Continuing the countdown to Christmas with our favourite yuletide flicks…
For a Family Christmas
The best family movies are the ones that have something for everyone:
How the Grinch Stole Christmas: Before Jim Carrey was Ebenezer Scrooge, he was green, hairy, and had a heart that was two sizes too small. Living alone on a mountain above the town of Whoville inside a snowflake, the Grinch hatches a plan to steal Christmas –and everyone’s joy- away. But one thing stands in his way: little Cindy Lou Who who feels that everyone deserves a friend for Christmas. Dr Seuss’ tale of the green meanie with the wide smile might have some resemblances to A Christmas Carol, but it’s still considered a classic. Ron Howard’s 2000 reinvention of the tale continues to a be a popular choice for the family as its’ vibrant characters, makeup, settings, and costumes appeal to the little ones while the intelligent script and physical performance of Carrey gives grownups the giggles.
Home Alone: The franchise about a boy accidentally left behind on Christmas to fight off a duo of dimwitted burglars has spawned five films, but the 1990 original starring Macaulay Culkin is still the one that everyone comes back to. The child hero fighting off the bumbling bad guys through a series of household pranks is side-splitting for kids and adults alike, and the film’s warm message about family is one that won’t tire any time soon.
The Nightmare Before Christmas: Tim Burton’s tale of the clash of two holidays still proves to be in a league of its own today. The film tells the tale of Halloween king Jack Skellington who desires a change in life and gets it when he discovers a doorway into the world of Christmas. Dazzled by everything, he decides to kidnap Santa Claus so the residents of Halloween Town can have a go at Christmas, but of course not everything goes to plan. In true Burton form, Nightmare Before Christmas makes heroes out of villains and monsters less scary for the little ones. The messages of love, friendship, and being true to oneself are timeless, as are the catchy songs by Danny Elfman, which have been covered by the likes of Fallout Boy and Marilyn Manson.
The Santa Clause: Because nothing is more amusing than a yuletide pun, this 1994 family classic comes down off the shelf every year. It tells the story of divorced lawyer Scott Calvin who gets duped into becoming Saint Nick after the original Santa falls off his roof leaving behind his suit, sleigh, and reindeer. With two subsequent sequels, The Santa Clause teams an original story idea with family jokes and warm messages about the season.
If you’ve a big family to cater for, you could also try Elf (2003), Arthur Christmas (2011), or The Polar Express (2004).
For an Unconventional Christmas
Not all Christmas movies have to be family friendly or have a message about good will toward men:
Die Hard: What could be more festive than a cop’s one-man war against a group of terrorists? The chance adventure of John McClane is one that comes off the shelf during the yuletide season more often than you’d expect and with good reason. This 1988 action classic starring Bruce Willis and Alan Rickman is the ultimate macho adventure that reminds us that things can turn nasty -even at Christmas- but man’s inherent sense of right vs. wrong will prevail. The movie continually reminds us that yes it’s a Christmas flick with many humorous references to the season including John’s writing “now I have a machine gun ho ho ho” on a dead man’s sweater, using festive tape to secure guns to his back, and the constant use of sleigh bells in the soundtrack. Amongst all the explosions, gunshots, and brilliant one-liners, Die Hard tells an endearing story about one man’s determination to do right despite all the odds being against him!
Gremlins: With a seasonal setting, the giving of gifts, and a neighbour that can be best described as a female Scrooge, Gremlins (1984) is a Christmas family horror that sticks. The film tells the story of Billy and his strange Christmas gift of a Mogwai: a cute furry critter that comes with a strange list of care directions: 1) Don’t get him wet, 2) keep him away from light, and 3) never feed him after midnight. All three rules are inadvertently broken and Billy unleashes a horde of malevolent creatures on the unsuspecting town. There’s laughs, thrills, suspense, and gore enough for everyone – and it will definitely make you think twice about getting too close to your Christmas tree!
If you have a thing for Christmas horror flicks you might also like to try Krampus (2015), Black Christmas (2006), Rare Exports (2010), or Better Watch Out (2017).
As we’re spoilt for choice over the holidays there are many other films to choose from, but there’s a reason these ones come off the shelf during the festive season. Merry Christmas!
Have a favourite Chrissie film? Share it with us below!
