Five of the Best Christmas Movies Ever Made
Holiday Films Viewers Won't Want to Miss
Nov 3, 2009 Cynthia Jones-Shoeman
With all the stress and hustle and bustle of the holiday season, sometimes it's hard to get into the Christmas spirit. The movies here are likely to stir even the most stressed out viewers. There is a movie here for everyone, from moving drama to light-hearted comedy.
It's a Wonderful Life
Frank Capra's 1946 movie is considered a classic today. Jimmy Stewart plays George Bailey, an everyman living in the town of Bedford Falls. George constantly puts his dreams on the back burner to help others. One Christmas, a series of events lands George in such a spot that he wishes he'd never been born. An angel, determined to earn his wings, shows George what life would have been like without him, and George finally understands that - while he may not have lived his dreams - he has enriched the lives of others. He returns to his loving family and discovers that all the people he has helped have found a way to help him.
It's a Wonderful Life was not as beloved as it is today, but modern viewers consider the film to be a Christmas classic. It also stars Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore, and Gloria Grahame.
A Christmas Story
This 1983 comedy film is shown numerous times over the holiday season, mainly because the movie was a classic as soon as it was released. It is the story of Ralphie, a young boy growing up in the 1940s, who wishes only for a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas. Viewers watch Ralphie's adventures at home and in school, leading up to Christmas day. The movie stars Peter Billingsley as Ralph, Darrin McGavin, and Melinda Dillon.
Scrooged
While Charles Dickens' story A Christmas Carol has been retold numerous times in a variety of ways, this version which stars Bill Murray as Frank Cross is arguably one of the best. The tale is retold this time with the Scrooge character as a television executive. Just as in the Dickens' story, his character is visited by three ghosts - the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future. While viewers know how the movie will end, this retelling is fresh and fun.
This 1988 comedy also stars Karen Allen, Carol Kane, and Alfre Woodard.
Home Alone
A fantasy movie that children in particular will love, this 1990 film was well received immediately. It is the story of a young boy, played by Macaulay Culkin, who is inadvertently left at home by himself when the rest of his family travels out of the country. He learns not only to take care of himself, but he also manages to save himself and his family's home from burglars who have taken advantage of the fact that the people living in this upper-class neighborhood are leaving their homes untended during the holiday season.
Home Alone is charming and funny. It also stars Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, and Catherine O'Hara.
Elf
This movie was made more recently than the others in this list, but it is sweet and endearing. Will Farrell stars in this 2003 movie about an elf named Buddy who has been living at the North Pole but soon discovers, because he is so different from the other elves, that he was adopted. Much of the humor in the movie comes from Buddy's adventures in New York, as he obviously does not fit in. The film also stars James Caan, Bob Newhart, and Mary Steenbergen.
Getting into the Christmas Spirit
The holidays are often a time of stress, with shopping, wrapping, baking, and planning. But families can relax and have fun by curling up with one of these classic movies that will either get a few chuckles out of them or warm their hearts.
Related article:
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