Classic Christmas movies you have to have seen
For many people, Christmas without Christmas movies is unthinkable. Even if you already know them all, it's an important part of the tradition to watch your favorite holiday film once a year while sipping mulled wine or hot chocolate. Every generation has its own Christmas classics, from Three Wishes for Cinderella to The Nightmare Before Christmas to The Polar Express.
Little Lord Fauntleroy
Little Lord Fauntleroy softens not only the hearts of viewers but also that of his grumpy grandfather: as the only remaining heir, little Cedric goes to live with his mother at the Earl of Dorincourt's after his father's death. At first reserved toward his future heir, the embittered grandfather ultimately can't help but open his heart. This 1980 film airs on TV every year just before Christmas.
A Christmas Story
Bob Clark's 1983 comedy centers on little Ralphie, who in the 1940s wants nothing more for Christmas than a BB gun. Despite his mother's concerns about his safety, he does everything he can to make his wish come true. Not as well known in Germany as in the United States, the film has nonetheless grown in popularity here over the decades.
Miracle on 34th Street
Original or remake? The better-known version by now is probably the 1994 remake, thanks in part to Richard Attenborough in the role of Kris Kringle and Mara Wilson as little Susan Walker, who doesn't really believe in Santa Claus anymore. Or is Kris Kringle the real thing after all? That question keeps viewers guessing throughout the whole film.
Home Alone
Probably one of the greatest Christmas comedies of all time and Macaulay Culkin's most famous role: as an eight-year-old whose big family simply forgets him at home on their Christmas trip, he has to fend off two bumbling burglars and defend the house - using some very creative methods. Just like its sequel, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, this classic airs on TV every year.
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Tim Burton's stop-motion masterpiece is a piece of film history. Jack Skellington, a skeleton in a pinstripe suit, is tired of Halloween in his hometown of Halloween Town and wants to celebrate Christmas this year. But because the many creepy creatures of Halloween Town don't understand what that actually means, they simply kidnap Santa Claus. On top of that: The Nightmare Before Christmas is a dark yet hopeful sing-alone film for young and old.
Three Wishes for Cinderella
The German-Czech cult film from 1973 is without a doubt one of the best-known fairy-tale films. Year after year, young and old join Cinderella as she wins the heart of a prince in spite of her wicked stepsisters and stepmother.
It's a Wonderful Life
Younger generations probably know the 1946 film only as one of those black-and-white movies their parents watched again and again. In Frank Capra's tragicomedy, an angel who still has to earn his wings is given the difficult task of restoring the suicidal George Bailey's will to live on Christmas Eve and showing him how wonderful life really is.
We're No Angels
Christmas with a twist: shortly before Christmas Eve, the three convicts Joseph, Albert, and Julius escape from the prison on Devil's Island. It goes without saying that escaping from an island doesn't come without its challenges. The original is from 1955, starring the talented Humphrey Bogart. A 1989 remake followed with Robert De Niro, Sean Penn, and Demi Moore.
Die Hard
Die Hard is called not only one of the best action movies but also one of the best Christmas movies. In the role of police officer John McClane, Bruce Willis has to save the Christmas party at his wife's company - from heavily armed gangsters, that is. While they try to crack the vault and hold all the guests hostage, McClane remains the only one in the high-rise who goes undetected. The lone fighter garnishes the ensuing action with plenty of memorable one-liners.
The Sissi Trilogy
The Austrian historical film series from 1955-57 revolves around the early years of Empress Elisabeth. The love story is definitely a Christmas classic you can enjoy year after year. Starring Romy Schneider as Sissi and Karlheinz Böhm as Emperor Franz Joseph, the trilogy became one of the most successful German-language film productions.
