Everyone has a certain set of holiday movies they revisit every year, perennial favorites that make the season feel just right. I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours:
1.) Planes, Trains and Automobiles
John Candy and Steve Martin kick off the holiday season with their epic journey home for Thanksgiving. This John Hughes classic is as heartfelt as it is hilarious. I dare you not to cry.
2.) National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
This is my all time favorite Christmas movie ever. Endlessly quotable. Unfailingly funny. If only real holiday disasters were as much fun as the Griswolds'.
3.) A Christmas Story
"You'll shoot your eye out! You'll shoot your eye out!" I double dog dare you not to love it.
4.) Edward Scissorhands
Johnny Depp and Tim Burton work their Christmas magic on this modern fairy tale. Makes me want to buy a white Christmas tree and staple cotton batting to the roof.
5.) Meet Me In St. Louis
This should be cloying and syrupy, but is surprisingly witty and dark. As soon as little Margaret O'Brien laid a dummy on the train tracks as a Halloween trick, I was completely sold. That girl is fierce! If I remember correctly, she even kicks the crap out of her snowman.
6.) Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer
Ah, Rudolph, the ultimate misfit's tale. Kooky songs. Claymation. Santa acting like a complete bastard. I love it!
7.) Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
Who can resist the purity of this Dr. Seuss gem? I've probably seen this 30 times, and I still smile when I hear the words "roast beast".
8.) Prancer
This sweet, melancholy little movie gets me every time. You've got to love a little girl who listens to Christmas carols all year round and hangs twinkle lights in her bedroom.
9.) Gremlins
What's Christmas without little green men?! Chris Columbus combines action, comedy, horror, and holidays to brilliant effect.
10.) The Family Stone
Just when I thought there was no room in my heart for a new holiday movie, along came The Family Stone flying it's freak flag for all to see. Better yet? One of the characters is watching Meet Me in St. Louis in the movie!
Now, by all means, head on down to the comments and tell us your holiday musts. Which DVDs put you in the holiday spirit? Which ones are as essential as twinkle lights and pumpkin pie?
Monday, December 03, 2007
Holiday DVD Essentials
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3 comments:
What? Where's A Charlie Brown Christmas??? A shocking omission! I love when they sing carols at the end, that you can see (and hear!) the cartoon characters suck in their breath. Delights me every time!
For a cranky-pants Christmas movie that makes me guffaw, you can't beat Judy Davis and Kevin Spacey bickering in The Ref, much to the exasperation of robber Dennis Leary.
Two movies that make me want to slit my wrists? Love Actually and any of the Home Alone movies. Go on, call me a Grinch!
That's hilarious about Home Alone. I had to do some arm-twisting to get my mom to watch Planes, Trains, and Automobiles this year, and halfway through she's like, "This is really good. Where's the polka part in the back of the van?"
"Ummm, in Home Alone."
"Are you kidding? That's the only part I didn't want to see."
"Oh, the part that's in a different movie?!"
Luckily Planes, Trains and Automobiles is officially off her blacklist now.
I'm sorry about Charlie Brown. I really like the music, but those Peanuts kids are weird and neurotic.
Plus, Charlie Brown and company aren't in a movie. I believe this was a list of holiday movies.
TOTALLY agree with a whole bunch of yours, Jen, but I'd like to add:
Love Actually (takeTHAT, Linda! ;-))
White Christmas
and
Scrooged
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