Entertainment in 2016: My Favorites and Least Favorites

It's the last day of 2016! It was a weird year for everyone. For me personally and I think for a lot of us, it was a particularly difficult year. But this isn't a post to talk about all that. This is a post to talk about some of the things that made this year bearable: the movies, the music, and the books. And although I don't normally post negative things on here, I will also be sharing some of the films and books I didn't love from this year.

I saw nearly one hundred new movies in 2016, which is the most I think I've ever seen in one year. Obviously I can't talk about them all but if you've followed my blog for the last year I've written about some of my favorites. Down below I will talk about the movies I saw from 2016, from my least favorite to my most.

There were a few films I saw that I really didn't care for this year. This will probably surprise everyone but I think the worst movies (in my opinion) that I saw this year were Zootopia and Lights Out. These two movies got very positive reviews and everyone loved them, but I just didn't get on board. I found Zootopia so try-hard and preachy, and it wasn't very funny. Compared to other Disney movies that come out recently like Big Hero 6, it didn't hold up for me. Lights Out was a movie that I was pretty excited for based on the trailers but I was thoroughly disappointed. It wasn't scary at all, it didn't make a whole lot of sense, and the message seemed pretty terrible. Another film that, again, got really good reviews but didn't compare to other installments in the franchise was the Netflix original Pee-Wee's Big Holiday. It just wasn't that funny. I think that 30-year-old Pee-Wee Herman works but 60-year-old Pee-Wee Herman just doesn't. Three films that were okay for me were Mascots, The Boy, and Shut In. Mascots wasn't as good as other Christopher Guest films but it had some funny and heartwarming moments. The Boy and Shut In received scathing reviews but I found them enjoyable enough. They weren't particularly smart or entirely original, but they were fun enough. (Apparently my tastes are the complete opposite of reviews!) Below are the movies I loved from 2016, all of which I have written individual posts on. From least to best here are my favorite movies of 2016:

6. Hail, Caesar!
5. 10 Cloverfield Lane
4. Kubo and the Two Strings
3. The BFG
2. Rogue One
1. Captain America: Civil War

I had the most fun with Captain America: Civil War. I never thought a Marvel movie would be my favorite anything but it was so good. I saw it twice in theaters and bought it as soon as it came out. I think a lot of people will actually agree with me on this one - Civil War was freakin' amazing. It was everything a summer blockbuster should be.

Of course, I also saw tons of movies that didn't come out in 2016, many that I loved. Here are ten of my favorite new-to-me movies I saw this year:

Moonrise Kingdom (2014)                  
Secrets of War (2014)                            
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
American Graffiti (1973)
Escape to Witch Mountain (1975)
The Right Stuff (1983)
The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)
Jaws (1975)
FairyTale: A True Story (1997)
The Man Who Laughs (1928)

I have to mention the best thing that happened to TV in 2016 and that is Stranger Things. The whole world fell in love with this show and for good reason. I've watched it several times since it came out last summer and I still can't get over how wonderfully perfect that show is for me. I am so ready for season two.

I also want to share other things I loved from this year, things I don't normally talk about on my blog. Let's start with music. I discovered lots of new music and expanded my horizons. Some great albums I bought this year are This is Acting by Sia and Volume One of the Stranger Things soundtrack. I haven't been super into K-Pop for a couple of years but I will always love Bigbang. One of the most wonderful things to happen in music was Bigbang's release of the full MADE album, which fans have been anticipating for about a year. Three new songs and two new music videos accompanied the awesome songs that came out last year. It was a great send-off for T.O.P before he leaves for the military.

I'm pretty proud that I read over 100 books this year, most of them new ones. I spent the last four years only able to read books for school. This was the first year I could read books I actually wanted to read. It's hard to whittle down my faves from such a large number but I'm going to attempt it! First I will list my five least favorite books I read this year:

5. Tim Burton: A Child's Garden of Nightmares (Honestly it's more the genre I didn't like; instead of discussing how they made each film of Burton's, it was just a collection of reviews, which are not super enjoyable to read.)

4. The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins (I disliked almost every character and the ending wasn't too exciting or shocking.)

3. King Dork by Frank Portman (I'm just kind of over these young adult novels with "misunderstood, nerdy" dude protagonists who are actually really douchey and attend just as much parties and have as much sex as the popular kids)

2. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (I have tried so much to like this book. I've read it several times and I just can't get into it! I love the twenties and all, but I just don't like the characters and that's really important for me)

1. The Dramatic Imagination by Robert Edmond Jones (This was a book I had saved from back when I was an Acting Major for a hot second. I finally got around to reading it and, holy crap, it was so pretentious. And, dare I say, dramatic.)

Okay, now let's talk about my favorite books, which is a lot more fun. Here are the best new books I read this year (this was so hard to do):

~honorable mention goes to Apostles of Disunion by Charles B. Dew~

5. A Christmas Story by Jean Shepherd (The original stories behind one of my favorite Christmas movies. Someone wrote that Shepherd's writing are like the stories behind a Norman Rockwell painting. It's a perfect description.)

4. Cuckoo Song by Frances Hardinge (Hard to believe this is a young adult novel! The best new horror/fantasy novel I've read since Miss Peregrine. It might even be better.)

3. Believing Christ by Stephen E, Robinson (Such an inspiring and happy book. Really made me see things differently.)

2. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett (The 1990's film version of this book is one of my favorite movies. This book was just as wonderful. "The whole world is a garden.")

1. Man's Search for Meaning by Victor Frankl (I cried the entirety of reading this book and begged my family members to read after I had finished it. I underlined so many passages. This book was a really important read for my life in 2016 and I hope to revisit it in 2017.)

So there you have it! Some of my faves and not-so-faves from 2016. One good thing from this year was how much better my blog has become, I think. I've had it for a year now and I've changed and developed lots of it. I have really enjoyed writing and I hope to write more in 2017. Thanks for reading and I'll see you next year! xx

9 Original Songs from Christmas Movies

We're all familiar with the Christmas standards, the ones that get played on the radio all December. These include songs like "Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer," "Jingle Bells," and "Let it Snow." Movies have also given us some great Christmas songs. Some songs are so popular and ingrained into our culture that we may not even be aware that they came from a movie. This post will include nine original and beautiful Christmas songs that first appeared in films.

"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" from Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)

I actually only learned recently that one of my favorite Christmas songs, "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," came from a musical. Now known as one of the most popular Christmas songs of all time, it originated from a 1940's film. I finally saw the Judy Garland classic Meet Me in St. Louis last week and I quite enjoyed it. The original lyrics for the Christmas tune were much darker and Garland as well as other cast members and the director asked for the lyrics to be changed into something more uplifting. The lyrics were adjusted again for Frank Sinatra when he recorded it later. The song became a hit and it was very popular among the troops during World War II; it's understandable with touching lyrics such as "Here we are as in olden days/Happy golden days of yore." I love this song because it does make one feel very nostalgic and happy during the holidays. In Meet Me in St. Louis, Garland's character Esther is moving with her family and she and her sisters are very sad about it. To try to cheer her little sister up, Esther sings "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas." It's a really nice moment in the film and it makes you realize that what's really important during the holiday season is spending time with those you love. 

"One More Sleep 'til Christmas" from The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)

In all honesty, I could write an entire post on The Muppet Christmas Carol soundtrack. It not only has some of the best original Christmas songs, it's one of the greatest musical scores of all time. Penned by Paul Williams, who wrote many other Muppets songs, The Muppet Christmas Carol soundtrack has many great songs that could have made this list. One of the songs I want to include is "One More Sleep 'til Christmas." It's sung by Kermit the Frog (as Bob Cratchit) as he closes up Scrooge's counting house and heads home on Christmas Eve. The lyrics so perfectly describe how it feels to go to bed on Christmas Eve when you're a kid, as well as portray the true meaning of Christmas in a way that's also relatable to adults. "There's magic in the air this evening," "The promise of excitement is one the night will keep, "There's something in the wind today that's good for everyone" - just a sampling of some of the beautiful lyrics in this song. No song will lift up your spirits and bring a happy tear to your eye like "One More Sleep 'til Christmas."

"Where Are You Christmas?" from How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)

A live action, feature length version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas could have gone horribly wrong but it turned out to be a fun, entertaining movie. Jim Carrey makes a wonderful Grinch and young Taylor Momsen (now the lead singer of the rock band The Pretty Reckless) plays an adorable and intelligent Cindy Lou Who. The Ron Howard film includes some songs from the original television special but one was added that was new. "Where Are You Christmas?" is sung by Cindy Lou Who, who is facing a Charlie Brown-esque crisis when she feels she doesn't understand what Christmas means anymore. It's sad to think that a child can feel so despondent about Christmas but that's what makes this song so good. It's beautifully sung and the lyrics can apply to anyone of any age who may be feeling like they've lost the magical feeling of Christmas. While the song is quite sad, we can be happy to know that Cindy Lou Who realizes that while Christmas may seem commercial and fake at times, its true meaning can lie within us all year round.

"Somewhere in My Memory" from Home Alone (1990)

There is nothing John Williams can't do. When Home Alone was released in 1990, it soon became the third highest grossing film of all time, right after E.T., the Extra-terrestrial and Star Wars - two films that were also scored by Williams. The music for Home Alone is great. It's merry, it's mischievous, and it puts spins on Christmas classics. The score was nominated for an Academy Award and the theme from the film "Somewhere in My Memory" was also nominated for Best Song. Williams wrote the music for the song and Leslie Bricusse wrote the lyrics. It's a very short song - only fourteen lines long - but it's a lovely number. The lyrics portray the remembrances of Christmases past: family gathered round, candles in the window, the magical feeling that comes with holiday nostalgia. When you put those lyrics as the backdrop for Kevin realizing how alone and sad he is on Christmas Eve, it turns Home Alone into a more touching film that one could have thought. That's the power of "Somewhere in My Memory." 

"Christmas Vacation" from National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989)

Lindsey Buckingham's "Holiday Road" has been in every National Lampoon Vacation film since the first one was released in 1983. It's a great song, but it didn't fit with the third installment in the series. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation isn't about a road trip; it's about a fun old-fashioned family Christmas at home. The film opens up with another song instead: the upbeat tune of Mavis Staples' "Christmas Vacation." It's a fun song that sounds like it could fit in with any of the Christmas music playing on the radio. The lyrics discuss Santa, snowmen, and lights - all the things that make you excited for Christmas. And one particularly clever lyric - "Gonna make this holiday as perfect as can be" - really lines up with the plot of this movie. A lot of the songs I have included on this list are more somber or thoughtful. This is a Christmas song that will you make you want to dance and add some fun to your Christmas vacation.

"I Believe in Santa Claus" from The Year Without a Santa Claus (1974)

This is the one song on this list that I feel like most people won't know but they really should. When people think about this Rankin/Bass TV special, they mostly remember the Snow Miser and Heat Miser numbers. My favorite song occurs when Santa Claus arrives to Southtown in disguise and tries to convince young Ignatius Thistlewhite (some name, huh?) that Santa Claus is real. You wouldn't think a song from some silly Rankin/Bass production could make you cry but this song makes me cry almost every time I hear it. One of the reasons I love it is that it gives more depth to Santa Claus. Whenever I hear a kid today say they don't believe in Santa, it makes my heart ache. It's sad to think that a lot of people think of Santa as the epitome of the commercialization of Christmas, the thing that takes away from the religious or deeper meaning of the holiday. I see Santa as a metaphor for the true meaning of Christmas and if you listen to the lyrics of "I Believe in Santa Claus," it's very easy to see the similarities between what Santa represents and what we learn about during Christmas church services. The last line, "Just like love, I know he's there waiting to be missed" sums it up very nicely while tugging at your heartstrings like there's no tomorrow.

"What's This?" from The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

No song could more perfectly sum up the collision between the dark village of Halloweentown and the bright and colorful winter wonderland of Christmastown than "What's This?" Jack Skellington has just discovered the Christmas land and is very excited. He sees snow for the first time, marvels at children sleeping soundly with no nightmares, and watches the town prepare for Christmas. You wouldn't think a Christmas song should include lines such as "There are children throwing snowballs instead of throwing heads" or "The children are asleep/But look, there's nothing underneath."  But Danny Elfman can make it work. This song has the dark imagery and macabre humor of Halloween as well as the whimsical and happy feeling of Christmas. If you're wanting to listen to something a little more twisted this season, you should listen to "What's This?" and also the entire soundtrack of The Nightmare Before Christmas because it's so good. And if you really want to get Hot Topic about it, Fall Out Boy has recorded a cover of this song.

"White Christmas" from Holiday Inn (1942) and White Christmas (1954)

Guinness World Records states that Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" is the best-selling single of all time. Before selling over 100 million copies, this song was included in two different films. "White Christmas" was written by Irving Berlin and debuted in the 1942 musical Holiday Inn starring Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire. Initially the song wasn't as popular as other songs from the film. But by the end of 1942, the song was a success. Like "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," the song was extremely popular with troops serving during World War II. "White Christmas" won the Academy Award for Best Song and twelve years later became the main theme for another musical film. Named after the popular song, White Christmas was the highest grossing film of 1954 and is now considered a holiday classic. It's easy to see why this song resonated with the troops and why it remains a classic. "I'm dreaming of a white Christmas/Just like the ones I used to know" are the lyrics that allow the happy memories of past Christmases to come flooding in. "White Christmas" reminds us of how magical Christmas was when we were young and helps keep the magic of Christmas alive as we grow older.

"It Feels Like Christmas" from The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)

Yes, I added another song from The Muppet Christmas Carol. How could I not include this one? Several of the songs I have listed here have lyrics that sum up what we love about the Christmas season. No song does this better than "It Feels Like Christmas." The song is so good that it was powerful enough to uplift Ebenezer Scrooge and melt his icy heart. The Spirit of Christmas Present takes Scrooge throughout the town on Christmas Day and shows how happy everyone is, even the poor and unfortunate. Scrooge learns through this song that Christmas is about love, peace, and friendship and that all the money in the world could never bring true happiness. "It Feels Like Christmas" has a merry tune and touching lyrics. It can make you laugh and cry. It's a perfect song for the holiday season, one that will remind you what's most important in life. These lyrics say it best - "A part of childhood we'll always remember/It is the summer of the soul in December/Yes, when you do your best for love it feels like Christmas."

Rogue One: The Surprise of 2016

I love Star Wars more than most things. Surprisingly, I didn't write on The Force Awakens. But I wanted to write on Rogue One because it was so much better than I thought it would be and it has opened up some new exciting possibilities for the the Star Wars universe.

After I saw the first trailer for it, I was pumped for The Force Awakens. I knew it was going to be amazing and it was. I was more skeptical about Rogue One. It is the first film in the Star Wars franchise that isn't apart of the main Star Wars story. I remember watching the first trailer and just thinking, "Huh, this could be really good or really bad." And then the big news hit six months ago or so regarding the major re-shoots for the movie and I thought, "Man, they have to change that much? Or some studio guys are really screwing with it?" So I went to into Rogue One with as open of a mind as possible, without too much expectation. It wasn't a perfect movie (neither was The Force Awakens, mind you) and it has been getting some mixed reviews, but it definitely blew me away and, for me, was one of the biggest surprises of the year.

Rogue One takes place right before A New Hope. It tells the story of the ragtag group of rebels led by Jyn Erso and their mission to obtain the secret plans for the Death Star. I want to get right into talking about all that I loved about this movie. Warning: this will be filled to the brim with spoilers!

I was really curious to see how close Rogue One would be to the other Star Wars films. Would there be a scroll? The same closing credits? Would they use swipes? I was pretty pleased with the direction they went with this film. It had some similarities to the main Star Wars movies but it definitely proved itself as a stand-alone movie. The cinematography and editing was different and the score was by Michael Giacchino and not John Williams. The score wasn't as good as Williams', which isn't surprising, but I liked that it was different. It was also a completely different Star Wars film because it wasn't revolved around Jedis or the Force. It was more about the rebellion and the political and military leaders of the Empire more than Jedi vs Sith, which I thought was very interesting.

One of the criticisms I have heard about Rogue One is that the characterization isn't great; the characters aren't as likable as those in the original trilogy and The Force Awakens. I will agree that we didn't get to learn enough about the main characters to be truly invested in them but I will argue that it made sense not to share everyone's full backstory. Every main character dies; there is no Rogue One sequel that we should be expecting. And it made sense to kill the main characters off because none of them are in A New Hope. Even though we didn't get to learn a ton about these characters, I still loved them. Ragtag groups on missions is one of my favorite movie tropes. It's why Guardians of the Galaxy, The Breakfast Club, and The Goonies, just to name a few examples, are some of the best films. I loved the rebels. I actually really liked Jyn Erso. Compared to Rey, she was more flawed and seemed a bit more real. I still love Rey but Jyn is a good character and I hope she gets her own fanbase like Rey. K-2SO was easily one of the best parts of the film; he was so sassy. Cassian, Bodhi, Chirrut, and Baze were all interesting in their own ways. I came away from Rogue One loving all the characters.

There were some good additions of classic Star Wars characters in Rogue One. Darth Vader had some awesome scenes. He was kickin' the crap out of rebel soldiers at the end of the film looking for the plans. But the most amazing part was when Darth Vader said "I hope you choke on your aspirations" while choking Krennic. He made an actual pun while choking somebody. Incredible. Another critique I heard regarded the CGI versions of Tarkin and Leia. Some people saw the CGI as distracting and that it may not hold up thirty years from now. I say you could say that about any movie that uses special effects. Technology changes and I don't know how they would have made Rogue One without Tarkin somewhere. The motion capture was actually quite impressive. Obviously at times you could really tell it was CGI but I thought it looked pretty good and it didn't take away from the overall movie for me. They also used stock footage of the rebel pilots in A New Hope, which was pretty awesome as well. And, of course, R2-D2 and C-3PO had to make a short appearance.

The finale was the most amazing part. I can't get over it. It gets you so amped to watch A New Hope. In fact, I saw Rogue One last night and I'm watching A New Hope now because I couldn't wait any longer to watch it. The ending flows perfectly into the beginning of Episode IV. And the scene where Jyn and Cassian are hugging and the light is overtaking them is a beautiful shot.

Rogue One does have some flaws. Most of us are aware of the old news of the Rogue One re-shoots, some people claiming that over 80% of the movie was re-shot. I think it shows, in some good ways and some bad. I'm really glad they didn't include the "I rebel" line from the trailer, 'cause man, that was just some bad writing. But the beginning of the movie did feel pretty rushed. They jump from planet to planet and character to character so fast, you have to wonder if that wasn't effected by the re-shoots. I also think the transition from Bodhi getting tortured to losing his mind and then being alright really quickly was, again, all very rushed. But I do think that the later three-fourths or so of the movie really makes up for the shaky beginning.

I just love the explanation for the flaw in the Death Star. It makes so much more sense that somebody who hated the Empire was the main architect of the Death Star; he would include a flaw that could so easily destroy it. I also love the feel that you get from the old Star Wars films. George Lucas was heavily inspired by World War II when making Star Wars and you can see so much of it in both the original trilogy and the prequels. We had a lot of political meetings and speech-making in the prequels and in Rogue One we get a gritty, realistic battle scene. (And it took place on a beach - reference to D-Day perhaps?)

Overall, there was a lot I really liked about Rogue One. I just love the idea of a ragtag group of rebels stealing the plans to the Death Star. It's such a great concept and they executed it well. People might be asking now, "Did we need Rogue One? Does it add to the Star Wars universe in a good way?" I would say yes. It changed the way we looked at the Death Star and the Rebel Alliance, adding new layers to what we already know or thought we knew, which enhances the Star Wars universe in a very good way. My skepticism is gone. I had a great time with Rogue One and I can't wait to see it again.

5 Old School Christmas TV Specials

A long time ago, even before I was born, there was such a thing as a TV holiday special. This was the glorious age of the variety show, TV programs that boasted comedy, music, story, and dance. hosted by some of the greatest entertainers of the time. Christmas holiday specials were either special episodes of TV shows or hour-long programs hosted by musicians or comedians. Even though I wasn't able to experience any of these amazing specials live, I grew up watching some on DVD during the Christmas season. I wanted to share with you five of the funniest, silliest, and all-around entertaining Christmas TV specials.

A Muppet Family Christmas (1987)

One of the most underrated Muppet programs ever is A Muppet Family Christmas. It aired on ABC in 1987. Kermit and the gang are off to the country to surprise Fozzie's mother on Christmas. This short TV special was one of the most ambitious Muppet productions ever because it was one of the few shows to feature four Muppet franchises: the Muppets, Sesame Street, Fraggle Rock, and Muppet Babies (as live-action Muppets). It also includes a guest appearance from Gerry Parkes playing his "Doc" character from Fraggle Rock and a small, cute cameo from Jim Henson himself. A Muppet Family Christmas is great because it literally has every Muppet you can imagine. It also includes some great renditions of classic Christmas songs, such as "Jingle Bell Rock" sung by the Electric Mayhem and a hilarious Big Bird and Swedish Chef duet singing "The Christmas Song." If you love classic Muppets, you need to watch A Muppet Family Christmas this year.

The Donny and Marie Christmas Show (1978)

If this picture doesn't make you want to watch the Donny and Marie Christmas Special, then you are crazy. The Osmonds were a successful, multi-talented family band, the Mormon equivalent of the Jackson Five. In the mid-seventies, two of the siblings, Donny and Marie, starred in their own variety show. Their 1978 Christmas special had the siblings join their family in a cabin in Utah for a country Christmas. Interspersed with clips from Donny and Marie concerts, the entire family gets ready for Christmas Eve with plenty of singing and dancing. This was the first Osmond Christmas specials that had the Osmond wives perform and had rare guest appearances from the Osmond grandmothers. Goofy and silly surely describe this TV special, but it's also heartwarming and nostalgic, making it a perfect watch for the holiday season.

A Special Sesame Street Christmas (1978)

The same year the Donny and Marie Christmas Special premiered, another Christmas show was aired on CBS. A Special Sesame Street Christmas had the Sesame Street gang and a slew of guest stars including Leslie Uggams, Ethel Merman, and Dick Smothers try to get Oscar the Grouch into the holiday spirit. This Christmas special screams the 1970's, from the outfits to the camera work. It includes a nice variety of Christmas songs as well as a parody of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. One fun cameo is that of a young, be-froed Michael Jackson, hanging garland and reading a book on ghosts. A Special Sesame Street Christmas is a cute and enjoyable holiday watch, and it's all brought to a close by Oscar finally getting some Christmas cheer from the real star of the show: the fluffiest kitten ever named Tiny Tim. 

Pee-Wee's Playhouse Christmas Special (1988)

I have a weird appreciation for Pee-Wee Herman. His 1980's show was kitschy, bizarre, and creative. His 1988 Christmas special was just as kitschy, bizarre, and creative. It's Christmas at the Playhouse and Pee-Wee and his friends are getting ready for Santa's arrival. We get to see holiday twists on regular segments from the show, such as King of Cartoons, the magic screen, and a Penny Cartoon. The guest appearances are incredible. Dinah Shore sings a never-ending rendition of "12 Days of Christmas." Cher learns the magic word of the day. Frankie Avalon makes Christmas crafts. Little Richard learns how to ice skate. This is just the tip of the iceberg of strange guest star performances. Pee-Wee's Christmas special is one of the weirder things you might watch this Christmas, but that's what makes it amazing.

John Denver: Montana Christmas Skies (1991)

One of my family traditions is watching the John Denver Montana Christmas Skies on Christmas day. John Denver is one of the greatest singers that blessed this world. He spanned genres, made great collaborations, and produced lots of TV specials. Montana Christmas Skies stars John Denver and his guests Clint Black, Kathy Mattea, and Patty Loveless. Most of the special takes place in a barn, reminiscent of the first Christmas. It also includes clips of John Denver performing some of his most beloved songs in concert. This program includes a good mix of both spiritual and fun Christmas songs. If you want a good old-fashioned American Christmas special to watch, this is the one. Plus, you get to hear George Burns talk to John Denver on a horse. What's better than that?

Unconventional Christmas Movies

Every December, families gather together and huddle around the television to watch the Christmas classics: It's a Wonderful Life, Home Alone, A Chistmas Story, Elf, just to name a few. These movies are great, but you may feel like you've seen them so many times. Maybe you just want to watch a holiday movie with a twist. There are definitely darker Christmas films out there, like Nightmare Before Christmas or Krampus.  But if you want something different and new to watch this year, here are some unconventional Christmas movies you may have overlooked.

Edward Scissorhands (1990)

Tim Burton once said that his two favorite holidays are Halloween and Christmas. Before he mixed those two holidays into the ultimate festive stew in Nightmare Before Christmas, he created a Christmas wonderland in the finale of his dark fantasy cult hit Edward Scissorhands. It was Johnny Depp's first collaboration with Burton and Vincent Price's final film role. Edward Scissorhands tells the story of a man created by a kindly professor who dies before he can replace his creation's scissored hands with real hands. He is discovered by an Avon saleswoman named Peg and is invited to live with her and her family. Edward must then try and fit into suburban society and the rest of the neighborhood tries to accept him as well. There are a lot of wonderful Burton-esque elements in this film including a likable and misfit lead, "normal" pastel sets competing with dark twisted scenery, a musical score that's both magical and somber. Dark and light come together most beautifully when Edward, a gothic hero if there ever was one, makes it snow for the first time in this town by making an ice sculpture of Kim on Christmas. At the very end of the film, the now elderly Kim says she knows Edward is still alive in the mansion because it snows every winter. Having a tense and heartbreaking battle during Christmas is very much a Tim Burton move. And even though the ending is a little sad, we all let out a sigh of relief to know that Edward is safe and Kim really does love him. Edward Scissorhands is a modern fairy tale that reminds us that magical things can happen, especially during Christmas.


Die Hard (1988)

Die Hard is a groundbreaking movie in a lot of ways. It turned comedic television actor Bruce Willis into an action star. It was Alan Rickman's first film role. And it is considered to be one of the most entertaining action movies of all time. Coming from someone who isn't a huge fan of action movies, this film struck me. It has good acting, clever writing, and it's tense as all get-out. Die Hard is about American hero John McClane, a New York cop. On Christmas Eve, he suddenly finds himself  up against German terrorists led by Hans Gruber at the Nakatomi corporation, the place where his wife works. Argyle the limo driver said it best: "If this is your idea of Christmas, I gotta be here for New Year's!" This could be any old action movie, but it was spruced up in the best ways with some great one-liners and fantastic music choices. The Christmassy 9th Symphony playing when the terrorists find the money and the jazzy rendition of "Let it Snow" following the epic climax are a few examples of Die Hard using stylistic choices to break away from genre norms. If you want an edgy, rough-around-the-edges Christmas movie to watch this year, definitely check out Die Hard. 

Gremlins (1984)

"This is Christmas, not Halloween!" exclaims Rockin' Ricky, everyone's favorite radio DJ, on the night hundreds of evil green monsters take over Kingston Falls. With writer Chris Columbus and executive producer Steven Spielberg comes a 1980's classic that we often forget is a Christmas movie. Billy Peltzer receives the most interesting Christmas present on the block: Mogwai, a strange creature with Chinese origins, who is nicknamed "Gizmo" by the family. There are only three rules to follow: don't shine bright lights or sunlight on it, don't get water on it, and don't feed it after midnight. Of course all these things happen and so Gizmo multiplies and creates hundreds of demonic gremlins that take over the town. Gremlins is a great example of black comedy, especially set against a Christmas backdrop. In fact, Spielberg was worried that the film might be too dark at times (remember Kate's speech on why she hates Christmas?) Director Joe Dante stuck to his vision and was able to create a holiday film that's both sinister and fun. Almost a decade before Nightmare Before Christmas was terrorizing Christmas with shrunken heads and present-eating pythons, gremlins were turning the snowy Christmas wonderland of Kingston Falls into a seedy and decrepit ghost town. And speaking of gremlins, they looked amazing. Puppets, mechanical figures, and even marionettes were used to create the Mogwai. And they still hold up today; I even thought how much worse the film would have looked if they had made the gremlins all CGI. So if you're in the mood for a dark and twisted holiday movie, don't bypass this mischievous Christmas classic. 

Batman Returns (1992)

Tim Burton's Batman arguably changed the way we think of superhero movies. And although he generally tends to stay away from sequels, he directed Batman Returns, which was almost as financially and critically successful as the first. This Batman film tells the story of two villains in the Batman rogues gallery: Penguin and Catwoman. Penguin teams up with business mogul Max Shrek to take over Gotham while Catwoman tries to kill Shreck out of vengeance. Batman must put a stop to it, all during Christmastime. This film has some interesting aspects. When you've got Christopher Walken and Danny DeVito playing villains, you can't go wrong. And when you've got Paul Reubens showing up as a cameo playing the Penguin's father, you know you've really got something special. Again, Tim Burton can mix Christmas with some diabolical plot points and dark set pieces to really make something unique. You've got evil clowns attacking the lighting ceremony of the Gotham City Christmas tree. There's a penguin army that shoots rockets off their backs, destroying the most Burton-looking zoo you've ever seen. What I found really intriguing with this film is that while in some parts it is darker, more adult, and more serious than previous superhero movies, it still maintains some camp (did anyone else cringe at the line, "Eat floor. High fiber."?) Don't spend this Christmas pining for the new Wonder Woman or Guardians of the Galaxy. There is a superhero Christmas movie you can watch this year while waiting for your faves to return.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (2005)

Seeing Lucy walk through the wardrobe to discover the wintry landscape of Narnia is one of the most magical moments in cinema. The 2005 adaptation of the C.S. Lewis classic was a great film, telling the story of the four Pevensie siblings discovering the fantastical world of Narnia through an ordinary wardrobe. In Narnia, the White Witch has made it permanently winter, and it is never Christmas. The Pevensies must find Aslan the lion and round up an army to stop the White Witch. One of the greatest parts of the movie is when Father Christmas arrives in Narnia and gives presents to three of the Pevensie children: a sword and shield for Peter, a bow, arrows, and horn for Susan, and a dagger and healing potion for Lucy. Because of Father Christmas, the Pevensies realize that Narnia is starting to change for the better because Christmas has finally come. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is not only a great fantasy movie, but it's a wonderful film to watch during Christmas. The beautiful snowy scenes will get you in the festive mood. And because this film is a Christian allegory, you can watch it reminding yourself of the true meaning of Christmas, even with talking beavers and centaurs.

Little Women (1994)

The 1994 retelling of the Louisa May Alcott novel is a wonderful film about sisterhood and growing up. It is about the March family during and after the Civil War. Four sisters - Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy - all very different and yet very close, must learn to face some of life's greatest challenges: war, illness, death, love. It's one of my favorite films and one of my favorite performances by Winona Ryder. Much of the beginning of the film takes place during the winter in Concord, Massachusetts. This house is beautiful, especially surrounded by snow. In one of the most touching parts of the film, Beth, recovering from scarlet fever, is well enough to get out of bed and play the piano for everyone on Christmas. Even through all the winter scenes, the Christmas part of the film is fairly short. But it's so moving and joyful that it lingers with you throughout the rest of the film. If you want something a little different to watch this season, definitely give Little Women a chance. You will fall in love with the characters and get to experience a Concord Christmas.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)

Having just read the book, I saw Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone in theaters when I was eight years old. Was there a more magical time for any millennial at that age? This was our Star Wars, our E.T., our Wizard of Oz. This film introduced one of the most successful franchises of all time and it did an excellent job of doing so. During Harry Potter's first year at Hogwarts, we not only get to see Halloween, but we get to see Christmas. After the tense troll sequence during Halloween, it was nice to see Harry have a relatively calm Christmas holiday. And really, is there anything better than a Hogwarts Christmas? Hagrid drags a gigantic pine tree into the castle. The Great Hall is lined with huge Christmas trees, decorated by magic from Professor Flitwick. Ron and Harry wake up to presents under a tree in the Gryffindor Common Room. This is also the part where Harry gets his invisibility cloak, which as we all know, is an integral part of the plot. And nothing beats the heart-wrenching John Williams score played over Harry and Hedwig exploring the snowy grounds of Hogwarts. The scene where Harry first goes downstairs on Christmas morning and is surprised to see he actually has presents is so touching. It's so reminiscent of what it's like to be a kid on Christmas. And when you watch this movie again fifteen years later, it really makes you feel like a kid. So do yourself a favor, watch The Sorcerer's Stone and enjoy a Hogwarts Christmas this year. 

7 Memorable Christmas Episodes from Sitcoms

Almost every TV show, no matter the genre, does at least one Christmas episode. Sitcoms often have some of the best Christmas episodes. Whether it's because of the hilarious and relatable holiday shenanigans your favorite characters get into or whether it's because the Christmas episode is often the most heartwarming or touching episode a comedy can offer, Christmas sitcom specials are super enjoyable to watch. Some of these episodes include important changes for the show, were creatively groundbreaking, or have even becoming culturally iconic. Here are seven Christmas episodes from sitcoms that were particularly memorable.

7. "Citizen Knope" - Parks and Recreation

In the fourth season of Parks and Recreation, we find American hero Leslie Knope running for City Council. In "Citizen Knope," Leslie has been suspended from her job and must find ways to still participate in the department. Meanwhile, Ben Wyatt looks for a new job and the rest of the Parks Department decides to combine forces to get an amazing gift for Leslie because, as we all know, she is the best gift-giver ever known. Unfortunately, Leslie learns that her poll numbers have dropped significantly and her campaign team drop her campaign. The episode ends on a happy note as Leslie's suspension is lifted and her friends give her two great Christmas gifts: a gingerbread model of the Parks office and their idea to become her new campaign team.

This episode has some awesome moments. It is the beginning of the running gag of Ben getting hired to work for Barney Varmin's accounting firm and then quitting immediately. We get to see some of Leslie's greatest gifts, including the painting of April killing the Black Eyed Peas. The gingerbread house office is also incredible, with Tom's expensive fudge and Donna's M&M desk dyed silver. But most of all, it was one of the most heartfelt moments on the show. Leslie's friends becoming her campaign team was a huge turning point for this season. The entire Parks department decide to dedicate so much of their time for Leslie after she has dedicated so many years of her life for other people. Parks and Recreation is a comedy show that has an incredibly inspiring protagonist, which is a little unusual compared to other sitcoms. "Citizen Knope" showcased her unrelenting service and how great of an example she is to her friends. Plus, who doesn't love angry marshmallow Ron?

6. "A Benihana Christmas" - The Office

The Office shared some great work Christmas parties with us. In this episode, we are blessed with two Christmas parties. Carol has just broken up with Michael the day of the office Christmas party. To cure his boss's blues, Andy takes Michael, Dwight, and Jim to Benihana for lunch. Meanwhile, Angela is planning a Nutcracker-themed Christmas Party and has banned Karen from helping. Pam feels bad and decides to work with Karen to make a fun Christmas party. Later, the Benihana four return with two waitresses as dates for Andy and Michael. As the night continues, the office decides that Pam and Karen's Margarita Christmas party is much more fun than Angela's party and Michael can't tell the two waitresses apart. The episode ends with Pam, Karen, and Angela making peace and combining parties. Michael then invites Jan to Sandals, Jamaica; she says yes.

Getting two Office disaster Christmas parties for the price of one is great. Angela is incredibly funny in this episode. It was also great seeing Pam and Karen working together and being friends. "A Benihana Christmas" is also a major episode for the series because it marks the "official" beginning of Michael and Jan's tumultuous and hilariously awkward relationship. "A Benihana Christmas" had not only two office Christmas parties, but some of the funniest moments in Office history: Dwight describing how to kill a goose to a Benihana waitress, Pam's Christmas gift to Jim: a fake CIA mission for Dwight, and Angela singing her favorite song, "The Little Drummer Boy."

5. "Christmas in the Car" - Bob's Burgers 

Bob's Burgers is one of TV's greatest gifts to comedy in the last five years. The holiday episodes always prove to be wacky and hilarious. In "Christmas in the Car," the Belchers are forced to get a Christmas Tree on Christmas Eve because Linda continually puts up the tree too early and it dies before Christmas. While they are out, Bob asks Teddy to check on a ham that is cooking. While doing this, Teddy gets trapped under the fridge after falling into Louise's trap to catch Santa. Meanwhile, the Belchers become trapped and then chased by a giant candy cane truck. They hide out in a diner and Linda orders her beloved dutch baby dessert. Later, the Belchers confront the truck driver named Gary, who is particularly upset because he has to spend the holidays alone driving to different Christmas parades. The Belchers realize the whole thing was a misunderstanding and they give the dutch baby to Gary as a present. The family then heads home to find Teddy still trapped under the fridge.

The entire episode is an homage to Steven Spielberg's 1971 movie Duel. Bob's Burgers is genius with its references and parodies (they have done episodes based on The Goonies and E.T. just to name a couple). "Christmas in the Car" is a wonderful combination of some of our favorite Belcher-isms: Linda's obsessive personality, Bob ragingly over-analyzing a situation, Gene loving a weird, unknown song or musical group, Louise playing a prank. These are things we know and love from one of our favorite TV families with a fun, holiday twist. Creatively written and weirdly uplifting, "Christmas in the Car" is an iconic Bob's Burger episode and a great watch for the holiday season.

4. "Perspectives on Christmas" - Frasier

Frasier is one of the most successful spin-off sitcoms of all time, running eleven seasons. The show had tons of wonderful Christmas episodes, but one of the funniest, and one of my personal favorites, is season five's "Perspectives on Christmas." The holidays have been stressful for Frasier and company and each character tells their side of the story while getting massages. Martin gets roped into singing for a church Christmas pageant. He is embarrassed because he can't hit the high note of "O Holy Night" so he consults Frasier and Niles for help and keeps it a secret from everyone else. Daphne gets suspicious and after some funny misunderstandings believes Martin to be deathly ill. Meanwhile, Niles ruins his expensive suit and Frasier accidentally tells Roz's Mom that Roz is pregnant. After a big fight between Frasier and Roz and a disastrous Christmas pageant, Frasier decides to get everyone massages to recover from this particularly stressful holiday season.

Frasier had some of the most clever writing for a sitcom and this episode was incredibly smart and funny. It was interesting to see each character's perspective on what had happened. The misunderstanding between Daphne and Martin is classic Frasier humor and the fight between Roz and Frasier dressed up as Santa and Mrs. Claus is also hilarious. But I don't think anything beats Martin trying to sing "O Holy Night" so badly that it makes Eddie hide under a pillow. Frasier is not only funny but it is a deep-thinking and uplifting show and "Perspectives on Christmas" is an episode that showcases the stress that can happen around Christmastime but also how wonderful it is to have loving family and friends, especially during the holidays.

3. "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire" - The Simpsons

The Simpsons is the longest running sitcom of all time. When it comes to the holidays, the show is more known for its Treehouse of Horror Halloween specials. But The Simpsons also has its share of Christmas episodes, one of the best being its first holiday special, "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire." Bart getting a tattoo without permission and needing an expensive tattoo removal and Homer not receiving a Christmas bonus combine to make a doomed Christmas for the Simpson family. After working as a mall Santa to make extra cash, Homer takes his meager sum to the dog track to try to earn more money. He bets on a little plucky greyhound named Santa's Little Helper, who loses the race. The angry owner disowns Santa's Little Helper and Homer decides to adopt him. Feeling like he ruined Christmas, Homer comes home dismayed until he discovers his family is over the moon with the new dog.

What's interesting about "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire" is that while it is was the eighth episode produced for the first season, it is the first episode that ever aired. Could there be a better intro to a series? While it is strange to see some of the early animation and hear the different voices, it still has some great early Simpsons humor. This episode is wonderful because we see The Simpsons first adopt Santa's Little Helper. For a Simpsons episode, it's also very inspiring. Even though he makes mistakes, Homer tries his best to make Christmas nice for the family. And at the end of the day, everyone is happy with a furry new family member rather a ton of material possessions. If you want to watch a holiday classic this year, you should watch this first episode of America's favorite animated family.

2. "Abed's Uncontrollable Christmas" - Community

Community is smart, funny, and, like Bob's Burgers, is a parody machine. One of the most innovative and genius Christmas episodes ever made is "Abed's Uncontrollable Christmas." Abed is feeling sad this Christmas, so sad that he has imagined everyone around him as stop-motion characters similar to those from the Rankin/Bass Christmas specials. He has decided he needs to go on a journey to find the true meaning of Christmas. Wanting to help him, his friends decide to go with him and the school's psychology professor joins to turn his "journey" into a therapy session. In Abed's mind, he and his friends arrive at the North Pole. He has turned his friends into Christmas-themed toys and they travel through different lands, searching for the meaning Christmas and losing friends who don't believe along the way. At the end, Abed faces Duncan the school psychologist (now a Christmas wizard in Abed's fantasy), who discovers that Abed is sad because his mother broke the tradition of watching Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer with him this Christmas. Abed's friends rejoin him and he realizes that "the meaning of Christmas is the idea that Christmas has meaning. And it can mean whatever we want." The fantasy ends and the friends all end up on Abed's couch watching Rudolph.

Community took huge risks with this episode and it all paid off. The entire episode is done in stop-motion animation, which is unique for a sitcom. While that seems like it would have taken a very long time to make, I found out while researching that this episode's animation was done in four months and the filming was done in less than two months, which is shorter than the process to make an episode of The Simpsons. Animators who worked on masterpieces such as Coraline and Nightmare Before Christmas helped with the animation. There are also tons of original songs, some that are funny and some that are even a bit heartbreaking. I love that this episode focuses on Abed, who is arguably the most interesting character in Community (and my favorite character). Only he could dream up a Christmas fantasy that is the mix of The Polar Express, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and Santa Claus is Comin' to Town. "Abed's Uncontrollable Christmas" is a feat of a holiday episode. With the animation, music, and heartwarming message, it's a holiday special that's honestly bigger than TV and deserves to be a classic.

1. "The Strike" - Seinfeld

Seinfeld went above and beyond with its most famous Christmas episode: it invented a new holiday. 

In its final season, Seinfeld introduced the world to Frank Costanza's made-up holiday called Festivus. Instead of a Christmas tree, there's an aluminum pole (Frank finds tinsel distracting). Christmas dinner includes the Airing of Grievances, in which Frank tells the whole family all the ways they have upset him the past year. Finally, the night ends with the infamous Feats of Strength. George's friends find out about this holiday and are interested, particularly Kramer. At the same time, Kramer, who up until now has never had a normal job, finds out he can go back to work at the bagel shop because "the strike is off." Other great side-plots include Elaine giving a fake phone number to "Denim Vest," Jerry dating the "two-face" Gwen, George giving cards to his workmates that ask for donations to the Human Fund, and Elaine tracking down her card for her free submarine sandwich. The episode ends with the gang at the Constanza's, including Gwen, George's boss Mr. Kruger, and two men from a betting parlor, celebrating/barging in on the Festivus dinner.

The idea for Festivus is based off the sad and hilarious reality of Seinfeld writer Dan O'Keefe, who grew up celebrating Festivus in the 1960's. One difference from the show and his life, O'Keefe said, was that his family used a clock instead of an aluminum pole. His father would nail an old clock to the wall and would never tell his son what it symbolized. What's really amazing about "The Strike" is the cultural impact it has had. People all over the world now celebrate Festivus on December 23rd, just like in the show. They have an Airing of Grievances, wrestle each other to the ground during the Feats of Strength, and even have a dinner similar to the Costanza's. "The Strike" includes so many iconic phrases and references aside from Festivus that are now a part of our pop culture: two-face, Human Fund, Denim Vest. Seinfeld was an innovative sitcom that is a huge part of television history and American culture. Festivus is a part of that as well. I mean, it has its own Wikipedia page for crying out loud. If you want to laugh or need some cheering up this holiday season, make "The Strike" a part of your watch-list this Christmas. And thank your lucky stars every day that you weren't born a Costanza.