Graphic by Bell Jackson By The Alabamian staff
Home Alone:
“Home Alone” is the “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” of Christmas movies—fun, charming and an utter classic. Like “Ferris Bueller,” it perfectly encapsulates what it feels like to be a kid in an adult’s world, especially during the holidays. Your family is annoying, they overcomplicate everything and seem determined to stop you from having a good time—you would be much better off on your own. But, as soon as they’re gone, you find out just how much you miss them. It’s a story that never loses its relevance, even as you grow into an adult yourself. And, as a movie, it never loses its enjoyability either. As a kid, the slapstick comedy was the highlight of the movie, but, as I’ve continued to watch it annually, I always find some new joke or witticism to laugh at. Overall, it’s a warm slice of cinematic perfection pie perfect for enjoying with your own family this Christmas.
The Grinch:
Based on the picture book by Dr. Seuss, “The Grinch” tells the tale of how Christmas can heal the widest of rifts in a community. Growing up as the “odd one out,” The Grinch was relentlessly bullied for his green hair and overall ugly appearance. In the movie, the Grinch contrives a plan to “steal” Christmas by taking all the presents Christmas Eve night. He is forced to think about his Christmas hate when he meets Cindy Lou Who, a child who believes that Christmas can transform anyone, including the Grinch.
Filled with witty humor, “The Grinch” has the most heartwarming villain-to-hero arc ever seen on film. Played by the magnificent Jim Carrey, “The Grinch” is the best Christmas movie.
The Polar Express:
“The Polar Express” is my favorite Christmas movie. First, the plot and overall storyline is very intricate, and the movie does not offer any plot holes. “The Polar Express” also allows for all the voice actors to show off their acting although it is an animated movie when it comes to both voice and motion capture. This is especially true for Tom Hanks, who plays six different characters. The movie’s characters are mostly unnamed, with Hero Boy, Hero Girl and Billy the Lonely Kid serving as the main characters. This anonymity allows for viewers to see themselves in the positions of the characters, which allows for a realistic magical feel compared to other Christmas movies. The soundtrack is also scored beautifully.
Frosty the Snowman:
“Frosty the Snowman” is by far one of my favorite Christmas movies. It starts off with a group of school kids who accidentally use a magic top hat from a failed magician to bring to life a snowman named Frosty. The children are mystified but gladly take on the challenge of showing Frosty what it’s like to be alive. However, Frosty must now deal with an angry magician and rising temperatures, which ultimately leads him to go on a journey to the North Pole. This movie is one of my favorites because it has a simple plot but interesting execution. That, coupled with its classic animation style and detailed backgrounds, leaves this film as one of the more simple but sweeter Christmas movies.
The Santa Clause:
“The Santa Clause” is one of the most fascinating and original Christmas movies of all time. In the film, Tim Allen plays Scott, a divorced father who, on Christmas Eve, accidentally causes Santa to fall off his roof and die. After committing the grisly crime of murdering Santa Clause, Scott’s punished by being forced to become Santa Clause. He puts on the dead man’s clothes and is legally bound to be magically transformed into a new Santa. Besides the somewhat silly premise, the writers made several other bizarre decisions such as spending most of the movie’s runtime focusing on Scott trying to prove his sanity to his ex-wife, who, for a year, thinks he’s a delusional man convinced he’s Santa Clause. Overall, the movie isn’t perfect, but I still think it’s one of the most fun and entertaining Christmas movies simply because of how bizarrely unique it is. With there being so many unoriginal Christmas movies, it’s a nice break to watch a movie that does something new and doesn’t take itself too seriously.
