Top 20 Christmas Movies of 2008

Twilight is the #1 Christmas Movie of 2008 because...do I even need to say it? Didn't you hear all those screaming fans over at Comic Con during the Twilight panel? And even if I wasn't screaming, I am as excited about the movie. Plus I am a big fan of Catherine Hardwicke's films. I just love her style of filmmaking. Her previous films include Thirteen and Lords of Dogtown. And don't even get me into how good the book is. Twilight is definitely #1 this Christmas.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is the #2 Christmas Movie of 2008 because I have been looking forward to seeing it ever since I first heard that David Fincher and Brad Pitt were involved in the project (which was a couple of years ago). The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is based on a 1922 short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald about a boy born with the body of a 70 year-old man, who is aging backwards. While I haven't actually read the story (and won't now because I want to see the movie first), it just sounds so intriguing and with someone like Brad Pitt in the title role, I think we can expect some Oscar buzz. Definitely another big film this Christmas.

The Day the Earth Stood Still is the #3 Christmas Movie of 2008 because I just need to hear Keanu Reeves and I'm in. But that aside, the clips of the film shown during The Day the Earth Stood Still Panel at Comic Con looked really, really good. And come on, who doesn't want to see Keanu Reeves as an Alien?
The Day the Earth Stood Still is a remake of the 1951 black and white film of the same name about an alien, Klaatu (Keanu Reeves), who comes to Earth to warn them to stop their wars and fighting or their entire race will be annihilated.

Australia is the #4 Christmas Movie of 2008 because, let's see, romance, check; Baz Luhrmann, check; two hot australian actors, check. Yep, that about covers it.
But more seriously, Australia is set in northern Australia prior to World War II and centers on an English aristocrat (Nicole Kidman) who inherits a cattle station the size of Maryland. When English cattle barons plot to take her land, she reluctantly joins forces with a rough-hewn stock-man (Hugh Jackman) to drive 2,000 head of cattle across hundreds of miles of the country's most unforgiving land, only to still face the bombing of Darwin, Australia, by the Japanese forces that had attacked Pearl Harbor only months earlier.

UPDATE: The Road has been moved from its November 26, 2008 release to a December release, which could turn into a 2009 release.

The Road is the #5 Christmas Movie of 2008 because I don't know why but I have a really good feeling about this one. The first pictures released from The Road look really great, and the cast is not so bad either (what I really mean is that the cast is freaking great).
Based on the Pulitzer winning novel of the same name by Cormac McCarthy, The Road tells the story of a father and his son traveling across a post-apocalyptic world.

Revolutionary Road is the #6 Christmas Movie of 2008 because it's another film I have a really good feeling about. Plus, Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Jarhead) hasn't disappointed me so far, and who hasn't been waiting to see our favorite power couple, aka Leo and Kate, back on screen together. I for one don't want to miss it. I'm also betting this movie is going to be Oscar buzzworthy.
Revolutionary Road is based on the book of the same name by Richard Yates about a young couple living in a Connecticut suburb during the mid-1950s struggling to come to terms with their personal problems while trying to raise their two children.

The Spirit is the #7 Christmas Movie of 2008 because well frankly I was just blown away by the trailer and the clips shown during The Spirit panel at Comic Con were excellent. I also love the fact that Frank Miller decided to go with someone that is not well known, Gabriel Macht (Because I Said So, The Good Shepherd), as the lead character. This guy is going to bring so much to the part, can't wait to see it. The Spirit is based on the newspaper strip of the same name created by Will Eisner.

Valkyrie is the #8 Christmas Movie of 2008 because this is a movie I just want to see. The trailer looks great and Bryan Singer proves once more that he is a great director (this is me forgetting he ever directed Superman). Plus I am a big fan of Kenneth Branagh and am so looking forward to seeing him in this.
Valkyrie is the story based on the July 20 plot of German army officers to assassinate Adolf Hitler.

Quantum of Solace is the #9 Christmas Movie of 2008 because you know I had to put James Bond on that list. And with Daniel Craig returning, there are even more reasons to get excited. To me he made James Bond hip again.

Marley & Me is the #10 Christmas Movie of 2008 because... did someone say dog? Cute puppy dogs always get me. And Marley & Me just sounds like the perfect Christmas family movie.
Marley & Me is based on the bestselling autobiographical book by American journalist John Grogan about his and his family's life living with their dog Marley for 13 years.

Four Christmases is the #11 Christmas Movie of 2008 because I decided to go with my gut feeling on this one. I didn't hear about the movie until recently, but here are a few things that it has going for it: 1) the cast 2) the Christmas theme 3) ok I don't have a three, but doesn't it sound like a good choice for Christmas?
Four Christmases is about couple struggling to visit all four of their divorced parents on Christmas Day.

Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa is the #12 Christmas Movie of 2008 because I like to move it, move it! (Yep, I'm that easy!)

Seven Pounds is the #13 Christmas Movie of 2008 because I am once again going with my gut and mostly because of my love for watching Will Smith act. If there is one thing you can say about him is that he commits to every single part. And I am sure this film is no different. So there you go.
Seven Pounds is the story of a suicidal IRS agent, who changes the lives of seven strangers.

Defiance is the #14 Christmas Movie of 2008 because when the trailer makes you teary eyed, you know you gotta see it.
Defiance is about three jewish brothers who join Russian resistance fighters to fight the Nazis and rescue fellow Jews.

UPDATE: The Soloist has been pushed back from November 21, 2008 to a March 13, 2009 release.

The Soloist is the #15 Christmas Movie of 2008 because when you put Robert Downey Jr. and Jamie Foxx together, it's a film you can't miss.
The Soloist is about a schizophrenic, homeless musician from Skid Row, Los Angeles, who dreams of playing at the Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Bedtime Stories is the #16 Christmas Movie of 2008 because everyone needs some magic at Christmas. And I just want to see Adam Sandler and Adam Shankman collaborate, because if my instincts are correct, it's going to be the perfect film for the holidays.
Bedtime Stories is about a man (Adam Sandler) whose life changes when the bedtimes stories he tells his niece and nephew start to come true. (I wish my bedtime stories came true...)

Yes Man is the #17 Christmas Movie of 2008 because I just want to sit down and get entertained. And after all these years, Jim Carrey still makes me laugh.
Yes Man is about a guy who decides to say "yes" to everything for an entire year. ...so... can I get a $1000? YES!

The Tale of Despereaux is the #19 Christmas Movie of 2008 because I love animation in general and that mouse just looks so damn cute.
The Tale of Despereaux is about a small mouse with large ears, who falls in love with the beautiful Princess Pea, the only problem is that she's human.

Bolt is the #19 Christmas Movie of 2008 because it's an animation movie and it's on my radar just because... did I mention I like animation films?
Bolt is about a white German Shepherd, star of a TV show as a superhero dog, who finds out that all his "superpowers" are fake when he accidently gets out of the studio.

Frost/Nixon is the #20 Christmas Movie of 2008 because it's Ron Howard and thus most likely will become Oscar buzz.
Frost/Nixon is based on the play by Peter Morgan. The film in fact uses the original two stars from the London and Broadway productions of the play, Frank Langella (President Richard Nixon) and Michael Sheen (David Frost), quite a risque choice, but I like it!