Quick Takes on Holiday Movies
This time of year is fraught with Christmassy movies. If you have cable, TV, the internet, or a pulse you’re likely to come across one (or all) of these movies in the coming weeks, so here’s a Daddy Days quick take on some of the most popular Christmas movies.
Home Alone - I grew up quoting this movie and love it. I also can’t think of a worse influence on 8-year-old boys than Kevin McCallister. He talks back to his mom, lights burglars on fire with a blow torch, AND uses all his dad’s aftershave. Kevin might be on the naughty list.
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York - Seriously? I’m not sure what’s harder to believe, that the McCallisters went off without Kevin again or that a 10-year-old manages to set dozens of effective booby-traps without the aid of YouTube.
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation - You’ve entered full dadhood when you suddenly realize how fantastic this movie is. Dads, this is the Christmastime movie you love or one day will.
Jingle All the Way - Genius from a marketing standpoint (Turboman!). But seriously, parents, give your kids the gift of skepticism for fads and sit out all this hot-toy-of-the-year craziness. Or at least order it online.
A Christmas Story - More kids licked a flagpole after this movie than ever even considered that action before. This movie is the great multigenerational Christmas movie: you either lived in that era as an adult, grew up in it as a kid, or are fascinated by how different (and how similar) things were to your childhood.
White Christmas - I’m not sure how much of a Christmas movie this is… Definitely less of a Christmas movie than Die Hard. Bing Crosby is great. I thought my aunts invented that sisters song until I saw this movie.
The Holiday - I feel obligated to put this one on here because it pops up on a lot of “best Christmas movies” lists. However, it’s only set around Christmas, filmed in large part in southern California (the most un-Christmassy locale in America), and is subtly as narcissistic as the main antagonist. The soundtrack’s a keeper and the movie has some charm, but it’s not a Christmas movie.
The Santa Clause - We don’t do the whole Chris Cringle thing at our house, but I have to think these sorts of movies cause more questioning of the idea than support for it. Delivering gifts to eight hundred houses a second? Who is this guy, Amazon.com? Regardless, Tim Allen is great.
A Charlie Brown Christmas - Ah. Thirty minutes of classic nostalgia for all ages. Although impressionable kids may start saying “stupid” and “blockhead” after this because Lucy’s a potty mouth. I think this is the only Christmas movie that is centered around the actual Christmas story as well.
Christmas with the Kranks - Based on the John Grisham book Skipping Christmas. Captures the first Christmastime as empty nesters well. I think... What do I know?
A Wonderful Life - The most classic, quintessentially American Christmas movie ever. George Bailey has the same temper as my 3-year-old.
Miracle on 34th Street - Never seen it. I know, but it’s because of these sorts of aghast reactions I’m holding out.