Favorite Christmas Movies

It's been a heavy year, so I figured that I would post about my favorite Christmas movies.

I know there are some staples, but I have some odd selections to share. Let's dive in:

#1 - Better Off Dead (1985)

Written and directed by 'Savage' Steve Holland, it is one of the early John Cusack movies, and it is a banger. I originally saw it with my group of friends in the late 1980's and I even owned a VHS tape of it that I wore out. Now, I have a Bluray disc (ripped and on my Plex server) that I watch s few times a year.

There are many classic lines from this movie, but the one that has stood the test of time is:

And who could forget the claymation of Van Halen's "Everybody Wants Some":

Classic. If you haven't seen it, highly recommended.

#2 - Brazil (1985)

Monty Python alum Terry Gilliam directed this vision of a dystopian future chock full of references that tickle all the senses. The protagonist, Sam Lowery (played by Jonathan Pryce) has vivid dreams of a relationship with a woman who is not a willign cooperative (no, it isn't really that creepy), in a SciFi world that you would expect from director Gilliam.

If you remember your 1984 from your high school required reading, you will have lots of deja vu. One scene is the arrival of the techs from Central Services, one of the techs being Bob Hoskins (from WHo Framed Roger Rabbit) who interrupts the clandestine repairs being effected by Tuttle, played by Robert Deniro (in a rare supporting role):

Highly recommended, if you like quirky movies.

#3 - Die Hard (1988)

'nuff said.

#4 - Life of Brian (1979)

1979's Monty Python movie "The Life of Brian" is a spoof parodying the story of Jesus, in the inimitable style of Monty Python. There are so many great clips from this movie that it is hard to pick a favorite, but I will use one from early in the movie about a stoning:

Fun fact, we (the US) don't have a monopoly on religious nutters. The reception in England over the release of this would do the James Dobson crowd proud.

Near the end of the movie is one of the best skits of all time, a group of men crucified singing the song penned by Eric Idle: Always look on the bright side of life.

Absolutely a banger.

#5 - The Grinch who Stole Christmas (1966)

Lots of people reminisce about the Charlie Brown Christmas specials, or the Frosty the Snowman show, or others, but in my mind, the one that is worth watching is the Dr. Seuss' cartoon, The Grinch who Stole Christmas.

Released in 1966, it was narrated by Bois Karloff, and its animation just transports me back to my childhood.

#6 - A Christmas Story (1983)

C'mon, as a red-blooded American male, I have to have this on my list. I watch it every year (I've watched it twice so far). How many times have I used the line "You'll shoot your eye out"? Too many.

Still, this is a classic, and one that deserves to be on this list:

#6 - National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

There's a house that I walk my dog by in the morning that has an RV, and next to it a trailer. For the holiday, on the trailor, they have a manikin, dressed in a bathrobe, with a cigar, and a pool cleaner hose to refer to this scene:

Cousin Eddie is a staple for the franchise, and this is also a "must watch" every year.

Anyhow, those are my favorites. What are yours? Drop them in the comments below, and if I don't post again, I hope you all have a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, or whatever you celebrate!