My families picks for the season’s best flicks

December is here and that means a very special person is super pumped for the Christmas season.

So much so that Christmas music is played daily and Christmas/holiday movies are a must.

And though the music of the season has already become unbearable, I continuity to have an affinity for a warm and cuddly Christmas movie that’s has to include a healthy does of humour.

With that in mind, I polled my fam jam and we’ve come up with our joint Top 10 favourite Christmas Movies (you’ll notice a bit of a trend)!

Before the countdown, here are the honourable mentions

All the old claymation and animated cartoons from the 60s, 70s, and 80s including the 1964 Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer, 1969’s Frosty the Snowman, and others.

Also, one of my all-time personal favourites is favourites Gremlins. Plus other fun movies include Eddie Murphy’s Candy Cane Lane from 2023, Four Christmases with Vince Vaughan and Reese Witherspoon, and The Santa Clause with Tim Allen.

Counting down from 10 to 1 now …

10. Just say, “You’ll Shoot Your Eye Out!” and everyone smiles knowingly as they briefly reminisce about A Christmas Story from 1983. If we were doing this list in the 80s or 90s, it would be higher. But, much better movies have arrived since then. Probably not even a true Top 10, but for nostalgia’s sake we’re putting it in.

9. Love Actually. The first of two parent vetoes on the list. This is one of a few chick flicks I actually enjoy watching. Maybe because of the European connection? Maybe because of the story? Maybe because of the acting? Or perhaps it’s just all of the above.

8. The Grinch (animated). Yes, the classic Dr. Seuss tale of The Grinch, his dog Max, Cindy Lou Who, and the warm-hearted people of Whoville, deserves a Top 10 ranking on anyone’s list. The tale runs the gamut of emotions and in the end reminds us all about the true spirit of the season. P.S. Jim Carrey’s live action Grinch is just too creepy – leave holiday animation alone people!

7. Scrooged. Yes. The 1989 Bill Murray comedic hit and (at the time) modern remake of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol is so, so good. A must watch for everyone. Adding this to our top ten was a veto pick by me and Kandis since the kids haven’t seen it yet. They will this year. Then it will be much higher on the list next year.

6. Noelle. My daughter had this higher, but this is one where the family average rules. The 2019 Disney production that focuses on Santa Claus retiring and his children’s roles in filling the big guy’s boots features Anna Kendrick as Santa’s daughter, Bill Hader as the heir to Santa’s suit, Shirley MacLaine as a boss-elf, and a pretty decent story that I don’t mind watching year after year.

5. Elf. So, this is one where the averages of our family’s rankings have it this high. I like the actors in the movie, I don’t mind the story arc, and there are some funny parts, but I’m not that huge on this 2003 Jon Favreau movie. I would probably have it as an honourable mention or at numero dieci. Still a top notch cast with Will Ferrell, the late James Caan, the late Bob Newhart, Zooey Deschanel, Mary Steenburgen, Peter Dinklage, and more.

4. Spirited. A newer Christmas movie rifting on the age-old classic A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, this 2022 Apple TV flick features the dynamic duo of Canada’s favourite Ryan (Reynolds) and Will Ferrell, along with Patrick Page, Octavia Spencer, Sunita Mani, Tracy Morgan, and a stupendous supporting cast. Part comedy, part musical, part family movie, part holiday classic, and a decent story make this a must-watch holiday movie.

3. The Christmas Chronicles I & II. Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn may just be the best ever Santa and Mrs. Claus to grace the screens (big or little). A heartwarming adventure story that includes music, reindeer, elves, action sequences, and probably the hippest Saint Nick of all time. If you haven’t seen these flicks, I highly recommend them.

2. Home Alone I & II. Okay. So we lumped the two together and in this case it was a 3 to 1 vote for second billing with me being the one. My second favourite holiday movie got relegated to the honourable mentions. That being said, this movie is also features a little mean spirited gremlin wreaking havoc. The cast is an all-star line-up of comedic actors, including MacCauley Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, Catherine O’Hara, John Heard, and more. The standout guest spot by the late, great John Candy as the leader of a traveling Polka band may be the best part of either movie.

And for the number-one Christmas movie in our home that we never miss . . .

1. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation! Yep, the Griswalds and all the hilarious hijinks that ensue are number-one in our hearts – or maybe it’s in our guts? Whereever the laughter comes from, it’s where our feelings for this movie lie. Classic lines like “Sh***** Was Full,” “Take A Look Around You, Ellen. We’re At The Threshold Of Hell,” and many more! One of my favourite parts is when Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase) is at work saying “Merry Christmas” to a bunch of “C-suite” big shots and butt kissers and as the people get less important he switches from “Merry Christmas” to “kiss my ass, kiss his ass.” I still get a big kick out of that scene.

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