The Collegio Pittsburg's student voice since 1916
Brock Willard managing editor
The holidays are a perfect time to snuggle up with family and take in a movie, and there is no shortage of movies to watch that are centered around the Christmas season.
5. How the Grinch Stole Christmas
“How the Grinch Stole Christmas” is a 2000 adaptation of the classic Dr. Seuss story starring Jim Carey in the title role. This is such a wonderful film because it has something for everyone. It features wonderful comedy from all the cast, and the jokes are appropriate for a variety of ages. Some of them are more adult but done in a way that will slip under the radar and simply be laughed off by younger viewers. The movie also features wonderful messages about the commercialization of the Christmas season in the form of the Who’s in the film obsessing over who has the bigger trees and who has the best light shows on their houses. The film’s message is that Christmas, and more generally all holidays, is about being around loved ones and spreading cheer, not how expensive the presents under the tree are.
4. Krampus
“Krampus” is a 2015 horror film centered around the German mythological figure Krampus as he comes to torment a dysfunctional family on Christmas Eve. The film features a relatively all-star cast with heavy hitters such as Toni Collette, Adam Scott, David Koechner, and Gideon Emery, as the voice of the titular Krampus. The film appears as another trashy horror film on the outside but once you get past the hour mark, things take a turn for the dark and twisted. The protagonist, Max, accidentally summons Krampus and causes his family’s downfall at the hands of the beast, turning the whole story into a “be careful what you wish for” tale.
3. Jingle All the Way
“Jingle All the Way” is a 1996 comedy film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sinbad as rival parents, looking to buy the newest hot ticket toy for their children before the other. The film is an interesting one because of its production history. The film was written by Randy Kornfield, but producer Chris Columbus made exorbitant edits to the script to add in critiques and satire about the commercialization of Christmas. Additionally, the only reason that Schwarzenegger was able to join the cast of the film was that the remake of “Planet of the Apes” had been delayed. Despite these creative hang-ups, the movie is a funny romp through the lens of fatherly procrastination.
2. Christmas with the Kranks
“Christmas with the Kranks” is a 2004 Christmas comedy starring Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis as Luther and Nora Krank, two suddenly empty nesters who decide rather than continue their annual tradition of hosting a lavish Christmas party, they’d rather use the money to go on a cruise and treat themselves. This upset to the community causes hilarity to ensue as they fight off neighbor after neighbor, all upset that the Krank Christmas party is cancelled. It features some rather dry comedy for an American made film which can be a nice change of pace when all you watch is standard romantic comedies or touchy-feely Christmas dramas.
- The Nightmare Before Christmas
”The Nightmare Before Christmas” is a 1993 stop motion animated film starring Chris Sarandon as the
ever famous Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King and idol of the mythical Halloweentown who sadly tires of his station in life and decides to look for something more adventurous. He unwittingly finds himself in Christmastown and decides to replicate Christmas, despite Santa’s monopoly on the holiday. Things don’t go according to plan and it’s up to Jack to fix his mistakes and put things back right. The animation in the film is incredibly well done and the charming songs and story will make Christmas just right for you and your family.