If you happen to be stuck at home these days – after all, who isn’t? – you may want to spend a few evenings watching Christmas films. While it doesn’t feel like it, due to the lack of Christmas market and almost empty streets, Christmas is only a few days away. So here are some suggestions of seasonal flicks that you can easily find on Amazon Prime.
1. It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
This film, made just after the end of WWII, remained one of the most appreciated Christmas-themed movies in history. Resting on the supernatural premise of an angel being sent from heaven to help a frustrated businessman, It’s a Wonderful Life stars James Stewart and Donna Reed, and quickly became a classic. Although it won none of the 5 Oscars it was nominated for, it rests on spot #24 in IMDb’s best rated films of all time list.
2. A Christmas Story (1983)
A Christmas Story tells a story about Christmas. Surprising, I know. Despite the less than original title, the film, adapted from a book by Jean Shepherd. The plot takes place in the 1940s US, and revolves around conceptualising the perfect Christmas gift. The 7.9 user rating on IMDb shows near universal acclaim, considering that cheesy Christmas flicks rarely get a good average.
3. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
This Tim Burton classic is one of the most remarkable attempts at capturing the Christmas spirit through animations. It centres around the King of Halloween Town, and the confusion that he sparks in his local community once he discovers Christmas Town and tries to bring some of its spirit into his hometown. It’s a perfect bridge between the end of October and mid-December.
4. The Polar Express (2004)
This is a well-loved project of Robert Zemeckis, one which stars Tom Hanks and was nominated for 3 Academy Awards, winning none of them in the end. It follows the adventures of a boy on Christmas Eve, who boards a magical train bound for the North Pole, and goes on a discovery experience of a lifetime.
5. Home Alone (1990)
I don’t think I need to introduce this one, or even remind you what it is about. So, I won’t. If you feel like reliving some of Kevin’s ingenious Christmas-themed traps, this is by far the best of the bunch.
6. The Man Who Invented Christmas (2017)
And let’s end with a slightly more recent entry, which revolves around the creation process of Charles Dickens’ ‘ A Christmas Carol’, the well known Christmas classic. Christopher Plummer plays the main role of Scrooge, and the film was quite well received, despite slipping a bit under the radar. As an alternative, or a pre-requisite, perhaps consider reading Dickens’ book? It’s short and very seasonal!
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