Previous Friday Question Fun entries
Well, it’s Friday and it’s Christmastime, many of us have been catching up on all our holiday favorites, including myself. There are just a few days remaining in the year and I’ve got to cram in about a movie a day which should be fine given the number of movies on TV, including my favorite. So…
What are some of your favorite holiday movies?
If you had to pick just one, what would it be?
I’ve mentioned this before, but my absolute, not-even-close favorite Christmas movie is A Christmas Story. Last year I think I watched it about five times total, though only about two were contiguous viewings. It’s a film I simply don’t tire of and I look forward to it every single year. I couldn’t even begin to count how many times I’ve watched it.
Some of my other favorites are Elf, Home Alone, and Christmas Vacation. Though it’s not a full-length movie, we’ve recently made a habit of watching Shrek the Halls, which is much better than it sounds. Quite good, actually.
What about you?
Andy Watches Movies 
It’s a Wonderful Life, A Christmas Story, Love Actually, The Holiday, Arthur Christmas and How the Grinch Stole Christmas (original short).
If I had to pick just one, I think I’d go with The Holiday. Definitely not the best of the bunch, but it has insane replay value and I love Kate Winslet and Jack Black in it.
I like The Holiday too
I actually love the Grinch (I love Chuck Jones) but I almost never watch it. I didn’t even know it was Boris Karloff until recently too.
Elf, Muppet Christmas Carol and Home Alone! Shrek the Halls is a favorite as well. Just picking one? Home Alone for me.
Nice pick – my review (or my wife’s review if I can convince her to write about it) should be up soon
Die Hard National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation War of the Roses Gremlins
War of the Roses? Interesting. That was one of the first R-rated movies I ever saw when I was like 7-8 I sneaked the VHS tape and watched it. Didn’t understand a single thing then.
I almost always watch these every year come the holidays:
Die Hard
Gremlins
Lethal Weapon
Jingle All the Way
Home Alone
Rocky IV (perverse, I know)
Black Christmas
Trading Places
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Bad Santa, of course,
and, very often, Life of Brian
If I’d pick one: Die Hard
Pick a Shane Black film, any film, chances are it’s got something to do with Christmas. I wonder if Iron Man 3 will have anything to do with the holidays.
I like that premonition
Great picks there! Bad Santa, of course
I need to watch Gremlins again. I love that movie.
Not sure if this counts as it’s only half an hour long but I can’t see past Raymond Briggs’ THE SNOWMAN. It’s the ultimate Xmas movie and not one bit of dialogue.
CLASSIC
I need to watch that again
I love it. I’m not sure if you will get it over in the states but on Xmas eve on tv. They are showing a sequel to it for the very first time. The Snowman and The Snowdog. I doubt it will compete but I’m interested nonetheless.
My favorite has got to be A Christmas Story. Some of my others include Trading Places (I forgot it was a Christmas movie), It’s A Wonderful Life, and Elf.
Nothing beats A Christmas Story.
I bought ‘A Christmas Story’ this year so it’s on my list to watch before the big day. I LOVE the three other films you’ve mentioned and I also adore ‘Scrooged’. Two films that I will soon review are ‘Nothing Like the Holidays’ and ‘This Christmas’ I think they are fast becoming favourites of mine. But they aren’t the type that I’d watch repeatedly unlike the three you’ve mentioned, hee hee. 🙂 I ❤ Christmas Films! WOOHOO! 🙂
Have you never seen A Christmas Story before?!?
I love Scrooged too, but I don’t watch it very often.
Christmas films are just so great, aren’t they?
The Holiday, While You Were Sleeping, Love Actually, Grinch (original), Charlie Brown Christmas, Garfield Christmas Special, Mickey`s Christmas Carol, Polar Express. I have a lot of Christmas movies and this year I just bought Home Alone 1 & 2. But my absolute favorite would have to be between Mickey`s Christmas Carol and The Holiday. I can watch The Holiday throughout the year however, during Christmas season, we always watch Polar Express and Elf.
Wow, lots of great stuff there. I haven’t seen Mickey’s Christmas Carol in years
WHOO HOO! “A Christmas Story” FTW!! 😀
WOOOOOO
Bit of a sucker for Home Alone myself. I always wanted to be Kevin, although now the thought of being stuck in a house whilst two people try and break in is quite scary. And I do have a soft spot for Love Actually for some reason, too.
I thought it would be cool too but now when I watch it I’m just thinking how lucky he is that they didn’t have guns…Though that would have made for a much shorter movie.
Home Alone 1 & 2 – I watch them every single year around Christmas time 🙂 And although I don’t really consider it a Christmas film, but most people do, because it is set around Christmas – Kiss Kiss Bang Bang 🙂
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang still counts!
The past few years I guess I’ve been a bit of a Scrooge since I don’t really watch Christmas films. But the two I do watch are “Christmas Vacation” and “A Christmas Carol”, w/ “Vacation” the favorite.
Which version of A Christmas Carol do you typically watch?
George C. Scott.
It makes for a long night, but this is typically how my Christmas Eve goes:
1. Cook pig all day
2. Family arrives around 6:00 PM
3. Go to Midnight Mass
4. Get home and exchange presents
5. Put on “A Christmas Carol”
6. At some point fall a sleep
7. Finish watching it the next morning, followed by “Christmas Vacation”.
Wow, that’s quite a long day but it sounds amazing
Is it wrong if I say Die Hard? Lol. I can’t help it, it’s been my favourite for years. Runner-up would be It’s A Wonderful Life.
Not wrong at all, Die Hard rules.
It’s a Wonderful Life, Christmas Vacation, animated Grinch, all among my favs… but if I have to pick just one, it would be…. MUPPETS! The Muppet Christmas Carol. Hands down.
Right on!
Like you Andy my favorite, hands down, is A Christmas Story. Though if one were to ever come close to Ralphie’s greatness, it would probably be A Christmas Vacation. 😀
That would probably be my 2nd choice too (or Elf)
I do enjoy Elf, definitely one of the better Christmas movies of recent memory.
Batman Returns, Love Actually, Die Hard, Home Alone, Scrooged, The Muppet Christmas Carol
Batman Returns, good choice
“Love, Actually” is number one on my list for Christmas film, with, the original “Miracle on 34th Street” second.
Both good choices – I just watched Love Actually the other evening and liked it a lot more than I remember
A CHRISTMAS STORY is very tempting Andy, especially since my entire family (my kids are now, 16,15, 13, 11 and 10) visited the house in Cleveland over the summer where the movie was filmed. Ha! But how could I not pick the 1951 A CHRISTMAS CAROL or 1946’s IT ‘S A WONDERFUL LIFE. And then of course there is 1947’s wonderful MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET. Tough decision for sure!
It sure is a tough choice! I guess there’s nothing wrong with making sure you watch all of them though 😉
Hope I don’t offend you, but I hate A Christmas Story. Well hate is a strong word, I really don’t like it and I wish my television would stop switching to the channel, or maybe that’s my brother that keeps doing that.
If I had to pick a favorite movie, I would say It’s a Wonderful Life. It’s an oldie but a goodie. Plus, 2+ hours of listening to Jimmy Stewart’s beautiful voice is always a good day for me.
Whaaaat?! How can you not like it??!
Haha I do love listening to Stewart talk, then I usually impersonate everything he says.
I was raised by parents that hated it, so it sort of rubbed off on me.
It was only until earlier this year that someone told me my Jimmy Stewart impression sounded horrible. Now I know why some people avoid me, though.
hahaha
Absolutley torn between Christmas Vacation and A Christmas Story. My dad and I used to watch A christmas Story on TNT over and over again christmas eve and day until we headed to family festivities. But nothing compares to Chevy Chase and his totally screwball rant at the end of Christmas Vacation. Hallelujah, Holy shit, Where’s the Tylenol? 🙂
It’s so easy to get stuck watching like all 24 hours of that marathon…
I ALMOST posted that video instead of the squirrel scene, it was a tough call.
Without a doubt A Christmas Story. Have to watch it a couple times on Christmas Day.
Ditto! In fact, I watched it today too 🙂
I’m going to have to agree with you on this one, definitely A Christmas Story. My family has watched it every year on christmas since I remember, I think they still do
It’s definitely part of our Christmas tradition too, it just isn’t Christmas without it now
‘Gremlins’ will top my list. No matter how many times I watch it I always find it funny, entertaining and it always puts me in Christmas mood. ‘Little Women’ (1994) is also a great film and fits the festive period very well.
I’ve been dying to see Gremlins again, I hope I can get it done before the year ends
Sorry to say, I’m pretty plain and boring. What I’m about to say is nothing new or exciting….
A Christmas Story (like that wasn’t said….from you or a thousands of other comments. LOL), Die Hard, and Scrooged.
I don’t consider it boring, it’s not like there’s a ton of choices out there I just like hearing what other people have for Christmas traditions in terms of movie watching
Glad you mentioned Scrooged. I remember having to sing “Put a little love in your heart” – Scrooged’s end theme song, in high school choir lol. But my personal fav is A Christmas Story!
@Sidekickreview: Thanks for the support! I totally forgot about that song. That should be a christmas carol. I mean, it does have a christmas-like message.
I can’t wait for TBS’ annual 24 hour showing of A Christmas Story!
‘Jason & The Argonauts’!
It’s always on telly at Christmas – and if I catch it on, I have to watch it. And if I don’t catch it, I’ll put the DVD on anyway!
Same with ‘Field Of Dreams’ and ‘Ghostbusters’.
Ooh, I always love watching that – love a good Harryhausen
The Grinch Who Stole Christmas. It has a certain relevance today that it didn’t have back then.
Which version? Animated?
The animated version. I haven’t seen the Jim Carrey version.
Good…Don’t.
For me it’s Die Hard and Love Actually. You couldn’t really get two more polar opposite movies, could you? 🙂
Oh yeah, I nearly forgot Kiss Kiss Bang Bang! And Santa Claus: The Movie of course
Haha no probably not, but they’re both damn good
Muppet’s Christmas Carol, Gremlins, It’s a Wonderful Life and Elf
“Scrooged” is the best Christmas movie ever.
I won’t argue against the greatness of Scrooged
Elf, Muppet Christmas Carol, Jingle All the Way
Christmas Vacation jumps out a me when I hear this question. I’ve watched it twice already this season.
It’s usually the 2nd movie I think of after A Christmas Story
It’s a Wonderful Life and Miracle on 34th Street, with Christmas Story and the Muppets Christmas Carol close runners up. Bad Santa’s in there somewhere too, in its own sort of sub-category!
Haha Bad Santa is a film I love but I’m not sure I could watch it every year like the others…