Five Films to Watch this Bridgemas

Bridgemas is here, and the nights are getting dark. What better way to spend them than a premature viewing of one of these five Christmas classics?

Elf

This ugly duckling tale tells the story of a Christmas elf who grows up to realise that he’s not actually an elf. He’s actually Will Ferrell. Which is to say, a six foot tall man-child by the name of Buddy. On realising his true identity, Buddy departs from the North Pole to try assimilate himself back into human society. Hilarity ensues.

Edward Scissorhands

Tim Burton’s touching fairy tale romance tells the story of Edward, a man with scissors for hands and a heart of gold. When kindly Avon lady Peg Boggs meets Edward alone in his castle, she invites him to live with her and her family in the conservative pastel-coloured suburbia below. It’s ultimately a disaster – but with plenty of romance and exquisite ice sculpting along the way.

Eyes Wide Shut

In Kubrick’s bizarre final film, Tom Cruise is Dr Bill Harford, a married man who goes on a strangely sexless sex spree one December night. While often more eerie than cheery, Eyes Wide Shut is unexpectedly loyal to the idea that Christmas is a time for family. It also nearly made it into my ‘Best Bum Moments’ feature, incidentally.

Citizen Kane

Popularly held to be the best film ever, Orson Welles’ magnum opus is basically the story of a boy who gets a sledge for Christmas, and then grows up to be Charles Foster Kane.  Here’s its iconic opening:

Muppet Christmas Carol

Put the word ‘Muppet’ in front of anything and it immediately becomes more appealing. Imagine how much more fun ‘Muppet Bridgemas Formal’ would be.  Ebenezer Scrooge, like all of us, has a lot to thank them for.

So there you have it – five alternatives to watching The Snowman this Bridgemas. As Rizzo the Rat and co. might say, ‘Merry Christmas, Everyone!’