REVIEW | Six Movies for the Holiday Season
Photo Credit: Twentieth Century Fox
Die Hard
Die Hard isn’t necessarily what comes to mind when you think about cuddling up under the fire to a Christmas special — it’s far closer to John Wick than to White Christmas. There is, however, festive cheer and machine guns and an ending where all conflict is resolved with nothing short of a Christmas miracle.
We follow detective John McClane (Bruce Willis), who saves the day when his wife’s holiday party is interrupted by a group of terrorists who take over the entire high-rise. He quickly realizes there is nobody to save the hostages but himself. The thrilling stakeout spans the night of Christmas Eve into the early hours of Christmas morning. Our hero, with violence and wit, fights tooth and nail to save the hostages, his marriage, and Christmas.
‘Tis the season for corpses written on with Yuletide messages, stepping on glass barefoot, and launching off imploding skyscrapers. Die Hard is grippingly entertaining, and it’s the most edge-of-your-seat movie you’ll be watching this Christmas.
Photo Credit: United Feature Syndicate
A Charlie Brown Christmas
When you hear Charlie Brown, it’s hard for the name not to be accompanied by the image of a spindly, nevergreen tree we can’t help but pity. It has an endearing charm that manages to persevere with real simplicity. Such is the magic quality of this movie and its ‘lovable loser’ lead, Charlie Brown (Peter Robbins). He’s got the Yuletide blues, and in a brave, out-of-character maneuver, he volunteers to direct the school’s Christmas play.
The story is simple, lovely, and sweet. Like most good festive films, it arrives at the truth of what Christmas is all about. The earnestness of a film like this wills itself to cut across any viewer and any moment in time. In A Charlie Brown Christmas, there is real melancholy, but there is also a sense of comfort and worldly innocence. Christmas time is here. Happiness and cheer. And for fans of the Peanuts, that means a classic Christmas delight.
Photo Credit: Scanbox Entertainment
Carol
If you’re looking for romance this holiday season, Carol leaves any Hallmark film in the dust, welcoming a love story that is different, extraordinary, and painfully just out of reach. Set in New York in the 1950s, the film follows Therese (Rooney Mara), a shopgirl at a posh Manhattan department store, and Carol (Cate Blanchett), one of the store’s best customers. Together, they embark on a love story amidst the complicated consequences of the unforgiving era they’ve been born into. To call Carol a Christmas miracle feels like an understatement — a miracle is what sums up the full weight of this love story.
Photo Credit: Warner Bros
Elf
A Christmas classic, this staple holiday film follows our quirky main character Buddy, the human-elf played by Will Ferrell, on his adventures to reconnect with his father in the heart of New York City. His enthusiasm gets him into some sticky situations, but with the help of newfound family and friends, he attempts to save Christmas and spread holiday cheer. Elf should be at the top of your list of Christmas movies this year, and every year, for that matter. So, gather some friends and kick off the holiday season!
Photo Credit: Twentieth Century Fox
Home Alone
Where heist meets the holidays, 8-year-old Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin), the youngest of five children, finds himself abandoned over winter break by his chaotic family who leave for a trip to Paris without him. He embraces his rebellious side and exploits his sudden independence. But come Christmas Eve, trouble knocks on his door. With a hectic runtime of one hour and 45 minutes, this classic keeps viewers on their toes as Kevin humourfully fends off two criminals who want to rob the family home.
Photo Credit: Warner Bros
The Polar Express
Take a train to a world of Christmas nostalgia with The Polar Express, an animated and inspiring tale that truly brings picture books to life. We watch as a boy who has yet to believe in the magic of Christmas embarks on an unexpected journey aboard the Polar Express. He meets friends and makes memories that will last him a lifetime, but most importantly, he discovers that the “true meaning of Christmas is in your heart,” as the train conductor wisely tells him. The Polar Express makes for a tender and heartwarming Christmas comfort movie, so settle in with some hot cocoa and watch the magic unfold.