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!

#101
#101
Adjusted Score: 20501%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Dolly Parton's (Alyvia Alyn Lind) father (Ricky Schroder) tries to raise enough money to buy his wife (Jennifer Nettles) a... [More]
Starring: Jennifer Nettles, Ricky Schroder, Gerald McRaney, Alyvia Alyn Lind
Directed By: Stephen Herek

#102

The Polar Express (2004)
Tomatometer icon 56%

#102
Adjusted Score: 63012%
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: When a doubting young boy takes a train ride to the North Pole, he embarks on a journey of self-discovery... [More]
Starring: Tom Hanks, Michael Jeter, Nona Gaye, Peter Scolari
Directed By: Robert Zemeckis

#103

The Santa Clause 2 (2002)
Tomatometer icon 55%

#103
Adjusted Score: 58737%
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

#104
#104
Adjusted Score: 56548%
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

#105

Noelle (2019)
Tomatometer icon 56%

#105
Adjusted Score: 57296%
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

#106

Last Holiday (2006)
Tomatometer icon 56%

#106
Adjusted Score: 60636%
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

#107

The Family Man (2000)
Tomatometer icon 53%

#107
Adjusted Score: 57987%
Critics Consensus: The Family Man's earnest attempt to remind audiences that it's a wonderful life too often steers into schmaltz, although Nicolas Cage and Téa Leoni's romantic rapport adds a dash of sincere sweetness.
Synopsis: Jack's lavish, fast-paced lifestyle changes one Christmas night when he stumbles into a grocery store holdup and disarms the gunman.... [More]
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Téa Leoni, Don Cheadle, Jeremy Piven
Directed By: Brett Ratner

#108

Love Hard (2021)
Tomatometer icon 53%

#108
Adjusted Score: 53628%
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

#109
#109
Adjusted Score: 43296%
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

#110

The Family Stone (2005)
Tomatometer icon 52%

#110
Adjusted Score: 57749%
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

#111

The Holiday (2006)
Tomatometer icon 51%

#111
Adjusted Score: 57391%
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

#112
#112
Adjusted Score: 50060%
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

#113
#113
Adjusted Score: 50127%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer must save the day when Happy, the new baby New Year, goes missing. Father Time asks... [More]
Starring: Frank Gorshin, Red Skelton, Morey Amsterdam, Billie Mae Richards
Directed By: Jules Bass, Arthur Rankin Jr.

#114

The Apology (2022)
Tomatometer icon 52%

#114
Adjusted Score: 52236%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Twenty years after the disappearance of her daughter, recovering alcoholic Darlene Hagen is preparing to host her family's Christmas celebration... [More]
Starring: Anna Gunn, Linus Roache, Janeane Garofalo, Holland Bailey
Directed By: Alison Locke

#115
#115
Adjusted Score: 54628%
Critics Consensus: Jim Carrey shines as the Grinch. Unfortunately, it's not enough to save this movie. You'd be better off watching the TV cartoon.
Synopsis: In this live-action adaptation of the beloved children's tale by Dr. Seuss, the reclusive green Grinch (Jim Carrey) decides to... [More]
Starring: Jim Carrey, Jeffrey Tambor, Christine Baranski, Bill Irwin
Directed By: Ron Howard

#116

Red Christmas (2016)
Tomatometer icon 45%

#116
Adjusted Score: 45028%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: A widow and her bickering family gather at her remote estate on Christmas Eve. She must soon protect them all... [More]
Starring: Dee Wallace, Geoff Morrell, Sarah Bishop, Janis McGavin
Directed By: Craig Anderson

#117

One Magic Christmas (1985)
Tomatometer icon 47%

#117
Adjusted Score: 47804%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Ginny (Mary Steenburgen) has a difficult time mustering Christmas spirit due to her husband Jack's (Gary Basaraba) unemployment and her... [More]
Starring: Mary Steenburgen, Harry Dean Stanton, Gary Basaraba, Arthur Hill
Directed By: Phillip Borsos

#118
#118
Adjusted Score: 49544%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Congressional aide Erica Miller lands at a beachside Air Force base, where she clashes with Capt. Andrew Jantz over his... [More]
Starring: Kat Graham, Alexander Ludwig, Trezzo Mahoro, Bethany Brown
Directed By: Martin Wood

#119

Last Christmas (2019)
Tomatometer icon 46%

#119
Adjusted Score: 56983%
Critics Consensus: Likable leads, terrific behind-the-scenes talent, and an intriguing musical hook aren't enough to save Last Christmas from its poorly conceived story.
Synopsis: Nothing seems to go right for young Kate, a frustrated Londoner who works as an elf in a year-round Christmas... [More]
Starring: Emilia Clarke, Henry Golding, Michelle Yeoh, Emma Thompson
Directed By: Paul Feig

#120

Holidate (2020)
Tomatometer icon 46%

#120
Adjusted Score: 48654%
Critics Consensus: Holidate's self-aware approach to rom-com formula is refreshing, but it's offset by a questionable premise and unnecessarily vulgar jokes.
Synopsis: Fed up with being single on holidays, two strangers agree to be each other's platonic plus-ones all year long, only... [More]
Starring: Emma Roberts, Luke Bracey, Kristin Chenoweth, Frances Fisher
Directed By: John Whitesell

#121

Fatman (2020)
Tomatometer icon 44%

#121
Adjusted Score: 50246%
Critics Consensus: Fatman takes a surprisingly serious approach to a potentially ludicrous twist on the Santa Claus legend, aiming for edgy but mostly missing the mark.
Synopsis: To save his declining business, Chris Cringle, also known as Santa Claus, is forced into a partnership with the U.S.... [More]
Starring: Mel Gibson, Walton Goggins, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Chance Hurstfield
Directed By: Ian Nelms, Eshom Nelms

#122
#122
Adjusted Score: 17742%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Before ambitious heiress Ellen Langford can inherit her father's business, she must deliver a special Christmas card to her dad's... [More]
Starring: Eliza Taylor, Jake Lacy, Andie MacDowell, Neil Crone
Directed By: Ernie Barbarash

#123
#123
Adjusted Score: 49505%
Critics Consensus: Its cast of gifted comics is good for a handful of laughs, but Office Christmas Party's overstuffed plot ultimately proves roughly as disappointing as its clichéd gags and forced sentimentality.
Synopsis: When the CEO (Jennifer Aniston) tries to close her hard-partying brother's (T.J. Miller) branch, he and his chief technical officer... [More]
Starring: Jason Bateman, Olivia Munn, T.J. Miller, Jennifer Aniston
Directed By: Josh Gordon, Will Speck

#124

Black Christmas (2019)
Tomatometer icon 40%

#124
Adjusted Score: 45384%
Critics Consensus: Better than the 2006 remake yet not as sharp as the original, this Black Christmas stabs at timely feminist themes but mostly hits on familiar pulp.
Synopsis: Hawthorne College is quieting down for the holidays as students travel home to spend time with their families. But as... [More]
Starring: Imogen Poots, Aleyse Shannon, Lily Donoghue, Brittany O'Grady
Directed By: Sophia Takal

#125

El Camino Christmas (2017)
Tomatometer icon - -

#125
Adjusted Score: -1%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: A young man seeking the father he has never met ends up barricaded inside of a liquor store with five... [More]
Starring: Vincent D'Onofrio, Jessica Alba, Dax Shepard, Tim Allen
Directed By: David E. Talbert

#126

Holiday in the Wild (2019)
Tomatometer icon 43%

#126
Adjusted Score: 16855%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: To keep her spirits high when their son leaves for college, Manhattanite Kate Conrad (Kristin Davis) has booked a 'second... [More]
Starring: Kristin Davis, Rob Lowe, Fezile Mpela, Johnowen Lowe
Directed By: Ernie Barbarash

#127
#127
Adjusted Score: 35300%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Charles Dickens' ageless legend is reborn in this supernatural, time-travelling, musical adaptation of the definitive Christmas story. With his very... [More]
Starring: Jessie Buckley, Luke Evans, Olivia Colman, Jonathan Pryce
Directed By: Stephen Donnelly

#128
#128
Adjusted Score: 40204%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Every Christmas Jackie sends a boastful holiday newsletter that makes her old college friend Charlotte feel like a lump of... [More]
Starring: Heather Graham, Jason Biggs, Brandy Norwood, Matt Cedeno
Directed By: Mary Lambert

#129
#129
Adjusted Score: 39059%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: The traditional holiday romance movie, from the writer of "You Light Up My Christmas" and the director of "The Christmas... [More]
Starring: Brittany Snow, Justin Long, Alex Moffat, Julia Duffy
Directed By: Clare Niederpruem

#130
#130
Adjusted Score: 22174%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Amber and Richard host royals from a faraway kingdom to renew a sacred truce, but when the priceless treaty disappears,... [More]
Starring: Rose McIver, Sarah Douglas, Ben Lamb, Theo Devaney
Directed By: John Schultz

#131
#131
Adjusted Score: 36408%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Santa Claus (Douglas Seale) is looking for his successor, and hapless taxi driver Ernest P. Worrell (Jim Varney) is just... [More]
Starring: Jim Varney, Douglas Seale, Oliver Clark, Noelle Parker
Directed By: John R. Cherry III

#132
#132
Adjusted Score: 38545%
Critics Consensus: Featuring twice the moms but roughly half the laughs, A Bad Moms Christmas is a slapdash holiday sequel that falls short of the original with a disappointing dearth of good cheer.
Synopsis: Under-appreciated and overburdened moms Amy, Kiki and Carla rebel against the challenges and expectations of the Super Bowl for moms:... [More]
Starring: Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell, Kathryn Hahn, Cheryl Hines
Directed By: Jon Lucas, Scott Moore

#133
#133
Adjusted Score: 32144%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Eddie Garrick (Chris "Ludacris" Bridges) is a good-hearted man who has turned his back on Christmas due to a traumatic... [More]
Starring: Lil Rel Howery, Ludacris, Teyonah Parris, Madison Skye Validum
Directed By: Tim Story

#134

Four Christmases (2008)
Tomatometer icon 25%

#134
Adjusted Score: 30515%
Critics Consensus: Despite a strong cast, this sour holiday comedy suffers from a hackneyed script.
Synopsis: When their plans for an exotic vacation fall apart, unmarried couple Brad (Vince Vaughn) and Kate (Reese Witherspoon) must spend... [More]
Starring: Vince Vaughn, Reese Witherspoon, Robert Duvall, Jon Favreau
Directed By: Seth Gordon

#135

Bad Santa 2 (2016)
Tomatometer icon 23%

#135
Adjusted Score: 28884%
Critics Consensus: Loaded up with the same scatological and misanthropic humor as its predecessor but precious little of its heart or genuine wit, Bad Santa 2 presents a foulmouthed shadow of Christmas past.
Synopsis: Fueled by cheap whiskey, greed and hatred, Willie Soke (Billy Bob Thornton) teams up with his angry little sidekick, Marcus,... [More]
Starring: Billy Bob Thornton, Kathy Bates, Tony Cox, Christina Hendricks
Directed By: Mark Waters

#136

Daddy's Home 2 (2017)
Tomatometer icon 21%

#136
Adjusted Score: 27545%
Critics Consensus: A formulaic comedy that's unlikely to spread much yuletide merriment, Daddy's Home 2 can only muster a few stray yuks from its talented cast.
Synopsis: Father and stepfather Dusty and Brad join forces to make Christmastime perfect for the children. Their newfound partnership soon gets... [More]
Starring: Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg, Mel Gibson, John Lithgow
Directed By: Sean Anders

#137
#137
Adjusted Score: 21677%
Critics Consensus: It boasts a few laughs, but overall, Tyler Perry's A Madea Christmas ranks among Perry's least entertaining or substantive works.
Synopsis: Madea (Tyler Perry) accompanies her niece, Eileen (Anna Maria Horsford), to the small town of Buck Tussel to pay a... [More]
Starring: Tyler Perry, Kathy Najimy, Chad Michael Murray, Anna Maria Horsford
Directed By: Tyler Perry

#138

Jingle All the Way (1996)
Tomatometer icon 20%

#138
Adjusted Score: 22673%
Critics Consensus: Arnold Schwarzenegger tries his best, but Jingle All the Way suffers from an uneven tone, shifting wildly from a would-be satire on materialism to an antic, slapstick yuk-fest.
Synopsis: Workaholic Howard Langston (Arnold Schwarzenegger) wants to make things up to his son, Jamie (Jake Lloyd), and wife, Liz (Rita... [More]
Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sinbad, Phil Hartman, Rita Wilson
Directed By: Brian Levant

#139
#139
Adjusted Score: 19003%
Critics Consensus: Playing Jack Frost as an evil cross between Liza Minnelli and Liberace, Martin Short is a welcome presence, but this tired series continues drawing from its bag of bland gags and dumb slapstick.
Synopsis: Christmas cheer turns into holiday chaos when Scott Calvin (Tim Allen), aka Santa, invites his in-laws (Ann-Margret, Alan Arkin) for... [More]
Starring: Tim Allen, Martin Short, Elizabeth Mitchell, Spencer Breslin
Directed By: Michael Lembeck

#140

The Mean One (2022)
Tomatometer icon 23%

#140
Adjusted Score: 23530%
Critics Consensus: A killjoy entry into the debauched children's story horror canon, The Mean One delivers a seasonally macabre bag of lime green coal.
Synopsis: One Christmas Eve in a sleepy mountain town, Cindy's family is killed and her Christmas is stolen by a bloodthirsty... [More]
Starring: David Howard Thornton, Krystle Martin, Chase Mullins, John Bigham
Directed By: Steven LaMorte

#141

The Killing Tree (2022)
Tomatometer icon 17%

#141
Adjusted Score: 6003%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: On Christmas Eve, a scorned widow casts an ancient spell to resurrect her executed husband. However, when the spell goes... [More]
Starring: Sarah Alexandra Marks, Sarah T. Cohen, May Kelly, Gillian Broderick
Directed By: Rhys Frake-Waterfield

#142

Black Christmas (2006)
Tomatometer icon 13%

#142
Adjusted Score: 14956%
Critics Consensus: A gratuitous remake of the 1974 slasher, Black Christmas pumps out the gore and blood with zero creativity, humor, or visual flair.
Synopsis: The holiday season turns deadly for a group of sorority sisters (Katie Cassidy, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Lacey Chabert, Michelle Trachtenberg)... [More]
Starring: Katie Cassidy, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Lacey Chabert, Michelle Trachtenberg
Directed By: Glen Morgan

#143
#143
Adjusted Score: 14088%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Boyd is forced to spend Christmas at his parents' house and has to hit the road with his eccentric father... [More]
Starring: Joel McHale, Robin Williams, Lauren Graham, Clark Duke
Directed By: Tristram Shapeero

#144

Mixed Nuts (1994)
Tomatometer icon 13%

#144
Adjusted Score: 14588%
Critics Consensus: Mixed Nuts may provoke strong allergic reactions in all but the most undemanding filmgoers -- and the most forgiving Steve Martin fans.
Synopsis: Philip (Steve Martin) manages a suicide-prevention hotline called Lifesavers, assisted by Mrs. Munchnik (Madeline Kahn) and Catherine (Rita Wilson). On... [More]
Starring: Steve Martin, Madeline Kahn, Robert Klein, Anthony LaPaglia
Directed By: Nora Ephron

#145

Deck the Halls (2006)
Tomatometer icon 6%

#145
Adjusted Score: 8926%
Critics Consensus: Relying on flat humor and a preposterous plot, Deck the Halls is an unnecessarily mean-spirited holiday movie that does little to put viewers in a holiday mood.
Synopsis: Steve (Matthew Broderick), suburban dad and Christmas enthusiast, finds a wrinkle in his well-ordered existence with the arrival of his... [More]
Starring: Danny DeVito, Matthew Broderick, Kristin Chenoweth, Kristin Davis
Directed By: John Whitesell

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