What is your favorite Christmas movie?

Started by daglob, December 10, 2017, 04:23:06 AM

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daglob

There are the old stand-bys like Miracle on 34th Street (1947), White Christmas, A Christmas Carol (I prefer the 1951 version, but like the Muppet adaptation, too), It's a Wonderful Life... but do you have a favorite that won't come readily to most people's minds? Donovan's Reef is a Christmas movie, as are both of the first two Die Hard movies (if you stretch things a bit), and an old movie starring George Peppard entitled Coming Home.

I'll add We're No Angels (not the one with Robert deNiro and Sean Penn), a humorous tale of three convicts who escape from Devil's Island on Christmas Eve. The three criminals seek refuge on the roof of a merchant and his family, and the interaction between the crooks and the "normal" people, including a Scrooge of an uncle who comes to visit and possibly destroy the family, slowly makes you come to root for the  crooks.

An odd note that I wouldn't have written a few years ago, but Aldo Ray's character, Albert, seems to have been a man who didn't know how to take no for an answer. I will point out that this attitude has gotten him sent to Devil's Island, but some may not like this crime treated humorously. Peter Ustinov plays a murderer to humorous effect, too.

catwhowalksbyhimself

I like Santa and Pete.  It blends Dutch Santa Clause traditions with American ones, introduces a less problemic version of Black Peter(simply called Pete) and James Earl Jones is the narrator.  It's also got the most believable and human version of ol Saint Nick I've seen.
I am the cat that walks by himself, all ways are alike to me.

HarryTrotter

I dont really have a favorite,but watching Home Alone and Christmas Vacation is something of a tradition.😀
''Even our origin stories have gone sour.''
Jon Farmer

Deaths Jester

These two will probably say a lot about me because they are not considered "Christmas" films by almost anyone but me. They are Day of the Beast (1995) and Night of the Hunter (1955). If you don't know them, go look them up cause I don't want to spoil the fun of them. That and I need to start planning for Merry Die Hard-day.
Avatar picture originally a Brom painting entitled Marionette.

daglob

I got my copy a on DVD a couple of weeks ago to replace my VHS version.

Deaths Jester

BLASPHEMER!! A Die Hard Christmas must be viewed on either VHS, Laser disc, or as a movie special on the tele!
Avatar picture originally a Brom painting entitled Marionette.

Shogunn2517

I gotta admit Home Alone is something special.  I was Kevin's age when it came out.  Still get that love/hate/love feeling of family in the movie.  I have to watch it when it's on.

But my favorite, by far, and I'm man enough to say it... Love Actually.

It gets me all the time.  Watch it EVERY year.

BWPS

My favorite Christmas movie is a really long old movie that takes forever to get to its point that you shouldn't kill yourself. But what a great point. Life can be absolutely miserable but it's still a gift to experience existence. Jimmy Stewart may have had the funniest voice to impersonate ever but he was a phenomenal actor. As far as child friendly movies go, Rudolph  and Santa Clause is Coming to Town are both classics, but I'm a huge stopmotion nut so yknow.

I'm very much into keeping up to date with things, but for some reason I don't like many newer (post my birth even) Christmas movies.
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GhostMachine


UnkoMan

Gremlins.

Night of the Hunter AND Day of the Beast are Christmas movies? Great films, but I don't recall the ties. I guess I might have to watch them again?

Deaths Jester

Day of the Beast fits because the climax falls on Christmas day while Night of the Hunter is set around Christmas time. Also remember, I'm perhaps the only one who views them as Christmas films cause I'm weird that way.
Avatar picture originally a Brom painting entitled Marionette.

GhostMachine

#11
By the way, I was kidding with my previous post. The only way I can stand to watch that movie is the MST3K version.

The real answer is MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET (the 1947 version, of course), but I really need to get a copy of DIE HARD...

*edited to add* Jimmy Stewart is one of my favorite actors, but I've been sick of IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE for a few years now.

daglob

As I think Norm said on Cheers: "It's a Wonderful Month". It slipped into the public domain awhile back, so at least one TV station in a market area showed it around Christmas, often  more than once. It is a classic, and Jimmy Stewart was one of the best.

I think I was like 12 the first time I saw Miracle on 34th Street. The whole idea was so preposterous, yet at the same time, it seemed so believable that if Santa did this, this is how it would happen (spoilers avoided, but is there anyone who hasn't seen it?)

HarryTrotter

''Even our origin stories have gone sour.''
Jon Farmer

daglob


HarryTrotter

And to be fair,its not easy to get into Xmas spirit when you celebrate it on a different day then the rest of the country.  :)
''Even our origin stories have gone sour.''
Jon Farmer

daglob

Hey, I just remembered that Lethal Weapon is a Christmas movie... kinda...