24 Festive Movies Chosen by Leading Film Figures

[SYZ]

This is an all-star Guardian Advent calendar of festive movie
favourites, chosen by some of the film industry’s best and
brightest, invited by the Observer New Review to help our
readers count down to the big day itself.

1. Tokyo Godfathers (Satoshi Kon, 2003)
2. Radio Days (Woody Allen, 1987)
3. Love Actually (Richard Curtis, 2003)

4. Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (Stanley Donen, 1954)
5. Phantom Thread (Paul Thomas Anderson, 2017)
6. Christmas Evil (Lewis Jackson, 1980)

7. Carol (Todd Haynes, 2015)
8. The Snowman (Jimmy T Murakami and Dianne Jackson, 1982)
9. Babes in Toyland (Gus Meins and Charley Rogers, 1934)

10. It’s a Wonderful Life (Frank Capra, 1946)
11. Miracle in Milan (Vittorio De Sica, 1951)
12. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (Peter Jackson, 2003)

13. The Holdovers (Alexander Payne, 2023)
14. Fanny and Alexander (Ingmar Bergman, 1982)
15. Gone With the Wind (Victor Fleming, 1939)

16. The Silent Partner (Daryl Duke, 1978)
17. Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (Chris Columbus, 1992)
18. The Kid (Charlie Chaplin, 1921)

19. The Dead Zone (David Cronenberg, 1983)
20. The Lion in Winter (Anthony Harvey, 1968)
21. Bad Day at Black Rock (John Sturges, 1955)

22. Dean Spanley (Toa Fraser, 2008)
23. Song of the Sea (Tomm Moore, 2014)
24. Miracle on 34th Street (George Seaton, 1947)

Okay now... call me a philistine, but I've underlined the
movies I've never seen—which is the majority of this list.  
In fact there's several there I've never even heard of LOL.

So... should I be eternally embarrassed?  Has anyone else
had such a sadly lacking cinematic life?  Should I have seen
any or all of the films that have passed me by?

[Inkubus]

How did you miss The Return of the King? But hay, some of those are old. Charlie Chaplin, Laurel and Hardy. Oh god no, but I could easily watch Seven Brides for Seven Brothers again.

[pattylt]

Gone with the Wind is a must see classic…outdated be damned!

Miracle on 34th Street is another but see the original not the remake.

Are these supposed to be Christmas themed movies? Gone With the Wind certainly isn’t one…otherwise, Die Hard should be in there!

[jerry mcmasters]

Damn I've seen like three of those. I'll stick to books.

[SYZ]

Damn I've seen like three of those.  I'll stick to books.

LOL... me too.  I've only seen four of 'em.