December is here, Christmas and Hanukkah are right around the corner, and even the nondenominational may want to get into the holiday spirit.
Enter your TV: your stack of old DVDs, and your favorite streaming services. There’s no better time than now to kick off a holiday movie marathon. We’d be doing you a disservice if we didn’t offer a roundup of the holiday films we’ve added to our watch-list.
Here are some of the movies we recommend you view before the New Year:
Home Alone (1990)
Kevin McCallister is a typical eight-year-old. You know, the kind whose family forgets to bring him to the airport for their holiday trip to Paris. At first the precocious kid (played by Macaulay Culkin) is relieved to have some time to himself. His excitement fades, however, when he realizes that two not-so-clever conmen are trying to rob him—and that only he can protect the family home. As a security firm, we applaud Kevin’s skills and can’t recommend this cult classic enough.
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
This stop-motion animated Tim Burton film is perfect for both Halloween and Christmas. The film follows Jack Skellington, the local pumpkin king, who’s grown tired of the same routine each Halloween. When Jack leaves his native Halloweentown and happens upon Christmastown, he decides to take on a new holiday. Though Jack means well, it quickly becomes clear that he is no Santa Claus. This comedic masterpiece is perfect for families.
Elf (2003)
Will Ferrell’s Buddy accidentally moved to the North Pole as a toddler and was raised by Santa’s elves. Naturally, he feels he doesn’t quite fit in—so the adult Buddy travels to New York in search of his father. In elf uniform (not to mention a state of complete culture shock), Buddy locates his dad and tries to form the relationship he’s always craved. The outcome is a perfect combination of heartwarming, chaotic, and festive.
It’s a Wonderful Life* (1946)
Businessman George Bailey is fed up. As he contemplates leaving it all behind, his guardian angel Clarence makes an appearance. Christmas is just a short time away, and viewers learn to empathize with George as we take a step back and see his life in flashback. Slowly but surely, Clarence shows George what his town would look like if it hadn’t been for all of his good deeds. By the end of the film, George learns to celebrate all the good things in his life.
*Trigger Warning: Suicidal ideation.
The Family Stone (2005)
For transparency’s sake, I’ll share that this is my family’s must-watch holiday movie. We haven’t gone a year without it in over a decade! But with good reason, because this multigenerational family drama is hilarious, serious when it needs to be, and undeniably captivating. When Everett Stone brings his girlfriend home for the holidays, Meredith—tightly-wound and in need of backup—asks her sister to come along too. What happens next is complete tumult. The Stone family has no choice but to reexamine their relationships not only with each other, but with themselves.
The Family Man (2000)
A modern take on It’s a Wonderful Life, Nicolas Cage plays a disenchanted investment banker whose life changes completely when he disarms a gunman in a grocery store holdup. There he meets his own guardian angel (played by Don Cheadle), who shows him what life would be like if he hadn’t left his college sweetheart to focus on his career. Navigating this alternate universe, Jack must decide whether he’s a financial powerhouse or a family man. Is there any chance he can be both?
Krampus (2015)
A little holiday horror never hurt anyone. An homage to European folklore, this movie tells the tale of Krampus, a horned beast who punishes misbehaving children around Christmastime. When some family squabbling unleashes the wrath of this Christmas monster, Krampus starts targeting the Engels—and the family must come together in order to save one another. Starring Toni Collette and Adam Scott, this holiday movie is not to be missed.
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989)
A slapstick classic to top off our list. With the holidays approaching, Clark Griswold (played by Chevy Chase) wants to plan the perfect Christmas—and he takes things a little too far in the process, pestering his wife and kids to make sure the house is perfect. Things fall apart quickly when Clark’s cousin shows up unannounced, and his boss reneges on the end-of-year bonus he was expecting. Will Clark get the Christmas he hoped for?
And there you have it: some of our favorite holiday movies. Are there any others you would add to the above list?
Contact Umbrella Security Services Today
Happy holidays to you and yours. We hope you can sit back, relax, and enjoy some of these movies through the end of December.
Then, next year, we invite you to kick off a new security program. Please contact us to schedule your complimentary talk with Umbrella.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Comments