Favorite Christmas Movies – Romantic Comedy Style
I have huge lists of Christmas movies I love, so I thought I’d focus several posts on my favorite Christmas movies, based on genre and/or intended audience. Today, I’m going to list my Top FIVE favorite Romantic Comedy Christmas movies. So, if you’ve been looking for a great rom-com to watch this holiday season, check out this list:
Number One: Love Actually (2003)
Love Actually stars many of my favorite actors, including Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson, Colin Firth, Alan Rickman, Emma Thompson…plus lots of others. Plot per IMBd, the movie follows the lives of eight very different couples in dealing with their love lives in various loosely and interrelated tales all set during a frantic month before Christmas in London, England.
Why I love it: Because it’s funny, sweet, emotional, and in several of the stories–very, very real. Plus, there are lots of terrific laugh-out-loud moments. It’s just one of those truly great feel-good movies.
Check out the trailer:
Number Two: The Family Man (2000)
The Family Man stars Nicholas Cage and Tea Leoni (as well as costars Don Cheadle and Jeremy Piven) and for years was my number one favorite romantic comedy movie to watch at Christmas. Plot per IMBd: A fast-lane investment broker, offered the opportunity to see how the other half lives, wakes up to find that his sports car and girlfriend have become his mini-van and wife. Okay, that plot isn’t COMPLETELY accurate, as the girlfriend is a long-time ex-girlfriend, and Nicholas Cage’s character isn’t so much offered the opportunity as is GIVEN the opportunity (meaning, he has no choice in the matter).
Why I love it: Oh wow, this movie really hits all the right notes for me. It’s hysterical, for one, but beyond the funny aspect, it’s just one of those movies that makes you smile and feel all cozy and warm inside. I’m also a huge Nicholas Cage fan, and I absolutely LOVE his character in this movie.
Check out the trailer:
Number Three: While You Were Sleeping (1995)
While You Were Sleeping stars Sandra Bullock, Bill Pullman, and Peter Gallagher. Okay, it’s no secret that I love Sandra Bullock (I think she’s a wonderful comedic actress), and she really shines in her role as Lucy. Plot per IMBd: Ticket collecting romantic pretends to be engaged to an unconcious man, but she can’t fool his brother. I’m going to add on to this line with a “and ends up falling in love with him and his family.”
Why I love it: What’s not to love? Sandra Bullock portrays a woman who has no family, and then falls in love with another man’s family–who believes she’s his fiance. It’s filled with humor, but also with all that touchy-feely stuff that I adore.
Check out the trailer:
Number Four: The Holiday (2006)
The Holiday is one of those movies I couldn’t wait to see when it hit the theaters, and loved it instantly. Starring Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Jude Law, and Jack Black, there is (naturally) plenty of humor, but this movie has a huge heart with a dash of fantasy fulfillment. Plot per IMBd: Two women troubled with guy-problems swap homes in each other’s countries, where they each meet a local guy and fall in love.
Why I love it: For one, I love the concept of switching countries and homes for two weeks…what a great idea! For two, I equally loved each of the stories being told. Oh…and Jude Law in glasses? Totally hot.
Check out the trailer:
Number Five: The Family Stone (2005)
The Family Stone (starring Sarah Jessica Parker, Diane Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Claire Danes, Dermot Mulroney, Craig T. Nelson, and Luke Wilson) falls into number five of my favorites (and not higher up the list) mostly because the end, while uplifting, is also sad. Now, there’s nothing wrong with bittersweet endings, but the rest of the movie is so feel good, with so much heart, and so much humor, that the bittersweet tang at the end leaves me more sad than I want to be at Christmas. Even so, that doesn’t stop me from watching this movie each year.
The plot per IMBd: An uptight, conservative, business woman accompanies her boyfriend to his eccentric and outgoing family’s annual Christmas celebration and finds that she’s a fish out of water in their free-spirited way of life.
Why I love it: Okay, seriously…Sarah Jessica Parker is soooo funny in this role. Her character doesn’t fit in well with her boyfriend’s family, but that doesn’t stop her from trying. She makes tons of errors, but her heart is in the right place (mostly), and the family itself is equally as funny/quirky.
Check out the trailer:
Honorable Mentions!
Not mentioned in the list above, but holiday romantic comedies I also love are:
Holiday in Handcuffs. This made-for-TV movie is hilarious. Starring Melissa Joan Hart and Mario Lopez, it follows the story of a lovelorn waitress who kidnaps a man to take home to her family for Christmas. Seriously funny. Check out the trailer:
The Christmas List. Starring Mimi Rogers, this is also a made-for-TV movie and is cute, warm, and gently humorous. But I enjoy it each and every time I’ve watched it, so it’s definitely worth the mention. Mimi Rogers plays a character who writes her Christmas list to Santa, and suddenly, her “wishes” start to come true. Unfortunately, I can’t find a trailer/promo bit for this, but the ABC web site says the movie will be on their web site for viewing on December 21st.
Serendipity. John Cusack (Yum) and Kate Beckinsale star in this fun movie about two people who meet and leave it up to fate to see if they’ll meet again. Check out the trailer:
And of course, there’s Sleepless in Seattle, You’ve Got Mail, and Bridget Jones’s Diary. I definitely enjoy each of these movies, but I don’t go out of my way to watch them each year. Though, it’s been a while since I’ve seen Bridget Jones, and hey–Hugh Grant and Colin Firth can be found there, so I think this year I’ll have to pull the DVD out. Maybe when I’m wrapping gifts!
Later in the week, I’ll go over my Top Five Classic Christmas Movie favorites, and next week, I’ll hit up a couple more genres. But until then, I’d love to know what your favorite Romantic Comedy Christmas movies are? Please share, as I’m always looking for more!!!!
Don’t Forget!
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Tags: Holiday in Handcuffs, Love Actually, Serendipity, The Christmas List, The Family Man, The Family Stone, The Holiday, The Novel Girls, While You Were Sleeping
