Cult Christmas movies that are an integral part of the holidays

One film that appears on lists of the most popular Christmas movies in several countries is “Home Alone.” Although 34 years have passed since the premiere of the comedy starring Macaulay Culkin, it enjoys unflagging popularity.

The popularity of the film about a boy whose family leaves him alone at home due to a pre-departure commotion is not limited to the number of viewers. Kevin's parents' houselocated in Winnetka, a suburb of Chicago, remains a destination for numerous tours. The New York Times notes that the stately residence “is the region's biggest tourist attraction, visited by thousands of tourists every year.” In 2023, “Kevin…” was also selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress USA as “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant”.

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Another film without which it is difficult to imagine Christmas in the United States and Canadais “A Christmas Gift” from 1983. During the holiday season, it's really hard to miss it – American stations TBS and TNT broadcast it as part of 24-hour movie marathons. In 2016, Vanity Fair magazine assessed that the title directed by Bob Clark “changed the warm, sentimental genre of Christmas films for good.” What distinguished “A Christmas Gift” from previous Christmas productions was, among other things, satire and realism “wrapped in a funny, ideal story about a middle-class family,” wrote “VF.”

Early 1940s in Cleveland. Nine-year-old Ralphie (Peter Billingsley) dreams of a Red Rider rifle from Santa Claus. The boy does everything he can to receive the desired gift. His parents and teacher stand in his way, among others. The film had several sequels. The last one, titled “A Christmas Gift Under the Tree”, premiered in 2022.

When the BBC asked Britons in 2020 for the “greatest Christmas film”, the winner was the American classic “It's a Wonderful Life” from 1947, directed by Frank Capra. “Watching it has been a Christmas tradition for families around the world for decades,” the station commented.

– 'It's a Wonderful Life' is exactly what Christmas is about: friendship, kindness and the importance of family, even in the hardest of times. It's great to see that it still warms hearts after 74 years, commented British film critic James King.

In short: an angel named Clarence is sent from heaven to help a young man who wants to leave his life due to problems. It shows him that if he had never been born, the world would be a much worse place. The main roles were played by James Stewart, Henry Travers and Donna Reed.

“Love Actually” – the all-time Christmas comedy directed by Richard Curtis – was created 20 years ago and immediately became a December classic. Even if you watch it every year, it still entertains and moves you. The film takes place before Christmas. We have 10 intertwining threads of characters who fight against life's adversities, and in the finale it turns out that love is the cure for all problems. The film featured a galaxy of stars: Keira Knightley, Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Colin Firth, Liam Neeson, Martin Freeman and Hugh Grant, who plays the Prime Minister of Great Britain. His dance on the stairs to the song “Jump” is one of the funniest scenes in the movie.

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Movies from the series “Letters to M.” They have been popular with viewers in Poland for over a dozen years. Its latest installment, “Letters to M. Farewells and Returns”, was released in cinemas at the beginning of November and had the best opening of the year: in the first weekend after its premiere, the film attracted nearly half a million people to cinemas.

Previous titles in the series also boasted high viewership. Since 2011, six films have been made. In the series, we follow the fate of several characters whose life paths cross during Christmas. The cast changes. In each part, new heroes join familiar characters. The role of Santa Claus is played by Tomasz Karolak. There are funny but also touching moments. In the finale of each part, it turns out that love, closeness and kindness are the most important things in life.

The Swedes have a long tradition of Christmas screenings. The streets of local cities are deserted on Christmas Eve at 3 p.m., when the television program “Kalle Anka och hans vänner önskar God Jul” with Donald Duck and other famous animated characters, such as Cinderella or Mickey Mouse, is broadcast. The tradition of broadcasting a series of animations on television began in 1960, and “Swedish Christmas Eve would not be complete without it,” we read on the government website Visit Sweden.

In the context of Christmas series, it is worth mentioning the phenomenon of “Cinepanettone”. Italy. A term created from the combination of the words “cinema” and “panettone” (babka traditionally baked in Italy during Christmas and New Year) stuck to the farces that hit Italian cinema screens during the holiday season. The film that started the “Cinepanettone” tradition was the 1983 comedy “Vacanze di Natale” directed by Carlo Vanziny. Rich and famous Italian families gather in Cortina d'Ampezzo to spend Christmas at a resort in the Dolomites.

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