Pour a glass of eggnog, it’s time to get into the holiday spirit!
Our family tradition – from Thanksgiving to Christmas – is ALL holiday movies, ALL of the time. So, we see a lot of holiday movies, good and bad, while we’re cooking, playing games, and relaxing.
We took a poll around the office to find out what the One Floor Up team will be watching this holiday season. Here’s a quick run-down (in no particular order) of our top 5 holiday movie recommendations – with some fun movie trivia mixed in.
1.) ELF
This 2003 movie starring Will Ferrell as Buddy the Elf in search of his father never seems to get old.
The screenwriter of Elf was a fan of campy stop-motion holiday classics like Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer (1964), so Elf pays homage to these earlier films by opting for fewer digital effects.
In fact, forced perspective due to set manipulations is what allows Buddy to tower over the other North Pole elves without the use of CGI or green screens. Even when Elf features CGI, it’s used to mimic the same classic stop-motion feel.
2.) A CHRISTMAS STORY
Who can forget little Ralphie, a young boy of the 1940’s, trying to convince all those around him that a BB gun is the perfect Christmas present. “You’ll shoot your eye out!”
FUN FACT: The Ralphie actor, Peter Billingsley (who is all grown up now) can also be spotted in the movie Elf. Look for him at the beginning of the movie where he plays a North Pole elf named Ming Ming.
3.) HOME ALONE 2
Most everyone has seen Home Alone, the three-stooges-type comedy about a home alone eight-year-old who outsmarts burglars. According to some reports, this is the most watched Christmas movie.
But have you seen Home Alone 2? OFU Producer Anabelle Porio says this sequel set in New York City is BETTER than the original. Here are some cringe-worthy highlights if you want to judge for yourself.
4.) NATIONAL LAMPOON’S CHRISTMAS VACATION
Clark Griswold and crew require no introduction. This family favorite has been on our screens as long as we can remember.
FUN FACT: Remember the rage-filled Clark who destroys his outside Christmas decorations? Actor Chevy Chase broke his finger during these action-packed moments, but he continued filming the scene that appears in the final movie.
5.) SCROOGED
A modern take on Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol starring Bill Murray. This comedic adaptation of the familiar holiday story, really sets it apart.
FUN FACT: Murray ad libbed many of his lines. The film’s director described directing Murray, with his penchant for improvisation, as, “It’s like standing on 42nd Street and Broadway, and the lights are out, and you’re the traffic cop.”.
Based on our office poll, there are five more titles that deserve honorable mention: Die Hard (yes, it IS a Christmas movie), Muppets Christmas Carol, Arthur Christmas, Nightmare Before Christmas, and Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas.
Hope you have a great holiday. Happy watching!
