Ah, ’tis the season. There’s a chill in the air, we’ve finally witnessed rain on campus, trees are starting to go bare and now and then I hear the faint sounds of “Rockin’ around the Christmas tree.” Christmas! And we all know the most important part of Christmas. No, not presents, not snow, not the religious significance — movies!
Disclaimer: I am not a film major nor am I a renowned film critic, but my father has forced me to watch the wackiest alternative films and supposed “classics” since I was far too young, so I think I have some grounds to give my opinion on Christmas movies.
Let’s dig in.
1. Love Actually (2003)
A Christmas CLASSIC. I’ve watched it on Christmas day every year for probably six years now! It’s become one of the few holiday traditions amongst my family. My cousins and I gather on the sofa, ready to watch two hours of something we know every line of yet still experience surprise and joy and frustration and all the emotions that “Love Actually” produces. The film weaves together nine different storylines over the five weeks before Christmas day. It explores young love, infidelity, grief, familial love, unrequited love, platonic love and more against the backdrop of Christmas in London and with a great soundtrack featuring the Beatles and the Beach Boys (and the iconic “Love Actually” theme which stirs something inside of me every year). Plus it has the wit, humor and charm of Hugh Grant and Bill Nighy. To me, this is the staple Christmas movie. Watch it.
2. The Holiday (2006)
Another rom-com. Sorry not sorry. I’m not sure if it’s just Jude Law’s face (or scarves) or Cameron Diaz’s smile, but there’s something about “The Holiday.” It’s endearing. For those of you who have not been graced by its presence, “The Holiday” centers on two women who swap houses through the Christmas holiday. Amanda (played by Cameron Diaz) leaves her Hollywood mansion for Iris’s (Kate Winslet) quaint cottage in Surrey. From then, romance ensues as Amanda meets Iris’s brother and Iris meets Amanda’s colleague. With the mix of British and American charm, you’ve got to love this movie. And it’s peppered with enough plot twists and drama to keep you entertained throughout.
3. The Holdovers (2023)
Calling this a Christmas movie may be a tenuous claim, but eh. In an era of reboots, live-action remakes, sequels and prequels, I thought originality in film was dead. But alas, “The Holdovers” proved me wrong. My dad told me about this one — he was a “holdover” himself. Set in 1970 at a New England boarding school, “The Holdovers” tracks roughly five boarding school kids who have to stay on campus for break (the internationals and those left-behind by their parents) and the grumpy teacher who drew the short straw and has to babysit them.
The brilliance of “The Holdovers” owes to its main character — the angsty and troubled Angus Tully. Dominic Sessa’s performance is touching and heartfelt. I couldn’t believe that this was his first acting role. Instead of holding a traditional audition process, the casting directors for “The Holdovers” offered the students at Deerfield Academy, the school where the film was shot, to audition for the role and chose Sessa out of 12.
Exploring loss, mental illness and unlikely bonds, this coming-of-age movie is not your typical Christmas movie. If you seek to be moved this holiday season, watch “The Holdovers.”
4. Elf (2003)
Maybe I have a Zooey Deschanel bias or maybe “Elf” is just a great movie. Either way I put it at number four. Set in the North Pole and New York City at Christmas time (who doesn’t love New York City at Christmas time?!), the movie’s main character is the child-like Buddy, played by Will Ferrell. Buddy, a human accidentally taken to the North Pole as a child — a totally normal plotline, I know — travels to the city to meet his real father, a douchey businessman. Buddy starts working at the Christmas display at the mall and meets Jovie (Zooey Deschanel) whilst also slowly bonding with his father. If you’re looking for laughs, unlikely romance and a bit of fun, indulge in “Elf” this Christmas.
5. Die Hard (1988)
“Die Hard” is another one where the “Christmas movie” label is debatable. But come on, it’s set on Christmas Eve. In “Die Hard,” New York City cop John McClane visits his estranged wife at her company’s Christmas party, only for everyone in the building to be taken hostage by German terrorists shortly after. McClane is left on his own to take out the hostages. Barefoot, in a white tank top and with a walkie-talkie as his only means of contact with the world outside, McClane clambers around the company’s headquarters, travels through the vents and uses wacky methods to take out the terrorists. Fun, right? “Die Hard” blends action and adventure with family drama, friendship, and Alan Rickman putting on a German accent. It’s a must-watch.
Special mentions go to “Last Christmas,” “Daddy’s Home 2” and “Home Alone.” So there you have it, my top five Christmas movies. Keep calm and binge on!