The holiday season is a common favorite time of the year for many, despite Christmas’ aggressive expansion and annexing the entire month of November from Thanksgiving. Holiday sale commercials begin the day after Halloween, if not sooner, and the only day of November that Christmas does not own yet is the last Thursday of the month. Then, once people awaken from their Thanksgiving food comas, Christmas unequivocally thrusts to the forefront of everyone’s mind.
So when an individual wants to sit back, relax, make hot chocolate, and pop in a holiday flick, these are the ones he or she is going to want to get a hold of this month:
5. A Christmas Story. The classic that came out in 1983 makes the list because it is timeless and over-played all Christmas season. Unfortunately for Ralphie and the Parkers, that is also why it is just number five. How many times in the month of December is “you’ll shoot your eye out!” uttered? Too many!. Yet it is powerful and individuals will struggle to find two people who have not seen it, partly because it airs all day on Christmas.
4. National Lampoon’s a Christmas Vacation. Possibly the least viewed of this top five, making it an underrated gem. Chevy Chase stars in the comedy as Clark Griswold and it takes viewers through the hilarious tale of one man trying to create the perfect Christmas for his family. The plot takes a comical twist when his extended family shows up unannounced and he tries to accommodate them. All the while, he is attempting to achieve a Christmas bonus from his job that he rightfully deserves.
3. Home Alone. Macaulay Culkin stars as Kevin McCallister, a boy whose family mistakenly leaves him behind when they go to Paris for a Christmas vacation. Two prospective burglars thought they were going to raid an empty house, only to find out the kid was still around. The boy attempts to ward off the criminals from harming him and his family’s home. “I love Home Alone,” said Kenny Rocha, sophomore international business major, “Every time I watch it immediately reminds me of Christmas and it makes me grab sugar cookies and a cold glass of milk!”
2. Elf. Emphatically funny are not the right words to describe this film, it really cannot do it justice. Will Ferrell stars as Buddy the Elf, an orphan who, as a baby, found his way into Santa Claus’ gift bag and unknowingly made it to the North Pole and was raised to believe he was an elf. As an adult, he begins to trek back to New York City to find his real father, a scrooge type of character who puts business before family until Buddy finally changes his heart. “Elf is an absolutely hilarious movie. How could it not put you in the holiday mood? All I can hear in my head when someone talks about the movie is when Will Ferrell yells SANTA! All the decorations make you excited for Christmas,” said senior psychology major Laura Howell.
1. How the Grinch Stole Christmas. The committee—of one—has unanimously arrived at the decision to send the Jim Carrey version of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” to the penthouse of this hotel. Jim Carrey is masterful in his portrayal of the anti-Christmas green creature. All of the wonderful creations from Dr. Suess’ original version are brought to life and the dialoged is modernized yet still classically distinguished. It’s hilarious and heart-warming all at the same time, a perfect blend. Kevin Henry, junior media major, sees beyond its light hearted and amusing outer layer. “How the Grinch Stole Christmas is a movie that teaches you that sharing is key. When you actually watch the movie with an underlying meaning, it teaches you a lot about self-value,” said Henry.
These are just five great Christmas movies, and if any of these titles are not available, the cupboard is not bare. There are a myriad of other adequate to great holiday films, and all one needs to do is embrace the lesson being communicated. Whichever movie is decided upon, watching with family and friends and a nice warm holiday drink makes all these movies that much better.
