Using state-of-the-art cinema science, the 2020 See It, Stream It or Skip It Christmas Movie Calendar is here!
Movies were broken into three categories:
Pre-Holiday – meaning that the movie evokes the season’s spirit of good will and happy tidings. The amount of time in the actual film that takes place on Christmas versus the lead up was taken into account. For example, “Miracle on 34th Street”(1994 version) takes place mainly BEFORE Christmas and even starts on Thanksgiving, so it makes sense that it would be a Pre-Holiday selection.
Christmas Adjacent – Most of the plot or action takes place on Christmas. “The Muppet Christmas Carol”, 4/5ths of the movie takes place on Christmas Eve (several) and Christmas Day. This makes it a great title to watch closer to the holiday. Following me?
Out There – Christmas Horror is a genre that is growing every year, but probably not the number one choice to watch as you get ready to fill your head with sugarplums and a clatter on the roof. Titles such as “Gremlins” or “The Ice Harvest” are sprinkled within the calendar to keep you on your toes.
A few additional notes: I included just a couple made-for-tv holiday specials. These are available on DVD or via streaming services, so I felt they would add to the mix. Plus, it wouldn’t be the holidays without the Peanuts gang and Linus explaining the first Christmas!
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November 27th – Black Friday – JINGLE ALL THE WAY. Holiday shopping and last minute gifts are the subject of this Arnold Schwarzenegger family film. Set in Minneapolis, the Tickle Me Elmo and Cabbage Patch craze of decades past are the inspiration.
November 28th – double header – A BAD MOM’S CHRISTMAS / JUST FRIENDS – a modern reminder that we don’t have to “live up to the expectation” of holidays are behind the semi-raunchy comedic bits in A Bad Mom’s Christmas. A holiday rom-com that feels like the writers spied on your high school years and put it on film. Ryan Reynolds does what he does best and the rest of us remember that feeling of coming home after establishing an adult life outside of our home towns.
November 29th – double header – THE SANTA CLAUSE / THE SANTA CLAUSE 2 – Tim Allen’s Santa series goes from best to worse as the series adds sequels. A bonafide Christmas classic in the first Santa Clause. See a slightly cynical single father accidentally become Santa after an accident on the roof. Wonderful movie. The sequel sees the titular Santa having to get married. More childish, but still funny and well worth your time! Disney+ to the rescue for viewing!
November 30th – ERNEST SAVES CHRISTMAS – This movie establishes a great piece of Santa mythos. Santas retire and pass the torch onto another. Santa has his eyes on a Mr. Roger’s esque television personality. After a chance meeting with a lovable idiot (Gone too soon’s Jim Varney as Ernest) the holiday capers kick off. Set in Florida, the lack of snow makes for a less than Christmas-y appearance, but you will be laughing all the way. One of the most action packed sleigh rides in movie history!
December 1st – NATIONAL LAMPOON’S CHRISTMAS VACATION – This title could have fallen almost anywhere on the list, but at the beginning of December makes sense. Picking a tree, shopping, bonuses, family coming to stay and putting up the lights. This has the whole holiday wrapped into 97 minutes. As the poster says, “Yule Crack Up!”
December 2nd – LAST CHRISTMAS – One of the more recent additions to the list, this rom-com is all heart. I remember several friends mentioning that they went to see this several times in the theaters. Emelia Clark isn’t the queen of dragons here, but a curmudgeon who just wants to sing.
December 3rd – OFFICE CHRISTMAS PARTY – Over the top, filthy and lots of swearing. Just like your actual office party in year’s past. This comedy is helped by great roles for character actors who shine. Especially Kate Mckinnon and her minivan!
December 4th – watch before/while you decorate – ELF – Everyone has seen this favorite and I want to tell you why I chose this date. It’s the first Friday in December and if you are going to decorate, let Buddy the Elf give you the inspiration. Hilarious, sweet and amazing performances. Filmmakers, take note, this is how you make a holiday classic!
December 5th – double feature – IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE / MIXED NUTS – Two movies made almost 50 years apart share this double feature. They both emphasize the point that the world is a better place with YOU in it. The first Christmas classic, It’s a Wonderful Life, is iconic. Sometimes I meet people who haven’t sat down and watched it, but know the entire plot anyways. That is how important it is to the holiday. Plus, it is used in the background of many of the movies listed here. Mixed nuts is Steve Martin running a suicide hotline and trying to keep his office afloat. Madeline Kahn, Adam Sandler, Liev Schreiber, Rita Wilson and more make this forgotten comedy a must for 2020!
December 6th – GREMLINS – I am biased. I admit it. This is one of my top five films. This dark comedy mixes puppetry, small town life, Chinese mythology and a Joe Dante/Steven Spielberg/Chris Columbus collaboration to make one of the scariest Christmas movies of my childhood. Oh yeah, did I mention Jerry Goldsmith with the amazing score too! Billy gets a new pet (the inspiration for Furby and Baby Yoda?!?!) who has a strict set of rules. Setting this movie against Christmas is nothing short of genius. If you have the DVD, do yourself a favor and listen to the audio commentary by Dante and the cast. Easily my favorite commentary out there. Check out HBOMax for Gremlins, commentary requires the DVD/Blu-Ray.
December 7th – TRAPPED IN PARADISE – Nicholas Cage and two guys from Saturday Night Live star in a bank heist film wrapped in Americana. What would happen if you committed the perfect crime…and then couldn’t get out of town? Oh yeah, the victims are also the nicest small town folk you have ever met? It’s all here. Florence Stanley plays the perfect New York City mother. Perfect.
December 8th – A VERY BRADY CHRISTMAS – You can find this holiday special on Hulu. All the Bradys! All grown up with families of their own. This special has a home in my heart. My mother and I watched this when it first aired and several times after. We were the Bunch Boosters in my house. It’s the Christmas special fans of campy jokes deserve. Find this one on Hulu.
December 9th – LOVE, ACTUALLY – Admit it, this is already in your DVD player. You didn’t take it out from last year. Multiple storylines converge on Christmas in a hilarious, heart breaking and very English rom-com. Happy Christmas, from the Pointer Sisters!
December 10th – double feature – EIGHT CRAZY NIGHTS / A CHRISTMAS STORY – Adam Sandler’s Hanukkah animated film has a mixture of holidays, some ear worm worthy tunes and junior high jokes. Not for everyone, but the middle schoolers in your thank you for finding a movie that involves everything they love – intramural basketball, porta pottys and a guy with a hook hand. For A Christmas Story, we all wanted a leg lamp. And a Red Rider BB Gun. And to ride that slide after we see Santa. This movie is wink to the 1950s as well as a classic so beloved that it plays for 245 hours on a loop every year. Sometimes I narrate my own holiday adventures so I can feel a little more like Ralphie.
December 11th – BAD SANTA – Let’s just keep the crudeness rolling. Billy Bob Thornton steals the show with his portrayal of a small time crook posing as a mall Santa. When a young man needs Santa’s help, he gets pulled into being a good man. It’s like the power of the season allows him to change…but not that much! The cast is small, the plot is simple and there are a LOT of laughs here.
December 12th – double feature – LAST HOLIDAY / THE ICE HARVEST – Easily the weirdest combination here. A dark comedy from Harold Ramis in The Ice Harvest (with a several scene stealing performance by Oliver Platt) this backstabbing Christmas comedy is right up your alley. Along for the ride is a Queen Latifah flick that is about appreciating the moments you have before it’s too late. Bond fans might recognize the hotel she stays at as being the same building from the remake of Casino Royale!
December 13th – double feature – A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS/DR. SEUSS’S HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS. The Peanuts gang are lined up for a 7:30pm (CST) showing on your local PBS channel now that Apple owns the rights, you can also watch on AppleTV+ for free. Holiday specials don’t get better than these two. Grandparents, parents and children have been enjoying these for decades. Whether Charlie Brown is overwhelmed by the holiday (boy, he sure had the future dialed in) or the Grinch and his distaste for consumerism, you are in for a yuletide treat. Great to watch with the kids or have on while you do some holiday baking!
December 14th – BATMAN RETURNS – Yep. Set during the Christmas holiday. Our favorite caped crusader takes on Catwoman, the Penguin and an evil Scrooge-like Christopher Walken. I can’t watch a tree lighting ceremony without thinking of this movie…
December 15th – DIE HARD – Of course this makes the list! Die Hard is a Christmas movie. I don’t even understand the argument. More holiday films could take a tip or two from this awesome action flick. If you missed the holiday party at work this year, this is your homework.
December 16th – SCROOGED – Bill Murray is the master of deadpan humor and it makes sense that he could also tackle a role as important as Ebenezer Scrooge. A modern re-telling of the Dickens tale, Frank Cross finds himself dealing with time traveling ghosts WHILE he produces a special live televised performance of “A Christmas Carol.” Pretty meta, eh? When I was younger, this is no joke, I asked for veal for Christmas because of this movie. True story.
December 17th – EMMET OTTER’S JUG BAND CHRISTMAS – Jim Henson put his mark on a holiday special with this ode to classic puppetry. All the sets built to scale, great music and a message for everyone. This TV musical romp through the hollow will put a smile on your face. If your family is looking for a new movie to watch this year – I highly suggest this one. Afterwards, watch the blooper real on Youtube!
December 18th – KISS KISS BANG BANG – Robert Downey Jr and Val Kilmer share screen time in this Christmas detective case. Shane Black (Lethal Weapon, Iron Man 3) loves Christmas and does a wonderful job setting stories against the colorful backdrop of the holiday season. Hilariously funny, this Christmas movie is worth your time and may become a yearly re-watch.
DECEMBER 19th – double feature – HOME ALONE / HOME ALONE 2. There isn’t much I need to say. I will suggest that you watch Home Alone and then watch “The Movies That Made Us” episode featuring our favorite forgetful family. You won’t believe how this iconic classic came to be – honestly, I am still blown away by the behind-the-scenes story! Both on Disney+
DECEMBER 20th – double feature – THE CHRISTMAS CHRONICLES / THE CHRISTMAS CHRONICLES 2 – Very recent additions to this list. Every kid dreams of meeting Santa Clause – but what if you were tasked with helping him save Christmas? And what if you got a pseudo “Overboard” reunion between Kurt Russel and Goldie Hawn? YEP! It’s all here! Both are on Netflix and waiting for ya.
December 21st – THE MUPPET FAMILY CHRISTMAS – You can find this on Youtube. Just to get that out of the way. The Muppets decide they want a country Christmas, so they take off for Fozzie’s childhood home in the country. Ma Bear is more than surprised as she has already rented out the farmhouse for the holiday. Embracing the fun, The Muppets meet up with the gang from Sesame Street and Fragglerock. Your favorite carols, a side story about cooking a turkey and the best medley of all time make this an annual watch. I will watch this at least three times during the holiday season!
December 22nd – THE FAMILY STONE – Have you ever been to a friend or partner’s house for the holidays…and felt out of place? This movie is just as savage as it is sweet. Sad and relatable. An all star cast is worthy of your time…and consideration the next time someone shares your traditions from the outside.
December 23rd – WHITE CHRISTMAS – I’ve owned this title on VHS, Laserdisc, DVD, Blu-Ray, Digital Download and 4K. Plus I watch it on TV every year. The holiday film of holiday films. Also, a great love letter to filmmaking. The musical numbers, the comedy, sets and costuming all come together for an unforgettable film experience.
December 24th – double feature – THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL / ARTHUR CHRISTMAS – The Muppet Christmas Carol is the BEST adaptation of Charles Dickens’ work, in my opinion. Michael Caine plays the role honestly and never winks to the audience that this is a Muppet movie. That is one of the reasons it is so good. Other reasons include brilliant songs by Paul Williams, a lively London set, jokes that have aged beautifully and a 4th wall breaking performance from Gonzo the Great and Rizzo the Rat. Arthur Christmas is a CG animated story of Santa, his sons and his father. Arthur is Santa’s accident prone son who loves Christmas. His older brother Steve is slated to become the next Santa and the current Santa has lost the knack of exactly what he should be doing. His father is still around and hates technology, preferring the old fashioned sleigh and ways. When one child is forgotten, Arthur takes it upon himself to right the wrong. Hilarious, great British humor and a lot of wonderful action scenes. This is a holiday movie that will delight the young and old…even though it is animated.
December 25th – YOU CHOOSE – If I skipped your favorite film or you are enraged that I didn’t even mention Hallmark, this is your chance to set things back in order. Find a favorite. Snuggle up. If you are like me, you gave someone or received a new movie as a gift. Enjoy that present by watching it now.
Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas…ya filthy animal!
JJ
Additional Content by JJ Gordon:
KFGO Blog – Thanksgiving Leftover Waffles
KFGO Blog – John Candy is My Favorite Comedian
KFGO Blog – 50 of My Favorite Saturday Night Live Sketches!
KFGO Blog – Virtual Monopoly?!?! Yes, please!
KFGO Blog – How I Learned the States and Their Capitals
KFGO Blog – The Most Embarrassing Picture From My Youth
KFGO Blog – A Tale of Two Murders
KFGO Blog – The Three R’s of Remembering My Father
(Listen to JJ Gordon every weekday from 11am to 2pm on It Takes 2 with Amy and JJ . On the Mighty 790AM KFGO or on our app!)
