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Every year, there is a debate about what each of us watch in the build up to and during the festive season.
So lets have one place where we give our recommendations, our essential watches and maybe offer up new choices to those of us who haven't seen them.
Got to say, whilst far from a Grinch, I'm not a huge fan of Christmas but each year I do have my 'regulars' in preparing for the dinner, presents and all that jazz.
Be warned... A LOT of American cultural biases of a certain type coming down the pike. And none of them too original.
The MUSTS are...
March Of The Wooden Soldiers:
It's A Wonderful Life:
White Christmas:
Rankin/Bass' Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer:
A Christmas Story:
This one is a little touchy given what we know now about it's creator. But... At the same time this was an important part of my growing up during Christmas. So... YMMV in wanting to give it a try. The Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids Christmas Specials:
How The Grinch Stole Christmas:
Frosty The Snowman:
This is another touchy one but just cuz everyone has their favorite. My mom loves the Albert Finney musical version, my grandma has actually taken a liking to the Jim Carrey CGi animated version but for me... I cotton to the version starring George C. Scott from 1984.
A Christmas Carol:
This may come as a shock to those that know me well from the politics section of the Hype, but... Jesus IS the reason for the season. And I state this as a now very dyed in the wool Atheist. But an Atheist that did ten years of Catholic School. So... Yeah. Can't help it. As such I like to get around to these during the holiday time.
Jesus Of Nazareth:
The Fourth Magi/The Fourth Wise Man:
Ben-Hur:
Some of the more off the beaten path and less... Uh... Earnst, selections would be as follows...
I CANNOT tell more people to watch this. It's great. It's Murray. It's Donner. It's... Scrooged:
Rise Of Guardians:
Christmas Vacation:
I know there's a big 80's action film that EVERYONE is expecting on this list. One that is quotable, memorable and which kicked off a franchise as well as propelling it's stars to brand new heights.
Well...
Here it is:
SUPRISE MOTHER****ERS!!! It's Lethal Weapon and yeah... All ya'll sleep on it being Christmas themed as much as Die Hard is.
Jesus of Nazareth up until he gets Baptised by John. The film's just too long.
The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy
The Hobbit Trilogy
All 8 Harry Potter films
Home Alone 1&2
On Her Majesty's Secret Service
Die Hard
Iron Man 3
A Christmas Carol
The Polar Express
It's A Wondeful Life
Mircale On 34th Street
The Bishop's Wife
Nightmare Before Christmas
It changes every year but these seem to be the ones in constant rotation.
Home Alone 1 & 2
Gremlins
Scrooged
It’s a Wonderful Life
Miracle on 34th Street
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Hook
A Christmas Story
Christmas Vacation
Elf
Scrooge 1970
A Christmas Carol 1951
The Snowman 1982
Father Christmas
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Prep & Landing 1 & 2
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Pee-wee’s Christmas Special
The Simpsons Christmas Special
Home Alone 1&2 (of course)
A Christmas Story
Bad Santa
The Santa Clause (only Tim Allen movie I can stomach besides Toy Story)
Batman Returns
Life With Mikey
Jingle All The Way
Grew up with National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, Prancer, One Magic Christmas, It's A Wonderful Life, and this obscure Australian movie Miracle Down Under that probably two other people have ever heard of.
A Christmas Story, Miracle on 34th Street (1947 version), and Christmas Vacation, I watch every year without question. Love all three. I usually try to watch Die Hard and my favorite version of Scrooge (the one with Alastair Sim) if I can fit them in. This year shouldn't be a problem given that I can't do as much other things due to COVID-19. I really need to pick up the Blu-Ray of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. I try to watch it every year, but I'm limited to TV showings. The original Frosty and Grinch cartoons usually get in the rotation too. Other than that it tends to be more random, basically whatever happens to be airing on television that night or what is on Netflix.
Gremlins, Home Alone 1 & 2, Jumanji and Krampus are sure fire viewing choices for Christmas time. I know Jumanji isn't technically a Christmas film, but I've always considered it one because of it's Christmas party ending.
Scrooged
Die Hard
Home Alone 1&2
Jingle All The Way
Christmas Vacation
Bad Santa
Batman Returns
Nightmare Before Christmas
Miracle on 34th Street
The Santa Clause
Gremlins
Elf
Ghostbusters 2
A Charlie Brown Christmas
The Snowman specials
The Rankin Bass Stop motion specials and movies and Twas the Night Before Christmas
The Patrick Stewart and George C. Scott Christmas Carols
The Baryshnikov Nutcracker
Metropolitan
Its a Wonderful Life
A Christmas Story
The original Grinch
The Fleischer Rudolph
The Wizard of Oz
Meet Me in St Louis
I love Danny Kaye, but yeah, I tend to agree with this. I just find HI more interesting.
Plus it's where the hotel chain got its name! The founder of the chain was watching TV and the movie came on, and it hit him that it was a great name for a hotel.
I usually watch Rudolph and Charlie Brown Christmas specials. Wife loves the 90s Miracle on 34th Street, so we watch that. Also watch A Christmas Story every year
Any Chiodo brothers fans? Any Killer Klowns from Outer Space fans?
Did anyone check out the Chiodo Brother's Alien Xmas on Netflix? I'm saving it closer to Christmas, but surprised there's hardly any talk about it anywhere.
Watching Die Hard as a part of Christmas viewing is like eating anchovies.
The movies I mandate are It's a Wonderful Life, A Christmas Story, and A Miracle on 34th Street. I also like Scrooge (1951), Home Alone 1 & 2, Christmas Vacation, The Santa Clause movies, Elf, A Charlie Brown Christmas, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, The Grinch, Arthur Christmas, A Nightmare Before Christmas, Gremlins, and The Polar Express.
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