Bill Murray makes "Scrooged" a modern Christmas classic. Credit: Amazon.com
After that, the best Christmas movies seemed to shoot for something either more hip or more slapstick. They weren't necessarily less sentimental, but to appeal to a modern audience, that had to be balanced with something a bit more wary, a bit more knowing, or at least something a bit more silly.
"Scrooged" (1988)
If you're going to re-imagine "A Christmas Carol" as a comic romp, make sure to hire Bill Murray for the lead role. That's the main lesson of "Scrooged," which manages a fresh and funny spin on Dickens in a modern setting, with Scrooge-like Frank Cross as a network executive trying to make his own, cynically test-marketed version of "A Christmas Carol" complete with horns stapled to animals and the Solid Gold Dancers (who must have been happy for the work). Murray is perfect in the role, helped by great performances from Karen Allen as Cross's love interest, David Johansen as the Ghost of Christmas Past, Carol Kane as the Ghost of Christmas Present, an dBobcat Goldthwait as office lackey Eliot Loudermilk. The ending is fun and joyful, and convincing, mainly due to Murray.
"Elf" (2003)
Will Ferrell doesn't appeal to everyone. But here he plays Buddy, one of Santa's elves. Smiling is Buddy's favorite, and it would be hard for Farrell to play this man-child over the top. Buddy is exploding with Christmas cheer, staying up all night to create a department story holiday display, chugging Coke a two-liter bottle at a time, and frightening people with his enthusiasm when he finds out Santa is coming. The character is actually too big to play too broadly, and at times, it seems he is the sole remaining hope for Christmas spirit in New York. Bob Newhart is the perfect deadpan foil for Buddy as Papa Elf. Zooey Deschanel is an appealing mix of cute and wary. The Peter Dinklage cameo is hysterical, and Amy Sedaris, Artie Lange, and Leon Redbone have some amusing screen time, as well.
"Home Alone" (1990)
Before this story was killed by a seemingly endless parade of sequels (He's home alone again! This time we've got 'im!) it was a fun little movie about a kid left behind when his parents travel for the holidays. What kid couldn't relate to that? Setting your own rules, outsmarting a couple of thugs who are trying to break into your house. It's a pre-pubescent fantasy, for sure, but an amiable one, and told with some ingenuity this first time around. Just save it for a special occasion, and stay away from the sequels.
"Christmas Vacation" (1989)
"Christmas Vacation" is crude, sometimes tasteless, and even a little mean-spirited, especially when it comes to destroying the neighbors' holiday, not to mention their picture windows . But most families are a bit crude, tasteless, and sometimes a little mean-spirited, which is what keeps people coming back to the Griswold family Christmas. Pets running wild, nutty grandparents, stress at work -- it's all played large here, but maybe it's a little less exaggerated than you might think. Who doesn't have a Cousin Eddie, real or imagined, in their family? One of the more tasteless bits, the "grace" scene at the table, is an often-quoted family favorite. And I've seen it's not just my family, either. So don't look so shocked, you.
"Love Actually" (2003)
Ah, the Christmas romance movie. How many times can we remake thee? Let me consult the Lifetime Network. Hugh Grant might be responsible for a few yawners, but he's actually a skilled comic actor. Here, Grant is part of an ensemble cast that includes Liam Neeson, Colin Firth, Laura Linney, Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Keira Knightly, Bill Nighy, and Rowan Atkinson. That's a talented ensemble cast with a lot of different levels of appeal, and provides a nice balance with several different Christmas love stories. Which at least partly explains why "Love Actually" has become such a huge Christmas favorite. Nighy and Martin Freeman are especially welcome additions for me.
