It’s the hap-happiest season of all. We bring nature inside as we adorn our living spaces with seasonally appropriate trees, and we light up the longer nights with bright and colourful lights. Music from generations long since passed is re-played and re-contextualised, and centuries old iconography is re-evaluated and repurposed.

There’ll be parties for hosting, marshmallows for toasting, and carolling out in the snow. If we’ve been good, we’ll receive gifts (thanks Santa!), and if we’re lucky we’ll eat so much food we can barely move. Almost certainly, we’ll watch a movie. From the Netflix Originals of the current era to the silver screen classics of wartime Hollywood, Christmastime movie watching doesn’t discriminate based on picture quality, colour or the lack thereof, acting powerhouses or barely trained actors – if it works, it works. And if it’s good, we’ll hold onto it forever.

In this Movie List from The Film Magazine, we’ve scoured the annals of Christmas movie history to bring you the very best of the best to watch this holiday season. These films are Christmas classics and beloved cult hits, some culturally significant and others often overlooked. These films are seasonal treats; two advent calendars worth of movie magic from the big-wigs in Hollywood and beyond.

Short films (those with a runtime of under one hour) will not be included here, nor will films that cross multiple seasons but feel like Christmas movies – sorry You’ve Got Mail and Bridget Jones’s Diary. Debatable Christmas movies like Gremlins have also been omitted because of their inclusion in our alternative list “10 Excellent Non-Christmas Films Set at Christmas“. Seasonal classic The Apartment has also been disqualified on the grounds that it covers Christmas and beyond, and is arguably more of a new year’s movie.

These are 50 Unmissable Christmas Movies as chosen by The Film Magazine team members. Entries by Mark Carnochan, Kieran Judge, Martha Lane, Sam Sewell-Peterson and Joseph Wade.

Follow @thefilmagazine on X (Twitter).

1. Remember the Night (1940)

Golden Era stars Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray (who would go on to star in The Apartment) spark an unlikely romance when Stanwyck’s Lee Leander steals a bracelet from a jewellery store and MacMurray’s John “Jack” Sargent is assigned to prosecute her over the Christmas holidays.

One of the era’s many beloved studio romantic comedies, Remember the Night features all the elements that would come to define the genre while encompassing some screwball comedy and classic transatlantic accents. The tagline read “When good boy meets bad girl they remember the night”, and it’s likely you’ll remember this seasonal treat too. JW

2. The Shop Around the Corner (1940)

Few things signal classic Hollywood Christmases like Jimmy Stewart, and 6 years before arguably his most memorable performance in the iconic Frank Capra Christmas movie It’s a Wonderful Life, he starred in a seasonal favourite that was just as beloved by critics, The Shop Around the Corner.

This holiday romance from Ernst Lubitsch (who also directed Heaven Can Wait) sees Stewart’s Alfred fall in love with his pen pal who, unbeknownst to him, is the colleague he most despises at his gift store job – You’ve Got Mail has got nothing on this. With some hearty moments and all of the circumstantial comedy of the best movies of the era, The Shop Around the Corner will make you laugh and fill your heart in that special way that only the best Christmas movies can. JW

3. Holiday Inn (1942)

Early sound pictures were revolutionised by famed tap dancer Fred Astaire, and by 1942 he was a certified movie musical megastar. In Mark Sandrich’s seasonal musical Holiday Inn, he teams with would-be Christmas icon and man with a voice as sooth as silk, Bing Crosby. The result is one of the most iconic and influential Christmas movies ever made.

The film’s outdated attitude towards race are cringe-inducing and inexcusable in a 21st century context (there’s a whole sequence featuring blackface), but its other dated sensibilities shine bright amongst more modern and commercial Christmas films; its wholesome aura, classic dance scenes, and era-defining songs making for an unmissable experience. To top it all, Bing Crosby sings “White Christmas” for the first time in this film, cementing it in history as a seasonal classic. JW

4. Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)

Widely acknowledged as one of the holiday season’s best-ever films, Vincente Minnelli (An American in Paris) illuminates his would-be wife Judy Garland in arguably her most established performance, bringing Christmas cheer to all without sacrificing any of the harsh realities facing the American people in the first half of the 20th century.

Featuring the original (and arguably the best) rendition of Christmas classic “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”, and being anchored by some heartbreaking story elements, Meet Me In St. Louis maintains its power and relevance 80 years on. It offers a Christmas movie that will forever mark the height of its sub-genre, as well as the two filmmaking careers (of Minnelli and Garland) that helped to define the era. JW

Recommended for you: There’s No Place Like St. Louis at Christmas

5. Christmas in Connecticut (1945)

Remember the Night star Barbara Stanwyck is once again front and centre for a Golden Era Hollywood Christmas movie, this time playing a city magazine editor whose lies about being a perfect housewife are put to the test when her boss and a returning war hero invite themselves to her house.

This is screwball comedy with all the spirit of the festive season is as romantic as it is funny, and prominently features the shadows of World War II to gift the film a unique emotionality that has ensured it is rewatched year on year. JW

Inspired by her own adolescence, Lady Bird is a love letter to Gerwig’s hometown of Sacramento, California – portrait of a young girl who only discovers her affection for the place she grew up in after leaving it behind. It’s a film that feels familiar, whether you went to Catholic school or grew up in community theater or went for weeks without speaking to your mom, and Gerwig manages to capture something so specific yet universal about growing up, falling in love, and figuring out who you really are. It is also a painfully realistic depiction of growing up without the comfort and safety of financial stability.

Though Greta Gerwig began her career as a key figure in the mumblecore movement, co-directing and co-writing Nights and Weekends along with Joe Swanberg, Lady Bird catapulted her into the mainstream. The movie was nominated at the 90th Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress. The role of Lady Bird earned Saoirse Ronan her third Oscar nomination at just 23 years old.

In this Movie List from The Film Magazine, we revisit some of Lady Bird’s most hilarious, cathartic, dramatic, and poignant moments. These are the 10 Best Lady Bird Moments.

Follow @thefilmagazine on Twitter.

10. Any Time Kyle Says “That’s hella tight.”

In Lady Bird, Timothée Chalamet plays Kyle, the object of Lady Bird’s affection in the second half of the movie after her break up with Danny (Lucas Hedges). He’s cool, he smokes cigarettes, and, by his own admission, “hasn’t lied in two years.”

Timothée Chalamet’s delivery of his line “that’s hella tight” is nonchalant, yet dead serious – it’s hilarious and it highlights his incredible comedic timing as an actor.

One of the most endearing things about Lady Bird is how endlessly quotable it is, and this one is sure to get stuck in your head and refuse to leave.

9. Julie and Lady Bird Fight

One of the best things about Lady Bird is how stacked the cast is. From veteran actors like Laurie Metcalf and Tracey Letts, to rising stars like Lucas Hedges and Timothée Chalamet, there’s no shortage of delightfully strong performances.

While Beanie Feldstein’s break out role came a few years later with Booksmart, Lady Bird put her on the map.

As Julie, Lady Bird’s self-conscious, shy best friend, Feldstein oozes sincerity and charm. but when Lady Bird ditches Julie to hang out with popular ribbon-wearing Jenna Walton (Odeya Rush), Julie finally gives Lady Bird a piece of her mind. The results are hilarious.

Recommended for you: Lady Bird (2017) Review

She was, in her twenties, the youthful star of the so-called ‘true American independent’ – that being movies not funded by subsidiaries of large corporations such as Fox Searchlight and Miramax – and was a driving force behind the mumblecore movement that brought to prominence a number of writer-directors working in improvisational environments such as Joe Swanberg and the Duplass brothers.

Despite being a prominent figure within the mumblecore movement and earning her stripes as an actor under larger-budget directors such as Noah Baumbach on Greenberg (2010) and Frances Ha (2013), it wasn’t until Greta Gerwig was in her early thirties that the her reputation caught up with her talent. By the time Lady Bird was released, Gerwig had as many as ten writing credits already to her name, five of which were stories or screenplays for feature-length movies. With a credit as co-director already in her repertoire from the 2008 micro-budget romantic drama Nights and Weekends, her semi-autobiographical solo directorial debut cemented her on the path to becoming one of the world’s most-beloved and most-respected filmmakers of this generation.

With bold creative choices and colourful characters exemplifying Greta Gerwig’s legacy on the big screen over the past fifteen years, hers is a catalogue of work that is easy to fall in love with and necessary to evaluate.

This is the Greta Gerwig Essential Collection: a celebration of this woman filmmaker’s capabilities to evoke unique personas, empathetic characterisations, and moving stories across all budgets and screen sizes.

“My true north is talkies about ladies.”
Greta Gerwig

Nights and Weekends (2008)
Directors: Greta Gerwig, Joe Swanberg
Writers: Greta Gerwig, Joe Swanberg
IFC Films | Film Science

Nights and Weekends was one of the more popular productions of a movement many came to refer to as ‘mumblecore’. Mumblecore was a small independent movement that occurred away from the eyes of the big studios and featured largely improvised personal stories about the everyday lives of its characters, with no issue or task considered too big or too small to put into the finished presentation.

It was called ‘mumblecore’ because, often, the sound quality was poor and the actors would improvise so much and so often that they sometimes failed to make sense. The result was an often maligned but incredibly realistic representation of everyday life through the eyes of the filmmakers, making Nights and Weekends not only the first true insight into Greta Gerwig’s filmmaking sensibility for more developed women characters, but also one of the first widely released movies to take a peer into her soul as a creator of art.

“You kiss harder than I recall… you smell the same.”

Greta Gerwig and co-writer/director Joe Swanberg play the lead characters Mattie and James, making Nights and Weekends a truly personal artistic endeavour in every sense that a movie could be considered one – they are writers, directors, producers and actors.

In the movie, the filmmaking duo play a couple trying to make a long-distance relationship work while each of them tries to forge their own way in the world via studying and/or the development of their career. This is essential to Gerwig’s catalogue for this reason: it is an ultimately personal venture that already has the makings of her true themes as a filmmaker – those being: struggling to understand who you are, wanting to find spiritual fulfilment, and longing to find a place in the world.

Here, those themes and the emotions that the character goes through are incredibly raw, as is the photography, which has since become typical of Joe Swanberg projects. This places the success or failure of the film on the shoulders of its leads, and Gerwig shines under the pressure to deliver an honest and compelling portrayal that shows, even early in her film career, exactly what she is capable of.

In an interesting side note, Joe Swanberg has revealed that the film’s very intimate sex scenes were shot at the end of filming and all but finished any possible future collaborations between the pair due to the arguments caused.

Greenberg (2010)
Director: Noah Baumbach
Writers: Noah Baumbach, Jennifer Jason Leigh
Scott Rudin Productions | Focus Features

“All the men out here dress like children and the kids dress like superheroes.”

Greenberg marked the beginning of Greta Gerwig’s collaboration with writer-director, and future partner, Noah Baumbach, the man with whom she’d go on to make several other films.

“I was thinking this morning that I’ve been out of college now for nearly as long as I was in, and nobody cares if I get up in the morning.”

What Greenberg represented to Gerwig was a coming-of-age. The actress was a lead character in a movie with huge pulling power – mostly Ben Stiller who was fresh off the back of late 2000s hits Madagascar (2005), Night At the Museum (2006), and Tropic Thunder (2008) – and was showcased as a talent, not restricted to being a simple and uninteresting device through which the plot and Stiller’s character were seen. She excelled, and despite the movie panning with audiences, the darkly humorous undertones of the film were appreciated by critics who had begun to realise Gerwig’s potential even under the weight of star power that Stiller had brought with him.

Perhaps most interesting in regards to this Essential Collection is how Greta Gerwig’s somewhat trademarked sense of shameless ownership over herself, her body and her characters was still present in this more glamorous and aesthetically-concerned film in such a way that lost none of her appeal or raw edge.

It is easy to link Gerwig’s performance in this relatively big production to the Gerwig present in the much smaller Nights and Weekends, both in terms of character portrayal and character development. Her character is lost and wanting more from life in both movies, the only major difference being that in Greenberg her character’s partner is also these things, making for a more tragically comic presentation we’ve now come to associate with all Noah Baumbach films.

Damsels in Distress (2011)
Director: Whit Stillman
Writer: Whit Stillman
Westerly Films | Sony Pictures Classics

“Seven Oaks is the last of the Select Seven to go co-ed. An atmosphere of male barbarism predominates. We’re going to change that.”

Damsels in Distress marked a departure from Gerwig’s roots in realistic and ultimately honest independent dramas as the actress led a cast including Lio Tipton and Aubrey Plaza in this Whit Stillman dark comedy about fraternities, depression and general college life in the United States.

It was a departure that gained the actress notoriety of a new kind, this time for her portrayal of the always tough to master act of dry humour. And, despite the movie’s generally outlandish nature, Gerwig and her writer-director Stillman were praised for managing to balance the comedy with true moments of emotion that were thought-provoking and even inspiring.

“There’s enough material here for a lifetime of social work.”

In an interview published by ANS on YouTube, Greta Gerwig declared that her mother (who is a ‘psych nurse’) was personally appreciative of the manner in which this movie tackled issues regarding pressure at college and the high levels of depression and suicide on campuses, which is of course to the credit of all involved with regard to its sensitive subject matter. It is this tackling of such themes that makes Damsels in Distress so interesting, and makes Gerwig’s performance a stand-out in how different it is.

This movie could have been considered a calculated risk, and was one that ultimately paid off with audiences and critics. To this day it remains a large departure from her more raw and less polished roles of years gone by, and is essential to her career per that circumstance.

Arthur (2011)
Director: Jason Winer
Writers: Peter Baynham, Steve Gordon
Warner Bros.

“If you look in the corner, you can see one dirty brick.”

Arthur is the only major studio movie that Greta Gerwig has ever held a leading role in, and for that reason alone it must be considered a part of her Essential Collection.

Jason Winer’s re-telling of the classic British movie of the same name was mostly assembled at Warner Bros with the intention of being a star vehicle for rising comedian-actor Russell Brand, the man who played the movie’s titular character. With a supporting cast that included Helen Mirren and a host of famous celebrities in cameos, the studio wanted a relatively unknown talent to play as Brand’s on-screen love interest and Greta Gerwig was cast.

Her role as Naomi is lacking in a lot of the aspects that typical Gerwig characters often excel in, and, as a result, the character and performance weren’t quite the hit that Gerwig had proven herself capable of. The filmmakers and the studio wanted a safe bet, and as such Gerwig’s performance was limited to reactions of shock and confusion – her character arc was ‘fighting off the boy she actually likes’ until she falls in love with him. Gerwig was restricted.

The typical rambling delivery and more messy elements of the Gerwig’s typical portrayals had helped to boost her appeal, but in Arthur she was limited to being an ‘alternative pretty girl’, something that Gerwig was visibly less comfortable doing.

Despite the movie being set in New York City, the same city she had (to this point) spent most of her adult life and filmed most of her movies, Gerwig was understandably lost and never really sought to capitalise on what was arguably her breakthrough mainstream role; evidence, perhaps, of her frustration at the opportunities offered within the piece.

Arthur has, as a result, become little more than a glimpse of the typical young, ‘different’ and ‘interesting’ romantic partner of a leading man that she could have become had she chosen to pursue less-personal projects as her star power shot to prominence. It is the ultimate example in Gerwig’s filmography as to why some actors and actresses shouldn’t make the move from the independents of New York to the studio system of Hollywood, an essential part of the Greta Gerwig Collection for this reason.

Lola Versus (2012)
Director: Daryl Wein
Writers: Zoe Lister-Jones, Daryl Wein
Groundswell Productions | Fox Searchlight

Fresh off their success with the understated East Coast independent film Breaking Upwards, in which writers Zoe Lister-Jones and Daryl Wein co-wrote, directed and starred, the filmmaking duo were afforded a more comfortable budget for 2012’s Lola Versus. With Gerwig making waves courtesy of Greenberg (2010) in particular, it made logical and financial sense to cast someone with her acting style and drawing power in the central role. In many ways, this marked Greta Gerwig’s return to her routes as a solid lead character actress in an understated East Coast independent passion project, and was reminiscent of her time working alongside the Duplass Brothers and Joe Swanberg.

“I think to love yourself you have to learn to love other people.”

Lola Versus wasn’t very well received, with criticisms of its over-use of ‘quirkiness’ being a major part of this. It was, for all intents and purposes, a well disguised New York rom-com which buried itself beneath a cleverly constructed character study the likes of which Gerwig had always been attracted to as an actress.

The movie’s small budget helped in many ways as the recognisable cast featuring the likes of Joel Kinnaman, Bill Pullman and Hamish Linklater among others, was set up as background noise to the focused character story we were presented with: the personal development of a late 20s woman reeling from the break-up of her engagement.

It was a role typical of her career, only this movie seemed more based in obvious humour and irony than most of her other films, something that Gerwig’s portrayal of awkwardness and doubt leant itself to in a way that makes the character endearing despite the movie lacking in other respects.

Should you want to experience Greta Gerwig’s potential as a leading woman, this would be one of the films to watch, for she offers just a little more quirk and readiness than she does in most of her other performances and is the focus of almost every single scene.

Frances Ha (2012)
Director: Noah Baumbach
Writers: Noah Baumbach, Greta Gerwig
RT Features | Scott Rudin Productions | Pine District Pictures

“I’m not messy, I’m busy.”

Every artist has a standout piece of work within their oeuvre and, for Greta Gerwig as a screen performer, Frances Ha is it.

Playing the role of Frances – a lost, confused and not-quite-adult late-20s woman – Gerwig’s entire career seemed destined for the role that she is credited as co-writing.

Gerwig did, as could be expected, perform the role of Frances with the same raw edge and almost self-deprecating honesty of her earlier years that, when combined with the New York setting, story, and the film’s black and white photography (from Sam Levy, the would-be director of photography on Lady Bird), made the movie not only the standout of her career but also one of the standout east coast independents of the decade.

“Sometimes it’s good to do what you’re supposed to do when you’re supposed to do it.”

As part two of her four-part collaboration with Noah Baumbach, and the first of their official off-screen relationship, Frances Ha radiates a trust between the two filmmakers who seem to have such an affinity with their own writing material that the presentation of it (through the framing, the edit, the acting, and so on) is given the freedom of its black and white pallet or Gerwig’s free-moving physical style.

In many ways, the movie is an authentic representation of the person Gerwig has presented herself as being throughout the years, both inside and outside of film. The story is challenging, the performance vulnerable, the photography unique and the soundtrack so very New York. What’s more is that the character is self-deprecating, dishonest with herself, lost and confused. Gerwig had been acting and writing similar characters that represented the lives of struggling women artists in their twenties for much of the previous decade, but this film seems to be the crescendo of that stage.

Importantly, for Gerwig and many of her fans who have been drawn to her as an on-screen personality over the past fifteen years or so, Frances Ha is another one of her films about young women – ‘a talkie about ladies’ – and therefore a true passion project.

Frances Ha Review

Mistress America (2015)
Director: Noah Baumbach
Writers: Noah Baumbach, Greta Gerwig.
Fox Searchlight | RT Features

“She was the last cowboy. All romance and failure.”

Beginning as a free and unashamed libertarian with a taste for fine art, food and parties, Greta Gerwig’s character Brooke is seen by central protagonist Tracy (Lola Kirke) to be the embodiment of New York’s more commercial representation as a centre for arts, fun, sex and rock and roll, and even goes so far as to partake in each of these things throughout their first night together. But, as the characters grow closer and Tracy’s idolisation of her could-be sibling (via their parents’ marriage) begins to wain, Brooke becomes more grounded and vulnerable, even perhaps relatable, and the now seemingly semi-autobiographical characterisations that Gerwig’s more recent characters have displayed – being on a lost path, struggling to come to terms with adulthood, a longing for a place to belong – become apparent, the film going on to offer an interesting evolution to many of Gerwig’s previous characters, not least that of Frances in Frances Ha.

“It would feel like the home everyone would want to raise their kids in.”

Diving into her thirties with the weight of societal expectation weighing heavily on her shoulders, Greta Gerwig’s Brooke attaches her own thoughts of a free and spiritually-enlightening life to, among other things, including a TV show much like the real-life actor-writer’s failed ‘How I Met Your Mother’ spin-off ‘How I Met Your Dad’, and a project to open a New York City restaurant – an idea that has little by the way of focus and echoes the troubles that Frances was encountering in Frances Ha regarding the fight between pursuing her dreams and the all-too-adult capitalist notion of working for money that can put food on the table.

Gerwig herself described Brooke during an interview with AOL BUILD as being “super performative and always putting on a show”, expanding to describe her as ‘living in a movie that’s in her head’. This somehow manages to make her character both dislikable and completely relatable at the same time, and gifts Gerwig the chance to push through lengthy monologues that seem to come more often than in any of her other Noah Baumbach collaborations.

From a writer and producers perspective, this movie showcases the focus that Greta Gerwig shares with Noah Baumbach regarding the stories they want to tell and the themes they wish to present. It’s an artistic ‘New York film’ in every sense of the word, from its intriguing synth soundtrack that pays homage to the 80s movies that served as the film’s inspiration, to its hopeful representation of despair and anxiety, right through to its semi-autobiographical and subtly humorous story and its colourful yet focused presentation.

Lady Bird (2017)
Director: Greta Gerwig
Writer: Greta Gerwig
A24 | Universal | Focus Features

In Mistress America, Greta Gerwig stepped away from the spotlight to become a supporting character, and in Lady Bird she removed herself from it altogether, focusing exclusively on the writing and directing of this intimate and personal semi-autobiographical coming-of-age film.

“I want you to be the very best version of yourself that you can be.” – “What if this is the best version?”

This was Greta Gerwig’s big introduction to the mainstream. Lady Bird touched many a woman who was going through, or had been through, the trials and tribulations of growing up, dealing with family drama, and wanting to be self-dependent but having no idea how to do that. The film was nominated for five Academy Awards, including the 2018 Best Picture and individual nods for Gerwig’s work in both the Director and Screenplay categories.

Unsurprisingly, Lady Bird featured all the hallmarks of Gerwig’s earlier work. The story was densely packed with emotion and relatability, and the kinds of quirks Gerwig had long portrayed across her acting career. The direction was steady, like that of a much more experienced hand, capturing the simplicity of teenage life like few had done before. She worked with Frances Ha director of photography Sam Levy to photograph her Californian hometown, and cast the generation-defining awards favourite Saoirse Ronan as the movie version of herself.

This was a film about relationships. Friends, boyfriends, mothers, fathers. It felt as real as those low-budget camcorder movies she had started in, but it looked like the more expensive and timeless work she’d starred in under Noah Baumbach. This film was raw and at times a bit dirty, and at others was representative of many of Gerwig’s hopeful and daydreaming lead characters. Lady Bird was the culmination – the ultimate representation of Greta Gerwig’s journey as an artist.

Lady Bird Review

Greta Gerwig has long been a filmmaker who strives to share the troubles of her generation and gender through her art. Her performances have been honest and raw, and seem completely unique to her, while her passion to craft stories of her own seems to take prominence over celebrity and financial success. She is, head to toe, an artist of cinema; a self-titled author of the moving picture art form. Perhaps most importantly, she has striven to achieve her own visions no matter how far away from the studio system they may come to life, and her continued passion to empower women in the industry make her an admirable and inspirational filmmaker whose work outlined in this collection will likely be appreciated by any like-minded reader of this piece for generations to come.

Updated 14th July 2023. Originally published 1st July 2016.

The film in question is Greta Gerwig’s 2019 adaptation of Little Women.

Louisa May Alcott’s classic American coming-of-age tale has made its way to the screen multiple times over the years, and while Christmas is a significant factor in all adaptations, Greta Gerwig’s version feels especially like the perfect winter warmer. 

Maybe Little Women’s Christmassy nature is influenced by the time in which it was released, with a Christmas Day Opening in the US, and subsequent worldwide releases in the following days. It can’t help but to be associated with the holiday, given that so many saw it for the first time (and sometimes second and third times) in that hazy week that occurs between Christmas and New Year. Its status is also influenced by the number of times we see the holiday portrayed in the film, with each Christmas holding significant weight for our protagonists. From learning the lessons of giving to those in need, to the start of the March family’s friendship with Mr Laurence (Chris Cooper), to the homecoming of the March sisters’ father from the war. For the March family, Christmas serves as a pivotal point in their year. 

Above each of these factors, the thing that ultimately makes Little Women a perfect Christmas watch is its inherent cosiness. The harshness of the winter is contrasted by the softness of the simple domesticity of this story. The stakes are low: the narrative action centering around the everyday ups and downs of family life. Whether it’s the girls bundling on top of each other on the floor, or calling each other names, or them sitting around dressed as Englishmen as they play pretend in their attic, Little Women invites us to join the March family in a way that feels genuine and familiar. At a time of year all about connecting with family, it’s a more than welcome invitation. Much like Laurie (Timothee Chalamet) when he first meets them, we don’t have to stand on the side and observe; Gerwig’s maternal guide of the camera, paired with Marmee’s (Laura Dern) warm smile, quickly bring us into the fold, journeying with these characters as if they were friends. In fact, this inclusion of Laurie into the March household extends this familial cosiness, reminding us that while sisterly affection is important, for those who lack blood relatives to offer that, there is always the opportunity to forge your own family. 

Cosiness is also found in the familiarity of it all. Familiarity when it comes to the text itself, given the number of adaptations and the regard people have for the novel, but also familiarity in both the little details and the bigger themes. Many will recognise the desire to splurge on that fancy outfit when you know you can’t afford it, just like Meg (Emma Watson). Many will recognise the dream of wanting to be “great or nothing”, just as Amy (Florence Pugh) expresses. Many will feel Marmee and Jo’s struggle of wanting to be more even-tempered each day. And many will deeply feel the weight of the monologue in which Jo (Saoirse Ronan) tells of all the things women are, beyond just their relationship status, vocalising her profound loneliness despite that knowledge. And while there is something of the melancholic in all these associations, there remains something deeply comforting about being known.

Many will also recognise the way Jo laughs as Amy gets her foot stuck in plaster cast, or the way Laurie turns away so as not to laugh when Jo cuts off her hair, or even Beth (Eliza Scanlen) saying she’s scared of boys. The beauty of Little Women is that Gerwig treats none of this as inconsequential – it matters on the screen because it would matter to someone in real life. 

Christmas is a time to take stock of the year just gone, and to prepare for the year ahead. The film’s dual narrative, with timelines taking place in both the past and the present, helps us to lean into this reflective spirit. The structure of the film serves to show the parallels between these different eras of Jo’s life, but also serves as a helpful reminder of how the past influences and dictates the choices we make today and who we will inevitably become. As the year draws to a close, this reminder encourages us to look back on the past 12 months and how differently we’ve left them to when we started. The two timelines are distinguished in the film by their different colour palettes, with orange-autumnal tones painting the flashbacks, while the present is depicted in a much colder, blue-tinted tone. In a way, this is a reminder of Christmas: in particular the coldness of the winter outside, contrasted by the glow of a warm yellow light and a fireplace inside. The latter is the comfort we use to seek solace from the cold, much in the way the film shows the past as a nostalgic solace for Jo. 

While these are all abstract renderings of what makes Little Women a Christmas movie, there are also clearer examples we can draw upon. Mainly, it’s the fact that Little Women contains a lot of what we’ve come to expect in classic seasonal movies. There are romantic gestures, there’s forgiveness, there are buckets of heart. It celebrates the joys of coming together, but is also unafraid to be a little sad at times. It cares deeply about the things we are prone to overlook. While these themes aren’t present in every Christmas film, they certainly epitomise the film that defines the genre: It’s A Wonderful Life. They also sneak their way into more contemporary offerings including Elf and Love Actually. And even if they weren’t the marks of a good Christmas movie, they would remain, in ways, the marks of a good Christmas.

After 2020’s smaller, more unusual Christmas, this year will mark the first big family occasion for many. Just like the scene in which Father (Bob Odenkirk) stumbles home for the first time in years, there seems to be a sense of anticipation as we get ready to join our loved ones. Greta Gerwig’s Little Women will remind you of fights over games of Monopoly, and angling for the best present from your grandparents, and it will feel like the hug you get from your parents when you first get home for the holidays. Little Women may not be the most conventional Christmas movie, whether you agree with the writer’s bestowing of the title at all, but it will make you feel the warmth and wonder of being alive in a way that feels just a little bit festive. 

Written by Rehana Nurmahi

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Gene Wilder played Willy Wonka in the 1971 film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.

The film is to be directed by Paul King, who is best known for directing the recent live-action Paddington movies, both of which proved to be hits critically and commercially. Wonka will see King re-team with his Paddington producer David Heyman, who has produced a range of films including the Harry Potter franchise.

Not much is known about the story aside from that the film will focus on a younger Willy Wonka before he becomes owner of the famous chocolate factory. The film will therefore not be directly based on a specific Roald Dahl novel, as opposed to Willy Wonka’s previous screen appearances.

The script was co-written by King and Simon Farnaby, based on a draft by Simon Rich (An American Pickle). 

It is currently unknown who will play the role of the titular character. Previous incarnations have seen Gene Wilder and Johnny Depp portray the extravagant chocolatier. A source for Collider has said that Warner Bros. are currently eyeing either Tom Holland or Timothée Chalamet, with the hopes of creating a franchise. However, this is not confirmed.

Holland is best known for his role as Spider-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with the third instalment due to release in December 2021. Outside of that, fans can expect to see plenty more of the actor this year as he has three additional films schedule to release. First is the much delayed Chaos Walking from director Doug Liman (Swingers; The Bourne Identity). The sci-fi film will see Holland star opposite Daisy Ridley (Star Wars) and was originally intended to release in March of 2019. The film will finally hit cinemas in early March 2021. Shortly after comes the crime drama Cherry, directed by Joe and Anthony Russo (Avengers: Endgame), an Apple TV exclusive due to release in late March. Finally, Holland will play Nathan Drake in the video game based movie, Uncharted.

As Holland dominates the world of blockbusters, Chalamet has been appearing in more awards friendly films. Chalamet received an Oscar nomination for his role as Elio in Call Me By Your Name. He has also appeared in many critically successful indie films, like Greta Gerwig‘s Lady Bird and 2019 novel adaptation Little Women. As for upcoming projects, Chalamet will appear in Wes Anderson‘s The French Dispatch, Adam McKay’s Don’t Look Up and will play music legend Bob Dylan in James Mangold‘s Going Electric. In addition to these awards centric films, the upcoming Dune remake will see the actor stepping foot into blockbuster territory, seeming to indicate that Wonka is not outside the realm of possibility.

While neither actor has expressed public interest in Wonka, both would seem like a good fit for the role if Warner Bros. do wish to spawn sequels due to their star power.

The film is currently scheduled to film in September, though this could change depending on permits, laws and licenses imposed by the pandemic.

Of the ten highest grossing films of 2020, nine of them were released prior to the first UK national lockdown in March. The only post-lockdown film to make the list is Christopher Nolan‘s Tenet, earning a respectable £17.4 million, resulting in third place.

The highest grossing film of the year was 1917 from director Sam Mendes. The Film Magazine described the Oscar nominated film as having “technical dazzle and no-nonsense characterisation” that resulted in one of the strongest war films in recent years. It seems audiences felt the same, with the war epic grossing twice as much as its runner up. 1917 made $44 million in the UK, a nice feather in the cap of distributor eOne, usurping the top position from Disney who’ve reigned at the top for each of the last four years.

The only Disney film to crack the top ten was Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, which was released in December of 2019. In an ordinary year, this list would likely have swayed heavily in Disney’s favour. Some of the studios biggest tentpoles, such as Marvel’s Black Widow, have been pushed back to 2021 while other big hitters like Mulan and Pixar’s Soul were moved to streaming service Disney Plus.

Coming in fourth is the Will Smith and Martin Lawrence vehicle Bad Boys For Life. This film was the highest grossing English language film worldwide, making $426.5 million, so its high placement on the UK domestic list falls in line with the worldwide trend.

Oscar and BAFTA Best Picture winner Parasite placed eighth on the list with £12.1 million, making it the only foreign language film to make an appearance. Its awards success and critical buzz no doubt secured it a well deserved place on the list. Earlier in 2020 the film became the highest grossing foreign language film ever released in the UK.

Finally, Sonic The Hedgehog made £19.3 million, placing second on the list. This is a victory for video game movies which have typically performed poorly at the box office. A sequel is currently in development.

The full list of films can be seen below:

1. 1917 – £44.0 million (eOne)

2. Sonic The Hedgehog – £19.3 million (Paramount)

3. Tenet – £17.4 million (Warner Bros)

4. Bad Boys For Life – £16.2 million (Sony)

5. Dolittle – £15.9 million (Universal)

6. Little Women – £15.3 million (Sony)

7. The Gentlemen – £12.2 million (Entertainment)

8. Parasite – £12.1 million (Studiocanal)

9. Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker – £11.3 million (Disney)

10. Jumanji: The Next Level – £11.0 million (Sony)

Pugh had a critically acclaimed 2019, starring in Fighting with My Family, Midsommar and Little Women.

Universal commented that the story has elements of “Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine” (Gail Honeyman’s award winning novel) as well as all the staples of a classic Agatha Christie murder mystery. Pugh will play Molly, a hotel maid who finds herself deeper than expected in the murderous and gritty underbelly of her workplace.

The Maid joins an already strong line-up of projects for Pugh. The actress will take her first steps into the Marvel Cinematic Universe with the much delayed Black Widow, now due to release in May 2021. Pugh will play Yelena Belova and is expected to take over the mantle of Black Widow, in fitting with the source material. Her character has already been announced to appear in the spin off series Hawkeye which will air on Disney Plus in 2021.

Outside of the MCU, Pugh has established herself as one of the best working actresses today. She gained a huge amount of recognition in Ari Aster’s Midsommar and found even more success with her role as Amy in Greta Gerwig‘s Little Women which resulted in an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.

Josh McLaughlin and Chris Goldberg are set to co-produce the film alongside Pugh and Prose through their companies Wink Pictures and Winterlight Pictures respectively.

While the film adaptation has no planned release date, the novel is expected to hit shelves in 2022.

Source: Deadline

The show-stealing moments from the ceremony included a surprise performance from Eminem who performed “Lose Yourself” from his movie 8 Mile, and an emotional speech from Best Actor winner Joaquin Phoenix who teared up when referencing his late brother River Phoenix.

The winners of the 92nd Annual Oscars 2020: 

BEST PICTURE – PARASITE
Ford v Ferrari
The Irishman
Jojo Rabbit
Joker
Little Women
Marriage Story
1917
Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood

DIRECTING – BONG JOON HO (PARASITE)
Marin Scorsese (The Irishman)
Todd Phillips (Joker)
Sam Mendes (1917)
Quentin Tarantino (Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood)

CINEMATOGRAPHY – ROGER DEAKINS (1917)
Rodrigo Prieto (The Irishman)
Lawrence Sher (Joker)
Jarin Blaschke (The Lighthouse)
Robert Richardson (Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood)

ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE – JOAQUIN PHOENIX (JOKER)
Antonio Banderas (Pain & Glory)
Leonardo DiCaprio (Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood)
Adam Driver (Marriage Story)
Jonathan Price (The Two Popes)

ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE – RENEE ZELLWEGER (JUDY)
Cynthia Erivo (Harriet)
Scarlett Johansson (Marriage Story)
Saoirse Ronan (Little Women)
Charlize Theron (Bombshell)

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE – BRAD PITT (ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD)
Tom Hanks (A Beautiful Day In the Neighborhood)
Anthony Hopkins (The Two Popes)
Al Pacino (The Irishman)
Joe Pesci (The Irishman)

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE – LAURA DERN (MARRIAGE STORY)
Kathy Bates (Richard Jewell)
Scarlett Johansson (Jojo Rabbit)
Florence Pugh (Little Women)
Margot Robbie (Bombshell)

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY – TAIKA WAITITI (JOJO RABBIT)
Steven Zaillian (The Irishman)
Todd Phillips; Scott Silver (Joker)
Greta Gerwig (Little Women)
Anthony McCarten (The Two Popes)

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY – BONG JOON HO; JIM WON HAN (PARASITE)
Rian Johnson (Knives Out)
Noah Baumbach (Marriage Story)
Sam Mendes; Krysty Wilson-Cairns (1917)
Quentin Tarantino (Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood)
Bong Joon Ho; Jim Won Han (Parasite)

INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM – PARASITE
Corpus Christi
Honeyland
Les Miserables
Pain & Glory

ANIMATED FEATURE FILM – TOY STORY 4
How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
I Lost My Body
Klaus
Missing Link

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE – AMERICAN FACTORY
The Cave
The Edge of Democracy
For Sama
Honeyland

FILM EDITING – FORD V FERRARI
The Irishman
Jojo Rabbit
Joker
Parasite

PRODUCTION DESIGN – ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD
The Irishman
Jojo Rabbit
1917
Parasite

COSTUME DESIGN – LITTLE WOMEN
The Irishman
Jojo Rabbit
Joker
Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood

MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING – BOMBSHELL
Joker
Judy
Maleficent: Mistress of Evil
1917

VISUAL EFFECTS – 1917
Avengers: Endgame
The Irishman
The Lion King
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

ORIGINAL SCORE – Hildur Guðnadóttir (JOKER)
Little Women
Marriage Story
1917
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

ORIGINAL SONG – “(I’M GONNA) LOVE ME AGAIN” (ROCKETMAN)
“I Can’t Let You Throw Yourself Away” (Toy Story 4)
“I’m Standing With You” (Breakthrough)
“Into the Unknown” (Frozen II)
“Stand Up” (Harriet)

SOUND EDITING – FORD V FERRARI
Joker
1917
Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

SOUND MIXING – 1917
Ad Astra
Ford v Ferrari
Joker
Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood

ANIMATED SHORT FILM – HAIR LOVE
Dcera (Daughter)
Kitbull
Memorable
Sister

LIVE-ACTION SHORT FILM – THE NEIGHBORS’ WINDOW
Brotherhood
NEFTA Football Club
Saria
A Sister

DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT – LEARNING TO SKATEBOARD IN A WARZONE (IF YOU’RE A GIRL)
In the Absence
Life Overtakes Me
St. Louis Superman
Walk Run Cha-Cha

Total Wins Per Film:

4 – Parasite
3 – 1917
2 – Ford v Ferrari; Joker; Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood
1 – American Factory; Bombshell; Hair Love; Jojo Rabbit; Judy; Learning to Skateboard In A Warzone (If You’re A Girl); Little Women; Marriage Story; The Neighbors’ Window; Rocketman; Toy Story 4

That’s why, in this edition of Ranked, the nine films ordained as Best Picture nominees by The Academy will be ranked from worst to best; the only criteria being the quality of the art and the impact said art has had on the form as a whole.

Have an opinion? Make sure to let us know about it in the comments at the end of this article or tweet us!

9. Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood

Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood Review

There is no doubt that Tarantino knows how to construct a film, and this release was certainly born of a vivid imagination set on offering thrills and laughs, but Once Upon a Time was awkwardly edited, sometimes so much so that its sequences were completely at odds with one another, and it went on for way too long, lingering in scenes that were less useful to the overall narrative as they were to serving its creator’s ego.

Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio are the standouts of this particular Tarantino offering, each being on top form as the co-leads, and the focus the filmmaker placed upon the two actors was a refreshing take for a screenwriter usually intent on building ensembles. But, while the script did offer a number of moments indicative of the filmmaker’s genius, there were way too many points of significant downtime, and Tarantino’s insistence upon referencing his own work both on the screen and away from it seemed to flood the film with a feeling of self-indulgence the infrequent thrills simply couldn’t mask.

This picture, of course referencial to the very industry that has nominated it (Hollywood), at times looks as much like a grandiose 60s studio film as we’ll likely ever see in the modern era, but in a year where filmmakers were making arguably the very best movies of their careers and some films were making a case for being the best of the decade, this Tarantino offering felt remarkably safe and at time uncharacteristically shoddy, rooting it to the number 9 spot in this list.

Recommended for you: Quentin Tarantino Movies Ranked

8. Jojo Rabbit

Jojo Rabbit Review

A movie very much featuring the same discrepencies in filmmaking choices as the above mentioned Once Upon a Time In Hollywood, though coming from a filmmaker who comes across as if he’s on an opposite trajectory to his more experienced fellow director, is Taika Waititi’s Jojo Rabbit, the Nazi satire about a boy whose imaginary friend is Adolf Hitler.

When 20th Century Fox were purchased by Disney, there were murmerings of the conglomerates’ resistance to distribute this film given its particularly spikey subject matter, and while we will perhaps never know of the intricacies of their decision to remain in charge of the project, it seems like the possibility of pushing this as an awards season movie was probably one of them. After all, satire rarely makes it to the Oscars, especially not in the Best Picture race.

Jojo Rabbit did tackle particularly hard-hitting aspects of Nazi rule in Germany during World War 2 however, and struck many emotional chords in what seemed like the perfect construction of its screenwriter-director’s talents for merging comedy and empathy. There were strong performances across the board too, many of which were from actors with lesser reputations than those on offer in other films on this list, and when a film can make you laugh and cry in equal measure it must certainly have fulfilled its obligation.

It’s not that Jojo Rabbit isn’t a remarkable film, it’s more that the ways in which it excels are limited in comparison to the other films on this list, the movie’s best parts being weighed down by less stellar elements (good but not excellent cinematography, accurate but not remarkable set design, etc.) in an equally as important though distinctly different way to Once Upon a Time, its improved position being the result of it featuring a substantially higher amount of hearty goodness at its core.

This weekend, 31st Jan-2nd Feb, saw three new entries enter the top ten list, the first being Robert Eggers’ long awaited follow up project to the highly acclaimed 2015 horror film The VVitch: The Lighthouse. Starring Robert Pattinson and Willem Defoe, The Lighthouse is a folklore thriller set on a remote island off the coast of New England, where two lighthouse keepers try to tell the difference between reality and a severe case of cabin fever. 

Earning itself an Oscar nomination for Best Cinematography, The Lighthouse is a weird, yet wonderful piece of cinema that earned the distinction of a full 24/24 rating here on The Film Magazine.

Tom Hanks stars in the next new release as lovable TV presenter and American national treasure, Mr Rogers. Told through the eyes of investigative journalist Lloyd Vogel (Matthew Rhys), A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood is a warm and comforting film about a true American icon. Despite having little relevance to audiences in the UK, A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood bagged itself a strong opening weekend of £493,770 in the UK against its relatively strong (for an awards season, relatively low budget offering) domestic opening of $13.2 million in the US. Perhaps the film’s inclusion in the Supporting Actor category at many of the recent awards shows, and the pull of said actor – Tom Hanks – at the box office, was enough to warrant its heightened exposure?

The final new release this weekend to break the top 10 was the powerful drama starring Daniel Kaluuya and Jodie Turner-Smith, Queen & Slim. Although only receiving a small release in select cinemas, it drew in big enough crowds to award it 7th place in the UK top ten this weekend.

Following the story of a young couple who find themselves in an unimaginable situation after a first date, this Bonnie and Clyde inspired film is entertaining and intense enough to wow audiences up and down the country. 

It opened this weekend with £507,302, while it earned a surprisingly strong $11.8million in North America.

Written and produced by ‘Dear White People’ star, Lena Waithe, Queen and Slim is a compelling and important film highlighting the powers of authority in the United States. 

Weekend UK box office chart 31st Jan – 2nd February 2020:

The highest grossing films of 2020 thus far:

The 92nd Academy Awards are just around the corner (Sunday, February 9th) and there are plenty of incredible films to see at the cinema this weekend. 

Parasite

The 6-time Oscar nominee, and a favourite for the Best Picture, Bong Joon Ho’s highly anticipated Parasite gets its full release in the UK this weekend following preview screenings earlier this week.

This class-conscious thriller, set in Bong’s home country of South Korea is a must-see ahead of the Oscars, and one that received an impressive 22/24 rating here on The Film Magazine.

Birds of Prey 

Following a painful breakup with the Joker, Harley Quinn and her crew of violent superheroes join forces to defeat an evil crime lord and save a young girl from a terrible fate. 

Directed by Cathy Yan and starring Margot Robbie and Ewan McGreggor, Birds of Prey (or to use it’s full name, Birds of Prey and the Fantabulous Emancipation of one Harley Quinn) has been receiving great reviews from critics ahead of it’s global release this week. 

Dolittle

Robert Downey Jr begins a new journey as the iconic big screen doctor who can speak to animals in this child-friendly adaptation of Hugh Lofting’s childrens series of novels. Unfortunately for fans of the actor and the series, the film has received less than favourable reviews and earned just $55.5million in North America, $127million worldwide, making it a box office failure for Universal Pictures who sunk $175million into making the film. Watch the full trailer here.

Underwater

Kristen Stewart stars alongside French star Vincent Cassel in this underwater thriller from The Signal (2014) director William Eubank, though The Film Magazine’s Jacob Davis has warned: “Don’t bother watching it because there’s a film catalogue deeper than the Mariana Trench you can watch instead.” Read the full review of Underwater here.  Watch the full trailer here.

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