Top 3 Christmas Movies

Happy holidays, everyone! It's that time of year again, and as such, what better way to commemorate the 'most wonderful time of the year' than by looking at my top 3 Christmas movies? There isn't too much of a criterion here, other than that the movies in question must take place on Christmas Eve/Day or during the holiday season; my list will also be going in descending order, so we’ll be going from what I think is the weakest (#3) to strongest (#1) Christmas film. This is my personal opinion, so please don’t go ballistic just because an entry you hoped to see didn’t make it onto the list; in fact, if you want, feel free to list your favorite Christmas movies in the comments! With all that said, let’s get onto the countdown!

#3: It's a Wonderful Life 

Although Frank Capra's 1946 classic is considered by numerous people to be one of, if not the, greatest Christmas films of all time, and I appreciate what it contributed to cinema, I do have a reason for putting it so low on the list. While the recapping of George Bailey's life leading up to his contemplation of suicide is undoubtedly necessary, not just for viewers but also for Clarence Odbody (the angel tasked with saving George in exchange for subsequently earning his wings), on repeat viewings, the first 2/3rds can feel like a bit of a 'drag' to get through, which in turn weighs the movie down, as arguably the most memorable portion of this flick has to be the last 3rd (starting with Clarence's intervention all the way to the end credits). Despite this tediousness, witnessing the establishment of who George is, the lives he impacted, and what led him to consider suicide in the first place is what makes the third act of It's a Wonderful Life one of the most compelling and downright satisfying (starting when George is finally returned to his reality) endings in cinema. It's A Wonderful Life definitely earns its place as one of the 'greats' of cinema, but the slow pacing that accompanies the buildup it takes to get to the movie's legendary climax it what keeps this flick from ranking further up on my list.

#2: Home Alone

How could I not put this beloved Christmas comedy on the list? Home Alone benefits from solid directing courtesy of Chris Columbus (who would go on to direct the first two installments in the Harry Potter film series), well-executed humor, and a talented cast which includes the likes of Macauley Culkin, Catherine O'Hara, the late John Candy, as well as Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern. With all this going for it, what prevents Home Alone from landing the top spot on my list? This movie, like It's a Wonderful Life before it, is held back by how the climax, where Kevin McCallister defends his family home from the 'Wet Bandits' Harry and Marv, is easily the most memorable (thanks to the numerous creative traps our hero sets up) part of the film, which makes the path to get there something of a grind. What places Home Alone above It's a Wonderful Life, however, is its unique and noteworthy script, which was penned by the late great John Hughes (who also served as this movie's producer). Hughes sprinkles enough moments, based in action or in dialogue, that manage to stand out in their own ways (e.g., Kevin's ingenious weaponization of the fake movie Angels with Filthy Souls, the McCallister family's rush to make it to the airport before their plane leaves as a result of accidentally oversleeping, Harry and Marv's exchanges in the van they're operating out of, etc.), and therefore keeps viewers of all ages entertained and invested in what's going on. If you somehow haven't seen this comedy, I recommend giving it a watch (especially at this time of year), because John Hughes and Chris Columbus proved they make one heck of a filmmaking team with Home Alone!

Before we get to my pick for #1, here's an honorable mention: 

HM: How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966)

Let's just say, there's a good reason this animated film is regularly put on at Christmastime! This TV adaptation of the renowned Dr. Suess book of the same name almost effortlessly captures the spirit of its source material, which is helped by the fact that Dr. Suess himself penned the screenplay and provided the lyrics for the songs heard throughout the special! Even though Suess' contributions are certainly worth praising, what really helps this animated retelling of How the Grinch Stole Christmas! shine is having the legendary Chuck Jones as the director. Jones brought his experience from directing various Looney Tunes shorts to this project, and his signature style is on full display, especially in regard to the humor, with most of it coming from visual gags that blend surprisingly well with the world originated by Dr. Suess! Another thing to enjoy about this short film is how excellent its pacing is, as enough time is given to establish the Grinch as a character, set up the parts that'll factor into his Christmas heist (e.g., creating his Santa disguise, getting his own 'reindeer' in the form of his hapless dog Max, etc.), the heist itself (which eventually gets accompanied by the delightfully fitting, "You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch", sung by Thurl Ravenscroft), and both the climax and resolution, all in a runtime of less than half an hour! Finally, the message, that the true meaning of Christmas lies in cherishing being with those you love (as demonstrated by the Whos, who still passionately sing all together despite their sudden lack of presents courtesy of the Grinch) is particularly timely in this era of rampant commercialism. What keeps this animated short as just an honorable mention, however, are two factors: its runtime of 25 minutes (which means less content overall compared to the numbered entries on this list), and how it's simply (and arguably) outclassed by the other 3 movies listed here. Despite this, How the Grinch Stole Christmas! has deservedly earned its place as a holiday classic, and undeniably warrants its high Rotten Tomatoes score of a whopping 100% 'Fresh'!

And my #1 favorite Christmas movie is:

#1: Die Hard

Now, I know what many of you are likely thinking: "What? Yes, Die Hard is extremely well-regarded, but how does it qualify as a Christmas movie?!?" Well, there are two factors to consider: firstly, this flick's events occur on Christmas Eve, with the holiday being referenced by name multiple times throughout the film as if to remind audiences of this, and second, there's not one, but two Christmas-themed songs that can be heard in the movie. First is "Christmas in Hollis" by the hip hop group Run-DMC that's heard near the beginning of the movie as our hero, John McClane, arrives at Nakatomi Plaza (the skyscraper that serves as the film's setting), and second is Vaughn Monroe's rendition of "Let it Snow" which plays over the end credits. With that out of the way, Die Hard shines thanks to its several well-executed set pieces (e.g., the various chases/shootouts with terrorists, a brutal-looking throwdown with the secondary antagonist Karl, etc.), unique premise (a New York-based cop finds himself trapped in a Los Angeles skyscraper against over a dozen terrorists who've taken hostages that include said cop's wife), and especially its terrific cast! Firstly, Bruce Willis proves himself to be a shining example of perfect casting as John McClane, as he captures the aura of an 'everyman' with little effort, and he exudes plenty of charisma in his onscreen performance, to the point that it's easy to root for McClane even before bullets start flying. And of course, Willis' excellently deadpan delivery of lines, such as his now-iconic catchphrase "Yippee-ki-yay, motherf****r", helps to make them stand out that much more. While Willis manages to carry Die Hard well enough on his own, the late great Alan Rickman easily rivals him in terms of terrific portrayals, as he brings terrorist ringleader Hans Gruber to life in such a memorable way that it's all but impossible to picture anyone else realizing him in the way Rickman does. It certainly helps that Gruber is allowed several humorous/somewhat light-hearted moments (e.g., his brief comments regarding Mr. Takagi's suit prior to the latter's untimely end) that help to balance out his more depraved actions. This prevents Gruber from coming off as a one-note antagonist like other action movie villains and makes this conniving foe yet another thing worth remembering in Die Hard! Top these two main characters and performances off with a supporting cast made up of such individuals as Reginald VelJohnson (aka Carl Winslow in the TV show Family Matters) as policeman Al Powell, Alexander Godunov as the vengeance-obsessed Karl, and De'voreaux White as John McClane's youthful and inexperienced limousine driver Argyle, and you have an admirable cast propping up an already impressive action flick! Even though it's over 3 decades old (having come out in 1988), I highly recommend checking out Die Hard; it's been considered by many to be one of the greatest action films of all time, and it certainly deserves such an honor!
 
And that does it for the list of my top 3 favorite Christmas movies! Once again, feel free to leave any thoughts you may have in the comments (whether they may be of your favorite Christmas films or otherwise), and have a merry Christmas, as well as a happy New Year!