Though some may begrudge it, the countdown to Christmas really has begun now, and it won’t be long before the festive season is well and truly upon is.
Be you a scrooge or a Christmas fanatic, nearly everybody enjoys sitting around and watching a nice festive film on a December evening. With this in mind then, Contractor Weekly gives you the top 5 films to avoid this Christmas time.
These films have been severely slated by the majority of those in the know, and it would be unlikely they’d be on our listings anyway, but just in case:
1. I’ll be home for Christmas
This 1998 teen-comedy about a boarding school teenager who doesn’t usually come home for Christmas, but decides to on the promise of a new car, is regarded as one of the worst Christmas films of recent times. Jonathon Taylor Thomas takes the role of Jake, who is left in the California desert in a Santa suit by a group of ne’er-do-wells, one of which is determined to steal Jake’s girlfriend. A series of capers ensue, the majority of which defy reality and logic, but lo and behold, Jake gets the girl, but also refuses the new car in favour of spending quality time with his family…ahhh. However, film site Rotten Tomatoes says of the film, "Neither parent nor child will find any merriment in this mess".
2. Reindeer Games
Admittedly only tenuously linked to the Christmas theme, this film is worth avoiding regardless. A crime caper staring such big names as Ben Affleck and Charlize Theron disappoints from the beginning. Generally slated by critics, a confusing plotline that sees criminals dress up as St. Nick at various points, this film lacks creativity, subtlety and watchability. Theron also said it was the worst of her films. Howler.
3. Deck The Halls
A definite A-lister in terms of big name actors and actresses, this was a massive flop of a film released in 2006. Big names such as Danny DeVito, Matthew Broderick, Kristin Chenoweth and Kristin Davis all star, but one feels they would not call ‘Deck the Halls’ their respective finest hours. A strange plot that centres around an initial rivalry that turns into lovely Christmas respect and warmth by the end between to neighbouring families, this film was ridiculed by most critics as a poor attempt at creating family fun.
4. The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause
There are very few sequels that really go down in the annals of cinematic history as classics, and even fewer that bear the suffix ‘3’. It was perhaps a long shot then to produce a third ‘The Santa Clause’, in which Tim Allen and Martin Short reprise their roles of local ‘Christmas figures’ Santa Clause and Jack Frost respectively. If you are a huge fan of the first two ‘The Santa Clause’ films then you may feel obliged to complete the trilogy, but the film is on this list for a reason…
5. Santa Claus Conquers the Martians
This film may actually be worth a viewing solely for comic value. ‘Santa Claus Conquers the Martians’ is frequently voted amongst the worst films ever made, ever. A unerring and dissolute plot that features the Martian people kidnapping Santa Clause, as well as two children, from Earth and taking them back to Mars in order to teach the child Martians ‘to have fun’. Earthly Santa faces opposition and even an attempted murder from angry Martians, but eventually inspires the people of Mars to let one of their own take up the role of ‘Mars Santa’ and Earth Santa returns to Earth. Truly incredible in various ways, ‘Santa Claus Conquers the Martians’ will definitely go down in cinematic history for all the wrong reasons.
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