As Christmas day draws nearer and nearer, relieve yourself from a low-spirited Christmas delirium. Here is a list of movies that would take you to, at the very least, Christmas nostalgia land.Top 1. A Christmas Carol (1951)Directed by Brian Desmond Hurst
Being first in the list, I tell you, this movie is really worth watching. Starring Alastair Sim as the greedy Ebenezer Scrooge, Charles Dickens’ famous ghosts of Christmas past, present and future will leave you bawling in tears as well as giggling with laughter. So get your own “greedy” friend and watch him or her experience a heartwarming and thought-provoking epiphany.
Top 2. Home Alone: Lost in New York (1992)
Directed by Chris Columbus
Who could forget the mischievous Kevin, the traps and tactics extraordinaire! Nostalgia kicks in as we recall how we all went berserk laughing outrageously when we first watched this movie. And this second installment of the Home Alone trilogy just feels more Christmasy than the others. Get the old barkada together! Start reminiscing and retracing those oh-so precious memories.
Top 3. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Directed by Tim Burton
Master of film surrealism, director Tim Burton offers his totally out-of-this-world rendition of “The Nightmare Before Christmas”. Its playful inventiveness gives this movie an edge over other versions that tend to get clichéd after a while. You get to end wanting to hug all those adorably ghoulish creatures! Watch this with your 7-8 year old nephews and nieces to expose them to the real horrors of what may come ahead in their life.
Top 4. Love Actually (2003)
Directed by Richard Curtis
Not the usual lovey-dovey flick, this might just be the most charming, honest, daring, and irresistible romantic comedy to be set in December. Featuring an all-star cast involving Hugh Grant, Allan Rickman, and Rowan Atkinson (Mr. Bean), this movie is best for filling our Christmas season with stoked hearts and smiles. Yeah, you know who to watch it with.
Top 5. 9 Mornings (2002)
Directed by Jose Javier Reyes
The movie that starred Donita Rose and Piolo Pascual as a refreshing tandem, this film effectively uses as a plot the very Pinoy tradition that is Simbang Gabi. Moreover, it is not that seldom we find movies that tackle faith and religion, and truly it’s not the typical love story. And in 9 Mornings, it was able to deliver the right message but not on the extent of executing it like a sermon! To those purely Pinoy at heart, you can go have a crack on this.Top 6. A Christmas Story (1983)Directed by Bob Clark
The strongest point of this narrative movie is its effortless simplicity. Ralphie (played by Peter Billingsley) has always been yearning for a Christmas dinner, dreaming in front of the toy store windows. With these scenes, the film extraordinarily portrays the simplest joys of the human heart, and innocence in the season of merrymaking. Definitely a wellspring of love and joy for the family.
Top 7. Jack Frost (1998)
Directed by: Troy Miller
A boy and his reincarnated father as a snowman—it seems like the jumbled result of American and Indian folklore. Starring Michael Keaton, the movie Jack Frost in digital imagery, effectively renders the way to intimacy between father/snowman and son. This is one for our beloved fathers out there. You just might be itching to tell him things you can only say through this movie.
Top 8. Christmas With the Kranks (2004)
Directed by: Joe Roth
When the Kranks learned their daughter won’t be home for Christmas, they decided to forego their street’s Traditional Raising of Snowman in the Rooftop. A series of hilarious complications ensues when Luther and Nora Krank receive a call that Christmas will be at home after all. Now, they only have a few hours to put back the pieces of Christmas spirit they have left to give to the town. This is a fun learning experience for the madcap and silly at heart.
Top 9. Elf (2003)
Directed by: Jon Favreau
An alienated oversized elf trying to find his biological father in Manhattan, Buddy (Will Ferrell) also discovers what Christmas is like out of the North Pole where he had grown up. This comedy could make you realize just how lucky you are to be with a real family, with people that support you and guide you.
Top 10. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
Directed by Chuck JonesHere’s a Christmas-hater played brilliantly by funny-man Jim Carrey. The Grinch gets extremely annoyed when he senses, hears, and sees anything remotely related to Christmas in Whoville. After “stealing” Christmas, he eventually realizes that the season goes much deeper than toys and carols. Its dreamy and candy-colored visuals with underlying themes are great for the kids and adults alike.
Being first in the list, I tell you, this movie is really worth watching. Starring Alastair Sim as the greedy Ebenezer Scrooge, Charles Dickens’ famous ghosts of Christmas past, present and future will leave you bawling in tears as well as giggling with laughter. So get your own “greedy” friend and watch him or her experience a heartwarming and thought-provoking epiphany.
Top 2. Home Alone: Lost in New York (1992)
Directed by Chris Columbus
Who could forget the mischievous Kevin, the traps and tactics extraordinaire! Nostalgia kicks in as we recall how we all went berserk laughing outrageously when we first watched this movie. And this second installment of the Home Alone trilogy just feels more Christmasy than the others. Get the old barkada together! Start reminiscing and retracing those oh-so precious memories.
Top 3. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Directed by Tim Burton
Master of film surrealism, director Tim Burton offers his totally out-of-this-world rendition of “The Nightmare Before Christmas”. Its playful inventiveness gives this movie an edge over other versions that tend to get clichéd after a while. You get to end wanting to hug all those adorably ghoulish creatures! Watch this with your 7-8 year old nephews and nieces to expose them to the real horrors of what may come ahead in their life.
Top 4. Love Actually (2003)
Directed by Richard Curtis
Not the usual lovey-dovey flick, this might just be the most charming, honest, daring, and irresistible romantic comedy to be set in December. Featuring an all-star cast involving Hugh Grant, Allan Rickman, and Rowan Atkinson (Mr. Bean), this movie is best for filling our Christmas season with stoked hearts and smiles. Yeah, you know who to watch it with.
Top 5. 9 Mornings (2002)
Directed by Jose Javier Reyes
The movie that starred Donita Rose and Piolo Pascual as a refreshing tandem, this film effectively uses as a plot the very Pinoy tradition that is Simbang Gabi. Moreover, it is not that seldom we find movies that tackle faith and religion, and truly it’s not the typical love story. And in 9 Mornings, it was able to deliver the right message but not on the extent of executing it like a sermon! To those purely Pinoy at heart, you can go have a crack on this.Top 6. A Christmas Story (1983)Directed by Bob Clark
The strongest point of this narrative movie is its effortless simplicity. Ralphie (played by Peter Billingsley) has always been yearning for a Christmas dinner, dreaming in front of the toy store windows. With these scenes, the film extraordinarily portrays the simplest joys of the human heart, and innocence in the season of merrymaking. Definitely a wellspring of love and joy for the family.
Top 7. Jack Frost (1998)
Directed by: Troy Miller
A boy and his reincarnated father as a snowman—it seems like the jumbled result of American and Indian folklore. Starring Michael Keaton, the movie Jack Frost in digital imagery, effectively renders the way to intimacy between father/snowman and son. This is one for our beloved fathers out there. You just might be itching to tell him things you can only say through this movie.
Top 8. Christmas With the Kranks (2004)
Directed by: Joe Roth
When the Kranks learned their daughter won’t be home for Christmas, they decided to forego their street’s Traditional Raising of Snowman in the Rooftop. A series of hilarious complications ensues when Luther and Nora Krank receive a call that Christmas will be at home after all. Now, they only have a few hours to put back the pieces of Christmas spirit they have left to give to the town. This is a fun learning experience for the madcap and silly at heart.
Top 9. Elf (2003)
Directed by: Jon Favreau
An alienated oversized elf trying to find his biological father in Manhattan, Buddy (Will Ferrell) also discovers what Christmas is like out of the North Pole where he had grown up. This comedy could make you realize just how lucky you are to be with a real family, with people that support you and guide you.
Top 10. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
Directed by Chuck JonesHere’s a Christmas-hater played brilliantly by funny-man Jim Carrey. The Grinch gets extremely annoyed when he senses, hears, and sees anything remotely related to Christmas in Whoville. After “stealing” Christmas, he eventually realizes that the season goes much deeper than toys and carols. Its dreamy and candy-colored visuals with underlying themes are great for the kids and adults alike.
A precaution: Just watch your wallet. You may just be surprised when it is already empty after numerous trips to the video shop. And I am not telling you to settle for the pirates, uh uh, that's bad!
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