Most Christmas films are deliberately simple. Most are evocative of simple holiday nostalgia and avoid sullying that feeling with complex ideas. Still, that doesn’t mean that holiday movies attempting to evoke nostalgia are all box office hits devoid of any meaning. Most Christmas movies are easily absorbed and enjoyable for that very reason. For many, their simplicity is a part of their meaning. Without further ado, here are ten Christmas movies that will warm your heart.
I’d like to start this list with a film that– for most of its duration– contradicts everything I previously said about Christmas movies. Bad Santa is an anti-Christmas movie. It defies the syrupy over-sentimentality in other Christmas movies. It’s offensive, disgusting and hilarious. Billy Bob Thorton’s slovenly, alcoholic Santa is vulgar and criminal. He ultimately redeems himself towards the end but not before robbing mall stores and exploiting a naive kid. After the climax, the movie invokes the same old heartwarming happy ending though.
It’s a Wonderful Life explores the grim realities of the working class. It deals with issues of depression, suicide, and greed. By the end, the film is imbued with hope and an empowering sense of purpose. It’s a Wonderful life is a reminder of a man’s impact, of the ripple effect that every life has. James Stewart’s performance is brilliant. A mixture of strong empathy and disillusionment characterizes his performance. George Bailey’s eyes bear the weight of collective struggle and his own self-loathing. The ending’s affirmation of the meaning and purpose in life doesn’t have to be religious, for a man’s worth isn’t intrinsically attached to any belief system. To say that it’ll warm your heart is an understatement.
A full list of the best versions of this beloved classic could stand on its own. However, if I had to choose one, I’d go with the 1984 TV movie. It’s true to the source material, and George C. Scott effortlessly embodies the greedy, choleric Scrooge. Dicken’s original novella rendered a frightening image of the economic dichotomy in England at the time. In Victorian-era England, a massive gap separated the poor and the wealthy. Dickens’s novella addresses the ignorance and avarice that was rampant, and like many of Dicken’s novels, it does so in the vernacular. In this view, it is written for and about common people.
Scrooged is a part of the massive impact A Christmas Carol has had. Ever since the 1938 version, movies overtly influenced by Dicken’s novella have been mass-produced. Some have been good and many awful. Of all the clear pastiches, Scrooged is the best. It’s a much more pertinent interpretation of A Christmas Carol with all the lovable dry wit of Bill Murray. Without his hilarious performance, the film wouldn’t be near as memorable.
When a famous director gets his grubby little hands on a beloved children’s book, The Polar Express is the result. Throughout most of the film, the intent is limpid. Director Robert Zemeckis new the idea would make a killing at the box office. Thus, a short children’s book is forcibly stretched into a one hour and forty-minute movie, making for an unfocused plot with unnecessary action sequences. Despite this, the Polar Express is a classic for a reason. It is full of the enchantment and wonder of Christmas that only a child can feel. The narrator’s enduring belief in Santa Clause is what all adults secretly envy.
Choosing between the cartoon and the live-action was difficult. In the end, I had to go with the 2000 live-action movie for Jim Carry’s captivating performance. Like the Polar Express, How the Grinch Stole Christmas is a bit unfocused. The choice to explore the Grinch’s back story was lazy. The potency of the original was in part due to the Grinch’s unexplained hatred for the whos. Other plot points also seemed unnecessary. But this is made up for by the hilarious script and Jim Carry’s exaggerated, brilliant performance. It’s not one of the best Christmas movies, but it’s certainly one of the most heartwarming.
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation is the pinnacle of slap stick comedy. Chevy Chase is at his comedic best, and the entire cast fits their caricatured roles perfectly. Clark Griswald’s many ridiculous attempts to elevate his family’s Christmas experience involve superfluous lights and massive Christmas trees. But in the end, he realizes that the most important part of Christmas is family. Aw, such a heart warming message regardless of how cliched it is.
A Nightmare before Christmas has engendered tons of merch for a reason. It’s one of Tim Burton’s best. Not only is the concept creative and the stop motion animation beautiful, but what makes this classic so timeless is its simplicity. Unlike the themes of some kid’s movies that cater more to adults, what makes Nightmare Before Christmas so effective is the simple theme that some things need not stray from their respective domains. That is, some things should be preserved in their most undiluted form. That’s why any Nightmare Before Christmas play is ridiculously ironic. Theatre should stay in the realm of theatre just as a film should stay in the realm of film. Merging the two together is antithetical to the film’s message. Also, the songs are so damn catchy.
A Christmas Story wouldn’t be nearly as timeless without Jean Shepard’s engaging narration. The narrator conveys the mind of a child so accurately that he’ll remind you of yourself. His fantasies are also hilariously on point, giving the audience an image of Ralphie’s delusional self-importance. Some of the details of Ralphie’s Childhood may not be relatable, but they offer a very specific experience that the audience can either relate to or not. Rather than providing a general narrative that notably excludes any nonrelatable memories, A Christmas Story feels like an honest depiction of someone’s actual childhood, which generates a more intimate experience with the audience.
Many Americans probably aren’t familiar with this French classic. It’s a film set during WW1 about a truce on Christmas eve. The theme of reconciliation during times of war is incredibly heart warming, and the singing is beautiful. Joyeux Noel was deservedly nominated for the best foreign film at the Academy Awards in 2006. If you haven’t seen it, give it a chance. You won’t be disappointed.
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