The best christmas movies (part one)

Happy December 1st and welcome to BLOGMAS! Get ready for 24 blog posts, filled with Christmas and movie festive cheer. Treat this as a film advent calendar as we count down the days until Christmas Day through top 10 lists, gift ideas and Christmas movie reviews until we reach the big day!

Make sure to follow me on instagram - @a.film.a.day_ where we will have reviews, quizzes and games everyday leading up to Christmas Day.

I hope this month is filled with happiness, movie magic and festive film fun. And even if you don’t celebrate Christmas, don’t worry, there will still be regular movie reviews and fun along the way.

But let’s get started with Day One -

The Best Christmas Movies (part one).

1. Home Alone

A Christmas classic. No list about the best Christmas movies of all time would be complete without this gem. The best parts are always the booby trap sequences, and as a child those were absolutely my favourite parts, but as I have grown up and watched the film as an adult, I realise that those heartfelt moments are truly what made this movie so special. Home Alone is my most watched Christmas movie of all time, and I never get sick of it. There is something so timeless about it, and it transports me back to when I was a kid and watched it for the first time. Burglars should be aware, I know how to defend my home!

This is a movie that has to be watched every year, and if you haven’t seen it yet this year, or ever (HOW?!?), then do nothing else, go and watch this film immediately. You won’t regret it.

2. Miracle on 34th Street (1994)

Starring Richard Attenborough and Mara Wilson, Susan and her mother but defend a man, Kris Kringle, from being institutionalised. In order to do so, they must prove that is he Santa Clause. From that description, it doesn’t sound like the most exciting Christmas film, and yet, it is one of the most festive films to watch. In a world filled with unbelieving adults, Susan uses her intuition to convince the world that Santa is real, and succeeds. Miracle on 34th Street is one of the greatest Christmas tales of all time, it dazzles with humour, sadness and too many heartfelt moments to count.

3. Arthur Christmas

A less obvious choice, but one of my absolute favourites. Not only is the animation beautiful, but it truly encapsulates the Christmas spirit. For those who haven’t seen it, when Santa’s gawky son Arthur learns that owing to a technical glitch a little girl’s Christmas gift has been misplaced, he sets out on a mission to deliver the present before it is too late. What I love most about this movie is that it truly displays the true meaning of Christmas. Whilst other Santa and helpers are trying to use advance technology to deliver the gift, Arthur knows that if you believe in the Christmas spirit and have faith in your goals, anything is achievable. And *spoiler alert* but he does deliver the gift on time.

“As long as the gift is there. Then Santa came”.

4. Nativity

Things are really cool in Nazareth. If you were to ask any British person what their childhood Christmas’ were like at school - they were about as close to this film as possible. The children are so incredibly talented and hilarious, the story is unbelievably heartwarming and special and the songs in it are so fun and catchy. There really is no better way to start the festive season than by watching this film, and it is perfect for all of the family.

5. The Grinch

Whilst there has been a few adaptations of this movie, Jim Carrey’s Grinch has to be the best one so far. It is so exaggerated and comedic that it is perfect for all the family and yet, it does have its moments of existential dread, which is perfect for those of us who are going through it at the minute.

“4:00: Wallow in self-pity. 4:30: Stare into the abyss. 5:00 solve world hunger. Tell no one. 5:30: Jazzercise. 6:30: Dinner with me, I can’t cancel that again! 7:00: Wrestle with my self-loathing… I’m booked”.

I hope you enjoyed the first day of Blogmas and Happy December 1st. The countdown is officially on for the big day!

Tomorrow, we will be reviewing one of the films from this list above. Can you guess which one?