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Everyone loves a good Christmas film... and loads of them are being shown on TV over Christmas (you probably own a couple on DVD, too!) and the next few days. In the same way that we recently did with favourite Christmas TV episodes, here are the personal favourite Christmassy films from five of our writers.
Love Actually has everything a good Christmas film needs. A cast of the biggest British stars, including Martin Freeman, Alan Rickman, Emma Thompson and Colin Firth. It’s got cheesy musical numbers, re-working songs we already know and love, with Bill Nighy’s horrific ‘Christmas Is All Around’ and the school’s adorable show. And it’s all about ten engaging romantic couples going through their own relationship issues, plus one platonic pair to cheer the singletons up a bit. Sure, the film can be quite clichéd, for example the typical last minute airport chase, but all in all it just makes us feel good which, in its Christmas setting, is perfect. And who doesn’t enjoy watching Hugh Grant dance around No. 10 Downing Street?
Is there anything in the world more heart-warming than this film? I don’t think so. A film which has inspired numerous re-imaginings and has ingratiated itself into popular culture since its initially less-than-triumphant release, It’s a Wonderful Life is one of the best Christmas films there is. What I like is that there is no Santa or stupid elves or irritatingly present-grabbing nineties kids. Instead, a gentle and elegant reminder that everyone has their part to play in the world, and the simple message to be happy with what you have because (usually) things could be much worse. This film is American without being AMERICAN. It’s festive without being FESTIVE. It proclaims goodwill to all men without being holier-than-thou. Above all, there’s tinsel but since it’s black and white, the tinsel doesn’t offend my eyes. And James Stewart is the king.
I have counted that no less than 7 adaptations of A Christmas Carol are being shown over Christmas. However, The Muppet Christmas Carol is the only version that you will ever need to watch. It is an utter delight, with the Muppet characters fitting surprisingly well into the lead roles. I could comment on the significance of the moral message of the story, but you could watch any version for that. Instead, there are 3 crucial reasons to watch this: the songs are brilliantly catchy and compliment the story well, it’s very funny, with amusement coming from Miss Piggy and Rizzo who surely gets the best line: "Light the lamp not the rat!," and it is wonderfully Christmassy. A must-see.
Perhaps not a traditional Christmas film, but certainly featuring some of the most breathtaking Christmas scenes ever conceived (including a wondrous snow filled escape from German captivity, before meeting a young girl making a crib who claims she ‘wants to eat the baby Jesus’). A strangely brilliant final brushstroke to what is perhaps Jean Renoir’s finest masterpiece, an astonishing beautiful and miraculous war film following three French POWs attempt to finally escape German imprisonment. Dealing with class, the horrors of war and the fearful loss caused by a changing society, this remarkable and quietly tragic film is one of the finest ever made.
This family favourite follows Buddy the Elf (Will Ferrell) from the North Pole, through the candy cane forest, to New York where he attempts to get his father (James Caan) off the naughty list. The result will bring out the big kid in everyone at this time of year, as well as leaving you with a warm fuzzy feeling and an aching face from laughing. Plus it makes it more than acceptable for me to answer the phone, “Hello Buddy the Elf, what’s your favourite colour?” for the time surrounding Christmas (and some time after that too!)
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