Every Year around the holidays, i dust off my VHS Tapes & DVDs and watch some of these flicks to help get into the “Spirit of the Holiday Season.”
I’m gonna go through a whole lot of crappy made for tv xmas flicks as well to bring you the ones actually worth watching
Even if you’re predisposed to diving headfirst into the holiday season and embrace every peppermint-flavoured cliché, it’s still easy to be a bit of a Grinch when it comes to Christmas movies, especially now. Every year, streaming platforms roll out another clutch of cheaply-made yuletide romcoms starring resurrected TV actors you haven’t thought about in a decade, cynically hoping for enough ironic virality to land themselves a hit. It’s enough to turn a dyed-in-the-ugly-wool-sweater noelophile into an eye-rolling Scrooge.
But all of us have those movies we throw on every December to remind ourselves that the most wonderful time of year is approaching. Maybe it’s an inescapable TV classic like It’s a Wonderful Life or A Christmas Story. Maybe it’s something sillier, like Elf or Home Alone. Maybe it’s caustic and crude, like Scrooged or Bad Santa. Shoot, maybe it’s even horrifying, like Black Christmas. No matter what your personal cup of warm cocoa happens to be, there are plenty of legitimately great Christmas movies – and as this list of the all-time best proves, they don’t all have to be saccharine and schmaltzy to get you into the spirit.
Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)
100%
#1
Critics Consensus: A disarmingly sweet musical led by outstanding performances from Judy Garland and Margaret O’Brien, Meet Me in St. Louis offers a holiday treat for all ages.
Synopsis: “Meet Me in St. Louis” is a classic MGM romantic musical comedy that focuses on four sisters (one of whom… [More]
The Shop Around the Corner (1940)
99%
#2
Critics Consensus: Deftly directed by Ernst Lubitsch from a smart, funny script by Samson Raphaelson, The Shop Around the Corner is a romantic comedy in the finest sense of the term.
Synopsis: Alfred Kralik (James Stewart) and Klara Novak (Margaret Sullavan) are employees at Matuschek and Company, a general store in Budapest…. [More]
The Holdovers (2023)
97%
#3
Critics Consensus: Beautifully bittersweet, The Holdovers marks a satisfying return to form for director Alexander Payne.
Synopsis: From acclaimed director Alexander Payne, THE HOLDOVERS follows a curmudgeonly instructor (Paul Giamatti) at a New England prep school who… [More]
Tangerine (2015)
96%
#4
Critics Consensus: Tangerine shatters casting conventions and its filmmaking techniques are up-to-the-minute, but it’s an old-fashioned comedy at heart — and a pretty wonderful one at that.
Synopsis: After hearing that her boyfriend/pimp cheated on her while she was in jail, a transgender sex worker and her best… [More]
Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
96%
#5
Critics Consensus: Irrefutable proof that gentle sentimentalism can be the chief ingredient in a wonderful film, Miracle on 34th Street delivers a warm holiday message without resorting to treacle.
Synopsis: In this Christmas classic, an old man going by the name of Kris Kringle (Edmund Gwenn) fills in for an… [More]
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
95%
#6
Critics Consensus: The Nightmare Before Christmas is a stunningly original and visually delightful work of stop-motion animation.
Synopsis: The film follows the misadventures of Jack Skellington, Halloweentown’s beloved pumpkin king, who has become bored with the same annual… [More]
Little Women (2019)
95%
#7
Critics Consensus: With a stellar cast and a smart, sensitive retelling of its classic source material, Greta Gerwig’s Little Women proves some stories truly are timeless.
Synopsis: In the years after the Civil War, Jo March lives in New York and makes her living as a writer,… [More]
Klaus (2019)
95%
#8
Critics Consensus: Beautiful hand-drawn animation and a humorous, heartwarming narrative make Klaus an instant candidate for holiday classic status.
Synopsis: A desperate postman accidentally brings about the genesis of Santa Claus…. [More]
Carol (2015)
94%
#9
Critics Consensus: Shaped by Todd Haynes’ deft direction and powered by a strong cast led by Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara, Carol lives up to its groundbreaking source material.
Synopsis: Aspiring photographer Therese spots the beautiful, elegant Carol perusing the doll displays in a 1950s Manhattan department store. The two… [More]
It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
94%
#10
Critics Consensus: The holiday classic to define all holiday classics, It’s a Wonderful Life is one of a handful of films worth an annual viewing.
Synopsis: After George Bailey (James Stewart) wishes he had never been born, an angel (Henry Travers) is sent to earth to… [More]
Die Hard (1988)
94%
#11
Critics Consensus: Its many imitators (and sequels) have never come close to matching the taut thrills of the definitive holiday action classic.
Synopsis: New York City policeman John McClane (Bruce Willis) is visiting his estranged wife (Bonnie Bedelia) on Christmas Eve. He joins… [More]
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special (2022)
94%
#12
Critics Consensus: More of a stocking stuffer than a fully-rounded parcel, this yuletide excursion is a delightful showcase for Drax, Mantis, and a very game Kevin Bacon.
Synopsis: Star-Lord, Drax, Rocket, Mantis, and Groot engage in some spirited shenanigans…. [More]
The Apartment (1960)
94%
#13
Critics Consensus: Director Billy Wilder’s customary cynicism is leavened here by tender humor, romance, and genuine pathos.
Synopsis: Insurance worker C.C. Baxter (Jack Lemmon) lends his Upper West Side apartment to company bosses to use for extramarital affairs…. [More]
Little Women (1994)
92%
#14
Critics Consensus: Thanks to a powerhouse lineup of talented actresses, Gillian Armstrong’s take on Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women proves that a timeless story can succeed no matter how many times it’s told.
Synopsis: In this 1994 adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s classic, the March sisters confront growing pains, financial shortages, family tragedies and… [More]
Arthur Christmas (2011)
92%
#15
Critics Consensus: Aardman Animations broadens their humor a bit for Arthur Christmas, a clever and earnest holiday film with surprising emotional strength.
Synopsis: Everyone knows that, each Christmas, Santa Claus delivers presents to every last child on Earth. What everyone doesn’t know is… [More]
Tokyo Godfathers (2003)
92%
#16
Critics Consensus: Beautiful and substantive, Tokyo Godfathers adds a moving — and somewhat unconventional — entry to the animated Christmas canon.
Synopsis: Middle-aged alcoholic Gin (Toru Emori), teenage runaway Miyuki (Aya Okamoto) and former drag queen Hana (Yoshiaki Umegaki) are a trio… [More]
Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey (2020)
90%
#17
Critics Consensus: Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey celebrates the yuletide season with a holiday adventure whose exuberant spirit is matched by its uplifting message.
Synopsis: Decades after his apprentice betrays him, a once joyful toymaker finds new hope when his bright young granddaughter appears on… [More]
Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale (2010)
89%
#18
Critics Consensus: Rare Exports is an unexpectedly delightful crossbreed of deadpan comedy and Christmas horror.
Synopsis: A young boy named Pietari (Onni Tommila) and his friend Juuso (Ilmari Järvenpää) think a secret mountain drilling project near… [More]
A Christmas Story (1983)
89%
#19
Critics Consensus: Both warmly nostalgic and darkly humorous, A Christmas Story deserves its status as a holiday perennial.
Synopsis: Based on the humorous writings of author Jean Shepherd, this beloved holiday movie follows the wintry exploits of youngster Ralphie… [More]
Edward Scissorhands (1990)
90%
#20
Critics Consensus: The first collaboration between Johnny Depp and Tim Burton, Edward Scissorhands is a magical modern fairy tale with gothic overtones and a sweet center.
Synopsis: A scientist (Vincent Price) builds an animated human being — the gentle Edward (Johnny Depp). The scientist dies before he… [More]
Better Watch Out (2016)
89%
#21
Critics Consensus: Carried by its charismatic young cast, Better Watch Out is an adorably sinister holiday horror film.
Synopsis: Ashley travels to the suburban home of the Lerners to baby-sit their 12-year-old son Luke at Christmastime. She must soon… [More]
Trading Places (1983)
89%
#22
Critics Consensus: Featuring deft interplay between Eddie Murphy and Dan Aykroyd, Trading Places is an immensely appealing social satire.
Synopsis: Upper-crust executive Louis Winthorpe III (Dan Aykroyd) and down-and-out hustler Billy Ray Valentine (Eddie Murphy) are the subjects of a… [More]
Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang (2005)
86%
#23
Critics Consensus: Tongue-in-cheek satire blends well with entertaining action and spot-on performances in this dark, eclectic neo-noir homage.
Synopsis: Two-bit crook Harry Lockhart (Robert Downey Jr.) stumbles into an audition for a mystery film while on the run from… [More]
A Christmas Tale (2008)
86%
#24
Critics Consensus: A sharp black comedy about a chaotic family holiday gathering, A Christmas Tale is always involving, thanks to an impressive ensemble cast.
Synopsis: When steely French matriarch Junon (Catherine Deneuve) learns she has leukemia, she asks her children and grandchildren at the family… [More]
Gremlins (1984)
86%
#25
Critics Consensus: Whether you choose to see it as a statement on consumer culture or simply a special effects-heavy popcorn flick, Gremlins is a minor classic.
Synopsis: A gadget salesman is looking for a special gift for his son and finds one at a store in Chinatown…. [More]
Elf (2003)
86%
#26
Critics Consensus: A movie full of Yuletide cheer, Elf is a spirited, good-natured family comedy, and it benefits greatly from Will Ferrell’s funny and charming performance as one of Santa’s biggest helpers.
Synopsis: Buddy (Will Ferrell) was accidentally transported to the North Pole as a toddler and raised to adulthood among Santa’s elves…. [More]
Happiest Season (2020)
82%
#27
Critics Consensus: A jolly good time with heartfelt performances and more than enough holiday cheer, all you’ll want for Christmas is Happiest Season.
Synopsis: This romantic comedy is about longtime lesbian couple Abby (Kristen Stewart) and Harper (Mackenzie Davis), who made plans to go… [More]
Batman Returns (1992)
82%
#28
Critics Consensus: Director Tim Burton’s dark, brooding atmosphere, Michael Keaton’s work as the tormented hero, and the flawless casting of Danny DeVito as The Penguin and Christopher Walken as, well, Christopher Walken make the sequel better than the first.
Synopsis: The monstrous Penguin (Danny DeVito), who lives in the sewers beneath Gotham, joins up with wicked shock-headed businessman Max Shreck… [More]
While You Were Sleeping (1995)
81%
#29
Critics Consensus: While You Were Sleeping is built wholly from familiar ingredients, but assembled with such skill — and with such a charming performance from Sandra Bullock — that it gives formula a good name.
Synopsis: Lonely transit worker Lucy Eleanor Moderatz (Sandra Bullock) pulls her longtime crush, Peter (Peter Gallagher), from the path of an… [More]
The Man Who Invented Christmas (2017)
79%
#30
Critics Consensus: The Man Who Invented Christmas adds holiday magic to the writing of A Christmas Carol, putting a sweetly revisionist spin on the story behind a classic yuletide tale.
Synopsis: In 1843 London, author Charles Dickens finds himself in financial trouble after writing three unsuccessful novels in a row. Desperate… [More]
A Christmas Story Christmas (2022)
79%
#31
Critics Consensus: It isn’t as much fun as an official Red Ryder carbine action, 200-shot, range model air rifle with a compass in the stock and this thing that tells time, but A Christmas Story Christmas remains a sequel worth celebrating.
Synopsis: The family comedy “A Christmas Story Christmas” is the long-awaited follow-up to annual holiday favorite, “A Christmas Story.” This… [More]
Bad Santa (2003)
78%
#32
Critics Consensus: A gloriously rude and gleefully offensive black comedy, Bad Santa isn’t for everyone, but grinches will find it uproariously funny.
Synopsis: In this dark comedy, the crotchety Willie T. Stokes (Billy Bob Thornton) and his partner (Tony Cox) reunite once a… [More]
Anna and the Apocalypse (2017)
77%
#33
Critics Consensus: Anna and the Apocalypse finds fresh brains and a lot of heart in the crowded zombie genre – not to mention a fun genre mashup populated by rootable characters.
Synopsis: A zombie apocalypse threatens the sleepy town of Little Haven – at Christmas – forcing Anna and her friends to… [More]
The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
77%
#34
Critics Consensus: It may not be the finest version of Charles Dickens’ tale to grace the screen, but The Muppet Christmas Carol is funny and heartwarming, and serves as a good introduction to the story for young viewers.
Synopsis: The Muppets perform the classic Dickens holiday tale, with Kermit the Frog playing Bob Cratchit, the put-upon clerk of stingy… [More]
Christmas Bloody Christmas (2022)
77%
#35
Critics Consensus: Perhaps it isn’t quite as much fun as a movie about a murderous robot Santa ought to be, but for fans of holiday horror, Christmas Bloody Christmas is still a gift.
Synopsis: It’s Christmas Eve and fiery record store owner Tori Tooms just wants to get drunk and party, until the robotic… [More]
White Christmas (1954)
77%
#36
Critics Consensus: It may be too sweet for some, but this unabashedly sentimental holiday favorite is too cheerful to resist.
Synopsis: Singers Bob Wallace (Bing Crosby) and Phil Davis (Danny Kaye) join sister act Betty (Rosemary Clooney) and Judy Haynes (Vera-Ellen)… [More]
Happy Christmas (2014)
77%
#37
Critics Consensus: Intelligent, well-acted, and satisfyingly low-key, Happy Christmas marks another step in prolific filmmaker Joe Swanberg’s creative evolution.
Synopsis: An immature party girl (Anna Kendrick) moves in with her brother’s family to get over a breakup and throws their… [More]
LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special (2020)
75%
#38
Critics Consensus: The Force isn’t fully with this Lego Star Wars adventure, but its affectionate franchise callbacks and self-aware humor should please fans looking to spend their holidays in a galaxy far, far away…
Synopsis: “The LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special” reunites Rey, Finn, Poe, Chewie, Rose and the droids for a joyous feast on… [More]
Merry Christmas (2005)
74%
#39
Critics Consensus: The poignant humanity on display in Joyeux Noel makes its sentimentality forgivable.
Synopsis: With the advent of World War I, Europe is thrown into a brutal and vicious chaos as men are forced… [More]
The Ref (1994)
74%
#40
Critics Consensus: Undeniably uneven and too dark for some, The Ref nonetheless boasts strong turns from Denis Leary, Judy Davis, and Kevin Spacey, as well as a sharply funny script.
Synopsis: Bickering spouses (Judy Davis, Kevin Spacey) annoy the cat burglar (Denis Leary) who takes them hostage in their Connecticut home…. [More]
The Santa Clause (1994)
73%
#41
Critics Consensus: The Santa Clause is utterly undemanding, but it’s firmly rooted in the sort of good old-fashioned holiday spirit missing from too many modern yuletide films.
Synopsis: Divorced dad Scott (Tim Allen) has custody of his son (Eric Lloyd) on Christmas Eve. After he accidentally kills a… [More]
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1967)
100%
#42
Critics Consensus: How the Grinch Stole Christmas brings an impressive array of talent to bear on an adaptation that honors a classic holiday story — and has rightfully become a yuletide tradition of its own.
Synopsis: This made-for-TV Christmas special is a classic. Based on a Dr. Seuss book, it is about a Christmas-hating Grinch who… [More]
Holiday Inn (1942)
100%
#43
Critics Consensus: With the combined might of Bing Crosby, Fred Astaire, and Irving Berlin working in its favor, Holiday Inn is a seasonal classic — not least because it introduced “White Christmas” to the world.
Synopsis: In this Irving Berlin musical, Jim (Bing Crosby) and Lila are members of a performing trio who plan to quit… [More]
March of the Wooden Soldiers (1934)
100%
#44
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Stannie Dum (Stan Laurel) and Ollie Dee (Oliver Hardy) rent rooms in Mother Peep’s shoe in Toyland. When Mother Peep… [More]
Remember the Night (1940)
100%
#45
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Moved to pity by the Christmas season, New York District Attorney John Sargent (Fred MacMurray) lets pretty shoplifter Lee Leander… [More]
Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas (1977)
100%
#46
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Emmet and Ma Otter are very poor, but they are very happy and talented singers. Christmas is around the corner,… [More]
Mickey’s Christmas Carol (1983)
100%
#47
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: A retelling of the classic Dickens tale with Disney’s classic characters…. [More]
Alien Xmas (2020)
100%
#48
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: When a race of kleptomaniac aliens attempts to steal Earth’s gravity in order to more easily take everything on the… [More]
Santa Camp (2022)
100%
#49
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Every summer, a horde of professional Santas, Mrs. Clauses, and elves descend on a campsite in the New Hampshire woods… [More]
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)
95%
#50
Critics Consensus: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is a yule-tide gem that bursts with eye-popping iconography, a spirited soundtrack, and a heart-warming celebration of difference.
Synopsis: This stop-motion animagic version of the classic Christmas tale adds a bit of a twist when Rudolph encounters an abominable… [More]
Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town (1970)
93%
#51
Critics Consensus: Arriving with light-hearted cheeriness and the best musical numbers, Santa Claus Is Comin To Town is a magical story told by charming wood-figure animation.
Synopsis: A lanky mailman (voiced by Fred Astaire) tells the story of Santa Claus. Adopted by an elf family named Kringle,… [More]
White Reindeer (2013)
90%
#52
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Suzanne struggles to put her life back together after a tragedy at Christmas time…. [More]
The Year Without a Santa Claus (1974)
90%
#53
Critics Consensus: Have no fear! Mrs Claus spreads holiday cheer in The Year Without Santa, a holiday classic full of unforgettable songs and characters that stays true to the Christmas spirit.
Synopsis: Sidelined by a nasty cold and feeling unneeded, Santa decides not to make his annual Christmas journey. Elves Jingle and… [More]
Christmas in Connecticut (1945)
89%
#54
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: While recovering in a hospital, war hero Jefferson Jones (Dennis Morgan) grows familiar with the “Diary of a Housewife” column… [More]
The Retaliators (2021)
86%
#55
Critics Consensus: It may not offer much they haven’t seen before, but strong-stomached exploitation enthusiasts will savor The Retaliators.
Synopsis: In THE RETALIATORS, an upstanding pastor uncovers a dark and twisted underworld as he searches for answers surrounding his daughter’s… [More]
A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)
86%
#56
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Christmastime is here. Happiness and cheer. And for Peanuts fans everywhere, it just wouldn’t be Christmas without this classic holiday… [More]
A Christmas Carol (1951)
86%
#57
Critics Consensus: The 1951 adaptation of Charles Dickens’ timeless classic is perhaps the most faithful film version — and Alastair Sim’s performance as Scrooge is not to be missed.
Synopsis: Crotchety Victorian businessman Ebenezer Scrooge (Alastair Sim) has no use for festivity, even at Christmas. After resentfully allowing timid clerk… [More]
The Bishop’s Wife (1947)
85%
#58
Critics Consensus: The Bishop’s Wife succeeds thanks to the strength of winning performances from a stellar cast, which includes Cary Grant and Loretta Young.
Synopsis: Dejected by his efforts to raise money to build a cathedral, Bishop Henry Brougham (David Niven) beseeches heaven for guidance,… [More]
8-Bit Christmas (2021)
84%
#59
Critics Consensus: For viewers seeking an undemanding and sweetly nostalgic ode to yuletide seasons past, 8-Bit Christmas boots up without a glitch.
Synopsis: A humorous and heartfelt look back at the adventures of childhood. Set in suburban Chicago in the late 1980s, the… [More]
A Boy Called Christmas (2021)
84%
#60
Critics Consensus: A Boy Called Christmas offers few surprises, but makes up for its lack of originality with a heaping helping of winsome holiday spirit.
Synopsis: An ordinary young boy called Nikolas sets out on an extraordinary adventure into the snowy north in search of his… [More]
A Christmas Horror Story (2015)
83%
#61
Critics Consensus: If you’re in the mood for a fun enough genre film that kills its holiday theme, look no further than the surprisingly astute A Christmas Horror Story.
Synopsis: Not even Santa Claus is safe from the evil that descends on Bailey Downs, a small town that is suddenly… [More]
It’s a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie (2002)
83%
#62
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Kermit tries to save the theater from a banker (Joan Cusack) who wants to demolish it and open a trendy… [More]
Let It Snow (2019)
81%
#63
Critics Consensus: Comfortably cliché, Let It Snow wears its influences on its sleeve, but works anyway thanks an excellent ensemble and just the right amount of holiday cheer.
Synopsis: A snowstorm brings a group of young people together…. [More]
Last Train to Christmas (2021)
80%
#64
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Tony Towers is a local celebrity, a successful nightclub manager and is engaged to a younger woman, Sue. Things get… [More]
Get Santa (2014)
79%
#65
Critics Consensus: With a bombastic performance from Jim Broadbent, Get Santa brilliantly captures the joys of the Christmas holiday.
Synopsis: After crashing his sleigh, Santa Claus (Jim Broadbent) asks a father (Rafe Spall) and son (Kit Connor) for help to… [More]
The Little Drummer Boy (1968)
75%
#66
Critics Consensus: The Little Drummer Boy is a mature addition to the Rankin-Bass catalogue, with a powerful conclusion that compensates for the special’s dour storytelling and unpolished animation.
Synopsis: An orphaned boy who hates humanity encounters the baby Jesus in Bethlehem. Music by the Vienna Boys Choir…. [More]
Violent Night (2022)
73%
#67
Critics Consensus: Violent Night isn’t as wildly entertaining as its concept might suggest, but for those seeking harder-edged holiday fare, it may be a ho-ho-whole lot of fun.
Synopsis: When a team of mercenaries breaks into a wealthy family compound on Christmas Eve, taking everyone inside hostage, the team… [More]
A Castle for Christmas (2021)
75%
#68
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: To escape a scandal, a bestselling author journeys to Scotland, where she falls in love with a castle — and… [More]
Frosty the Snowman (1969)
73%
#69
Critics Consensus: Frosty the Snowman is a jolly, happy sing-along that will delight children with its crisp animation and affable title character, who makes an indelible impression with his corncob pipe, button nose, and eyes made out of coal.
Synopsis: A discarded magic top hat brings to life the snowman that a group of children made, until a magician, professor… [More]
A Christmas Prince (2017)
73%
#70
Critics Consensus: Predictable but sweet, A Christmas Prince is pleasant enough to pass the time during the holiday season.
Synopsis: Christmas comes early for an aspiring young journalist when she’s sent abroad to get the scoop on a dashing prince… [More]
Black Christmas (1974)
68%
#71
Critics Consensus: The rare slasher with enough intelligence to wind up the tension between bloody outbursts, Black Christmas offers fiendishly enjoyable holiday viewing for genre fans.
Synopsis: As winter break begins, a group of sorority sisters, including Jess (Olivia Hussey) and the often inebriated Barb (Margot Kidder),… [More]
Something from Tiffany’s (2022)
70%
#72
Critics Consensus: Tis the season for romantic misfortune, and there’s still time to get Something from Tiffany’s — a little box of derivative fun that bolsters a low-carat hand of comedy and good chemistry.
Synopsis: Nothing compares to the magic and excitement of the holidays in New York City, where the streets blaze with lights,… [More]
Spirited (2022)
70%
#73
Critics Consensus: Although it adds little to the long tradition of Dickens adaptations, Spirited is so genially overstuffed that it’s easy to at least intermittently enjoy.
Synopsis: A modern musical rendition of Charles Dickens’ classic holiday story “A Christmas Carol.”… [More]
The Best Man Holiday (2013)
71%
#74
Critics Consensus: The Best Man Holiday manages honest laughs out of broad humor, and affects convincing drama from a deeply conventional plot.
Synopsis: Nearly 15 years after they were last together as a group, college friends Lance (Morris Chestnut), Harper (Taye Diggs), Candace… [More]
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989)
70%
#75
Critics Consensus: While Christmas Vacation may not be the most disciplined comedy, it’s got enough laughs and good cheer to make for a solid seasonal treat.
Synopsis: As the holidays approach, Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase) wants to have a perfect family Christmas, so he pesters his wife,… [More]
The Noel Diary (2022)
69%
#76
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: When best-selling author Jake Turner (Justin Hartley) returns home at Christmas to settle his estranged mother’s estate, he discovers a… [More]
Scrooged (1988)
71%
#77
Critics Consensus: Scrooged gets by with Bill Murray and a dash of holiday spirit, although it’s hampered by a markedly conflicted tone and an undercurrent of mean-spiritedness.
Synopsis: In this modern take on Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” Frank Cross (Bill Murray) is a wildly successful television executive… [More]
The Night Before (2015)
68%
#78
Critics Consensus: The Night Before provokes enough belly laughs to qualify as a worthwhile addition to the list of Christmas comedies worth revisiting, even if it isn’t quite as consistent as the classics.
Synopsis: For the last 10 years, lifelong buddies Ethan (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), Isaac (Seth Rogen) and Chris (Anthony Mackie) have gathered on… [More]
The Christmas Chronicles (2018)
67%
#79
Critics Consensus: Viewers seeking a fresh holiday viewing option — or those simply in the mood for Santa Kurt Russell — should find The Christmas Chronicles well worth a yuletide stream.
Synopsis: Siblings Kate and Teddy Pierce hatch a scheme to capture Santa Claus on Christmas Eve. When the plan goes awry,… [More]
A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas (2011)
68%
#80
Critics Consensus: Still raunchy, still irreverent, and still hit-and-miss, this Harold & Kumar outing also has a Christmas miracle: The audience gets to see the sweeter side of the duo.
Synopsis: Six years after their last adventure, stoner pals Harold (John Cho) and Kumar (Kal Penn) have grown apart and found… [More]
A Very Murray Christmas (2015)
68%
#81
Critics Consensus: A Very Murray Christmas preaches effectively to the converted with a parade of superstar guests and hummable songs that – combined with the host’s trademark presence – adds up to a unique holiday experience.
Synopsis: When a blizzard shuts down the production of Bill Murray’s live holiday broadcast, he makes the best of the situation… [More]
Godmothered (2020)
68%
#82
Critics Consensus: More bippity boppity than boo, Godmothered tweaks fairytale conventions with just enough self-aware humor to overcome a disappointing deficit of genuine magic.
Synopsis: Set at Christmas time, “Godmothered” is a comedy about Eleanor, a young, inexperienced fairy godmother-in-training (Jillian Bell), who upon hearing… [More]
Single All the Way (2021)
68%
#83
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Desperate to avoid his family’s judgment about his perpetual single status, Peter (Michael Urie) convinces his best friend Nick (Philemon… [More]
Prancer (1989)
67%
#84
Critics Consensus: Prancer‘s good-natured holiday cheer — and a terrific performance from its young star — are enough to make this yuletide adventure a moderately rewarding watch.
Synopsis: Refusing to give up her belief in Santa Claus, a child, Jessica Riggs (Rebecca Harrell), discovers a hurt reindeer in… [More]
The Knight Before Christmas (2019)
68%
#85
Critics Consensus: While its plot borders on the absurd, The Knight Before Christmas is endearing and charming enough to make it a worthy addition to the holiday rom-com genre.
Synopsis: A medieval knight is transported to the present day, where he falls for a high school science teacher who’s disillusioned… [More]
The Princess Switch (2018)
63%
#86
Critics Consensus: The Princess Switch offers a healthy dose of charming, light-hearted, twin-swap fun and is delightful viewing for any hopeless romantic.
Synopsis: One week before Christmas, a duchess switches places with an ordinary woman from Chicago, who looks exactly like her, and… [More]
Detective Knight: Redemption (2022)
67%
#87
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Bruce Willis stars as Detective James Knight in this second film of the action-packed trilogy. In custody in New York,… [More]
Home Alone (1990)
66%
#88
Critics Consensus: Home Alone‘s uneven but frequently funny premise, stretched unreasonably thin, is buoyed by Macaulay Culkin’s cute performance and strong supporting stars.
Synopsis: When bratty 8-year-old Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) acts out the night before a family trip to Paris, his mother (Catherine… [More]
Krampus (2015)
66%
#89
Critics Consensus: Krampus is gory good fun for fans of non-traditional holiday horror with a fondness for Joe Dante’s B- movie classics, even if it doesn’t have quite the savage bite its concept calls for.
Synopsis: While the holiday season represents the most magical time of year, ancient European folklore warns of Krampus, a horned beast… [More]
Silent Night (2021)
66%
#90
Critics Consensus: Spending time with these characters can be a lot to ask, but Silent Night peers into the abyss with admirable aplomb.
Synopsis: From producers Matthew Vaughn (Kingsman franchise), Trudie Styler (Moon) and Celine Rattray (The Kids Are Alright), Silent Night follows parents… [More]
The Christmas Chronicles 2 (2020)
64%
#91
Critics Consensus: While it’s missing some of the magic of the original, The Christmas Chronicles 2 serves up a sweet second helping of holiday cheer that makes the most of its marvelously matched leads.
Synopsis: Teenager Kate Pierce is reunited with Santa Claus when a troublemaker threatens to cancel Christmas — forever…. [More]
Christmas With You (2022)
65%
#92
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Feeling career burn out, pop star Angelina escapes to grant a young fan’s wish in small town New York, where… [More]
Love Actually (2003)
64%
#93
Critics Consensus: A sugary tale overstuffed with too many stories. Still, the cast charms.
Synopsis: Nine intertwined stories examine the complexities of the one emotion that connects us all: love. Among the characters explored are… [More]
Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square (2020)
64%
#94
Critics Consensus: Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square isn’t quite up to its star’s standards, but its overwhelming good cheer and campy self-awareness may be just what viewers are looking for.
Synopsis: A woman who plans to sell a small town without regard for the people who live there receives a visit… [More]
Your Christmas or Mine? (2022)
67%
#95
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Students Hayley and James are young and in love. After saying goodbye for Christmas at a London train station, they… [More]
The Preacher’s Wife (1996)
62%
#96
Critics Consensus: Solid performances and a steady directorial hand help The Preacher’s Wife offer some reliably heartwarming – albeit fairly predictable – holiday cheer.
Synopsis: A cleric begins to doubt himself and is visited by an angel. The heavenly emissary is supposed to help the… [More]
Falling for Christmas (2022)
61%
#97
Critics Consensus: It’s no Miracle on 34th Street, but viewers in the mood for some fa la la la Lohan will find Falling for Christmas as easy as falling on the couch.
Synopsis: A newly engaged, spoiled hotel heiress gets into a skiing accident, suffers from total amnesia and finds herself in the… [More]
Miracle on 34th Street (1994)
60%
#98
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Six-year-old Susan Walker (Mara Wilson) is skeptical of the Christmas myth surrounding Santa Claus, a trait she perhaps learned from… [More]
A California Christmas (2020)
60%
#99
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: With his carefree lifestyle on the line, a wealthy charmer poses as a ranch hand to get a hardworking farmer… [More]
Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch (2018)
59%
#100
Critics Consensus: The Grinch gives the classic Seuss source material a brightly animated update that’s solidly suitable for younger viewers without adding substantially to the story’s legacy.
Synopsis: The Grinch and his loyal dog, Max, live a solitary existence inside a cave on Mount Crumpet. His main source… [More]
