Top Christmas films

Just a minute - just a minute. Now, hold on, Mr. Potter. You're right when you say my father was no businessman. I know that. Why he ever started this cheap, penny-ante Building and Loan, I'll never know. But neither you nor anyone else can say anything against his character, because his whole life was - why, in the twenty-five years since he and Uncle Billy started this thing, he never once thought of himself. Isn't that right, Uncle Billy? He didn't save enough money to send Harry to school, let alone me. But he did help a few people get out of your slums, Mr. Potter, and what's wrong with that? Why - here, you're all businessmen here. Doesn't it make them better citizens? Doesn't it make them better customers? You - you said - what'd you say a minute ago? They had to wait and save their money before they even ought to think of a decent home. Wait? Wait for what? Until their children grow up and leave them? Until they're so old and broken down that they... Do you know how long it takes a working man to save five thousand dollars? Just remember this, Mr. Potter, that this rabble you're talking about... they do most of the working and paying and living and dying in this community. Well, is it too much to have them work and pay and live and die in a couple of decent rooms and a bath? Anyway, my father didn't think so. People were human beings to him. But to you, a warped, frustrated old man, they're cattle. Well, in my book he died a much richer man than you'll ever be.


Directed by: Frank Capra
Starring: James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore, Henry Travers, Thomas Mitchell

Genre: Drama/Family/Fantasy/Romance

Running time: 130 minutes




My review:

What an absolute classic film. This is probably one of the most warm-hearted family masterpieces of all time. James Stewart portrays George Bailey really well. His performance is in my top 10 performances by an actor in a leading role. James Stewart is one of my favourite actors so that is one of the reasons why I love this film so much. George Bailey is a man who is going in debt and is stressed out with his job. He attempts suicide on Christmas Eve until he meets an angel called Clarence and tells George what the world would be like without him. Because of the pressure that George suffers, he starts getting aggressive and angry towards his wife and children. His wife Mary Hatch Bailey is portrayed by Donna Reed. Donna Reed was good as Mary but I think she could have done better or there could have been a better known actress like Grace Kelly or Ingrid Bergman or someone like that. I was impressed with Lionel Barrymores performance as Mr. Potter. Lionel looked really evil in this film. He was quite a terrifying character and a very cold character for his profession which makes him one of the coldest film villains of all time. No wonder he is number 6 on AFIs top film villains of all time. Mr. Potter is a banker and is the owner of pretty much the whole town. There are many words to describe Mr. Potter, he is greedy, heartless, apathetic, evil and there are probably more words to describe him. He is one of those villains that you wish you could punch right in the face and where it can hurt. Despite of how evil and cold he is, he is in a wheelchair and is disabled. He is just so cold when he doesnt help George when he is in desperate need of it which almost leads him to suicide. This film didnt turn into a fantasy film until at least about 1 hour 25 minutes which is when George attempts suicide and when the angel Clarence first appears aswell. I liked Henry Travers as the Angel Clarence Odbody, AS2 because he looks like a really nice man in real life and looks like a guy who would make a really good angel. This film is one of the earliest fantasy films of all time and is probably one of the best fantasy films of all time aswell. I simply adore the scene where George is by the bridge and there is a large fall of snow around him and all on his body. It is just beautiful. I also love the bit near the end when George is with his family and all of the people in the town are coming giving money and their respects to him and what he success he has given to the locals of the town. It also makes me feel happy because George became very strong within himself when he was in a bit of a crisis in his job which can affect his family and despite that he over came all of that. At that moment, he became one of the best and one of my favourite movie heroes of all time. George is a hero not just in his job but emotionally because he loves his family and would do anything for them. This film deserved every single Oscar nomination is got including Best Actor for James Stewart, Best Picture and Best Director for Frank Capra. This is the only Frank Capra film that I have watched and after I have watched this film I will watch more of his films now. I feel that it should have had two Supporting Actor nominations for Lionel Barrymore and Henry Travers. The classic image of Its A Wonderful Life is when George is holding his wife and children in his arms in front of the Christmas tree of their house. I dont think I have ever seen a film that has made me feel any better. I see now why this film is refered as a feel-good film. This is definitely one of the greatest films of all time, one of the greatest family films, fantasy films and romantic films of all time aswell. This is a Christmas masterpiece that hopefully always will be. I always look forward to Christmas every single year because it brings joy and peace to this cruel world. I usually watch this and The Grinch and Nightmare Before Christmas on Christmas Eve every year. I will again this year and will every year. This is definitely my favourite Christmas film and probably always will be.

That's what it's all about, isn't it? That's what it's always been *about*. Gifts, gifts... gifts, gifts, gifts, gifts, gifts. You wanna know what happens to your gifts? They all come to me. In your garbage. You see what I'm saying? In your *garbage*. I could hang myself with all the bad Christmas neckties I found at the dump. And the avarice...

Directed by: Ron Howard
Starring: Jim Carrey, Taylor Momsen, Jeffrey Tambor, Christine Baranski, Bill Irwin.

Genre: Comedy/Family/Fantasy

Running time: 104 minutes




My review:

This is a truly inspiring Christmas masterpiece. This is probably one of the best family films ever made. This film is absolutely hilarious. It probably isnt as good as other Christmas classic films like It?s A Wonderful Life and Miracle On 34th Street. Well, only in peoples different opinions. There is only one time a year I watch this film and that time is on Christmas Eve or maybe Christmas Day if it is on TV. This film is so magical with the costumes, the art direction and the whole plot in general really. This film is very similar to Nightmare Before Christmas because The Grinch wants to destroy Christmas and so does Jack. But the only difference is that Jack wants one of his own Christmas?. But the Grinch wants to completely destroy it. Another similarity is that they both dress up as Santa even though neither are human. Jim Carrey portrays the Grinch perfectly because the Grinch is a very stubborn character, he is a very hyper character who makes some silly mistakes and does some silly things, which is why it is perfect for Jim Carrey because that is how he behaves towards people and when he is alone aswell with his dog Max. Jim Carreys style of acting is really good for a character like the Grinch because he is a mean character yet soft hearted really. He portrays a hilarious villain like Count Olaf in Lemony Snicket and as he does as a hero/villain in this film. As far as the plot of the film is concerned I could understand why the Grinch never wanted to go down to Whoville or made any friends from anyone who lived down there (apart from Cindy Lou and Martha May) because he was bullied at junior school as a child because he was different and was green aswell. I think the main turning point in this film was when Cindy Lou came up to the Grinchs house and invited him to the Holiday Cheermeister on Christmas Eve. He started to battle with his conscience saying whether he should go or not. I wont say anymore because it will spoil the film for you. This is a Christmas Classic film.

This is *Christmas*. The season of perpetual hope. And I don't care if I have to get out on your runway and hitchhike. If it costs me everything I own, if I have to sell my soul to the devil himself, I am going to get home to my son.


Directed by: Chris Columbus
Starring: Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, David Stern, John Heard, Catherine O Hara

Genre: Comedy/Crime/Family

Running time: 103 minutes




My review:

What an awesome Christmas classic this is. This film is absolutely hilarious. I was quite surprised that I never saw this film as a child before and I was 17 years old when I first saw it. If I watched it when I was a little kid, it would have probably been one of my childhood favourite films. Macaulay Culkin was brilliant as Kevin at 10 years old. The film is quite tense aswell but in a humourous way especially when the burglary and the traps began. Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern are hilarious as the two burglars Harry and Marv. Must have been hard for Kevin to look after himself and do all of the parent jobs himself and on his own. This film is better than its sequel because it is more touching and it is funnier too. I loved the scene at the end when Kevin woke up on Christmas Day and finds his mother in the lounge and then the whole family walk in. They wish him Happy Christmas and were quite surprised of how good he was in the house as they were probably expecting the whole house to be completely trashed and even set on fire because no child at that age can be trusted alone in a large house like that. This is a classic family masterpiece from Mrs. Doubtfire and Harry Potter 1 and 2 directors. Chris Colombus has now become one of my favourite directors because I love pretty much all of his films so far.

I'm not sorry. I did what I did because Buzz humiliated me and since he gets away with everything, I let him have it. And since you're all so STUPID to believe his lies I don't care if your idiotic Florida trip gets wrecked or not! Who wants to spend Christmas in a tropical climate anyway?


Directed by: Chris Columbus
Starring: Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, David Stern, John Heard, Catherine O Hara

Genre: Adventure/Comedy/Crime/Family

Running time: 120 minutes




My review:

This is another Christmas classic sequel that brought you the first Home Alone film. The only difference between the two films is basically that Kevin is lost in New York City in second one but in first one he is left in his home. Macaulay Culkin makes a return to portray Kevin McCallister as he did in the first film as do Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern as burglars Harry and Marv. Catherine O Hara makes a return appearance aswell as Kevin?s mother Kate McCallister. Kevins parents make the exact same mistake as they did before. Kevin thought he was following his dad but it was a stranger and ends up on the wrong flight to Manhattan, New York City instead of Miami, Florida which is where his family are going. Manhattan brings back some famous buildings that are gone now. Like the World Trade Center which were destroyed 7 years ago. It is quite upsetting because you see Kevin at the top of one of the towers. He was quite lucky because this film was released 9 years before the attack. Kevin is obviously a bright kid and knows what he is doing when he is on his own but when not getting caught by the robbers and not getting into trouble in any other situation is basically just luck. That is what I would call it anyway. I found that this film was more violent than the first one because the traps that Kevin set upon Harry and Marv were more dangerous and quite graphic. It is quite impactful when Kevin throws a brick at Marv and hits him in the head. It really looked like he really hit him in the head with the brick. It is like comic violence. The traps were a lot smarter in this one than the first one but the first traps were funnier. I loved Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern in that film a lot because they both look like two complete idiots who think they can outsmart a kid like Kevin but every single time they fall for every single trap that Kevin sets upon them. Joe Pesci looks like a typical thug but Daniel Stern just looks plain stupid and acts like he doesnt know what he is doing at all. I thought the first Home Alone was better because it was more moving at was more touching aswell because of how magical it is when you are with your whole family at Christmas. There is one advantage that Kevin had in this one more than he did the first one. It is that he was just in one house in the first Home Alone but in this one, he had the whole of Manhattan to hide and look for help. A film that I would watch every Christmas along with first Home Alone, Nightmare Before Christmas, How The Grinch Stole Christmas and Its A Wonderful Life. Beautiful film!!