So what if Christmas movies can be a bit sappy? They warm our hearts, restore our faith in humanity and generally bring joy to the world and go great with a glass of eggnog. Here are my 10 big-screen Christmas favorites of all time along with my favorite quote from the movie. What’s in your Top 10 that I missed?
10 – National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
Chevy Chase is at the top of his game in this sight-gag-and-one-liner-laden homage to the love/hate event that is the family Christmas.
Trivia bit: The Griswold’s neighbor’s house is the same house Murtaugh and his family lived in all the Lethal Weapon movies. The houses on this street are on the Warner Brothers Studios back lot.
Favorite Quote:
Eddie: I don’t know if I oughta go sailin’ down no hill with nothin’ between the ground and my brains but a piece of government plastic.
Clark: Do you really think it matters, Eddie?
9 – Scrooged
Only Bill Murray could so expertly walk the fine line between pathos and hilarity, as he does playing miserly TV exec. Frank Cross. Complete with a taxi-driving Ghost of Christmas Past and a (literally) ball-busting Ghost of Christmas Present,this movie is my favorite adaptation of the original.
Favorite Quote:
Props man: I can’t get the antlers glued to this little guy. We tried Crazy Glue, but it don’t work.
Frank Cross: Did you try staples?
8 – A Christmas Carol (1951)
Also known as ‘Scrooge,’ this take is hailed as the best for its definitive Ebenezer Scrooge, fittingly played by a man named Alastair Sim, who gives a superb performance. However I also liked George C. Scott and Patrick Stewart. Though a colorized version exists, I say go old school and watch it in its original black and white beauty.
Favorite Quote:
Tiny Tim: God bless us, every one!
7 – Die Hard
There’s no better way to get in the Christmas spirit than watching a wife-beater-clad Bruce Willis single-handedly decimate a skyscraperful of terrorists on Christmas Eve. The classic one liners, the crazy action, the genius use of a Run-DMC holiday tune and the purchase of Twinkies make this a true classic and launched the action-hero career of Bruce Willis. I cringe every time he runs over the broken glass barefoot though.
Favorite Quote:
Officer John McClane: Yippee-ki-yay <you know the rest…>
6 – The Nightmare Before Christmas
Sleigh bells, shrunken heads and animation? They’re great together! Or so thinks Jack Skellington, The Pumpkin King, who tries to take over Christmas in this visual feast of a Tim Burton movie. With a sweet tale for kids and the Oogie Boogie Man for grown-ups, it’s the psychedelic version of the ‘The Grinch” sure to bring dreams of anything but ’sugar plums dancing in your head’.
Favorite Quote:
Santa: Twas a long time ago, longer now than it seems in a place perhaps you’ve seen in your dreams. For the story you’re about to be told began with the holiday worlds of auld. Now you’ve probably wondered where holidays come from. If you haven’t I’d say it’s time you begun. [click to continue…]
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