Top Ten Christmas Films

1) It's a Wonderful Life
Director: Frank Capra
Cast: James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore
This film embodies the words “timeless classic.” While it’s relatively easy to make you feel in a better mood about Christmas, it takes a truly great film to make you feel in a better mood about life. Frank Capra manages to do this and much more in this heart-warming tale of George Bailey, a suicidal businessman who is visited by an angel and shown what would have happened had he never lived. The feel-good movie of all time.

2) Bad Santa
Director: Terry Zwigoff
Cast: Billy Bob Thornton, Tony Cox, Brett Kelly
This modern Christmas tale contains the most miserable, foul-mouthed character to ever don the famous red suit. Billy Bob Thornton and Tony Cox play two con men who pose as Santa and his elf in order to rob shopping malls at Christmas. A great comedy and surprisingly touching considering it contains more bad language than the average gangster flick.

3) White Christmas
Director: Michael Curtiz
Cast: Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney
Although the song White Christmas was first sung by Bing Crosby 12 years prior to this film in Holiday Inn, it became such an instant hit that it was eventually given a movie of its very own. This all-singing all-dancing story is just the right blend of wholesomeness that works well for full-of-grub Christmas afternoon viewing.

4) Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas
Director: Henry Selick
Cast: Danny Elfman, Chris Sarandon, Catherine O'Hara
The man’s style is suitably renowned enough so that just the idea of ‘Burton does Christmas’ is enough to send chills down the spine. The Nightmare before Christmas is undoubtedly quintessential Burton as Jack Skellington, mayor of Halloweentown, discovers the delights of the neighbouring Christmastown and attempts to recreate a highly disturbing Halloween style Christmas. Weird and wonderful.

5) Die Hard
Director: John McTiernan
Cast: Bruce Willis, Alan Rickman, Bonnie Bedelia
Not the most obviously Christmassy movie. But when John Mclean crunches his way barefoot over broken glass and thwarts the hostage-holding terrorists, headed up by Alan Rickman, you can’t help but be filled with festive cheer. A dirty white vest might not be the du rigour for the holiday season but it did help create one of the ‘80s greatest actions heroes.

6) Miracle on 34th Street
Director: Les Mayfield
Cast: Richard Attenborough, Elizabeth Perkins, Dylan McDermott
This remake of the original 1947 film sees Dicky Attenborough extremely well cast as Kris Kringle, a white-bearded gentleman who believes he’s the real Father Christmas. Kringle even manages to convince a previously sceptical little girl of this fact and all seems jolly until her mother hauls him into the dock to dispute his claim. Like the movie version of a hot-toddy.

7) Scrooged
Director: Richard Donner
Cast: Bill Murray, Karen Allen
A more up-to-date version of A Christmas Carol that centres on the ever-rumpled Bill Murray as a nasty TV executive who is visited by three ghosts attempting to make him see the error of his ways. Arguably the film wouldn’t have been as good with anyone else in the driving seat, but it does contain a great turn from Carol Kane as the ultra-violent Ghost of Christmas Present.

8) Elf
Director: Jon Favreau
Cast: Will Ferrell, James Caan, Bob Newhart
This is an unusual venture for Jon Favreau, the director of Made and the writer of Swingers. Elf concerns a human baby who, after smuggling himself inside Santa’s sack (and who hasn’t tried that?) is raised by elves. When Buddy finally realised he literally doesn’t fit in anywhere, he heads off to find his real father. It’s a brave man who can pull off comedy dressed in yellow tights and a pointy green hat.

9) Home Alone
Director: John Hughes
Cast: Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern
Not many kids could carry a movie in the way that child-star-turned-indie-darling Macaulay Culkin does playing Kevin, an 8-year-old boy who’s forced to defend his home against inept burglars after he’s accidentally left behind when his family leaves for their Christmas break. Highlights the dangers of having more children than you have fingers.

10) Santa Claus : The Movie
Director: Jeannot Szwarc
Cast: Dudley Moore, John Lithgow, David Huddleston
Like turkey sandwiches and rubbery sprouts, this is one movie that is always part of the festive celebrations. Dudley Moore plays an elf with big plans who swaps humdrum North Pole life for big city commercialism. Whether you love it or hate it, Santa Claus: the Movie is hard to avoid come Christmas time.

WHERE THE HELL IS Christmas Vacation ??!

Courtesy of http://uk.news.yahoo.com/hot/christmas/entertainment/