Movies I Watched Over the Holidays

     Because Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without them.

1. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

 

     Probably one of the most classic Christmas movies ever made, to me the most memorable scenes come from Randy Quaid, in one of his most famous roles as Cousin Eddie.  Beverly D'Angelo and Chevy Chase give equally outstanding, hilarious performances as the mother and father of a wayward and dysfunctional family, brought together only by yuletide traditions that go hopeless awry.

2. Surviving Christmas

 

    Although it is certainly not a cerebral breakthrough or cinematic gem, Ben Affleck and the rest of the cast do turn out to make a mildly funny and entertaining holiday story about a rich boy who buys a family to relive his childhood memories of Christmas.  Completely unrealistic and slightly predictable, it still makes me laugh.

3. The Family Stone

 

       This Christmas comedy/drama centering around an insecure, neurotic woman meeting her husband's loud, blunt, vulgar (but close) family has to be one of my favorites.  The cast is full of big names - Diane Keaton, Sarah Jessica Parker, Rachel McAdams, Luke Wilson, and Craig T Nelson to name a few.  The plot thickens when it is discovered that the family matriarch, Cybil (Keaton) is sick with terminal cancer, and may not live to see her son marry a woman she dislikes so greatly.  Endearing and full of great dialouge, I never miss this film each year.

4. Home Alone

      Clearly the best out of the franchise, Home Alone was box office gold when it appeared in 1990.   With writing by John Hughes, direction by Chris Columbus, music by John Williams, and Macaulay Culkin as the lead role of Kevin McCallister, this movie could not have been created better.  It's the only other film that rivals Christmas Vacation as far as memorable holiday quotes go.  Catharine O'Hara, Joe Pesci, and Daniel Stern are great in their supporting roles.  I always watch it and imagine what I would do if I was eight years old and home alone.  Probably eat all the cookies in the cookie jar, turn up the thermostat without anyone getting upset, use all the hot water for showers...those types of things.

5. Bad Santa

       Billy Bob Thornton portrays probably the worst Kris Kringle in cinematic history in this dark comedy about a man that dresses up as Santa in order to scout establishments out and rob them later.  He's an alcoholic, womanizer, and has no regard for the feelings of the children that flock to take their picture with him.  This film is as hysterical and crude as it gets - and it's one of my holiday traditions.  

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