Top ten Christmas movies ranked
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It’s that time of year when people come together to enjoy a good Christmas film and former Elgin Academy student and journalism trainee Ena Saracevic has shared some of her favourite Christmas films with us.
To get into the proper Christmas spirit, I thought it would be great to share a few of my own favourite festive films in the run-up to the big day.
As there are hundreds of Christmas movies out there, I don’t expect anyone to completely agree with me.
Though if you’d like to share your own favourite Christmas movies, we would love to hear about them. Leave us a comment on Facebook or send us a picture of you watching your favourite film to newsdesk@northern-scot.co.uk. Happy Holidays!
10. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
The debate surrounding this movie has gone on since its release – is it a movie for Christmas or Halloween? It’s safe to say that I’d consider it more to do with Christmas, with Tim Burton’s artistic style making it a fantastic watch.
The king of Halloween town Jack Skellington stumbles upon Christmas Town. With the revelation of these celebrations, he plots to take over the holiday himself due to his newfound infatuation with Christmas.
9. Deck the Halls (2006)
Having only recently stumbled upon this movie, I wish I’d watched it earlier. Danny Devito’s character, brings a new layer of comedy to the festive movie.
The plot follows a man called Steve who is the ‘Christmas man’ in his neighbourhood due to his house’s extravagant Christmas decorations. When Buddy Hall (played by Devito) arrives, he has his own ideas to make his house so bright with holiday lights that it will be seen from outer space. A feud ensues and sets the premise for the rest of the movie.
8. Nativity (2009)
The movie holds onto childhood innocence while being a fantastic Christmas movie like no other.
When primary school teacher Paul Maddens is tasked with directing his school’s nativity play, he feels the pressure when rivalling an elite local school. He boasts that his ex-girlfriend – a Hollywood producer – is coming to see the show with the hopes of turning it into a film. However, the catch is that they haven’t spoken in years.
The story follows Maddens attempting to fix his white lie to ensure the nativity play all goes to plan.
7. The Muppets Christmas Carol (1992)
Michael Caine’s chilling performance as Scrooge of course earns the movie a place on this list.
The story, following the classic Dickens tale of Ebenezer Scrooge, has something for the whole family with the muppets featuring as characters in the story.
6. The Polar Express (2004)
Tom Hanks voices five different characters in this action-packed animation, with the movie being a must-watch in the run-up to Christmas.
A young boy who is doubtful of the existence of Santa Claus is lying awake on Christmas Eve when he hears a train sound its horn. Boarding the vehicle, he finds himself with many other children, all on their way to the North Pole.
5. Elf (2003)
A holiday classic, Elf’s positioning on this list may come as quite a surprise to some. However, I do think of it highly as an amazing Christmas movie.
The story follows Will Ferrell’s hilarious character of Buddy the Elf, originally thought to be an orphan, as he navigates a new adventure through New York to find his real dad.
4. A Christmas Carol (2009)
Charles Dickens’ classic novel is encapsulated perfectly within this movie, with Jim Carrey taking on the miserable character of Ebenezer Scrooge.
To face his miserable ways, Scrooge has to face the three ghosts of Christmas — one for his past, another for his present and finally, what awaits him in his future. He has to make the ultimate decision – will he continue with his miserable ways, or repent and have a chance at a better future?
3. Home Alone (1990)
Starring Macaulay Culkin, Home Alone is another classic when it comes to Christmas movies.
With an instantly recognisable soundtrack, the movie begins with the McCallister family waking up for their early flight to Paris. The family are in such a rush that they unknowingly leave their son Kevin at home. Despite his initial excitement at having the house to himself, Kevin must prepare to defend his home against a pair of burglars on Christmas Eve.
The movie is scheduled to appear on Channel Four on Christmas day at 5:30pm.
2. Miracle on 34th Street (1994)
This movie perfectly captures the magic of Christmas through the eyes of a young girl who must prove that Santa Claus is real. Through a heated court case to prove his authenticity, Kris Kringle is determined to prove he is the real deal.
The movie will show on Channel Four on Christmas Eve at 5:45pm, just in time to get you into the festive spirit before the big day.
1. The Santa Clause (1994)
Finally, my favourite movie would have to be The Santa Clause due to the amount of holiday nostalgia it brings.
The movie follows Scott Calvin, played by Tim Allen, who is the father of 6-year-old boy Charlie. After inadvertently causing a man in a red suit to fall off his chimney, Scott finds himself as the new Santa and it is now his job to deliver presents across the globe.
Despite differing opinions from critics, I firmly believe this movie is a must-watch in the lead-up to Christmas. Although I have a personal bias, the original movie’s success transformed it into a trilogy and now a hit Disney+ Original TV series.
