10 – The Santa Clause
The Santa Clause is about a man (played by Tim Allen) who, on Christmas Eve, manages to kill Father Christmas and finds himself becoming his successor. This festive film not only shows us the wonderful nature of Christmas, but also how a dad renews his relationship with his young son, which is both heart-warming and fun.
9 – A Muppet’s Christmas Carol
In my opinion the best adaptation of the famous story by Charles Dickens, A Muppet’s Christmas Carol is witty and moving. Despite the muppets, the film demonstrates the importance of connecting with other people, especially at Christmas time.
8 – The Holiday
Perfect to put you in the festive mood, The Holiday has an amazing cast of Jack Black, Kate Winslet, Cameron Diaz and Jude Law. It is charming, funny and warm: following two women, (one from America, one from England) who, one Christmas, swap homes and meet new people.
7 – Gremlins
Is Gremlins a Christmas film? In my opinion, yes. Although it can be watched all year round, Gremlins is perfect for the festive season since Gizmo is given to main character Billy as a Christmas present.
Billy is instructed not to expose Gizmo to bright light, water and importantly, not to feed it after midnight. But when he disobeys these instructions, his gift is turned into a nightmare.
6 – Home Alone
A kid is left home alone at Christmas time and cleverly distracts two thieves (using a series of pranks) from stealing from his house. Directed by John Hughes, the film encapsulates the imagination of a child, and is warmly accompanied by a score by John Williams. This film is a must- watch at Christmas every year.
5 – Die Hard
Set on Christmas Eve, this action film stars Bruce Willis, who plays a New York cop forced to fight against German terrorists (the leader of them played by the fantastic Alan Rickman), who have taken over a skyscraper in LA. Packed with action and suspense, this film is great to watch with the whole family.
4 – Love Actually
Following many love stories, Love Actually shows us that there is someone for everyone. The plot includes stories about the president, a step-father and son, two colleagues, a pop-star and his manager, and more.
With actors such as Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Hugh Grant and Colin Firth, the film is a rollercoaster of emotions- a perfect rom com for Christmas time.
3 – The Snowman
This short film shows the heart-warming friendship between a young boy and his snowman, exploring and travelling together. It is an adaptation of Raymond Briggs’s book, which captures the brilliance of Christmas, but ends sadly.
2 – Elf
Elf is the movie that I watch every Christmas with my family. It is about a man, Buddy, who grew up with Santa’s elves, that travels to New York to find and become close to his biological father. With Will Ferrell’s brilliant representation of the loveable character, the film demonstrates the magic of Christmas and the importance of family.
1 – It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
This classic is made up of everything that is needed for a masterpiece. It follows George Bailey, a man unhappy with his financial situation and home life, who goes to a bridge with the plan to end his life but finds his guardian angel there. With Clarence, he realises all the happiness, love and joy he already has in his life. It is heart-warming, profound, funny and sad.
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