A little birdie had told me Hollywood has lost that holiday spirit. Then I read an article on Yahoo about how the movie executives are saying "humbug" to the holidays that confirmed it.
Now, I hadn't noticed any Christmas movies being advertised, but with the new "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1" who would have. That commercial airs more than reruns of "Seinfeld".
I thought about this and most of the movies haven't even been good in the last decade. I mean "Fred Claus", a movie about Santa Claus' brother taking over, was a decent enough idea with enough talent in it, but it just wasn't executed properly. Then there was the Will Ferrell movie "Elf" about an adopted elf who was forced back into the real world. Just plain stupid. Heartfelt, but stupid. "Christmas with the Kranks"also comes to mind. I love Tim Allen and I think just about anything he touches is comedy gold, but this flop is the "Hulk" of Christmas movies.
Seeing as those flops don't really get us motivated for the season, let's get everyone into the holiday spirit. My top 10 Christmas movies with a few honorable mentions.
1. "Christmas Vacation"- This Chevy Chase classic is aired every year at my house starting the day after Thanksgiving. It reminds me why I don't host Christmas or live next to someone with 25,000 Christmas lights.
2. "A Christmas Story"- "You'll shoot your eye out!" Who can forget that classic line when Robbie asks for his Red-Ryder BB gun. This movie stands the test of time and is aired on TBS every Christmas for 24-hours non-stop.
3. "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas"- "His heart is two sizes too small." I love the character created by Dr. Seuss and the story it has to tell. It's a movie that reminds us all what Christmas is all about. Not the presents, but the people we spend it with.
4. "A Charile Brown Christmas"- There's no real explanation needed for this one. Charlie Brown searches for the true meaning of Christmas through pageants and friends. Another movie that makes you rethink what Christmas is all about.
5. "Miracle on 34th Street"- A reminder that Santa Claus may be real. It helps a little girl who's a little too smart for her own good believe in something she can't explain logically. Although it's perfectly logical when you're visited by the real Santa Claus.
6. "The Santa Clause"- Like I said earlier, anything Tim Allen touches is comedy gold. This movie is funny and heartwarming all at the same time. It makes you feel like a kid again and wanting so hard to believe in something.
7. "Scrooged"- This original re-telling of Charles Dickens' classic "A Christmas Carol" is probably one of the best I've seen. Bill Murray plays a television executive who makes his staff have a live version of "A Christmas Carol" on Christmas Eve. He makes a hilarious and convincing Scrooge-like character.
8. "It's a Wonderful Life"- OK, I admit this one is a little low on the list, but I haven't seen it all that many times. It's a wonderful film and I watch it whenever it airs, but I don't have enough bells to give this angel it's wings.
9. "Mixed Nuts" - Steve Martin is a genius. Putting his name to this hapless bunch of misfits ever to grace a Christmas movie was a bold, yet brilliant, move. It's more about the Christmas spirit than it is about serial killers, suicide hotlines and death. It's only this low because it is kind of a dark Christmas movie. It has an all-star cast and his side-splittingly funny.
10. is a tie between "A Muppet Christmas Carol" and "Mickey's Christmas Carol"- They are both clever and well done. I love both studio's, but they are just telling the same story we've heard time and time again. Good, but not great.
Honorable mentions: "White Christmas", "The Nightmare Before Christmas", "The Polar Express" and "Home Alone" 1 & 2.
So pop those movies in, sit down with the family, laugh and remember what Christmas is all about. And don't forget to tell me what your favorite Christmas movie is. Did I have it on the list, or did I leave it out like I did countless other Christmas movies?
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