# Let's pick the cream of the contemporary Christmas movies **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 30, 2009, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-pick-the-cream-of-the-contemporary-christmas-movies/519510 "2009-11-30T20:12:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-pick-the-cream-of-the-contemporary-christmas-movies/519510/21 "2009-12-01T00:37:52Z")
\*Elf \*and \*Love, Actually \*are pretty good choices, since I can’t pick my favorite Christmas movie of all time, _Scrooged._ ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-pick-the-cream-of-the-contemporary-christmas-movies/519510/22 "2009-12-01T02:23:54Z")
Can’t beat **Love Actually** , a true classic. **Elf** started promisingly but turned to crap the second Buddy left the North Pole. Not even Zoe Deschanel could save it (though why they made her a blonde, I have no idea). I haven’t seen **Bad Santa** , but it sounds promising. Missing the cutoff by two weeks, but otherwise the best TV Christmas special is **Olive the Other Reindeer** ---
**Author:** ![G0sp3l](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c68b51/32.png) [@G0sp3l](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/G0sp3l)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-pick-the-cream-of-the-contemporary-christmas-movies/519510/23 "2009-12-01T02:29:25Z")
The Year Without a Santa Claus Heat Miser is a god. I still remember his song. Never Mind: I didn’t read the OP ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 8:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-pick-the-cream-of-the-contemporary-christmas-movies/519510/24 "2009-12-01T08:49:12Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > Admittedly it loses some points for Alan Rickman’s inexplicable cheating on Emma freaking Thompson with the brunette skank, but it’s so overall wonderful that no one cares. It’s perfectly explicable, she was completely hot. Aand gagging for it. I mean, I love Emma Thompson as an actress, but _hot_, she isn’t. And _yes_, I’ve seen _The Tall Guy_. I quite liked [The Hoiday,](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Holiday) (if only for teaching me what a meet-cute is) but it seems not many other people did. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-pick-the-cream-of-the-contemporary-christmas-movies/519510/25 "2009-12-01T12:04:36Z")
Bad Santa is far and away my favorite Christmas movie. I watch it every year. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-pick-the-cream-of-the-contemporary-christmas-movies/519510/26 "2009-12-01T12:21:44Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > We don’t know that he cheated. All we know for sure is that he bought her jewelry and he bought his wife a CD. Intent to cheat, maybe, but no concrete proof. > > But anyway, I agree with you. Mostly because I can’t think of any other Christmas movies released since 2000 that didn’t out and out suck. Alright, I’ve been [whooshed.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=11833988&postcount=1) I vote for Elf. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-pick-the-cream-of-the-contemporary-christmas-movies/519510/27 "2009-12-01T13:53:39Z")
> [@G0sp3l](#): > > The Year Without a Santa Claus > > Heat Miser is a god. I still remember his song. > Never Mind: I didn’t read the OP [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0828465/](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0828465/) NBC did a live action remake in 2006! Didn’t know about it? You’re lucky. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-pick-the-cream-of-the-contemporary-christmas-movies/519510/28 "2009-12-01T14:42:59Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > I quite liked [The Holiday,](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Holiday) (if only for teaching me what a meet-cute is) but it seems not many other people did. We liked it. It’s not an outstanding movie, but it has its high points. Eli Wallach steals the movie. ---
**Author:** ![Oredigger77](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oredigger77/32/3181_2.png) [@Oredigger77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oredigger77)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-pick-the-cream-of-the-contemporary-christmas-movies/519510/29 "2009-12-01T15:21:12Z")
Another vote for Bad Santa being the best Christmas movie since 2000 although just to throw out one that hasn’t been mentioned I enjoyed Reindeer Games when I saw it in theaters. But you guys are all crazy Miracle on 34th Street is the best Christmas movie of all time and it also explains how Santa could exist but have people not believe in him. ---
**Author:** ![Rocketeer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocketeer/32/4437_2.png) [@Rocketeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rocketeer)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-pick-the-cream-of-the-contemporary-christmas-movies/519510/30 "2009-12-01T15:31:23Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > I feel obliged to point out that Bad Santa, for reasons not even Athena understands, does not show Lauren Graham naked despite three clear and compelling reasons to do so. It fails thus. Yeah, what is it with that? That was a severe disappointment. :mad: 😃 ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-pick-the-cream-of-the-contemporary-christmas-movies/519510/31 "2009-12-01T15:44:59Z")
Not sure it qualifies but I like “The Ref” with Dennis Leary, as a Christmas movie. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-pick-the-cream-of-the-contemporary-christmas-movies/519510/32 "2009-12-01T18:53:04Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > Not sure it qualifies but I like “The Ref” with Dennis Leary, as a Christmas movie. Me too. (Post #20) ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-pick-the-cream-of-the-contemporary-christmas-movies/519510/33 "2009-12-01T19:31:58Z")
The only Christmas movie I ever really liked was Scrooged. And as I look that up, I see it was released in _1988_. Holy moly. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-pick-the-cream-of-the-contemporary-christmas-movies/519510/34 "2009-12-01T19:49:31Z")
_Elf_, easily. I do need to make a point to see _Bad Santa_ though, apparently. I agree that neither top _A Christmas Story_. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-pick-the-cream-of-the-contemporary-christmas-movies/519510/35 "2009-12-01T20:01:27Z")
Another vote for _Bad Santa_. John Ritter’s last live action film. Shit, Bernie Mac is dead too, isn’t he? ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Knig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@Typo\_Knig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Knig)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-pick-the-cream-of-the-contemporary-christmas-movies/519510/36 "2009-12-01T20:11:29Z")
Do TV episodes count? Because the Xmas episode of [Stroker and Hoop](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stroker_and_hoop) RAWWWKS! ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-pick-the-cream-of-the-contemporary-christmas-movies/519510/37 "2009-12-01T21:52:36Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > I, for one, am more than satisfied with hearing Lauren Graham moan “F&ck me, Santa” over and over again. Win. For quotes, I like: “Your name is Thurman Merman?” “Yeah.” “_Jesus_.” ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-pick-the-cream-of-the-contemporary-christmas-movies/519510/38 "2009-12-02T03:40:50Z")
How about: Santa: “Well shit in one hand and wish in the other and see which fills up first.” Kid: “Okay.” ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-pick-the-cream-of-the-contemporary-christmas-movies/519510/39 "2009-12-02T03:49:09Z")
Kid: Your beard’s not real. Willie: No Shit! It was real, but I got sick and all the hair fell out. Kid: How come? Willie: I loved a woman who wasn’t clean. Kid: Mrs. Santa? Willie: No it was her sister. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-pick-the-cream-of-the-contemporary-christmas-movies/519510/40 "2009-12-02T15:25:43Z")
Wow, we went this far without _The Polar Express_? Yes, I know it gets shown about 1000 times during December, but I bought the blu ray so I can see the movie without all the obnoxious pop up ads that seem to dominate tv showings of the movie. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-pick-the-cream-of-the-contemporary-christmas-movies/519510.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-pick-the-cream-of-the-contemporary-christmas-movies/519510.md?page=3)