7 Movies That Remind Us To Lighten Up During The Holidays
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The holidays are here and let’s face it, a time meant for coming together can turn into one of the most stressful seasons of the year. From hunting down the hottest Christmas gift to deciding who’s going to cook what (and do it well), this season can be a drag. Add family tensions that weren’t resolved back in 2016 (or 1986 for that matter) and you have a recipe for disaster. Luckily, we have a list of holiday movies that’ll hopefully calm you down and remind you to take it easy this winter season.
This Christmas (2007)
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Secrets can definitely put a family in the red and the Whitfield family serves as an example. Loretta Devine leads this movie as a matriarch trying to support her kids and sustain a relationship with her boyfriend at the same time. Things get rough when one of her kids can’t stand her boyfriend, and other members of the family hide secrets of infidelity, pregnancy, and huge career changes. Regina King, Chris Brown and more round out the cast for this funny true to life story.
Hit the flip for more Holiday films.
Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
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Everyone can get a little tense around Christmas time, but if you find yourself setting fires to trees, stealing presents, and turning green, it might be time to see a therapist. Check out Jim Carrey as the Grinch, who reminds us it’s not easy being green, but even the biggest grouch can be redeemable.
The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)
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Every now and then, we need a movie that teaches us to count our blessings. Are you freaking out that your holiday lights won’t go up in time? Imagine being homeless, spending the night in jail, and barely having any money — all while taking care of a young kid. Will Smith reminds us to work with what we have when he takes on the rise-to-success story of Chris Gardner. Grab your tissue, as this film will have you thinking about what matters most on Christmas.
The Best Man Holiday (2013)
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You’d think when friends get together there’d be less tension than your typical family drama. Wrong. Morris Chestnut, Taye Diggs, Terrence Howard, and more round out a group of friends with a whole lot of baggage. They’re forced to remember what’s important during the holiday season when one of their spouses is hit with tragic news. Check out this movie to watch forgiveness play out in action.
Elf (2003)
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Kids and parents not getting along seems to be a reoccurring theme during the holidays. If your kid is a 6-foot tall elf who came to visit you from the North Pole, surely you have a lot to work through. In this movie, James Caan stars as a grumpy publisher whose estranged happy-go-lucky son comes to visit him in the latest up-north fashion. That’s right, his son was once Santa’s right-hand-man and now he’s trying to reconnect. Luckily, with Will Ferrell as the elf, this movie brings the laughs and reminds us to keep it cool when it comes to rebuilding relationships.
The Preacher’s Wife (1996)
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Some folks rely on the church when it comes to resolving holiday madness. But what happens when even the pastor has their collar too tight? Send Denzel Washington. He plays an angel who tries to restore one New York family and put a minister back in the Christmas spirit. A show-stopping musical number by Whitney Houston doesn’t hurt the revival either.