With the countdown to Christmas already filling our Twitter and Facebook feeds, we’ve created a list of our personal favourite films to watch during the festive season. It includes some unforgettable classics and some from our childhoods, all brilliant films that celebrate the love, happiness and overall excitement felt by all ages throughout this season.
It’s a Wonderful Life
Arguably the most timeless and memorable of all Christmas films, ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ is considered one of the most loved films in American cinematic history. It follows the character of George Bailey who has repeatedly sacrificed his own dreams in order to help others and is found contemplating suicide on Christmas Eve. The prayers of his family lead to his guardian angel arriving to intervene and show him how important his own life has been to others. This heart-warming and tear-jerking classic is the perfect film to bring the family together on a Christmas evening and its message of selflessly helping others is one that is crucial to the Christmas spirit.
Love Actually
A more modern Christmas film with a stellar ensemble cast of British actors and actresses, including Alan Rickman, Emma Thompson, Hugh Grant and Colin Firth. The 2003 rom-com by Richard Curtis follows ten stories of interlinked individuals exploring different types of love in London and abroad, including young love, unrequited love, broken hearts and friendship. It could be the patriotic British feel that the main setting of London creates, or the brilliant comedic performances, or the heart-warming tales of the true strength of love that makes this film such a favourite at Christmas. Plus the weekly countdown always makes us even more eager and excited for the 25th!
A Christmas Carol
This is truly a timeless film to be watched with the whole family. The story originates from Charles Dickens novel published back in 1843. The main character, Ebenezer Scrooge, is a grumpy, selfish business man with little care for others around him. He refers to Christmas as ‘humbug’ and lacks any sort of Christmas spirit. One Christmas Eve, Scrooge is paid a visit by the ghost of his late business partner Jacob Marley. Marley warns Scrooge to change his ways and tells him to expect visits from three spirits. Scrooge is then met by the ghost of Christmas Past, the ghost of Christmas Present, and the ghost of Christmas Yet-to-come. The spirits take Scrooge through his past life and warn him off a sad and lonely future. On Christmas day, Scrooge awakes enlightened by his supernatural experience and finally finds his Christmas spirit. The original re-make of Dickens novel is a perfect Christmas watch, but if you’re looking for something more comical, then catch the 1992 production of ‘The Muppets Christmas Carol”.
Home Alone
This American family comedy, which takes us back to our childhoods, was first brought to our screens in 1990. The film stars Macaulay Culkin, who plays 8-year-old Kevin McAllister. The story features a typical American family overwhelmed by Christmas chaos. The McAllister’s plan to spend Christmas in Paris, but after sleeping through their alarm the family then leave Kevin behind in a mad rush to make their flight. Kevin initially relishes being home alone, but that is only until he overhears two men planning to break in at the McAllister’s home on Christmas Eve. Determined to defend his family home, Kevin sets up a number of hilariously funny booby-traps to catch the bad guys. A great comedy for the whole family despite its young hero, this film is a bit of light-hearted Christmas cheer for everyone.
Elf
Elf is another American comedy, produced in 2003 and set in New York City. Will Ferrell stars as the main character, Buddy, a human who is brought up by elves in the North Pole. Buddy loves everything Christmas: reindeers, snow, candy, and, of course, Santa Claus. However, Buddy’s life is turned upside down when his father figure, ‘Papa Elf’, tells him that he is not really an elf but a human. Consequently, Buddy heads to New York City in search of his biological family. The film features a series of comical mishaps that see Buddy jumping on a Christmas tree, attacking a fake Santa and even being arrested. This film is as heart-warming as ever, demonstrating how a family can come together all in the name of Christmas spirit.
It wouldn’t feel like Christmas if we weren’t nestled up in front of the television with the fire burning and plenty of Quality Streets; so be sure to check out these films and we hope you enjoy them as much as we do!
Image sources:
http://www.ifccenter.com/films…
http://filmdaze.wordpress.com/…
http://www.fernbyfilms.com/200…