Christmas is a great time to sit down and watch a movie. Well, I have a few go to movies that I always take in over Chrimbo to get me in the holiday mood. So here are my Xmas movie recommendations—some traditional and some not—with the guarantee that I’ll be watching them.
IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE (1945): for me this is the greatest Christmas movie of all time. Jimmy Stewart on the worst night of his life gets his wish from an angel to see what the world would have been like without him. A timeless tale.
THE MAN WHO CAME TO DINNER (1942): The world loves radio personality, Sheridan Whiteside, but the world doesn’t have to live with acid tongue monster that is his off air personality. One Ohio family is going discover what it is to endure his demands when he takes over their household for Christmas. An out of control farce with a fantastic performance from Monty Woolley and it’s nice to see Bette Davis play her softer side.
DIE HARD(1988): Christmas will never be the same when Hans Gruber and John McClane clash at the Nakatomi building. At the adverts went: “Twelve terrorists. One cop. The odds are against John McClane… That’s just the way he likes it.” Still, one of the greatest action movies of all time. Yippee-ki-yay, Santa!
THE SILENT PARTNER (1978): Pretty much a forget movie these days. Elliot Gould is mild mannered bank cashier in Toronto who anticipates that his bank is going to be robbed by Christopher Plummer dressed as Santa so Gould steals the money before the robbery occurs but Plummer is blamed for the robbery. It seems like a good plan except Christopher Plummer is a psychotic nutcase. A fantastic set up for a great thriller. Christopher Plummer is truly frightening and not a film for the fainthearted, but do track it down.
BLACK CHRISTMAS (1974): What’s Christmas without a scary movie? Then look no further than Black Christmas but don’t bother with the horrible remake from a few years ago and stick with the 70’s original. T’was the night before Christmas break and a bunch of girls who stay behind at a sorority house are terrorized by a killer. Made years before slasher movies became commonplace, Black Christmas is a cut above (pun not intended…well, maybe not). It is truly unsettling enough to bring out the gooseflesh.
LOVE ACTUALLY (2003): Love, London and Christmas! What isn’t there to love about this Richard Curtis movie? Well, there maybe quite a bit not to love. I know there’s a large slice of people don’t like this movie but I do. I have to say it makes me a little homesick for home, so this movie is very special to me. Call it my Christmas guilty pleasure.
Now get your movie on…
