20 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS MOVIES

It’s the most wonderful time of year. 

Eggnog, cozy fires, and Christmas Movies. 

We all know Elf, White Christmas and Scrooge – (Alastair Sims please). Well, here’s a list of 20 movies to watch that are outside of the ‘norm’

 

The Thin Man – 1934 William Powell and Margaret Loy, Turner Classic Movies. (Dec 31st – Thin Man three movies) – I love the Thin Man Movies. They are fun who dunnits, full of class and charm. The wit and banter can’t be beat. But word of warning, don’t do a drinking game with this one. You’ll lose. - Prime Video  (USA), Library 

The Shop Around the Corner - 1940  – Jimmy Stewart, Margaret Sullivan, Turner Classic Movies (Dec 20, Dec 24) – before Jimmy was Jimmy in It’s a Wonderful Life  - Prime Video  (USA), Library 

Klaus – Animated. “A true act of kindness always sparks another.” I loved this movie. A charming look at how it all started. Entertaining and fun to watch. –  Netflix 

Fred Claus – 2007 Vince Vauhn, Paul Giamatti. Santa's bitter older brother is forced to move to the North Pole to help – Irreverent. Funny. And Christmas feels. Plus, I have a hard time not liking something Paul Giamatti is in. - Prime Video 

Auntie Mame – 1958, Rosalind Russel – My friend Jim introduced me to this one. A must see. An eccentric woman adopts an orphan boy and introduces him to a variety of experiences. She eventually becomes wealthy when a millionaire she marries dies in an accident.  – Rent Cineplex Odeon 

The Family Stone – 2005 – All star Cast.  If you’re into big casts of stars like Love Actually, check out this one. Love. Christmas. Family. What’s not to love? – Prime Video 

The Bishop’s Wife – 1947 – Cary Grant, David Niven, Loretta Young. “All of us know that angels don't walk the earth like natural men—and definitely not in the image of that debonair rascal, Gary Grant.” Need I say more? – Prime Video, or watch here 

The Christmas Chronicles – 2018 – Curt Russel. My husband loves this one – must be the whole grumpy Santa thing.  – Netflix 

A Christmas Memory – 1966 – Geraldine Page, Truman Capote narrates – This is beautiful. Under an hour. Poetic. Here it is on YouTube 

One Magic Christmas – 1988 – Mary Steenburgen. This is a drama. Not your typical Christmas fare. But it has an angel and the wonderful Mary Steenburgen. And a ton of Canadian talent in it. It takes a while for the happy ending, but it comes. My husband loves this movie. It’s hard to find – but you can rent it on YouTube. 

Spirited – 2022 – A musical version of Charles Dickens' story of a miserly misanthrope who's taken on a magical journey. Starring Will Ferrell & Vancouver’s own Ryan Reynolds – Apple+ TV 

Millions – 2004 – “a big-hearted film about how good deeds trump consumerism, while still agreeing that buying stuff is pretty great fun. In other words, it captures the real spirit of Christmas better than almost any other film in the past few decades.” You can watch on Disney+ or rent on Amazon 

Arthur Christmas – 2011 Santa's clumsy son Arthur sets out on a mission with Grandsanta to give out a present they misplaced to a young girl in less than two hours. Voices of Bill Nighy, Hugh Laurie, Jim Broadbent. And Imelda Staunton. You can rent it on Netflix 

The Man Who Came to Dinner – 1942 Movie (2000 Play) A pompous lecturer is forced to spend the winter inside a prominent Ohio family's home due to injury and proceeds to meddle with the lives of everyone in the household. You must purchase the DVD to watch it, unless it’s playing on Turner Classic. But in 2000 Nathan Lane starred in a theatrical production. It’s on YouTube. 

The Lemon Drop Kid – 1951 Lively Bob Hope caper based on a Damon Runyon story. Hope plays the titular con artist whose betting mistake leaves gangster Moose Moran $10,000 out of pocket. Given until Christmas to come up with the cash, he goes into scamming overdrive. Watch it on YouTube 

Holiday Affair – 1949 Charming seasonal clerk Steve Mason (Robert Mitchum) catches beautiful Connie Ennis (Janet Leigh) in a fraudulent shopping scheme during the busy Christmas rush. But when he discovers that Ennis is a war widow and single mother, Mason takes pity on her and can't bring himself to turn her in. His supervisor takes notice and fires him on the spot. Mason befriends Connie and her young son, Timmy (Gordon Gebert), and may complicate her plans to marry boring nice guy Carl Davis (Wendell Corey). You can watch it on Prime. 

The Man Who Invented Christmas – 2017 In 1843 London, author Charles Dickens finds himself in financial trouble after writing three unsuccessful novels in a row. Desperate for a hit, Dickens relies on real-life inspiration and his vivid imagination to bring Ebenezer Scrooge, Tiny Tim and other classic characters to life in "A Christmas Carol," forever changing the holiday season into the celebration known today. Rent on Prime. 

All I Want for Christmas – 1991 Ethan (Ethan Randall) and Hallie O'Fallon (Thora Birch) are two siblings who wish that their divorced mom, Catherine (Harley Jane Kozak) would reunite with their dad, Michael (Jamey Sheridan). As Christmas approaches, the kids manage to lock their mother's fiancé, Tony (Kevin Nealon), in an ice cream truck and have him whisked off to New Jersey, all in an attempt to make their mom believe that she's been stood up. The ploy works, and ex-husband Michael is waiting in the wings. You can rent it on Prime. 

While You Were Sleeping – 1995 Lonely transit worker Lucy Eleanor Moderatz (Sandra Bullock) pulls her longtime crush, Peter (Peter Gallagher), from the path of an oncoming train. At the hospital, doctors report that he's in a coma, and a misplaced comment from Lucy causes Peter's family to assume that she is his fiancée. When Lucy doesn't correct them, they take her into their home and confidence. Things get even more complicated when she finds herself falling for Peter's sheepish brother, Jack (Bill Pullman).  You can rent it on Prime. 

The Nutcracker and the Four Realms – 2018 Young Clara needs a magical, one-of-a-kind key to unlock a box that contains a priceless gift. A golden thread leads her to the coveted key, but it soon disappears into a strange and mysterious parallel world. In that world, she meets a soldier named Phillip, a group of mice and the regents who preside over three realms. Clara and Phillip must now enter a fourth realm to retrieve the key and restore harmony to the unstable land. You Can rent it on Prime.

Happy watching,