Scrooged (1988)
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Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol has been adapted to the film medium an obscene amount of times. I personally haven’t seen every adaptation, but this 1988 adaptation I like because it's so funny and satirical of the media . It’s set in modern times and even though it’s a comedy, it still sticks true to the spirit of the novella. Bill Murray plays Frank Cross, a TV executive who’s rich and successful, all at the cost of becoming cynical and mean spirited over the years. He’s the “Scrooge” of the film obviously and plays it so well. The supporting cast is great, especially comedian Bobcat Goldthwait as a timid employee Cross fires, Karen Allen as Cross’s true love, Claire, David Johansen as the cabbie ghost of Christmas past, and Carol Kane as the kind, yet sadistic ghost of Christmas present. It’s a must see if you’re a fan of Bill Murray and love Christmas films in general.
A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas (2011)
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The weakest of the ‘Harold and Kumar’ series by far, but it’s not anything bad. The only major gripe I have with it is the “3D” aspect. It’s a trend that’s really over stayed its welcome. Sure it might look cool in the theatre, but on DVD or Blu-ray at home, not so much. This film is similar to its predecessors as we see the duo go on a whacky adventure to get a new Christmas tree after accidently burning down the tree handpicked by Harold’s soon to be father in law. Not a whole lot to say about this one; it’s entertaining and good way to kill 90 minutes. The best moments include: a scene with Harold & Kumar claymated, the Wafflebot, and of course, Neil Patrick Harris! It’s worth a watch just for these moments alone.
Die Hard (1988) & Die Hard 2 (1990)
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Not conventional Christmas films, but they’re both set on the holiday, so I count them anyway. Also, they’re awesome as hell and deserve a spot on this list. In ‘Die Hard’ we see New York police officer John McClane (Bruce Willis), single handily take down a bunch of terrorists…correction, thieves pretending to be terrorists actually because they’re just in it for the $. The terrorists…ahem, I mean “thieves” are led by German terrorist, Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman), and they take a Christmas party at Nakatomi Plaza hostage. The stakes are set high as one of the hostages is none other than McClane’s estranged wife, Holly Gennaro. For an action film, this is easily one of the best of the 80’s and arguably of all time. Sure the FBI and police are kinda dumb in it, besides Sgt. Powell (who McClane bonds with over the course of the film), but if you can get past that, it’s one hell of an experience. It’s well paced, well written & directed, technically flawless, entertaining, and reminds you of a time when Bruce Willis actually tried and WASN’T phoning it in. Also, he had hair…unbelievable, right? It also features some brilliant one-liners, most infamously: “Yippie-ki-ay, motherfucker”. Unfortunately, the two later films in the series, ‘Live Free or Die Hard’ and ‘A Good Day to Die Hard’ basically butcher that famous line because of their PG-13 ratings. Sadly, the PG-13 rating isn’t even the worst thing about ‘A Good Day to Die Hard’, and I refuse to speak about it any further (yes it’s that bad).
As for ‘Die Hard 2’, it’s a lot similar to the first, besides just being set at Christmas. McClane once again finds himself having to kill a bunch of baddies who’ve taken control of Dulles Airport in Washington, D.C. This time they’re led by a rogue military dude, Col Stuart (William Sadler). Instead of money, they want custody of recently extradited Gen. Ramon Esperanzo, who’s played by the original Django himself, Franco Nero. Also, McClane’s wife is in trouble again…some luck she has. “How can the same shit happen to the same guy twice?” McClane says at one point in the film, and it is one hell of a coincidence, but it’s the movies, so anything’s possible I guess. He’s helped this time by Dennis Franz as an airport cop before he became a real cop years later on ‘NYPD Blue’, again by Sgt. Powell from the first film (albeit briefly), an airport technician by the name of Barnes (Art Evans), and Maj. Grant (John Amos), a military man who’s secretly working with Col. Stuart (spoiler alert!), thus making him a real asshole! And speaking of assholes, the reporter from the first, Dick Thornberg (William Atherton) makes another appearance. Yay freedom of press! The plot is somewhat flimsy when you start to analyze it and it’s not as well written as the first. Despite that, it’s still a lot of fun and has replay value. It’s not the best of the ‘Die Hard’ series, nor is it the worst. This and the first are essential viewings at Christmas or anytime of the year.
Lethal Weapon (1987)
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Much like the first two ‘Die Hard’ films, this is not a conventional Christmas film, but I count it anyway. After all, it is set around Christmas and it has a shootout in a Christmas tree lot, so what more you do want? This was directed by Richard Donner and released at the height of the buddy cop movie era in the 80’s and is easily one of the best. Mel Gibson and Danny Glover play detectives Martin Riggs and Roger Murtaugh respectively. They couldn’t be more different, but the two actors have phenomenal chemistry, which is why the film works so well. Gary Busey (who reality abandoned), plays one of the main baddies in the film, Joshua, the ruthless enforcer to a drug dealer and former Vietnam War general. The duo has to work out their differences over the course of the film while taking down the drug ring. It’s entertaining from start to finish and is easily the best entry of the ‘Lethal Weapon’ series.
A Christmas Story (1983)
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I guess this is an obvious choice seeing that this film is so much a part of Christmas now. I mean seriously, it’s so overplayed and commercialized now; it’s hard not to miss it. It even got an awful made for TV sequel a few years back. I think I’ll stick to the Nostalgia Critic review on it, thank you. That aside, I still think it’s a great film. The whole dysfunctional family aspect is fun to watch as are the many fantasies of the film’s protagonist, Ralphie. As a kid I day dreamed all the time, hell I still do even, so Ralphie is a very relatable character. Also, what kid can’t relate to him wanting a popular gift like the Red Ryder B.B. gun for Christmas? This is the kind of film that kids and adults can really love because it speaks to both of them. That might have a lot to do with its appeal 30 plus years later…or maybe because TBS won’t stop playing it! It’s also worth noting that the film’s director Bob Clark previously directed the Christmas horror classic, ‘Black Christmas’. It’s funny how he went from one side of the spectrum to the other so to speak. Both films are great regardless.
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
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I’ve always had a soft spot for stop motion animation and think this is a uniquely brilliant example in all aspects. Even though Tim Burton didn’t direct it, it still has all of his trademarks. It’s held up tremendously over 20 years later. The songs are fun & memorable, the characters are demented, but likeable, and it uniquely combines Halloween and Christmas together with many negative consequences. You can’t help but sympathize with the film’s protagonist, Jack Skellington. He’s suffering from an existential crisis, and he means well when he attempts to take over Christmas, but he learns that what’s good for Halloween isn’t necessarily what’s good for Christmas.
Bad Santa (2003)
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Simply put, this is a Christmas film that’s just for the adults, m’kay? It’s rude, crude, raunchy, dirty, but brilliant none the less. Billy Bob Thornton’s at his best here as Willie, an asshole of a mall Santa/conman who robs department stores on Christmas along with his elf partner, Marcus, played perfectly by Tony Cox. Things never go smoothly due to Willie’s alcoholism and self-loathing, and their plot this year is complicated by Willie befriending an outcast kid and the head of mall security seeing through their con. While the film is definitely mean spirited and cynical, it still has a heart deep down inside. Willie might be a complete asshole, but he’s still relatable and has a character arc. Despite taking advantage of the naïve, but otherwise good kid, the two bond over the course of the film. Willie teaches the kid a thing or two about standing up for yourself and he himself learns the errors of his past ways and attempts to change for the better. The late John Ritter as the head honcho of the mall and the late Bernie Mac as the head of mall security are great supporting characters. It’s a shame we’ve lost both of these actors. This isn’t the most accessible of Christmas films, but if you like dirty humor and seeing Santa Claus being an asshole, then this film is right up your alley!
Christmas Vacation (1989)
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Christmas with the Griswold family, what could possibly go wrong? Everything of course! The Griswold’s are once again in a shit storm, with Clark, who’s again played flawlessly by Chevy Chase right in the center of it. This is another entry in the ‘Vacation’ series and a damn fine one at that. It captures the Christmas atmosphere perfectly and how much it means to Clark. His heart is in the right place despite the over the top lighting of his house and that humongous Christmas tree he insists the family needs. He wants his family to have the best Christmas possible and to give them the gift of a backyard swimming pool with his much anticipated Christmas bonus. Despite all the hell he has to put up with such as rude family, his tree getting burned down, Uncle Eddie unexpectedly showing up, and his boss initially deciding against giving him a Christmas bonus, everything turns out okay in the end. It goes to show that even during the worst of holiday seasons; there can still be light at the end of the tunnel.
Home Alone (1990)
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Of course I have to mention ‘Home Alone’, it was one of my favorite films as a wee lad. Despite the reality of a young kid left home alone being horrifying, the film has its comedic side and is very entertaining. The film’s protagonist, Kevin, played by Macauly Culkin before he decided he wanted to do “parody” music is one hell of a resourceful kid. He manages to take care of himself without his parents AND outsmarts the two adult robbers, Harry and Marv played by Joe “I can’t swear because this is a family movie” Pesci and Daniel Stern respectively. Sure criminals such as this probably wouldn’t be so dumb and incompetent in real life, but the film gives kids a sense of empowerment and is pure escapism. ‘Home Alone 2: Lost in New York’ is an average sequel, but is basically just a rehash of the first and doesn’t try to do anything new. ‘Home Alone 3’ is awful and I think they even made a fourth one that I’ll likely never see. It’s best to just stick with the first during the holiday season.
Happy Christmas (2014)
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This hasn’t even been out a year, but I wanted to mention it and give it a spot on the list because of how much it impressed me. Written, directed by and starring mumblecore icon, Joe Swanberg, the film is light, but in a good way. Its lower production value allows you to focus more on the characters and gives the film more substance. Not dissing higher budget films at all when I say this, I’m just pointing out that spectacle in higher budget films can become distracting (looking at you Bay!) and shouldn’t detract from the story & characters. The film is essentially about family and conflict between siblings. Jeff (Joe Swanberg) is a filmmaker living in Chicago with his novelist wife, Kelly (Melanie Lynskey), and their infant son. Things become complicated when his younger, irresponsible sister, Jenny (Anna Kendrick) comes to live with him. The film while dialogue heavy is never dull for a moment because of the superb acting by its small cast. You get really intimate with the characters and get a good understanding of their problems. Kelly is struggling to balance her writing career with the responsibility of being a stay at home mom. She doesn’t take too kindly to Jenny at first, but the two of them bond because of the input and influence Jenny provides for her writing. Jenny herself is a free spirit and directionless in life, but is ultimately looking for acceptance. She’s struggled with her recent break up and becomes romantically interested with a friend of Jeff and Kelly’s, Kevin (Mark Webber). Overall, this is a well-executed, character driven film with a true to life feel. Having it set at Christmas time really drives home the fact that you don’t get to choose your family, but they’re still important to keep close in spite of the flaws they have.
Gremlins (1984)
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This is another unconventional Christmas film that was partially responsible for the creation of the PG-13 rating, along with ‘Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom’, released the same year. Coincidentally, both films involved Steven Spielberg. All that aside, it’s a really fun film about the horror of coming into possession of a one of the kind pet, a mogwai. It looks cute, but don’t let that fool you! Failure to follow the rules, especially the third rule, not feeding it after midnight (which creates a plot hole that’s later made fun of in the sequel), will result in disaster. That’s exactly what happens in this film when the protagonist, Billy (Zach Galligan) breaks these rules. The film doesn’t hesitate to go for comedy alongside the horror, and it works tremendously. It never gets old watching the evil gremlins have fun despite all the chaos they’re creating. They also come up with unique ways to kill the evil gremlins, such as microwaving one to death. Billy is also a likeable guy and his love interest happens to be played by the lovely Phobe Cates, who was also in the 1982 teen classic, ‘Fast Times at Ridgemont High’. ‘Gremlins 2: The New Batch’ is a solid follow up even though it’s not quite on par with this.
With all that said, I wish you all a Merry Christmas and sorry if I didn’t mention some Christmas films that you really like…or perhaps there were a few that I did.
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