Christmas in Film & TV

Top 10 Best Christmas Movies

The 10 Worst Christmas Movies

Best Christmas Episodes

Top 10 Christmas Horror Movies

Movies for People Who Hate Christmas Read more!

Top 10 Best Christmas Movies

thecriticalcritics.com,December 6,2008

With the holidays upon us, I felt it was my duty to bring some Christmas spirit to all. Below is a list of my favorite movies that embody what this time of year is all about — fun, family and friends.

Criteria: Theatrical release; have something to do with Christmas.

10	Movie: The Nightmare Before Christmas [1993] A strange tale of Jack Skellington (a.k.a. the Pumpkin King) as he tries to bring his own brand of Christmas to the world with the help of the ghoulies of Halloweentown. Nothing spells Christmas like seeing a “coffin sleigh” pulled through the sky by skeletal reindeer and a ghost dog with a glowing nose!
9	Movie: Elf [2003] Will Ferrell is Buddy, a human raised as an elf in the North Pole sent off to search for his birth father. It’s great fun to witness his awkwardness and enthusiasm as he discovers what it is to be human, in of all places — New York City. Definitely one of Mr. Ferrell’s better comedic performances (Ron Burgundy and Chazz Reinhold being the others.)
8	Movie: Scrooge [1951] The definitive adaptation of Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.” Ebenezer Scrooge, meets three ghosts — Christmas Past, Christmas Present and Christmas Future — and, well you know the story.
7	Movie: The Santa Clause [1994] Ever wanted to take the place of Santa Claus? Neither did Tim Allen, but that’s what happens when he activates a little known clause in the Santa mythos (kill old Saint Nick, take his place.) An endearing comedy that’s great for the whole family.
6	Movie: Bad Santa [2003] What better way to rob a department store than to dress up as Santa. That’s Billy Bob Thornton’s plan, complete with boozing it up, cursing like Bob Saget, and beating up little kids. Did I mention the backdoor sex in the crapper? It may not sound like it, but there is a goodwill message hidden somewhere within.
5	Movie: The Polar Express [2004] An animated feature that dives into the meaning of Christmas. If you can get past the bizarre facial expressions everyone in the film has (growing pains of the motion capture animation), you’re sure to feel good after viewing. Afterwards, let me know if you can hear the bell ring — I did for a day or two…
4	Movie: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation [1989] The Griswolds return to make a disaster of the holiday, as only they can. If you need a laugh, look no further — you’ll get your fill and then some watching this good-intentioned family ruin everything they come in contact with. Watch for Cousin Eddie (Randy Quaid), he’s a scene stealer.
3	Movie: Miracle on 34th Street [1947] Leave it to America to put Kris Kringle on trial for claiming to be the real Santa Claus — even 50 years ago corporate snobs were sucking the life out of Christmas. But it wouldn’t be a holiday powerhouse if the nonbelievers weren’t shown the wrongs of their ways and led to believe. You’ll be led to believe again too.
2	Movie: A Christmas Story [1983] Little Ralphie wants nothing more than a Red Ryder BB gun from Santa and lets everyone in his world know it. Director Bob Clark and screenwriter Jean Shepherd capture everything there is about Christmas from a kids point of view; no wonder it is the most televised movie during the week of Christmas (unsubstantiated claim), as young and old alike can relate.
1	Movie: It’s A Wonderful Life [1946] The timeless Christmas classic. James Stewart is a man contemplating suicide on Christmas Eve when he sees his world falling apart. His guardian angel pops down from the heavens to stop him and to show him how life would be like for those he loves had he never existed. It memorably drives home the point that as long as you have family, friends and good health there’s a damn good chance everything is going to be a-okay. And even though we tend to overlook it, this holds true even to this day.

Honorable Mention(s): Babes in Toyland.

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The Ten Worst Christmas Movies of All-Time

filmschoolrejects.com,December 2007

Just as Hollywood launched us into the summer movie season with Spider-Man 3 in early May, they’ve jumped the gun on the Christmas season with Fred Claus. However, this wasn’t as heartwarming as the umpteen radio stations playing Christmas music before Thanksgiving, ‘cause Fred Claus really sucked ass.

So that got us thinking… What other Christmas movies suck ass? For every It’s a Wonderful Life, there’s gotta be a crapstorm of a film to balance it out. So we looked at the holiday movies over the years, and we came up with our list. To make the list, the film had to either be about Christmas (or Santa Claus) or have Christmas an integral part of the plot. (It can’t be like Gremlins, which did suck ass, but really was just set during Christmastime rather than being about the holiday.)

Flame on!

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10. Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (1964)

With a title like this, it’s almost too easy. And while you most likely have seen this one during the good old Mystery-Science Theater 3000 days, you can still catch it on video and even aired by one of the Turner networks in December. It features a wino Santa and Martians so crappy they put Plan 9 from Outer Space to shame. Oh, and it’s got Pia Zadora in it, too!

9. The Nativity Story (2006)

We can just imagine the pitch meeting in Hollywood. Some lunkhead producer yelled, “The Passion of the Christ made more than $300 million! What else can we mine from the Bible?” So they cast the 15-year-old Keisha Castle-Hughes, who got herself pregnant for the film’s release (which really pissed off the Pope). Here’s a hint… she wasn’t carrying the baby Jesus.

8. Fred Claus (2007)

Vince Vaughn and Paul Giamatti were cobbled by the family-oriented bent of this film. It just goes to prove that Vince Vaughn just ain’t funny if you don’t let him swear (or if he is wearing a dress and killing people).

7. Miracle on 34th Street (1994)

Who the hell had the brilliant idea of remaking this indelible classic… again? The cast was lame, and the climactic courtroom scene was ruined with an unnecessary rewrite. In the 60th anniversary DVD of the original, Maureen O’Hara giggles at the fact that every remake of this film has bombed. You go, Mo!

6. The Santa Clause 2 (2002)

Yeah, we know this is a cash cow for Disney, but that doesn’t make it any good. The first film was okay, but this one was lame. Even worse, the moronic director did the entire DVD commentary as if he got permission to shoot in the North Pole with the real Santa and his elves. I guess he didn’t realize that second graders don’t listen to DVD commentaries.

5. Christmas with the Kranks (2004)

Hey look! Another Tim Allen movie has made the list! Written by legal novelist John Grisham, this awkward holiday comedy showed that even a bestselling author can inspire crap.

4. Deck the Halls (2006)

Why does Matthew Broderick keep getting cast in movies? He hasn’t done a live-action film worth a bucket of snot since Election. And how could Danny DeVito sign on for this stinker? He must have needed rent money. A war of holiday lights turns into wacky family comedy… so much so, you’ll want to throw up.

3. Black Christmas (2006)

After the Weinstein Company’s dismal release of Wolf Creek on Christmas Day 2005, they tried to repeat their mistake with a horror movie remake in 2006… and they were successful in failing. Maybe they should have had some of the young hotties in the cast (e.g., Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Lacey Chabert or Michelle Trachtenberg) do a gratuitous nude scene.

2. The Santa Clause 3 (2006)

It’s Tim Allen again, dishing out more holiday pain. But this time, he’s joined by the show-tune loving Martin Short as Jack Frost. Arguably a better premise than #2, the movie melts down in the end with the cheesiest ending since V: The Final Battle.

1. Surviving Christmas (2004)

Nothing says Christmas in October like James Gandolfini in a Santa hat. ‘Nuff said.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Jingle All the Way (1996) – We thought this would be a shoe-in, considering what a joke people remember it to be. But watch it with your kids, and you might agree it doesn’t even belong on this list.

The Preacher’s Wife (1996) – Okay, we admit it… neither Fat Guy actually has seen this film. We just figured that since it had Whitney Houston in it, it must suck ass.

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Best Christmas Episodes

By V.Miller,associatedcontent.com
December 17,2008

Who doesn't like to spread a little pop-culturey Christmas cheer? Any TV series worth its salt churns out at least one Christmas episode during its run. Here are my top 10 favorite Christmas episodes of all time. Many of these episodes can be viewed online, on websites such as hulu.com, fancast.com or youtube.com
The Top 10 Best Christmas Television Episodes of All Time

Check also:The Twelve Episodes of Christmas Television Gave To Us Read more!

Top 10 Christmas Horror Movies

listverse.com December 17,2007

Sure, we all know Christmas is about the birth of our Savior, and, to some extent, gift giving and Santa Claus, but, what you didn’t know is that Christmas is also about fine cinematic horror choices. Horror on Christmas? Absolutely. Some of the genre’s finest films take place on this - our most beloved of holidays. And, this is the List Universe after all - we love to horrify, frighten, revolt, and shock you! Here are ten of the best choices for your very SCARY Christmas!

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6 Movies for People Who Hate Christmas

By Jeff Otto,reelzchannel.com

For most, Christmas is a happy time rife with warm family memories, selfless gift giving, gentle snowfalls, and the sharing of the season's goodwill tidings. For others, it is the worst example of American consumerism, as exemplified most glaringly by the recent Black Friday mishaps at Wal-Mart and Toys"R"Us.

For the latter group, Christmas is a time when broken families are forced to mend fences for a single day of forced holiday bliss. A time when you can't step into an elevator without being subject to the Muzak version of "O Holy Night." When going to your local pharmacy means being guilted into giving up your spare change by a guy with a bell who looks like he just got released from prison.

The following recommendations are for those with a more cynical perspective of the season. These movies offer the chance to enjoy some seasonal cinematic joys with more edge and less good cheer. From German terrorists to singing skeletons, little green monsters to an alcoholic St. Nick, we've got all the bases covered.

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