The festive season has ushered in new collections of Christmas movies for us to enjoy and add to the annual best Christmas movies list. As we wind down and reflect on the year, we deserve to put our feet up and throw on the best Christmas movies we know of to get in the mood for the holiday season.
After asking around the office for a selection of the best Christmas movies enjoyed at RocketNet, we created the RocketNet best Christmas movies list.
The best Christmas movies of the past
1. Scrooged (1988)
Although more than two decades old, Scrooged, starring Bill Murray, is a great modern twist on Charles Dickens ‘A Christmas Carol’ and earned its place on the best Christmas movies list.
Murray plays Frank Cross, a massively successful television executive. Frank’s ruthless ambition and prickly disposition have divided him and the love of his life, Claire Phillips. Subsequently, after firing a staff member on Christmas Eve, Frank gets visits from three ghosts offering an opportunity to undo his callous actions and right the wrongs of his past.
The twist
Bill Murray wasn’t a fan of the original script and helped rewrite most of it until he was happy it would work.
“We tore up the script so badly that we had parts all over the lawn,” Murray told Starlog.
What we loved about it
“Murray’s take on the Christmas Carol is hilarious, keeping the story’s heart at its core”.
-Sean
2. Die Hard (1988)
Bruce Willis plays John McClane, a down-and-out but passionate New York City police officer visiting his ex-wife at her office party on Christmas Eve.
Things turn sour when a terrorist gang captures the high-rise office building holding the occupants’ hostage. McClane takes it upon himself to save everyone from the fumbling attackers in spectacular fashion. If you haven’t seen this flick in a while, or never, we highly recommend giving it a go.
The twist
This action comedy was never meant to star Bruce Willis as its hero but consequently set his career up for action-star greatness.
What we loved about it
“Not many modern-day action flicks have this mix of drama, comedy and action. It keeps you entertained the whole way through”.
-Sandile
3. Home Alone (1990)
The infamous Home Alone movies starring Macaulay Culkin as Kevin McCallister are an instant addition to the best Christmas movies list. After poor behaviour the night before a family trip to Paris, Kevin gets left behind by miscount and subsequently gets the entire house, which is quite large, to himself. He believes the wish he made the night before, to not have a family, came true, and he continues to live out every kid’s dream of no adult telling him what to do.
However, two thieves target the house for a holiday heist. Kevin must protect himself and his family’s possessions at any, albeit hilarious, cost.
The twist
Originally Warner Brothers agreed to make the movie on a $10m budget. After running out of money and the crew asking for a revised budget of +-$14.7m, Warner Brothers shut the film down. But hooray, 20th Century Fox saw the movie’s potential and started production with the required budget. Home Alone became one of the highest-grossing movies, pulling in an astounding $281.5m.
What we loved about it
“It’s harmless fun where the bad guys get it and get it bad. How Kevin deals with the two trespassers keeps me in stitches yearly!”
-Basetsana
The best Christmas movies of the present
1. Arthur Christmas (2011)
Arthur Christmas is a tech-advanced Holiday movie where Santa owns many modern-day tools for getting presents to every kid in one night. However, his dependence on technology fails him when a child gets missed being the only one not to receive a Christmas Eve present. Santa’s youngest son Arthur must dust off the old sley and daringly deliver the gift to the child, ultimately saving Christmas.
The twist
The use of a typecast villain was avoided. Instead, the movie includes a baddy that doesn’t really have an evil plan but rather ‘doesn’t get it’.
What we loved about it
“It’s an upbeat and colourful modern-day Santa story great for the whole family. We should definitely add it to the best Christmas movies list”.
-Aimee
2. The Christmas Chronicles (Netflix- 2018)
Kate and Teddy Pierce struggle to relate with each other after the loss of their fireman dad. After hatching a plan to capture Santa while delivering presents, they end up stowing away on his sleigh and get involved in a crazy night of saving Christmas. Not only do they save Christmas alongside the coolest Santa we’ve seen, but they also keep their relationship and have a great time doing it.
The twist
Mrs Claus is only seen at the end of the movie, and, spoiler alert, we realise the actress is Goldie Hawn. Kurt Russel and Goldie Hawn have starred in an array of film hits, including The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band (1968), Swing Shift (1984) and Overboard (1987). It was a sweet reunion of two great actors.
What we loved about it
“I liked everything about it. It’s cool, Christmassy, fun, creative, modern, uplifting and well written. Kurt Russell is the slickest, in-shape Santa ever”.
-Kim
That’s a wrap!
