Christmas: Old and New!
Written by Brie Porter
Family gathers, bored and looking for something to do. A suggestion floats to watch a movie, but which one? You know the struggle. Well, fear not! We’ve compiled various flavors of Christmas flicks to satisfy your varied tastes. You’ll be the biggest movie buff at your Yule time gathering.
A Christmas Story (1983) / Christmas in Connecticut (1945)
Your face is gonna stick that way.
There’s no better time than Christmas to reminisce over how much we love to hate our families. These classic comedies recount the joys of family get-togethers, as well as the crushing failures that get funnier with the passage of time.
Die Hard (1988) / Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005)
Crime pays. But only if you’re the protagonist.
Are these Christmas movies? Yeah, kind of. If you’re tired of the sugar-coated PG content, these are sure to shake up your holiday. From body bags to glass walking, there’s plenty to enjoy. Yippe ki yay!
The Year Without a Santa Claus (1974) / Elf (2002)
It’s not slave labor if you wear bright colors.
The North Pole. Magical home of Saint Nick himself, along with a whole array of elves, reindeer, and apparently narwhals. Animators Rankin and Bass captured our collective imaginations with their TV specials featuring the jolly man and his crew. Decades later, Will Ferrell pays homage to the masters in his cult classic role as a man-child who believes he is an elf. If you want a good laugh, these are a good place to start.
It’s A Wonderful Life (1946) / The Bishop’s Wife (1948)
From one warped, frustrated old man to another.
Okay, both of these came out in the same decade, but they’re too good to pass up. Both feature a down-on-his luck everyman (Jimmy Stewart or Cary Grant) who’s visited by an unassuming angel. If you love one, you’re sure to enjoy the other. We guarantee it!
Miracle on 34th Street (1947) / Arthur Christmas (2011) / The Santa Clause (1994)
Santa has terrible job security.
What does it mean to be Santa Claus? Is it a legal designation? Perhaps it’s an attitude of selfless service? Or quite possibly it may be the embodiment of fatherhood? Whatever your mood, there’s a Santa movie to fill your need for Christmas cheer.
The Apartment (1960) / The Family Stone (2005)
Let’s be honest, we all need therapy. And a hug.
Do you like holiday movies that make you cry, but in the sad way? Then have we got the recommendations for you! Billy Wilder’s classic The Apartment centers on an unassertive office flunky letting his superiors borrow use of his apartment for their extramarital affairs. To make matters worse, the poor man’s crush is one of them! It’s holiday setting only makes the situation more dire. The Family Stone takes a similarly dark spin that we won’t spoil for you here.
A Christmas Carol (1951) / The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
I wonder how they stored the leftovers?
There are a million film versions of Charles Dickens’ classic novel. A million, we counted. The above are our personal favorites. Alastair Sim’s iconic portrayal of Scrooge in 1951 remains the most iconic version of the character. The Muppets take a comedic and heartwarming spin on the tale that’s sure to be fun for all ages.
While You Were Sleeping (1995) / The Shop Around the Corner (1940)
It’s only tragic if you don’t laugh.
Who doesn’t love to curl up by the fire and watch a schmaltzy romance? There’s always room for love stories. Jimmy Stewart falls for his pen pal, who is actually the girl next door (who he despises). Sandra Bullock crushes hard on a coma patient and pretends to be his fiance. There are so many sweet romances to watch, but these are high on our recommendation list!
Merry watching!