Christmas Movie Favourites

Once December hits, everyone starts talking and blogging about gift ideas and their Christmas movie favourites. Some films were made for Christmas and others are just better at Christmas.

Here’s a few of my favs, and a slightly different round up on each one – the plots, moral of the story, key messages etc, since they never bother to add this type of thing to the official synopsis.

Warning: all of the below may contain sarcasm.

1 How The Grinch Stole Christmas

Unofficial synopsis: not every misery guts stays that way forever and they often turn out to be a lot of fun when they let themselves go and stop being so bitter and uptight – plus your skin colour doesn’t matter, it’s OK to be ‘green’ and not look like the majority of people around you #diversity

No matter how hard you try, you can’t steal Christmas, it’s too powerful.

2 A Christmas Carol/Scrooge

Unofficial synopsis: Don’t be tight or you’ll suffer for it.

Don’t be mean or karma will get you. Being generous and kind actually feels good – try it, The End.

3 Muppets Christmas Carol

Unofficial synopsis: Once again, don’t be tight with your money or you’ll suffer for it – even muppets know this.

…and if the cap fits.

4 Starwars (Boxset? Yes guilty as charged)

Unofficial synopsis: Showing you diversity and multiculturalism on a planetary and species level.

The films highlight the same same ‘human’ tendencies for having to deal with bullies and egotistical maniacs in positions of authority.

Also featuring relatable themes like love, peace and friendship within and between life forms, planets and worlds. The quest for harmony is not limited to our planet or solar system – if it’s any consolation.

5 The Polar Express

Unofficial synopsis: Keep a close eye of your kids on Christmas Eve in case they go galavanting off unaccompanied on big monstrous steam trains in the middle of the night with strangers – you really don’t want Social Services on your case with this one.

6 The Snowman

Unofficial synopsis: You can have some of the wildest times of your life with a best friend without them ever uttering a single word, and sometimes things happen purely because you believe in them – even when nobody else does (you’re not necessarily delusional) – but whether these things last forever is anybody’s guess. We’ve not seen an adult version of The Snowman yet – might be a clue there!

Again, Social Services will nail you for a ‘missing child’ case if it gets out.

7 The Chronicles of Narnia (The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe)

Unofficial synopsis: Time travel is real, and your oldest relatives probably know it secretly.

Lions are noble and respectable beasts that represent leadership. Every team needs a lion to destroy unwelcome ice queens. Let that sink in.

Beavers are cool but wolves can’t be trusted – and anything that walks on two hooves is a bit slippery.

There’s a time and a place for fur coats.

It’s amazing what you can find in the back of your wardrobe.

8 Batman Returns

Unofficial synopsis: You never know what secret world exists down your drains, so think twice about what you flush down there.

Anyone can make a catsuit, all you need is a sewing machine. No pattern or manequin to get the measurements right – just voila!!

In other words, if you’re angry and possessed enough you can do anything.

Maybe people become villains because they were rejected at birth.

Not all penguins are cute.

Gotham City is a a miracle city.

Namely, it’s a miracle the residents are not up in arms, refusing to pay their council tax bills until improvements are made to the street lighting, honestly!!

9 The BFG

Unofficial synopsis: Probably one of everyone’s Christmas Movie Favourites, The BFG reminds us that being bigger doesn’t mean you have to be scary, it’s character that counts.

Small and large can get along just fine, opposites don’t have to be rivals – embracing opposites and differences might just lead to world peace – maybe?

More to the point. Did Sophie discover something the rest of us are missing? Are giants real?

Segregation only leads to unhealthy speculation.

10 Prancer

Unofficial synopsis: This is arguably a very unfortunate name to have bestowed upon you, BUT everyone will love you just the same.

Remember what we learned from Romeo and Juliette about names (ends in tragedy if we think about it too much ….I know…nothing to do with Christmas but these thoughts just come to me).

I actually haven’t watched this one since I was at school (lol), but I distinctly remember being engrossed in a very serious conversation/review with friends about what we thought of it – during in an RE class.

11 Chronicles of Riddick

Nothing to do with Christmas, but somehow more enjoyable this time of year.

Unofficial synopsis: The main message – there are some strange things going on in space, and some people (Riddick) always seem to come out on top, cool/calm/collected, no matter the odds, they seem invincible.

We probably all know someone who fits this bill – learn what you can from them!!

Good conquers evil, happily ever after!

And….

These one’s aren’t really personal favourites but I couldn’t resist commenting:

12 Home Alone

Unofficial synopsis: Basically there are people in this world capable of doing the following:

• leave the house (at Christmas)
• drive to an airport
• board a flight
• sit back and relax for the duration of the flight
• land in another country
• go through immigration and customs

…..and all the while FAIL TO REALISE one of their children – the youngest ‘school aged’ child has been missing the whole time.

Go figure. ✈️

13 Wizard of OZ

Unofficial synopsis: Bottom line – It’s amazing what a new pair of shoes can do if your house ever blows away in a twister/typhoon hurricane or something similar.

Plus, it’s OK to have friends who are not ‘mainstream’ conventional types (like tin men, straw men and lions) #diversity

14 Great Expectations

Unofficial synopsis: Some people take things to the extreme and it doesn’t end well for them. A warning to people who just need to ‘get over it’ and move on, and those that don’t want to take a glaringly crystal clear hint.

Talk about extreme. 🤯

……and keeping your wedding dress on for too long could be a health & safety hazard.

15 Wallace and Gromit (any)

Unofficial synopsis: A calm and simple tone of voice makes any catastrophe a pleasant one – and just because dogs don’t articulate like you do, don’t think for one second that they don’t understand every word you say. Dogs are more intelligent than you think, and heaven knows what you’d do without them looking out for you!

Furthermore. most people look a bit like their dogs too. 🐶

15 Gremlins

Unofficial synopsis: Don’t be deceived by cuteness!

…and all the craziness tends to happen after dark.

Anyway….

I’m getting on a roll with this Christmas Movie Favourites theme, so I’ll have to work on a follow up or extended version of this for next year I think!

It’s amazing what springs to mind when you shift your perspective – some might call it nonsense….but at least its fun, right? 😅

Merry Christmas!! 🥂