By Marianne Leroux
Christmas songs and movies are made to get us into the Christmas mood before D-Day. There’s nothing better than dancing to Mariah Carey and having a hot chocolate while watching a Christmas movie. But which are the favourites and why ? We asked the Parisians.
MOVIES :
- Love Actually
Synopsis :
Love is everywhere, unpredictable, inexplicable, insurmountable. It strikes when it wants and often, it does a lot of damage… For the new British Prime Minister, it will take the pretty form of a young collaborator. For the heartbroken writer who took refuge in the south of France, it will emerge from a lake. It distances from this woman who, settled in a purring married life, suddenly suspects her husband of thinking of another. It hides behind the pretenses of this best friend who would have liked to be something other than the witness of the wedding of the one he loves. For this widower and his son-in-law, for this young woman who adores her colleague, love is the stake, the goal, but also the source of innumerable complications. On this Christmas Eve in London, these lives and loves will intersect, brush against each other and confront each other…
What Alicia (22 years-old) thinks :
« A love story that makes you dream, it’s a little bit goofy but I like it. It feels good to have something positive in this climate which can be difficult for few people. Thanks to this kind of movies, we put our brains on hold and we take the opportunity to enter another world. It’s the Christmas magic, it feels like everything is easy. And then Love Actually because there is Hugh Grant, I’m not going to lie (laughs) »
- Le Père Noël est une ordure
Synopsis :
The Parisian hotline SOS distress-friendship is disrupted on Christmas Eve by the arrival of eccentric marginal characters who cause chain disasters.
What Pierre (30 years-old) thinks :
« I watch it every year and it always makes me laugh so much. There are cult replicas. It’s a little gem of French comedy. This strip of the Splendid is a classic and it never gets old. It’s a good movie for a laugh before Christmas or even on Christmas Day with the family »
- Home Alone
Synopsis :
The McCallister family has decided to spend the Christmas holidays in Paris. Only Kate and Peter McCallister realize on the plane that they are missing their youngest child, 9-year-old Kevin. Desperate at first, Kevin quickly takes things in hand and organizes himself to live as best as possible. When two burglars choose his house to commit their misdeeds.
What Antoine (26 years-old) thinks :
« It is a film that marked my childhood. It’s a very good family comedy from the 1990s. I always have a great time watching this film, I’m even nostalgic. Throughout the film, there are hilarious gags and funny situations »
- The Nightmare before Christmas
Synopsis :
Jack Skellington, Pumpkin King and guide to Halloween-town, is bored: for centuries, he’s had enough of preparing the same Halloween party that comes up every year, and he dreams of a change. It was then that he had the idea of taking over the Christmas party…
What Manuel (37 years-old) thinks :
« Rarely have I seen such a beautiful story. It’s funny, uplifting, moving. A bit long, maybe. But the music and aesthetics of this animated film is incredible. The characters are very endearing. After almost 30 years, it does not age and is still a dream. It’s a must, I recommend it to everyone. »
- The Grinch
Synopsis :
The holiday season is a very bad time for the Grinch. And for good reason, he hates Christmas! Unfortunately for him, the inhabitants of Chouville, the village next door, love Christmas and celebrate it every year with insane fervor. Tired of this annual frenzy, the Grinch has decided to steal the Christmas party so that he no longer has to endure this cursed festive atmosphere.
What Vanessa (26 years-old) thinks :
« I love the universe. It’s a completely crazy Christmas tale, with extravagant characters and wacky settings. It’s very original. This film is quite magical. And I love Jim Carrey. The make-up and the costumes literally transport the viewer into a festive universe »
SONGS :
- All I Want for Christmas is You
What Marie (32 years-old) thinks :
« Mariah Carey is the queen of Christmas. From November 1, I listen to it on repeat until Christmas, my boyfriend is fed up but I love it. It’s festive, joyful, catchy, that’s what we need in these difficult times »
- Last Christmas
What Xavier (45 years-old) thinks :
« I’m a huge George Michael fan. And then I especially like the clip which is shot in a dream setting. It feels like a ski holidays, in a chalet, warm and cozy. I would like to be there right now because it’s very cold in Paris (laughs) »
- Santa Claus is Coming to Town
What Inès (29 years-old) thinks :
« I think Michael Bublé is a must. It’s the one we listen to the most at Christmas. It puts us in a festive mood. And I don’t know why but every time I think I’m in New York during the holiday season when I listen to it. Probably because it’s my dream »
- Let it snow
What Maeva (41 years-old) thinks :
« I always listen to this song on Christmas Eve hoping it snows. But for several years my wish did not come true. I am nostalgic for the time when I put on this music and the snowflakes fell in my garden in Lorraine »
- Jingle Bell Rock
What Valentin (25 years-old) thinks :
« It’s my Christmas song. My mom has put it every year on Christmas Day since I was a kid. Every time I open my presents on Christmas morning, this song echoes throughout the family home. These moments are truly magical »