We’re all going to have some time on our hands this upcoming holiday break, what better way to spend it than watching all the holiday movies you can! Last year I posted a list of 10 movies I was going to watch each day leading up to and on Christmas day. This year, I’d like to share a new list of fun-loving flicks.
1. Batman Returns
I know what you are thinking, not the first Christmas movie that comes to mind, but this movie literally takes place through several Christmases. The first scene, Penguin is born and it’s right around the holiday season. The next shot a year later, the Penguin family is pictured around the Christmas tree when his loving parents abandon him. (I never said it was a fun loving holiday flick…) And even though Gotham isn’t New York City… it’s New York City. We even see the Rockefeller Center tree lighting!
The whole movie is centered around the holiday season through the years, the emergence of the Penguin as star villain and the birth of the best Catwoman – Michelle Pfeiffer! We get the beloved Michael Keaton reprising his role in a holiday Batman adventure and Danny Devito who does a dazzling performance. Who doesn’t want Danny Elfman holiday cheer to get into the spirit – Tim’s the season, Burton that is!
Alternate movie to start with is Die Hard, an action-packed story of a cop trying to see his wife (ex) and kid at the holidays – John McClane will have you saying yippee ki-yay Santa.
2. Gremlins
This is one of my favorite holiday movies, and after watching Batman Returns, this is the logical step forward. Who has a holiday without mayhem? This film follows Billy Peltzer, an average young man in a small town with his dog, still living at home with the family. His dad a wacky inventor who is just waiting on his big break, yet his inventions are not the most reliable. He buys a gift for his son a cute yet forbidden pet Mogwai, whom he names Gizmo (the real hero of the story.) This pet comes with three rules, no bright lights, no eating after midnight, and can’t touch water. It’s like a warning for indulging at the holidays cuz eating after midnight will turn you into a hideous monster. Either way, the world gets thrown into chaos once these rules are broken. It’s the best thing to watch when wanting a funny, and terrifying holiday thriller.
Feel free to interchange this one with Gremlins 2 – they take it even further with this one.
3. A Christmas Story
Continuing with a holiday classic, this nostalgic film invented the inside joke. If you don’t know what “you’ll shoot your eye out” means, you gotta get on this. A young boy’s dream of owning a BB gun and his determination in getting it. We see his and his family’s trials and tribulations of the holiday season. This movie takes you back to the voiceover narrated personal coming of age story. Facing bullies, learning the truth about Santa and leg lamps. This movie is a classic story of relationships and family values, a son and his father, a mother and her household, and everyone dealing with life as an adolescent… now an adolescent white kid in suburbia which is why it might be so interesting to some of us POC folk. What a story to see behind the minds of the so-called “average” American family – and I think we can all relate to wanting that one gift you were dying to have an never got.
An alternate movie in this spot would be National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. As always a hilarious vacation with the Griswalds – another story of family ties and ridiculous mistakes made at the holidays.
4. Four Christmases
Now I have to throw this movie in there. You might think Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon?? An odd couple for sure, but to be honest being paired with Vince Vaughn is always an odd couple. The actor beside Vaughn has to hold their own, and Reese does this superbly. This is the story of couple Vaughn and Witherspoon and their usual escape from Christmas via a “holiday” in any tropical location. Supposedly volunteering for charitable causes in these locals, but really just escaping their families. When their plan is foiled by terrible weather, canceled flights, and an unexpected appearance on live television, they are forced to spend the holidays visiting their respective parents.
There are four Christmases because like the average family, their parents are divorced and have separate households. I am telling you – this story is hilarious, it is so unsuspecting and the plethora of characters and scenarios that ensure will have you rolling. If you normally feel down during the holidays this may be a great pick me up.
An alternate in this spot would be Almost Christmas, although heavy handed with the message and moral of the story it is a very funny family fun movie. The classic big family getting together for the first time on the holidays after the loss of a loved one. A POC holiday movie with all of your favorites and Monique is unstoppable – I’m pretty sure they did not write a script for her and she just got to do and say whatever she wanted.
5. Muppet Christmas Carol
Finally but definitely not least – I never leave Christmas without it, Muppet Christmas Carol. This is one of the best muppet movies ever. This follows the classic Ebenezer Scrooge story of cold-hearted ba humbugs and life-altering transformations. The best part (besides puppets make everything better) is our favorite characters inserted into this classic tale. Kermit and Ms. Piggy as Bob Cratchit and his family, complete with Tiny Tim. Each ghost that visits Scrooge is expertly crafted and the songs catchy and so joyous AF! The whole story is told from the viewpoint of Gonzo and Rizzo.
They elevate this classic tale to new heights of hilarity, I don’t know how we could go from scene to scene without them. It’s a definite need at the holidays.
An alternate in this slot could be none other than Scrooged starring the talented Bill Murray. An Ebenezer story brought to the modern day – well late 80s modern day. We see Ebenezer as a blood-sucking cold-hearted TV producer, who does some really messed up things just cuz he can and for ratings. But of course, we get equally as great a transformation and one of the few times we get to see Indiana Jones star, Karen Allen!
One Christmas Day I highly suggest marathoning it:
- A Nightmare Before Christmas (a dual holiday flick)
- Anything Rankin and Bass – can’t go without…Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, land of misfit toys, Jack Frost, and year without a Santa Claus.
- A Charlie Brown Christmas
- It’s a Wonderful Life – another classic transformation movie, one I have never seen – so I’m hoping to fit it in on Christmas day
- And it goes without saying – How The Grinch Stole Christmas (Cartoon version, of course)
These are my top 5 and then some, let us know some movies you’d put on your list and we can all enjoy this season the way we know best – in front of a TV screen.
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