3 Christmas Movies For Your Consideration This Holiday Season.

The holiday season is upon us again and I thought it would be fun to surround yourself with friends and loved ones with a great Christmas movie, a filmmaking tradition that dates back to the silent era. I hope you might consider one of these three films here below. (You can find five more here.) If not, be sure to steer me towards your favourite Christmas movie. But tell me why you love it. Anyway, [drum roll please] here are my 3 Christmas picks for this holiday season.

Scrooged (1988). 

Rediscover your Christmas spirit with the black comedy Scrooged, a modern retelling of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. It stars funny man Bill Murray as Frank Cross, a cynical, selfish TV network executive, who is visited by the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future. They show him what a miserable f@%k he is, and how he hurts those around him. If he is to find redemption, it ultimately depends upon if he is prepared to rein in his misanthropic nature. Honestly it’s almost impossible to root for this guy. Yet Murray as Cross is perfectly cast. The humour is just that little bit off-colour and there are moments throughout that teeter between mayhem and horror. Upon release, esteemed critic Roger Ebert hated it. He found no redeeming qualities in it, denouncing it as “one of the most disquieting, unsettling films to come along in quite some time.” Murray too, had his reservations about it. The film’s production was fraught with problems, especially Murray’s working relationship with director Richard Donner. In an interview with Ebert, Murray once said, “It wasn’t that bad. It had some good stuff in it.” And with that, it should be everyone’s wicked seasonal treat. Moreover, you can’t go past the iconic Christmas New York setting. 

The Family Stone (2005).

You don’t get much better than The Family Stone as a Christmas rom-com for the ages. While I’m not a huge fan of Sarah Jessica Parker, it is nonetheless one of my favourite performances from her. I don’t care much for her Sex and the City fame. Anyway, The Family Stone follows the holiday season misadventures of the Stone family when their eldest son Everett Stone (Dermot Mulroney) bringing home his highly strung girlfriend Meredith (Sarah Jessica Parker) for Christmas to meet his eccentric New England family. Things almost from the get-go don’t go to plan for Meredith who feels overwhelmed by their hostile reception to her. (In defence of the Stone family, they are apparently unwelcoming to most outsiders.) That said, she’s forced to call in reinforcements in the form of her sister Julie (Claire Danes) to help placate the Stones. The complexities of family, acceptance and love are key themes which thread through this holiday drama comedy. [Spoiler ahead] There are also many heartfelt moments, especially when Diane Keaton’s character, Sybil, reveals she has terminal cancer and her impending loss jolts the family. But overall, The Family Stone is a riot of fun which sees the best and worst of the free-spirited Stone family. Importantly, writer-director Thomas Bezucha allows us to spend plenty of time with all the characters. The ladies (Diane Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Claire Danes and Sarah Jessica Parker) of course steal the show and all have their moments where they shine. “You’re the worst!” is arguably one of my favourite memorable line where Sarah Jessica Parker calls out Rachel McAdams character, Amy, for hating on her. In fact the whole scene built around that one line, which includes Meredith dropping her savoury bread pudding on the kitchen floor and a chase fight scene between Everett and his brother Ben (Luke Wilson) is a dash of brilliance and lightheartedness which is desperately needed to counteract all the built up tension. 

It’s A Wonderful Life (1946). 

Frank Capra’s It’s A Wonderful Life remains the Christmas movie for everyone who appreciates a timeless message. It’s a story about the noble act of selflessness and how one person’s life can truly matter. I’m always reminded of the famous line from the film spoken by Clarence (Henry Travers), George Bailey’s guardian angel, where he says, “Each man’s life touches so many other lives. When he isn’t around he leaves an awful hole.” To me that quote says everything about the importance of interconnectedness. This is what George Bailey (played by the brilliant James Stewart) fails to remember, when things go awry and he is on the brink of despair because he feels he was let down everyone and tries to kill himself by jumping off a bridge in Bedford Falls. Mercifully, an angel intervenes and shows George what Bedford Falls fate would have been had George never been born. For instance, in one of the many scenarios presented to George, [Spoiler ahead] he is shown what becomes of his beloved wife Mary Hatch (Donna Reed). He grows quite distressed when he discovers she is a lonely, unmarried librarian. It’s a far cry from the devoted partner, mother and quiet force that helps shape the direction of their lives. Soon after, as George rediscovers the value of his life, he prays for a second chance. Once ridiculed for its over-sentimental charm, you can’t begrudge how important this movie has truly become in the eight decades since its release. Arguably, no movie screams Christmas classic better than It’s A Wonderful Life.