Patterico's Pontifications

12/24/2009

25 Best Christmas Movies

Filed under: Movies — DRJ @ 8:22 pm



[Guest post by DRJ]

John Nolte at Big Hollywood has been counting down his list of the 25 best Christmas movies. Here are numbers 2-25 (EDIT: #1 added 12/25/09):

1. It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)

2. A Christmas Story (1983) — Ralphie!

3. A Christmas Carol (1951)

4. Christmas Vacation (1989)

5. Going My Way (1944) / The Bells of St. Mary’s (1945)

6. Holiday Inn (1942)

7. The Gathering (1977)

8. Home Alone (1990)

9. A Christmas Carol (1984) — with George C. Scott

10. Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

11. The Bishop’s Wife (1947)

12. One Magic Christmas (1985)

13. Remember the Night (1940)

14. A Holiday Affair (1949)

15. The Lemon Drop Kid (1941)

16. A Christmas Carol (1938)

17. Christmas in Connecticut (1945)

18. A Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)

19. Prancer (1989)

20. The Santa Claus (1994)

21. Susan Slept Here (1954)

22. An American Christmas Carol (1979)

23. Scrooge (1970)

24. Scrooged (1988) — with Bill Murray

25. White Christmas (1954)

I assume the Jimmy Stewart classic It’s a Wonderful Life will be Nolte’s pick for #1. [EDIT: It was, and I added it above.] I’m no expert on movies but I would have put Christmas in Connecticut in the top 10 and maybe even the top 5.

If Christmas movies aren’t your thing, amble over to GM’s Place for his video of Silent Monks Singing Halleluia.

— DRJ

27 Responses to “25 Best Christmas Movies”

  1. What about Die Hard? It takes place on Christmas Eve.

    aunursa (862c19)

  2. Even better than Die Hard is Lethal Weapon (the first one), which also takes place on Christmas Eve.

    JVW (2194b8)

  3. Planes, trains and automobiles?

    Gazzer (1e0374)

  4. I certainly hope it isn’t A Christmas Carol (2009), which is a truly dreadful movie. I am perplexed as to why many critics seemed to like it.

    Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, however, takes place right before Thanksgiving, so I can see why it isn’t included.

    Dave N. (bf7cc7)

  5. given the focus on retail sales, gifts, etc that this time is oriented to, i prefer A Fist Full of Dollars.

    redc1c4 (fb8750)

  6. given the focus on retail sales, gifts, etc that this time is oriented to, i prefer A Fist Full of Dollars.
    Comment by redc1c4 — 12/24/2009 @ 11:36 pm

    Combine that with Congress over the past 18 months (years?) and watch “Money Train” instead. 😉

    Stashiu3 (44da70)

  7. I just watched White Christmas three times in succession. Actually conversed with my sister while my mother was intermittently snoring after the other 20+ guests left during the repeat-playing of the movie. And it helped me remember why old movies are far superior to new ones (as if I had forgotten).

    John Hitchcock (3fd153)

  8. […] 25 Best Christmas Movies Share this […]

    25 Best Christmas Movies | Liberal Whoppers (d16888)

  9. Well, of course, it is It’s A Wonderful Life. While I kind of agree, Christmas in Connecticut, and Holiday Inn still spur my Holiday spirit.
    Merry Christmas Patrick, DRJ, and everyone else here. I am shocked how quickly ’09 has passed, but, sweet lizard jumping Jesus, bring on 2010, and the elections!

    sybilll (2442e4)

  10. Where is The Nightmare Before Christmas?

    Nels (3e56d7)

  11. duh: we’re living it.

    redc1c4 (fb8750)

  12. DRJ, thanks for the link and friendship. Merry Christmas.

    GM Roper (6afe02)

  13. “It’s a Wonderful Life”

    That’s the number 1 OVER rated Christmas movie.

    It really isn’t that good.

    Matthew W (dc42b8)

  14. Three Godfathers, the John Ford one with John Wayne.

    nk (df76d4)

  15. It’s a Wonderful Life is definitely the best and it is a shame the way the copyright has been used to take off TV the past decade. I would rank White Christmas higher.

    Merry Christmas, everyone.

    Mike K (2cf494)

  16. I’d have to agree with Three Godfathers – and although I used to like It’s a Wonderful Life quite a bit, it’s not nearly Capra’s best, not by a long shot.

    Dmac (a964d5)

  17. Elf made many monies. I never saw it though. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Will Ferrell movie my whole life.

    My sister says Elf is stupid and it’s time to do Christmas presents.

    happyfeet (2c63dd)

  18. There is one Ferrell movie worth seeing, and it’s one hardly anyone has heard of – it was when he was still on SNL, and he was just one excellent cast member of many. The film was called Dick, and it was a great parody of the Watergate break – in; particularly hilarious is Ferrell’s portrayal of Woodward as a complete doofus, and Dave Foley’s impression of HR Hadelman as a complete wack – job.

    Dmac (a964d5)

  19. Better Half loves Elf. Are Tombstone and The Hangover christmas movies?

    JD (b17a29)

  20. Have to agree that It’s A Wonderful Life isn’t all that good. The acting is too forced and several of the set choices just make me cringe (especially the scene where everyone falls/jumps into the pool).

    And if you’re going to include comedies I would have put Ernest Saves Christmas before The Santa Clause.

    Soronel Haetir (2b4c2b)

  21. Merry Christmas, GM and everyone, and I’ve updated the post confirming that Nolte’s #1 pick was It’s a Wonderful Life.

    DRJ (84a0c3)

  22. I’d forgotten all about the TV-movie “The Gathering.” Glad Nolte included it.

    “Prancer” has got to be the biggest downers ever released, especially considering it is a holiday film. I was searching for the razor blades by the time the end credits appeared.

    Dagwood (07b45b)

  23. WHERE is “Santa Claus the movie” starring Dudley Moore?

    lee (cae7a3)

  24. “It’s a Wonderful Life” doesn’t seem like necessarily an Xmas movie because most of its scenes don’t take place around the holidays. By contrast, a film like “Miracle on 34th Street” has a theme that’s totally dependent on December (or late November) and Christmas.

    Mark (411533)

  25. #25 White Christmas should be no lower than top 5 and appears to make it on this list only as a last-second afterthought. Weak.

    Also, the only way Wonderful Life makes it to #1 is on the list of “Most Over-rated Xmas Pix”

    Also also, the original “Miracle on 34th” goes ahead of “Home Alone” Like, for sure.

    mike d (c513a5)

  26. ITS A WONDERFUL LIFE and EVERYTIME A BELL RING A ANGLE GETS HIS WINGS and CLERENCE earned his

    Krazy Kagu (8fb162)


Powered by WordPress.

Page loaded in: 0.0805 secs.