Christmas Movies

While sitting on my side of the bar last weekend a few of us struck up a conversation on the holidays. The topic turned to Christmas Movies and we all had fun discussing our favorites.

Here are my top five Christmas Movies:

Number Five
Bad Santa (2003)
While this is not in the same category as the rest of the picks it still has a great feel good message in the end. Billy Bob Thorton does a great job playing a safe cracking Santa and take special note of his Santa Suite as the movie progesses. With Tony Cox as Santa’s elf partner in crime, Lauren Graham as the girl friend obsessed with Santa and Bernie Mac as Gin the house dick. Also this was John Ritter’s last movie and he turns in a very nice performance.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0307987/

Number Four
It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
The only Christmas movie that is in the AFI’s top 100 movies of all time “It’s a Wonderful Life” is probably the best of the feel good movies for the holiday season. Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed turn in a great performance and their on screen love affair as George and Mary Bailey is great. Lionel Barrymore as Mr. Potter is the Christmas villain we all loved to hate and this picture was nominated for five academy awards including Best Actor and Best Picture.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038650/

Number Three
A Christmas Story (1983)
Probably the best Christmas movie to depict and reminds us of what it was like being a child and capturing childhood memories. This movie tells a story of what it is like to be a kid yearning for, waiting for and obsessed with Christmas and what Christmas morning might bring.

Peter Billingsely as Ralphie turns in an unforgettable performance as this kid and you could not have picked a better “Old Man” than they did with Darren McGavin.
A side note on this movie is that it was directed by Bob Clark of “Porkys” fame and is narrated by Jean Shepard who wrote the short stories this move is based on from the Book “In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash”.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085334/

Number Two
Christmas Vacation (1989)
This should be on everyone’s holiday movie list. Chevy Chase is back as Clark Griswold and has his usual group of suspects; Beverly D'Angelo as Ellen, Randy Quaid as Cousin Eddie and Miriam Flynn as Catherine. The movie has a very strong supporting cast.

John Randolph as Clark Griswold Sr. (SQUIRREL!)
Diane Lane as Nora Griswold
E.G. Marshall as Art (the little lights aren’t twinkling)
And
Doris Roberts as Frances

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097958/

And Number One (Drum Roll)
White Christmas
I know it is old (1954) but still the number one in my opinion. Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, and Vera Ellen have such great on screen chemistry along with the great music it is hard not to make this my number one Christmas Movie.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047673/

Honorable Mention:
Holiday Inn (1942)
Where Bing actually sang “White Christmas” before White Christmas.
Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
With Natalie Wood
Christmas with the Kranks (2004)
Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis are great in this funny feel good move.
Four Christmases (2008)
A very funny movie worth seeing just for Robert Duval’s character.

Merry Christmas

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