Top 5 festive films to watch at Christmas

Here we are, the most wonderful time of the year and to help celebrate I have put together a top five list of festive films to watch over the Christmas period. This list actually was pretty straightforward to put together as these are films that have been firm favourites of mines for years. Everyone out there has their own personal taste and our favourite Christmas films tend to be drawn from personal experiences, which is how they influence our favourites.  A good Christmas film to me has to have a great deal of humour in it alongside some heart warming tale with some emotion added in for good measure. Please feel free to leave a comment with your top five as I would be interested to know what the influences would be for favourites. Unfortunately they just don’t make Christmas films like these anymore…

Screen Gal’s top five festive films: 

1. The Muppet Christmas Carol
2. Home Alone
3. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
4. Father Christmas
5. Home Alone 2: Lost in New York

1. The Muppet Christmas Carol

The Muppet Christmas Carol is without a doubt my favourite Christmas film of all time and it does seem to be a popular choice for my generation. I have always loved the Muppets and as much as I love Muppet Treasure Island, this for me is miles better. Christmas Carol has been around since my early childhood and I can even still remember opening it up on Christmas morning when I was 6 years old. Every year on Christmas Eve I sit with the tree lights on and watch this film with my better half. It never fails to make me smile and you can’t help but sing along to all the wonderful songs. 

The Muppet Christmas Carol re-tells the Charles Dickens’ classic but with muppets added in for good measure and Michael Caine taking the lead role of Ebenezer Scrooge. Mr Scrooge is a vile man and is nasty to all those around him. He owns a tax collection company and working for him is faithful employee Bob Cratchit (played by Kermit the frog), a family man who wants to spend Christmas at home with his family. The workers unite together to convince Scrooge that they should not be working on Christmas Day and so he eventually gives them the day off. As Scrooge settles down for the night he is visited by his deceased former partners – Jacob and Robert Marley who tell him to expect three ghosts throughout the night. The film then takes us on a journey through Scrooge’s past, present and future. After the three ghosts are gone, he wakes up a changed man full of hope and love and spreads joy to those around him who he may have been unfair to in the past.

The Muppet Christmas Carol is one of the earliest Christmas films that I have ever seen (with Home Alone being the first!) and I honestly can’t praise it enough. If I was to do a review on it I would give it a full 5/5 as it is sheer genius. Michael Caine’s performance as Mr Scrooge is absolutely brilliant, he really puts so much into this role and is totally believable. This role is one in which many people will always associate him with. The Muppet’s are as usual fantastic with Kermit, Gonzo and Rizzo taking on the lead roles. My favourite character is Rizzo the rat as he has the comedy factor and some of the best lines of the film. One scene which I love is the one with the ghost from Christmas present as he is such a friendly ghost and also the shape of a giant muppet. The musical numbers throughout the film are great and it is such a heart warming tale, a huge recommend!

2. Home Alone

Home Alone has to be a film that everyone has seen, whether it’s at Christmas time or not. I honestly can’t remember a Christmas from my past where I did not watch this film. It is one of my favourite films of all time and one that can be enjoyed all year round. My sister and I absolutely adore this film and it is one that will guarantee laughs in our family. When I was younger we used to quote from this film all the time and I can even remember having a crush on Macauly Culkin (bearing in mind I was around four years old!) Again it has all the elements that a Christmas film should have; laughter and an emotional tie at the end.

Home Alone takes place in a neighbourhood in Chicago and we are introduced to the McAllister family. It is the night before their annual Christmas vacation and the family and extended family are getting their cases packed and organising themselves before getting up early in the morning and heading to the airport. Kevin McAllister (the youngest child) falls out with the rest of his family after his brother Buzz causes trouble during dinner time. Kevin’s mum then tells him to sleep in the attic with his cousin as punishment and as words are exchanged he claims that he never wants to see his family again. Come the next morning the family sleep in for their wake up call and in a mad dash to the airport end up forgetting about Kevin and leave him asleep in the attic. Upon flying to Paris the family then realise their mistake and try to get home to Kevin as soon as possible (which isn’t easy around Christmas time!) Kevin is then opened to the fact early in the film that there are two burglars who are targeting his neighbourhood and he must fight against them to save his home.

This film really is packed full of laughs and has such a feel good factor that you can’t help but smile once the credits role. Adults can also get a real good laugh at this as there are jokes for every age range. This is the film that made Macauly Culkin into the child star that he was. I think that Daniel Stern and Joe Pesci are my two favourite actors as they portray comedy so well and even though they are supposed to be the baddies, you can’t help but emphasise with them as paint cans are being knocked towards them, Marv’s face being smashed with an iron and Harry scalding his hand trying to open up the door. This is a great family film and one that will live on as a classic.

3. National Lampoons Christmas Vacation

I actually only discovered Christmas Vacation about three years ago when it was showing on ITV and upon watching it I immediately fell in love with it. Previous Christmas films have humour but Christmas Vacation is packed full of laughs and there is hardly a moment were you don’t laugh. As I have said, I really loved this film the first time I watched it and another good part for myself was that both Juliette Lewis (my favourite actress) and Johnny Galecki (Big Bang Theory) were in it. I have never seen any other National Lampoon films but if they are anything like this one then I will certainly give them a chance. 

Christmas Vacation revolves around Clark Griswold and his family where all Clark wants is the perfect family Christmas. Clark drives the family miles across the country in search of the perfect tree and ends up in a traffic accident on the way back to their house. Both Clark and Ellen’s parents show up and decide that they will stay for Christmas and as time goes on other relatives including Cousin Eddie and his family stay with the Griswold’s. This drives Clark onto the brink of insanity as he is driven mad by Eddie’s antics and the fact that he wants everything to be perfect. From Christmas lights not working, being locked in the attic, the tree set on fire, the turkey being overcooked and Clark’s boss being kidnapped by Cousin Eddie it is a laugh a minute. 

I absolutely love this film and I love how in some way everyone can relate to it. We all want Christmas to be perfect in our own way, but this rarely happens with relatives coming to visit or appliances failing to work on the big day. Chevy Chase is outstanding and for me definitely one of his funniest performances. He is well suited to the role of Clark and you really do empathise with him so often throughout his journey to hell and back. One of my favourite moments is when uncle and aunt come to visit unexpectedly and the old woman wraps up her cat as a Christmas present. Everything really does seem to go really wrong from that moment on. It is a great film to watch at this time of year as it will keep you laughing all the way throughout.

4. Father Christmas 

This is a completely different choice to any of the other films in my top 5 and probably a shock to some of you. I will state however that many people have never seen this and have instead seen The Snowman year after year. This short animated film made by Raymond Briggs used to be on every Christmas Eve and my whole family would sit up and watch it as it is a lovely, heart warming tale of Santa Claus and his journey throughout the world to deliver presents before Christmas Day. I just recently bought this on DVD so this is one that I will be saving until Christmas Eve.

Father Christmas is the tale of Santa (or Father Christmas, St Nicholas etc) and his holiday to the end of the world and back after delivering presents to children on Christmas Eve. This Santa (voiced by Mel Smith) is a bit different to the usual jolly fellow that we are used to and instead is rather grumpy and we see him coping with everyday domestic chores. After being so busy during the Christmas period Santa decides that he needs a holiday and so decides to go to France and also decides to purchase a camper van to travel around in. We are then taken on a journey through Santa's travells throughout the world before wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and opening his presents on Christmas morning.

This short film is absolutely brilliant and has it funny moments. I can’t believe that many people have never seen it and that the TV networks will show The Snowman every year rather than Father Christmas. This isn’t to say that I don’t like The Snowman because I do but personally I feel that Father Christmas is miles better.  A few years ago Kit Kat used this Father Christmas in their adverts which was nice. I love seeing Santa in Las Vegas where he watches the Can-Can dancers and in Scotland where he camps next to the Loch Ness Monster. It delivers some laughs but also leaves a warm fuzzy feeling inside so if you can, give this one a go as it is fantastic.

5. Home Alone 2: Lost in New York

So here we are, Home Alone 2 just sneaks into fifth position on my top 5 and this was a tough decision to decide what film would make it in. I have decided on this as let’s face it, when do we ever see any good sequels? ( Check out my remake post!) however this one is very good. I think I actually seen this film in the cinema and even had a Home Alone 2 scrapbook and Game Boy game. This is a great film with loads of humour and some standout performances. 

 

Home Alone 2 again follows Kevin McAllister and his family as they set off for another Christmas vacation. The family again sleep in for their wake up call but on the transport bus to the airport they make sure that Kevin is on board and is sure to go to Florida. However as the family are running late again (you would think that after a year they would get a new alarm clock!) it is a mad dash to the gate and Kevin falls behind while putting batteries in his walkietalk. He then spots his dad and just makes it onto the flight on time…or does he? We then discover that Kevin followed the wrong man onto the plane and that he is not going to Florida with his family but instead going to New York. He also has his dad’s bag and decides to make his way to the Plaza Hotel after seeing an advertisement on the TV before he left. It is while there that the concierge and his entourage get wind of Kevin’s antics and it is a mad chase to report him to the police. While in New York he runs into none other than Harry and Marv, who are in New York to rob toy stores. Kevin is all alone in the city and now that his old friends are after him and the hotel staff and it is a mad rush for his family to reach him before Christmas. 

I really like Home Alone 2 and as much as it wasn't as good as the original it is still a decent film. I thought the concept of him getting on the wrong plane is a great move as it is something quite common that children end up lost and if I was Kevin's age and seen what I thought was my dad I wouldve followed him on. I really love the employees who work in the hotel and think that Tim Curry is one of the standout performances (what can I say, he's a great actor!?) I think he always plays a fantastic baddie and I love all of his lines. The ending again is my favourite when Harry and Marv chase Kevin into his Uncle's house. It is a great film and one which should be checked out. 

Well thats my top 5 festive films all here, it was really hard when it came to number 5 as there are so many other film choices that could have made it and many other favourites including Miracle on 34th Street, Elf, Gremlins etc. Thank you again for reading through my blog and hope you all have a very Merry Christmas!!

 

I would like, if I may, to take you on a strange journey...

The Rocky Horror Picture Show

Rating: 4/5

Starring: Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon, Barry Bostwick, Richard O’Brien, Patricia Quinn and Little Nell. 

Director: Jim Sharman

Year: 1975

I know that you’re thinking this is a weird choice of film to review however on Halloween my better half and I were presented with the opportunity to see it in the cinema as a special event. This has got me thinking that it would be a great film to review and one of my personal favourites. I first seen this film when I was around 14 years old and it was on late one night on BBC2. Fellow pupils in my class at school had spoken about it a lot and out of curiosity I decided to give it a go. If I am totally honest, the first time I seen it I was totally shocked and didn’t like it. It was also my first experience of seeing a man dressed up as a woman and was quite scared by it to be honest!

The film opens with a pair of red lips singing to the opening song ‘Science Fiction: Double Feature’. The opening scene is at a wedding and we are immediately introduced a young couple attending the wedding. Brad Majors (played by Barry Bostwick) is the best man at the wedding and his girlfriend Janet Weiss (Susan Sarandon) is the maid of honour. As the bride throws the bouquet, Janet is there to catch it and this prompts Brad to propose to Janet right outside the church and so they decide to tell their good news to Dr Everett Scott, an old high school teacher of the couple. There is also a criminologist on hand to tell us the story of what exactly happened to Brad and Janet and what strange adventures they encountered on their journey. 

It is a cold, dark and wet night and Brad and Janet are on their way to see Dr Scott however they are stopped short when their tyre blows. The couple see a castle back down the road and decide to seek shelter where they can use a phone to call someone to help them fix the car and be on their way. It appears that this is no ordinary castle and it is in fact house to aliens from the planet Transylvania who are having a party for their ‘master’. They soon realise that there is no escape and soon they become hostage in the castle where strange events unfold.  

There are so many memorable moments throughout this film that are sheer genius – Frank n Furter bringing his creation to life, the bedroom scene involving three main characters, the conversation around the dinner table and of course the floor show. Tim Curry is absolutely fantastic in his role as Frank n Furter and is definitely the film’s main star. My other two favourite characters are Riff Raff and Magenta and the relationship that is observed between the two of them. It has a good storyline where you have to guess what exactly the relationship is between them and is it more than a brother-sister relation? The ending leaves you reeling and wanting to find out exactly what happened to Brad and Janet and how will they ever recover from such events? 

This is definitely one of my favourite films of all time and my favourite musical. I have seen the live theatre version, which is just as good as the film. The songs are absolutely fantastic and well written by Richard O’Brien. This is a cult classic that will remain in the hearts of millions throughout the world.  

Good Points: The music score is fantastic and you really can’t help but sing along! Tim Curry’s performance as Frank n Furter is outstanding as if the acting from Richard O’Brien and Patricia Quinn.  

Bad points: It’s not that I don’t like the ending it’s that I think that it could be better. After Riff Raff and Magenta blast the castle into outer space and Janet, Brad and Dr Scott are left crawling on the planet’s face I was thinking that they could have maybe expanded on it. 

Stay tuned for Screen Gal's Top 5 Christmas Crackers coming in the next week! Also don't forget to comment on the blog or follow me on twitter. Thank you so much for all your views since starting out, it really means a lot. After the new year there will be big changes in store and a facebook page. Thanks again!

Screen Gal’s discussion of the month: Film remakes – better than the original or better in the bargain bin?

It’s time for another discussion, this month I have decided to focus on the growing popularity of film remakes. Again, feel free to leave any comments about what your thoughts are towards remakes and I will get back to you. 

We all know and love classic films that are very dear to our hearts and firmly become rooted as our all time favourites. However, in the past ten years ‘classics’ have somehow become very popular to remake, with new directors trying to surpass the original. On a recent trip to the cinema with my better half, we witnessed the popularity of remakes in full demonstration. There is a segment before the film begins called FTRC ‘From the Red Carpet’ which brings cinema-goers up to date with the latest from Hollywood. While waiting for our film, it came to my attention that every film mentioned was either a sequel or a remake. So in the 21^st century we must ask ourselves two questions:

  

1. Why have remakes become so popular?
2. Are the remakes actually ever any good?

     Let’s look at the horror genre and one of my personal favourites Halloween (briefly mentioned in my top 5 Halloween here) with Jamie Lee Curtis. 

Michael Myers: Halloween (1978)

This is a classic horror film with a huge fan base, loved by millions around the world. On June 4^th 2006 it was announced that Rob Zombie would be remaking the classic film Halloween and received a mixed reaction from fans. The film would be split down the middle – the first half focusing on Michael Myers’ upbringing as a child and the second half acting as a remake of the original film. The film can also be considered as a prequel as Zombie was intent on delving deeper into Michael’s past and discover what drove him to go on a killing spree.   

Michael Myers: Halloween (2007)

The film received mixed reviews, some critics praising it for Zombie putting his own spin on Halloween while intertwining new and fresh ideas. Also the casting was heavily praised, specifically Malcolm McDowell as Dr Loomis. Other critics have said that the film went for cheap shocks and too many graphic scenes of nudity and violence which lacked any suspense that the original brought.  

Scream 4 particularly focuses on remakes and the whole structure of the film is built around remodelling the original. However, in the 21^st century the original must be outdone and everything has to be much more graphic in order to satisfy the modern audience. There is a scene in this film where the killer is quizzing the character Kirby about film remakes and in the space of around three minutes she manages to name around 25 -30 horror films which have all been remade. This scene stands out in my mind as it is amazing how many good horror films have been chewed up, re processed and spat back out again by Hollywood. With the likes of The Thing, Straw Dogs, Battle Royale, The Birds, Drop Dead Fred, Gremlins, Never Ending Story, Police Academy (to name a few!) being released, have the film makers run out of ideas? Or do they simply want to make the originals better and friendlier for a post-modern audience? 

I think that both points are true. Remakes have been so popular recently because the directors want to bring films to new audiences in a more shocking way. Let’s face it – it takes a lot to shock audiences with the likes of Saw being tame by some standards. 

In my experience I have seen many remakes however none are in my personal favourites. I have also seen the remake of Psycho with Vince Vaughn. Chilling.

Favourite links: 

Rotten Tomatoes' Best Remakes 

Total Film: 50 Worst Movie Remakes 

The Independent: Film Remakes - Better than the Real Thing