- Home Alone
- Die Hard
- The Holdovers
- Arthur Christmas
- It’s A Wonderful Life
This Christmas, don’t sit in front of the television, scrolling and scrolling trying to decide what to watch. Instead, trust Film Probe to recommend you the best Christmas movies to watch this season. In this list, I wanted to share a variety of seasonal features from a range of genres that can speak to everyone’s tastes.
Firstly, Home Alone (1990), when I think of Christmas I think of this. It is the perfect film to start off the season, written by the master John Hughes this film takes you on a magical adventure of family and fun. Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) is a scrappy boy who finds himself accidentally left home alone over the holidays, he must protect his house from prying eyes as two criminals attempt to rob the ‘empty’ home.
Let’s change things up and suggest a ‘Christmas’ film that begs the question, is it a Christmas movie? Well, in Film Probe’s opinion, yes it is! Die Hard (1988) is an unconventional holiday movie that despite the action sequences and use of strong language will subconsciously make you excited for Christmas. Die Hard (1988) holds all the classic festive themes from rekindling love and reuniting with family, this film has become a classic.
If you’re looking for something new this Christmas, maybe a film you’re yet to watch, I cannot recommend The Holdovers (2023) enough. This beautiful, snowy feature is one of the most heartwarming coming-of-age stories you can watch this time of year. As the holiday season closes in, an uptight teacher (Paul Giamatti) at a prep school is tasked with the job of babysitting a handful of students who have nowhere to go home. He soon forms an unlikely bond with a brainy but damaged troublemaker and the two embark on a sweet, charming tale of self-discovery and friendship.
If you want to watch something with the whole family, young children included, Arthur Christmas (2011) is not one to miss. Santa’s adorable son Arthur sets out on a mission to deliver the last present which has been forgotten. Arthur Christmas is a heartwarming, poignant story for this season, it teaches us the importance of compassion, family and teamwork. It is a thoroughly enjoyable watch for the whole family and I guarantee it will become a joyful favourite you put on every year.
Finally and most certainly not least, I wanted to end this list with a classic Christmas film. A film which will stay with you and ingrain itself into your memory, It’s A Wonderful Life (1946). For some, classic Christmas films can be cliched or boring but for Film Probe, It’s A Wonderful Life never fails to put a smile on my face (and maybe shed a tear or two). This beautifully emotional piece tells the story of George Bailey (James Stewart) who is visited by an angel from heaven when he cannot go on with his life. George is given the chance to see his impact on the world and those around him, showing George how important his life has been and how much would change without him. Although a sad storyline, It’s A Wonderful Life (1946) is not upsetting but instead, it makes you feel warm inside, it fills you with Christmas spirit and reminds you how important you truly are. I watch this film every Christmas Eve and my Christmas feels incomplete without it.
