Best Christmas Movies (1 Viewer)

[JB Breakfast Club]

Family is watching Christmas With The Kranks. I made it 45 minutes. What a steaming pile of excrement. Painfully bad.

I started "Surviving Christmas" with Ben Affleck, Catherine O'Hara, Christina Applegate, and James Gandolfini, and it was so insultingly bad that I pulled the plug 20 minutes in.

 

[TheAristocrat]

I assume it's horrible but Jingle All the Way was filmed near my high school and I busted out the screen window of Spanish class to meet Arnold.

Super cool guy. Shook my hand. I asked for a cigar and he laughed. Maybe a five minute conversation.

Ahhh, the 90s. A level celebrities with no security just waltzing around on or near the set.

The fake snow was bs though. Should have been shot two months earlier to get the real look of the bridge.

 

[Wingnut]

I'll watch any of these if I see them on

Elf
Christmas Vacation
Four Christmases
Christmas with the Kranks
The Night Before
Office Christmas Party
Harold and Kumar Christmas
Scrooged
Christmas Story
Trading Places
Die Hard

 

[Kiddnets]

Not a Christmas movie per se - but I always like to watch Edward Scissorhands this time of year - more winter theme rather than Christmas tho

 

[Grahamburn]

Family is watching Christmas With The Kranks. I made it 45 minutes. What a steaming pile of excrement. Painfully bad.

Free Frosty! Free Frosty!

 

[General Malaise]

I've heard this one mentioned and on the surface, it looks like it's got a great cast. But it has terrible reviews and 25% at Rotten Tomatoes. That's not good.

Jeez: The Hollywood Reporter called the film "one of the most joyless Christmas movies ever" with "an unearned feel-good ending [that] adds insult to injury"

I think it's pretty underrated.

Chemistry between Vaughn and Witherspoon was very nice. Basically they are two people that weren't thrilled with how they grew up, and are a modern yuppie-type couple. They make up elaborate stories to take Xmas holiday away from their family. Plans fall thru, hijinks ensues. The casting of both of their families was pretty great, I thought. You really need to like that character that Vince Vaughn plays in every movie, which I do. And I love Reece.

I don't think 'Christmas with my family sucks, they are a mess' is a familiar Christmas movie trope, but maybe it should be. A lot of people can relate.

It's not going to be replayed 40 years from now, but I will watch it 5 times in a row before I watch The Santa Clause.

I ditched my family to go watch this one, which probably isn't appropriate for kids 8-11 in age.

But I enjoyed this! Anything with Robert Duval is going to rope me in. I could see myself watching this one again with my wife and laughing along.

 

[AAABatteries]

Just saw that Dwight Yokam is in it, so that's enough for me. He could act in a play about mimes and I'd pay to go see it.

100%.

You know those lines from movies that stick with you, make you laugh more than anyone else?

Dwight Yoakam in the opening scene from Wedding Crashers, playing the fighting divorcing couple with Rebecca DeMornay. DeMornay reaches for a prescription from her purse, and Yoakam says, "Thaaat's it, go comatose for me, baby...."

My favorite line from that whole movie.

You shut your mouth when you're talking to me!

 

[AAABatteries]

I've never seen Die Hard but it doesn't sound like a Christmas movie

1. What the hell is wrong with you?
2. It's not but that's a wildly unpopular opinion around here.

 

[wlwiles]

I've never seen Die Hard but it doesn't sound like a Christmas movie

Why deny yourself such pleasure?

I knew I'd catch flak for that. No particular reason why, just never got around to it.

 

[massraider]

I've never seen Die Hard but it doesn't sound like a Christmas movie

Why deny yourself such pleasure?

I knew I'd catch flak for that. No particular reason why, just never got around to it.

No flak here.

Some movies don't age well.
Die Hard is 80's done really well. If that sounds good, you'll love it

 

[Andrew74]

Most Underrated: Emmet Otter's Jugband XMas

The best 40+ years and going.

 

[Hastur]

Has anyone else given Eddie Murphy's 'Candy Cane Lane' a try yet? My wife and I watched it last night.

I'm not saying it was bad, but...it did have some good laughs in it though!

 

[bcat01]

Has anyone else given Eddie Murphy's 'Candy Cane Lane' a try yet? My wife and I watched it last night.

I'm not saying it was bad, but...it did have some good laughs in it though!

We liked it. It was funny and a decent Christmas movie.

 

[TripItUp]

I started season 2 of Reacher on Prime, it started better than season one.

Also, May December on Netflix is pretty good and the wife will like it too. Several Golden Globe Nominations.

 

[Capella]

When is the last time we had a good new Christmas movie? It’s been over 20 years since Elf. Christmas vacation was in the 90s. Christmas Movie in the 80s. Even Bad Santa was over 20 years ago.

 

[Capella]

I'm a Will Ferrell fan but Elf is way overrated, imo. It's kinda corny and not very funny. Better Christmas/Holiday comedies are....

Office Christmas Party
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
The Night Before
Four Christmases
The Holiday (if you are watching with the woman)

I've heard this one mentioned and on the surface, it looks like it's got a great cast. But it has terrible reviews and 25% at Rotten Tomatoes. That's not good.

Jeez: The Hollywood Reporter called the film "one of the most joyless Christmas movies ever" with "an unearned feel-good ending [that] adds insult to injury"

My wife likes this one so it gets forced on me occasionally. It sucks.

 

[UncleZen]

When is the last time we had a good new Christmas movie? It’s been over 20 years since Elf. Christmas vacation was in the 90s. Christmas Movie in the 80s. Even Bad Santa was over 20 years ago.

We just watched Noelle, which is from 2019, I think. It wasn't bad. It's on Disney +.

 

[JB Breakfast Club]

I've never seen Die Hard but it doesn't sound like a Christmas movie

1. What the hell is wrong with you?
2. It's not but that's a wildly unpopular opinion around here.

Instead if worrying about the Die Hard argument, I suggest watching Violent Night, which is unequivocally Christmas.

 

[JB Breakfast Club]

When is the last time we had a good new Christmas movie? It’s been over 20 years since Elf. Christmas vacation was in the 90s. Christmas Movie in the 80s. Even Bad Santa was over 20 years ago.

I think we've had a few really good Christmas movies recently.

2019: Let it Snow (Netflix) - teenagers in a variety of relationship statuses inevitably congregate at a Christmas party in the middle of a snow storm. Great ambience and original music.

2020: Happiest Season (Hulu) - Kristen Stewart in a romantic comedy about being in a closeted relationship during the holiday. Featuring MacKenzie Davis, Allison Brie, Aubrey Plaza, and Dan Levy. Some great original songs in this one, too.

2021: 8-bit Christmas (HBO). It's Christmas Story modernized for the current generation of young parents talking to their kids.

2022: Violent Night. The most fun I had at a movie last year. Santa Claus as John Wick/McClain.

2023: the Holdovers. A slice of life/relationship film.

 

[General Malaise]

I'm a Will Ferrell fan but Elf is way overrated, imo. It's kinda corny and not very funny. Better Christmas/Holiday comedies are....

Office Christmas Party
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
The Night Before
Four Christmases
The Holiday (if you are watching with the woman)

I've heard this one mentioned and on the surface, it looks like it's got a great cast. But it has terrible reviews and 25% at Rotten Tomatoes. That's not good.

Jeez: The Hollywood Reporter called the film "one of the most joyless Christmas movies ever" with "an unearned feel-good ending [that] adds insult to injury"

My wife likes this one so it gets forced on me occasionally. It sucks.

I liked it. It's not going to be something I need to see every year, but I laughed in parts. I liked it WAY better than Christmas with the Kranks, which I gave about 20 minutes before bolting. That things sucked out loud.

 

[The Gator]

When is the last time we had a good new Christmas movie? It’s been over 20 years since Elf. Christmas vacation was in the 90s. Christmas Movie in the 80s. Even Bad Santa was over 20 years ago.

2022: Violent Night. The most fun I had at a movie last year. Santa Claus as John Wick/McClain.

fun movie

 

[Eephus]

Nobody has mentioned Ernest Saves Christmas (1988) yet. I'm not going to claim it's great cinema or anything but the combination of slapstick and sentiment still works.

It lags the few times that Jim Varney is off-screen but his proto-Florida Man Ernest is a very funny character and the movie gives him an opportunity to do a number of equally ridiculous costume bits..

 

[Skipdog77]

So I've seen National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation hundreds of times. Had it on while wrapping presents Christmas Eve, and something occurred to me. Clark needed his bonus to cover the cost of the swimming pool (and was hoping there would be enough left over to fly everyone down to open it).

Now granted he got his expected bonus, as well an extra 20% from old Frank Shirley. My question is, how much was it going to cost Clark to replace all those windows in the house that the SWAT team kicked in when they raided the house? Is he still going to have enough to pay for the pool after he gets the windows replaced? I can't imagine insurance or the local PD paying for it.

I saw recently where some folks tried to determine what the size of Clark's bonus was originally expected to be, and it was like $20k. So a 20% percent additional bonus would put him at $24k. Was that enough to put in a pool and replace like 10 windows in the late 80's Chicago-land suburbs, or was ol' Clark still screwed even with the bonus, or did he break even?

 

[JB Breakfast Club]

I'm working on a year by year best of. Any suggestions for the years I an missing? I list two for last year because musicals and action comedies serve very different audiences.

2023 - the Holdovers
2022 - Spirited / Violent Night
2021 - 8-bit Christmas
2020 - Happiest Season
2019 - Klaus
2018 - Christmas Chronicles
2017 -
2016 -
2015 - Krampus
2014 -

 

[Ilov80s]

I'm working on a year by year best of. Any suggestions for the years I an missing? I list two for last year because musicals and action comedies serve very different audiences.

2023 - the Holdovers
2022 - Spirited / Violent Night
2021 - 8-bit Christmas
2020 - Happiest Season
2019 - Klaus
2018 - Christmas Chronicles
2017 -
2016 -
2015 - Krampus
2014 -

It’s not that good (or that bad) but The Man Who Invented Christmas was 2017.

 

[bcat01]

Does anyone know when Christmas Vacation aired on tv for the first time and what network?

 

[lucyhills]

I'm in love with "The Polar Express". A must watch!

 

[General Malaise]

I'm working on a year by year best of. Any suggestions for the years I an missing? I list two for last year because musicals and action comedies serve very different audiences.

2023 - the Holdovers
2022 - Spirited / Violent Night
2021 - 8-bit Christmas
2020 - Happiest Season
2019 - Klaus
2018 - Christmas Chronicles
2017 -
2016 -
2015 - Krampus
2014 -

I thought 8-Bit Christmas was horrible. I can't be the only one who hated it. Right?

 

[Osaurus]

I'm working on a year by year best of. Any suggestions for the years I an missing? I list two for last year because musicals and action comedies serve very different audiences.

2023 - the Holdovers
2022 - Spirited / Violent Night
2021 - 8-bit Christmas
2020 - Happiest Season
2019 - Klaus
2018 - Christmas Chronicles
2017 -
2016 -
2015 - Krampus
2014 -

I thought 8-Bit Christmas was horrible. I can't be the only one who hated it. Right?

Never heard of it until now. Sounds awful.

 

[JB Breakfast Club]

I'm working on a year by year best of. Any suggestions for the years I an missing? I list two for last year because musicals and action comedies serve very different audiences.

2023 - the Holdovers
2022 - Spirited / Violent Night
2021 - 8-bit Christmas
2020 - Happiest Season
2019 - Klaus
2018 - Christmas Chronicles
2017 -
2016 -
2015 - Krampus
2014 -

I thought 8-Bit Christmas was horrible. I can't be the only one who hated it. Right?

Sure, it's pretty much just an updated version of a Christmas Story, but I thought it captured NES Mania, shopping malls, and the 80s grade school experience well. Lots of Christmas goodness, too.

 

[Ilov80s]

I'm working on a year by year best of. Any suggestions for the years I an missing? I list two for last year because musicals and action comedies serve very different audiences.

2023 - the Holdovers
2022 - Spirited / Violent Night
2021 - 8-bit Christmas
2020 - Happiest Season
2019 - Klaus
2018 - Christmas Chronicles
2017 -
2016 -
2015 - Krampus
2014 -

I thought 8-Bit Christmas was horrible. I can't be the only one who hated it. Right?

It’s not very good but also there aren’t many Xmas movies made each year so the competition is pretty sparse. It’s basically that or a Lifetime movie. I guess Spencer was 2021 and that was set during Christmas but I didn’t care for the movie and it’s not at all a traditional holiday film

 

[JB Breakfast Club]

I'm working on a year by year best of. Any suggestions for the years I an missing? I list two for last year because musicals and action comedies serve very different audiences.

2023 - the Holdovers
2022 - Spirited / Violent Night
2021 - 8-bit Christmas
2020 - Happiest Season
2019 - Klaus
2018 - Christmas Chronicles
2017 -
2016 -
2015 - Krampus
2014 -

It’s not that good (or that bad) but The Man Who Invented Christmas was 2017.

I do remember watching that and thinking it was pretty good but not something I'd go out of my way to recommend.

 

[JB Breakfast Club]

Waited for the post-Christmas malaise to watch Violent Night...it's just the best thing. I giggle through the whole thing. Absolute must watch.

 

[JB Breakfast Club]

My top 5 upon review (2023)
Elf
Klaus
Happiest Season
Krampus
Violent Night

 

[Klimtology]

Bump

 

[belljr]

So I've seen National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation hundreds of times. Had it on while wrapping presents Christmas Eve, and something occurred to me. Clark needed his bonus to cover the cost of the swimming pool (and was hoping there would be enough left over to fly everyone down to open it).

Now granted he got his expected bonus, as well an extra 20% from old Frank Shirley. My question is, how much was it going to cost Clark to replace all those windows in the house that the SWAT team kicked in when they raided the house? Is he still going to have enough to pay for the pool after he gets the windows replaced? I can't imagine insurance or the local PD paying for it.

I saw recently where some folks tried to determine what the size of Clark's bonus was originally expected to be, and it was like $20k. So a 20% percent additional bonus would put him at $24k. Was that enough to put in a pool and replace like 10 windows in the late 80's Chicago-land suburbs, or was ol' Clark still screwed even with the bonus, or did he break even?

He put down 7500 which I assume is the standard 50%

The googles says an inground pool in 1989 avg 15-24k

 

[Parrothead]

So I've seen National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation hundreds of times. Had it on while wrapping presents Christmas Eve, and something occurred to me. Clark needed his bonus to cover the cost of the swimming pool (and was hoping there would be enough left over to fly everyone down to open it).

Now granted he got his expected bonus, as well an extra 20% from old Frank Shirley. My question is, how much was it going to cost Clark to replace all those windows in the house that the SWAT team kicked in when they raided the house? Is he still going to have enough to pay for the pool after he gets the windows replaced? I can't imagine insurance or the local PD paying for it.

I saw recently where some folks tried to determine what the size of Clark's bonus was originally expected to be, and it was like $20k. So a 20% percent additional bonus would put him at $24k. Was that enough to put in a pool and replace like 10 windows in the late 80's Chicago-land suburbs, or was ol' Clark still screwed even with the bonus, or did he break even?

forget about the cost of the windows- what about that electric bill??