Top Twenty Christmas Movies Poll anyone?!

Which version of Miracle on 34th Street? Which version of The Grinch? Thanks.

A couple more days for any votes! Will aim to start getting the results up on Tuesday.


The 2000 one of the grinch and the 1994 version of miracle on 34th Street.
 
Right results time! Will stick to a top 20. But some of the other films which got votes included, Santa Claus: The Movie, Silent Night, Deadly Night, Reindeer Games, Babes in Toyland (1934), Batman Returns, The Santa Clause 3&2 (so the first film may still make the list), While You Were Sleeping, Christmas Evil, Black Christmas (2006) and Deck the Halls.

So at number ...
20. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer (1964)

Cute stop-motion TV special featuring the beloved Christmas character. Based on this clip his red nose was quite popular with the female reindeers 😀 It scored 8 points enough to see it gate crash the top twenty. More results later.
 
19. 8 Women (8 Femmes) (2002)

Scoring 10 points. Francis Ozon's twist on the murder mystery country house story is the most arthouse and French film on the list 😉 . The musical moments add something a little playful to the mix. Its full of style, a little bit of a feminist bite, and a cast to die for!
 
Taake
Taake
Never even heard of!
18. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989)

A mainstream festival comedy which has stood the test of time. It scored 11 points on the poll. It's that very 1980's thing a family Christmas comedy starring Chevy Chase and a young Beverly D'Angelo (who looks a bit like Amy Poehler?...), plus solid support from a even younger Juliette Lewis and Randy Quaid. Crucially the script came from John Hugues who knew a thing or two about crafting a successful family Christmas film. The film follows the misadventures of Clark Griswold and his family over the holiday season as they travel to the country trying to find the perfect Christmas tree with all sorts of mishaps along the way. Music by David Lynch composer Angelo Badalamenti.

Tagline: "Yule Crack Up"!

Worldwide Box Office: $71.3million
 
Two very different films at number 17, 20 years apart and scoring 12 points each.

17. The Santa Clause (1994)

A pre-Toy Story Tim Allen flexes his comic muscles in a black festive comedy as man who accidentally kills the real Santa (I told you he was real!!!) and is magically recruited to take his place. Both sequels received votes, but this original is seen as the best.

- Black Christmas (1974)

The best Festive Slasher of all time. A film ahead of its time. It's a great example of nuts and bolts DIY filmmaking which paid off at the box office. It does some really creepy and twisted things with the Christmas settings. It has one of my favourite kills ever (the one in which the original Lois Lane gets offed). Plus proper characters (the legend which is John Saxon plays the local cop). The ending is awesome too! Not only one of my favourite festive horror movies but one of my favourite Christmas movies. There's been two sequels (the recent one more of a reboot) neither come anywhere near this classic.


Coming up next time a mix bad including a big sequel and two popular animations.
 
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5 Films at number 16 all scoring 13 points each.

16. Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)
A smash hit sequel which had the nerve to just do a re-run of the original's plot except this time Kevin's Home Alone in New York (not really Home or Alone then is he? 😀 ). There's more fun hi-jinx including from the Hotel staff (Tim Curry, Rob Schneider, Dana Ivey). The Crooks are once again on fine form. It was nice to see more of Uncle Frank (a bit too much at times😉). I think they might have just about got away with it...

Tagline: "He's Up Past His Bedtime in the City that never sleeps"

Box Office: $359 Million

- Santa's Slay (2005)

Former WCW Champion Bill Goldberg as Santa Claus? Lost actress Emilie de Raven in a supporting role in this bad taste Festive comedy? I'm sort of intrigued😀

Tagline: "Spreading Holiday Fear this season

- Jingle All the Way (1996)

Big dumb, festive fun with Arnie sending himself brilliantly in a total farce. "Put the Cookie Down!"😀 It's so silly and bonkers its brilliant! And who wouldn't fall in love with a movie starring the likes of Sinbad, Rita Wilson and Jim Belushi? Plus for Buffy fans there's a creepy guy called Ted who just seems too good to be true!😉 BTW Arnie was supposed to star in Fox's Planet of the Apes reboot, that was delayed so he signed on for this. Sometimes the Gods smile on us😀


Tagline: "Two Dads. One Toy. No Prisoners"

Box Office: $129.8 Million

- A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)

Has become a Staple on US TV around this time of year. The series originally comes from the popular Peanuts comic strip series. This animated short sees Charlie (Peter Robbins) depressed during the holidays. His friend Lucy (Tracy Stratford) suggests he directs a local Christmas play. Despite being mocked and ignored, Brown's best friend Linus tells him the true meaning of Christmas. The soundtrack has become classic festive listening for many families.


- How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966)

Another TV special from the following year which has stood the test of time. For Generations of kids the great Boris Karloff is the definitive "Mr Grinch!!!"😀 The animation is charming, it ticks all the boxes and is one of the most faithful versions of the story you'll see. Just another reason why Karloff is a screen icon. He's cuddly, he's grumpy, he's funny, he's playful. 25 Minutes of pure joy.


Coming up next time another big sequel movie. Plus the first version of a certain classic Christmas story.


Coming up next time
 
Three films all scoring 14 points.

15. Die Hard 2 (1990)

A solid enough Festive Action sequel with most the core elements of the first film, and yes that song once again closes 😀 The best line is probably when the Airport clark flirting with John asks if she can get him anything else, and he replies "Just the fax babe"😀

Tagline(s): "Die Harder" "They said lightning never strikes twice... They were wrong"

Box Office: $240 million


- A Christmas Carol (1984)

The first version of this seasonally classic story to appear on the list. The late Oscar winning actor George C. Scott makes for one of the most icy versions of the character. With support from David Warner, Susannah York and Edward Woodward. It's directed by Clive Donner.


- Prancer (1989)

This John Hancock film is a Children's fantasy tale, about Jessica Riggs (Rebecca Harrell) a girl living on a poor apple farm with her family. One day a chance encounter with a falling plastic reindeer leads Jessica to the conclusion that the reindeer is indeed "Prancer". Jessica's father is played by Oscar nominee character actor Sam Elliott. Last Picture Show actress Cloris Leachman also appears. It took just over $18 million at the box office. A direct to video sequel Prancer Returns was released in 2001.

Next time, a classic musical and two seasonal comedies are in the mix.
 
HowiMetdaSlayer
HowiMetdaSlayer
Prancer! ♥
All these scored 15 points

14. Elf (2003)
Will Farrell turns his wacky/creepy comedy to a family movie resulting in one of his best loved roles. Plus the delightful Zooey Deschanel guest stars, so how bad can it be?

- The Polar Express (2004)
Lots of people love this animation. I've never seen it. Tom Hanks is at his most Disney. Plus it inspired this ad

- Nothing Like the Holidays (2008)
A recent seasoning family themed comedy-drama. Has a pretty stacked cast including Freddy "Six Feet Under" Rodriguez, Luis Guzman, Debra Messing, Alfred Molina and Elizabeth Pena.

Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)
Not only one of the best Christmas movies ever but one of the best musicals too. The film paints a vivid portrait of film town life. The famous scene where Garland sings "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" might be one of most beautiful in any film.
 
Priceless
Priceless
Meet Me In St Louis is one of the best films ever made.
DeadlyDuo
DeadlyDuo
The coke lorry ads came way before The Polar Express. There's been different versions over the years but they were around at least in the mid-90s
13. The Holiday (2006)

Standard Hollywood seasonal fare with an up market cast from the director of The Parent Trap. It took over $200mill at the box office.

- The Ref (1994)

A black comedy for the holidays. Kevin Spacey and Judy Davis are a middle class couple in marriage counseling whose problems only get worse when they run into Jewel thief Gus (Dennis Leary). A different kind of film the late Ted Demme.

- How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)

Fans of Jim Carrey's comedy lapped this updating of the classic animation up. Fans of Ron Howard might have been left scratching their heads.
 
DeadlyDuo
DeadlyDuo
Jim Carrey had to get torture endurance training to play the Grinch by the CIA
12. The Family Stone (2005)

More dysfunctional family seasonal comedy-drama as Dermont Mulroney's Everett brings his uptight girlfriend Meredith (Sarah Jessica Parker) home for the holidays to meet his family. Everett intends on purposing to Meredith with the family stone of the title. Much of the fun surely comes from the fine ensemble cast including comedy legend Diane Keaton, Craig T. Nelson, Claire Danes and the raising star of Mean Girls Rachel McAdams. Haunting of Hill House star Elizabeth Reaser also appears. As well as making a healthy profit, the cast gained some awards buzz with nominations from the Globes, Satellite and Teen Choice Awards (which McAdams won).

- Scrooge (aka A Christmas Carol) (1951)

This time Alastair Sim takes the iconic Ebenezer Scrooge role, a part described on the poster as his "First great dramatic comedy role". The supporting cast includes Kathleen Harrison, Mervyn Johns, Hermione Baddeley, George Cole and Micheal Hordern. For many years Sim made the role his own. For a whole generation he is the only one they think of when it comes to Scrooge.
 
HowiMetdaSlayer
HowiMetdaSlayer
ooh that's where I seen Reaser before!
Priceless
Priceless
Watching Alastair Sims as Scrooge is a Christmas tradition in my house.
11. Miracle on 34th Street (1994)

Just missing out on the top ten is the respectable updating of the one of the most beloved Christmas movies. The capitalism of the holiday season is a nice twist. Mara Wilson of Matilda fame is adorable once again. Elizabeth Perkins is on fine form as always. Richard Attenborough is the perfect Santa. Solid support from J.T. Walsh and James Remar. No surprise that John Hughes co-wrote the script, he had a decent record when it comes to holiday movies. This scored 20 points.
 
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