I’ve seen a meme going around on facebook where people post their favourite Christmas movies, so I thought I’d mention a few of mine where I usually put my reviews:

How the Grinch Stole Christmas: One of the defining Christmas landmarks of my childhood – when the Grinch came on TV you knew that Santa was soon on his way. The story is sweet, cleverly animated, and everyone knows the songs. I think it was totally unnecessary for Jim Carrey (who’s making a habit of destroying Christmas movies now) to do his horrible live-action re-tread. I don’t think the original can ever be surpassed.

Love Actually: Was super sweet and hilarious and romantic – I really enjoyed it. It also completely changed my whole outlook on airport arrival corridors. I haven’t seen this since the first time around in theatre, actually – I should make an effort to rent this one soon. Brian got me hooked on the soundtrack two years ago, there’s a really great recent take on “Both Sides Now” by an older Joni Mitchell that’s incredible.

The Muppets Family Christmas: It’s a bit ridiculous, but the Muppet Family Christmas was one of the ones Matthew and I would go way out of our way  to watch together every year. Not only were the jokes corny and the songs bizarre, but the cast reaches well over a hundred in spots and includes all of our favourites, making it a kind of muppet masterpiece. The scene where the Swedish Chef meets Big Bird is brilliant. This is not to be confused with the Muppet Christmas Carol which was nice but boring. “Mmm! Biiiig burdy! Goobbly goobbly!”

Scrooged: Bill Murray’s Christmas Carol remix is so unbearably touching and hilarious that I have to catch it every year. The opening commercial for the “Holiday Nuclear Apocalypse” is fine art that should definitely be considered by one of the major networks to spice up their otherwise boring holiday commercials.

The Family Man: It’s a Nicholas Cage and Tea Leone film from a number of years ago that most people haven’t seen, and takes place at Christmas. A billionaire playboy saves a life in a corner store mugging and gets offered a chance to re-live a decision he made when he was young. At times it brow-beats you with the moral message, but it’s sweet and charming and you kindof want to believe he’s going to change. (Also, Tea Leone is the hottest movie-mom ever)

Bad Santa: I want to say that I love this one every year, but the first time you see it is really the best – it’s so shocking and mean-spirited that it blew my mind. There were parts I laughed so hard through that I thought I was going to die. On subsequent re-watchings you kindof already know where things are headed, so the shock and awe are lacking. Definitely worth seeing once – and introducing people to. Also, kudos to the mom from Gilmore Girls playing a completely opposite character to her usual stable of intellectual mom-types. Woah!