Top ten Christmas movies to enjoy this festive season
Sometimes there's nothing better than settling in with a roaring fire, a cup of cocoa and a cracking Christmas movie. There are plenty of festive flicks to choose from and here we've put together a selection of what we think are some of the finest, and those we'll be tuning into as we deck the halls!
Have we forgotten your favourite or left out an absolute classic? Check out our choices and let us know your top pick in our poll below.
Home Alone
An entirely undeniable classic, this 1990 gem sees Macaulay Culkin in his iconic role of Kevin McCallister, the eight-year-old boy who is accidentally left home alone as his family heads off for a Christmas break abroad.
At first Kevin is delighted to be the man of the house, but when a pair of wanted burglars set their sights on the McCallister residence, it's up to Kevin to defend it – and with hilarious results.
With great performances from Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern as the villainous Wet Bandits, and a fine turn from the young Culkin, this one is synonymous with festive fun.
Elf
Will Ferrell at his absolute best in a Christmas cracker of no mistaking. Elf follows the tale of Buddy, a baby from an orphanage who finds himself living at the North Pole with Santa and his helpers. 30-years-later, Buddy, having been raised by the elves, sets out on a journey back to New York City to track down his long-lost birth father.
Though the reunion with his dad is less than smooth, Buddy enjoys the many wonders of New York with the rose-tinted spectacles that his elfish upbringing has given him, and magic and chaos ensue.
On modern Christmas classic that has jumped to the top of many festive favourites lists, this one is a hoot through and through.
Die Hard
It's a Christmas film, and that's the end of it. True, this one is tied up with Bruce Willis's tank-top rather than a festive bow, but the tale of Nakatomi Plaza one starry Christmas Eve is one we can all get cosy to and wish upon an explosion.
When terrorists take control of a 40-storey skyscraper and threaten the lives of a group of hostages, it's up to New York cop John McClane to save the day. He was only hoping to reconcile with his estranged wife, but now he is forced to fight for her life as she finds herself among those under the captivity of the scheming Hans Gruber.
McClane was only hoping to enjoy the California air, but now he has a machine gun. Ho. Ho. Ho...
Surely one of the greatest action films of all time, Die Hard will add a bit of bullet to your festive flick buffet.
The Muppet Christmas Carol
It just couldn't possibly feel like Christmas without this one! In this joyous retelling of the Charles Dickens classic, we meet the miserly and cold-hearted Ebenezer Scrooge as he is forced to embrace the spirit of Christmas and repent his cruel and wicked ways, or face an afterlife of damnation!
During the course of one Christmas Eve night, Scrooge is taken on a journey through his own past, present and future by three spirit guides who seek to show him the error of his ways.
With a fantastic performance from Sir Michael Caine and a number of star turns from the likes of Miss Piggy and Kermit The Frog, this one is solid festive gold.
Jingle All The Way
One of the world's greatest action heroes is in the fight of his life – to get hold of the toy his son so desperately wants and make the little boy's Christmas dreams come true. The only trouble is, he only has one day left to do it – Christmas Eve!
With Arnie at the height of his powers in a hilarious battle with other bloodthirsty last-minute shoppers desperate to acquire the much-coveted Turbo Man action figure, Jingle All The Way shows us every parent's nightmare and packs it with maximum hilarity.
A fine and jolly choice for your Christmas watch list for sure.
Love Actually
Richard Curtis's magnum opus is about as much of a masterpiece as a festive flick can be, and needs a place on the small screen in every home in the region this Christmas.
Following the lives of several star-crossed lovers – from rock stars to writers and even the Prime Minister – Love Actually tells the colliding tale of numerous great Britons navigating the murky waters of romance and the heart in the run up to Christmas.
Taking us on the full rollercoaster of emotion, this one never fails to make us laugh, cry and everything in between.
Brilliant effort from an ensemble cast – and with a certain press conference speech that will always be remembered – this one is, actually, Christmas movie magic at its best.
Nativity!
There's nothing that captures the festive feeling like a nativity play, and here, a fantastic cast of children – with the help of Martin Freeman and Marc Wooton – bring one of the most joyous ever staged.
Primary school teacher Paul (Freeman) is tasked with the seemingly impossible – lead a charge of children in creating a superior nativity play to a rival and far more affluent school.
Determined to one-up his drama school rival – who is directing the nativity at the other school – Paul spins a yarn about how his production is going to be turned into a Hollywood film.
However, as Paul's lie gathers steam and gets out of control, he may be forced to find a way to make good on his claim, and lead the talented children to Hollywood glory!
Packed with feel-good Christmas vibes throughout, this one just never fails to make us smile.
It's A Wonderful Life
The daddy of them all, no list of great Christmas flicks could be complete without this one making an appearance.
An absolute festive classic, It's A Wonderful Life tells the tale of George Bailey, a man who has given up on his dreams so that he can help those in his community. Following his contemplation of suicide on Christmas Eve, George is visited by Clarence, a guardian angel, who makes it his mission to remind George of the importance of his life, and show him how different the world would be had he not been born.
A beautiful tale with fantastic turns from James Stewart, Donna Reed and Henry Travers, without a re-watch of this one there simply is no Christmas at all.
Santa Claus: The Movie
A lovable origin tale featuring the main man himself, this one couldn't miss out on a place in this list.
When a peasant woodcutter and his his wife are saved from death in a blizzard when they are rescued by magical elves, the legend of Santa Claus begins. Chosen by the elves to deliver their handmade toys to the children of the world, Claus and his wife Anya are given the gift of immortality and a herd of flying reindeer to carry out their charge.
Hundreds of years later however, a plot is hatched that would replace Claus as the face of Christmas, and Santa himself is forced to show his might and prove his worth.
A real festive treat featuring Dudley Moore, David Huddleston and John Lithgow, this one is Christmas charm itself.
Bad Santa
Not your typical Christmas flick, but without question one of the funniest ever!
Crooked con man, Willie, lives a life of booze and bad decisions. Working with his partner Marcus, he annually stages robberies of department stores at which he has appeared as Santa, and this year will be no exception.
However, with the involvement of a lady with a certain liking for Santas, and a security chief with a cunning side, the dynamic duo's plan may not go quite as smoothly as they hope.
With laugh-out-loud performances from Billy Bob Thornton and Tony Cox, Bad Santa is definitely one for the grown-ups, but is hilarious festive entertainment at its finest.
Do you agree with our choices, or have we missed a classic? Get in touch with us via Twitter @DMorris_Star or email daniel.morris@mnamedia.co.uk
