A good Christmas movie is hard to define. To many, it is the movie that they spent countless childhood hours playing and re-playing, and to this day still enjoy.
For others, it is the film that flips the Christmas paradigm on its head. Definitions aside, certain movies instantly jump to mind, and can come to represent what is loved about the holiday season.
Megan McLeod, manager of the ByTowne Cinema, said her cinematic holiday favourites revolve around annual tradition.
“On Christmas Day, my miniature family and some friends always watch a movie. For the last two years, we’ve watched Die Hard and Die Hard 2 while eating endless trays of appetizers,” McLeod said in an email.
“They are action-packed, ridiculous, and yet still have that ‘I’ve gotta get home to my family for Christmas’ schmaltz, but not enough to make one eye-rollingly queasy.”
Die Hard may not be typical holiday fare, but McLeod also has a love for a more conventional Christmas story.
“I will watch any incarnation of A Christmas Carol, but hold particular regard for the Alastair Sim Muppets . . . and even the Mickey Mouse version. The Cratchits having to slice a pea to share made me weep as a kid, and still gets me misty. The core story is one of which I’ll never tire, and one that really embodies the spirit of giving and looking out for your fellow man, mouse, Muppet,” McLeod said.
Lee Demarbre, programmer at the Mayfair Theatre, also gave a unique view on Christmas movies, with a preference for more dark takes on the holiday season.
Among Demarbre’s favourites is John Waters’ warped 1974 cult hit Female Trouble.
“Just for the scene where [actress] Divine repeats ‘Not on Christmas, not on Christmas,’ beats up her parents, throws the Christmas tree to the ground and stomps on it. One of the funniest John Waters moments ever,” Demarbre said in an email.
Demarbre also professed his love for the 1984 horror-comedy Gremlins.
“The scene where Phoebe Cates tells the story of what happened to her Dad on Christmas Eve is so dark it makes this film a must on Christmas day.”
Ben’s top picks
5. Elf (2003)
Elf came out when I was a kid, and despite its obvious jokes and overt sentimentality, it strikes a chord with me.
I watched it every year, and to this day it remains a staple of my holiday viewing.
4. Polar Express (2004)
Based on the children’s book, this movie is easily the most visually appealing on my list. The movie has an incredibly slick look to it, and should be experienced in a theatre.
3. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)
Although not a full-length movie, I’ve probably put more viewing time into this classic than anything else on my list. In the weeks leading up to Christmas, there is rarely a moment when Rudolph isn’t on TV. It isn’t until you become older that you notice that Rudolph is incredibly bizarre and surreal, but every element of it seems to work.
2. It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
I only came to this movie a few years ago, and with incredibly high expectations. It is often cited as essential Christmas viewing, and this is not without reason. The movie provides a well-constructed take on life as a whole, and how people affect one another.
1. A Christmas Story (1983)
My favourite Christmas movie by a large margin is A Christmas Story. A cynical take on both childhood and Christmas itself, the movie provides a nostalgic and often too-true story about growing up. The movie feels classic from the first viewing, and hits on both the naïve joys of childhood and the horrors of growing up.
