Worst/Best Christmas Film

Elmo

Best - Die Hard closely followed by Die Hard 2: Die Harder
Worst - Love Actually closely followed by Polar Express, both very schmaltzy.

jaffa20

Best- Home Alone series (originals of course)
Worst- Santa Clause series

ziedth

Die hard 1&2 are hardly Christmas films though, or are they?

For me:

Best: Bad Santa, Scrooged (Both tried to be different and are seriously funny)

Worst: Love actually (that scene in the church at the wedding when they start playing the music is by far my most annoying scene of all time) and that one with Arnie trying to find the toy (Jingle all the way?).

Elmo

ziedth wrote: »

Die hard 1&2 are hardly Christmas films though, or are they?

Now I have a Machine Gun HO HO HO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NttVyYTXZRU

Yippie kai yay

ziedth

Oh it's quality for sure, don't get me wrong. Ah screw it I change mine to Die hard

Rented Mule

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvMLfSQrHKE

Sad Professor

Come on, guys, explain your reasons. Why is it the best in your opinion? Why is it the worst?

For me my favourite Christmas film is... A Wonderful Life.

Why? It's old, it's a classic, it's in black and white, and it has Jimmy Stewart in it - who talks funny. Whenever I see it I remember being young and sitting in front of the television on Christmas day watching it, the whole extended family behind me. Since then I've grown to hate Christmas, but I still love this film. And every time I see it, for a little moment at the end, I feel like a child again and Christmas doesn't seem so bad.

As I've gotten older I've also grown to appreciate what a dark film it is. There's so much despair in it. A man so terrified by the prospect of financial ruin and the indignity of not being able to provide for his family that he attempts suicide. But what's great about is that Capra shows us the whole story. He doesn't wallow in despair, but he doesn't shirk from showing it either. He shows us the American dream and then he shows us the dark side of that same dream.

It also tells a story which is probably familiar to most people. Someone with dreams of "getting out" finds themselves bogged down in a life they never wanted. And then when that life starts turning to sh*t no wonder he decides to end it all. But there's an optimism despite all of this that makes it the perfect Christmas/New Year film. Life isn't just about what you want. Stewart in the film didn't get the life he wanted, but he discovers how important he is to other people.

...or if you think that's all rubbish, watch the Truman Show afterwards, it is basically the antithesis of A Wonderful Life and kinda gives the finger to many of the values contained in it. Not a Christmas film though.

I can't think of what I what consider the worst Christmas film right now. I'll think about it and post tomorrow.

Elmo

For me my favourite Christmas film is... Die Hard.

Why? It's a classic action movie, it's in colour, and it has Alan Rickman in it - who talks funny. Whenever I see it I remember being young and sitting in front of the television on Christmas day watching it, the whole extended family behind me (except my mam who thinks its too violent). Since then I've grown to love Christmas, and I still love this film. And every time I see it, for a little moment at the end, I feel like a child again I start sing "Oh the weather outside is fightful, da da da da de di di dee, let it snow let it snow" (badly)

As I've gotten older I've also grown to appreciate what a dark film it is. There's so much despair in it. A man so terrified by the prospect of financial ruin of the nakatomi plaza and the indignity of being push a side because of his wifes finance job rather than his small time public service job, so emasculating. But what's great about is that McTeirnan shows us the whole story. He doesn't wallow in cliches, but he doesn't shirk from showing as many as possible. He shows us the American dream and then he shows us how bad the European socialist one is.

It also tells a story which is probably familiar to most people who saw "Towering Inferno" but where disappointed. Someone with dreams of "getting out" finds themselves "in the wrong place at the wrong time". And then when that life starts turning to sh*t no wonder he decides to hide around the building killing a few of those nasty European types. But there's an optimism despite all of this that makes it the perfect Christmas film. Life isn't just about what you want. Willis in the film didn't get the wife he wanted, but he discovers how important he is to everyone in that building.

...or if you think that's all rubbish, watch the Love Actual afterwards, it is basically the antithesis of Die Hard.

Sorry for pagerization I don't know why I did it Prob because Sad Professor explains one of the greatest Christmas movies ever excellently and concisely. It's a Wonderful Life is a great movie, very depressing and a very heavy subject.

Basq

Best Christmas Film?

It's a tough one between either 'National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation' and 'Scrooged'.

'National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation' is probably one of the strongest in the series, written by the late-great John Hughes and it's just strong-joke-by-strong-joke. Chevy Chase is on top form and one of those films I could watch over and over, and still find hilarious. If you've never seen it, do yourself a favour!

EDIT: 'National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation' is on this Sunday (19th) at 2:00pm on UTV.

'Scrooged' is Bill Murray at his best.. narcisstic, cruel and hilarious. Modern (well, the 80's) retelling of 'A Christmas Carol' but it's hilarious, very touching and the scene with

Frank in the coffin always terrified me as a child

. Odds are it'll be on at Christmas, but if not!

EDIT: 'Scrooged' is on Christmas Day at 1:00pm on Channel 4.

As I'm not really a fan of Christmas, "schmaltzy" Christmas movies were not really my thing.

Sad Professor wrote: »

For me my favourite Christmas film is... A Wonderful Life.

Why? It's old, it's a classic, it's in black and white, and it has Jimmy Stewart in it - who talks funny.

You seen the "colourised version"?

Elmo

basquille wrote: »

You seen the "colourised version"?

Why? Why?

Basq

Elmo wrote: »

Why? Why?

That's verbatim.. the same reaction I had,

Sad Professor

basquille wrote: »

You seen the "colourised version"?

I actually have it on DVD. I got it as a gift years ago. I got a shock at first because I thought it was only the colourised version, but thankfully the B&W version is on the second disc.

I hate colourised B&W films. It really was a form of cinematic sacrilege. But I have to say, from watching a tiny bit of it, they actually did a really good job. Not nearly as bad as I thought.

JP Liz V1

I much prefer the comedies so love Bad Santa, Home Alone 1 & 2 and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

mle1324

Best as a young kid was The Santa Clause and Jack Frost but being much older now Die Hard gets my vote.

Worst I think is Fred Clause:rolleyes: