Ten Holiday Movies to Watch This Break

Elf: a classic holiday movie for all ages to enjoy

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Elf: a classic holiday movie for all ages to enjoy

Anurag Kavishwar, Writer

Are you going to be bored over break? Can’t think of anything to do with your family when they visit? Are you tired of not having any ideas? Fear not, for these are the best choices of movies for you and your family to watch over the break. All of them are highly recommended by all audiences and are fan favorites that everyone has heard of!

  1. Home Sweet Home Alone: This reinstallment of the beloved “Home Alone” series is an amazing and wonderful movie. I personally enjoyed watching it with my family and everyone in the room loved it so much. The main character, played by Archie Yates, is an endearing and lovable character right from the start and he successfully beats the invaders in a classic home-alone way. A bold 16% score on rotten tomatoes. The commentary on modern society coupled with the amazing acting and visuals led to a stunning movie experience. 
  2. The Santa Clause: Although starting off with a murder, this movie is a Christmas classic! The main character kills Santa and then takes up the mantle himself! In order to save Christmas, he becomes Santa and leads the North Pole to a successful year of distributing toys to kids all over the globe.
  3. Home Alone: This treasured movie follows the evil, maniacal, borderline sociopathic Kevin Mcallister as he meticulously and deliberately devises a plan to torture two men who plan to rob his house. At any point, he could’ve called the police, but instead, he attempts murder many times and almost succeeds. Due to plot armor, the thieves survive Kevin’s wrath but only barely. A great movie for kids, and one that embodies the holiday spirit.
  4. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000): This wonderful holiday tale covers a grumpy green alien      “Grinch” who is played by Jim Carrey. This alien is bent on destroying the fun of children. He lives on the top of a mountain and he loves his dog, and this relatable and loveable Grinch is arguably one of the best characters in cinema history.  The movie also tells a vital and important lesson to children and is a must-watch. The lesson: stealing is bad.
  5. The Polar Express: At the time of its release, this movie was creepy to audiences as it depicted strangely lifelike and new animation styles. But over time, it became a beloved film that enthralled audiences. It is the story of a boy who ran away from home and goes on an epic adventure to the North Pole, following his many blunders along the way, which even results in meeting a hobo on the top of the train. This particular hobo horrified audiences and served no purpose in the plot. However, the movie is truly a classic.
  6. Elf: This movie is one of the funniest holiday movies ever. Fun for all audiences, it illustrates the life of a rejected elf who is taller than the other elves, so he goes to New York City to find his dad who doesn’t know he exists.  It is a family favorite with lots of laughs and heartwarming moments alike.
  7. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation: This comedic, heartfelt, and magnificent movie is one that you should definitely watch with your family. The movie showcases a relatable dilemma, about family Christmas and the unavoidable chaos that ensues as a result. Clark’s amazing fatherly decisions complete the dynamic of the movie, making it a must-watch every holiday season.
  8. Krampus (2015): This horror movie is the perfect film to scare families. It is a movie about the well-known yuletide horned beast that punishes misbehaving children. It is such a fun movie to watch, and completely encapsulates the notion of holiday joy. The accidental summoning of a horned beast sure is relatable to tons of audiences around the globe.
  9. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone: The movie follows the tragic story of Harry Potter. After his parents were murdered, he lived in an abusive household. He then finds out he is a wizard and everything changes. He goes to Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. This specific movie has deep ties to the holiday spirit, as this school is where Harry finds people who truly love and respect him. The only important part of this movie is around Christmas time.
  10. Die Hard: Last but not least, we have Die-Hard; a movie that is not even remotely a Christmas movie other than the fact that it takes place during Christmas. A controversial movie to add to a holiday movie list. Nevertheless, this movie about detective John McClane (played by Bruce Willis), is one of action and drama. A group of German terrorists take control of the building he is currently in and he must survive to see his family again.

Happy Holidays Panthers!