Top 30 Movies to Watch at Christmas Part 2 (#15-1)

   Here it is Cin-e-Maniacs, the second and final part to our list of the top 30 movies to watch at Christmas. If you missed Part 1, be sure to check it out here. For the rest of you, this is the cream of the crop. The top 15 movies to get you in the Christmas spirit. So, hang your stocking, put out the cookies, sit back, and enjoy Part 2 of the Top 30 Movies to Watch at Christmas!

#15. Bad Santa

   No one ever said that Santa need be a fat, jolly, old man. Billy Bob Thornton is not your ordinary Santa. His character, Willie, is a disgruntled, drunken lout, pretending to be a mall Santa, with the intention of robbing it. Willie is one of the most unlikable people alive, yet his character is fascinating to watch. Bad Santa shows all of the pitfalls of the holiday season. It takes all of the little things about Christmas that people try to avoid, and highlights them. While focusing on the worst of the holiday season the movie makes the audience appreciate the good that the season offers. This hilarious film is a must see for anyone who is tired of the same old jolly St. Nick.

-Richard Hawkins

#14. The Christmas Carol

   This is the definitive version of A Christmas Carol. George C. Scott brings Charles Dickens’ character of Ebenezer Scrooge to life like never before, or since. This television is amazing, better than many of the theatrical releases. Scrooge exemplifies the best and worst of humanity. He is hard working, dedicated and industrious, all qualities that society believes in. Scrooge shows us what will happen if someone only focused on those traits alone, forsaking all other interactions with the world. Scott shows Scott’s Scrooge is mesmerizing to watch, he adds such heart and depth to the character. The movie really highlights Scott’s prowess as an actor. Scott’s reactions to the ghosts, and the visions they present him with are wholly believable. The pain that Scrooge feels is apparent on his face, even as he denies it whole-heartedly. The spirit of Christmas redeems this hardened miser, showing him the error of his ways, allowing him to change his ways. The problem with the story of A Christmas Carol is that often times, the transformation of Scrooge often comes across as forced or false. Here though, it seems perfectly natural. Scott never makes you question the sincerity of the transformation.

-Richard Hawkins

#13. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

   This is the Christmas that everyone sees and dreads. Once again, Clark W. Griswold Jr. is endeavoring to give his family the perfect vacation. Of course, he is failing miserably. This film does it all, and Clark faces it all. The rush of buying gifts, decorating the house, the onslaught of visiting family members, and financial woes. Clark does like most people do in this season, he grins and bares it, for the most part anyway.Clark wants what we all want at Christmas. He wants to have a nice, enjoyable Christmas with his family. Clark does his best, he just faces every possible obstacle along the way. Clark goes through countless, over the top versions of classic holiday rituals in the effort to bring his family a perfect Christmas. At times his methods may be odd, but his heart in in the right place. This film truly captures the spirit of Christmas.

-Richard Hawkins

#12. Elf

   One of the things that I have personally noticed as of late, is how anyone other than "Joe Popcorn" hates Will Ferrel. And to be honest, I'm not entirely sure why. Sure his last films have not been as good as his prior ones, but I found Talladega Nights and Step Brothers to be very enjoyable comedies. So, how would a family comedy with Will Ferrell hold up? Pretty well actually, and its a bit of a shock even to me. The story is simplistic enough (and similar to other stories before it). Will Ferrell plays Buddy the Elf, a human who sneaked into Santa's sack of gifts as a baby and winded up in the North Pole where he was raised to think he was an elf. It soon becomes apparent that he is not an elf, and he is told of who he really is, so he sets out for New York City to find his father, played by James Caan.
   Elf is a very light hearted affair and one of those movies you can't help but quote. Some clever lines even get covered up with dialogue, so its almost a treat to listen out for some of the comedic nuggets hidden within the film (the line "If you squint your eyes he looks like a pirate!" comes to mind). Its interesting that Jon Faverau went from this to the Iron Man series, but hey, if they're good, who cares? Elf is fun for the whole family, and oozes Christmas spirit, almost to a fault. Even if you do not like Will Ferrell, give this one a shot. He's so charismatic and energetic, he's bound to get at least one smile out of you.

-Braeden Orr

#11. Gremlins

   I think everyone is aware of Gremlins in some form. If not aware of the film itself, most everyone is aware of the three rules associated with the film. Keep Mogwai out of the sun, don't get them wet, and don't feed them after midnight. Gremlins is about a boy named Billy (Zach Galligan) who gets a mysterious creature called a Mogwai for Christmas, named Gizmo (voiced by Howie Mandel of Deal or No Deal fame). Being a young boy, he makes the dumb mistake of getting Gizmo wet, which causes him to sprout new Mogwai. These Mogwai are a lot meaner, and end up eating after midnight, turning into vicious, loud, Gremlins. Imagine Billy Bob Thorton in Bad Santa, but meaner and uglier. Sound like a horror film? It should, because it is a blend of horror and comedy, all set around Christmas. This is certainly a Christmas movie, do not get me wrong, but not to the extent of others on this list. That is why Gremlins (along with the next two entries) are not higher up on the list. Combining great humor with amazing puppetry and solid performances, Gremlins is a new kind of holiday classic.

-Braeden Orr

#10. Nightmare Before Christmas

   The Nightmare before Christmas is probably one of the strangest Christmas movies on this list. At first glance, this may appear to not even be a Christmas movie. But rest assured, this is a Christmas movie as much as anything else on this list. In the movie, there are separate worlds that exist for each holiday, including Halloween and Christmas. The movie starts out in the Halloween world, were its inhabitants always celebrate Halloween. The leader of Halloween town is Jack, the Pumpkin King and our main character. The overall plot of the movie focuses on Jack's discovery of Christmas and his desire to celebrate it. The movie is incredibly creative in its design of its worlds and characters. It is a stop motion animated musical and both the animation and the music is awesome. It is not easy to capture how good this movie is in words, but needless to say, this is a good movie. The music alone is great, whether it is a simple tune in the background with no words, or a complete song, sung by one of the characters. The story is simplistic, but it is well written and makes this a good holiday movie.

-Joshua Glasscock

#9. Die Hard

   This movie is my shame. I realize that it came out four years before I was born, yet I just now saw it for the first time in its uncensored entirety this past summer. Die Hard is the ESSENTIAL action flick, and is proof of what a star Bruce Willis really is. The action is spectacular, the twist in the plot small, but meaningful, and the performances, especially from Bruce Willis and Alan Rickman as the German "terrorist", Hans Gruber. It is hard to describe what makes Die Hard so great, except to say its a non-stop adrenaline rush of awesome that will have you at the edge of your seat, and laughing throughout at the wise-cracking wit of Willis's character, John McClane. You almost forget it is a Christmas movie until the song "Let it Snow" starts playing over the end credits, but in the end it is a Christmas film, just with a lot more explosions and shooting and death. And it's AWESOME! It's a shame Die Harder and Die Hard with a Vengence were so terrible, but at least Live Free or Die Hard was actually pretty good, even if it was not a Christmas film like the ones before it.

-Braeden Orr

#8. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

   Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is another movie that started out as a popular Christmas song. It was originally aired as a TV special in 1964 and has been replayed every year at Christmas time since then. This is a movie that just goes perfectly with Christmas. The story is one that is familiar to many children, whether they have heard the song or seen the movie. Rudolph is a reindeer with a glowing red nose who becomes an outcast for being different, but eventually finds his place as the lead reindeer on Santa's sleigh. The story is a great story for children of all ages, teaching us that its okay to be differen. It involes many icons of Christmas, including Santa Clause and all his reindeer, making this a Christmas classic.

-Joshua Glasscock

#7. The Santa Clause

   The Santa Clause is a modern classic. This movie is a modern telling of the classic tale of Santa Claus. This movie is also responsible for the misspelling of the name “Santa Claus” by children who grew up with this film. I should know; I am one of them. The titular Santa Clause is not the man, but the clause in a legally binding contract. This interesting play on words sets up an equally interesting premise. Scott Calvin (Tim Allen) accidentally kills Santa Claus (seems like something from Bad Santa) and now Scott must assume the role of Santa. This film appeals to several diverse audiences. The older I get the more subtle mature references and jokes I pick up on. It is a nice, heartwarming movie, perfect for every member of the family.

-Richard Hawkins

#6. How the Grinch Stole Christmas

   Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas is another classic story that has been around for years. It was originally a book by Dr. Seuss, it became an animated movie in 1966. Boris Karloff does the narration, and Thurl Ravenscroft does the singing in an uncredited role. The story is about how a hermit named the Grinch tries to steal Christmas, but eventually realizes that the holiday is more than material goods. This short movie is a great Christmas film because it shows what part to of Christmas is really important. It has great narrtion and singing, giving it a charm that just can't be beat. It is short, simple, and sweet. This is another great movie to watch during Christmas time.

-Joshua Glasscock

#5. A Christmas Story

   This movie is a 1983 comedy about a little boy named Ralphie who wants nothing but a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas. He becomes convinced that everyone is out to stop him from getting it, because they all believe that he will shoot his eye. This movie is a great Christmas movie, because it really shows what it is like to be a kid around Christmas time. The story is narrated throughout the movie by an older verision of Ralphie who tells the story through his point of view. There are plenty of humorous parts of the movie making it really entertaining. Even though the movie takes place in the 1940s, theres something really relatable about the way Ralphie acts. Sure, not all of us have wanted a BB gun, theres always been that one gift that ecah of us needed to get, to have the perfect Christmas. For Ralphie, it a BB gun, for us, it canbe anything. It shows what children are like, not just throught the way Ralphie acts in the movie, but in the way he thinks as well. It is both funny and touching, making it an unforgettable Christmas movie. It is all about a Christmas time during childhood giving it a nostalgic feel to it, that makes it timeless.

-Joshua Glasscock

#4. A Charlie Brown Christmas

   Charlie Brown is a classic cartoon that many children and adults have grown to love. It has specials for every holiday, so naturally, there is one Christmas. Personally, I think this is one of the best Christmas specials out there. It deals with the true meaning of the holiday in way that is both comedic and serious, like the rest of the Charlie Brown specials. Theres something thats really nice about this special from the simple story, to all the characters. Everyone who appears in this special is great, whether it is someone like snoopy who is comedic, or someone like Charlie Brown who is serious, they all have something to contribute to this movie. The special is about the kids putting on a Christmas pageant with Charlie Brown directing it. Things go awry, and Charlie Brown gets blamed, but the kids learn what Christmas is really about in the end. It truly brings out the spirit of the holiday in a way that anyone can enjoy, whether they are kids or adults. To me, this is one Christmas special that will be around for years to come.

-Joshua Glasscock

#3. Miracle on 34th St.

   Maybe it is my years of mock trial and being a two time national champion in such, or my favorite film being 12 Angry Men, but I'm a sucker for any film with a great courtroom scene and this is one of them. The start of the "is this average, everyday old man just crazy, or is he actually Santa?" trend, Miracle on 34th St. tells the story of Kris Kringle (Edmund Gwenn), a man who truly believes he is Santa Claus, and how he inspires such joy and hope in children. Yet due to the jealousy, or even just disbelief that someone can be so kind, he finds himself persecuted those who find his admissions of being Santa as ludicrous and "dangerous to society". There is a lot of contemporary themes to be found here, and that is the true mark of a timeless film. Ignoring it as a Christmas film, it is a great movie all around, with fantastic story telling presented by a marvelous class. Avoid the remakes though and go for the original. It will warm your heart like few other films.

-Braeden Orr

#2. The Lion in Winter

   When most people view this film, the fact that it takes place at Christmas is usually not the first thing that crosses their minds. This movie is an amazing piece of historical fiction. It tells the tale of the Christmas court of Henry II, king of England. The attendees of the court include, King Henry II (Peter OToole), his estranged wife Eleanor of Aquitaine (Katherine Hepburn). Their sons, Richard (Anthony Hopkins), Geoffrey (John Castle), and John (Nigel Terry). Along with the royal family, there is the lovely, if naïve Alais (Jane Merrow) and her brother, King Phillip of France (Timothy Dalton).Despite the amount of political plotting, conspiring and backstabbing that this movie contains, it is truly a film about family. If you look past its grandiose setting, at its heart it is about the turmoil of a dysfunctional family. A group of people, who don’t really like each other very much at all, coming together to celebrate Christmas. They love one another, yet despise each other. This family dynamic drives the plot forward.
   The film is truly a treat, amazing set pieces, breathtaking performances, and a haunting score that continually builds upon itself until the climax of the film. This film has something that everyone can relate to. The sibling rivalry, quarreling parents, even visiting in-laws. All of this is something that everyone has experienced at Christmas. It is the setting that makes the characters relatable. It is difficult to see these so very different characters come together under any normal circumstance. But, at Christmas time, it all makes sense.

-Richard Hawkins

#1. Its a Wonderful Life

   It’s a Wonderful Life is one of the few, perfect movies (Ed. Note: This is Braeden's favorite Christmas movie, and third favorite film of all time). I have never found a single fault in this film. James Stewart gives an amazing, breathtaking performance as George Bailey, a man who is at the end of his rope on Christmas Eve. George has given everything in his life to the people of his town. Now, he feels he has nothing, and he thinks he is worth nothing. Nothing, save for his life insurance policy that will cover his debts. Before he can commit suicide, his guardian angel Clarence comes to his aid and show George what the world would have been like without George Bailey. This film is a classic Christmas staple synonymous with the holidays, and with good reason. This film above all others truly exemplifies the spirit of Christmas. The life of George Bailey affected the lives of every person in town, his generosity and kindness affected them all. His caring and giving spirit is what Christmas is all about.

-Richard Hawkins

And that concludes our list of the Top 30 Movies to Watch at Christmas! We hope you enjoyed our list, and would like to hear your thoughts on it, and what movies you think should be on it. And yes, we do know we left Scrooged off, we just realized it about 24 hours late. So, we removed the entry on Holiday Inn (which was essentially the same film as White Christmas) and replaced it with Scrooged, if you would like to read the new write-up on that film here. If Deck the Halls could be on our list, then that film certainly should. On behalf of myself, Joshua Glasscock, and Richard Hawkins, we wish everyone a very merry Christmas and happy holidays!