Clearly, this topic isn't Oscar related...at ALL.  In fact, I can't recall the last Christmas movie of any consequence that received a single Osar nomination.  Maybe some of our stat-happy readers can answer that little piece of trivia.  But every year, I alway toss around this question in my own mind.  What are the best Christmas movies ever?

Now, what is and is not a "Christmas movie" is entirely subjective.  Some of the ones on my list below would probably raise an eyebrow or two, but to me, a Christmas movie is the sort of film that I'm reminded of when I think of this time of year, and vice versa.  You tend to get some interesting flicks in the mix when thinking along those lines and out of the "Miracle on 34th Street"/"It's a Wonderful Life" box.

Feel free to chime in with your thoughts or your lists, but these are my ten favorite Christmas movies of all time:

10. "Love Actually" (Richard Curtis, 2003)
I'm sentimental.  I'm a teddy bear.  And hey, this little flick got me four years back.  Chalked up as "the ultimate romantic comedy," I thought Richard Curtis' cross-section of Christmas time in London was great.  And Billy Nighy is a golden god.

09. "Bad Santa" (Terry Zwigoff, 2004)
I just watched this again last week for the first time in quite a while, and it still makes me laugh more than any other film on this list (accept #1).  Bernie Mac had the spit-out-your-food line of the decade: "I could put you in my ass, small fry."

08. "Home Alone" (Chris Columbus, 1990)
John Williams does a kids' movie, and seems to reinvent Christmas music in the process.  A star is born (but where'd he go?) in Macaulay Culkin and, of course, Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern are a priceless combination.

07. "Scrooged" (Richard Donner, 1988)
A fantastic take on "A Christmas Carol" and not the usual material for helmer Richard Donner.  Bill Murray unleashed a classic performance, one off the hinges and chewing through the sets, but I still have to stop and watch when it's on.

06. "A Christmas Story" (Bob Clark, 1983)
First and foremost, R.I.P. Mr. Clark.  This is the most classic modern entry of the bunch (and now that I look, most of these flicks are of the more contemporary breed).  Along with the Macy's parade, it's a staple of holiday TV watching.

05. "Batman Returns" (Tim Burton, 1992)
Probably the biggest stretch on the list, a Christmas flick for the morbid crowd.  Christopher Walken gets one of the funniest lines in the series: "Selina Kyle?  You're fired!  And Bruce Wayne?  What're you doing dressed up like Batman?"

04. "Home Alone 2: Lost in New York" (Chris Columbus, 1992)
Sue me, I find myself watching the sequel more often.  Something about the environment opening up, the New York backdrop and all.  And poor Pesci and Stern, they take twice as much punishment this time around.

03. "Die Hard" (John McTiernan, 1988)
Hey, it's a Christmas movie in my book.  And Michael Kamen isn't singled out enough for his creative, playful score.  I'm more partial to "No fucking shit, lady, do I sound like I'm ordering a pizza!?" than the classic "Yippee Kai Yay, Mother Fucker."

02. "Gremlins" (Joe Dante, 1984)
What a great score.  And how can you not fall in love with Gizmo in a pink Barbie convertible?  I was flipping through the Variety archives at the office recently and came across old FYC ads for Chris Columbus' score.  THAT would've been cool.

01. "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" (Jeremiah S. Chechik, 1989)
To me, nothing really comes close.  I laugh my ass off at this film year in and year out and it just never gets old.  Best scene?  The snow sled race.  Hands down.  Oh, and I'd highly recommend steering clear of the putrid sequel.  Awful.

Shock and awe, Variety has dived headlong into the Oscar blog universe, and it seems someone convinced them I was the guy to run the show. I should probably tuck in my shirt.

In the way of introductions (and to those unfamiliar), I’m Kristopher Tapley and I’ve been on the film awards beat for six years now, each of them taking a considerable toll on my gorgeous and youthful complexion. But an obsession is an obsession, right? And I’m not the only one.

I like to call the patchwork quilt of film awards coverage we have out there the “Oscarweb.” For those new to the game, the Oscarweb started with a few dedicated souls seven or eight years ago. It has taken off in recent years with the addition of traditional media to the obviously lucrative (and clearly addictive) process of covering an industry that pats itself on the back every February in the form of the Oscar.

OSCAR. The very word sends shivers, induces lawsuits and brings out of work actors taking your Ruth’s Chris order to their knees in reverence. Oscar. Kubrick never got one (for above-the-line efforts, in any case). Altman never won one in competition. Hitchcock, O’Toole, their mantles empty. So why are we so drawn to them?? Jon Stewart seemed to have the absurdity pegged two years ago: “Three 6 Mafia: 1, Martin Scorsese: 0.”

Indeed, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences seems to systematically piss off every true lover of film, yet we all come back year after year, slobbering, clamoring, aching for more, hoping for vindication and yearning for artistic justice. The Oscar statuette might as well wear a wife-beater, because we are each of us the battered spouses of an award long proven to be out for number one.

This is the dynamic that is most interesting to me, believe it or not. This tendency of Oscar coverage outlets to gaze upon the unfolding season with equal parts excitement and dismay and love every minute of it – it is fascinating.

And obviously, there are PLENTY of Oscar-centric outlets out there. You can get your awards fix in a thousand different corners, but given the amount of lacking perspectives and piggy-backing coverage out there, a filtering process is certainly in order. The sites that actually breathe unique wind into the season and manage to steer clear of empty re-reportage (a disease in this corner of the web) are the ones I’m interested in. But consolidation will be the key, and our aim is to bring their thoughts, their perspectives and their coverage to your doorstep. I’ll be your tour guide through the Oscar safari, chiming in with my own thoughts and perspectives here and there, of course.

 

Anyway, you can read my philosophical thoughts on the Oscarweb back at my own digs, In Contention, if you so wish. But I won’t cloud these premises with such exhaustive ponderings. We’re going to start this fire already and, by golly, we might even have some fun in the process.

 

This is the “Red Carpet District.”