As the holidays roll around again, it's time to pull out the best seasonal films. One undeniable classic is Frank Capra's 1946 film "It's a Wonderful Life," starring Jimmy Stewart, Donna Reed, and Henry Travers. A despairing businessman contemplates suicide on Christmas Eve, only to be rescued by a bumbling angel named Clarence who shows him how different the town would be if George had never been born. The value of a single life and the impact it can have on others is a timeless message that resonates even today in these economic hard times.
Another holiday classic is "Miracle on 34th Street," featuring Maureen O'Hara, Edmund Gwenn, and a young Natalie Wood. A skeptical little girl is not the only one who comes to believe in Santa Claus; her jaded mother rediscovers faith and trust in this 1947 film.
For those who want a little less sappiness and a tad more action in their holiday alexandra movies list, there's the 1988 blockbuster "Die Hard," starring Bruce Willis and Alan Rickman. A lovelorn cop at an executive office Christmas party becomes an unsuspecting hero when he single-handedly defends the building from a terrorist attack. "Now I have a machine gun. Ho ho ho" is a message that would make any villain nervous.
Gonzo the Muppet may be the least likely choice to narrate Dickens' classic "A Christmas Carol," but it works. With a mix of warmth, charm, and humor, "A Muppet Christmas Carol" reintroduces the story of Ebenezer Scrooge's fateful path to redemption to a new generation. Michael Caine plays off the antics of his Muppet costars with barely contained glee.
There has never been a more unusual blend of holidays as in Henry Selick's cult classic "The Nightmare Before Christmas." Jack Skellington, the king of Halloween Town, yearns for something more. When he stumbles across the land of Christmas, he's spellbound. However, things become complicated when Jack kidnaps Santa Claus to introduce him to the ghoulish denizens of Halloween Town.
One of the most charming and hilarious holiday films in recent years features Will Ferrell as Buddy the Elf. In "Elf," the human raised by the North Pole elves makes his way to find his father, played by James Caan. There's one big problem: Buddy's daddy is on Santa's naughty list.
There are few ways more fun to bring the family together for the holidays than with a classic film.