Have Yourself a Movie Little Christmas

by Alonso Duralde

Don't waste another second of your valuable holiday time on another boring Christmas movie. Film critic Alonso Duralde highlights the best – and worst – movies of the Yuletide season with this fun and informative film guide. Whether you're looking for the classics, family favorites, holiday horror, Christmas-themed crime epics, or the most wonderfully awful cinematic lumps of coal, Have Yourself a Movie Little Christmas will point you and your rental queue in the right direction. Whether your idea of a holiday classic is White Christmas, Bad Santa, Die Hard, Eyes Wide Shut, or Gremlins, you'll find the right film for you, as well as an exhaustively entertaining breakdown of the various screen Scrooges, from Alistair Sim to Jim Carrey to...Tori Spelling? And get ready to encounter movies you may never have heard of from the gritty noir Christmas Holiday, starring 1930s singing ingénue Deanna Durbin in her first hard-bitten adult role, to the loony Santa Claus, a Mexican kiddie movie in which St. Nick teams up with Merlin to fight the devil! Plot synopses, video availability, and fun facts – did you know the actor cast as Uncle Billy in It's a Wonderful Life was also in the running to play mean old Mr. Potter? – make this a stocking stuffed with information you'll turn to every Christmas season.

Genres: Nonfiction, Christmas, Film, Media Tie In, Holiday

280 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 7, 2010

About the author

Alonso Duralde is reviews editor at TheWrap, as well as the author of Have Yourself a Movie Little Christmas and 101 Must-See Movies for Gay Men; he is also the co-author of I'll Be Home for Christmas Movies with the hosts of the Deck the Hallmark Podcast. He is the co-host of the Linoleum Knife; A Film and a Movie; The Untitled Ify, Drea, and Alonso Project; and Breakfast All Day podcasts, and has discussed film on CNN, PBS, TCM, ABC and FilmStruck, as well as in numerous documentaries.

Reviews

[Leslie Goddard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the Christmas movie guide I've been wanting to find for a while. Duralde packs a lot of movies into this guide (something like a 120 movies in the table of content), both the well-known ones and obscure ones. For each, he includes a plot summary, his own review of what makes it work well (or not), and a few fun trivia tidbits. Perfect for when a Christmas movies pops up on TV and you want to know when it was made, whether it's worth watching and what to keep in mind.

For me, the great value is two-fold. First, it's a handy guidebook to help you decide which Christmas movies are worth watching and what to look for. Second, it's a guide to some lesser-known gems to search out if you're looking for something new to watch.

Actually, I'd go farther than that. The book shines because Duralde is an insightful critic who provides helpful commentary along the way that helps you understand what makes a Christmas movie really work. Some Christmas movies become cult favorites and we embrace them for their sheer cheesiness, others capture the dysfunction that can be a real part of the holidays. Not every Christmas movie has to be a heart-warmer of sentimentality to become a widely embraced favorite. He's often funny ("as an actress, Vera-Ellen is an exceptional dancer.") And he clearly adores movies, so he often pulls out a kind comment about movies I found real clinkers ("If only the make-up were as good as the acting," he says about the Henry Winkler version of A Christmas Carol). I appreciated the entire chapter devoted to the various film versions of A Christmas Carol (the Patrick Stewart version is the most faithful adaptation, best Tiny Tim is Gerald McBoingBoing in Mister Magoo's Christmas Carol).

This is a much more helpful guidebook than some of the others that have appeared since it that only cover 30 or so movies. I'd not only recommend it highly but wish it could get a wider release into bookstores.

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading Duralde's reviews is always a lot of fun and a full book of them is a treat. Plus now I definitely have several things I've never seen before on my To-Watch list this year, including Silent Night Bloody Night and Miracle on 34th Street, which I can't believe I've still never seen. But first I'm going through his list of Holiday Tearjerkers, including A Christmas Memory with Geraldine Page, & I'll Be Seeing You, with Ginger Rogers and Joseph Cotten. I love yuletide melancholy most of all, ho ho ho (sob)!

[Martin Jost · Rating 3 out of 5]

«Have Yourself a Movie Little Christmas» ist der Führer durch rund 370 Weihnachtsfilme. Man braucht ungefähr das ganze Jahr, um nur die besten davon zu sehen.

Die Frage ist: Wie früh beginnt man den Landeanflug auf Weihnachten? Weihnachtsfilme sind seit über 2000 Jahren ein zuverlässiges Mittel, um uns in Weihnachtsstimmung zu bringen. Timing und Dosierung sind jedoch knifflig: Kann man sich das Weihnachtsgefühl verwässern, indem man sich an Weihnachtsstimmung überfrisst? Ist man vielleicht in heiterer Stimmung, wenn man Ende Oktober mit Weihnachtsfilmen anfängt, aber dann bis zum Dezember wieder ausgebrannt? Oder spricht im Gegenteil alles dafür, sich das ganze Jahr über an Weihnachten zu erinnern, wo Vorfreude bekanntlich die schönste Freude ist?

Genug Stoff wäre vorhanden, denn Alonso Durandes Weihnachtsfilm-Führer «Have Yourself a Movie Little Christmas» (nicht auf Deutsch erschienen) listet allein rund 370 Titel auf. Das ist der Stand von 2009, ohne Berücksichtigung von TV-Filmen, ohne Anspruch auf Vollständigkeit und fast ohne Produktionen von außerhalb den USA. 120 Weihnachtsfilme bespricht Duralde ausführlich auf rund zwei Seiten in der einheitlichen Form: Zusammenfassung der Handlung, kritische Würdigung und eine Liste mit Funfacts über den Film.

Die ausführlichen Besprechungen sortieren die Filme nach Genres: Weihnachtsfilme, die man mit Kindern ansehen kann; Weihnachtsfilme für Erwachsene; Weihnachts-Komödien; Heulfilme und Melodramen; Weihnachts-Krimis und -Actionfilme; Weihnachts-Horror; Weihnachts-Trash; Klassiker; sowie ein ganzes Kapitel ausschließlich über Verfilmungen von Charles Dickens’ »A Christmas Carol« (22 Stück; für dieses Kapitel nutzt Duralde ein eigenes Checklisten-Format, um die Adaptionen vergleichen zu können).

Duralde schreibt deutlich, wenn ein Film nichts taugt (das betrifft überwiegend Remakes von Weihnachtsfilmen), aber er findet immer auch etwas Gutes in jedem Stück. Aus seinen gut begründeten Rezensionen können wir herauslesen, ob uns ein Film gefallen würde oder zu welcher Stimmung er passt. Besonders deutlich beweist natürlich das Kapitel mit besonders schlechten Weihnachtsfilmen Duraldes grundsätzlich filmliebende Einstellung: «Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny», «Santa Claus Conquers the Martians» und «Thomas Kinkade’s Christmas Cottage» sind drei von den Festtagsfilmen, die Duralde zufolge so schlecht sind, dass sie schon wieder gut sind.

Wir haben lauter Kreuzchen bei interessanten Filmen gemacht und fangen am besten gleich damit an, einen Weihnachtsfilm nach dem anderen zu schauen, damit wir auch ganz sicher bis Weihnachten durch sind. (Bis Weihnachten 2024.)

[Matthew Flores · Rating 5 out of 5]

Informational and a fun guide to Christmas and Christmas-themed films.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had fun reading this, and it absolutely flew by, but I was also pretty let down by some of the content. It's all subjective, obviously, since this is a guide based on the author's personal preferences, but there were some seriously egregious omissions (the most glaring, to me, being either version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas; Holiday Inn, where the song "White Christmas" originated; and the now-classic tale of consumerism, Jingle All the Way) and some choices I didn't agree with. Why is We're No Angels listed in the Christmas Classics section but not Home Alone or National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation? Should It's a Wonderful Life have gotten more page space than, say, White Christmas or A Christmas Story? Why are there so many French films in the Movies for Adults section? Does having one or two scenes set around the holidays qualify something as a "Christmas" movie? Why include films that, at the time of publication, were not available for viewing to the public if this was meant, as the book's summary says, to "point you and your rental queue in the right direction?"

But even though I didn't necessarily agree with Duralde all the time, and even though I didn't get much out of the guide besides one or two new movies to hunt down for viewing this season, this is still a fun way to waste an afternoon.

[Dann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Film critic Alonso Duralde provides a comprehensive review of seasonal films in Have Yourself a Movie Little Christmas. Offering a little something for everyone, Duralde devotes each chapter to a different genre; covering family friendly films, tear-jerking dramas, horror flicks, classics, and the “so-bad-it’s-good” trainwrecks. Each film review includes a plot synopsis, some commentary, and trivia. And the film that don’t quit fit into his categories or warrant a review, Duralde lists in an appendix. His qualifications for what constitutes a “Christmas film” are pretty loose (just about any film with a Christmas scene), and the reviews don’t go into much depth. Yet while it has its weaknesses, overall, Have Yourself a Movie Little Christmas is a handy guide for those wishing to brighten up their holidays with a trip to the movies.

[Andy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting and sometimes funny compilation of Christmas movies. I always tend to think of sentimental stories, romances or comedies about dysfunctional families when I think of Christmas in movies, but this book shows that there is so much more: horror, action, good and bad movies. I have some of the movies already on my watchlist - although I have to say that it is quite difficult to find some of them on streaming services nowadays. Nevertheless, this book will stay with me in my search for suitable holiday movie fare!

[Jake Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alonso Duralde's recurring "Christmas Minute" bit on the "Who Shot Ya?" podcast led me to pick up this refreshing guide to all movies Christmas. There's something for everyone here, whether you're a fan of crime noir, horror, musicals or just classic Christmas movies. It's easily digestible and fun to read. I'll definitely be using it in the future whenever I'm looking for something out of the ordinary to watch during the holiday season.

[Scott Delgado · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love Christmas movies, this book is for you. While you'll find yourself smiling as you read about the classics you watch every year, you'll also be reminded of films you should watch again. Of course, there are plenty of films in the book that you may have never heard of before, and it's always a treat to be introduced to new cinema!

[Sarah Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

My husband surprised me with this delightful look at a variety of films featuring Christmas or even memorable Christmas scenes. Organized by type (family movies, horror movies, etc), every film is described with honesty and wit. A must-have for Christmas movie fans or cinephiles in general.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Easy read with lots of info on all kinds of Christmas movies, including a whole chapter dedicated to so of the many Christmas Carol adaptations.

[RL Bailey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Little more than summaries of movies. Includes a lot of debatable movies then skips some poplar definitely Christmas movies.

[Tristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

many movies i had never heard of. quick reviews and interesting facts on many holiday movies

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone has their traditional favorite Christmas movies, but sometimes it's nice to find a new favorite. If you're looking for something new to watch this Christmas, this is a great book to turn to. It doesn't matter if you're looking for something kiddie friendly, a comedy, a tearjerker, a classic, something modern, or something hilariously bad, you're bound to find what you're looking for here. For each movie, there's a summary, a critique from Alonso Duralde, and some trivia about the movie. It also has information about length, ratings, and the cast. It's like having IMDB right at your fingertips. Some of the selections are rather interesting just because some of them are movies I don't necessarily automatically think of as being Christmas movies, like The Apartment or Night of the Hunter. All in all, a fun book.

[Ruairidh Trail · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a huge fan of Christmas and Christmas related films I'm so glad this book exists. I had heard of or seen a great number of the films included here, but loved revisiting them through Duralde's concise yet informative miniature reviews. For those films which I had yet to see or had not even heard of, this book was a great jumping off point and inspired me to check out some films I may have otherwise ignored or missed.

With plenty of "Did you knows" thrown in for good measure as well, HYAMLC not only makes for a great dip-in book when one wishes for inspiration on what to watch during the holiday season, but also helps to expand the readers general knowledge on the subject of Christmas related cinema. Thus producing plenty of impressive factoids one can store in their memory bank to share with others.

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

The trouble with reading a guide of any sort is that you run the risk of not agreeing with the author's opinion. I agreed with Alonso about 50 percent of the time. Unfortunately that meant that half of this reading experience wasn't great. Truth is Duralde is pretentious with the obvious, and lowbrow when it's clichéd. That said, the book is well organized, with films broken down into subcategories that make up the chapters, and a synopsis, mini review, and fun facts for each film. The chapter on A Christmas Carol adaptations is especially well done, though I disagree with his assessment of several of the films listed.

[Jessy Brainerd · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great book! I'm a bit of a Christmas movie addict, and was so excited about reading this. There is some great information - I was suprised by how many books Duralde wrote about that I either hadn't heard of, or wasn't aware of the Christmas connection.

I think the best thing about this is that, while it contains a lot of information, it's very tongue-in-cheek - funny stuff. I've just vastly expanded my must-buy Christmas movie list!!

[+ Dragonfly+ · Rating 4 out of 5]

O I am so glad I won this book Have Yourself a Movie Little Christmas!
Thanks first reads. This book is a good idea. Just look in the back for the index of titles for your movie you want to find or look in the index for the people in your movie. Fun facts about the movie too. I hope the author writes another book like this with newer titles of our favorite Christmas movies. I did learn about alot of movies I would have never thought of as Christmas movies so I have lots to catch up on!

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

A smart, enjoyable read from an author who loves movies and Christmas. Alonso Duralde combines his passion for movies, and love of Christmas in this delightful reference. I was reminded of holiday movies I haven't seen in years, and found many new ones I plan to check out. My Netflix queue is overflowing with Christmas cheer. A really fun book that I plan to break out every Christmas.

[Kurt Reighley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since I can't give my own book as Christmas presents this year, I'm giving this instead. I never thought I'd want to see another version of "A Christmas Carol" again until I read this. Hilarious and informative.

[Lauren~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

A friend lent me this book. So far a fun read! It was an ok book for getting ideas for Christmas movies, I hope the author writes another book with more movies like The Holiday, I always think of this one as a great Christmas movie.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

fun read! totally interesting, a great read for movie buffs, fans of hollywood, or just like to read, LOL

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great guide to finding holiday movies or movies that have holiday scenes. Gives a synopsis and also some fun info on the movies.

[Charles P. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book resource for those who love Christmas movies. I love Christmas movies I find to be a great book to read.

[PAMELA BROOKS · Rating 4 out of 5]

fun to read and helpful as a reference book also.