The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992, G, 85 min.)
Brian Henson directs his late father's creations in the Charles Dickens classic. Michael Caine plays the old miser Scrooge with Kermit as his long-suffering but ever-hopeful employee Bob Cratchit, Miss Piggy as Cratchit's wife, and a host of Muppets (including the Great Gonzo as an unlikely Charles Dickens) taking other primary roles in this bright, playful adaptation of the somber tale. Caine makes a wonderful Scrooge, delightfully rediscovering the meaning of life as fantastic creations from Henson's Creature Shop (developed specially for this film) take the reins as the three ghosts. (Amazon)
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The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993, PG, 76 min.)
Tired of scaring humans every October 31 with the same old bag of tricks, Jack Skellington, the spindly king of Halloween Town, kidnaps Santa Claus and plans to deliver shrunken heads and other ghoulish gifts to children on Christmas morning. But as Christmas approaches, Jack's rag-doll girlfriend, Sally, tries to foil his misguided plans. This music-filled, stop motion-animated delight springs from the gleefully twisted mind of Tim Burton. (Netflix)
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The Santa Clause (1994, PG, 97 min.)
This Christmas, the snow hits the fan. When Scott Calvin (Tim Allen) accidentally kills Santa, he suddenly finds himself saddled with the job of jolly Saint Nick. With clever forays into the mysteries of Santa and Allen's hilarious transformation from Scrooge into a true believer, The Santa Clause will delight kids as well as grown-ups, any time of the year. (Netflix)
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Love Actually (2003, R, 135 min.)
Writer-director Richard Curtis's charming treatise on romance and relationships is an all-star ensemble comedy that tells 10 separate (but intertwining) London love stories, leading up to a spirited climax on Christmas Eve. One of the threads follows the newly installed Prime Minister (Hugh Grant), who, on his first day in 10 Downing Street, falls in love with the luminous girl (Martine McCutcheon) who brings him his tea. (Netflix)
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Elf (2003, PG, 97 min.)
When young Buddy falls into Santa's gift sack on Christmas Eve, he's transported back to the North Pole and raised as a toy-making elf by Santa's helpers. But as he grows into adulthood, he can't shake the nagging feeling that he doesn't belong. Will Ferrell stars as the towering Buddy, who vows to visit Manhattan and find his real dad, a workaholic publisher (James Caan). Ed Asner, Bob Newhart, Zooey Deschanel and Mary Steenburgen co-star. (Netflix)
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The Polar Express (2004, G, 100 min.)
A young boy's faith in the holiday spirit is revived after he makes his way by train to the North Pole on Christmas Eve in this warm-hearted computer-animated tale inspired by Chris Van Allsburg's award-winning children's book. Co-executive producer Tom Hanks also lends his talents to the role of the kindly railroad conductor, who helps the boy find a reason to believe in others—and himself. Robert Zemeckis directs. (Netflix)
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