Unlike Will in About a Boy, ‘tis the season I start getting excited about watching some of my favorite films…or at least, a few I enjoy revisting during the winter holiday season. Even though the holidays might not play a significant role in each, I’ve listed 5 that remind me of this season from Thanksgiving to New Year’s.
In no order of importance, here are 5 films I like watching on my couch, Christmas tree in sight. Warning: Hugh Grant makes 2 of my top 5. Love Actually not one of them.
- The British Classic – About A Boy 2002
Hugh Grant finally gets a role he can sink his teeth into – a character very much like his true self, IMHO.
Watch how he deals with a request to be guardian of his best friend’s child:
- The Critics Choice – The Royal Tenenbaums 2001
Loved by critics and fans alike, this film is one of the best films of this century so far. And Gene Hackman’s last great performance.
Watch the dysfunctional tribe of (former) geniuses bounce off each other:
- The New Classic – Silver Linings Playbook 2012
The film that introduced the world to the charisma and chemistry of Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper.
Watch them argue over which one is crazier:
- The 80’s Classic – Planes, Trains & Automobiles 1988
Steve Martin at the top of his game, John Candy as the painfully funny source of his irritation.
Watch Neal Page (Martin) snap and lay into Del “the shower-curtain ring guy” Giffith (Candy):
- The Y2K Classic – Bridget Jones’s Diary 2001
Blind dates, one-night stands, crazy fitness fads – this film captures what is means to be awkwardly single at the end of the 20th/start of the 21st century.
Watch “Brenda” make one of the worst speeches of all-time:
I’d love to hear which films remind you of the holidays – and which ones you especially like watching this time of year.
Happy holiday viewing!
What does your top 5 look like? Which films do you enjoy revisiting this time of year?
intelligent media 
What? No Die Hard?
“You got flat feet or something Powell?”
“Aaaaahhhhhhhhh shot a kid…”
Christmas does play a minor role in that one, though not the curl up on the couch kind of film and certainly not “classic” in the annals of great cinema…
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Chrs, Shawn. I suppose the boredom of suburbia fueled the fire!
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Sorry about the anonymous reply above, though I am sure you didn’t have to think to hard about who amongst your circle of friends would bring Die Hard into this conversation…
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Absolutely a Christmas classic! But not one I watch over and over…at least not since the days of Wittenstein.
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Thanks, Tim! I like them all, but I also enjoy Billy Bob Thornton as Bad Santa, again and again…
And a perfect movie for the time around New Year’s Eve is Billy Wilders The Apartment.
Cheers,
Josef
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Thanks for the tips, Josef! BTW, isn’t Bad Santa 2 coming soon?
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Yes, it will come to German cinemas next week. There was no press screening, unfortunately never a good sign…
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I also saw a trailer without any content…also a bad sign.
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Nice list mate. Some fantastic films there. I’m struggling to get in to the spirit here and give you some films myself. Love Actually would actually have to be one that I do associate with Christmas albeit involuntarily. Groundhog Day maybe even if it is after Christmas has that sort of feel.
Oh, and anything with Brigitte Von Hammersmark. White Hell of Piz Palu is a good one.
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Yes, that other Bridget (von Hammersmark) is a must! Chrs for your thoughts!
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