The Best Christmas Movie...

[Thanatoast]

has got to be White Christmas. My family watches it every year. Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen. It was made in 1954, so you have to wonder how many of the soldiers had actually been soldiers in WWII.

I also wonder how much of the cultural differences on the screen are movie-reality or actual reality. My parents have said that quite a few things are actual reality. Like drinking coffee with dinner, wearing nothing but tailored or fitted clothing, a full train schedule that could get you from Florida to Vermont in a day leaving the same night.

Great songs by Irving Berlin throughout. "Sisters", "We'll Follow the Old Man", "Choreography", and of course "White Christmas".

Anyways, post your favorite Christmas movie and why you like it. I think White Christmas is a great trip through another time and place. Great music, costumes, actors. It's just a fun movie. Enjoy!

 

[xli_ne]

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

 

[simonberri]

Muppets christmas carol
has everything!!!!

 

[SMM]

I think all those are very good. I also like the one about the little kid and the BB gun (I think it is just called "A Christmas Tale", or "The Christmas Movie").

 

[monkeydo_jb]

Home Alone and Christmas Vacation.

 

[Dandaman]

I think all those are very good. I also like the one about the little kid and the BB gun (I think it is just called "A Christmas Tale", or "The Christmas Movie").

Christmas Story

"You'll shoot your eye out!"

 

[iKwick7]

Emmet Otter's Jugband Christmas. Seriously.


http://www.amazon.com/Emmet-Otters-Jug-Band-Christmas/dp/B0009PLLK4

 

[Blue Velvet]

Before anyone chimes in with 'It's a Wonderful Life', I'll just say it makes me want to vomit.



Seasons Greetings.

 

[iBecks]

Jack Frost for me.

 

[MacNut]

Die Hard.

 

[jdechko]

A Charlie Brown Christmas

 

[weldon]

It's a Wonderful Life

I watch it every year around Christmas time.

Before anyone chimes in with 'It's a Wonderful Life', I'll just say it makes me want to vomit.

Ha! I was writing this while before you posted. Obviously it doesn't make me vomit, but some people are emotionally stunted, I guess.

 

[Lyle]

A Charlie Brown Christmas

I like a lot of the movies mentioned in this thread, and I'm certain to see most of them this Christmas. But yeah, the Charlie Brown Christmas special -- and especially Linus' recitation of the Christmas story from Luke -- that's the one that really puts me in the Christmas mood.

Oh, and since no one's mentioned it yet, those animated Rankin-Bass specials (e.g. the Rudolph one) are way up on the list for me, too.

 

[xsedrinam]

There are so many the fam has enjoyed, over time, so best is hard to say, but these are some of our favorite, family watches Meet Me In St. Louis, Holiday Inn, A Christmas Story and A Christmas Carol

 

[leekohler]

Before anyone chimes in with 'It's a Wonderful Life', I'll just say it makes me want to vomit.

Thank you, Blue! God, I hate that movie.

A Christmas Story is great. I also saw The Polar Express in 3D at the IMAX. I was shocked at how much I liked the film. After all, Tom Hanks is in it.

 

[beatsme]

Lethal Weapon

 

[Blue Velvet]

Obviously it doesn't make me vomit, but some people are emotionally stunted, I guess.

I'll take genuine emotion over cloying, ersatz, feel-good, reactionary swill any day, thanks.

 

[leekohler]

I'll take genuine emotion over cloying, ersatz, feel-good, reactionary swill any day, thanks.

And thank you again! Talk about manipulative. That movie tells you what to do every minute of the way: Laugh! Cry! Get sentimental! Feel guilty! Give me a break.

 

[njmac]

haha, yup, I can see why people hate It's a Wonderful Life but I still like it. (guilty pleasure , surely you guys have a movie/book that you like that you know is crap but you still like it, for sentimental reasons or other reasons? )

I love the children's book Polar Express but didn't really like the movie that much. Probably because it scared my kids. I would like to see it without them

Kids movies I use to love as a kid:
Frosty the Snowman
Rudolph
Charlie Brown's Christmas
Miracle on 34th Street
Christmas in Connecticut

 

[Markleshark]

Muppets christmas carol
has everything!!!!

Without a shadow of a doubt that is it... Infact, i might have to watch it tonight...

 

[Motley]

Gremlins!

 

[spicyapple]

Bad Santa and Elf.

 

[BoyBach]

Before anyone chimes in with 'It's a Wonderful Life', I'll just say it makes me want to vomit.

It's a wonderful film (scmaltz et al) by one of cinemas finest film-maker's.

Anyway, I vote for 'Scrooged', it makes me laugh every time

 

[FleurDuMal]

The Nightmare Before Christmas by Tim Burton.

And, although it's not really a Christmas movie, "Great Expectations" (the old one) always reminds me of Christmas as they always play it on TV around that time of year.

 

[wordmunger]

I don't really think of White Christmas as a Christmas movie. It's only got one Christmas song in it. It's a nice movie, but not really "Christmas" ... kinda like Meet Me in St. Louis -- one very good Christmas song (Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas) and not much else. Again, good movie, just not a Christmas movie.

For overall best Christmas movie, I'd have to go with Miracle on 34th St.

That leaves a big unanswered question: what's the best Christmas musical? It's got to have multiple Christmas songs, and it can't be a made-for-TV special. Any ideas?