TV Networks and San Angeloans Pick Top Christmas Flicks

'Tis the week of Christmas with yule tide carols in the air, but you wouldn’t know it from what is currently playing in theaters: this past Friday was the opening day of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” and “Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Trip.” This month also brought in the opening of the Evil Santa horror-comedy “Krampus” and Tina Fey starring in “Sisters.” The Christmas season spirit isn't strong on the big screen this year; however, that doesn't mean San Angelo families can't enjoy the Christmas films that bring special warmth into our homes. To help with the lineup, we’ve scoped out what a few sites believe the top five Christmas movies are and even asked San Angeloans for their opinion.

But first, let’s take a tour and see what the other sources say the Top 5 Favorite Christmas Movies are…

Rotten Tomatoes Sticks with the Classics 

1.  It’s a Wonderful Life

Whether or not a person has his or her own guardian angel hovering, the lesson here is that it’s not money that makes a person rich in the 1946. In this classic, George Bailey (James Stewart) wishes he was never born, so an angel (Henry Travers) is sent down from Heaven to make George’s wish come true. However, George begins to realize just how many lives he has changed and impacted, and how they would be different if he was never there.

2.  Miracle on 34^th Street

In this Christmas classic, an old man who is going by the name of Kris Kringle (Edmund Gwenn) fills in for an intoxicated Santa in the Macy’s annual Thanksgiving Day parade. He becomes such a hit and is soon appearing regularly at the chain’s main store in midtown Manhattan. But Kringle surprises customers and employees by claiming he is truly Santa Claus, this leads to a court case to determine his mental health, and more importantly, his authenticity in the 1947.

3.  The Shop Around the Corner

In this 1940 classic, Alfred Kralik (James Stewart) and Klara Novak (Margaret Sullavan) are employees at Matuschek and Company, a general store in Budapest. They are constantly at odds with each other and never able to agree upon anything. However, both are smitten with their respective pen pals, who serve as a welcome distraction in their lives. Little do they know that they are each other’s pen pal, and despite the outward differences, they have unwittingly fallen in love through their letters.

4.  Holiday Inn

Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire celebrate a year’s worth of holidays, against a steady flow of Irving Berlin tunes in the 1942 film. Jim (Bing Crosby) and Lila are members of a performing trio who plan to quit and run a country hotel. But when Lila says she has fallen in love with the dancer in the act, Ted (Fred Astaire), Jim leaves town with a broken heart. After turning the inn into a holidays only live entertainment venue, Jim winds up looking – and falling for – Linda (Marjorie Reynolds). However, when Ted shows up at the inn after being dumped by Lila, he too sets his sights on the beautiful Linda.

5.  Stalag 17

This 1953 film is set in a 1944 German POW camp that houses American airmen. Two prisoners try to escape the compound but are quickly discovered and shot dead. Among the remaining men, suspicion grows that one of their own is a spy for the Germans. All eyes fall on Sgt. Sefton (William Holden), who everyone knows frequently makes exchanges with the German guards for small luxuries. In order to protect himself from a mob of his enraged fellow inmates, the Sgt. resolves to find the true traitor in their midst.

AMC Takes a Different Outlook on Christmas Top Five

1.  How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Boris Karloff’s melodic baritone lends sinister charm to everyone’s favorite Who hater in this short, sweet Christmas special. The bitter and hateful Grinch is irritated at the thought of the nearby village having a joyous time celebrating Christmas, so he disguises himself as Santa Claus with his faithful dog as a reindeer and sets out to destroy Christmas by stealing all that is Christmas.

2.  Elf

Will Ferrell is the dim-witted elf, Buddy, who tries to find his place in the world, but ends up making one of his own while showing others the true meaning of the Christmas spirit. Buddy was accidently transported to the North Pole as a toddler and raised to adulthood among the Santa elves. However, he is unable to shake the feeling that he doesn’t fit in and then travels to New York in search of his real father.

3.  It’s a Wonderful Life (See Above)

4.  Home Alone

A bratty 8-year-old Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) acts out the night before a family trip to Paris, and his mother (Catherine O’Hara) makes him sleep in the attic. The family mistakenly leave for the airport without Kevin as he wakes to an empty house and assumes that his wish to no longer have a family has come true. The excitement is soon soured when he realizes that two con men (Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern) plan to rob his home and that he alone must protect the family home..

5.  National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation

Decking the halls on other traditions are all gigantic failures for the Griswold family, and many viewers of the film can see a bit of their own families in this favorite flick. In this three course vacation movie series, Clark Griswold wishes nothing more than his family to have a great time together, but all he is able to deliver is chaos and hair-raising misadventures. His ever-loving and grateful wife and two children are thoroughly weary, however, of his schemes and have lost all faith in his ability to deliver on his promises.

NBC Offers a Different Perspective

1.  A Christmas Story

Based on the humorous writings of author Jean Shepherd, this beloved holiday movie follows the wintry exploits of youngster Ralphie Parker (Peter Bilingsley), who spends most of his time dodging a bully (Zack Ward) and dreaming of his ideal Christmas gift, a “Red Ryder air rifle”. Frequently at odds with his cranky dad (Darren McGavin), but comforted but his doting mother (Melinda Dillon), Ralphie struggles to make it to Christmas Day with his glasses and his hopes intact.

2.  Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town

This original TV classic has been a holiday viewing tradition for over 35 years and stars the vocal talents of the legendary Fred Astaire and Mickey Rooney. This heartwarming tale explains how Kris Kringle becomes the world’s most famous gift giver, Santa Claus. It also features one of the most popular holiday songs of all time.

3.  Miracle on 34^th Street

Uplifting without being sickly sweet, yet a much beloved holiday chestnut, can be found in the 1947.

4.  The Santa Clause

Tim Allen stars in the deconstruction and reconstruction of Jolly Ol Saint Nick in a comical Santa-in-training story. After divorced dad Scott (Tim Allen) accidently kills a man in a Santa suit, they are magically transported to the North Pole where an elf explains that Scott must take Santa’s place before the next Christmas arrives. Scott believes he is dreaming, but over the next several months he gains weight and grows an inexplicably white beard. Perhaps the night at the North Pole wasn’t a dream after all.

5.  White Christmas

The follow up to Holiday Inn is once again full if Irving Berlin tunes, with Bing Crosby providing vocals. Singers Bob Wallace (Bing Crosby) and Phil Davis (Danny Kaye) join sister act Betty (Rosemary Clooney) and Judy Haynes (Vera Ellen) to perform a Christmas show in rural Vermont. This is where they run into Gen. Waverly (Dean Jagger), the boys’ commander in World War II, whom they learn is having financial difficulties; his quaint country inn is failing. So what’s the foursome to do but plan a yuletide miracle: a fun-filled musical extravaganza that’s sure to pull Waverly and his business out of the red!

San Angelo's Top 5 Christmas Flicks

1.  A Christmas Story took first place by a 2% margin. 

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2.  National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation was a close second with third place not far behind. 

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3.  Home Alone rated not far behind number two by fractions of a percent. 

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4.  How the Grinch Stole Christmas stood fast in the number four slot. 

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5.  It’s a Wonderful Life and the sixties stop-motion-animation movie that is just impossibly cute; Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer tied for 5^th. 

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So, if families are looking for some cuddle up time to celebrate for the holidays, here are some flicks for people of all ages. Happy Holidays from San Angelo LIVE!