Illuminati-R-Us

There is a somewhat haphazard list of films that Mrs L and I, and occasionally our film expert youngest son, watch in the run up to Christmas. Every year.

Looking for recommendations to expand this collection and others may do similar and appreciate suggestions. I also thought it might be a decent sort of game-ish thing if folks chip in one at a time.. They don't have to be "Christmas movies" per se, just films that suit that kind of vibe.

So I'll start with an obvious classic we've watched every year for a couple of decades now:

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

I passionately hate Christmas films, and I do everything to avoid them. In fact, I cannot remember any positive, gratifying, uplifting, pleasurable, or at least funny television or cinema experience around Christmas, ever (not even with films that were not explicitly Christmas-themed). And no, I haven't watched the Grinch, because in the end, it's still just back-dooring all the kitchy, sugary, industrial Christmas fake-happiness that is the hallmark of the "Christmas films proper" genre.

I happen to have just finished, some minutes ago, watching this documentary about maybe the greatest musical genius America has brought forth so far. He seems to be quite forgotten these days, but then so is "classical" music in general. The film ends with takes from a very different Christmas, more than thirty years ago, that is still very vivid in my mind. It still touches me deeply.

We watched Die Hard last night, yeah I know. Or as it's known in Germany "The Hard".

Heid the Ba wrote:We watched Die Hard last night, yeah I know. Or as it's known in Germany "The Hard".

So did we.

Often overlooked Christmas classic: Trading Places

Heid the Ba wrote:Or as it's known in Germany "The Hard".

I'm more with Lianachan. Yes, I know Christmas movies, especially those produced by Hallmark, are schmalz. But they are feel-good. OK, some of them less so - Macaulay Caulkin is up there with Peppa Pig without the consolation of pigs in blankets. But most of them. They're no contribution to world culture, they're fantasy, but sometimes escapism can be good for one's mental health. January will bring a return to responsibilities, but in the meantime ...

For something a bit different, but Christmas-linked, there's quite a fun programme which looks at the amount of damage that the despicable Kevin in Home Alone would actually have done to the two burglars and the technology that ensured that the actors playing them did get to the end of the movie in one piece.

Or just use the Christmas break to stream a higher-quality film that you just didn't get to see when it came out.

This one.



Bad Santa is the greatest holiday movie of all time

g-one wrote:Bad Santa is the greatest holiday movie of all time

My learned friend has an excellent point.

I highly recommend Violent Night for your viewing pleasure.

It's like a cross between Die Hard and Home Alone, but good.

Arneb wrote:In fact, I cannot remember any positive, gratifying, uplifting, pleasurable, or at least funny television or cinema experience around Christmas, ever

Honestly, A Charlie Brown Christmas is probably my favourite of the season.

g-one wrote:

Arneb wrote:In fact, I cannot remember any positive, gratifying, uplifting, pleasurable, or at least funny television or cinema experience around Christmas, ever

Honestly, A Charlie Brown Christmas is probably my favourite of the season.

Some of the dance moves in this video are - well, interesting

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1LUXQWzCno

Lance wrote:I highly recommend Violent Night for your viewing pleasure.

It's like a cross between Die Hard and Home Alone, but good.

ViolentNight.jpg

Yeah, saw that the other week. It's excellent!

g-one wrote:This one.



Bad Santa is the greatest holiday movie of all time

Cheers, always avoided it as thought it would be shite, but watching RIGHT NOW.

Arneb wrote:I passionately hate Christmas films, and I do everything to avoid them. In fact, I cannot remember any positive, gratifying, uplifting, pleasurable, or at least funny television or cinema experience around Christmas, ever (not even with films that were not explicitly Christmas-themed). And no, I haven't watched the Grinch, because in the end, it's still just back-dooring all the kitchy, sugary, industrial Christmas fake-happiness that is the hallmark of the "Christmas films proper" genre.

I happen to have just finished, some minutes ago, watching this documentary about maybe the greatest musical genius America has brought forth so far. He seems to be quite forgotten these days, but then so is "classical" music in general. The film ends with takes from a very different Christmas, more than thirty years ago, that is still very vivid in my mind. It still touches me deeply.

Yeah.... totally agree about the sentimental, Hallmarkesque ones. I mean good ones! Trading Places, Christmas Vacation, Krampus and the like.

Lianachan wrote:

g-one wrote:This one.



Bad Santa is the greatest holiday movie of all time

Cheers, always avoided it as thought it would be shite, but watching RIGHT NOW.

OK, so, I wouldn't call it the best Christmas movie - but it is excellent. A full three "Ho"'s on the Christmas Filmometer.