One of the secrets to A Christmas Story’s success is the characters, who all are depicted very realistically as a relatable family with emotions that fluctuate up and down like a roller coaster. They may have mixed feelings toward one another, but at the end of the day, they still love one another. Instead of a traditional story with a central conflict, the family is portrayed in a slice-of-life sort of structure that presents their chaotic mundane moments in a more sitcom fashion. It's also told from the perspective of a child, making out certain little events that to a grown-up are nothing, but to a kid are immense milestones. These include a kid saying his first curse word, having his first secret meeting, seeing a sexual object for the first time, standing up to a bully for the first time, and receiving his first defensive weapon.
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To add greater insight into the mind of this child, sequences of his imagination are visualized, all of which come off as overly theatrical just like the radio programs which inspired his daydreams. Numerous similar components, such as the nostalgic soundtrack, prove why this Yuletide classic isn’t just a goofy comedy, but a deceptively complex portrayal of early 1940s America that in turn captures the magic of Christmas morning. So because of its care and passion, this iconic holiday staple has come to impact the identity of the entire season.

PG (DLSV)
Comedy/Historic
1 hr. 33 min.

Watch it to LEARN.
​Watch it to feel HAPPY.

This staple of the holiday season has a carefully effective way of structuring its complex story. First, the angels are framed front-and-center as the true heroes of the story until they introduce the character of George Bailey when they are set aside for the story to flow naturally. Then the rather long runtime surveys the relevant events of George’s life, with each segment feeling like its own contained television episode. When it reaches the point of George’s fateful decision to end his life, Clarence is casually reintroduced as the guardian angel who will save him, the point when the audience has already forgotten that this movie is primarily about the angels, not necessarily George. It subverts expectations while also reminding everyone watching the value of their life.
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While filming, director Frank Capra opted to film the outdoor winter scenes inside a refrigerated set to get cold breath from the actors. To create the snow, he went for a mixture of ice, gypsum, plaster, fomite, ivory soap, and water—a massive new achievement in producing cinematic snow. Yet other elements demonstrate why It’s a Wonderful Life eventually became the most famous Christmas movie ever made, such as the expertly staged scenes of dialogue and the angelic black-and-white cinematography. It may have been ignored for many years after its original release, but now it’s rightfully celebrated as the rare movie that’s capable of not just changing lives, but saving them.

PG (SV)
Drama/Fantasy
2 hr. 10 min.

Watch it to THINK.
​Watch it to feel HAPPY.
​Watch it to feel SAD.

This Yuletide classic originated from the idea of commercialism taking over Christmas, coupled with the question, “What if Santa Claus himself saw all this?” Furthermore, it was conceptualized and released as a real feud went on between the department stores Macy’s and Gimbels, of which the film focuses very heavily on. The problem though is that neither store would agree to have their names featured in the movie until they saw the finished product—if they didn’t like it, 20th Century Fox had to go back and reshoot virtually every scene! Considering the production even went as far as filming at the real Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, this was an enormous risk. Yet thankfully, both department stores were very happy with the finished product.
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And thank goodness they were! Miracle on 34th Street ended up being a delightfully jolly motion picture that perfectly encapsulates what Santa Claus would be like if he were a real person. Yet it also doesn’t shy away from its cynicism about the Christmas season, particularly in how major corporations try to turn Kris Kringle’s selfless intentions of helping customers into a big marketing stunt. So little is left to the imagination about why this classic for the holiday season has been so influential, even generating three remakes based on its timeless story. But the original remains the best—the ultimate testament to what makes the most joyous time of year so magical.

NR
Comedy
1 hr. 36 min.

Watch it for FUN.
Watch it to LEARN.
​Watch it to feel HAPPY.

Written over the course of a single weekend, Home Alone defied all odds to become an instant holiday classic. It’s known by many for its hilariously violent cartoonish gags, which the production crew had to get creative while staging. For instance, in the shot where the blowtorch incinerates the top of Harry’s head, a two-way mirror was used to cast the reflection of a flame to give the illusion that it was on top of actor Joe Pesci’s head. Also, when the iron falls onto Marv’s face, there’s a shot that takes place from the iron’s point-of-view, which was achieved by a camera on a rope that fell toward actor Daniel Stern’s face.

Aside from the film’s famous climax, there are still many more problems the cast and crew had to solve together on the spot to achieve what most films at their budget level wouldn’t dare to tackle. That includes the set for the McAllister house, which was built inside a school gymnasium, and filming the scenes with John Candy, which took place over a twenty-three-hour shoot day. But of course, what would all these incredible behind-the-scenes stories for this slapstick comedy be without the wondrous musical score by John Williams? With that fine balance between heart and humor, this number-one box office smash hit generated a massive step forward in how filmmakers can stage effective gags while still retaining the heart of the story.

PG (DLV)
Comedy
1 hr. 43 min.

Watch it for FUN.
​Watch it to feel HAPPY and AFRAID.

Twenty years later, Elf still proves itself to be a grand timeless film that can entertain audiences of all ages. It opens with a charming depiction of the North Pole that replicates the classic Rankin/Bass holiday specials, complete with stop-motion puppets, white backgrounds, and colorful elf outfits that are near-identical replicas of the elves in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. There are more tidbits of trivia to prove the level of love, care, and whimsy that went into this instant Christmas classic. For instance, while filming the montage of Buddy entering New York for the first time, everyone Will Ferrell interacts with wasn’t an actor or paid extra! They were real random people found on the street!
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Also, to make the actors playing the elves look short, forced perspective was used, much like in the Lord of the Rings movies. Director Jon Favreau didn’t want to use digital effects for illusions such as this one, so he and his production crew found clever ways to achieve the forced perspective shots, such as by using kids as doubles whenever an elf’s hand or foot had to interact with Buddy. There’s a plethora of many more behind-the-scenes stories and secrets that cement why this Yuletide feature film has become a favorite for many, and a guide for other smaller independent studios to follow on how to replicate the feel of a film made with a massive budget.

PG (DLSV)
Comedy/Fantasy
1 hr. 37 min.

Watch it for FUN.
​Watch it to feel HAPPY.