Xmas films: controversial opinions (please help to distract me)

[Thack]

I need distracting. My mum died a few days ago. I'm expecting her first grandbaby and am heartbroken beyond words. I've got a great support network but right now I'm fed up with the sound of my own thoughts. I don't need sympathy & I'm not looking to talk about it here, but I do need help to rest my brain for a bit.

So, as a release, I ask:what are your controversial Xmas film thoughts?

Is die hard an Xmas film? I think yes.
I also love Hook and Groundhog day around Xmas.

I don't like Elf. Will Ferrel- hmmmm, not a fan.
I didn't see Gremlins until I was a teen, so have never thought of it as a Christmas film. I've only seen it a few times so maybe I've forgotten that it has Christmassy bits??

Agree there's something rather sinister about Polar Express but I quite enjoy it.

Although I still think the poor kid should have got the santa present rather than the overly cynical one who's probably had loads of nice christmasses prior.

Muppet's Christmas Carol is marvellous. 95% of The Great Gonzo's is lifted straight from the book.

Can't bloody stand Elf. It's neither funny, nor heartwarming.

The Raymond Briggs Snowman and Snowdog is pointless and not a patch on the original. The Santa Clause one is basically Santa being a grumpy arsehole who'd much rather be drinking cocktails on a beach with scantily clad women.

I love love actually but last Christmas is my all time favourite t the minute.

I can't stand elf but will be watching it later as the kids picked it.

I like the polar express and Arthur Christmas.We're quite fond of the Nativity in our house.

There is but one proper Christmas movie 'It's a Wonderful Life'
Heartwarming and beautiful. Watch it every year.

On the other end of the spectrum'Bad Santa' The first time I watched it my Nan excused herself to go up to bed within the first 2 minutes which is perhaps not a huge surprise

Agree with it's a wonderful life and Arthur Christmas, also Deck the Halls is underrated. Watched Ladt Christmas and didn't like it one bit. But my absolute favourite is The Grinch, love it and watch it constantly!

The remake of Assault on Precinct 13 takes place on New Year's Eve and I think it's great to watch if you have to be at work through the festive period or just can't wait for Christmas to be over. No-one ever agrees with me that it's a Christmas film but Christmas decorations are involved so 🤷

I've not watched so many of these. Got a good list building for future Christmas with the little one ❤️

So sorry about your Mum @Thack. I lost my Mum this year and it's so difficult.

I don't like Polar Express either, great story but the animation is creepy.

Die Hard is a Christmas film in this house.

Never seen Love Actually. I've never seen the whole of ET either, sends me to sleep.

I'll be watching Its a Wonderful Life today with a glass of something fizzy.

Well I'm donning my tin helmet for this, but "It's a Wonderful Life" - only people with friends deserve happiness? Sod off Clarence!

The first Navitity film was good fun.
The others not so much , but the kids were good in it.
Those channel five hallmark ones all seem the same to me : same blond petty women and hunky men!

Home alone 2 is as violent as Die Hard. The first one he’s defending his house and is more slapstick. The second one he’s actively trying to kill them.

And to whoever mentioned the Great Escape. I’ve never considered it before, but it is 100% a new year movie.

Nativity and Nativity 2 are brilliant
I tried watching Nativity 3 but it was no way the same

The wizard of Oz is a Christmas film. Ok, so Christmas isn’t mentioned at all, but when I was a child, it was on TV every Christmas Day, so it is indelibly linked in my mind.

Watching The Polar Express on Christmas Eve is a long standing tradition in this house. I think the fact it is slightly sinister is what makes it so magical. In just the same way that traditional fairy tales have a macabre element.

I find it incredibly poignant that at the end of the film you are told that eventually, even the boy's little sister loses the magic of Christmas and can no longer hear the bell, but the boy can and always will. Sad to think of him unable to ever share his magical experience because other adults would think he was bonkers.

I get what you're saying about the ending
It's just the rest of it. Not really for me.
After my child's stopped watching it, it'll be one I'll leave!

The Christmasiest movie is National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. Fight me.

Love, Actually should be called Misery, Actually. It's really depressing...Andrew Lincoln hitting on his best mate's vacuous wife, Martine McCutcheon constantly fat-shamed (and who isn't even fat) and poor, poor Emma Thompson. Awful.

Last Christmas is totally ruined by Emilia Clarke's eyebrow acting.

You can watch It's A Wonderful Life every single year and notice something new in it every time.

Muppet Christmas Carol isn't just a Christmas movie. It's the BEST Christmas movie. So there.

(And Die Hard is 100% a brilliant Christmas movie)

Watched polar express last night with my kids. Omg. Do not recommend. Going off with a stranger in the middle of the night. Nope!

Elf has promise but there's too much boring storyline for kids to follow. Mine wandered off.

Our favourite Xmas movie is Barbie Christmas Carol. I'm not usually a fan of Barbie but it's the least frightening version I've seen (which suits my kids)

@Countarthursgroupie I haven't seen that one either (the shame!), but I totally agree with your point of that quote!

For Love Actually haters (and lovers alike), the Secret Barrister tweet through is here. Quite a few charges against the characters
twitter.com/BarristerSecret/status/1208477506652844040?s=20

They assessed home alone 2 in 2018, Kevin was getting a very long prison sentence (along with the wet bandits and his negligent parents, of course)

I really like Elf we watched it on Sunday after Muppets Christmas carol felt Like we were set for Christmas

So sorry for your loss.

National Lampoons is a must, as is Elf, Gemlins, Die Hard and It’s a wonderful life.

I know what you mean about Polar Express. Don't like it at all. The animation, including making Hanks' character look like him, gives me the willies. It's boring as well.

I hate Jingle All the Way. It feels grim and grotty...there's a meanness to it with shouty, selfish, greedy characters.

Gremlins is not a kids film mainly because Kate(?) tells Billy how she found out there was no Santa Claus.

The Santa in Santa Claus the Movie just sounds too American and looks too much like a store Santa.

I like the Christmas Chronicles. Only out in 2018 but I enjoyed it . Version 2 from this year is not as good I think

In ' the snowman' the little boy goes off with the snowman , but that feels ok! With the polar express , it's just creepy.
I can't see why people love it , same with it's a wonderful life! (Sorry I know people love it)
James Stewart's accent turns me off that film although I haven't seen it all the way through to be fair.

Oh goodness Polar Express is THE Xmas movie here! Looking forward to curling up with a home made Baileys to watch it tonight.

Agree with PP that it's the slightly creepy uncanny valley vibe that makes it. Xmas is supposed to be slightly 'ghosty' - think of Charles Dickens & M R James stories...

We are a fairly goth family though, to be fair. Dd2 couldn't stick the Jim Carrey A Christmas Carol the other night, though (same animation team I think) - that was just too sinister & gave her proper heebie jeebies.

Any film with Jim Carey is creepy in my book! That mask film is awful and the pet detective ones.
I've not seen ' the Grinch' but I've never been tempted because his in it!