Again in
no particular order, here's the other half of the list of movies that I will be
mindlessly watching this festive season:
1. Shrek the
Halls – 2007 – Dir. Gary Trousdale
A short
movie with all your Shrek favourites - be prepared to laugh as Shrek tries to
recreate the perfect Christmas for Fiona and the Shreklets. Donkey may mean well, but he always
gets in the way. Haha I'm actually watching this as I type and it's cracking me
up! Did you know that without marshmallows, sweet potatoes are nothin'?! Ideal
movie to watch with the very small ones as
it's short enough to not bore them and plenty happening to keep them amused.
2. The
Holiday – 2006– Dir. Nancy Meyers
Two women have their hearts broken, One living in England and one in the U.S.
so they decide to trade houses for the festive season. (not the most
plausible!) But they both fall in love whilst over the other side of the world.
It's soppy, it's self-indulgent but it's an adorable story nonetheless. And
Jack Black playing a serious and romantic role just makes him all the more
cute. (Man I love that guy!) I remember seeing this at the cinema on a date
when I was 16.
3. The
Family Man – 2000– Dir. Brett Ratner
Nick Cage
is a rich and successful business man in this “A Christmas Carol”-esque movie. After
a good deed he finds himself waking up to life in an alternate universe in an
attempt to make him realise what he has sacrificed to get to where he is
professionally. Heart-warming and a good one to watch with the other half to
remind you how much you need each other!
4. Four Christmases - 2006 - Dir. Seth Gordon
A reminder
that no family is perfect! Reese Witherspoon and Vince Vaughn make an adorable
couple who usually go abroad to avoid their respective dysfunctional and broken
families, but when their flight to Fiji is cancelled, they are forced to go
visit their four families on Christmas day, causing tension and strife whilst
the couple attempt to figure out what they actually want in life and from each
other. Hilarious and predictable with a sweet ending.
5. Arthur Christmas – 2011 – Dir. Sarah Smith
Another
animated movie, featuring the voice of James McAvoy as the clumsy, yet
enthusiastic son of Santa. In a modern day Santa’s elves have all the gadgets
under the North Pole to ensure Father Christmas gets round all of the world’s children
in time and without being seen. Unfortunately these gadgets don’t stop one
child being missed out as her present is left in the workshop. Cue Arthur and
his trusty accomplice, Grand Santa as they commandeer the archaic sleigh and
take to the skies so that Gwen gets her new bicycle as she so deserves.
