So, to me more than any other time of the year, more than any other season is synonymous with movies other than this time of year. Well other than Halloween. This is the time of year you can watch a movie and it just brings back all kinda feelings and memories, They are movies we watched as children but will re-watch like we don’t know what gonna happen next like we haven’t seen it a million times before. We anticipate certain parts. Laugh before the joke’s finished being told. Whether you’re an “It’s A Wonderful Life”, “Miracle On 34th Street”, kinda person or a “Bad Santa” type, there’s normally at least one or two movies that everyone will always watch like a ritual this time of the season. So today I want to share with y’all six of my all-time winter or Christmas movies! There are some oldies but goodies as well as some relatively new ones. Honey grab some popcorn and let's get into it!
Coming in at number six we have 2007 “This Christmas” starring Idris Elba, Loretta Devine, Regina King, Chris Brown, Sharon Leal, and Lauren London to name a few. With a cast like that, I’m not sure how you can go wrong! I remember being super hyped to go see this movie. So much black magic on the screen y’all. So basically, it about the Whitfield family who hasn’t really been together for about four years. Everyone grows up & for the most part moved & grows apart. It’s also about sibling rivalry and learning to let things go. It seems that they all are holding on to some kinda pain and or secret. You can tell they all love & care for one another put just can't be seen to get it together. Now I ask you who can’t relate to that plot? Show of hands anyone LOL? Truly there has to be at least one character that you find yourself relating too. Whether it’s the mom who is trying to move with a new relationship, the eldest child trying to finally do right by his family, the sister who gets married at an early age, the go-getter sister, the sister that drifting that’s lowkey the professional college student (everyone has the one persona in their family that just stays in school for what feels like 20 years, or the youngest just trying to assert yourself & going after your dream. Now by far, the best scene in the movie is the corny ending when they are at church for the Christmas service & the baby of the family played by Chris Brown shows his mom he can really sang. You know it’s coming but it will truly melt your heart. In a close second was when Keli whoops her husband you know what LOL. I really wanted to give her a dang high five! It was that “FINALLY” moment, well it was for me. I’m not going to spoil the movie for those who haven’t seen it yet, but I felt sis on SO MANY LEVEL’S LOL.
At number five we have 1994 “The Ref” starring Denis Leary, Judy Davis, Christine Baranski, Glynis Johns, Bill Raymond, and Kevin Spacey. Now a lot of people slept on this movie, a lot. Everyone I tell talk about with this movie has no idea about it & I don’t get why. I know you just googled the title LoL. However, I will say everyone who I’ve told to watch this movie has always thanked me after they’ve seen it. Just saying y’all! Listen don’t cheat yourself treat yourself. This is by far one of the funniest movies I’ve ever seen. If you are a sarcastic person like I am or even if you love sarcasm this movie will have your stomach hurting five minutes into the dang movie. So, the movie is about a dysfunctional family in richie well to do Connecticut town. So, Lloyd & Caroline (Judy Davies & Kevin Spacey) are in marriage counseling fighting nonstop, Lloyd stepped out on his wife a few months before so ya I kinda and team wife from the jump, but basically, they’re on the verge of divorce. Does it sound Christmasy to you yet LOL? Well, Lloyd & Caroline are hosting Christmas dinner for their prime & proper family as well as their delinquent 14 year old son that is home for the first time in a while after getting kicked out of military school. While all this is starting to unfold a cat burglar is trying to escape from a robbery gone bad, enter Gus (Denis Leary). While trying to escape Gus breaks into Lloyd & Caroline's house & holds them hostage. Guests soon start to arrive & Gus has to poise as their marriage counselor. It sounds crazy but it’s like the best thing ever LOL. The best screen in the movie and there are so many to choose from, was when Lloyd finally goes off on his mom.
Coming in at number four we have 2000 “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas” starring Jim Carrey, Taylor Momsen, Christina Baranski, Jeffrey Tambor, and Molly Shannon. Now you have got to be a full-blown alien to not know the story of the Grinch no matter which version so I’m not going to even go into it the plot. Now you tell me who doesn't like Dr. Seuss? Green Eggs and Ham PEOPLE come on! Now I had the book when I was a little kid and saw the cartoon version. I was completely satisfied with both. I was super against making it into a full-blown movie when I saw the first trailer. I was dead wrong! No one could play the role of the Grinch better than Jim Carrey I mean no one y’all. I’ve seen the latest cartoon and I had my nose in the air the whole time because nothing will ever top the Jim Carrey version sorry, not sorry. Jim Carrey is truly undefeated. This movie literally brings the doctor Sues book to life. Let’s get into the makeup & costumes. At the time of the release of the movie, it was cutting edge. I was really blown away y’all all the characters looked straight out the book. Jim Carrey is super extra as always, but it works for this role, and Cindy Lou is too adorable for words. And y’all I am Martha May Whovier, period. If you haven’t seen this version you definitely need too.
Then at number three, we’re at the top three ya’ll, we have 1990 classic “Home Alone” staring, Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, John Heard, and Catherine O’Hara. Now, this was the first Christmas classic for me, of my generation. I watched this movie twenty one times out of the thirty-one days that are in the month of December. It was that serious guys. I can’t think of Christmas and now automatically think of this movie. They go hand & hand for me. For a very short time, ya girl would only eat cheese pizza because that’s was Kevin eat LOL. So, Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) gets accidentally gets left at home while the rest of his family fly’s out of the country to Paris, right before he got into a big argument (to this day I feel him, his mom tried it). After the blow out the argument he wishes he was in another family wished them away. So, after he figures out he has the house to his self its lit, Kev is living it up. Meanwhile, moms freaking out trying to get back home to her son. Also, the neighborhood cat burglar has plans to break into the very house Kevin is home alone in. Get it? The title is on point on so many levels LOL. Joe Pesci plays one of the cat burglars which was crazy as I’m used to seeing him typecast as an Italian NY gangsta. Now don’t get me wrong he’s typecasted for a reason he’s freaking get as a mobster, but it was cool to see him in a comedy. The best scene in the movie is when “it’s going down” meaning it’s the night the bad guys finally break in the house. The buildup was almost too much for me when I was little LOL. Anywho this unbelievable story pulls on the heartstrings in the end and is truly a classic.
At number two we have 1996 “The Preachers Wife” staring the late great Whitney Houston, Zaddy Denzel Washington, Courtney B. Vance, the legend Gregory Hines, the diva herself Jennifer Lewis, and Mrs. Loretta Devine. Another cast to die for y’all. From jump I knew this movie was gonna be golden. Now Henery (Courtney Vance) is a preacher of a Baptist church that is in bad need of some bigtime money, and fast. You can tell from the opening scene that Henery tries hard to be everything to everyone, takes on more than he should. First red flag. Meanwhile, there’s a slick real estate developer, Joe (Gregory Hines) who wants to buy the church & put up condominiums. While trying to get his church under control the preacher Henery kinda puts his marriage/wife Julia (Whitney Houston) on the back burner. Second red flag. He prays, prays, and prays some more to God for some help as he truly is running out of options. Enter Zaddy angle Dudley (Denzel) who is sent by God to help the preacher & his church. Now I gotta say again Zaddy is somewhat typecast so it was really cool to see him in a comedy! While helping preacher Henery as various people within the church he starts to spend the majority of his time with Julia the preacher's wife. Third red flag. So naturally, Dudley starts to like the preacher’s wife way too much LOL. Now, this is not some messy love triangle it’s honestly a sweet drama/comedy with a lot of side stories to keep you more than interested & engaged in the movie. The best seen is Christmas morning/ the Christmas service. Lost of beautiful singing and a happy sappy ending. PS one of the best soundtracks of all time hands down. Whitney Houston is and will always be the greatest of all time.
My number one winter Christmas movie of all time is, ya’ll ready for this? It's none other than 2003 “ Elf “ starring Will Ferrell, James Caan, Zooey Deschanel, Mary Steenburgen, Daniel Tay, Ed Asner, and Bob Newhart. Now I know what ya’ll are thinking I should have put some classic number from nineteen fifty-something right? Ya no people. This movie is my number one pick because for me it’s lighthearted, it goofy funny and truly makes me feel like a kid again, and to me, that embodies what I think Christmas should be. Also, I freaking LOVE Will Ferrell! I have not seen a movie yet where he wasn’t funny, I don’t care what anyone says. In any case, the movie is about a young boy who crawled into Santa sack whose names Buddy(Will Ferrell) and was mistakenly taken to the north pole. So, of course, Santa can't take him back right, so Buddy was raised as an elf. Never really being able to fit in literally he’s told he’s really human and his real father lives in New York. He also learns that his dad is on Santa’s naughty list. So not only dose buddy want to meet and be with his father he also wants to restore his Christmas faith. So buddy travels to New York to meet his dad, stepmom, and half brother. Being that Buddy has lived a “sheltered” life he gets into all kinda trouble along the way. I have too many favorite scenes to name one but one of the most memorable lines of the movie at least for me was “you sit on a throne of lies”! I cannot LOL ya’ll! Stop playing and go see this movie. If you don’t laugh and feel good after watching this movie something it truly off in your soul.
There you have it guys. That’s my list in all its glory. What’s your favorite winter/ Christmas movie. Until next time guys.