By Geno McGahee
The Christmas season is upon us and it is time to sit back and watch some good holiday films. There are so many presents under the tree when it comes to films, ranging to comedic to romantic to dramatic and since Santa has a list, Scared Stiff has done one as well, going over some naughty and nice titles to look out for.
REINDEER GAMES stars Ben Affleck and Charlize Theron and revolves around a casino and nothing can bring the excitement like a casino. Online gambling has been a popular activity of late with a comeon review getting a huge reaction and drawing a big crowd of eager gamblers, much like the casino in REINDEER GAMES, where Affleck and his group dress as Santa to rob it and run away with some dough. Although, not often credited as a Christmas movie, it checks all the boxes and proves to be a holiday action drama worth a watch. Verdict: Nice.
Another film that has drawn a large debate amongst fans is DIE HARD. Bruce Willis gets locked in a skyscraper with a large group of terrorists and must use his skills as a trained police officer to take down the bad guys and it all happens during a Christmas party. The décor is everywhere and Willis actually puts a Santa hat on one of the terrorists he took out. I consider this a great Christmas movie and the verdict is easy to make: Nice.
The hilarious comedy CHRISTMAS WITH THE KRANKS with Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis concerns a married couple with an empty nest electing to skip Christmas to the dismay of the neighbors. Their plan to take a cruise takes an unsuspecting turn when their daughter comes home and they must scramble to make the holiday happen and happen in a big way. The film is one of my favorites and showcases the comedic ability of both Allen and Curtis. Verdict: Nice.
When it comes to holiday movies considered classic, HOME ALONE is on everyone’s list, but HOME ALONE 4 is one that should be forgotten. A basic retelling of the first with a marching of the wet bandits into one person, this film rates as one of the most painful holiday movies ever created and an insult to the original in a big way. If you don’t want to give out coal to bad children, a DVD of this film might be a good idea. Verdict: Naughty.
UNACCOMPANIED MINORS follows the path of HOME ALONE, featuring a bunch of kids pitted against a group of bumbling adults. The kids are trapped at the airport and are trying to save the holiday season during a snowstorm, and end up becoming close friends and nearly family. This film is just fun for the entire family and I really enjoy it the more I watch it. Verdict: Nice.
Matthew Broderick and Danny Devito came together in a good way in DECK THE HALLS, a comedy with plenty of slapstick. Devito moves next door to Broderick and the contrast in characters creates conflict and the neighbors begin to fight it out, using different amusing tactics, leading to a final showdown at a town-wide contest. The film has gotten mixed reviews, but I find it amusing with plenty of laughs along the way. Verdict: Nice.
Other films making the nice list would be the HOME ALONE films, with the obvious exception, DISNEY’S A CHRISTMAS CAROL with Jim Carrey and JINGLE ALL THE WAY with Arnold Schwarzenegger. The naughty list notables would be THE GRINCH, SANTA CLAUSE 3 and THE CHRISTMAS GIFT with John Denver.
It is the best time of the year and there are far too many holiday movies to name, but I hope you enjoyed this sampling of Christmas movies to watch.
