The Home Alone franchise (1990-2021)
Liam Sherlock, Senior News Editor
This delightful and heartwarming Christmas movie series is the perfect medicine for the holiday blues. Upset you can’t be with your family? Upset you are with your family? Fear not, watching a predictable sequence of a demonic child torturing a couple of down-on-their-luck adults (it’s okay, they’re robbers so you also get a sense of moral superiority instead of guilt) will help you while away the hours, as you admire the ever more elaborate booby traps, and feel grateful that no matter how much your family annoys, they (probably) wouldn’t forget a six-year-old before going for a holiday-time trip. It will also remind you children are in fact evil. Highly recommended for those with younger siblings! As an added bonus, you can also take a shot of eggnog every time someone experiences excruciating pain. Just make sure the eggnog isn’t too strong, otherwise you’ll forget more than the holiday blues.
A Christmas Story (1983):
Phillip Harker, Features/Op-Eds Staff Writer
An easy-to-watch all-ages flick that tells a story of a 1940 Christmas in smalltown Indiana. Lots of the humour still holds up today. It reminds you of all the weird things you did and believed when you were little, and shows how much of that has been the same for all kids, going back generations.
The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992):
Isaiah Hazelwood, Trinity News Senior Editor
In my (worthless) opinion, this is the best adaptation of Dickens’ 1943 holiday novel. It’s accurate to the source material, with Gonzo even weaving Dickens quotations into his narration. Michael Caine is an amazingly serious, miserly, stoic Scrooge, which is an amazing counterpoint to the festive, comedic holiday spirit embodied by the Muppets.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966):
Alex Trachsell, Features/Op-Eds Staff Writer
Just because it’s the holidays doesn’t mean you’re no longer short on time. The holidays can be as stressful a time as any, so this 26-minute long Grinch film (television show, really) is the perfect way to relax and try to rekindle the belief that there’s something to these holidays beyond superficial materialism. And that’s just what that film will do, with its charming animation and old-timey narration, in a manner that completely surpasses the feature-length flops which have come to besmirch the Grinch’s glorious, life-affirming name.
Elf (2003):
Zayd Diz, Senior Photography Editor
What would happen if one of Santa’s elves visited New York City during the holidays? Well, you’d get something along the lines of Elf, a comedic gem featuring a career-best performance from Will Ferrell. Ferrell plays Buddy, an elf who travels to the Big Apple in search of his real father, played by James Caan. As Buddy goes from experiencing everything from department stores to revolving doors for the first time, the relentless hilarity that ensues on his journey will provide anyone with enough quotable lines to liven up any holiday party.
A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965):
Vikram Nijhawan, Senior Arts and Culture Editor
Charles M. Schultz’s iconic, melancholy protagonist will resonate with modern viewers who continue to lament about department store Christmas decorations in November. The Peanuts holiday special is a classic that has aged all too well amidst our increasingly commercialistic Yuletide celebrations. Charlie Brown’s attempt to imbue his friends’ slap-dash holiday performance with just a little more heart and sincerity presents an ideal we can all strive towards during this time of year. With acerbic humour that gets funnier as the audience ages (real estate, as Lucy reminds us, is what we should all wish for in our stockings), to Snoopy’s ever-adorable canine antics, this childhood staple remains endearing. If nothing else, Charlie Brown’s pathetic little Christmas tree will likely make you feel better about your low-effort holiday home decor.
