Seth Mecklenburg | Arts & Life Co- Editor
The Christmas season is upon us, and it’s time to listen to “Little Drummer Boy” and drink hot chocolate (or eggnog). It’s time to get ready to see your loved ones for longer than you normally would consider and be more selfless. However, one of the biggest parts of any good holiday season is watching some good ol’ Christmas movies. So let’s count down 15 of the most beloved holiday films according to those polled this season by The Tack.
First, it’s time to mention some favorites that just missed the cut. As great or beloved as they may be, they just didn’t quite get enough votes. “Miracle on 34th Street,” “Good Sam,” and “Holiday Inn.” All three are classic films about the true meaning of Christmas that feature a good amount of humor along with their dramatic pathos. Also, here’s to “Die Hard” and “Jingle All the Way,” two very different films set at Christmastime, starring two of the biggest action stars ever, Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger, respectively.
With that, here are the Top 15 holiday films, according to you, our Tack readers.
#15 Scrooged (1988) Starring Bill Murray and Karen Allen
The first film to crack the list is a retelling of Charles Dicken’s “A Christmas Carol.” The film features SNL alum Bill Murray portraying Frank Cross, the meanest and most depraved television executive you could hope to meet. The film takes the same story you thought you knew and makes it a darkly comic and satirical holiday classic.
#14 The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) Starring voice talent of Danny Elfman
This Halloween/Christmas crossover film features Jack the Pumpkin King wanting to do something different in life. Namely, stop participating in Halloween and take over Christmas. However, the boogey man may have different plans. This film is a favorite among many Tim Burton fans (who co-wrote and produced the flick). With a brisk running time of 76 minutes, this is a fun-filled film for the whole family.
#13 Home Alone (1990)
The first two “Home Alone” movies were massive blockbusters, starring Macaulay Culkin as a young boy left behind when his family goes on family vacation. The child is left to fend for himself against the wet bandits (Oscar Winner, Joe Pesci, and Daniel Stern) during the holiday season. “Home Alone” and “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York” were directed by Christopher Columbus, who also directed the first two Harry Potter movies. The films received two sequels without the main cast and crew with the fourth being a made for television film called “Home Alone 4: Taking Back the House.”
#12 The Year Without A Santa Claus (1974)
IMDB describes this classic Santa flick: “When a weary and discouraged Santa Claus considers skipping his Christmas Eve run, Mrs. Claus and his Elves set out to change his mind. The animated classic features the voice of Mickey Rooney as Santa Claus.”
#11 How The Grinch Stole Christmas (1966)
The hateful and uncaring Grinch cannot take the celebration of Christmas from Whoville and decides to steal everything Christmas from the village. The film featured the voice of Boris Karloff (best known for playing Frankenstein) as the narrator and the Grinch. The film is based on Dr. Seuss’ classic and inspired a feature film adaptation starring Jim Carrey (see #6). Freshman Justice Gage said it’s his favorite due to the classic story.
“The story is classic, the bad guy turns into a good guy, and it’s all just really well done. I love it,” Gage said.
#10 Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer (1964)
The classic claymation movie features the misfit Rudolph who feels alienated from society and sets out to find a place where he fits in and winds up being able to help save Christmas.
#9 Love Actually (2003)
This romantic holiday film features many stories of Britons dealing with love and the holidays. Stories within the film include the Prime Minister (Hugh Grant) falling in love and a man (Liam Neeson) dealing with the death of his wife while his wife’s kid falls in love for the first time. The film also deals with a struggling marriage between a middle-aged man (Alan Rickman) on the line of cheating as his wife (Emma Thompson) grows suspicious. The film’s successes lie in the stories and actors. Each one of these stories would have warranted their own movie, and at a little over two hours, you get more than your fair share of laughs and tears.
#8 The Santa Clause (1994)
This movie was Tim Allen’s first leading man vehicle and featured Allen portraying Scott Calvin. One fateful Christmas Eve, Calvin and his son Charlie witness Santa fall off of their roof. Calvin then unknowingly agrees to become the new Santa, if only he had read the Clause. The film works well due to its quiet drama and family friendly humor from the entire cast that rarely veers into low-brow, anything-for-a-laugh jokes.
#7 The Polar Express (2004)
Tom Hanks starred in this stop-motion film from director Robert Zemekis (who made the “Back to the Future” Films). The film is based on the short story of the same name about a boy who boards a train bound for the North Pole. The story features plenty of humor and drama and has infused itself as a holiday mainstay.
#6 How The Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
This 2000 live-action adaptation of the classic story of the Grinch starred Jim Carrey and featured some new plot points and backstory. The movie is structured around the over-the-top shenanigans of Carrey and the classic Dr. Seuss story.
#5 White Christmas (1954)
This classic musical stars the legendary Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye. Having left the Army following W.W.II, Bob Wallace and Phil Davis team up to become a top song-and-dance act. Davis plays matchmaker and introduces Wallace to a pair of beautiful sisters (Betty and Judy) who also have a song-and-dance act. The movie works through the chemistry of its stars, and the classic Christmas movie themes.
#4 National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989)
The Griswold’s are going to have a good old-fashioned Christmas, no matter what fate has to say about it. The film is anchored by the lovable Chevy Chase and features some of the most iconic moments in holiday films, including Chase struggling to decorate the house with Christmas lights.
#3 Elf (2003)
Senior Jacob Pederson is a fan of this movie.
“The comedic value, Christmas to me is a happy time. The other ones are good, but this one is more of a classic for this generation. Who knows, “Elf” could be a classic for the next 25 years,” Pederson said.
Will Ferrell did what few could in this modern holiday classic, play a man who believes he is an elf. Raised in the North Pole, he sets out to find his father (James Caan). With minimal understanding of the city life, Buddy the Elf ventures through many hilarious situations, including a seriously ticked off “South Pole Elf.”
#2 It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
Starring legend James Stewart and Donna Reid, this film is an obvious choice for many families during the holidays as an angel helps a compassionate but despairingly frustrated businessman by showing what life would have been like if he never existed. Assistant Professor of Digital Media Andrea Frantz said her favorite holiday film is easily “It’s a Wonderful Life”, with no comparison.
“It’s not exclusively a story about Christmas. It’s a story about finding hope in the everyday. I also love it because it has one of the top-five live scenes of all time for me. It’s just a great story,” Frantz said.
#1 A Christmas Story (1983)
Don’t shoot my eye out if you disagree, but “A Christmas Story” received the most votes as people’s favorite holiday film. Maybe TBS forced it on us enough that it’s the only one we can think of. Either way, this hilarious family friendly film finds Ralphie dealing with his parents, brother, triple-dog-daring friends and mass amounts of people who think he isn’t ready for the Red Rider BB gun, the only thing he wants for Christmas. The movie will forever capture the Christmas spirit of comedy, drama, and want versus need just like many of the films on this list.
Graphic by Grace Bodey
