With Home Alone 1 & 2 on TV (the perfect solution to my hangover, snuggled up on the sofa with the quilt giggling at the movies), I decided to blog my all time top 10 favourite Christmas movies (in no particular order!). I don't care that it's early, we've not exactly had much of a summer and its less then 4 months until Christmas anyway! So, get your mince pies (and your mini sausage rolls for that matter – you can never go wrong with party sausage rolls!), your snowballs (the drink, clearly) and get comfy in front of the fire with these awesomely festive Christmas movies.
10. Love Actually
A film that deals with Christmas from various different points of view and in a selection of different situations. These include an ageing rockstar hoping to make a comeback with help from his manager, a best man falling for the groom’s bride and two somewhat shy people who meet as stand ins for movie sex scenes. So really, there’s something for everyone and there’s no excuse not to watch this film – you can watch it with your mum or dad, a friend, a sibling, a partner or even your pet!
9. The Holiday
Now, this one is terribly romantic but its worth a watch even just to imagine a lovely Christmas cooped away in a cozy cottage with snow all around. It’s funny and it has some of Hollywood’s biggest names staring such as Kate Winslet, Cameron Diaz, Jack Black and Jude Law. Not one of Jack Black’s usual roles but he’s also very funny in it, so that may tempt your boy to give it a watch too!
8. Jingle All The Way
One of my favourites as a kid, and what is known to be one of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s (can’t believe I spelt that right – thank you Wikipedia!) worst career choices, this film is filled with family fun and will always be a favourite to me. It’s just outright funny and silly and revolves around Arnold’s character Howard generally being a less then great Dad and having to rush around on Christmas eve to get his son ‘the’ present of the year (having been asked ages ago by his wife but of course forgetting). It offers plenty of laughs and fun fact – according to Wikipedia it is the last comedy movie that Arnold (I’m not typing his surname again!) starred in – which quite frankly, doesn’t surprise me, but I still thought he was funny in it!
7. The Long Kiss Goodnight
Oh dear. I don’t think many people will agree with me. Despite not having seen it in years (but still loving it) I swear it has something to do with Christmas – maybe because the first couple of scenes are set at Christmas or at least there’s snow in the film? Nonetheless, associated with Christmas or not, its still one of my favourites. It features Geena Davies as a bad-ass mum after rediscovering her past, and she teams up with Samuel L – I have had it with these motherf**cking snakes, on this motherf**cking plane!- Jackson in a bid to rescue her daughter from some kidnappers she once worked with or something. It’s a good action thriller. And I’ve just remembered it reminds me of Christmas because of a car crash involving a reindeer..oh dear. Best leave this one to watch with your parents or your other half (brownie points), and no kids.
6. Ghosts of Girlfriends Past
This is very much a romcom, again loosely based around ‘A Christmas Carol’ starring eye candy Matthew McConaughey and the lovely Jennifer Garner. It’s your typical romcom of course – funny, romantic and lots of pretty people and features a Christmas wedding with lots of pretty decorations and snow. Boys, watch this with your girlfriends for lots of brownie points because Matthew McConaughey’s character is a bit of a player so there’s something for you guys too!
5. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
Just..hilarious! Chevvy Chase really makes this film (and the other National Lampoons which I’d suggest watching too) with his side splitting mishaps featuring his odd family. Definitely one to watch when your family are driving you nuts – siblings fighting, grandparents farting/burping/asking when will it be ‘your turn next’ etc – it’ll make you appreciate that they aren’t half as bad as the Griswolds!
4. Scrooged
This is a kind of a darker (but hilarious) version of ‘A Christmas Carol’ with Bill Murray. It’s the same story line modernized and is really funny, with a bit of romance too. On top of that, it has some great one liners.
3. The Nightmare Before Christmas
The animated success from Tim Burton, which has since become somewhat of a classic in modern culture, is also a bit dark. It centers around Jack Skellington, the ‘Pumpkin King’ of Halloween town, discovering Christmas and trying to re-create it for Halloween town, without really understanding the true meaning.
2. Home Alone (and number 2, but not number 3 and 4 with the other kid)
Do I really have to explain this one?
1. It’s A Wonderful Life
Another one to thank my parents for (the other being The Long Kiss Goodnight) is this lovely gem. It’s a classic for everyone really, and I used to watch it with my Dad a lot when I was younger, but only truly declared my love for it when I realised last Christmas I hadn’t seen it in years and insisted on watching it. I think you all know the story line – family man George Bailey wanting to commit suicide on Christmas eve (if you haven’t seen it, its not as grim as it sounds, honest, read on!) until his guardian angel intervenes and shows him all the life’s George has touched and the differences he has made. I dare you to watch the whole thing without shedding a tear – its impossible. And this film is the basis for the famous lasso moon quote – “What do you want, Mary? Do you want the moon? If you want it, I’ll throw a lasso around it and pull it down for you. Hey! That’s a pretty good idea! I’ll give you the moon, Mary.”
