Top 10 Christmas Movies

It’s the most wonderful timmmee of the yearrrr: CHRISTMAS. Time to whip out the matching pajamas and the hot cocoa because here are my top 10 Christmas movies (with a bonus review)

Nightmare Before Christmas- Whether it be Christmas or Halloween this movie works just fine for getting you in the spirit! With this Tim Burton classic, be prepared to witness the people of Halloween town try to have their own Christmas. I rate this movie a 4/5 just because I feel like Jack was doing just a tad bit much at certain moments.

Home Alone-Ah yes one of the, if not the most, influential Christmas movies out there. This movie really put live action Christmas movie on the map. With three movies (and a few “remakes” but we don’t talk about those) we get to see Kevin experience Christmas, well, alone. I rate this one a 4.5/5 and the only reason it didn’t get a perfect score is because how can you forget your child THREE WHOLE TIMES!!!

How the Grinch Stole Christmas- Both animated and live action this movie takes the cake for being one of my favorite movies. From the silly expressions to the bright colors and the overall story line the movie adaptation of the classic book by Dr. Seuss takes it home with a whopping score of 5/5.️

This Christmas-I’m not too sure about y’all, but every time the holidays roll around I patiently wait for BET to show this movie on repeat. Another one of my favorites and a movie I can never get tired of it. 5/5.️

The Polar Express-THIS MOVIE RIGHT HERE defined my childhood. Anytime there was a Christmas party this movie and hot cocoa made for the perfect formula to get into the Christmas mood. I mean who else doesn’t like watching a magical train ride to the north pole? 5/5.️

Frosty the Snowman- This is another movie that was very influential in my childhood. We get to see a funny loving snowman by the name of frosty get a chance at life. IT'S THE ABSOLUTE CUTEST 5/5.️(bonus tip: has to be the original version)

Rudolph- Ok, so I also had this movie on DVD and let’s just say I scratched it up nice and good with the amount of times I watched it. Practically everyone knows the tune of Rudolph the red nose reindeer so seeing his story in front of my eyes is just absolutely delightful. 5/5. ️

Elf- Anyone hungry for some pasta? This movie is yet another classic that ages gracefully through the years. Even though I’d never, and I do mean ever, touch elf “pasta” in a million years, it’s still pretty entertaining to see 5/5. ️

A Charlie Brown Christmas- A age old Christmas tale that follows the infamous characters of Charlie Brown and his crew. People from all ages can sit down and delight in it together so for that I give it a 5/5️

The Best Man Holiday- This is another movie that I’ve seen a million times (courtesy of BET). This sequel to the hit movie “The Best Man” follows years after the events that occurred in the first movie. This time it’s the holidays and the group is meeting back up again like the good old days. I rate this a 4/5 only because the ending is really sad (if you haven’t seen this heed this warning).

Music Recommendations for This Winter

Winter is finally cementing itself in Memphis—with chillier winds and shorter days, here are a few song recommendations for the winter!

While We Wait — Kehlani (ALBUM)

Even though this album isn’t explicitly created for the winter season, listening to it evokes an unexpected feeling of the season. It’s the type of album that one could listen to while relaxing at home after a cold day out, and the songs feel like winter themselves: slow and introspective, like reading your favorite book next to the fireplace. “Footsteps” creates the cozy atmosphere of a quiet night at home, huddled in one’s blankets. In “Nights Like This,” she sings, “On some nights like this, shawty / I can't help but think of us / I've been reminiscing, sipping, missing you,” a sentiment that holds as we begin to reflect on the past year and look forward to the year ahead of us. As a whole, the album is one that is deeply nostalgic and reflective, while still retaining the hidden warmth of winter.

Universe — EXO (SONG)

“Universe” is the title track of the Korean group EXO’s album of the same name. It’s a ballad that feels like it melts on your tongue or dissolves into a warm drink, evoking the pensiveness and quiet peacefulness of winter. In the chorus, the group sings, “I’ll search the universe / until I find you again”—evoking the emotions of longing and remembrance, and their vocals are smooth and velvety, adding to the fullness of the track. However, it doesn’t lack power despite being a ballad, starting out softly before building up to a powerful bridge. The vocals of this song are smooth and velvety, reminiscent of winter itself.

Ctrl — SZA (ALBUM)

Ctrl is an album that manages to be both chill yet deeply impactful. From hits like “Love Galore,” which evokes the image of a late night drive to slower tracks like “Garden,” the album feels magical somehow. All of the tracks have a cohesive atmosphere that, when listened to together, create a strong sense of emotion and nostalgia. In some way, winter feels like this too: where the nights are long and the darkness seems to amplify our thoughts and feelings.

All Too Well (Taylor’s Version) — Taylor Swift (SONG)

From the beginning lyrics “I walked through the door with you / the air was cold,” “All Too Well” perfectly captures the soft, delicate beauty of winter. As a remastering of the original 2012 with Swift’s more matured and fuller vocals, the song is a powerful ballad fit for the season.

Last Christmas — Wham! (SONG)

Of course, no winter playlist is complete without one of the most iconic Christmas songs. This song is a nostalgic Christmas anthem, part heartbreak, part determination. It’s a track that everyone can sing together at karaoke after sharing a years’ worth of memories and moments.

Trending Topics from December

Young Dolph & His legacy

On November 17, 2021, Memphis was shaken at its core when it lost a fundamental pillar of the community. He was shot while purchasing some cookies and ice cream from Makeda’s Butter cookies in South Memphis. Adolph Robert Thorton Jr. aka Young Dolph was a rapper who believed in putting his money back into the city where he came from. He was often seen donating thousands of dollars to different community organizations, especially ones that helped high schoolers. During the Thanksgiving season, he would hand out turkeys to families in need. When it came to his career, he started to gain national attention as an artist back in 2014, releasing his debut album, “King of Memphis” in 2016. A street in South Memphis is set to be named after him sometime this month. Memphis was his home and community and the city will miss him dearly.

Adele & Megan Thee Stallion Remix

Recently on TikTok, there has been a super fun remix trend on Adele’s “Water Under A Bridge” and Megan Thee Stallion’s “Body”. It all started when a user on Twitter asked “Why does Adele not have backup dancers?” Shortly after, another user posted an edited video with Adele singing and Megan dancing. Later on, a user on TikTok combined Adele’s song with a verse from Megan’s song. It has now blossomed into a big trend on TikTok, with people copying Megan Thee Stallion’s dance and also creating their own. People are also syncing other dances and pieces from different shows together. It was actually ironic because Adele recently stated in an interview that she doesn’t make music for TikTok, but it seems that TikTok has made her music for it.

New COVID Variant

There is a new variant of COVID on the rise called Omicron. It is even more deadly than its predecessor variant, Delta. It first started in Southern Africa and has recently been seen in the US, specifically in San Francisco, California. It also seems to be spreading twice as fast and is twice as contagious as the Delta variant. People with the vaccine are still being affected, and it is encouraged that you get the booster shot for additional protection. Everyone, please continue to wear your masks, wash your hands, and stay 6 feet apart.

New Music: Adele, Taylor Swift, Silk Sonic

November was a big month for new music releases, and none of our favorites disappointed us. Bruno Mars and Anderson Paak released their long-anticipated album, “An Evening with Silk Sonic”. With 5 new songs making the album 9 songs total, the album made us go through many feels in a span of 31 minutes. Their timeless sound makes this album an easy listen again and again. Taylor Swift released “Red (Taylor’s Version)” which went to the top of the charts despite most of it being old music. Taylor Swift is rerecording almost all of her discography because she wants to own her music. She doesn’t own most her original versions, only her song lyrics, so she is rerecording. She tried just paying for them but her old managers said no. She was actually inspired by singer JoJo, who was in the same situation and had to do the same thing with her first two albums. The last release that the world was waiting for was “30” by Adele. This album was Adele’s way of explaining and apologizing for her divorce to her soon. And even though most of us can’t relate to the topics she sings about, we can relate to the emotion and the way she tells her stories.

I hope you are now caught up on all the trending topics.

Written by: Blair Thomas