With a brilliant screenplay brimming in warm saccharinity and provocative thoughts on the true meaning of Christmas spirit and down-on-your-luck ornamentation, A.M.O.34.S. is one of the most original holiday films. 9.5/10.
[category:classics/holiday-films/drama,date:1934-04-07,rate:9.5,type:movies]
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Category: Holiday Films
It’s A Wonderful Life (1933)
A sublimely scripted classic led by James Stewart’s powerful performance, IAWL is THE greatest Christmas movie and one of the most important and meaningful films ever made – exploring humanity, depression, suicide, & the mystery of life. 9.7/10.
[category:classics/holiday-films/drama,date:1933-04-07,rate:9.7,type:movies]
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Better Watch Out (2017)
The most provocative youth-horror since Scream, BWO blends Christmas feel with stylized slasherisms, tricky plotting, home invasion scares, & unforgettable villain twist by Levi Miller. A fresh reimagination of what holiday movies can be. 7.9/10.
[category:horror/slasher/holiday-films,date:2017-06-03,rate:7.9,type:movies]
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The Shop Around The Corner (1940)
One Of The Greatest & Most Influential Romantic-Comedies, TSATC: a wonderfully light-and-airy period tale of love vs. romanticization – boasting classic Sullivan & Stewart performances, clever gags, saccharine yuletide warmth/sweetness. 9.2/10.
[category:comedyromance/holiday-films/classics,date:1940-05-12,rate:8.1,type:movies]
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A Christmas Carol (1938)
A polished, saccharine MGM Golden-Age version of the yuletide classic that captures Dickens’ novel’s feel with plenty of heart and a masterclass of character development, though preachy at-times: the best adaptation of the iconic tale. 8/10.
[category:classics/holiday-films/drama,date:1938-04-07,rate:8,type:movies]
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The Polar Express (2004)
Sublime animation, nice voice work, and a heartwarming story, but one imbued with ~often glacial pacing and unnecessary scenes, The Polar Express is a fine, watchable holiday adventure – and overall-decent adaptation of the novel. 5/10.
[category:drama/animation/actionadventure/holiday-films,date:2004-12-19,rate:5,type:movies]
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Black Christmas (1974)
A complex, massively-influential slasher film blackening a joyous time of year with groundbreaking POV-transposition, bone-chilling horror sequences, phenomenal characterization, prognostic mental health cogitation, & wild twist-ending. 8.8/10
[category:horror/slasher/holiday-films,date:1974-11-03,rate:8.8,type:movies]
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Elf (2003)
A vibrant, zesty Christmas-classic bursting with yuletide charm and career-Ferrell performance with more charismatic energy and NYC-set comedy than legal on-screen, Elf’s a quick-wit, snappily-directed, heartfelt family holiday staple. 8.5/10.
[category:comedyromance/holiday-films,date:2003-05-12,rate:8.5,type:movies]
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National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989)
The yuletide classic status this movie perplexingly-holds is entirely inexplicable: basic, often-unfunny, hackneyed, flat run-of-the-mill family/slapstick comedy kitsch as manic as Chevy Chase’s crazy eyes and sappy as Griswold’s tree. 3.7/10.
[category:comedyromance/holiday-films/classics,date:1989-05-12,rate:4,type:movies]
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Hocus Pocus (1993)
Blunderingly acted by everyone outside its major trio’s [Midler-led] character-acts w. an overly-light score and clichéd plotline, HP is family-friendly Disney campfest diversion, but fails to deserve celebritized status amongst halloween greats. 4/10.
[category:horror/comedyromance/kids-family/holiday-films,date:1993-04-13,rate:5.2,type:movies]
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