Greatest Christmas Movie (Round 0)

[What Exit?]

14 nominations but room for only 10. Please vote for as few or as many as you wish. In the end, only 4 will get a lump of coal.

Title	Notes
Bell Book and Candle (1958)	RomCom, half the inspiration for Bewitched. James Stewart, Kim Novak, Jack Lemmon, Ernie Kovacs, Hermione Gingold & Elsa Lanchester
Eyes Wide Shut (1999)	erotic mystery psychological drama film
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)
In Bruges (2008)	black comedy crime film. Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson & Ralph Fiennes
Iron Man 3	American superhero film
Reindeer Games (2000)	action crime thriller. Ben Affleck, Gary Sinise & Charlize Theron
Santa's Slay (2005)	Christmas slasher comedy film
Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984)	Slasher Flick.
The Advent Calendar (2021)	Slasher Flick
The Apartment (1960)	RomCom; Xmas Party, Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine, Fred MacMurray, Ray Walston & Edie Adams.
The Lodge (2019)	psychological horror thriller; stranded at their rural lodge during Christmas.
The Santa Clause 2 (2002)	Christmas comedy-drama. Tim Allen
The Thin Man (1934)	William Powell, Myrna Loy as Nick and Nora Charles. A great classic movie, It is Christmas Time in NY.
Three Days of the Condor	political thriller. Robert Redford, Faye Dunaway, Cliff Robertson, and Max von Sydow. No idea how it is a Christmas movie.

[What Exit?]

No chatter?

[Rat Diva]

I'm voting for The Apartment even though it isn't strictly a Christmas movie, although the Christmas party scene is EPIC.

It's an interesting character study of a guy who goes from being a wimpy suckup to a solid citizen and ends on an ambiguous though happy note, and stars some serious talent.

[What Exit?]

The Thin Man is a great movie, but not in anyway have I ever considered it a Christmas movie. I've probably watched it 10 times.

The Apartment is more of a Christmas movie to me.

[Rat Diva]

Now I think about it, most of the action in The Apartment happens during the week between Christmas and New Year's so it's Christmas enough.

Three Days of the Condor is also a great movie, but I don't know how it's a Christmas movie either.

[NAF1138]

The Thin Man takes place at Christmas. As does Bell Book and Candle.

Harry Potter primarily takes place in spring/summer. Particularly that first movie barely has any Christmas action at all. 10 minutes out of over 2 hours does not make it a Christmas movie. Goblet of Fire at least mostly takes place in the winter.

In Bruge is one of my favorite movies, it does take place during the holidays but specifically ends before Christmas. That said, it is SUPER religious in its exploration of things like Catholic guilt and how Christianity creeps into secular worlds. So I would be ok if anyone votes for it.

That's all I got. Not a ton of opinions on the rest. The Apartment is sort of an iffy call. More a New Years movies really.

[NAF1138]

I would like to as What Exit to justify both the nomination and vote for Harry Potter though. (also, it's just a bad movie, but that's a different discussion. Great book. Hot mess of a movie.)

[Rebo]

I've never even seen most of these!

[What Exit?]

Originally Posted by NAF1138

I would like to as What Exit to justify both the nomination and vote for Harry Potter though. (also, it's just a bad movie, but that's a different discussion. Great book. Hot mess of a movie.)

Honestly, none of these 14 are to me Christmas movies of notes. Most aren't even Christmas movies. As I was prepping for this, I checked HBOMax's list of Xmas movies and they listed Harry Potter 1. Also my daughter suggested it.

So it got my nomination and I decided to give it a vote. I won't be heart broken if it is one of the 4 eliminated and I won't be upset if it exits in round 1.

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But hey, while we're playing this game ...
Iron Man III? Really? Why? Speaking of terrible movies that aren't Christmas movies. That is a stinking pile of trash. One of the worst Marvel movies.


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I thought about nominating the first Narnia movie too. Father Christmas is a minor character. But I thought better of it.

[3acres]

For those who are unfamiliar with Santa's Slay, here's the trailer

[NAF1138]

Originally Posted by What Exit?

__________________________________________________ ______________
But hey, while we're playing this game ...
Iron Man III? Really? Why? Speaking of terrible movies that aren't Christmas movies. That is a stinking pile of trash. One of the worst Marvel movies.


__________________________________________________ ______________
.

Yeah Iron Man 3 I never actually saw, so I don't have an informed opinion . Not planning to watch it just to get one.

[silenus]

Originally Posted by 3acres

For those who are unfamiliar with Santa's Slay, here's the trailer

This is the kind of Christmas movie I like!

[Sputnik]

I recognize one as a Christmas movie. At least Easter Parade isn't on the list.

[Borborygmi]

Originally Posted by What Exit?

No chatter?

Hey, it's kind of a busy time of year, y'know!

I clicked on all of them, then unclicked any that sounded insufficiently fun for a Christmas movie (starting with the slasher films for cripes sake) because Christmas movies should be fun, then unclicked Santa Clause 2 because Tim Allen, then reclicked Reindeer Games because props for the title.

Submitted slate of votes.

'd at the Tim Allen movie presently having the most votes.

[MadamePsychosis]

We're voting for them to stay, right? Just want to make sure.

Like when you're playing RPS and you have to decide whether "reveal on three" means "one, two, REVEAL," or "one, two, three, REVEAL."

[JackieLikesVariety]

Originally Posted by What Exit?

No chatter?

hey, some of us were busy today!

This is the kind of Christmas movie I like!

[NAF1138]

Originally Posted by Borborygmi

'd at the Tim Allen movie presently having the most votes.

Says the person who voted for a movie that is in no way Christmas related. At least The Santa Clause is explicitly a Christmas Movie.

[What Exit?]

Originally Posted by MadamePsychosis

We're voting for them to stay, right? Just want to make sure.

Like when you're playing RPS and you have to decide whether "reveal on three" means "one, two, REVEAL," or "one, two, three, REVEAL."

To stay is correct.
Bottom 4 depart.

[Zeener Diode]

Originally Posted by NAF1138

That's all I got. Not a ton of opinions on the rest. The Apartment is sort of an iffy call. More a New Years movies really.

I picked everything from Santa's Slay to The Santa Claus 2. The rest are tenuously connected to Christmas, at best. (IMO The Apartment qualifies by having the first 2/3 of the movie take place around Christmas, although it climaxes at New Years Eve.)

The Harry Potter movies take place over the course of the school year, with Christmas playing a small part of the plot.

[Borborygmi]

Originally Posted by NAF1138

Says the person who voted for a movie that is in no way Christmas related. At least The Santa Clause is explicitly a Christmas Movie.

Yabbut: Tim Allen.

[Larry Borgia]

All the movies that I've heard of either aren't good or aren't Christmas movies.

[NAF1138]

Originally Posted by Larry Borgia

All the movies that I've heard of either aren't good or aren't Christmas movies.

So you are voting for the ones you hadn't heard of

[NAF1138]

@Kat
@Pogo
@Wolf Larsen

I am calling on you now to explain why Harry Potter is a Christmas Movie.

I am starting to think it's just because it's British, and if that's the case I have some write in nominations I want to get on the ticket. Like Oliver's Hamlet and Murder on the Orient Express. Also Lawrence of Arabia.

Or perhaps because it was released at Christmas time, in which case I would like to add Tombstone to the list. Also Broadcast News. And The Sting.

[Rat Diva]

Don't forget @Borborygmi

[NAF1138]

Originally Posted by Rat Diva

Don't forget @Borborygmi

I knew I missed someone!

[What Exit?]

Christmas is important in the movie. I just watched it in the last month.
Also as I said, HBO is listing as part of their Christmas collection.

[NAF1138]

Originally Posted by What Exit?

Christmas is important in the movie. I just watched it in the last month.
Also as I said, HBO is listing as part of their Christmas collection.

I know, but they are idiots.

Christmas isn't more important than Summer with the Dersleys, fall when they go to Hogwarts and most of the exposition happens, or Spring when all the story happens.

Christmas is something that happens over the course of a whole year. It is not in any way a focal point. The whole point of the The way the stories are structured is that it is the school year. So... Sure. Christmas break happens. It's a big deal because it's break. But otherwise it's a blip in that movie. It is less than 10% of the story.

So... Should we also ask in Dead Poet Society, School Ties, Rushmore and Jane Eyre? Christmas is probably more notable a time in all those movies and at least two of them are better movies.

[Larry Borgia]

Originally Posted by NAF1138

So you are voting for the ones you hadn't heard of

Heh. No I figured voting for none of them was the same as voting for all of them, so I picked a couple I liked. I don't think In Bruges is a Christmas movie though.

[Larry Borgia]

I don't like Santa Claus 2but at least it's a Christmas movie.

[Borborygmi]

Originally Posted by NAF1138 (and Rat Diva)

I am calling on you now to explain why Harry Potter is a Christmas Movie.

I gave my rationale for my votes earlier. I actually do not consider Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone to be a Christmas movie, frankly, but I'll happily vote for it here if it potentially knocks one or more Santa Claus slasher movies out of the megapoll.

Or knocks out any Tim Allen movies, too, although I'm probably indulging in a bit of message board hyperbole there. But only just a bit.

[JimNightshade]

I do not see "Love Actually" on this list , so I voted for Iron Man 3 because of the wombats.

[What Exit?]

I'm going to declare this poll at 6am tomorrow so I can get round 1 started at least.

[Rat Diva]

You're a brave man, Gunga Din.

[Pogo]

Originally Posted by NAF1138

@Kat
@Pogo
@Wolf Larsen

I am calling on you now to explain why Harry Potter is a Christmas Movie.

I believe that four of these are to be excluded and I was trying to angle on getting my four choices out. And currently they are all in the bottom five!

[NAF1138]

Originally Posted by Pogo

I believe that four of these are to be excluded and I was trying to angle on getting my four choices out. And currently they are all in the bottom five!

Yeah, actually I sort of respect that strategy

[What Exit?]

Eliminated movies:
Eyes Wide Shut (1999) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eyes_Wide_Shut
Iron Man 3 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Man_3
The Lodge (2019) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lodge_(film)
Three Days of the Condor https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Days_of_the_Condor

[Zeener Diode]

Originally Posted by What Exit?

Eliminated movies:

The Lodge (2019) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lodge_(film)

I agree with your other deletions, but I must protest the quoted film: it takes place during Christmas at a haunted hunting lodge. It deserves a spot in this poll.

[What Exit?]

Originally Posted by Zeener Diode

I agree with your other deletions, but I must protest the quoted film: it takes place during Christmas at a haunted hunting lodge. It deserves a spot in this poll.

That's what this vote was about. The Raffers have spoken.

[Zeener Diode]

So Harry Potter, Reindeer Games and The Thin Man are more Christmas-y than this? You people are nuts.

[What Exit?]

Originally Posted by Zeener Diode

So Harry Potter, Reindeer Games and The Thin Man are more Christmas-y than this? You people are nuts.

Keep in mind, it has probably been barely seen. Also some people are voting against the Christmas Horror movies.

[Zeener Diode]

Well, I can't begrudge them for not liking horror movies; I don't care for most of 'em, myself. I can't remember how gruesome this one is, so I'll check my vitriol.

[Pogo]

Originally Posted by Zeener Diode

I agree with your other deletions, but I must protest the quoted film: it takes place during Christmas at a haunted hunting lodge. It deserves a spot in this poll.

Originally Posted by What Exit?

That's what this vote was about. The Raffers have spoken.

In my self-defense to NAF, I told him why I chose the way I chose. And three of my choices to go out went out. The fourth choice for me was Bell, Book and Candle which I thought should go out and I voted to keep The Lodge.

[Bashorian Clement]

Even though 3 days of the condor isn't a christmas movies by any stretch I reckon, I'd still vote for it for the lulz and because it's better than any movie that made the poll.