Just following the Halloween and
Thanksgiving holidays, the most popular holiday of the country is coming. Christmas, being widely welcomed around
the world, is just around the corner. Needless to say, the 2012 Christmas must
be very special to human beings, as it signifies the fake of the earth’s
demise. Just like other popular holidays, watching Christmas movies during Christmas holiday by no means a good idea for
people to enjoy the holiday. I have written a post on some wonderful choices
for Thanksgiving movies to watch on Thanksgiving Day. Now, in this post, I would like to
introduce some 10 most popular Christmas movies to watch for Christmas 2012.
It's
a Wonderful Life (1946)
Based on the original story of The Greatest
Gift, written by Philip Van Doren Stern, this five-time Oscar-nominated drama,
directed by Frank Capra, is revived every year in time for Christmas. The story
of George Bailey (James Stewart), who comes to understand the importance of his
existence and the true meaning of the love of his family and friends - with a
little help from his guardian angel (Henry Travers) - was initially regarded as
flop, due to high production cost and limited box office return. But with its
universal themes and uplifting spirit it has truly become a Christmas classic.
The
Muppets Christmas Carol (1993)
In 1992, Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol
received Jim Henson’s Muppet treatment. Michael Caine excels as grumpy Ebenezer
Scrooge, with Henson’s puppeteers pulling the strings, Kermit the Frog steps
into Bob Cratchet’s shoes, while Gonzo (and mate Rizo) joins the fun as one of
the film’s narrators. Like It’s a Wonderful Life, it failed to ignite the box
office upon its release – failing to compete with Home Alone 2 and Aladdin -
but had tremendous success on VHS (and continues to do so on DVD).
The
Muppets Christmas Carol (1993)
In 1992, Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol
received Jim Henson’s Muppet treatment. Michael Caine excels as grumpy Ebenezer
Scrooge, with Henson’s puppeteers pulling the strings, Kermit the Frog steps
into Bob Cratchet’s shoes, while Gonzo (and mate Rizo) joins the fun as one of
the film’s narrators. Like It’s a Wonderful Life, it failed to ignite the box
office upon its release – failing to compete with Home Alone 2 and Aladdin -
but had tremendous success on VHS (and continues to do so on DVD).
Scrooged
(1988)
The second A Christmas Carol adaption on
this list, Scrooged sees a cold-hearted Bill Murray getting to grips with the
ghosts of his past, present and future, only this time there’s a modern twist.
While The Muppets version retains the traditional settings and characters of
Dickins’ novel, Scrooged relocates to New York where television executive Frank
(Murray) is working himself into an early grave, until he learns the true
meaning of Christmas.
Home
Alone(1990)
The two-time Oscar-nominated Home Alone is
a firm Christmas favourite. This action-packed adventure deserves its place on
the list for its family-orientated fun and cheeky humour. The story sees an
eight-year-old (Macaulay Culkin) left home during Christmas time, to fend off
two burglars. Writer John Hughes enlisted friend and former colleague John
Candy for his comedic input into the film – with a Planes, Trains &
Automobiles inspired performance.
The
Nightmare before Christmas (1993)
Tim Burton’s stop motion fantasy film, The
Nightmare before Christmas, shows off imaginative storytelling and captivating
animation. Burton’s story, takes place in “Halloween Town” filled with ghosts
and ghouls, who embrace the idea of transforming their settlement into
“Christmas Town”. Disney decided to release the film under Touchstone Pictures
due to its darker themes. Burton discouraged the idea of a follow up, remaining
very protective of this film as a standalone original.
Miracle
on 34th Street (1947)
The original Miracle on 34th Street,
written and directed by George Seaton, is a classic Christmas tale about the
existence of Santa Claus – however, unlike his mythological persona the actual
Kris Kringle is living in New York and working in a department store. Starring
Natalie Wood and Edmund Gwenn, this iconic film has spawned several remakes –
most recently the 1994 adaptation, starring Richard Attenborough. Seaton’s film
is ninth on the American Film Institute's 100 Most Inspiring Movies of All
Time.
The
Snowman (1982)
This British classic makes its way onto
this list accompanied by a famous song. Based on a children's book by author
Raymond Briggs, The Snowman was adapted into 26 minute animated film by Dianne
Jackson for Channel 4. Absent of any dialogue, the film is famous for its
haunting rendition of Walking in the Air, scored by Howard Blake and sung by
choirboy Peter Auty. The Snowman was nominated for an Academy Award in 1982.
Gremlins
(1984)
Inspired by scuttling mice in his loft,
writer Chris Columbus caught the attention of producer Steven Spielberg with
his idea of Gremlins. When a boy receives a pet at Christmas he breaks three
simple rules, unleashing these hellish little critters on an unsuspecting town.
Gremlins accompanied Ghostbusters at the box office, as a new genre of
comedy/horror films introduced in the 80s. It is a staple for Christmas
viewing, offering an alternative to the stereotypical festive films shown.
Elf
(2003)
In 2003 Will Ferrell stepped into the
oversized shoes of his alter-ego Buddy the elf. An overzealous Buddy soon
realises he’s not like the rest of Santa’s little helpers (his adult size, is a
pretty big hint), and heads for the big apple to find out where he’s from.
Elf’s jovial sense of humour and slapstick comedy garnered favourable reviews.
The film greatly exceeded its production value making over $200 million at the
box office, worldwide.
If you
want to watch these Christmas movies on your own portable handsets, like
iPhone, iPad, Sony Xperia J, etc. you can use a professional video converter to help
you convert these Christmas movies to your devices easily.
