Thursday, December 14, 2006

Thirteen Movies I Love To Watch At Christmas


I will warn you now. Some of these are not Christmas movies. Bear with me. I’ll try to tell you how they relate in my head. And I’m doing it as a countdown. Here we go:

13. A Christmas Story – I actually hate this movie. With a passion. So, why did it make my list? It is worth it on Christmas Eve to see my husband watch the 24-hour Christmas Story marathon and watch the complete and utter joy on his face. Maybe it’s a guy thing. But he loves it.

12. Scrooged – I love the story of A Christmas Carol, and Bill Murray is at his deadpan best in this remake.

11. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation – I’m not a huge fan of the Vacation movies, but I find myself enjoying this one every year. My favorite part is when the grandmother rings the doorbell. It starts off ding-dong. Then goes to diiing doooong. Then goes to the death toll – Boooong Boooooong. Classic!

10. When Harry Met Sally – Okay, work with me here. They go through two Christmases together, and it ends on New Year’s Eve. This is one of my favorite damn movies of all-time! Plus, it has the line that I have probably used 100 times over the years: "Do you really want to go through the rest of your life knowing someone else is married to your husband?"

9. Serendipity – I would watch John Cusack in anything, but I just love this one. Yes, it’s a little sappy, and not really a Christmas movie, but they DO meet on Christmas. It’s a great movie for everyone who believes in fate.

8. Bridget Jones’s Diary – Aside from the fact that I feel like Bridget Jones 90 percent of the time, I also love any excuse to see Colin Firth. Particularly in a reindeer jumper. Plus, it has the greatest ending line of a movie.

Bridget: "Nice boys don't kiss like that."

Mark: "Oh yes, they f*cking do."

7. Elf – Will Ferrell makes me laugh until I just about pee my pants. I remember seeing this movie when Eli was just a baby. We actually took him, and he slept on my lap through the whole thing so we could enjoy it. Plus it's got so many great quotes. "You sit on a throne of lies!"

6. An Affair To Remember – Yeah. Yeah. Not really a Christmas movie either, but it does end on Christmas day. I can watch this movie over and over again, just to see Cary Grant take Deborah Kerr into his arms at the end of the movie. It doesn’t get any better than that.
"I was looking up. It was the nearest thing to heaven. You were there."

5. Die Hard – Hopefully, I don’t have to argue that this is a Christmas movie. That’s pretty much a given. And it’s one of the best action movies of all-time. Plus, Alan Rickman is deliciously evil. Love it! "Yippee ki-yay . . . "

4. Sleepless in Seattle – I know most people think of this as a Valentine’s Day movie, but I like to watch it around Christmas time. The whole thing starts on Christmas Eve when Jonah calls the radio station. Plus you have the shots of the boats sailing by decorated in Christmas lights. And Meg Ryan in her car singing along to Christmas music. “Horses, horses, horses, horses . . .”

3. The Ref – Oh Lord, black comedies just don’t get any better than this. Denis Leary takes a couple (Kevin Spacey and Judy Davis) hostage on Christmas Eve, and ends up having to deal with their whole dysfunctional family. You find yourself rooting for the bad guy and wanting to mame the couple’s family. Ohhh Christmas! Fa la la la la.

Best line of the movie: "You know what I'm going to get you next Christmas, Mom? A big wooden cross, so that every time you feel unappreciated for your sacrifices, you can climb on up and nail yourself to it."

2. Love Actually – I think I’ve already watched this twice this year. What a great Christmas movie. Christmas miracles and love conquers all. It has so many wonderful intertwined stories, and each and every one draws you in. I can’t even tell you which one is my favorite, because they are all wonderful. I love love love this movie!

1. It’s a Wondeful Life – Apparently, I’m a traditionalist. I watch this movie every year, and I cry . . . no, make that sob . . . every single time. Jimmy Stewart is a true American classic. He is amazing in this movie, and it always makes me appreciate every single person in my life. Every year, I think I’m not going to cry, but every year, the same line at the end gets me.

“A toast to my brother, George – the richest man in town.” And then George Bailey opens up his Bible and reads the inscription from Clarence, “No man is a failure who has friends.”

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18 comments:

Michelle said...

Those are all great!

I might just have to watch some movies this weekend!

Happy TT!

I’m up!

bernie said...

Seen every film except REF -
I linked to you from my TT 13 Prescriptions and what Doctors really Mean

Anonymous said...

i used to have 'an affair to remember' & 'sleepless in seattle' on the same vhs tape.

my only problem with 'an affair to remember' is they should've cut out the last, DREADFUL, line, i.e., "darling, if you can paint, then i can walk!" yuck.

on the other hand, that moment when he realises the girl in the shop was in a wheelchair and runs to the bedroom to see the painting - i choke up every time!

happy tt

ps i did a movie meme last week :-)

Anonymous said...

What, no Holiday Inn?

:-)

My TT is up.

Anonymous said...

i love Christmas vacation. GREAT movie!

really great list. love it.

Mo and The Purries said...

I was saddened by the loss of matt-man's kitty, so my TT is delayed.

Frankly, I haven't seen half of the movies on your list!
Except for A Christmas Story. I agree with Eric -- that's an awesome movie.
(sorry, but I despise It's A Wonderful Life -- I want to yell "Jump already" when he's on the bridge)

ho ho ho
mo

Anonymous said...

I love movies that are rolled out at Christmas time rather than Christmas movies! Does that make sense, it does in my head.

Love your list and I'm off to check out hunky santa

www.celfyddydau.blogspot.com

Caylynn said...

Great list. :) Scrooged is a great movie - very funny. :)

Happy T13. :)

Sparky Duck said...

Your top 4 are some of my favorites, and there are so many classic lines in Christmas Vacation. Its great. Serendipidity Though?

Jules said...

I started crying just reading the It's a Wonderful Life quotes! I love that movie so much.

Here's another one: Mary, as a child, whispers into George's deaf ear, "Is this the ear you can't hear out of? George Bailey, I'll love you till the day I die." *SWOON* SO CUTE!!!!

How can you not love "A Christmas Story???" I'm Jewish and I LOVE "A Christmas Story." That deserves an explanation!

Sadie said...

LOVE Elf. We own that. Also Harry and Sally, Sleepless, Bridget Jones and Wonderful Life...

I also love the Miracle on 34th Street remake, and Polar Express. And Holiday Inn. My husband's favorite is "Scrooge," the musical starring Albert Finney.

And it must be a guy thing. Every guy I know (including husband and step-dad and BIL) love Christmas Story. I just don't get it.

Shannon said...

Great movies. Except Love, Actually, which I tought was over rated.

BUt I love Collin F. Love him! SO I watch it often.

Have a happy Thursday!

Anonymous said...

I love your list. I watch It's a Wonderful Life every Christmas Eve and my family makes fun of me too. I also sit there with tears running down my face. I also love White Christmas with Bing Crosby. Have a great Thursday! Toodles, Maryanne

Anonymous said...

I loved your list so much that I did my 13 favorite Christmas movies too! We watch It's a Wonderful Life every Christmas Eve and it always makes me cry too. I love Serendipity too because I love John Cusack. Good list! Come and check mine out: http://suthrnrose.blogspot.com/2006/12/13-christmas-movies-i-love-to-watch.html

Anonymous said...

Oh, I'm TOTALLY with you on #5!

Amy said...

I've seen all of them except #2. My favorite is probably While You Were Sleeping.

Happy T13!

Le laquet said...

I love Love actually, makes me laugh and cry each time :o) Great list.

Anonymous said...

its actually the adventures of tom sawyer, not the Bible that George opens up.

and i LOVE, love actually as well. great movie.