As the holiday season quickly approaches, I can’t wait to cuddle up on the couch, drink some festive tea, and watch some of my favourite Christmas movies. Today I’m giving you a list of my top 5: some are massive Christmas classics and some a little less so. Of course, there are so many Christmas movies out there, and I won’t just be revisiting these five – ultimately, the lovely thing about Christmas and holiday movies is that they aim to instill cozy, loving, family and relationship-oriented feelings within the viewers. It’s a time where being a little more on the cheesy side is kind of a given, and honestly, I totally love it. The holidays are a magical time, one of the best times of the year to spend with your loved ones, so make sure to take some time to relax your mind and soul if you can, and watch as many holiday films as you can!
1. The Holiday (2006)
Not only is this film one of my favourite Christmas movies, but it’s also one of my all-time-favourite movies ever. This might sound strange as it’s definitely marketed as a romantic comedy, and oftentimes rom-coms don’t bring enough to the table for me to classify them as a favourite. However, The Holiday brings about the perfect mix: an all-star and unpredictable cast (Kate Winslet, Cameron Diaz, Jack Black, and Jude Law), plenty of feel-good moments, cheesiness, heartbreak, lovely budding friendships, and romances that make you absolutely giddy. If nothing else, Kate Winslet alone is a major reason to watch this film. She will make you feel all the feelings, bringing a gravitas to the film that makes viewers take it more seriously than many other more predictable rom-coms.
2. Love Actually (2003)
I joked with S the other day that anybody who says they don’t like Love Actually must be dead inside. But seriously, jokes aside, if you truly have found in the past that you’ve tried to watch this unapologetically British film and didn’t like it, give it another go. It’s so good. The structure of Love Actually is one that utilizes an ensemble cast, creating multiple storylines that overlap with each other. This is a structure that you might be used to seeing in movies like Valentine’s Day, New Year’s Eve, or He’s Just Not That Into You – and trust me, Love Actually is one of the O.G’s of this storytelling style. It’s corny, it’s witty, lovably crass (namely with Bill Nighy’s washed up pop star character Billy Mack, or Kris Marshall’s Colin), and incredibly heartwarming. Trust me, it’s exactly the kind of quirky Christmas film that will make you laugh and get into the holiday spirit. Also, the cast is absolutely incredible, made up of some of the best British actors to date.
3. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
I’m not sure how many of you have seen the new animated version of The Grinch, which was released back in October of this year, but really, no Christmas movie list is complete without adding the Jim Carrey classic released in 2000 (can you believe that was eighteen years ago?) I’ll be honest; it’s been a while since I’ve watched it, which gives me even more reason to revisit some of the cheesier Christmas films like this one. Based on the book by Dr. Seuss, Carrey’s affinity for being over-the-top works perfectly for the role. It has arguably been debated, as well, that Carrey’s rendition is the most truthful portrayal of the character. Regardless of what your opinion is on that, what better way to kick off the holiday season than to watch the old and new one back to back?
4. Home Alone (1990)
I mean, really, this is another film that can’t not make it onto a Christmas movies list. Macaulay Culkin as Kevin McCallister is a Christmas icon, starring in a movie so original that I don’t think I know anyone who doesn’t love it. Produced by John Hughes and directed by Chris Columbus, Home Alone marries the two distinctive styles of these filmmakers into something so sentimental, so adventurous, so feel-good, and so exciting that it has inevitably become a classic. Watching as Kevin navigates being left behind by his family and cleverly fighting off the bad guys is an absolute delight, and is truthfully a movie I will always want to watch when the holiday season starts up.
5. The Santa Clause (1994)
It’s been too long since I’ve seen this Tim Allen classic, but I have such wonderful memories of watching it as a child. The film chronicles Scott Calvin, Allen’s character, as he accidentally scares the real Santa on the night before Christmas, forced to take his place. The Santa Clause is a lovely reminder to adults to believe in the power of imagination and magic, and not to take ourselves too seriously, particularly around the holidays. Scott’s adorable son, Charlie, urges his father to continue on the journey of being Santa, resulting in a fun and adventurous story. I love this movie because it’s unapologetically 90’s in style, quirky in humour, and undeniably warm and fuzzy in feeling. Though my own family doesn’t celebrate Christmas, I’ll always have great memories of being in the Christmas spirit through watching The Santa Clause on repeat.
Good luck with holiday shopping, everyone, and remember to stay warm and safe this holiday season!
~ Z ~
Photo by Logan McKnight
