Top 8 Christmas Films I Have never seen.

In order to further demonstrate my nativity when it comes to cinema on the whole, and to demonstrate that even the tired genre of Christmas movies can continue to surprise and mystify, here are 8 holiday movies that I have never seen, but really want to.

8. All other acclaimed versions of 'A Christmas Carol'.

Not much to say here. An excellent story which has been told well many times before. In particular, I am interested in the Patrick Stewert and George C. Scott versions. On the bottom of the list because I have seen several versions of the tale already.

7. Bad Santa

A novel concept which has received a surprising amount of acclaim, and even a fairly devout cult following. I enjoy Billy Bob Thornton as an actor and the idea of a cynical, yet not entirely jaded, Christmas film interests me. Probably due to my love of the Blackadder Christmas special.

6. A Christmas Story

I will admit, in a similar way to how the universal (and non-stop) acclaim of Amelie has actually succeeded in numbing me to the idea of actually seeing the film, I am not as enthused as I probably should be to see this supposed classic. This is why it is quite low on the list despite it's status.

5. Rise of the Guardians

Billed as the largest holiday crossover in movie form since A Nightmare Before Christmas. With it's fun concept, fairly impressive looking animation and large fanbase, I am quite interested in this one. 

4. Santa Claus: The Movie

This cult-classic has a devoted fanbase who hold it as one of the most enjoyable and ambitious holiday movies ever made. Although it may turn out to be a simple slice of cheesy schlock, it's grandeur and ambition intrigues me.

3. Joyeux Noel

A film which uses an unbelievable historical event as a platform to deliver a holiday message is very fascinating to me. I have always been very interested in the Christmas truce of 1914, and so the existance of an acclaimed dramatisation of the event was guaranteed to make it high on this list.

2. Miracle on 34th Street

Often considered to be the greatest holiday classic aside from It's a Wonderful Life. Not much to say other than, I should have seen this before now.

1. Tokyo Godfathers

I hugely regret not putting Satoshi Kon on the unseen directors list (he likely would have ranked in the top 20 if I had thought to add him). Along with Paprika I must experience this guys widely adored Christmas classic for myslef. A dramatic and strange addition to the Christmas canon, which I intend to see tomorrow on Christmas Eve.

By Jack D. Phillips

A Zoom Film List

Dedicated to the memory of Satoshi Kon, I dearly hope that the 'Dreaming Machine' is completed to allow his last artistic memory to see the light of day.