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The 100 Best Christmas Movies of All Time

From Home Alone and Elf to classics like Miracle on 34th Street, we’ve made our list of great holiday films and checked it at least twice. Now, to all you nice boys and girls out there, we present the Best Christmas Movies ever!

Christmas has come to represent different things to people over the years, and the movies here reflect that in kind. If you’re traditional and feeling nostalgic, you’ll be pleased to see where It’s A Wonderful Life and Holiday Inn made it on our list of top holiday films. If this time of the year reminds you of sitting around the TV, eagerly awaiting those annual specials, look out for A Charlie Brown Christmas and How the Grinch Stole Christmas. There’s horror (Black Christmas), comedy (Trading Places), horror and comedy (Gremlins), and even a superhero covered in tinsel somewhere (Batman Returns). For those with an independent streak to celebrate, check out Tangerine and Carol. Meanwhile, Netflix has made great strides in the Kris Kringle quadrant with The Christmas Chronicles and Klaus. And if Christmas means traveling somewhere you don’t want to be, stuck in a building with people you don’t like, have we got the ultimate movie for you: Die Hard! Ho ho ho, now we have a complete list of great Christmas movies.

For 2022, we’ve added Netflix’s The Noel Diary, action/comedy Violent Night, holiday-set horror The Retaliators, Lindsay Lohan’s Falling for Christmas, Marvel’s The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, and A Christmas Story Christmas.

So we took a sleigh ride across all of movie history, filled up our big red bag with goodies, and ultimately ranked the movies by Tomatometer score, with Certified Fresh films first. And now you’re ready to enter a wonderland of cinematic history, with the Best Christmas Movies ever!

#1
#1
Adjusted Score: 109934%
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]
Starring: Judy Garland, Margaret O'Brien, Leon Ames, Lucille Bremer
Directed By: Vincente Minnelli

#2
#2
Adjusted Score: 109289%
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]
Starring: Margaret Sullavan, James Stewart, Frank Morgan, Joseph Schildkraut
Directed By: Ernst Lubitsch

#3
#3
Adjusted Score: 103435%
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]
Starring: Maureen O'Hara, John Payne, Edmund Gwenn, Gene Lockhart
Directed By: George Seaton

#4

Tangerine (2015)
96%

#4
Adjusted Score: 101835%
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]
Starring: Kitana Kiki Rodriguez, Mya Taylor, Karren Karagulian, Mickey O'Hagan
Directed By: Sean Baker

#5

Klaus (2019)
95%

#5
Adjusted Score: 98610%
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]
Starring: Jason Schwartzman, J.K. Simmons, Rashida Jones, Will Sasso
Directed By: Sergio Pablos

#6
#6
Adjusted Score: 103180%
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]
Starring: Danny Elfman, Chris Sarandon, Catherine O'Hara, William Hickey
Directed By: Henry Selick

#7

Little Women (2019)
95%

#7
Adjusted Score: 119748%
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]
Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, Eliza Scanlen
Directed By: Greta Gerwig

#8

Die Hard (1988)
94%

#8
Adjusted Score: 99846%
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]
Starring: Bruce Willis, Alan Rickman, Bonnie Bedelia, Reginald VelJohnson
Directed By: John McTiernan

#9

Carol (2015)
94%

#9
Adjusted Score: 106182%
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]
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara, Sarah Paulson, Jake Lacy
Directed By: Todd Haynes

#10
#10
Adjusted Score: 105045%
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]
Starring: James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore, Thomas Mitchell
Directed By: Frank Capra

#11

Little Women (1994)
93%

#11
Adjusted Score: 94970%
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]
Starring: Winona Ryder, Gabriel Byrne, Trini Alvarado, Samantha Mathis
Directed By: Gillian Armstrong

#12

The Apartment (1960)
93%

#12
Adjusted Score: 103922%
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]
Starring: Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine, Fred MacMurray, Ray Walston
Directed By: Billy Wilder

#13

Arthur Christmas (2011)
92%

#13
Adjusted Score: 97816%
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]
Starring: James McAvoy, Hugh Laurie, Bill Nighy, Jim Broadbent
Directed By: Sarah Smith

#14

Tokyo Godfathers (2003)
91%

#14
Adjusted Score: 92889%
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]
Starring: Yoshiaki Umegaki, Aya Okamoto, Toru Emori
Directed By: Satoshi Kon

#15
#15
Adjusted Score: 94397%
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]
Starring: Peter Billingsley, Darren McGavin, Melinda Dillon, Ian Petrella
Directed By: Bob Clark

#16
#16
Adjusted Score: 92301%
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]
Starring: Onni Tommila, Jorma Tommila, Ilmari Järvenpää, Peeter Jakobi
Directed By: Jalmari Helander

#17
#17
Adjusted Score: 94778%
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]
Starring: Chris Pratt, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Zoe Saldana
Directed By: James Gunn

#18
#18
Adjusted Score: 92950%
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]
Starring: Johnny Depp, Winona Ryder, Dianne Wiest, Anthony Michael Hall
Directed By: Tim Burton

#19
#19
Adjusted Score: 93121%
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]
Starring: Forest Whitaker, Keegan-Michael Key, Hugh Bonneville, Anika Noni Rose
Directed By: David E. Talbert

#20

Better Watch Out (2016)
89%

#20
Adjusted Score: 92714%
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]
Starring: Levi Miller, Olivia DeJonge, Ed Oxenbould, Dacre Montgomery
Directed By: Chris Peckover

#21

Trading Places (1983)
88%

#21
Adjusted Score: 88906%
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]
Starring: Dan Aykroyd, Eddie Murphy, Ralph Bellamy, Don Ameche
Directed By: John Landis

#22

Gremlins (1984)
86%

#22
Adjusted Score: 90975%
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]
Starring: Zach Galligan, Phoebe Cates, Hoyt Axton, Frances Lee McCain
Directed By: Joe Dante

#23

A Christmas Tale (2008)
86%

#23
Adjusted Score: 90500%
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]
Starring: Catherine Deneuve, Jean-Paul Roussillon, Mathieu Amalric, Françoise Bertin
Directed By: Arnaud Desplechin

#24
#24
Adjusted Score: 92555%
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]
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Val Kilmer, Michelle Monaghan, Corbin Bernsen
Directed By: Shane Black

#25

Elf (2003)
85%

#25
Adjusted Score: 91504%
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]
Starring: Will Ferrell, James Caan, Bob Newhart, Ed Asner
Directed By: Jon Favreau

#26

Happiest Season (2020)
82%

#26
Adjusted Score: 95353%
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]
Starring: Kristen Stewart, Mackenzie Davis, Mary Steenburgen, Victor Garber
Directed By: Clea Duvall

#27
#27
Adjusted Score: 82256%
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]
Starring: Sandra Bullock, Bill Pullman, Peter Gallagher, Peter Boyle
Directed By: Jon Turteltaub

#28

Batman Returns (1992)
81%

#28
Adjusted Score: 87707%
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]
Starring: Michael Keaton, Danny DeVito, Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Walken
Directed By: Tim Burton

#29
#29
Adjusted Score: 90548%
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]
Starring: Dan Stevens, Christopher Plummer, Jonathan Pryce, Justin Edwards
Directed By: Bharat Nalluri

#30

Bad Santa (2003)
78%

#30
Adjusted Score: 85251%
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]
Starring: Billy Bob Thornton, Tony Cox, Brett Kelly, Lauren Graham
Directed By: Terry Zwigoff

#31
#31
Adjusted Score: 80235%
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]
Starring: Peter Billingsley, Julie Hagerty, Erinn Hayes, Ian Petrella
Directed By: Clay Kaytis

#32

White Christmas (1954)
77%

#32
Adjusted Score: 81208%
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]
Starring: Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, Vera-Ellen
Directed By: Michael Curtiz

#33
#33
Adjusted Score: 82586%
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]
Starring: Ella Hunt, Malcolm Cumming, Sarah Swire, Christopher Leveaux
Directed By: John McPhail

#34
#34
Adjusted Score: 80840%
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]
Starring: Michael Caine, Dave Goelz, Steve Whitmire, Jerry Nelson
Directed By: Brian Henson

#35

Happy Christmas (2014)
75%

#35
Adjusted Score: 77427%
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]
Starring: Anna Kendrick, Melanie Lynskey, Mark Webber, Lena Dunham
Directed By: Joe Swanberg

#36

Merry Christmas (2005)
74%

#36
Adjusted Score: 77529%
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]
Starring: Diane Kruger, Benno Fürmann, Guillaume Canet, Gary Lewis
Directed By: Christian Carion

#37

The Ref (1994)
73%

#37
Adjusted Score: 75780%
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]
Starring: Denis Leary, Judy Davis, Kevin Spacey, Robert J. Steinmiller Jr.
Directed By: Ted Demme

#38

The Santa Clause (1994)
73%

#38
Adjusted Score: 76075%
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]
Starring: Tim Allen, Judge Reinhold, Wendy Crewson, Eric Lloyd
Directed By: John Pasquin

#39
#39
Adjusted Score: 100463%
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]
Starring: Boris Karloff, June Foray, Thurl Ravenscroft, Eugene Poddany
Directed By: Chuck Jones

#40

Holiday Inn (1942)
100%

#40
Adjusted Score: 100042%
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]
Starring: Bing Crosby, Fred Astaire, Marjorie Reynolds, Virginia Dale
Directed By: Mark Sandrich

#41
#41
Adjusted Score: 101965%
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]
Starring: Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Charlotte Henry, Felix Knight
Directed By: Gus Meins, Charley Rogers

#42

Remember the Night (1940)
100%

#42
Adjusted Score: 45984%
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]
Starring: Barbara Stanwyck, Fred MacMurray, Beulah Bondi, Elizabeth Patterson
Directed By: Mitchell Leisen

#43
#43
Adjusted Score: 86517%
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]
Starring: Jerry Nelson, Frank Oz, Marilyn Sokol, Dave Goelz
Directed By: Jim Henson

#44
#44
Adjusted Score: 47546%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: A retelling of the classic Dickens tale with Disney's classic characters.... [More]
Starring: Alan Young, Wayne Allwine, Hal Smith, Will Ryan
Directed By: Burny Mattinson

#45

Alien Xmas (2020)
100%

#45
Adjusted Score: 47186%
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]
Starring: Dee Bradley Baker
Directed By: Stephen Chiodo

#46
#46
Adjusted Score: 96064%
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]
Starring: Burl Ives, Larry D. Mann, Billie Mae Richards, Paul Soles
Directed By: Maury Laws, Larry Roemer

#47
#47
Adjusted Score: 93559%
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]
Starring: Fred Astaire, Mickey Rooney, Keenan Wynn, Paul Frees
Directed By: Jules Bass, Arthur Rankin Jr.

#48

White Reindeer (2013)
90%

#48
Adjusted Score: 91243%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Suzanne struggles to put her life back together after a tragedy at Christmas time.... [More]
Starring: Anna Margaret Hollyman, Laura Lemar-Goldsborough, Lydia Hyslop, Joe Swanberg
Directed By: Zach Clark

#49
#49
Adjusted Score: 91179%
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]
Starring: Mickey Rooney, Shirley Booth, Dick Shawn, George S. Irving
Directed By: Jules Bass, Arthur Rankin Jr.

#50
#50
Adjusted Score: 90288%
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]
Starring: Barbara Stanwyck, Dennis Morgan, Sydney Greenstreet, Reginald Gardiner
Directed By: Peter Godfrey

#51

The Retaliators (2021)
88%

#51
Adjusted Score: 89008%
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]
Starring: Michael Lombardi, Marc Menchaca, Joseph Gatt, Katie Kelly
Directed By: Bridget Smith, Samuel Gonzalez Jr.

#52
#52
Adjusted Score: 90777%
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]
Starring: Alastair Sim, Kathleen Harrison, Mervyn Johns, Hermione Baddeley
Directed By: Brian Desmond Hurst

#53
#53
Adjusted Score: 88251%
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]
Starring: Peter Robbins, Christopher Shea, Tracy Stratford, Sally Dryer
Directed By: Bill Melendez, Phil Roman

#54
#54
Adjusted Score: 88217%
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]
Starring: Cary Grant, Loretta Young, David Niven, Monty Woolley
Directed By: Henry Koster

#55

8-Bit Christmas (2021)
84%

#55
Adjusted Score: 84537%
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]
Starring: Neil Patrick Harris, Winslow Fegley, June Diane Raphael, Steve Zahn
Directed By: Michael Dowse

#56
#56
Adjusted Score: 84543%
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]
Starring: Henry Lawfull, Stephen Merchant, Michiel Huisman, Zoe Margaret Colletti
Directed By: Gil Kenan

#57
#57
Adjusted Score: 78572%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Not even Santa Claus is safe from the evil that descends on Bailey Downs, a small town that is suddenly... [More]
Starring: William Shatner, George Buza, Rob Archer, Percy Hynes White
Directed By: Grant Harvey, Steven Hoban, Brett C. Sullivan

#58

Let It Snow (2019)
81%

#58
Adjusted Score: 81596%
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]
Starring: Isabela Merced, Shameik Moore, Kiernan Shipka, Odeya Rush
Directed By: Luke Snellin

#59
#59
Adjusted Score: 19794%
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]
Starring: Nathalie Emmanuel, Cary Elwes, Michael Sheen, Katherine Kelly
Directed By: Julian Kemp

#60

Get Santa (2014)
79%

#60
Adjusted Score: 79195%
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]
Starring: Jim Broadbent, Rafe Spall, Warwick Davis, Kit Connor
Directed By: Christopher Smith

#61
#61
Adjusted Score: 75337%
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]
Starring: Greer Garson, José Ferrer, Paul Frees, June Foray
Directed By: Jules Bass, Arthur Rankin Jr.

#62
#62
Adjusted Score: 77978%
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]
Starring: Kelly Marie Tran, Billy Dee Williams, Anthony Daniels, Matt Lanter
Directed By: Ken Cunningham

#63
#63
Adjusted Score: 74142%
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]
Starring: Cary Elwes, Brooke Shields, Vanessa Grasse, Suanne Braun
Directed By: Mary Lambert

#64
#64
Adjusted Score: 73858%
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]
Starring: Jimmy Durante, Billy De Wolfe, Jackie Vernon, Paul Frees
Directed By: Jules Bass, Arthur Rankin Jr.

#65
#65
Adjusted Score: 58233%
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]
Starring: Rose McIver, Ben Lamb, Alice Krige, Honor Kneafsey
Directed By: Alex Zamm

#66

Black Christmas (1974)
71%

#66
Adjusted Score: 73629%
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]
Starring: Olivia Hussey, Margot Kidder, Keir Dullea, Andrea Martin
Directed By: Bob Clark

#67

The Noel Diary (2022)
69%

#67
Adjusted Score: 52772%
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]
Starring: Justin Hartley, James Remar, Bonnie Bedelia, Essence Atkins
Directed By: Charles Shyer

#68
#68
Adjusted Score: 73081%
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]
Starring: Morris Chestnut, Taye Diggs, Regina Hall, Terrence Howard
Directed By: Malcolm D. Lee

#69
#69
Adjusted Score: 73663%
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]
Starring: Chevy Chase, Beverly D'Angelo, Randy Quaid, Diane Ladd
Directed By: Jeremiah S. Chechik

#70

The Night Before (2015)
69%

#70
Adjusted Score: 74673%
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]
Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, Anthony Mackie, Jillian Bell
Directed By: Jonathan Levine

#71

Spirited (2022)
70%

#71
Adjusted Score: 74499%
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]
Starring: Will Ferrell, Ryan Reynolds, Octavia Spencer, Patrick Page
Directed By: Sean Anders

#72

Scrooged (1988)
69%

#72
Adjusted Score: 71856%
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]
Starring: Bill Murray, Karen Allen, John Forsythe, John Glover
Directed By: Richard Donner

#73
#73
Adjusted Score: 70241%
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]
Starring: Kurt Russell, Darby Camp, Judah Lewis, Kimberly Williams-Paisley
Directed By: Clay Kaytis

#74
#74
Adjusted Score: 71293%
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]
Starring: John Cho, Kal Penn, Neil Patrick Harris, Danneel Ackles
Directed By: Todd Strauss-Schulson

#75
#75
Adjusted Score: 69062%
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: ... [More]
Starring: George Clooney, Rashida Jones, Miley Cyrus, Bill Murray
Directed By: Sofia Coppola

#76

Godmothered (2020)
67%

#76
Adjusted Score: 70921%
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]
Starring: Isla Fisher, Jillian Bell, Santiago Cabrera, Mary Elizabeth Ellis
Directed By: Sharon Maguire

#77
#77
Adjusted Score: 68389%
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]
Starring: Michael Urie, Philemon Chambers, Kathy Najimy, Luke Macfarlane
Directed By: Michael Mayer

#78
#78
Adjusted Score: 67241%
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]
Starring: Vanessa Hudgens, Josh Whitehouse, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Harry Jarvis
Directed By: Monika Mitchell

#79
#79
Adjusted Score: 52537%
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]
Starring: Vanessa Hudgens, Sam Palladio, Nick Sagar, Suanne Braun
Directed By: Mike Rohl

#80

Home Alone (1990)
66%

#80
Adjusted Score: 69795%
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]
Starring: Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, Catherine O'Hara
Directed By: Chris Columbus

#81

Krampus (2015)
66%

#81
Adjusted Score: 70437%
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]
Starring: Emjay Anthony, Adam Scott, Toni Collette, Stefania Owen
Directed By: Michael Dougherty

#82

Silent Night (2021)
65%

#82
Adjusted Score: 69861%
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]
Starring: Keira Knightley, Matthew Goode, Roman Griffin Davis, Annabelle Wallis
Directed By: Camille Griffin

#83
#83
Adjusted Score: 68045%
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]
Starring: Kurt Russell, Goldie Hawn, Darby Camp, Judah Lewis
Directed By: Chris Columbus

#84

Love Actually (2003)
64%

#84
Adjusted Score: 71364%
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]
Starring: Hugh Grant, Laura Linney, Colin Firth, Alan Rickman
Directed By: Richard Curtis

#85
#85
Adjusted Score: 65427%
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]
Starring: Dolly Parton, Christine Baranski, Treat Williams, Jenifer Lewis
Directed By: Debbie Allen

#86
#86
Adjusted Score: 64002%
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]
Starring: Denzel Washington, Whitney Houston, Courtney B. Vance, Gregory Hines
Directed By: Penny Marshall

#87
#87
Adjusted Score: 61405%
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]
Starring: Richard Attenborough, Elizabeth Perkins, Dylan McDermott, Mara Wilson
Directed By: Les Mayfield

#88
#88
Adjusted Score: 20159%
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]
Starring: Lauren Swickard, Josh Swickard, Amanda Detmer, Ali Afshar
Directed By: Shaun Paul Piccinino

#89
#89
Adjusted Score: 68135%
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]
Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Cameron Seely, Rashida Jones, Pharrell Williams
Directed By: Scott Mosier, Yarrow Cheney

#90
#90
Adjusted Score: 62580%
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]
Starring: Lindsay Lohan, Chord Overstreet, Jack Wagner, George Young
Directed By: Janeen Damian

#91

Love Hard (2021)
57%

#91
Adjusted Score: 57394%
Critics Consensus: Love Hard's interesting setup and charming cast have a definite rom-com appeal, even if the story never quite develops its main characters' love connection.
Synopsis: An LA girl, unlucky in love, falls for an East Coast guy on a dating app and decides to surprise... [More]
Starring: Nina Dobrev, Darren Barnet, Jimmy O. Yang, Lochlyn Munro
Directed By: Hernán Jiménez

#92
#92
Adjusted Score: 63259%
Critics Consensus: Though the movie is visually stunning overall, the animation for the human characters isn't lifelike enough, and the story is padded.
Synopsis: Tom Hanks and director Robert Zemeckis ("Forrest Gump"; "Cast Away") reunite for "Polar Express," an inspiring adventure based on the... [More]
Starring: Tom Hanks, Michael Jeter, Nona Gaye, Peter Scolari
Directed By: Robert Zemeckis

#93
#93
Adjusted Score: 59439%
Critics Consensus: Though it's harmless as family entertainment and has moments of charm, The Santa Clause 2 is also predictable and forgettable.
Synopsis: Scott Calvin (Tim Allen) has been in the role of Santa for the past eight years, and his loyal elves... [More]
Starring: Tim Allen, Elizabeth Mitchell, David Krumholtz, Eric Lloyd
Directed By: Michael Lembeck

#94
#94
Adjusted Score: 56684%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: When Duchess Margaret unexpectedly inherits the throne to Montenaro and hits a rough patch with boyfriend Kevin, it's up to... [More]
Starring: Vanessa Hudgens, Sam Palladio, Nick Sagar, Suanne Braun
Directed By: Mike Rohl

#95

Noelle (2019)
55%

#95
Adjusted Score: 56830%
Critics Consensus: The always charming Anna Kendrick does her best, but Noelle's progressive take on a timeless tale is unfortunately subdued.
Synopsis: Kris Kringle's daughter is full of Christmas spirit but wishes she could do something important like her brother Nick, who... [More]
Starring: Anna Kendrick, Bill Hader, Shirley MacLaine, Julie Hagerty
Directed By: Marc Lawrence

#96

Last Holiday (2006)
55%

#96
Adjusted Score: 58974%
Critics Consensus: Although Queen Latifah's bountiful life-affirming spirit permeates the film, director Wayne Wang is unable to revive this remake with any real flair.
Synopsis: The discovery that she has a terminal illness prompts introverted saleswoman Georgia Byrd (Queen Latifah) to reflect on what she... [More]
Starring: Queen Latifah, Gérard Depardieu, LL Cool J, Timothy Hutton
Directed By: Wayne Wang

#97
#97
Adjusted Score: 39333%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: When a priceless Christmas relic is stolen, royal look-alikes Margaret and Stacy turn to audacious doppelgänger Fiona -- and her... [More]
Starring: Vanessa Hudgens, Nick Sagar, Remy Hii, Amanda Donohoe
Directed By: Mike Rohl

#98

The Family Stone (2005)
52%

#98
Adjusted Score: 57599%
Critics Consensus: This family holiday dramedy features fine performances but awkward shifts of tone.
Synopsis: Everett Stone (Dermot Mulroney) wants to bring his girlfriend, Meredith Morton (Sarah Jessica Parker), to meet his bohemian Connecticut family... [More]
Starring: Dermot Mulroney, Sarah Jessica Parker, Diane Keaton, Luke Wilson
Directed By: Thomas Bezucha

#99

The Holiday (2006)
51%

#99
Adjusted Score: 56389%
Critics Consensus: While it's certainly sweet and even somewhat touching, The Holiday is so thoroughly predictable that audiences may end up opting for an early check-out time.
Synopsis: Two women, one (Cameron Diaz) from America and one (Kate Winslet) from Britain, swap homes at Christmastime after bad breakups... [More]
Starring: Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Jude Law, Jack Black
Directed By: Nancy Meyers

#100
#100
Adjusted Score: 47041%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: A year after Amber helped Richard secure the crown, the two are set to tie the knot in a royal... [More]
Starring: Rose McIver, Ben Lamb, Alice Krige, Richard Ashton
Directed By: John Schultz

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