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O Christmas is almost here, and we here at MHD are excited about the possibilities this festive season offers in terms of special items. In this article we undertake the difficult task of choosing the ten best Christmas films ever produced.
We did not choose this topic at random, quite the opposite. Christmas and cinema have a long-lasting intimate relationship. In fact, this holiday is clearly the most celebrated in the history of the seventh art, and the alliance between Christmas and cinema has produced a good number of films over the years that have impacted millions of people around the world.
The films on this list are not necessarily ordered in terms of quality alone. Making a list of Christmas films means taking into account the memories associated with these films, not just their artistic quality. A great Christmas film is the kind of film that, every time we watch it, reminds us of those Christmases spent with our family when we were still children, or when our children were still children, or any other time that now exists only in the realm of memory. The power of a great Christmas film is that when we watch it we are transported to another time and, during those two hours, we relive those moments that we remember with so much affection and nostalgia.
#10 – Christmas Vacation / What a Christmas Parody (1989)
Maybe it’s not a masterpiece, but this film is a true Christmas classic. Subtlety is certainly not the strong point of this product of American cinema from the eighties, but the type of comedy from this period continues to be efficient today, in addition to having the power to transport us back to a time when cinema , and perhaps even the world, was simpler and more innocent.
#9 – Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale (2010)
This is the most recent film on our list, it’s the only one that isn’t American (it’s a Finnish production), and it’s also possibly the strangest of them all. Rare Exports ignore version standard of Santa Claus that we are used to seeing on screen and decides to explore a much darker version of the myth, more in keeping with Finnish tradition. In this version, Santa Claus is actually a cruel monster who, on Christmas Eve night, kidnaps and devours all the boys who have been “bad” throughout the year. Rare Exports It may not be a perfect film, but it is certainly a highly original story that adds new things to the Christmas filmography, something that cannot be said for all films. Furthermore, it is the only European film on the list, which gives it some additional points.
#8 – Die Hard 2 / Airport Robbery (1990)
Die Hard 2better known in Portugal as Airport Robbery, it certainly won’t win points for originality since it’s essentially a copy of the first, only changing the setting in which the story takes place. Despite this, this is a true Christmas classic, the type of film that always ends up on television at this time of year, and as such has become permanently linked to the Christmas holiday in our collective memory. Although the story itself is not exactly very Christmassy, the action takes place at that time, which seems enough to consider Die Hard 2 a film worthy of being on this list.
#7 – Home Alone 2: Lost in New York / Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)
Such as Die Hard 2, Home Alone 2 it is nothing more than a copy of the original, in which the only thing that changes is the location of the story. In this case, the story is moved from Chicago to New York, but the rest changes very little. Certainly the producers decided to follow the old football saying “you don’t change a winning team”. Still, despite the lack of originality, Home Alone 2 It retains that Christmas magic present in the original, and is as funny as the first. Obviously the story no longer has the same freshness, but still the fact that it takes place in New York gives this good sequel its own identity.
#6 – Batman Returns / Batman Returns (1992)
It might be strange to put a Batman movie on this list, but we have a good reason for it. Batman Returns It takes place at Christmas time and, in addition, incorporates a true Christmas style that includes the soundtrack, the decorations, the typical snow falling throughout the film and even the film’s characters’ constant references to Christmas. Obviously this is not a work about Christmas, but despite that it is a story set at this time and with sound and visual elements typical of our favorite holiday. In this aspect, it doesn’t differ much from films like Die Hard that usually appear on these types of lists. The film itself isn’t exactly fabulous, but it’s an interesting story generally enjoyed by fans of superheroes, Tim Burton, or both.
#5 – Elf / Elf – The False Elf (2003)
Elf is the typical American comedy about Christmas. As a comedy film it hardly stands out. It’s not particularly funny or particularly intelligent, it’s just an average quality film… This goes for almost any day of the year, but not for the 24th of December or the 25th. At Christmas time there are very few comedies that give us feel like seeing more than this story about a human brought up like one of Santa Claus’s elves who, in his early thirties, finally returns to the “normal” world. The film explores Christmas mythology in a very fun way and, in the end, helps us to value and enjoy this special holiday even more.
#4 – The Nightmare Before Christmas / The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
The Nightmare Before Christmas It’s a unique film. Of all the strange films that came from the mind of Tim Burton, it is probably one of the strangest and also one of the most brilliant, although he did not make it, as is often wrongly said. It is a modern Christmas fable and one of the most original and powerful animated films ever created. The Nightmare Before Christmas It’s a delicious mix of comedy, horror and fantasy. Ultimately, a unique and fabulous animated film that deserves a prominent place on this list.
#3 – Gremlins (1984)
It’s not easy to categorize Gremlins. Will it be a horror film? Will it be a comedy? A mix of the two? Be that as it may, Gremlins It is above all a true Christmas classic. When the main character receives a “Gizmo” for Christmas, it is as if we, in the audience, also received the same gift, and it is practically impossible not to feel at least some affection for the little creature. This is a magical film that combines the magic of Christmas with the charm and charisma of Gizmo and his less friendly little brothers. Even though it’s not one of the best horror films or one of the best comedy films, it is certainly a film that had a tremendous impact on the culture of the eighties, and even 30 years later it remains one of the most memorable films in the history of modern cinema. . But most of all, Gremlins is one of the great Christmas films.
# two – Die Hard / Heist on the Skyscraper (1988)
Die Hard It’s not only one of the best action films of all time, it’s also one of the best Christmas films of all time. In fact, the only reason it isn’t in first place on our list is because it isn’t exactly a film about Christmas, although the action takes place on December 24th. Even so, Die Hard is an unmissable work when it comes to Christmas films, because it takes place on Christmas Eve, because it is a fantastic action film and because, even after being watched for the tenth time, it continues to be a great piece of entertainment with a Bruce Willis as one of the best action heroes in cinema history. For all these reasons, Skyscraper Heist is our Christmas runner-up.
# 1 – Home Alone / Home Alone (1990)
This is not a profound film or even a great artistic achievement. It’s just a comedy that makes you feel good when the credits finally appear on the screen. But more importantly, Home Alone It’s Christmas. The music, the big house with the Christmas decorations, the huge family always arguing but united in times of need, the moral lessons, the snow, the warm clothes, the happy ending… Home Alone is simply the perfect film to watch at Christmas, for both children and adults. It is also a universal milestone, as practically everyone in the world has either seen this film or at least heard about it. Home Alone It also features some of the most memorable scenes in the history of modern cinema. Remember the aftershave scene? Or the scene from the gangster movie? And we don’t even need to ask if you remember the scene on the plane, when the mother realizes that they forgot… Kevin!!!
