It’s December the first and you know what that means, it’s time to take the Christmas decorations out (But you probably already did, right?), listen to Last Christmas by Wham! and get ready to wear your favorite ugly sweaters.
But before we show you the Christmas movies you can’t miss, let’s talk about what makes a movie a true Christmas classic. Normally one of the main characters needs to make a change in their lives or has a particular feeling about the Holidays celebration, and the magic of Christmas comes around to change their world and share happiness.
And we’re sure after this dramatic 2020, we’ll be the main characters of a happy ending.
So if you’re having a hard time sleeping because you can’t stop thinking about drinking hot chocolate, enjoying the most magical time of the year and waking up the Holidays spirit, we got you a list of some of the most iconic Christmas movies that you need to watch before Christmas Eve:
The Holiday
This is definitely one of the most iconic Christmas classics, not just because it has a cast full of talent: Kate Winslet, also known as Rose in The Titanic, she had space in that door, right?; Cameron Diaz, who retired from the screens, but, do you know that she has a wine company now that is called Avaline?; Jude Law, from Anna Karenina to Fantastic Beasts, he is one of our favorite actors; and the super fun Jack Black, we all know who he is, but before screaming “Nachoo”, fall in love with his performance in this movie.
The Holiday tells the story of two women that are going through a hard time in their lives: Amanda Woods is a successful american woman in the movie business who breaks up with her boyfriend after he admitted of cheating on her, and Iris Simpkins, a londoner who is still in love with her exboyfriend, currently engaged and with whom she had a very toxic relationship.
Looking for a change in their lives, they decide to list their places on a switching house website and they both take their respective offers. Iris starts to live in a mansion in Los Angeles and Amanda goes to Surrey, outside of London. Wondering what’s next? Amanda meets Graham, an editor that is also Iris’ brother; while Iris gets to know Arthur, a famous screenwriter and Miles, a composer, they both will change her life completely.
This is the perfect movie to watch at night with a glass of wine,
¿Our advice? Keep some tissues close because the scenes full of hope, love and self-improvement will excite you.
The Night Before
Let’s go back to 2001 (We wish we could, right?), Ethan Miller (or as we also called him the handsome Joseph Gordon-Levitt) lost his parents in a car accident, and his two best friends Isaac Greenberg (the hilarious Seth Rogen) and Chris Roberts (Anthony Mackie, also known as the next Captain America) created a new tradition: Spending Christmas eve together in New York City and look for an exclusive party they heard once.
In 2015, the friends decided to put an end to the tradition to create new ones with their families. Chris is now a famous american player, Isaac is married and expecting a child, but Ethan, a musician having a hard time, is not ready for the tradition to end.
If Christmas is not your favorite time of the year and you don’t want to watch the typical love story, this movie is for you.
You will laugh with the super funny Seth Rogen and with a movie about the family you choose, your friends, and besides, if you’re a fan of karaoke and Miley Cyrus, you will love even more this new classic.
Love Actually
Probably the most iconic Christmas movie, Love Actually is not only full of memorable scenes and a stellar cast with the best actors of the time, but a story full of hope, love and lots of Christmas. Starred by Keira Knightley, Hugh Grant, Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, and others. Be prepared to cry, laugh, fall in love with little Sam and to sing All I want for Christmas everyday.
The famous Richard Curtis is the director and writer of this movie, but he is also known for directing Notting Hill… Exactly, the movie with the scene: “I’m also just a girl, standing in front of a boy asking him to love her”…Do you remember? But now let’s focus in Love Actually’s plot: The british prime minister falls in love with a member of his household staff, a writer discover his girlfriend is cheating on him with his brother and meets a new love, a happily married woman suspects her husband is unfaithful, a widowed stepfather helps his 11 years old kid to captivate the most popular girl in the school… And we’re not even close to finish, but we hope we gave you enough reasons to watch this movie that will make you love Christmas even more.
Our tips if you decide to watch it:
Have some tissues close, bring some hot chocolate and put your favorite ugly sweater, even better, invite your whole family to watch a movie that will make you all want the festivities to last the whole year.
Home Alone
Popular opinion: Is it Christmas if you don’t watch Home Alone? Of course not!
It’s the best movie to feel like you’re 5 years old again and get crazy with little Kevin (Macaulay Culkin, by the way, did you know he has a podcast called Bunny Ears?). Let’s remember our childhood with one of the sweetest and funniest classics of the cinema.
Kevin is an 8 years old kid who lives with his family in Chicago, everyone gets ready to spend Christmas in Paris but after a stormy night, there is a blackout and clocks reset. The next day, in the confusion and hurry, Kevin is forgotten at home. The cute little Kevin wakes up thinking about his new freedom, but encounters Harry and Marv, some thieves that were planning to steal him, but the clever kid tricks them and makes them think his family is still at home.
More than 25 years have passed since the movie came out and little Kevin still reminds us how special Christmas is with family.
Surely you have seen it, but as it is tradition to eat “natilla”, it is to watch Home Alone.
The Nightmare Before Christmas
We will always find a reason to talk about Tim Burton, the famous director who has brought movies to fantasize with like: Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands and Big Fish; please, if you haven’t watched any of these, add them to your list and let’s daydream about Tim Burton’s world.
Now, let’s talk about Jack Skellington, the main character of The Nightmare Before Christmas and the most important celebrity in Halloween Town, who is tired of celebrating it year after year, he walks aimlessly and gets to the Christmas tree, where he is immediately transported to a town full of snow, lights and happiness. After coming back to Halloween Town, Jack shows everybody the incredible world behind Christmas, but frustrated by the lack of interest of the residents, he searches for the only way everybody can understand: Getting dressed up as Santa Claus.
A cinema classic that you can watch with your family enjoying an afternoon of caricatures, laughs and a world so special as only Tim Burton could create.
Get some popcorn and let’s fall in love with the voices of a marvelous cast: Catherine O’hara (Famous for her role as the mom in Home Alone and her new character in Schitt’s Creek) and Chris Sarandon (More known as the prince Humperdinck in The Princess Bride).
Bonus:
And if you like teenage dramas that make you feel and believe in love, Dash & Lilly is the new Netflix series that you need to watch. A charming and diverse cast, starred by Austin Abrams (a rising star known for movies like Chemical Hearts by Amazon Prime, we truly recommend you to watch this drama that will surprise you) and Midori Francis (an emerging talent that you have seen in the new classic Ocean’s 8, can you remember her?).
This new Christmas classic tells the story of Lily, a 17 years old girl who in her personal search leaves a red notebook in her favorite bookstore full of challenges and waits for the right boy to accept it. Dash is a lonely and grumpy teenager, who finds the notebook and is up for it. This will start a charming romance full of challenges and wishes in the beautiful New York City.
We recommend you this series for a Sunday, relaxed in bed, perfect when you want to watch something chill that reminds you why Christmas time is so special.
After watching these movies, we’re singing Christmas carols. Do you know our new playlist Christmas is coming? If you’re already listening to it and drinking a glass of wine, thinking about how to reward yourself for being so strong this year, watch any of these movies and relax, you deserve it. And if you were left wanting to watch more movies, we have some other suggestions: The Grinch, A Bad Mom Christmas, Just Friends and Jack Frost. Let us know which one is your favorite and if we missed a classic on this list. By the way, do you know what Pineapples piece you’re going to ask for Christmas? Because we have some suggestions!
