2008 ended on a depressing note, with a global financial crisis and more terror. So I’m writing this end-of-year cinematic sum-up on a light note, focusing on the great comedies that 2008 offered us.

Ben Stiller, Will Ferrell and Adam Sandler all had huge blockbusters; Judd Apatow proved that he has the Midas touch; Seth Rogen has established himself as one of Hollywood’s biggest stars, and both The Coen Brothers and Kevin Smith made their funniest films to date.

Here’s my take on the top ten comedies of the year, plus five less known yet equally great comedies that you might have missed:

10. Be Kind Rewind

From the Movie Genome: It’s a semi-fantastic, offbeat, touching and very funny farce about two buddies. Nothing goes right for them, but they find a way to make things better: filmmaking.

Trouble-making Jerry (Jack Black) and well-meaning Mike (Mos Def) unintentionally erase all the video-cassettes (yes, there was something like that once upon a time) in the video store. They decide the simplest way to set things right is to remake all the library’s films, including Robocop, Ghostbusters and Driving Miss Daisy. Sounds wacky – and it better be, as it’s a Michel Gondry film.

Although Gondry’s three previous films: Human Nature, Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind, and The Science Of Sleep, were all essentially love stories, Be Kind Rewind captures another kind of romance. Both the writer-director and his characters are in love with the cinematic medium itself, and celebrate the sheer joy of watching and making films.

Watch the trailer

9. Yes Man

From the Movie Genome: A lonely and unhappy guy lives a dull life until he joins a cult that changes his life drastically. The cult’s one rule: say yes to everything (that’s what Jim Carrey’s character understood anyway…)

This is Jim Carrey’s funniest performance in a very long time, proving himself yet again as a master of facial expressions. Zooey Deschanel, the definition of cuteness, has great comic abilities. And Terence Stamp is absolutely hilarious as the inspirational yet eccentric mentor (if Robert De Niro can make comedies, why not Terence Stamp?). It’s a feel good movie with plenty of laughs.

8. Forgetting Sarah Marshall

From the Movie Genome: It’s a witty romantic comedy about a twenty-something guy who gets dumped by his girlfriend, goes on vacation in Hawaii, and falls in love with one of the hotel’s employees.

Nicholas Stoller’s flick is a romantic disaster comedy produced by the same team that made such hits as The 40-Year-Old Virgin and Knocked Up, headed by writer, director, and producer Judd Apatow.

The star of the movie is Jason Segal, who also wrote the sharply comic screenplay. He is solid in his first major starring role. Stoller, making his feature-film directorial debut, gets the most out of his diverse cast and beautiful setting. It’s outrageously funny yet touchingly sweet.

Watch the trailer

7. Pineapple Express

From the Movie Genome: It’s a suspenseful, offbeat and exciting action-comedy about two stoner buddies who are on the run after witnessing a crime.

It’s nearly impossible to think of another film that so seamlessly blends pitch-perfect stoner babble with high-octane action sequences.

There are only so many ways to play a stoner, but James Franco puts his own endearing, lovable spin on the type, portraying Saul as a kind-hearted, well-intentioned yet hardcore dope smoker. Seth Rogen and Judd Apatow have proven themselves a nearly unstoppable juggernaut; here’s hoping they bring Franco along on the ride more often.

Watch the trailer

6. Step Brothers

From the Movie Genome: It’s a silly comedy of gross-out and irreverent humor, about two very immature 40-year-old step siblings, who despite their initial antagonism – and ensuing chaos and mayhem – end up becoming buddies.

Adam McKay co-wrote and directed Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy and Talladega Nights: The Ballad Of Ricky Bobby, two of Ferrell’s most popular and consummately hilarious films. McKay teamed up again not only with Ferrell but also with Ferrell’s co-star in Talladega Nights, John C. Reilly (who has steadily proven himself to be one of Hollywood’s most versatile actors). Though Step Brothers may be the simplest of the three movies on which the duo have collaborated, it’s arguably their best.

Watch the trailer

5. You Don’t Mess With The Zohan

From the Movie Genome: An exciting comedy with plenty of gross-out humor, about an ex-secret agent who starts over and moves to New York in order to follow his dream - and work in a beauty saloon.

Comedy superstar Adam Sandler is back – in a Ben Stiller-like character, embarrassingly funny as always. He’s the Zohan, the finest counterterrorist agent the Israeli army has. That is, until he fakes his own death and travels to Manhattan to live out his dream… as a hairdresser. It’s a razor-sharp action-packed comedy from Adam Sandler, Judd Apatow and Robert Smigel who co-wrote. No fines here, but in the movies’ spirit, you’ll be sure to laugh your ass off.

Watch the trailer

4. Zack and Miri Make a Porno

From the Movie Genome: It’s a feel good, offbeat, funny and sexy romantic comedy about filmmaking and two working-class friends who just might be in love with one another.

After the success of Knocked Up, Seth Rogen pairs up with another comely comedienne in Zack & Miri Make a Porno. In this Kevin Smith comedy, two desperate friends (Rogen and  Elizabeth Banks) decide to earn a little extra money by creating their own adult film, but they also discover that they may be more than just pals.

Watch the trailer

3. Burn After Reading

From the Movie Genome: It’s a satirical, clever and exciting dark-humored farce about the obsessive quest of two rather stupid misfit partners, who bring disorder into the world of espionage.

This movie also stands as the third entry, after Blood Simple and Fargo, in what could be an unofficial Tragedy of Human Idiocy trilogy, where characters make the most outlandishly moronic moves with devastating consequences simply by adhering to true human behavior.

The movie is a collection of brilliant caricature studies interwoven with veracious, if  Coenesque, social interactions, as epitomized by the pathos of the Frances McDormand character’s race for cosmetic surgery.

Watch the trailer

2. In Bruges

From the Movie Genome: A witty, clever, dark comedy about a hitman haunted by his past. And even worse, he is in Bruges…

Playwright Martin McDonagh makes an impressive feature film debut as the writer and director of this tragicomedy as rich, dark, and complex as Belgian chocolate.

McDonagh’s absurdist black humor asserts itself in hilarious dialogue and dreamlike visuals that shift seamlessly from sweet to grotesque, Colin Farrell uses the great script to give his best acting performance so far.

Watch the trailer

1. Tropic Thunder

From the Movie Genome: A critically-acclaimed, clever, offbeat and exciting action comedy with an all-star cast: about showbiz, filmmaking, actors’ lives and their egos.

Ben Stiller has set Tropic Thunder firmly within the realm of sophisticated Hollywood satire. Steve Coogan plays a desperate director named Damien Cockburn who is trying to make a Vietnam War movie. Cockburn’s stars include Stiller as an action hero who’s starting to make bad career choices, Jack Black as an insecure low-brow comedy star going through heroin withdrawal, and Robert Downey Jr. as an Australian Oscar winner so lost in his “craft” he underwent a procedure to become black for his role.

Simply put, this raucous satire knows big-budget filmmaking, the delusional narcissism of actors, and even the good points of those actors - perhaps why they’re celebrated - like the back of its hand.

Watch the trailer

And five more you should definitely check out:

5. The Grand

From the Movie Genome: An ensemble cast mockumentary about gambling, contests and competitions and very eccentric people.

In the tradition of such improv-driven comedies as Best In Show and A Mighty Wind, director Zak Penn (Incident At Loch Ness) casts an affectionate eye on the world of professional poker in his highly entertaining mockumentary. Penn assembles an impressive ensemble of actors (Cheryl Hines, David Cross, Woody Harrelson, Dennis Farina, Chris Parnell and Werner Herzog) to tell the story of six competitors in a $10 million winner-take-all Las Vegas poker tournament.

Watch the trailer

4. Happy-Go-Lucky

From the Movie Genome: It’s a feel good, humorous and sincere story, about friendship, teachers and students, and thirty-something life in urban London, focusing on one specific optimistic woman.

Yes, a feel-good comedy from director Mike Leigh! It chronicles the daily comings and goings of 30-year-old Poppy, whose positive, easy-going outlook epitomizes the title. It’s a fascinating character study and Sally Hawkins is excellent as Poppy, striking just the right chord of cheerful without being shrill or obnoxious. It also offers a refreshingly upbeat and realistic look at a 30-something urban woman’s life. The movie is whip-smart and full of surprises - just when you are certain the story is going in a certain direction, Leigh gently nudges you down a different path. And you are glad.

Watch the trailer

3. How to Lose Friends and Alienate People

From the Movie Genome: It’s a clever and offbeat romantic comedy, about a small time journalist who rises to the top, and gets to work for a big magazine in New York, and through his eyes we get an inside look into showbiz and celebrity culture.

Names may have been changed to protect the innocent - and the not-so innocent - but this comedy adapts Toby Young’s biting memoir about his struggles as a Vanity Fair employee. Brilliant Brit Simon Pegg (Hot Fuzz) stars as Young’s alter ego, while Jeff Bridges is a Graydon Carter-esque magazine editor.

Watch the trailer

2. The Hammer

From the Movie Genome: A touching, witty sports comedy, about a middle-aged ex-athlete (boxer) who makes an unexpected comeback and falls in love along the way.

Adam Carolla plays Jerry Ferro, a man who has reached his 40th birthday but still has plenty of fight in him. After getting fired from his construction job, Jerry decides to get back in the game and return to his original love: boxing. This comeback comedy also stars Heather Juergensen. The first movie written by Adam Carolla is funny, witty, surprisingly romantic and touching.

Watch the trailer

1. Kabluey

From the Movie Genome: A clever, touching and offbeat tragicomedy, about a goofy, down-on-his-luck hero, who reluctantly watches over two mischievous children (belonging to his sister) and works in a petty, depressing job.

Scott Prendergast makes his feature-film debut as an actor, director, and writer with this quirky black comedy.

Kabluey is a charming, offbeat look at wartime life in America, seen from a unique perspective. Movies presented as tragicomedies are usually tragic with a few laughs in them, if any. This one is actually hilarious and yet so sad at the same time.

Watch the trailer

May 2009 be a feel-good year, full of optimism, joy and good movies.

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Technorati Tags: Kevin Smith, Judd Apatow, Jim Carrey, Yes Man, Ben Stiller, Adam Sandler, Tropic Thunder, Will Ferrell, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Pineapple Express, Jack Black, Ben Kind Rewind, Movie Genome, In Bruges, Burn After Reading, Coen Brothers, Zack and Miri Make a Porno, You Don’t Mess with the Zohan, Comedy, Movies

Popularity: 31% [?]

No one can deny the magic that happens on-screen when certain actors meet. It’s difficult to predict which actors will provide this kind of magic, but when it happens – it makes you remember why we all love cinema.

Of course, moviemakers also realize it. So when an on-screen couple burns the screen, we’re almost sure to see them reunite, trying to recreate the magic.

So to celebrate the anticipated reunion of Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio in Revolutionary Road, here’s a collection of famous onscreen couples. Some managed to keep the charm over the years – and some should have left it at a one-night stand…

Julia Roberts and Richard Gere

First met in Pretty Woman (1990), reunited in Runaway Bride (1999)

Perhaps the most memorable onscreen couple of the last decades, Julia Roberts and Richard Gere hit the jackpot with Pretty Woman, a huge box office success. Audiences found the chemistry between Roberts and Gere irresistible. The prostitution business never seemed more enjoyable! Naturally, this success called for a reunion, which came 9 years later in Runaway Bride. It is actually a triple reunion, since Pretty Woman’s director Gary Marshall also joined in. Unfortunately the magic could not be recreated, and although Runaway Bride was not a flop, it’s considered an average rom com without that special *magic*.

Bottom line: Reunion flops

Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks

First met in Sleepless in Seattle (1993), reunited in You’ve Got Mail (1998)

Hanks and Ryan, then Queen of romantic comedies, actually performed together for the first time 3 years earlier in Joe Versus the Volcano (1990). But it was their greatest hit Sleepless in Seattle that made them such a memorable couple. The fact that they only share about 2 minutes of screen time together did not make any difference for viewers and the critics, who put it in the 10 top romantic comedies of all time (AFI). 5 years later, the couple reunited in You’ve Got Mail. Director Nora Ephron also joined in again, and everybody expected a romantic comedy to shine through all the mediocrity. But most critics agree that although the movie resembles Sleepless in Seattle and the chemistry between Hanks and Ryan is still good, the reunion movie pales in comparison.

Bottom line: Reunion flops

John Travolta and Uma Thurman

First met in Pulp Fiction (1994), reunited in Be Cool (2005)

There is really no need to discuss once again the importance, influence and critical reception of Pulp Fiction. It is obvious that this movie has done great service to both of its stars – reviving Travolta’s faltering career and raising Uma Thurman to the celebrity A-list. And their joint performance is hypnotizing – especially that cult dance, imitated in so many other works. The reunion came 11 years later in Be Cool, and supplied a double disappointment: Be Cool is a sequel to another slick and witty John Travolta hit, Get Shorty (1995), but even Travolta and Thurman couldn’t save this one from disaster.

Bottom line: Reunion flops

Al Pacino and Robert De Niro

First met in The Godfather: Part 2 (1974), reunited in Heat (1995) and in Righteous Kill (2008)

Movie reunions don’t have to be romantic. Sometimes other pairings of great actors can create just as much movie magic. That’s the case with these two masters of acting. They first appeared together in the second part of The Godfather trilogy, when Robert De Niro assumed the role of young Vito Corleone and Pacino continued the role of Michael Corleone from the previous film. Both of them delivered great performances and were nominated for Academy Awards (De Niro actually won). However, they didn’t actually share any screen time together. So when Heat was announced 20 years later, there was a lot of anticipation to finally see the two act together. Heat was a critical and financial success. But Hollywood had to spoil the good taste. Luckily this took 13 years, when recently Righteous Kill was released. The critical consensus was that both acting legends should be much more careful with the scripts they choose.

Bottom line: First reunion rocks, second reunion flops

Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock

First met in Speed (1994), reunited in The Lake House (2006)

Speed was a big success not only because of its great action sequences and thrilling special effects, but also because of the sparks between Reeves and Bullock. The funny, witty dialogues between them made this movie more than just another action flick. The movie was a breakthrough in both of actors’ careers, and they continued to appear in blockbuster sci-fis (Reeves) and romantic comedies (Bullock). As we’ve seen, most uniting couples try to hit it again in the same genre. (Why mess with proven success?) But maybe these two noticed the failure of most of those reunions – and so they mixed it up and reunited in a supernatural romantic drama. Well, The Lake House was no Speed. Critics and audience didn’t like it and the romance was just unbelievable. The chemistry between the duo was supernaturally bitten…

Bottom line: Reunion flops

Clint Eastwood and Morgan Freeman

First met in Unforgiven (1992), reunited in Million Dollar Baby (2004)

Finally, a magic touch that lasts! Both of these films were also directed by Eastwood, and both are very highly acclaimed: each won 4 Academy Awards, including for the actors. Perhaps it takes no less than two cinematic geniuses to make a reunion work. Although in both cases Freeman’s role is “only” supporting while Eastwood is more of the main character, the chemistry between the two is captivating. Like Heat, this reunion certainly left us wanting more. Unlike in Righteous Kill, we believe that Eastwood’s magic touch can make it work again.

Bottom line: Reunion rocks

Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore

First met in The Wedding Singer (1998), reunited in 50 First Dates (2004)

The combination of Adam Sandler’s childish sense of humor and Drew Barrymore’s cuteness proved highly successful, mainly among teens. Their first encounter in The Wedding Singer was financially successful and brought them several awards and nominations in teen-oriented events like MTV’s Movie Awards. Their reunion aimed to appeal to the exact same audiences and did so with great success: 50 First Dates won even more teen awards and was a box office hit. These movies prove that sometimes, when the chemistry between the two lead actors is right, the romantic comedy formula simply works – at least for certain ages!

Bottom line: Reunion rocks

Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman

First met in Days of Thunder (1990), reunited in Eyes Wide Shut (1999)

Sometimes the on-screen chemistry is so great that it enters real life. Cruise and Kidman first met in Days of Thunder (a Top Gun remake with race cars), fell in love and got married later that year. Actually, they might have been the ones most convinced their chemistry so great, as the movie was not critically acclaimed and achieved blockbuster status probably thanks to Cruise’s chemistry with the race cars. Right after that, in 1992, Far and Away was released, probably trying to build on the hype the marriage created. So we consider both films as the beginning. The reunion came big-time in 1999, in Stanley Kubrick’s controversial last film Eyes Wide Shut. The irony is that this marked the beginning of the end of their life together. After denying rumors throughout production, the couple eventually got divorced not too long after the film’s release. Some say it was Kubrick’s demand of self- and mutual exploration that caused the first cracks in this seemingly perfect relationship. As for the reunion itself: well, the film was well-received, but mostly thanks to Kubrick’s talent – and the amount of nudity in it helped.

Bottom line: Reunion rocks but real life flops

Woody Allen and Diane Keaton

Met in Play It Again, Sam (1972), reunited in Radio Days (1987)

The case of this on-screen couple is slightly different than others mentioned so far. During the 70s, Keaton was Allen’s favorite actor. She starred with him in many of his films (Sleeper, Manhattan, Annie Hall…) and collected quite a few awards. But as the 80s approached, Keaton tried to break the comic typecasting she had and started to appear in dramas and thrillers, and also tried directing herself. It was not until 1987 that they reunited – this time Keaton was one of an all-star ensemble cast. The film is considered one of Allen’s finest, with 95% good reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. So in their case, the reunion did not fail. Maybe thanks to the fact the Allen was just directing, not starring…

Bottom line: Reunion rocks

Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio

First met in Titanic (1997), will reunite in Revolutionary Road (2008)

This couple knows the shoes they’re stepping into, so perhaps wisely they chose to play a very different couple this time around. Even for them it will be a bit hard to break the records established with their bigger than life love story, Titanic, the biggest blockbuster of all time as well as one of the biggest Oscar winners.

So in Revolutionary Road the duo are once again a couple facing disaster, only this time with no special effects… One can say the film picks up where Titanic ended, only DiCaprio didn’t die, and the two got married, bought a house in the suburbs, but can’t last the intense beginning, and the marriage is starting falling apart.

Well, not exactly… but they did choose to star in a drama about a dysfunctional suburban couple. Sounds familiar? Well, the couple did choose an expert of this scenario – Sam Mendes who directed another winning and memorable story of a dysfunctional suburban couple, American Beauty. And so there is already Oscar buzz, as the trio is nominated for the Golden Globes along with the movie itself.

Rotten Tomatoes already gives the reunion 70% fresh tomatoes, saying the duo succeeds once again in delivering a brilliant emotional performance. So is the magic really there once again? Will Mendes’s suburban touch take it all the way to the Oscars once more?

Bottom line: See it and tell us what you think!

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Technorati Tags: Revolutionary Road, Kate Winslet, Leo DiCaprio, Titanic

Popularity: 7% [?]

Popularity: 4% [?]

A recent post on Contentinople by R. Scott Raynovich notes, “Nearly everybody on the panel zeroed in on the consumer interface,” pointing to the poor quality of current digital TV interfaces. This could be seen as rather embarrassing: the entertainment industry hasn’t yet invented a disruptive interface for content selection. My perception is that for the past decade and more, experts have focused on improving the UI by changing the layout, colors, navigation, buttons and all the other objects on the screen (TV or PC).

After so many attempts and so many UI concepts, one might come to the conclusion that the key to improving consumer experience is not in layout or graphics, but rather in the underlying data that shapes and limits the UI.

Take genre. It’s been the sole movie categorization method for the past 15 years. How creative can one be with the consumer experience when using such a one-dimensional approach? Check the TV/VOD services of major cable/IPTV operators, movie machines like Apple TV and VUDU, and e-commerce sites like Netflix and Amazon. It is amazing to see that all these entertainment services look alike in terms of UI concept. It makes you wonder about their creativity. But I think it’s the best they can do as long as the only underlying data they have is genre language.

To build a disruptive UI, you need a disruptive concept for underlying data: a multi-dimensional approach that reflects the many aspects and elements of the content. At Jinni we call this the Movie Genome.

Popularity: 6% [?]

Between opening presents and eating dinner with the family there’s always time for a Christmas movie. They’re usually touching, feel good, family-oriented, humorous – and kitsch. But the kitsch blends wonderfully with that warm holiday feeling.

I’ve gathered different kinds of kitsch… or shall I say kitsch-with-a-twist? Here are ten movies you might enjoy watching at home under the blanket while it’s snowing outside - and one that involves putting on your earmuffs and going to a theater near you.

10. Love Actually (2003)

Watch with the heat off, this movie will provide you all the warmth you need

This zingy, kitschy British comedy (yes, Brits can be kitsch too) weaves a vivid crazy quilt of interlocking or unrelated vignettes all dealing with the subject of love over the Christmas holidays in London. The big-name cast includes Hugh Grant as a prime minister who falls for a staff member, Liam Neeson as a widower counseling his son in the ways of romance, Laura Linney as a shy woman working up the nerve to ask out a coworker, Emma Thompson and Alan Rickman as a couple facing infidelity, and Colin Firth as a writer who falls for his Portuguese maid.

Love, Actually is a laugh-packed affair with more than a few tears to be shed along the way, and a startling amount of bawdy raunchiness.

Watch a scene from Love Actually

9. Gremlins (1984)

Watch with your pet

Joe Dante’s hilariously funny, wickedly scary film is about a loveable, furry little Christmas gift, nicknamed Gizmo, that multiplies into many little Christmas gifts - with savage consequences.

The thing is that Gizmo came with three crucial instructions. He’s not to be fed after midnight, he’s not to get any direct light and he should never be given so much as a drop of water. And as always, rules were meant to be broken…

Gremlins introduced Gizmo and his wild relatives to an entire generation of young fans that till this very day find themselves grinning at the sound of hysteric screaming “bright light! bright light!” or “Gizmo caca”…

Watch a scene from Gremlins

8. Elf (2003)

Watch with Zooey Deschanel

Will Ferrell makes yet another memorable splash on the big screen in Jon Favreau’s sweet and hilarious Christmas fable.

Ferrell is Buddy, an innocent figure who was raised as an elf in the North Pole by his adoptive father, Papa Elf (Bob Newhart). When Buddy discovers that he’s actually a human being, he heads to New York City to reunite with his biological father (James Caan).

Favreau’s film is family entertainment at its finest, featuring a performance by Ferrell that is at once innocent, tender, and laugh-out-loud funny. The stellar supporting cast also includes the charming Zooey Deschanel.

Watch the first 10 min of Elf

7. Smoke (1995)

Watch with a… cigar, obviously (no glass of brandy though, there is a recession you know…)

In 1990, novelist Paul Auster was asked to contribute a Christmas story to the New York Times. The resulting piece, “Auggie Wren’s Christmas Story,” formed the basis for his screenplay for Smoke. Directed by Wayne Wang and set in a Brooklyn cigar store, the story was expanded by Auster to include four other characters whose lives intertwine with Auggie (Harvey Keitel), the manager of the store that serves as a neighborhood meeting place.

The actual Christmas story appears at the end in a beautiful black-and-white montage, accompanied by a bittersweet Tom Waits song.

Watch a scene from Smoke

6. The Santa Clause (1994)

Watch so you know not to accept every job offer that promises a free vehicle. Not even if it’s a flying one…

When Santa Claus gets killed in a freak accident after being startled on the rooftop of a house, it looks like Christmas is ruined. Fortunately, just before his death, the jolly gift-giver passed the torch to ad executive Scott Calvin (Tim Allen), who finishes the job of bestowing holiday cheer on all. When he finally reaches the North Pole, Scott learns that he can’t give up the job - he’s become the next Santa Claus. Scott returns home, only to find himself slowly changing into the pudgy, white-haired old man so beloved by children… and to find that everyone around him considers him utterly and completely mad.

Watch the first 10 min of The Santa Clause

5. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989)

Don’t watch with Antonioni or Bergman enthusiasts around, they might find this one below par…

The third in the series of National Lampoon’s ‘Vacation’ films concerns the Griswold family’s holiday get-together. This time they’re trying to have a picture-book, old-fashioned Christmas - even though all the in-laws are dropping by, including Clark (Chevy Chase)’s redneck cousin, Eddie (Randy Quaid). Looks like it’s going to be a real holly-jolly holiday - if they can make it through.

Watch the first 9 min of National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation

4. Bad Santa (2003)

Don’t watch with anyone who still believes in Santa, this movie might ruin it for them.

Billy Bob Thornton is terrific as Willie T. Stokes, a lowlife department-store Santa in Terry Zwigoff’s outrageous comedic follow-up to his offbeat hit Ghost World. Every year, Stokes takes a job as Santa in a different place in order to rob the store he’s working in. Brett Kelly is Thurman Merman, an eight-year-old who desperately needs to believe in the real Santa Claus - and just might have a good enough heart to change Stokes’s evil ways.

It is lewd, crude, and very funny - but most definitely not for children.

Watch selected scenes from Bad Santa

3. Home Alone (1990)

Watch at home, alone

Eight-year-old Kevin MacAllister (Macaulay Culkin)’s large, upper-middleclass suburban family rushes to make a plane that will take them to their Christmas vacation in France. Kevin, banished to an attic room as punishment, is forgotten. At first this is a dream come true, as for the first time in his young life he has no one to answer to but himself, and he takes full advantage of his new-found freedom, eating junk food and watching late-night horror flicks. But when the bumbling Wet Bandits Harry (Joe Pesci) and Marv (Daniel Stern) target his house for a robbery, Kevin must step up to defend his home.

Watch the first 9 min of Home Alone

2. A Christmas Story (1983)

Watch with a bowl of Ben and Jerry’s chocolate fudge brownie. (Nothing to do with the movie, but it’s never bad advice.)

Deliciously warped and winsome boyhood memories of Christmas are told by a typical American man revisiting his native Indiana during the 1940s. Among other childish pursuits, his overriding obsession to finally own a genuine Red Ryder BB gun consumes his feverish imagination. Based on Jean Shepherd’s novel, “In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash.”

Watch the first 10 min of A Christmas Story

1. It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)

Watch with a box of tissues - the soft kind so you won’t damage your eyes

The ultimate Christmas film is about a good but slightly ineffectual man who tries to end his life over an error that really wasn’t his fault. In Christmas Carol fashion, his crusty-but-lovable guardian angel shows up to give him a tour of the world without his presence. It isn’t a pretty place. Moral courage, small-town American life, civic cooperation, and family love are glorified; corporate greed and self-involvement are vilified. At the climax, a blanket of snow like spun sugar makes everything pure and clean like redemption itself.

Watch a scene from It’s a Wonderful Life

And a bonus one in a theater near you:

Nothing Like The Holidays (2008)

Watch with no cell phones ringing in the background

This new comedy drama is about a Christmas family gathering in Chicago. After Anna, the mother of the family, announces to her children that she is planning to divorce their father, Eduardo, everyone starts contemplating the past and thinking about the future.

This new contribution to holiday films might not contribute anything original to the formula, but its strong side is the great interaction between its ensemble cast members, including Freddy Rodriguez, John Leguizamo, Debra Messing, Luis Guzman, Alfred Molina, Jay Hernandez and Elizabeth Peña.

Watch Nothing Like the Holidays trailer

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Popularity: 11% [?]