Favorite and Least Favorite Christmas Movies

[RunningBum]

We've talked about Christmas songs in the past, but I couldn't find anything about movies.

My favorite, by far, is "It's a Wonderful Life". It's a good story, and Jimmy Stewart is always fun to watch. He pulls off both corny and serious, and is very likeable. Some of us in my family have watched it so often we can quote about any line from it. We found a trivia game, and it's probably pretty hard for most, but we laugh when one of us misses a question because it's pretty rare.

It's also good when it's made fun of. SNL had an alternate ending that was hilarious, with Dana Carvey as George Bailey.

Then there was this short: It's a Wonderful Life in 30 Seconds, Re-enacted by bunnies.

Least favorite is "A Christmas Story"--Ralphie, the Red Rider BB gun, etc. I know some people love it but I think it's badly overacted and not very funny at all.

What are yours?

 

[mickeyd]

I agree that It's a Wonderful Life is the best Christmas movie ever made. It's so good that they have never had a remake of it.

 

[REWahoo]

"Bad Santa" gets my vote...for both!

 

[MRG]

It's a Wonderful Life" has always been a favorite. The cookbook made it better.

 

[cbo111]

"Bad Santa" gets my vote...for both!

+1. Loved that movie, but it was nasty. Billy Bob played an excellent role.

 

[MichaelB]

"Bad Santa" gets my vote...for both!

Hard to disagree. However, as a Christmas movie it requires a very specific audience.

For broader family viewing I like “A Christmas Carol” (George C Scott version) and “Scrooged”.

 

[Bestwifeever]

Love Actually is my modern favorite but not so good for family viewing. Affair to Remember ends with Christmas and Cary Grant saying “you know me, holly in my heart” so love that too. DS loves Elf.

For the classics I could do with never seeing White Christmas again. Nothing tops It’s a Wonderful Life for best in our house.

 

[DFDubb]

Elf is my favorite. It's also my least favorite because no matter how many times I've seen it, I'll always watch again when it's on.

 

[Bestwifeever]

Hard to disagree. However, as a Christmas movie it requires a very specific audience.

For broader family viewing I like “A Christmas Carol” (George C Scott version) and “Scrooged”.

I always cry when George C. Scott tells his nephew he sees his sister in him.

 

[Red Badger]

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. After decades as a road warrior, I lived many, many similar moments. If it doesn't air on one of the common movie channels, I'll dust of the DVD Christmas eve.

Had a few serious and traumatic situations along the way (watching one guy die, walking past corpses of people who had just died in both airports and hotel, other....). But also, lots of lighthearted calamity "you just had to be there moments." So yeah, there's a few scenes where I'm prone to a misty eye moment.

Oh, almost every year, it was an 11th hour, all hands on deck, trying to get home 12-23 or 24.

 

[RetireAge50]

Trading Places (my favorite)

 

[Chuckanut]

The Bishops Wife
Miracle on 34th Street.

And a Dr. Who Christmas special where I learned how Santa manages to deliver so many presents in so little time

 

[easysurfer]

"It's a Wonderful Life" and "A Christmas Carol" as they have a very similar message.

 

[Running_Man]

For modern movies "While you were sleeping" is my favorite, but I like Sandra Bullock
Surviving Christmas with Ben Affleck gets my vote for worst

 

[Chuckanut]

I have also grown fond of Prep and Landing, especially the first one.

 

[W2R]

I don't like ANY of them.

Aren't I a bundle of Christmas joy? Oh well, it is what it is.

 

[Accidental Retiree]

I don't like ANY of them.

Aren't I a bundle of Christmas joy? Oh well, it is what it is.

Bah humbug.

 

[zedd]

Favorites: it's a wonderful life, Planes, Trains and Automobiles
Pans: Bad Santa
On the fence: A Christmas Story. The cleaned up version is okay. In the unedited release Ralphie had too much of a potty mouth

 

[jazz4cash]

The Preacher’s Wife. Whitney Houston and Denzel. Great soundtrack.

 

[MissMolly]

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. We watch it every year and I just scream with laughter every time Chevy Chase goes down that hill on the saucer

 

[MuirWannabe]

Die Hard. Not really, but I just wanted to get the argument started.....yes it’s a Christmas movie.

I love It’s a Wonderful Life, A Christmas Story, Bad Santa, Elf, and Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. Great calls from everyone. The Grinch movie is pretty decent also.

Don’t like any of the old Christmas movies that are black and white. Except It’s a Wonderful Life of course.

 

[MuirWannabe]

Wait a minute. I just recalled, Planes, Trains, & Automobiles is a Thanksgiving movie. Not a Christmas movie.

 

[REWahoo]

Wait a minute. I just recalled, Planes, Trains, & Automobiles is a Thanksgiving movie. Not a Christmas movie.

Yep, that it is - although it is a darn good one.

 

[GalaxyBoy]

I'm partial to the Patrick Stewart version of "A Christmas Carol." One thing I like is that it includes some scenes from the novella that never appear in other versions, such as when the Ghost of Christmas Present takes Scrooge around the world to see how people are celebrating Christmas, such as on board a ship at sea and deep within a coal mine.

Besides, it's Patrick friggin' Stewart. Make it so!

 

[Mr. Tightwad]

Favorite: Gremlins