The holidays are a busy time. Oddly, this past week marked an uncommon break in the holiday movie release schedule. With that in mind, not to mention the lack of a new film to review, I thought I would spend this article discussing my favorite holiday movies.
The most unique holiday movie tradition I have would definitely be the “Back to the Future” trilogy. I remember when I was growing up that, either by happenstance or design, the “Back to the Future” trilogy was playing on TBS over the Thanksgiving weekend for two or three years in a row. After those first viewings, it has become an ongoing tradition of mine to get a viewing in before the calendar strikes the new year.
While it’s not technically a Christmas movie, “Die Hard” is another holiday favorite of mine. There may not be much holiday cheer, but there’s holiday-themed violence and all manner of sarcastic wit.
It goes without saying that “A Christmas Story” is typically in one of two camps – it’s either a beloved, binge-watched tradition or an abhorrent abomination to be avoided. I’m in the first camp, I love the 24 Hours of “A Christmas Story” special that runs every year. The moment when Ralphie get’s his “Red Ryder Carbine Action 200-shot Range Model air rifle with a compass in the stock and this thing which tells time” is an absolutely perfect recreation of that special Christmas memory that so many of us share. To quote my review of last year’s “Frozen,” that moment at the end of “A Christmas Story:” “…surpasses what I would normally call “art” and resonates on a level that can only be described as “truth.” That feeling is very rare, but it’s the feeling that makes art and, by extension, life worthwhile. For me, that feeling exists at the intersection of intellectual resonance and emotional upheaval – when you almost want to cry because something connects so powerfully.”
The final holiday movie that I will recommend is “The Santa Clause 2.” The “Santa Clause” movies, starring Tim Allen, are a goofy selection of holiday family/comedy films. That said, I maintain that the love story in “The Santa Clause 2” between Tim Allen and Elizabeth Mitchell of “Lost” fame is truly one of the great love stories of our time. There’s magic, literal and figurative, and there’s a timelessness to this romance that does a wonderful job juxtaposing the nostalgic love we have for our childhoods against our needs and wants as adults. It’s a surprisingly sophisticated love story in a setting where it typically wouldn’t be looked for.
Happy Holidays to everyone reading, and thank you for the continued support and kind words about these reviews.