all-time favorite as a kid was A Charlie Brown Christmas--it was an annual tradition to watch it.

Of course A Christmas Carol, whether it's the George C. Scott version or the Albert Finney version or the Alaistair Sim version or the Mr. Magoo version

I love It's a Wonderful Life, but I have to admit that I'm kind of sick of it at this point.

What about Christmas movie songs? Some of them are as good, or better, than traditional carols. Sesame Street had a great Christmas Song: Keep Christmas With You All Through the Year.

[frugalone]

My favorites are: "It's a Wonderful Life," "Holiday Inn" (which I think is much better than "White Christmas"), "Meet Me in St. Louis," "A Christmas Story," "Elf," and "The Christmas Bunny."

I did see "Bad Santa," and it was hilarious, but not for kids as stated above.

When I was a kid, a musical version of "Christmas Carol" called "Scrooge" was on TV a lot. Albert Finney was in it, I think. Haven't seen that one in years.

[Mrs-M]

Originally posted by Catherine.
Of course A Christmas Carol, whether it's the George C. Scott version or the Albert Finney version or the Alaistair Sim version or the Mr. Magoo versionI wasn't aware of all the variations. I've grown to love the new one (2009), staring Jim Carrey.

[leslieann]

Thanks for this thread: I now have a long wish list at Amazon.

We always watch the Polar Express. My DH dislikes the holiday but he LOVES watching that movie with me and his daughter. She is still more or less willing to accommodate him. Very little rolling of eyes.