McWilley’s Top 5 Favorite Christmas Movies

Santa Clause The Movie is the oldest movie on the list. I was four when this movie came out. This is a movie that has a left an imprint on my mind throughout my life. All I remembered of this movie was that an elf left Santa and went to work for an evil toy maker. The elf ended up making candy canes that could make people fly.

This year I found the movie on Netflix and discovered that half the movie was about the original of Santa Claus who was played by David Huddleston. The second half of the film is about the elf (Dudley Moore) trying to prove to Santa that he is the best toy maker ever. That's why he went to work for the 'evil' toy man, John Lithgow.

The movie is dated, the toys are all made out of wood, but I find it still to be a fun and Merry Christmas movie.

Christmas Vacation still makes me laugh to this day. It reminds us that even on a merry day like Christmas bad things can happen and if you are Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase) a lot of bad things can happen. Clark is just a man who wants to host a memorable Christmas for his family, parents, in-laws and even his Cousin Eddie (Randy Quaid). With memorable moments like the lighting of the Griswold house and the Christmas tree controlled by a possessive squirrel, Christmas Vacation is a must see this holiday season. When I was kid I laughed at the physical comedy and as I've gotten older I started to get the more mature jokes. Now as an adult I feel that Christmas Vacation tell us me that I shouldn't host Christmas at my house.

When Home Alone hit the theaters I was 9-years-old, so I was able to relate the 8-year-old Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin). The movie is about young Kevin who is accidentally left home alone when his family flies to Paris for the holiday. Kevin decides to ran sack his brother's room and watch violent movies because he can do what he wants. However two house thieves, Joe Pesci & Daniel Stern have staked out the McCallister block and it's up to Kevin to protect his home while his parents try to desperately to get back home. Hilarity and physical comedy ensue and every young boy learns what it's like to put on aftershave.

Scrooged is a comical 'modern day' remake of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. Billy Murray plays Frank Cross a self centered TV executive who get's the Scrooged treatment on Christmas Eve as three ghost show him what was, is and will be. I've always loved this film. Billy Murray puts on a great performance, the Ghost of Christmas Past is a cab driver you never want to have. And the Ghost of Christmas Present has a very violent side. The Ghost of Christmas future always scared me as a kid, but if you think about it that's a good thing. As a kid I learned that I never wanted to be bad because I didn't want to play host to the third ghost.

I know what you're thinking. How is Die Hard a Christmas movie? Well it's not a Christmas movie in the traditional sense. But hear me out. John McClain, Bruce Willis, who is a New York cop trying to save his marriage, so he flies to LA and meets with his wife at her company Christmas party. Unfortunately for John he's in the wrong place at the wrong time, when a band of criminals decide to over take the building and hold everyone hostage. Leaving it up to the barefoot New York cop to take down the bad guys and save his wife. Gun fights, explosions and witty one liners--it's a great action flick for the holiday. I wouldn't recommend watching it with the kids though. Yippie-Kai-Yay Santa Clause.