24 Days of Christmas Films: Day 14- Arthur Christmas

Another one of the more modern entries on this list but I couldn’t resist including it as I think it’s one of the smartest, most genuine Christmas films I’ve ever seen.

We’re introduced to Father Christmas (Hugh Bonneville) and his two sons Steve, the focused man on the ground in charge of running Christmas operations, and Arthur (James McAvoy) his good hearted but hopeless son who is in charge of the letter department. After a terrible mistake Arthur takes it upon himself to rectify it, and with his GrandSanta (Billy Nighy) and a wrapping elf named Bryony (Ashely Jensen) he sets off to ensure that no child will ever be without a gift on Christmas.

The thing I like most about this film is how it plays on the traditional Christmas myths such as making ‘Santa’ a title which is passed down, and the ingenious explanation as to how Father Christmas manages the incredible feat of delivering presents to all the children across the world in one night.

The recognisable voices add a sense of inherent likability to the characters, as although you might not be able to name the actor, you know the voice and relate to the character as a result. The family focus of the film and Arthur’s determination to deliver the forgotten present means it’s truly heartwarming to watch, but also manages to create genuine sentiment which is what makes it so enjoyable too. It’s such a witty and intelligent film that it makes it a perfect choice for both adults and children and is a sure fire way to keep everyone happy on Christmas day.

24 Days of Christmas Films: Day 12-A Charlie Brown Christmas

This is an oldie but a goodie. While my sister and I never really watched the Peanut cartoons when we were little (I preferred the comics), my mother used to love them and it was a love she used to try to pass on by encouraging us to watch this every year.

With imaginative, relatable characters and iconic music it’s not surprising that A Charlie Brown Christmas is something that still manages to compel children, long after they’ve transitioned into adulthood. It’s surprising re-watching it as an adult how profound the message is behind this short film, as when I was little all I noticed was the Charlie Brown was sad about Christmas. But as an adult I realised that it’s actually the widespread of commercialism that’s got Charlie down, and is the cause as to why he throws himself into directing the Christmas play, although alas to no avail. As Charlie’s friends come together and we see Charlie realise that there is still more to Christmas than shopping and presents, it’s not just Charlie’s spirits who are raised. Whilst Linus’ recitation of Luke 2:8-14 highlights the simple intentions of what Christmas should really be about, peace and goodwill to all men.  Whether you’re religious or not it’ll have a different impact for you, but as someone who is the latter I love this reference as it brings me back to my childhood performing the Nativity, and the genuine joy and promise that Christmas would bring every year.

At its core that is what a Charlie Brown Christmas is all about, characters coming together in a touching and sentimental way to remind us what should be most important at Christmastime, and that is something that I think we sometimes need to be reminded of.

 

24 Days of Christmas Film: Day 11- Scrooged

There have been over 20 film adaptations of Charles Dickens’ famous novella which would allow me to fill this list rating those alone. Unlike most popular subject matter that spawns countless adaptations, a majority of these adaptations are actually very deserving of a place on this list. So I gave it my absolute best to whittle them all down to the versions that I thought had the most to give, and with that we start with Scrooged.

It’s a kooky, kitsch version of the traditional tale with a dash of consumerism too as Bill Murray plays Frank Cross, a selfish television executive whom on the premise of his live TV version of A Christmas Carol is visited by three ghosts of his own to teach him a lesson. But these aren’t like any Christmas ghosts you’ve seen before as Frank is visited by a manic taxi driver, a verging psychopathic fairy, and a version of death who’s genuinely still scares me at 23 years of age.

As a result the first two thirds of the film are incredibly funny, and due to great performances from the whole cast make the Ghost of Christmas Future’s predictions all the more heart-breaking. It says a lot about the quality of the film that it manages to deliver great, consistent comedy, but also has the emotional pull to make the visions of the Ghost of Christmas Future truly horrifying to the audience. In my opinion it’s often this believability of the character’s relationships that drives the success of any Christmas Carol adaptation, as without it it makes the celebratory ending feel flat and false, and most importantly a lot less festive!

Scrooged is essentially A Christmas Carol and you’re not going to get much more Christmassy than that, plus it has the bonus of being a genuinely fantastic film. It’s perfect for the family members who are sick of the typical Christmas films and fancy a great laugh. Plus did I mention Billy Murray’s in it?!

24 Days of Christmas Films: Day 10-The Night Before

Gather round children there’s a tale to be told, of an orphan and his friends and holidays old. The boy was so sad his dear friends did think, I know what’ll fix it, a damn great big drink! From that Christmas Eve On, they’d have high-jinks and drink, un-til their friendship did near reach it’s brink.

As this film opens with a holiday rhyme I thought I’d give my hand to attempting one, so please bear with me. This is the most modern film on this list and I tell you know, is definitely one for fans of Seth Rogen’s stoner movies, and those who like their Christmas films with drugs, parties, the odd song and dance number and a lot of inappropriate humour.

We meet Joseph Gordon Levitt’s Ethan on Christmas Eve just after his parents have died and his friends Isaac (Seth Rogen) and Chris (Antony Mackie) decide to take him out to cheer him up, and so a Christmas tradition is born. But years later as Chris is a rising major league football star and Isaac is about to have his first child, they decide that this year is to be their final hurrah. As luck(or a Christmas miracle) would have it, Ethan finds three tickets to The Nutcracker Ball, a party they heard about that first Christmas Eve but is so exclusive they’ve been unable to track it down or get hold of an invite, until now.

It has an amazing cast for comedy fans from Ilana Glazer, Mindy Kaling, Michael Shannon, Lizzy Caplan, and of course in true Seth Rogen fashion, James Franco. I kind of can’t help but think of it as a millennials version of a Christmas film, but that shouldn’t be seen as a bad thing. It’s pretty funny and the three leading men have enough chemistry between them to convincingly carry the film, but it does lack the convincing sentiment and good-cheer of other classic Christmas films.

Overall the younger members of your family and your friends will enjoy the final party and the sometimes extremely random cameos (here’s looking at you Miley), but this is not one for the parents and extended family. It has it’s highs and lows, but overall I think it’s a great change from the typical Christmas film and one that’s well worth watching this holiday season.

 

24 Days of Christmas: Day 9- Bad Santa

Warning: today’s choice is most definitely not one to watch with the family, not unless they are very liberal.

If you’re looking for a conventional film full of holiday cheer and good-will this is not the one for you. Whereas if you like your Santa with a touch of alcoholism and swearing then step this way!

My mother is a self confessed ‘Grinch’ at Christmas and as a result she loves this film. Billy Bob Thornton plays the aforementioned Bad Santa who with his partner in crime elf Marcus (Tony Cox), use their positions as an store Santa and his helper to rob a different department store every year. I won’t say anything else except there’s plenty of interesting characters including a barmaid with a Santa fetish, a child who’s a few chocolates short of a full advent calendar and a wise cracking security guard.

It’s a lewd, outrageous and weird film, but the reason behind the film’s success is that it’s just really bloody funny. The humour is darker than a lump of coal but it is endlessly quotable, and still manages to deliver on the Christmassy feels without any cheesiness.

It’s ideal for people like my mum who find the idea of any cheese or sentiment at Christmas intolerable, or for those who fancy something different than a typical Christmas film, or just a really good laugh.

24 Days of Christmas Films: Day 8- An ode to the Christmas Horror Film

I knew I wanted a horror film on this list but when it came to what film to include I couldn’t decide as they all seemed as equally bad/good. So I thought why not dedicate a whole post to the massively underrated genre of Christmas horror films (insert heavy dose of sarcasm here).

In all seriously though I do genuinely love a horror film at Christmas as I don’t think there’s a better way to count your blessings than to see someone on screen literally have the worst Christmas ever. You might be unlucky such as in the case of Krampus and your family is being hunted by a horned demon from folklore and his evil elves,  or maybe your new pet has spawned evil lizard skinned creatures such as in Gremlins, or maybe it’s just that your sorority house has just been revisted by the cannibalistic son who used to live there as in Black Christmas. Either way as an audience member you’ll realise you have a lot of blessings to count.

You certainly won’t find the smartest or scariest horror films in this genre but they’re the perfect guilty pleasure films, and sometimes the source of a good laugh considering how laughably bad some of them are.

Not to mention that there’s a film for someone on either end of the horror film fan scale, from Gremlins which definitely errs on the black comedy side of things, to the original Black Christmas which provides jump scares whilst the remake is a full on slasher flick. Other highlights (or lowlights depending on your preference), include Jack Frost where a serial killer comes back as a killer snowman, Silent Night Zombie Night (pretty self explanatory there), or one of the many evil Santa films, you’ll find the perfect film for every type of horror fan.

After today we’ll be returning to the typical Christmas genre films but I just thought I’d include a few suggestions for someone looking for something a little different this Christmas time (and maybe a little scare). Please, please, please let me know if you’ve seen any of these films, or whether you have a personal favourite horror film as I’d love to know if there’s any other hidden gems out there!

 

 

 

24 Days of Christmas Films: Day 7- The Snowman/Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer

We are now officially 18 sleeps away from Christmas so it’s time that this list starts kicking it up a gear in terms of the Christmassy factor of these films and what better way to start than with two children’s classics.

I did slightly cheat today by including two films but it’s because I think that with these two depending on your family, the preference tends to lean either way. Whereas some of my friends swear by Rudolph as their childhood favourite and the one that they watch every year, but for my family it was without a doubt The Snowman.

On the surface both films are very different as one is a wordless animated short with a complex hidden narrative, whilst the other is an all singing and dancing holiday TV special of the world’s most famous reindeer. But they both share similar qualities that are the reason they have transcended the films of their time into Christmas classics.

Both like most Christmas films have great songs, whilst The Snowman has the iconic ‘Walking In The Air’ which always makes me tear up a little bit, Rudolph has a original soundtrack which when being sung by adorable elves and reindeers will give you a serious case of the Christmas warm and fuzzies.

They’ve also both got incredible heart at the centre of their stories; in The Snowman we witness one boy create a companion who takes him on a wondrous adventure through the skies and how he learns that eventually everything must come to an end. On the other hand with Ruldolph we learn the story of the most famous of reindeer of all, and how he transforms from an unwanted outcast to a beloved hero who saves Christmas. Both have moments that will have even the hardened of viewers remarking that they have something in their eyes.

There’s always a special place in a persons heart for the things that we have experienced as children,  but having re-watched these at the grand old age of 23 I can testify that they still stand the test of time and are still beautiful to watch. Plus if there was ever a time to embrace your inner child, it’s Christmas.

 

 

 

24 Days of Christmas Films: Day 6-A Christmas Story

This is often quoted as a lot of people’s favourite Christmas film and it’s easy to understand as it’s packed with Christmassy nostalgia .

It certainly lacks the extravagance of Christmas that we’re used to seeing in more modern Christmas films, but that’s part of the charm as we’re reminded of the joy that can be gleamed simply with a child receiving their dream gift on Christmas morning. Every person watching can relate to the plight of 9 year old Ralphie and his attempts to persuade his parents that the one gift they are adamant he can’t have, is the one that he wants more that any other. I mean in my case it was an Amazing Aly (prime example of only 90s kids will know) but the pain is still the same.

Another factor working in its favour is that it’s a genuinely funny film, with moments such as when Ralphie is forced to literally clean his mouth out with soap after swearing and takes the moment to reflect on the differences between the types of soaps he’s been forced to taste. Plus who can forget the iconic bunny onesie scene?! Ultimately it’s the realistic script and natural chemistry between the actors that has made this film one for the ages, as every person watching will be able to recount similar experiences from their childhood, as we watch Ralphie tackle un-sympathetic teaches, nagging parents and the brutal battle zone that is the playground.

There’s a certain innocence in the portrayal of Christmas in this film where children would gather around the radio as opposed to the product placement heavy children TV shows of today. Not to mention that buying a 9 year old a BB gun nowadays whilst not only probably being illegal, would stir up a whole host of media debate. I know I sound like the stereotypical grandparent insisting that everything was better in the ‘good ol’days’ but in the case of this film that is what makes it such a success. Plus if there was ever a time for some good old nostalgia then it’s at Christmas time.

24 Days of Christmas: Day 1 -The Nightmare Before Christmas

For Day 1 there was no other other option for me as this is one of my all time favourite films and I think it’s the perfection transitional film to take you from Halloween to Christmas.

Although it’s often debated whether this film belongs in the Halloween or Christmas movie category, for me it ticks too many of the great Christmas film qualities for it to not find its place on this list. It’s got the perfect combination of a nuanced musical score, a love story and a good old Christmas moral epiphany, not to mention a cameo from the main man himself, Santa Claus. This is a great choice if you like your Christmas with a little twist as in typical Tim Burton fashion it’s a little bit weirder than your typical Christmas film but it’s a cult classic for a reason, and the Christmastown scenes in particular are beautiful to watch.

As we watch Jack discover Christmastown and its bright lights, snowflakes and roasting chestnuts we get to experience the joy of Christmas through his eyes, and as a result it allows us to rediscover everything we love about Christmas and more.

 

 

24 Days of Christmas Films

Over the years it seems that escaping from the cold and getting cosy in front of a Christmas film has become an integral part of the holiday season, and I think it’s often the easiest way to get yourself into the festive spirit. It’s certainly one of the things I look most forward to in the run up to Christmas, so I thought what better way to mark the run up to December 25th on this blog than to compile a list of what I think are some of the top Christmas movies to get you in the mood .

From tomorrow I’ll be sharing my favourites starting with the ones that give you a sprinkling of Christmas for those who are wanting to dip their toe before diving fully into the festive season, slowly building in festivity until we reach the full force Christmas favourites we all know and love. Hopefully it’ll help build the excitement for you guys and as there’ll be a few more adult choices as well, I’ve tried my best to incorporate alternatives in those cases so whatever your taste you’ll never have to miss a day!

So starting from tomorrow I hope you guys will be following along and as always I’d love to know if you guys have any particular favourites that you love to watch or hope to see on the list!