As soon as the holiday season hits, streaming services and movie studios release the newest round in the avalanche of Christmas movies. Netflix alone has almost 100 Christmas movies available on it’s platform, according to Whats-On-Netflix.com.
Some are old classics, like “It’s a Wonderful Life.” Some are newer hits, like “Elf” or children’s movies, like “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” Forbes has stated that the highest grossing Christmas film of all time is Home Alone - while others have cited The Grinch as the reigning box office champion.
Michael Prado, majoring in Pop Music Performance, shared his favorite Christmas movie.
Michael Prado: My favorite Christmas movie has got to be “Home Alone” because that was just my fantasy as a kid, being home alone.
Maisy White, a junior studying Journalism, talked about some of her favorites for the holiday season.
Maisy White: I’m a big fan of “Elf.” Any of the “Home Alones.”
Anthony Clingerman: Do you consider “Die Hard” a Christmas movie?
White: I’ve never seen it!
Clingerman: Understandable.
White: I wish I could give an opinion.
Whether “Die Hard” is a Christmas movie is a hotly contested subject. Prado believes it’s not one.
Prado: A movie can be a Christmas movie if you want to watch it during Christmas.
Yohanna Bauerdorf: Okay, perfect.
Clingerman: So what if I wanted to watch “Die Hard” during Christmas? [laughter]
Prado: Ah, no. That’s the only exception.
White has a controversial opinion in the Christmas movie debate, as well.
White: “The Nightmare Before -” with Jack Skellington?
Bauerdorf: “The Nightmare Before Christmas.
White: I kind of think it’s more Halloween. But some people say it’s Christmas, I don’t know, I feel like it’s just - I watch it during Halloween.
We hope you enjoy the season, regardless of whether you’re watching a holiday classic, a cherished animated film or something decidedly unique to your Christmas spirit - even one of the 42 new Hallmark Christmas movies releasing this year!
For Annenberg Media, I’m Anthony Clingerman and I’m Yohanna Bauerdorf.