10 Best Christmas Movies

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas and regrettably there hasn't been many movies made about the other holidays- the Pagans are annoyed. However, Hollywood has churned out plenty of good Christmas movies...and some REEEEEEAAALLY bad ones. Then again, there's some movies set during Christmas (Batman Returns) that could qualify for this list. So before you say "Humbug" here's ten movies that you should watch this week:

10) Gremlins (1984) - While Christmas shopping, inventor Randall Peltzer visits an antique Chinese shop and purchases a Mogwai named Gizmo (voiced by Howie Mandell). He gives it to his teenage son Billy after getting specific directions on caring for the Mogwai figuring that teenage boys could follow three rules. As a result, Billy breaks all THREE rules: Don't get him wet, Never feed him after midnight and keep him out of sunlight. Billy violates the first two and creates Gremlins that terrorize his town. The only bright side is that Billy shines sunlight on Spike (the head Gremlin) and ends the threat.

9) The Ref (1994) - When a jewel thief (Denis Leary) -hit with cat piss -runs from the police and abducts a feuding couple on the brink of divorce (Kevin Spacey and Judy Davis), he must also go through the holiday with them while keeping them quiet. As the couple continues to feud, he gives them better advice than their relationship therapist and eventually leads to their reconciliation. Leary was great as well as Spacey and Davis, but this film was where the angry comic was in top form.

8) Elf (2003) - When a orphan baby crawls in Santa Claus' sack, he's mistakenly taken back to the North Pool and raised as an elf. When Buddy (Will Farrell) is told he's not an elf as he towers over everyone, Buddy journeys to New York to find his real father. This ranks up with the very best of Farrell's roles, with Anchorman, Old School and Stranger than Fiction, and certainly was a role only he could have pulled off. With a cast that featured James Caan, Bob Newhart and Zooey Deschenel, Farrell was accompanied with plenty of talent that he outshines.

7) Muppet Christmas Carol (1992) - Couldn't figure out a version to put on the list so I went with the Muppet Christmas Carol with Michael Caine as Scrooge. In this musical version of the Dickens' story, Scrooge had more life and more pain than most other editions of this story. It was the first Muppet movie directed by Brian Henson and the darkest of all the Muppet movies. Of course, this entire story took on a different meaning after finding out that it was just Charles Dickens using it a socialist propaganda... but it's still good.

6) National Lampoons Christmas Vacation (1989) - Clark Grizwald's (Chevy Chase) travels were well documented in the 1980's, but this is the one time everyone came to him. Before they did funny Old Navy commercials, Juliet Lewis and Sean Astin were the kids in this edition with the mom (Beverly D'Angelo) never changing. Clark overdoes the lights, finds a squirrel in his Christmas tree and survives his dysfunctional family coming to visit. The true meaning of the holidays: surviving family.

5) Miracle of 34th Street (1947) - A department store Santa Claus is so light-hearted that he brings together Macy's and Gimbal's, but he's too nice and actually believes he IS Santa Claus. Edmund Gwenn defends him when he's on trial to be committed to a mental institution. In this holiday classic, the belief in Santa Claus is brought up in adults and children, but concludes with two memorable scenes like one where the Judge is bombarded by letters to Santa Claus sent to Kris Kringle by postal workers that were feeling lazy. Wait... I just ruined the moment.

4) The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) - Tim Burton's story was adapted well to the big screen where Jack Skellington discovers Christmastown and what Christmas is all about. Jack becomes obsessed with Christmas and usurps Santa Claus in an attempt to participate in Christmas... but he's terrible at it. Eventually, Santa Claus is rescued and the world returns to order, but Burton's film is an original classic.

3) Die Hard (1988) - Look, it's a CHRISTMAS movie. There's plenty of Red (blood) and Green (barrier bonds) that are in this movie. When NY cop John McClane (Bruce Willis) travels to LA to visit his wife, he encounters terrorists after the a TON of money. It's one of the greatest action movies of all time and Bruce Willis delivers a great performance that made him a star. Allan Rickman still stands as one of the best villains in cinema history as well.

2) It's a Wonderful Life (1947) - Arguably Frank Capra's greatest film, it recalls the life of George Bailey (Jimmy Stewart). Beginning with his guardian angels recapping how George saved his brother, met his wife (Donna Reed) and became a success, but when George's life hits a crossroads, he is scared and attempts suicide. Fortunately, someone else jumps in the water and George saves him. That man was actually his guardian angel Clarence, whom shows George what the world would be like if he never lived. George goes on to find he had more of an impact than he would ever dreamed of and wishes to live. As George runs through his town of Bedford Falls with complete appreciation of every bit of his town that could have been ruined. Bailey is prepared to go to prison, but in the spirit of the holiday, the community gives enough to save Bailey from legal trouble...even by those who despised him. He's also assured that his guardian angel finally get's his wings.

How many lines from this movie can you recite?

1) A Christmas Story (1983) - In the most wonderful story of the Christmas holiday, Ralphie Parker (Peter Billingsley) sees a toy that he wants and desires- a Red Ryder BB gun- only to be shot down continually. It deals with bullies, cursing while changing a tire, being letdown by decoder rings and licking flagpoles, while his family deals with dogs, lamps in the shape of a woman's leg and dressing up for the cold in ways that seemed fit for deep sea diving. There isn't an aspect about this movie that doesn't fire on all cylinders and Darren McGavin was nothing short of brilliant. TBS runs this movie every Christmas for 24 hours and even non-Christians watch it. It's quotable -"You'll shoot your eye out", it's relatable, it's real and it's just downright hilarious. There are few films that capture a time period- let lone a holiday so perfectly. Pop in the DVD and watch it again...and again.