Is there a difference between Christmas films and films that feature Christmas? You’ve probably heard the age-old debate over which category Die Hard falls into.
Is it solely a matter of the calendar, or do a ‘proper’ Christmas films have to reflect the events and spirit of the season?
Whatever the answer, we’re pretty sure of our favourites. You could say our Head of Production, Saxon Rix, knows a bit about films. What’s more, he’s a particularly avid watcher of the Christmas variety.
Naturally, because of his expertise, we asked him to speak for us. Sax has compiled a list of his favourite Christmas films below.
SPOILER ALERT: Sorry, Die Hard fans – it isn’t featured. SPOILER ALERT 2.0: He’s very particular.
Best Christmas films in the lead-up to Christmas
The Holiday (2006)
Columbia Pictures
Starring Kate Winslet, Cameron Diaz, Jude Law and Jack Black
Two women troubled with guy-problems swap homes in each other’s countries, where they each meet a local guy and fall in love.
Home Alone (1990)
20th Century Fox
Starring Macaulay Culkin and Scarlett Johansson
An eight-year-old troublemaker must protect his house from a pair of burglars when he is accidentally left home alone by his family during Christmas vacation.
Love Actually (2003)
NBC Universal
Starring Colin Firth, Hugh Grant, Emma Thompson and Liam Neeson
Follows the lives of eight very different couples in dealing with their love lives in various loosely interrelated tales all set during a frantic month before Christmas in London, England.
The Family Man (2000)
Universal
Starring Nicolas Cage
Wall Street playboy Jack’s lavish, fast-paced lifestyle drastically changes one snowy Christmas night when he unwittingly stumbles into the middle of a grocery store holdup with a gunman.
Jingle All The Way (1996)
20th Century Fox
Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger
Howard, a haggard salesman, promises his son a Turbo Man toy for Christmas. He is forced to fight every parent and travel all over town to get the toy after he forgets to buy it.
Surviving Christmas (2004)
Paramount
Starring Christina Applegate, Ben Affleck, James Gandolfini
Drew leads an empty life with only wealth by his side. Spending another lonely Christmas is surely not what Drew wants. Drew offers cash to an annoying visitor who is eager to celebrate Christmas.
Jack Frost (1998)
Warner Bros. Entertainment
Starring Michael Keaton, Kelly Preston
Singer Jack Frost dies, leaving behind his young son Charlie. The father and son never spent much time together, and hence Charlie grows up to be a very sad young man until Jack returns as a snowman.
Arthur Christmas (2011)
Sony Pictures
Starring James McAvoy, Jim Broadbent, Bill Nighy, Hugh Laurie
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.
Fred Claus (2007)
Warner Bros. Entertainment
Starring Vince Vaughn, Paul Giamatti, Elizabeth Banks and John Michael Higgins
Fred, Santa Claus’s older brother, has landed in jail for stealing. However, Santa agrees to bail him out on the condition that Fred comes to the North Pole and makes toys for Christmas.
The Santa Clause (1994)
Walt Disney Pictures
Starring Tim Allen, Judge Reinhold, Wendy Crewson and Eric Lloyd
By helping Santa Claus with a Christmas crisis, Scott unknowingly agrees to become the next Santa Claus. Now, he has to deal with a suspicious former wife while trying to keep his secret safe.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
Universal Pictures
Starring Jim Carrey and Taylor Momsen
On the outskirts of Whoville lives a green, revenge-seeking Grinch who plans to ruin Christmas for all of the citizens of the town.
Best Christmas films on Christmas Eve
Elf (2003)
New Line Cinema
Starring Will Ferrell, James Caan and Zooey Deschanel
Buddy, a human, is raised amongst elves at the North Pole. When he discovers that he is not an elf, he travels to New York to search for his biological father.
The Polar Express (2004)
Warner Bros. Entertainment
Starring Tom Hanks, Chris Coppola, Michael Jeter and Leslie Zemeckis
A young boy boards a train and embarks on an extraordinary journey to the North Pole to meet Santa Claus. His life takes a turn after he encounters special people that make his journey memorable.
Best Christmas films on Christmas morning
The Snowman (1982)
Channel 4
When a young boy starts making a snowman on Christmas, it magically comes to life. The snowman then takes him on a journey to meet Santa Claus.
The Snowman & The Snowdog (2012)
Channel 4
Starring Mel Smith
A boy whose dog has just died moves to a new house. In the garden he builds a snowman and then, to keep it company, a snow dog. During the night they both come to life, and the three embark on magical adventures.
Father Christmas (1991)
Universal Pictures
Starring Mel Smith
Santa decides to go on vacation and converts his sleigh into a caravan for a trip to France, Scotland and Las Vegas. When he comes home to settle into the holiday season, he realizes he left something behind.
This should be enough to keep you going over the Christmas period. Do you know all of these Christmas films? Which are your favourites? Do you designate particular films for certain points in the Christmas period, like Saxon?
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