Another Top 5....

I thought that considering the season and all the great movies that are appearing on the boob tube lately that I would outline my top 5 favorite Christmas movies. There are a lot of holiday movies out there ranging from the TV movie to the blockbuster. I just thought for fun I would share my top 5 whilst I listen to some Christmas music.

5. Jingle All The Way (1996)

Why you ask would I enjoy such a critically panned movie? The answer is simple and has everything to do with two words: Arnold Schwarzenegger. I have a terrible man crush on the Governator. There is just something about his acting that I find terribly amusing. As bad as an actor that he is he has a wonderful sense of humour and his comedic roles are always great. Twins, kindergarten Cop, and True Lies really show what Arnold can do. It doesn't hurt that Phil Hartman is in this movie and is hilarious.


Movie Tidbit: Look as a young Darth Vader (Jake Lloyd) plays Arnold son in the movie.

4. Scrooged (1988)

This is the mother of all reinvention movies. It such a hilarious twist on the classic A Christmas Carol. Highlights include Bill Murray telling his secretary to get his brother a bath towel for Christmas and the entire seen with the ghost of Christmas Present (Carol Kane) as she beats the tar out of him.

Movie Tidbit: Bobcat Goldthwait as a jilted ex-employee and an awesome commercial in the movie for 'Bob Goulet's Cajun Christmas'. If you ever watched Will Ferrell play Robert Goulet that ad is hilarious.

3. Home Alone (1990)

This is one of the greatest physical comedies ever. It is nothing but two crooks getting pounded over and over again. I have a giant weak spot for America's Funniest Home Videos and this is just an extension of that. There is also a lot of fire power in this movie with John Candy, Catherine O'Hara, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, etc. It was a great movie to get me laughing when I was a kid and it still makes me laugh today. One of the greatest but underrated scenes is when Kevin is in the grocery store and the exchange with the clerk is subtle but great.


Movie Tidbit: This was directed by Chris Columbus, the same man responsible for directing the first two Harry Potter movies. Also Macauley's little brother Kieran make an appearance as part of the McAllister family.

2. A Christmas Story (1983)

Simply put, a classic. There are just too many parts of this movie that are great. For starters it is just one of the those movies I remember watching a lot growing up so there is a lot of nostalgic value tied to watching this. Second, it is just full of so many great Christmas realisms. Department store Santas, frozen fence posts, bad Christmas presents and of course getting that present that you had wanted all year, the "Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle". I triple-dog dare you not to like this movie.

Movie Tidbit: This movie was the inspiration behind the much loved show "The Wonder Years", with its adult narration over his younger life.

1. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989)

I think this is also the best of the National Lampoon's Vacation movies. This is a movie that is just jam packed with so many hilarious bits it is just too much. From the super slide disk to the arrival of Cousin Eddie. There are just too many scenes to recall but one of my personal favorites in in the mall when Clark is hitting on the clerk in the department store and is afflicted with the greatest string of freudian slips ever.



Movie Tidbit: Mae Questel, who play Aunt Bethany, the crazy Aunt who brings the cat food jello, would be better known as Betty Boop and Olive Oyl from the classic animated cartoons.