Welcome back to Hoot Recommends! This week, in honor of the upcoming holiday, members of The Hoot Editorial Board will be sharing their favorite holiday movies.
Jenna: Although I am late to discover this movie, my favorite has to be “The Holiday.” I love the idea of running away to a small snowy cottage in England and leaving all my worries behind (and my finals). Jude Law in this movie also … need I say more? If you like a cute romance with LA Hollywood mixed with English hillside charm look no further than “The Holiday.”
Ella: I would have to say “Elf.” It’s such a classic, I know, but it’s never boring even after the hundredth watch. You really can’t go wrong with a Will Ferrell movie. Songs like “Pennies From Heaven” and “Santa Baby” just make it thrilling and vibey everytime. No holiday movie even comes close to being compared to “Elf” and I stand by that.
Michael: “A Charlie Brown Christmas” is kinda stretching the boundaries of what a “holiday movie” is. I mean, it’s only like half an hour. But still, watching it is a family tradition in my household, as it should be. I have basically every line of dialogue memorized, as well as the goofy-ass dances they do in the school auditorium. Also, seeing some of the shots of the town at night is really peaceful to me.
Lucas: I am not a good person to ask this question to. I just don’t watch that many movies; I tend to prefer books. That being said, last christmas, I did watch a pretty cool movie with my relatives. We watched a very old, black-and-white version of that one story with the guy and the spirits of Christmas past, present and future (I don’t remember the name). It was weirdly funny because we had the subtitles on due to the audio quality not being the best, except the subtitles were all auto-generated – and they were terrible. I don’t remember any specific examples, but they constantly misinterpreted the characters’ words in the funniest ways possible.
James: My favorite Christmas movie is “Die Hard.” Yes, it is a Christmas movie. The entire movie takes place at a Christmas party. The music as it ends is a Christmas song? What more does a Christmas movie need? This is a hill that I am willing to die on (not literally). It also has Alan Rickman in arguably his best performance ever. “Die Hard” is truly a great Christmas movie.
Cooper: “Gremlins!” The little greebles! The creatures! The foul beasts! According to IMDB, “Gremlins” is a holiday movie. Those absolute little menaces are so funny and silly. Just absolute little goofballs.
Rachel: I’m always a fan of a movie that is full of silliness and goofs, so why not a holiday movie with those elements? I find that holiday movies often take themselves too seriously, which is why my favorite holiday is the raunchy comedy film “The Night Before.” Starring Seth Rogen, Anthony Mackie and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, the film centers around three friends who spend every Christmas Eve together, going wild. Now that one of them is having a child, this Christmas Eve is going to be their last, so they need to go all out. Specifically, the three are going to try to get into the exclusive Nutcracker Ball party, which has been eluding them for over a decade. However, this night, and journey, will be far from simple, as they take illegal drugs, run into strange acquaintances and try not to get seriously injured. Overall though, they will learn about the power of friendship and of Christmas. This movie may be an unconventional holiday movie, but that is what I like about it. It shows that holiday movies do not have to be so sacred; they can just have fun. This movie has everything: comedy, drama, romance, holiday spirit, drugs and Miley Cyrus! What more can you ask for in a movie? I try to watch “The Night Before” every holiday season, and I always have a joyful viewing experience. If you want to watch a more adult holiday movie, then this movie should be a part of your season as well.
Avery: I cannot lie, I’m not a fan of holiday movies. They all seem to be the same, Mr(s). Scrooge caught up in bustling city life convinced Christmas is just another day, until M(r)s. Holiday Cheer comes along looking unrealistically attractive in an ugly Christmas sweater to sweep the grouch off into the holiday covered sunset. (Which, by the way, is at like three p.m.. There’s nothing romantic about riding a sleigh into the sunset before dinner). I say this with a certain fondness, as Hallmark is the background noise in the kitchens of my aunt and grandmother, where I spend the best part of my holidays. The glitz and glamour shown in holiday movies isn’t really appealing to me anymore, but there is something to the classics. And by classics, I obviously mean “The Grinch.” The 1966 “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” feels the most authentic to me, as it’s the closest to the Dr. Seuss book I read (yes, I had to read the book before the movie). However, the 2018 animated “The Grinch” also has a soft spot in my heart, as it goes much deeper into the character of the Grinch, and makes him even more relatable with the development of his backstory. This does skip over the 2000 “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” starring Jim Carrey, which is absolutely rife with jokes that make me glad I waited til I was a teenager to watch. Together, the Grinch movies are the best of the Christmas movies, with something for everyone.
Jason: I am not really a huge movie person, especially holiday movies, just because I think they are corny and overly festive, kind of like the one person who wears violently festive Christmas sweaters equipped with battery-powered Christmas lights and reindeer ears. However, I do actually appreciate a good old stop-motion in the background on Christmas Day. Some of my favorites are “Pinocchio’s Christmas” and “Jack Frost,” and I am also a fan of “A Nightmare Before Christmas,” but only on its first play.
