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A Timeless Christmas

Charles Whitley travels from 1903 to 2020 where he meets Megan Turner and experiences a 21st Century Christmas. Charles Whitley travels from 1903 to 2020 where he meets Megan Turner and experiences a 21st Century Christmas. Charles Whitley travels from 1903 to 2020 where he meets Megan Turner and experiences a 21st Century Christmas.

Duane Poole
Alexis Stanton
Erin Cahill
Ryan Paevey
Brandi Alexander
68 User reviews
5 Critic reviews

A Timeless Christmas: On Location (Featurette)

Charles Whitley

Rosie - 1903

Eliza - 1903
(as Cecilia Grace Deacon)
Fredricks - 1903

Harold Moran - 1903

Auctioneer - 1903
All cast & crew
Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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Did you know

Trivia Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1948) is on the television when Charles turns it on.
Goofs A reference is made to a "Christmas moon" being the second full moon in December. This is supposed to occur on Christmas eve. Since the time between full moons is 29.5 days, for it to occur on December 24 is impossible. A second full moon can only occur on either the 30th or 31st in December. This would also make it impossible for December 18th to be a Christmas Moon (2nd full moon in the month of December).
Connections Features Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1948)
Soundtracks I'll Be Home for Christmas Written by Walter Kent , Kim Gannon & Buck Ram Performed by Brett Eldredge © Gannon & Kent Music (ASCAP) Courtesy of Atlantic Recording Corp. By arrangement with Warner Music Group Film & TV Licensing

User reviews 68

Oct 26, 2021
November 15, 2020 (United States)
United States
Official site
Una Navidad atemporal
Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada
Crown Media Productions
Lighthouse Pictures
See more company credits at IMDbPro

Technical specs

Runtime 1 hour 24 minutes

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15 Travel-related Christmas & Winter Movies to Watch This Holiday Season

As the seasons are changing, so are our movie interests. With the most cheerful holidays just around the corner, it’s only natural to wrap yourself into a warm blanket, indulge in a cup of hot chocolate, and watch some good old Christmas or winter movie.

This year, we’ve gathered 15 adventurous, travel-related film s that will lift up your spirits, keep you entertained and make you contemplate the most important things in life. From timeless classics and romantic Christmas comedies to thrilling winterly dramas and even horror stories, these are the movies you should watch this holiday season.

Travel-related Christmas Movies

The holiday (2006).

One of the audience favorites, The Holiday , follows two women, one American (Cameron Diaz) and one British (Kate Winslet), as they swap homes at Christmas time. Both women are looking to get away from their failed relationships and end up finding new romance with local men (played by Jude Law and Jack Black). Full of laughs and some drama, this feel-good comedy is perfect for the holiday season.

Available on Netflix.

Last Holiday (2006)

Last Holiday is a heartfelt comedy-drama starring Queen Latifah as Georgia, a humble department store assistant. After learning that she only has a few months to live, Georgia decides to spend all her savings on a luxury winter holiday in Europe. The movie beautifully shows how a difficult experience can give you total freedom.

Available on Showtime.

Holiday in the Wild (2019)

Not a typical Christmas movie, Holiday in the Wild tells a story of a woman (Kristin Davis) who, after being left by her husband, embarks on a solo journey to Zambia. Here she meets an elephant conservationist (Rob Lowe) and ends up staying at an elephant sanctuary where he works. Holiday in the Wild is a beautiful story about finding yourself and finding love.

A Very Harold and Kumar Christmas (2011)

A Very Harold and Kumar Christmas is the third movie of the Harold and Kumar franchise, though you could definitely watch it without seeing the first two. It follows two estranged stoner friends, Harold (John Cho) and Kumar (Kal Penn) as they reunite in New York to hunt for the perfect Christmas tree and get themselves involved in some crazy adventures. Also starring Neil Patrick Harris, this witty comedy is perfect for a dark winter evening.

Available on Amazon Instant Video and Netflix (only in certain countries).

The Night Before (2015)

Another hilarious buddy comedy, The Night Before is about three childhood friends, Ethan (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), Isaac (Seth Rogen), and Chris (Anthony Mackie) who have a tradition to reunite every year on Christmas Eve. This year, they learn about the exclusive Nutcracker Ball party that’s happening somewhere in the festive New York City and are determined to find it.

Available on Amazon Instant Video.

Tangerine (2015)

A comic drama, Tangerine is a unique independent film that was entirely shot on three iPhone 5S smartphones. It’s a story about Sin-Dee Rella, a transgender sex worker who finishes a 28-day prison sentence on Christmas Eve. After meeting with a friend in Hollywood, Sin-Dee finds out that her boyfriend has been cheating on her and goes out on a mission to find him. The film gives an inside look into the often missed part of Hollywood.

Available on Amazon Prime.

A Christmas Prince (2017)

A Christmas Prince follows the story of Amber, an aspiring journalist traveling to a fictional nation of Aldovia to report on a local prince taking the throne after his father’s death. Amber manages to go undercover and get an inside look into the royal intrigues. Taking place around Christmas time and set in the beautiful snowy mountains, this film is a cheerful romantic comedy, perfect for the holiday season. There are also two sequels to the film: A Christmas Prince: The Royal Wedding and A Christmas Prince: The Royal Baby .

In Bruges / Bons Baisers de Bruges (2008)

In Bruges is a black comedy crime film starring Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, and Ralph Fiennes. After a job gone wrong, two Irish hitmen Ray and Ken, get an order from their boss to travel to Bruges, Belgium, and lay low for a while. In the fairytale-like city just before Christmas, Ray and Ken start dealing with some personal issues, as well as job-related doubts.

Available on Hulu.

Travel-related Winter Movies

I’m thinking of ending things (2020).

This surreal psychological thriller follows a young woman (Jessie Buckley) as she travels with her boyfriend (Jesse Plemons) to meet his parents (Toni Collette and David Thewlis) that live in a secluded farm. Trapped at the farm during a snowstorm, she starts questioning everything she thought she knew about her boyfriend, herself, and the world.

The Hateful Eight (2015)

A great Western film by Quentin Tarantino, The Hateful Eight is full of tension, action, a lot of blood, and some witty humor. Starring many great actors (Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, and Jennifer Jason Leigh, to name a few), the movie follows eight strangers who seek refuge from a storm in a remote cabin in the woods. What could possibly go wrong?

The Mountain Between Us (2017)

Starring Kate Winslet and Idris Elba, The Mountain Between Us is a thrilling drama that follows two strangers stranded on a remote snow-covered mountain following a plane crash. After realizing that help is not coming, the duo has no choice but to embark on a harrowing journey across the wilderness.

The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)

The Grand Budapest Hotel is not your typical Christmas movie, though it takes place high in the mountains and features some snowy landscapes. Directed by Wes Anderson, this visually stunning film recounts the adventures of Gustave (Ralph Fiennes), a legendary European hotel concierge, and Zero Moustafa (Tony Revolori), the lobby boy who becomes his friend.

Available on Amazon Prime Video.

Fargo (1996)

Directed by the Cohen brothers, Fargo is a total winterly classic full of snow-covered landscapes, mysteries, and black humor. William H. Macy plays Jerry, a desperate car salesman who, after facing some financial difficulties, decides to kidnap his wife for ransom. After his plan turns into bloodshed, a pregnant Minnesota police chief (Frances McDormand) starts investigating the murders in her jurisdiction.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe (2005)

If you’re a fantasy lover, the first movie from The Chronicles of Narnia series is a must-watch. It follows four siblings (Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy) who are evacuated during the war from London to the country home of Professor Kirke. One day playing, Lucy hides inside a wardrobe and by chance enters a magical winter world known as Narnia. She later finds out that the White Witch cursed Narnia to eternally experience winter but never Christmas.

Available on Disney+.

Where’d You Go, Bernadette (2019)

In this comic drama, Cate Blanchett plays Bernadette Fox, a famous former architect, now settled in Seattle with her husband Elgie and their 15-year-old daughter Bee. To reward Bee for her good grades, the parents promise her a family trip to Antarctica. Suffering from agoraphobia, Bernadette really struggles with the whole plan but eventually overcomes her fears. Both funny and emotional, this film also features some amazing shots of the ice-covered Antarctica.

15 incredible movies set in france to inspire your next french vacation.

20 Best Road Trip Movies to Inspire Your Wanderlust

Non-traditional christmas movies: 14 suggestions what to watch this holiday season, 16 beautiful nature movies and docuseries that are both inspiring and educational, 20 adventure mountain movies that’ll give you an adrenaline-rush, youtube travel channels: 12 inspiring vloggers to follow, 10 best travel shows on netflix, 9 things to do at home when you can’t travel, 17 romantic travel movies, 13 travel movies that will inspire you to travel long-term, leave a reply cancel reply.

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Pop Culture Happy Hour

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The 2021 holiday movie guide: 100+ new films to get you in the spirit

Linda Holmes

Nina Dobrev and Jimmy O. Yang in Love Hard . Bettina Strauss/Netflix hide caption

Nina Dobrev and Jimmy O. Yang in Love Hard .

Every year, more outlets offer holiday movies (and by that I mean overwhelmingly Christmas movies, but occasionally not). And the places that offer them seem to offer more . It has become a kudzu situation. How are we getting VH1 holiday movies now? How did Food Network get involved ?

Nonetheless, here we are for the third year in a row to look at this year's crop, complete with trope elements in bold. A few notes:

1. I didn't cover most of the kids' movies or animated movies. This is primarily a guide to the romances and romantic comedies that are so very thick on the ground at this time of year, plus a few that seem to be specifically aimed at adults but not aren't romances (some are kind of mushy and inspirational).

2. It's entirely possible I missed something somewhere. There is no centralized repository of holiday offerings other than ones created by other fallible journalists and writers, and so I tip my hat to some of the people who I cross-checked with to make sure there wasn't anything I missed: especially TV Line and the very helpful and exhaustive catalog maintained by this Tumblr user . The ones that have already premiered are most likely still rerunning from now until Christmas, so don't be dismayed if they've already aired once!

In honor of one of my favorite titles of the year, An Ice Wine Christmas , here's a photo from that film, starring Roselyn Sanchez and Lyriq Bent. Lifetime hide caption

In honor of one of my favorite titles of the year, An Ice Wine Christmas , here's a photo from that film, starring Roselyn Sanchez and Lyriq Bent.

3. As a concession to the shortness of life and a desire to keep this guide somewhere in the vicinity of a hundred movies, there are a few outlets I didn't individually write up , but who do have movies coming. Being a completist at this point is just not practical. I skipped a few from ION Television, Roku, Tubi, Crackle, and a couple other places, including two that are only going to be on Hallmark's streaming service. (I think two different Hallmark cable networks is enough.) Also of note, former Hallmark executive Bill Abbott is now running a new cable channel called GAC Family, which says it celebrates "American culture, lifestyle and heritage." There's very little information on their site about most of their films, but if that sounds appealing, you can check out their lineup .

4. More inclusive content is something I hope for every year and am glad for every year when it comes up. I commend to you some commentary from the writer Tressie McMillan Cottom recently about holiday movies, and especially about Hallmark's Christmas In Harmony . If you're looking for more Black leads, you'll find more at Lifetime than at Hallmark, but even at Hallmark, the tide is turning somewhat. There is a lot to be said about this. Take Dr. McMillan Cottom's words under advisement.

With that said, let's dive in.

You, Me & The Christmas Trees

A headstrong expert on evergreens ( cool job alert ) heads to a man's family business , a tree farm, to help him save his trees from certain death. (Hallmark, 10/22)

Raymond Ablack and Catherine Haena in Boyfriends of Christmas Past . Albert Camicioli/Crown Media hide caption

Raymond Ablack and Catherine Haena in Boyfriends of Christmas Past .

Boyfriends of Christmas Past

Lauren is visited by ... well, the ghosts of her old boyfriends. (Hallmark, 10/23)

Christmas In My Heart

A violinist and a "reclusive country music star" are "joined through the connective power of music." Sounds dangerous. (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, 10/23)

The Santa Stakeout

Two undercover detectives (Tamera Mowry-Housley, Paul Campbell) put on a fake relationship as newlyweds to bust a string of ... holiday party heists? Sure, okay. (Hallmark, 10/24)

Christmas in Harmony

You'll note that some of these premiere dates are in the past; the reason those are included is that in most cases, they will continue to air and stream all season, and this way you can look them up if you're interested.

A woman named Harmony (yuuuup) auditions for a chorus so she can perform music directed by her ex-boyfriend . (Hallmark, 10/29)

Coyote Creek Christmas

Event planning brings two people together. (Seriously, that's all I know. I don't know any more!) (Hallmark, 10/30)

The Christmas Promise

A grieving woman hires a hot helpful man to help renovate a house . (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, 10/30)

Here are the Books We Love: 360+ great 2021 reads recommended by NPR

Christmas sail.

A woman comes back to her hometown with her moppet daughter and meets up with her old friend . (Hallmark, 10/31)

A Rich Christmas

A dad sends his spoiled daughter off to work with unhoused folks to teach her a lesson about the true meaning of Christmas . (BET+, 11/4)

A woman impulsively flies out for a holiday visit with a guy she's been talking to on a dating app on the Amazing Internet. When she realizes she's been catfished and identities are scrambled , the regular guy agrees to make it up to her by setting her up with the guy she thought she was getting. (Netflix, 11/5)

Gingerbread Miracle

They are packing a lot into this one: His family business is a Mexican bakery that makes cookies that grant wishes . She's his old friend . (Hallmark, 11/5)

Next Stop, Christmas

We all get frustrated with holiday travel , but this woman has a particularly peculiar experience: She gets on a magic train back to her hometown and goes 10 years into the past, where she gets to consider: What if she picked a different guy? (Note: The supporting cast includes Christopher Lloyd and Lea Thompson! In a time-travel movie! Get it?) (Hallmark, 11/6)

Debbie Macomber's A Mrs. Miracle Christmas

There are a lot of branding words in this title. As for what it's actually about: Mrs. Miracle helps a couple rediscover the true meaning of Christmas . (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, 11/6)

Want to make tastier, prettier pies? A baker tells us where to tart

Father christmas is back.

Kelsey Grammer plays the big jerk dad of four daughters who are reunited at their ostentatious house and surprised when said dad shows up. (Netflix, 11/7)

A Christmas Treasure

Former American Idol Jordin Sparks plays a woman opens a time capsule and meets a chef (...sure), which motivates her to consider moving to New York (as you do after opening a time capsule and/or meeting a chef). (Hallmark, 11/7)

Christmas With A Prince: The Royal Baby

Did you know there's a "Christmas With A Prince" series about the royal-ish that's different from the "Christmas Prince" series on Netflix? There is, and this is the third movie in it. (UPtv, 11/7)

Open by Christmas

A woman and her friend look for the writer of an anonymous Christmas card from high school. (Hallmark, 11/12)

Ice Wine Christmas

A sommelier goes home to ... Evergreen (PUN TOWN ALERT!) ... for the annual "ice wine festival ," only to find that a Suit Man is planning to commercialize Christmas ice wine after taking over from her "ice wine mentor." Seriously, I missed holiday movies so much. (Lifetime, 11/12)

My Christmas Family Tree

In a premise so potentially sketchy it makes my teeth itch, a woman takes a DNA test, finds new relatives , and goes to see them for Christmas. (Hallmark, 11/13)

A Picture Perfect Holiday

A photographer (Tatyana Ali!) goes to a "Christmas photography retreat" (sure) and winds up in trapped together in a cabin with a wildlife photographer. (Lifetime, 11/13)

One December Night

I hardly know where to begin! Peter Gallagher (!) and Bruce Campbell (!!) play rock star dads (!!!) who have to be brought together at Christmas . (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, 11/13)

A Snowy Christmas

A woman goes back to her family home for Christmas, and she needs to save the place ! Will she be able to rely on this hot helpful man who just showed up? (UPtv, 11/13)

A Holiday in Harlem

Another one jam-packed with classic setups: A hard-charging career woman returns to her hometown to care for her injured grandmother and winds up reconnecting with her old best friend to run the neighborhood holiday party . (Hallmark, 11/14)

Snowed In For Christmas

An au pair is snowed in with the family she works for, and she's going to teach these moppets and their hot uncle about the true meaning of Christmas . (UPtv, 11/14)

Vanessa Hudgens, Vanessa Hudgens and Vanessa Hudgens star in The Princess Switch 3: Romancing The Star . Mark Mainz/Netflix hide caption

Vanessa Hudgens, Vanessa Hudgens and Vanessa Hudgens star in The Princess Switch 3: Romancing The Star .

The Princess Switch 3: Romancing The Star

You might remember that The Princess Switch , in which there were two royal-ish Vanessa Hudgenses, was followed by The Princess Switch 2 , in which there were three Vanessa Hudgenses. It appears that they have decided three is the limit for now, because there are still the same three Vanessa Hudgenses in The Princess Switch 3: Romancing The Star . If you want four Vanessa Hudgenses, you might have to wait for Princess Switch 4: Four Vanessa Hudgenses . (Netflix, 11/18)

Nantucket Noel

In a setup so familiar it seems like they have to have already made this movie at least once, a woman discovers that developers are going to take down the wharf (!) where her adorable small business , a toy store (!!), is located. But the developer's son is a surprisingly hot enemy , soooooooo maybe that will help? (Hallmark, 11/19)

Dancing Through The Snow

When a clip of a hot single dad and his moppet daughter doing ballet together goes viral on the Amazing Internet , he suddenly becomes a sensation. But he's into his daughter's ballet teacher! (Lifetime, 11/19)

Candy Coated Christmas

Okay, apparently it's now mandatory for everyone to make a Christmas movie, which is the only explanation I have for the fact that Discovery+, via the Food Network, has this one coming out, in which a woman goes back to her mom's charming hometown to save the family business and runs into a baker played by the Pioneer Woman. CAN WE JUST STOP ADDING OUTLETS THAT MAKE CHRISTMAS MOVIES? (Discovery+, 11/19)

A Christmas Together With You

A woman and her "father figure" head out on a road trip looking for the love of his life, but maybe she'll find the love of hers ! (Hallmark, 11/20)

You Make It Feel Like Christmas

A career woman is too busy to come home for Christmas, but an ex-boyfriend sets out to get her to return. (Lifetime, 11/20)

How to host meaningful gatherings — without stressing yourself out

Here's how to host a meaningful gathering

Five more minutes.

Anything I tell you about this movie would pale in comparison to the fact that it is based on a song about the passage of time by Scotty McCreery, the former American Idol contestant. (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, 11/20)

Mistletoe and Molly

A woman who's a "waitress and animal lover" is getting desperate for a break, because she needs to fix her car and it's almost Christmas! I wonder if this hot helpful man can do anything for her. (UPtv, 11/20)

Who Is Christmas Eve?

A woman who was left at a church as an infant learns about her past with the help of her boyfriend. (Bounce, 11/21)

A Kiss Before Christmas

A guy who's too nice to get ahead in business (sigh) magically wakes up in an alternate reality where he wasn't so nice, and he doesn't have his family but he has lots of money, and only you can make a guess as to what he will conclude about the big question: What if he had money but not love? (Hallmark, 11/21)

Baking Spirits Bright

A woman's family business is selling fruitcakes. (Hey, she likes fruitcakes.) They hire a Suit Man to help with marketing, and she has to, I'm sure, make sure that the true meaning of fruitcake is not lost. (Lifetime, 11/21)

Christmas on 5th Avenue

A "professional wish granter" ( cool job alert ) is redecorating for a writer who won't be home for Christmas. But then he is home after all! Can she make him rediscover the true meaning of Christmas ? (UPtv, 11/21)

The Nine Kittens of Christmas

If you know anything about these movies, you know that The Nine Lives of Christmas , in which Brandon Routh played a firefighter who met a girl and got a cat , is one of the best ones. Now, there's a sequel that's been given prized placement on Thanksgiving. But it suggests that the couple from the first one is getting back together in this one, which means they broke up so that they have to be brought together at Christmas , and now all my old Christmases are ruined. (Hallmark, 11/25)

Christmas Deja Vu

Amber Riley plays a woman who wishes she had pursued a singing career, and an angel is ready to give her a look at what if she had that life. (BET+, 11/25)

House of Gucci is a spicy meatball

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A Castle For Christmas

Netflix has put a lot of its Christmas muscle into somewhat younger demos with movies like The Princess Switch franchise and the Christmas Prince franchise. But like Hallmark and Lifetime, it knows that some of the holiday-movie bread is buttered with cholesterol-free alternatives, so it's putting a lot of weight behind this more mature romance starring Cary Elwes and Brooke Shields as a royal-ish castle owner and a writer who do not hit it off when she tries to buy his ostentatious house , a.k.a. castle. (Don't you hate it when somebody you don't like wants to buy your castle?) (Netflix, 11/26)

Christmas CEO

A woman who owns a small business (a toy company !) gets a chance to sell out big-time, but her former business partner — is he the one who got away ? — has to agree. (Hallmark, 11/26)

An Unexpected Christmas

A writer gets his ex-girlfriend to enter into a fake relationship and pretend to be his current girlfriend. (Hallmark, 11/26)

Reba McEntire and John Schneider in Reba McEntire's Christmas In Tune. Lifetime hide caption

Reba McEntire and John Schneider in Reba McEntire's Christmas In Tune.

Reba McEntire's Christmas In Tune

In a movie that pulls out all the stops for its intended audience, beloved famouses Reba McEntire and John Schneider play exes , an estranged singing team whose daughter (too old to be a moppet , but same difference) tries to bring them together for Christmas to participate in a charity event . But they still hate each other! Just kidding. (Lifetime, 11/26)

Making Spirits Bright

This story involves — let me consult my notes — "the son and daughter of rival holiday decorating families." Oh, that old story. Anyway, decorating contest , hot enemies , new bonds, and probably somebody pitching in at the end when somebody else has trouble. Maybe they'll team up? (Hallmark, 11/27)

Christmas at Castle Hart

Hallmark staple Lacey Chabert plays a woman who goes to Ireland to research her family and is mistaken for an elite event planner when identities are scrambled , which winds up getting her stuck planning a party for a big fancy royal-ish Irish dude. I hate when that happens. (Hallmark, 11/27)

Merry Liddle Christmas Baby

The next installment in this franchise finds Jacquie (Kelly Rowland!) getting ready for a baby . (Lifetime, 11/27)

Time For Them To Come Home For Christmas

This somewhat unwieldy title belongs to a movie about a woman with amnesia who can only figure out who she is by going to the Christmas festival . Producer is ... Blake Shelton. (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, 11/27)

Christmas in Tahoe

A woman's family owns a charming hotel , which naturally has an annual Christmas show (...?). To save the show this year, she has to approach her former boyfriend ... and his band (NO!). (Hallmark, 11/28)

The Christmas Contest

Hallmark staple Candace Cameron Bure stars as a woman who competes against some hot rival to win money for charity ? And the whole charming town gets in on it? Details are sketchy. (Hallmark, 11/28)

Tia Mowry and Smokey Robinson in Miracle in Motor City. Lifetime hide caption

Tia Mowry and Smokey Robinson in Miracle in Motor City.

Miracle in Motor City

Tia Mowry plays a woman who's event-planning her church's Christmas celebration and winds up leading them to believe beloved famous Smokey Robinson is coming. (Shades of Marcia Brady and Davy Jones.) She and her ex-boyfriend have to get together and try to get Smokey to come! (No spoilers, but, uh, Smokey's in the movie.) (Lifetime, 11/28)

Welcome to the Christmas Family Reunion

A singer named Tiffanie Christmas (YES!) is having a family reunion, and her event planner has enough challenges without falling for Tiffanie Christmas' cousin! (Lifetime, 11/29)

Adventures in Christmasing

Kim Fields plays a talk show host whose hot enemy is a survivalist dude she has to work with for a Special Christmas Event . (VH1, 11/29)

A Christmas Wish

A single mom needs a miracle at Christmas. Information is very minimal! (BET+, 11/30)

A Chestnut Family Christmas

A live-in chef invites her family to her boss' place for the holidays, but identities are scrambled to the degree that her family thinks she lives there herself. (OWN, 11/30)

Match Made In Mistletoe

A woman is hired to do the interior design for an embassy, but the ambassador (whom you can consider royal-ish for this purpose) doesn't like her style and makes her his hot enemy , because he's "minimalist." (LOL.) Will they learn to get along while she decorates? (Lifetime, 12/1)

The Business of Christmas 2

It's a sequel , obviously, and the children of the Franklin family are learning to get along without their dad. (BET+, 12/2)

The trailer for Netflix's Single All The Way.

Single All The Way

My personal pick for "I can't wait to see this one" is this film in which (the great) Michael Urie plays a guy who gets a friend to fake a relationship and pretend to be his boyfriend when he goes home for Christmas . When his mother, played by (the great) Kathy Najimy sets him up with an entirely different hottie, things get awkward. Jennifer Coolidge is around also, and it's a story with a gay lead going home to his family where it seems to have nothing whatsoever to do with either coming out or family disapproval, and that is a nice change. (Netflix, 12/2)

A Christmas Village Romance

I could not stop laughing at this title, because I kept wanting to type it as A Christmas Village Christmas , which would be the best movie title ever. Aaaanyway, a romance novelist discovers that a "charming pioneer village" (absolutely no idea) is "struggling to stay afloat" (in what sense?), she sponsors a big party for Christmas. But she gets all kinds of friction from the (checks notes) "blacksmith and town historian." (Lifetime, 12/2)

The Bitch Who Stole Christmas

RuPaul and some absolute queens appear in this parody in which a journalist goes to a small town where someone is trying to destroy Christmas. (VH1, 12/2)

Eight Gifts of Hanukkah

Someone asked recently whether Hallmark made Hanukkah movies, and I said occasionally, and hey, here is one! And unlike some in the past, it doesn't look like it's exclusively about Hanukkah as an alternative to Christmas. This one has a Hanukkah secret admirer . (Hallmark, 12/3)

Book Reviews

Ann patchett reflects on love and relationships in new essay collection, a christmas dance reunion.

They're closing the resort! Better try to save the place with one last Christmas celebration ! That's why Lucy and her mother go off into the snow, where they run into her ex-dance-partner who are brought together at Christmas . There's presumably some pretty good dancing here, since Monique Coleman and Corbin Bleu (reuniting from High School Musical !) are the leads. (Lifetime, 12/3)

A Very Merry Bridesmaid

A woman whose birthday is on Christmas Eve (the worst) also has a brother whose wedding is going to be on Christmas Eve (sir!). So it's up to her old crush to give her an actual birthday. (Hallmark, 12/4)

Kirk Franklin's A Gospel Christmas

A woman becomes lead pastor of a church only a month before Christmas, and she needs some help to get ready for the Winter Jamboree ! Kirk Franklin appears in and wrote music for this one. (Lifetime, 12/4)

A Clusterfunke Christmas

A comedy parody of the kind of movie that populates the rest of this list, this movie is by Ana Gasteyer and Rachel Dratch, and it's about a career woman who goes to a small town to buy an inn, and I can't really list tropes because it's specifically about tropes! But I will watch it. (Comedy Central, 12/4)

Our Christmas Journey

Holly Robinson Peete is a single mom of a son with autism, and something happens around Christmas, but the description doesn't really say what it is. I guess that's the Christmas journey! (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, 12/4)

Movie Reviews

New york times doc on janet jackson's super bowl scandal leaves questions unanswered, christmas under the stars.

A "Christmas blogger" ( job from 2006 alert ) heads to a place called Christmas World (I mean, it makes sense) to get some delicious content. The guy who's about to inherit Christmas World needs her help to save the place ! (UPtv, 12/4)

Sister Swap: A Hometown Holiday

I'm not sure how I went this long without knowing that Kimberly Williams-Paisley and Ashley Williams are actual sisters, but they are, and they're both experienced holiday movie people, so here they are together! Real relatives playing relatives! Apparently, their uncle has just died , and he owned the theater in their town. So the sister, widowed single mom, comes back to town to help save the theater (maybe?), and she meets up with her onetime rival from the debate team, so that sounds hot . (Hallmark, 12/5)

My Favorite Christmas Melody

Mýa plays a woman who can write real songs but is off writing jingles. (This is nothing to be ashamed of, it seems to me!) The high school music teacher in her hometown gets her involved in trying to save the arts programs at the school. Hopefully, she teaches all the kids that there's no shame in making a living in the arts, even if it means you write jingles! (Lifetime, 12/5)

A Furry Little Christmas

(I just want to make it clear that I don't write the titles of these things.) A doctor (a city guy) meets a vet (a small-town girl), just in time for Christmas. (UPtv, 12/5)

Secretly Santa

There's one every year where I just think, "You have to quote the entire thing, or it won't come through." So here's the official description: "Miranda (Alicia Dea Josipovic) and Paul (Travis Nelson) are business rivals who accidentally meet at a costumed Santa crawl and spend a romantic evening together without learning each other's identities. As their anonymous romance continues online, their businesses merge, forcing them into an unwanted partnership. As they clash while working together on a holiday gift-giving app, their hearts must reconcile their online love when unexpected feelings develop for one another." (Lifetime, 12/6)

Hip Hop Family Christmas

A hip-hop celebrity family agrees to do a Christmas special to improve their image. Ne-Yo is in it! (VH1, 12/7)

Christmas Movie Magic

A woman journalist is assigned to write about the anniversary of a beloved Christmas movie, so she goes to the small town where it was filmed. (So far so good; this could be my life.) She meets up with the theater owner, and they explore the history of the movie's big song. (Lifetime, 12/7)

A Sisterly Christmas

Two sisters who just couldn't be more different (one loves Christmas! one hates Christmas !) are brought together on a vacation, but they encounter an old rival . (OWN, 12/7)

Christmas with a Crown

A woman goes back to her hometown to look after her family's Christmas festival . There, she meets a man whom she does not realize is royal-ish : a prince in disguise! That never happens to me when I'm planning my family's Christmas festival! (Lifetime, 12/8)

Merry Switchmas

Twin sisters decide to switch places at the family Christmas party ! Identities are scrambled ! (BET+, 12/9)

A Fiance for Christmas

A woman invents a fiance, and then she has to get a guy to pretend to be her fiance , and that sounds like a recipe for disaster! (Hey, it's beloved famous Marie Osmond!) (Lifetime, 12/9)

A Dickens of a Holiday!

So ... a woman lives in a small town that has a "Victorian festival ." And the best way to make its 100th anniversary a smash is to invite back a local celebrity: the guy she went to high school with , who's now a movie star , and who she wants to play Scrooge in A Christmas Carol . (Hallmark, 12/10)

Mario Lopez and Emeraude Toubia in Holiday in Santa Fe . Lifetime hide caption

Mario Lopez and Emeraude Toubia in Holiday in Santa Fe .

Holiday in Santa Fe

Mario Lopez plays a guy whose family business makes holiday decor. When a Suit Woman shows up who might want to buy the company, they have to get to know each other. (Lifetime, 12/10)

A Royal Queens Christmas

I think you will agree this title sounds like it could be about a lot of things, but here's what it's actually about, per the Hallmark description: "A prince finds his way to Queens during Christmas when a local woman enlists his help with a children's Christmas show ." I have a lot of questions. (Hallmark, 12/11)

The Holiday Fix-Up

A TV star who does a home renovation show gets assigned to fix up a hotel in her hometown for Christmas. But who's the contractor she'll be working with? HER OLD FLAME ! (Lifetime, 12/11)

A Godwink Christmas: Miracle of Love

So this is a continuation of this Godwink franchise in which the idea is that coincidences are God winking. Like, they are literally winks of God. "Godwinks." Apparently, this movie about a woman who wants to be a nurse and a man who also is "at a crossroads" (...?) involves a sort of Habitat For Humanity-like setup as well as a "medical miracle." (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, 12/11)

Hot Mess Holiday

Again, I know everyone wants to get into this business, but Comedy Central, guys? COMEDY CENTRAL? Anyway, a woman gets dumped during Diwali (okay, I do appreciate an expansion of what "holiday movie" means!), and she and her best friend go on a wild partying tear through Chicago, and they end up with a diamond. (Comedy Central, 12/11)

Sister Swap: Christmas in the City

I originally thought they had listed a movie twice, but no! See, while the one sister goes back home to save the theater, her sister goes and takes her place at her restaurant to help prepare for a contest . And she meets a man! So these movies are paired, you see: it's a sister swap, and each one gets a movie. It's like The Holiday , if it had been two movies. (Hallmark, 12/12)

People Presents: Blending Christmas

I am candidly irate that this is not a movie about someone who owns a Santa-themed smoothie company, but WHATEVER. It's actually about a couple who comes together with their wacky families for what's supposed to be a proposal, but then things get crazy and the families have to cooperate to get them back together. Note that this movie features not one but four members of the original Brady Bunch cast plus Cousin Oliver playing, I believe, various family members! What a time to be alive. (Lifetime, 12/12)

Fixing Up Christmas

A woman who does event planning for "difficult clients" has to put together a party for a Suit Man . (UPtv, 12/12)

Maps & Mistletoe

A "cartographer of school maps" (um, cool job alert) has to get together with an actual North Pole explorer to work on a special Christmas project for work. (Lifetime, 12/13)

Let's Get Merried

A woman (who hates Christmas ) is on a bachelorette weekend right around Christmas when she meets and marries some dude. Will it remain a fake relationship ? (VH1, 12/13)

Dan Jeannotte and Annie Clark in Ghosts of Christmas Past. Danielle Blancher/Lifetime hide caption

Dan Jeannotte and Annie Clark in Ghosts of Christmas Past.

Ghosts Of Christmas Past

A woman who ghosts people on dating apps (PUN TITLE!) gets into a whole thing with a fortune teller who says she has to close the loop with some of her dates or she'll never fall in love. (Wow, okay, worst fortune teller ever.) (Lifetime, 12/14)

A Christmas Stray

I mean, it is what it says it is! A man is not at all into Christmas, but then a stray dog finds him. (OWN, 12/14)

The Enchanted Christmas Cake

(Don't eat cursed food, guys.) Anyhoo, a woman running the family bakery after her grandmother's death is trying to figure out the Enchanted Christmas Cake recipe , and when a baking TV show wants to film in her town, she agrees to help. And that producer is looking pretty good! (Lifetime, 12/15)

A California Christmas: City Lights

In a sequel to last year's classic (?) A California Christmas , hard times come upon the owners of the ... dairy-farm-slash-winery. (Netflix, 12/16)

Christmas By Chance

The woman's name is Chance, and her small business is By Chance Gifts, and the rich guy who comes in to get her to put together a proposal to his girlfriend probably never suspects that she's going to be his big ... chance. (Lifetime, 12/16)

Mistletoe in Montana

Melissa Joan Hart owns a ranch that entertains city people, including a hot single dad and his kids. What a ... ride! (Lifetime, 12/17)

The Christmas House 2: Deck Those Halls

The Christmas House was famous last year for being the Pigs Flying movie for people who believed Hallmark might never include a gay couple, even in a supporting position in a family ensemble. This year, the whole wacky family is back to decorate houses in a brutal competition . Including the gay brother! (Hallmark, 12/18)

Toying With The Holidays

A "workaholic" woman and her moppet son go back to her hometown , only to find that the model train she loves isn't running anymore this Christmas! She better fix that, because tradition is the true meaning of Christmas , and she better hope there's an old friend and model-train guy in town to help. (Lifetime, 12/18)

Christmas For Keeps

Some friends get together over the holidays to celebrate their high school teacher back in their hometown . (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, 12/18)

'Tis the Season to be Merry

A writer wants to work on her relationship book, so she goes off to Vermont (the most Christmas-y of destinations) and meets a guy. (Hallmark, 12/19)

Elise Bauman and Tattiawna Jones in Under the Christmas Tree. Albert Camicioli/Lifetime hide caption

Elise Bauman and Tattiawna Jones in Under the Christmas Tree.

Under The Christmas Tree

A "marketing whiz" and a "Christmas tree whisperer" (!) ( cool job alert ) clash over the latter's discovery of a perfect tree for a special project in the former's backyard. Will they get over themselves and stop being hot enemies ? WILL THEY? Take note and note well: They're both women! (Lifetime, 12/19)

Christmas Together

A woman rents a young father's guest house and falls in love. (UPtv, 12/19)

Candy Cane Candidate

A woman smarting from a city council loss retreats to her hometown , but what's this? She meets up with her old high school rival who beat her in student government elections? And the mayor just resigned, meaning they have to run against each other again in an emergency election? That sounds like she's going to have a terrible Christmas full of nothing but stress! (Lifetime, 12/20)

Miracles Across 125th Street

Nick Cannon stars as a rapper who goes to church on Christmas Eve to deal with some pretty heavy personal business. (VH1, 12/20)

The Christmas Ball

A fired ballerina goes home to find that her family's ostentatious house is at risk, and the only way to save it is to work with a local historian to put on a grand ball that will recall the place of the "family manor" in history. (Lifetime, 12/21)

It Takes A Christmas Village

The town has a " Christmas market ," but the beautiful mayor can only make it work by convincing a local mean recluse to let the city use his mill! I bet it won't work and Christmas will be canceled. (Lifetime, 12/22)

Rebuilding A Dream Christmas

(Not, by the way, Requiem for a Dream Christmas , which would be a whole different thing.) A woman returns to her hometown to fix up a property she inherited. Whom will she hire to work on the place? Not this hot single dad ! (Lifetime, 12/23)

Hot Chocolate Holiday

A woman whose coffee shop (the coziest possible small business ) is famous for its hot chocolate decides that a rival shop has ripped off her hot cocoa "recipe," which she can tell from its distinct taste. (Let me guess: Chocolate and milk?) But of course, as they are literally fighting over hot cocoa as hot enemies , they can't help falling in love. (Lifetime, 12/24)

Writing Around The Christmas Tree

A romance novelist goes on a writing retreat and meets a dude who is also a writer , who tells her she shouldn't write romance unless she gets herself some, and I am here to tell you this man should be escorted out the nearest window, but apparently he has some serious charm, because she gets to know him instead. (Lifetime, 12/25)

Christmas For Sale

A real estate agent impersonates the yoga instructor to a billionaire (yes, with a B) in order to pursue a real estate listing (?), but even though identities are scrambled , she kinda likes him. (BET+, date TBD)

The Jenkins Family Christmas

The first Christmas in a big family after the death of a parent is a big deal, but it's safe to say it's a bigger deal when, as here, a previously unknown additional sibling shows up for the holidays. (BET+, available now)

A man who owes money to the mob goes into hiding as a mall Santa. (This is a pretty good setup. Easy moppet story!) (BET+, available now)

Travel Updates

17 Best Christmas Movies To Binge-Watch This Holiday Season

The spirit of the Christmas Season is here and it’s that time of year to spread love and joy again. There are so many ways to spread cheer: Christmas dinners, carols, gifts, and greetings are typical ways of celebrating. How about some top Christmas movies to kick-start the celebrations this year? One of the best ways to channel the mood this holiday season is by watching some great Christmas movies. There are so many top Christmas movies out there, here is a list of our favorite ones that you can binge-watch. From comedies to romantic flicks, animated classics to superhero movies, we have something for everyone on this list. Get ready to enter a world of magic through these Christmas movies and let the holiday season begin!

Table of Contents

List Of Top 17 Christmas Movies To Ignite Your Holiday Spirit

It’s the perfect time to curl up on the couch with your family to enjoy some of the greatest Christmas movies of all time. With the massive heap of Christmas movies to watch, picking the perfect one may be a bit difficult. Don’t worry, we are here with a guide to some of the best Christmas movies to ignite your holiday spirit!

Home Alone (1990)

Genre: Comedy, Family

Director: Chris Columbus

Starring: Joe Pesci, Macaulay Culkin, Daniel Stern, John Heard

Watch On: Disney+Hotstar, Prime Video

Rating: 7.7/10

Synopsis: An eight-year-old Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) must protect his home from burglars when he is accidentally left home alone by his family during Christmas vacation.

It’s hard to resist holiday movies that won our hearts when we were younger, that’s the reason this movie is one of the greatest Christmas movies of all time. It is not just about a home invasion and family estrangement but also about the joy of not having to deal with an insane family. Home Alone is really about how powerless some kids can feel but the way Macaulay Culkin handles the situation and the sentimental end worked really well for this movie.

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

Genre: Animation, Family, Fantasy

Director: Henry Selick

Starring: Danny Elfman, Chris Sarandon, William Hicke, Catherine O’Hara

Watch On: Disney+

Rating: 7.9/10

Synopsis: The film follows the misadventures of Jack Skellington, Halloweentown’s beloved pumpkin king who plots to bring Christmas under his control by kidnapping Santa Claus and taking over his role. But Jack soon discovers even the best-laid plans can go seriously awry.

‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ is a blend of both Halloween and Christmas movies. This is one of the most visually splendid films ever made. The masterful work of visual tricks and treats by designer Tim Burton makes the film very creepy. Such great work can be accomplished only by great filmmakers like Henry. The film doesn’t have the narrative fuel to match Disney’s best-animated movies, but there is something about it that makes the movie look better and better every year.

A Christmas Story (1983)

Director: Bob Clark

Starring: Peter Billingsley, Darren McGavin, Melinda Dillon, Scott Schwartz

Watch On: HBO Max

Synopsis: A young boy named Ralphie Parker (Peter Billingsley) spends most of his time dreaming of his ideal Christmas gift, a “Red Ryder air rifle.” His attempts to convince his parents, teacher, and Santa Claus that a Red Ryder Range air rifle really is the perfect Christmas gift.

This warmly nostalgic and darkly humorous movie is America’s favorite holiday movie. It is so popular that it appears on TV for 24 hours straight every Christmas. Nine years after Black Christmas, director Bob Clark went on to make this holiday classic. This is the kind of movie that is infinitely watchable. Despite having a reputation for being a nostalgic comedy it also has bleak scares along the way. This movie is not just about the boy fighting for a Red Ryder BB gun but also about fighting for his survival.

Die Hard (1988)

Genre: Action, Thriller

Director: John McTiernan

Starring: Bruce Willis, Alan Rickman, Reginald VelJohnso, Bonnie Bedelia

Watch On: Prime Video

Rating: 8.2/10

Synopsis: A New York City police officer (Bruce Willis) tries to save his estranged wife and several others who are taken hostage by terrorists during a Christmas party in Los Angeles.

This is undoubtedly one of the best action movies ever made. It’s a story of loss and renewal in which the hero takes down a bunch of terrorists in order to repair his marriage. Tightly plotted, the main mission here is to reconcile with his wife in time for the Christmas holidays. This is the kind of movie for multiple viewings without losing its humor or heart.

Elf (2003)

Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Family

Director: Jon Favreau

Starring: James Caan, Will Ferrell, Bob Newhart, Zooey Deschanel

Watch On: Amazon, HBO Max

Rating: 7/10

Synopsis: Buddy (Will Ferrell) travels from the North Pole to New York City to meet his biological father Walter Hobbs (James Caan) who doesn’t know he exists and is in desperate need of some Christmas spirit.

Elf is a movie full of good-natured family comedy that’s sweeter than a candy cane. Will Ferrell’s funny and charming performance as an Elf in yellow tights, a green parka, and a cone-shaped cap proves that he is the right actor in the right role. Watching this classic Christmas movie will make you laugh, make you smile, and make your heart grow bigger and bigger, all at the same time.

Also Read: Amazing Winter Destinations To Celebrate Christmas This Year

Happiest Season (2020)

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance

Director: Clea DuVall

Starring: Mackenzie Davis, Kristen Stewart, Mary Steenburgen, Victor Garber

Watch On: Prime Video, Hulu

Rating: 6.6/10

Synopsis: This romantic comedy is about a longtime lesbian couple who plans to go home to one of their families for the Christmas holidays. Besides spending the holiday season with the conservative parents, the range of emotions, waiting for the family’s acceptance, and revealing this nasty secret to them forms the entire plot of the movie.

A jolly good movie with heartfelt performances is all you’ll want for Christmas this year. ‘Happiest Season’ was one of the best cinematic gifts received for Christmas a couple of years back. It’s a new type of Christmas film with a touching comedy that revolves around coming home for Christmas. Just hanging in there and handling the complex situation leads to a comedy of errors in this movie. Happiest Season is definitely a delectable festive treat.

It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)

Genre: Drama, Family, Fantasy

Director: Frank Capra

Starring: James Stewart, Donna Reed, Thomas Mitchell, Lionel Barrymore

Watch On: Amazon Prime

Rating: 8.6/10

Synopsis: An angel (Henry Travers) is sent from Heaven to help a desperately frustrated businessman (James Stewart) by showing him what life would have been like if he had never existed.

Few films define Christmas like Frank Capra’s 1946 fantasy ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’. It was nominated for five Academy Awards and has become known as one of the most acclaimed Christmas movies ever made. The amazing performances, and beautiful script by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett along with Capra is the reason for its success. The movie is an oft-depressing parable that depicts one man’s dark night of the soul that connects with a new generation. All unpleasant questions asked were provided with definitive answers.

Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Family

Director: George Seaton

Starring: Maureen O’Hara, Edmund Gwenn, John Payne, Gene Lockhart

Watch On: Disney+, HBO Max, Hulu, Amazon

Synopsis: A divorced New York mother hires a nice old man by the name of Kris Kringle (Edmund Gwenn) to play Santa Claus at her annual Thanksgiving Day parade. Kringle proves to be such a hit that he starts surprising customers and employees alike by claiming that he really is Santa Claus. This leads to a court case where his sanity is questioned.

Those with a taste for a healthy sprinkle of cynical realism on their holiday fare will probably fall in love with ‘Miracle on 34th Street’. Edmund Gwenn as the old man was so good that by the end of the movie, you really might believe he is Santa. Even today it is one of the most effectively hokey pieces of classic Christmas movies the entertainment industry has ever produced. The 1994 remake of this movie starring Richard Attenborough and Mara Wilson was also pretty good.

Last Christmas (2019)

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Fantasy

Director: Paul Feig

Starring: Madison Ingoldsby, Emma Thompson, Lucy Miller, Boris Isakovic

Rating: 6.5/10

Synopsis: Kate, a young woman working as an elf in a year-round Christmas store is a frustrated Londoner as nothing is going right for her. However, she meets Tom, a mysterious man who seems too good to be true. Tom and Kate’s growing attraction turns into a Yuletide romance.

‘Last Christmas’ is a film based on George Michael’s songs with great chemistry between the leads. Apart from the twist ending this movie has much more to offer. It’s being marketed as a romantic comedy but it’s more of a dramatic one.

Remember the Night (1940)

Director: Mitchell Leisen

Starring: Fred MacMurray, Barbara Stanwyck, Elizabeth Patterson, Beulah Bondi

Watch On: DVD Available on Amazon

Rating: 7.6/10

Synopsis: Love blooms between a sympathetic attorney John Sargent (Fred MacMurray) and the pretty shoplifter Lee Leander (Barbara Stanwyck) he has taken home for the Christmas holiday. However, John’s mother disapproves and warns Lee to stay away from him. Finally, she decides to leave the man she loves.

‘Remember the Night’ starts as a broad, brisk comedy but shifts moods as John learns about Lee’s difficult past. They start to fall in love with each other during a road trip to Indiana. However, in this process, Fred comes to realize how fortunate he is to have a happy caring family. Lee shares the first warm Christmas morning of her life with his family and is very appreciative of it. Its lead pair that teamed up for the first time for this 1940 Christmas romance was a super hit.

Black Christmas (1974)

Genre: Horror, Mystery, Thriller

Starring: Olivia Hussey, Keir Dullea, John Saxon, Margot Kidder

Watch On: HBO Max, rent on Amazon

Rating: 7.1/10

Synopsis: During their Christmas break, a group of sorority girls is stalked and start receiving anonymous phone calls from a stranger. Soon a girl goes missing from the sorority house, and a local adolescent girl is murdered. It’s suspected that there is a serial killer on the loose.

Director Bob Clark made creepy Christmas movies that audiences kept watching every year. His movies are mostly notable for their creeping sense of dread, careful pacing, and outstanding outfits. This movie was shot on and near the University of Toronto campus. It is definitely one of the most influential horror films of all time. The girls in the movie are shown as remarkably strong young women who can take care of themselves in both normal and deadly scenarios.

The Christmas Chronicles (2018)

Director: Clay Kaytis

Starring: Kurt Russell, Darby Camp, Oliver Hudson, Judah Lewis

Watch On: Netflix

Synopsis: Siblings Kate and Teddy Pierce plan to catch Santa Claus on Christmas Eve. When the plan goes awry, the kids go on an unexpected journey (that most kids could only dream about) to save the holiday before it’s too late.

The Christmas Chronicles is a holiday adventure movie that is so much more different from the other Christmas movies. This one really has different feelings, and emotions and also gives the idea that it can be OK to do something naughty if it’s for a good cause. Here Santa spends Christmas Eve helping out some troubled kids escape a series of mishaps because he really cares about the kids and will do anything to save Christmas. There is a sequel to this which came out in 2020.

White Christmas (1954)

Genre: Comedy, Musical, Romance

Director: Michael Curtiz

Starring: Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, Vera-Elle, Dean Jagger

Watch On: Prime Video, HBO Max, Netflix

Rating: 7.5/10

Synopsis: Two successful singers get romantically involved with two dancer sisters. They team up to help their former military commander Waverly (Dean Jagger) save his Vermont lodge, which is having financial difficulties.

This black-and-white Christmas film is a fun-filled musical extravaganza that is like the fruitcake of traditional Christmas movies, either you love it or you hate it. It is a beautiful movie with a good plot, dialogue, and some pretty good song and dance numbers which the fans of old musicals will love it. The musical sequences including the stirring rendition of the Irving Berlin title track and the charming “Sisters” are spectacular. In short white Christmas is a great, wholesome Christmas movie, with lots of singing and dancing.

Batman Returns (1992)

Genre: Action, Crime, Fantasy

Director: Tim Burton

Starring: Christopher Walken, Michael Keaton, Danny DeVito, Michelle Pfeiffer

Synopsis: The monstrous Penguin (Danny DeVito) joins with wicked shock-headed businessman Max Shreck (Christopher Walken) to topple Batman (Michael Keaton). But when Shreck’s assistant, Selina Kyle (Michelle Pfeiffer), finds out, and Shreck tries to kill her, she is transformed into the sexy Catwoman. She then teams up with the Penguin and Max Shreck to destroy Batman.

It’s an action movie that isn’t really about Christmas though it’s set during the holiday season. Director Tim Burton’s violent, dangerous, and sexy sequel is better than the first. The flawless casting and performances from the main lead make this movie worth a watch. Batman Returns is the finest Batman film to ever hit theaters.

While You Were Sleeping (1995)

Genre: Romance, Comedy

Director: Jon Turteltaub

Starring: Sandra Bullock, Peter Gallagher, Bill Pullman, Peter Boyle

Watch On: Disney+, Prime Video

Rating: 6.8/10

Synopsis: When Lucy Eleanor Moderatz (Sandra Bullock) pulls her longtime crush, Peter (Peter Gallagher), from the path of an oncoming train, she didn’t know what was in store for her. The doctors report that Peter is in a coma, and a miscommunication from Lucy causes Peter’s family to assume that she is his fiancée. Things start getting even more complicated when she finds herself falling in love with Peter’s brother, Jack (Bill Pullman).

While you were sleeping is a favorite feel-good film of all time. This romantic comedy, set in the heart of the winter holidays tells a story about two complete strangers who fall in love. The charming performance from the lead cast and lovely storyline makes this movie worth a watch during the holiday season. This movie has a little more depth than the usual romantic movies.

The Night Before (II) (2015)

Genre: Comedy, Fantasy

Director: Jonathan Levine

Starring: Seth Rogen, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Jillian Bell, Lizzy Caplan

Rating: 6.3/10

Synopsis: Lifelong buddies Ethan (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), Isaac (Seth Rogen), and Chris (Anthony Mackie) come together on Christmas Eve to celebrate the holidays with a bang. As one of them is to become a first-time father, the friends realize that their annual tradition of the meeting is coming to an end. To make it a memorable one they spend the night in New York City looking for the Holy Grail of Christmas parties.

The Night Before is a worthwhile addition to the list of Christmas movies worth revisiting. What’s impressive about the movie is that the film’s four credited writers manage to give the audience both, comedy as well a sentimental touch that will leave you misty-eyed. This one has some heavy content material that is absolutely worth putting on your watch list.

Edward Scissorhands (1990)

Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Romance

Starring: Johnny Depp, Dianne Wiest, Winona Ryder, Anthony Michael Hall

Watch On: Amazon Prime, Disney+

Synopsis: A scientist (Vincent Price) builds an artificial man Edward (Johnny Depp). Before finishing assembling Edward the scientist dies leaving Edward with a freakish appearance where he has scissor blades instead of hands. Then one day, a suburban saleswoman Peg (Dianne Wiest) discovers him and introduces him to her world. Edward falls for Peg’s teen daughter (Winona Ryder) but despite being kind his hands make him an outcast.

Though Edward’s leather-suited, scissor hand stands out from the colorful suburban Christmastime landscape, the story is one that proves perfectly in tune with the season’s spirit. Director Tim Burton treats a sensitive, lab-created man with scissors for hands as a Christ-like, too pure for this world-like figure who descends on an American suburb where he’s celebrated and then persecuted. Edward was portrayed as a gentle, goofy soul but the movie makes an abrupt switch in Edward’s character about two-thirds of the way through. However in the end the movie is an ambitious and beautifully conceived fairy tale for all to watch.

Also Read: Popular Christmas Carols To Put You In The Festive Spirit

Apart from the above-listed Christmas movies, there are tons of Christmas movies of all genres which you can watch on Disney+, Netflix, Amazon Prime, and HBO Max. If we have missed your favorite, do share them in the comment box below.

The Christmas Chronicles is one of the best to watch Christmas movies on Netflix.

The most-watched Christmas movie ‘The Santa Clause’ tops the list with $470.1 million views.

‘A Christmas Story’ is the most popular Christmas movie in America. 24 states have chosen this movie as their favorite.

‘Home Alone’ has been crowned the most-watched Christmas movie over the festive season.

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National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

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Best Christmas Movies on Netflix

Rotten Tomatoes has put together a guide to every Christmas movie available on Netflix with a Tomatometer score because we’re here to enable your holiday movie addiction. The company has built up a sizable collection over the years, including their Princess Switch trilogy, the exquisitely animated Klaus , and classic White Christmas . In 2022, we’ve seen Lindsay Lohan’s Falling for Christmas , The Noel Diary , and their latest effort in animation, Scrooge: A Christmas Carol . For 2023, Netflix has released Best. Christmas. Ever! .

After collecting their selections, the films are organized below first based on their Tomatometer score, starting with Certified Fresh films first.

Klaus (2019) 95%

Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey (2020) 90%

Alien Xmas (2020) 100%

Who Killed Santa? A Murderville Murder Mystery (2022) 91%

Feast of the Seven Fishes (2019) 88%

A Boy Called Christmas (2021) 84%

Let It Snow (2019) 81%

White Christmas (1954) 77%

A Castle for Christmas (2021) 75%

A Christmas Prince (2017) 73%

The Noel Diary (2022) 69%

The Christmas Chronicles (2018) 67%

A Very Murray Christmas (2015) 68%

Single All the Way (2021) 68%

The Knight Before Christmas (2019) 67%

The Princess Switch (2018) 67%

The Christmas Chronicles 2 (2020) 64%

Christmas With You (2022) 65%

Love Actually (2003) 64%

Dolly Parton's Christmas on the Square (2020) 64%

Falling for Christmas (2022) 62%

A California Christmas (2020) 60%

The Princess Switch: Switched Again (2020) 56%

Love Hard (2021) 53%

The Princess Switch 3: Romancing the Star (2021) 53%

A Christmas Prince: The Royal Wedding (2018) 50%

Operation Christmas Drop (2020) 47%

Holidate (2020) 45%

Christmas Inheritance (2017) 43%

Best. Christmas. Ever! (2023) 38%

Black Christmas (2019) 40%

El Camino Christmas (2017) 40%

Holiday Rush (2019) 40%

Scrooge: A Christmas Carol (2022) 38%

Holiday in the Wild (2019) 38%

A Christmas Prince: The Royal Baby (2019) 36%

The Holiday Calendar (2018) 33%

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The 9 best Christmas travel movies of all time

If you live in the Southern hemisphere, feeling festive can quickly become 'festy' when it’s 39 degrees outside and you’re sweating like a Tiger prawn on a sun lounger. So sit back, crank up the air-con and chill with our pick of the best Christmas travel movies to get you in a merry mood.

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Help your clients discover beautiful samoa with viva holidays , collette bucket list savings sales: save 20% on tours & cruising, nt round up famil wrap: see australia’s top end from the land, water & sky, if you live in the southern hemisphere, feeling festive can quickly become ‘festy’ when it’s 39 degrees outside and you’re sweating like a tiger prawn on a sun lounger. so sit back, crank up the air-con and chill with our pick of the best christmas travel movies to get you in a merry mood., 9. the snowman (1982).

Warm and fuzzies

Based on the children’s picture book by English author Raymond Briggs, The Snowman was first published in the U.K in 1978.

The animation came later and despite only being 26 minutes long, it’s a charming story of a little boy who builds a snowman one winter’s day.

That night, at the stroke of twelve, the snowman comes to life and they begin their magical adventure together.

With a gorgeous orchestral soundtrack and the haunting anthem ‘Walking in the air’ it’s sure to have you crying like a baby and hugging those nearest and dearest to you.. Which could include your favourite alcoholic beverage.

8. The Polar Express (2004)

Snowmen everywhere

The Polar Express is also based on a children’s book and follows the dream like adventure of a boy and his dramatic animated journey to the North Pole to meet Santa on board the steam train – Polar Express.

Tom Hanks amazingly plays six different characters in the movie and despite the animation looking a little dated (aged 12) compared to the wonders of today, the snowy surroundings and festive fantasy scenes make the film a must watch to get you in the mood for mulled wine, mince pies and all things St. Nick.

7. The Santa Claus (1994)

After accidentally killing Santa Claus by knocking him off the roof on Christmas eve, Scott Calvin (played by Tim Allen) travels all the way to the North Pole to learn that he must become the new Santa and convince those he loves that he is indeed Father Christmas.

It’s funny stuff and though there were two sequels, the original we think is still the funniest.

6. In Bruges (2008)

A rare happy moment

After a major stuff up with a job, Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson (playing two Irish hit men) are sent to the picturesque Belgian city of Bruges over the Christmas period to sit it out and await further orders from the boss (played by psychopath Ralph Fiennes).

What transpires is a black comedy that goes from bad to worse as Farrell and Gleeson stand out as two starkly different characters in a traditional Christmassy backdrop.

Perhaps not one for the snoozy post Christmas lunch session with the rellies, but definitely one to be enjoyed later on when everyone’s gone to bed.

5. Home Alone (1990)

Don’t be fooled by his innocence

Who could forget Macauley Culkin a.k.a the lovable Kevin McAllister?

He was the nine-year-old pest who was accidentally left behind by his family when they took off to Paris for the Christmas holidays.

I mean, surely it’s a simple parenting mistake anyone could make?

So whilst Kevin’s mum realises her relatively large mistake and races home to rescue him, Mr Home Alone junior takes on and fends off two unlikely burglars trying to loot the family home, leaving them both destined instead for the mental asylum.

One burglar was even a young (ish) Joe Pesci from Goodfellas which just goes to show that Kevin really was a bad ass.

4. Love Actually (2003)

Oh Hugh you big boofhead!

With an all star British cast including Hugh Grant, Colin Firth, Bill Nighy, Liam Neeson, Keira Knightley and Emma Thompson, this quirky, hilarious British rom-com tells an intertwined tale of nine distinctive love stories in the lead up to Christmas, most of which end up concluding at London’s Heathrow Airport.

Aside from being a great ad for Visit Britain, and a timeless classic for everyone to enjoy it’s full of Grants trademark ‘Oh’s’ and ‘um’s’ and is a reminder that the spirit of Christmas romance always seems to come together in the end somehow (for most people anyway).

3. The Holiday

It’s a classic holiday movie that often goes under the radar, but here at KarryOn , the team unanimously agrees that The Holiday should be high up on any Christmas movie list.

Nahrain and Haley say it not only does the film showcase the different ways Christmas is celebrating in the UK and California, but the various ways in which modern day travellers can choose to organise and reserve their holidays.

“And besides, who doesn’t want to see hottie Jude Law play a doting dad?” the pair giggled.

2. Elf (2003)

Another one of my annual Christmas must watches. Often more than once.

Will Ferrell, aka Buddy the Elf (Who’s actually a human that was separated at birth) leaves his beloved North Pole home where he grew up on a quest to find his real father (James Caan) and family in New York City.

Both totally random and heart tugging, six-foot-three Elf Ferrell plays the part brilliantly and ultimately teaches everyone something about humanity and ‘difference’ by the end of it in how own unique way.

1. National Lampoons Christmas Vacation (1989)

Quite possibly the finest Christmas movie ever made? We think so.

Because after all, we can all relate to poor Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase) as his nut job family descend on his house for the Holiday period and he tries in vain to make it the ‘perfect Christmas’ for everyone.

A bit like watching a car crash in slow motion, things go from crazy to ridiculous as Griswold Snr’s mental health deteriorates with every legendary scene.

I never tire of watching this movie, or any of the National Lampoon series for that matter. Pure gold.

Did we miss any? What’s your favourite Christmas travel movie?

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The 50 Best Christmas Movies of All Time, Ranked

The most wonderful time of the year deserves the most wonderful films.

There are plenty of yearly holidays celebrated throughout the world, and many of the biggest ones have movies attached to them. There are movies that capture the spirit of Valentine's Day , there are movies that are best watched around Easter , the horror genre is intrinsically tied to Halloween , and 2023 even graced cinema with a noteworthy Thanksgiving film, appropriately titled Thanksgiving . But no time of the year gets represented quite as often in cinema as Christmastime, perhaps owing to the fact that it's a holiday which - alongside New Year's Eve - concludes every single year.

There are distinct visual elements of Christmas (snow, colors like red and green, warm clothing, etc.) that look good on screen, and it's a time of year when many have time off work, which gives people more time to watch movies. More free time means more Christmas movies getting made each and every year, because there's clearly a real market for them. With such a vast ocean of Christmas movies, it can be difficult to seek out some of the very best , but that's what the following intends to do. It's a ranking of iconic Christmas movies and a few offbeat titles that capture a Christmas feel while also being a little subversive or unexpected, all ranked below from great to greatest.

50 'The Santa Clause' (1994)

Director: john pasquin.

It might not rank as one of the very best movies of 1994 , but The Santa Clause is at least something of an iconic Christmas movie , and a reliably family-friendly one, too ( well, for the most part ). The premise is admittedly a little bizarre, though, given its premise involves a family man accidentally knocking the real Santa Claus unconscious one Christmas Eve, forcing him to take on the mantle of Santa so that the rest of the night's presents can get delivered on time.

Things play out as you'd expect, with a simple story about family and finding newfound purpose in life during middle age, along with getting in tune with the Christmas spirit once more. The Santa Clause has sequels that can be skipped, but the original holds up pretty well for what it is, and though its Christmassy visuals and messages are in-your-face, it does all ultimately feel sincere and good-natured.

The Santa Clause

Watch on Disney+

49 'While You Were Sleeping' (1995)

Director: jon turteltaub.

Though While You Were Sleeping is a cheesy romantic comedy, in many ways, cheese is good as part of a balanced diet, and sometimes, it's okay to indulge a little around the end of the year (that's what New Year's resolutions are for, anyway). It goes hard on Christmas aesthetics and an overall holiday feel , telling a story about mistaken identity and a love triangle that develops unexpectedly between a woman and a pair of brothers.

If you want to be critical, While You Were Sleeping is schmaltzy and predictable, and perhaps corny, too. Again, that's not necessarily a bad thing, and it all depends on what you want out of a holiday-themed movie. Those who like their Christmas movies a little subversive or edgy in some ways should think about staying asleep for this one, but those in the mood for the opposite may well want to wake up for While You Were Sleeping .

While You Were Sleeping

48 'krampus' (2015), director: michael dougherty.

Make sure not to get Krampus mixed up with Krampus: The Reckoning , which came out the same year and probably only exists so people would get the two films mixed up, and perhaps accidentally watch the latter. Krampus is the real Krampus movie of 2015, though, make no mistake, and is an overall funny, weird, and oftentimes unsettling horror-themed Christmas movie about a folklore monster that's said to be the opposite of Santa Claus.

While Santa is said to give gifts to well-behaved children on Christmas, the titular Krampus is a legendary creature that punishes children who've been naughty rather than nice. At the center of Krampus is a dysfunctional family, the members of which haven't exactly found themselves in the Christmas spirit, which sets the monster after them. It's probably more of a comedic dark fantasy movie than a truly terrifying work of horror, but it's fun overall for those who are after some mild scares come Christmastime .

Watch on TNT

47 'Lethal Weapon' (1987)

Director: richard donner.

Lethal Weapon primarily functions as a buddy comedy/action movie , and a fairly good one at that, but it does also work as a Christmas film, at least in part. It has a familiar premise for those who are well-versed in the kinds of breezy action flicks popular in the 1980s and '90s, with a mismatched pair of cops initially clashing and then learning to work together as they take on a complex case that involves murder and a possible drug ring.

A good chunk of Lethal Weapon plays out a little while before the holiday period, and then it memorably ends on Christmas Day. It's one of those possible holiday movies that doesn't wholeheartedly embrace the most wonderful time of the year, but flirts with it a little and can still qualify for those who are feeling generous with their definition of what a "Christmas movie" is. It's also just a good movie, so if it can be enjoyed any time of the year, why not around the end of December?

Lethal Weapon

Rent on Apple TV

46 'Christmas Bloody Christmas' (2022)

Director: joe begos.

Plenty of Christmas movies embrace a family-friendly feel, in the spirit of being inclusive and all for the holidays, but Christmas Bloody Christmas certainly isn't one of them (if you couldn't already guess from the title). Not only is it a gleefully violent Christmas-themed movie, but it also might well hold the record for the most profanity featured in a single Christmas film, as it contains close to 500 F-bombs , despite being less than 90 minutes long .

Anyone afraid of movies that embrace violence, bad language, and other adult content to an arguably gratuitous extent might want to stay away from Christmas Bloody Christmas and the ridiculous slasher thrills it provides. It takes gory violence and other things not often associated with the holiday period and makes everything as extreme as possible, resulting in something that could well be a bloody good time for those in the mood for such a thing.

Watch on Shudder

45 'Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence' (1983)

Director: nagisa ōshima.

Like Lethal Weapon , Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence isn't explicitly Christmas-related until the very end, where the title is finally said out loud. It's also hard to think of Christmas throughout much of the film's duration, as this is a rather bleak and haunting World War II drama about Allied prisoners of war experiencing the hardships of life in a camp run by Japanese forces.

Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence is about a clash of cultures , focusing on this more than it does scenes you might expect to see in a more traditional war movie (no grand scenes of combat or action here). It looks at the global conflict on a small scale, and presents a balanced view by showing things from two perspectives , exploring why the two sides clash and the consequences that come about as a result. It's a great movie, and " Christmas " is in the title, so why not sneak it into an all-time ranking? Christmas is about generosity, after all, so some of that giving spirit should be afforded to this film, and its subsequent placement here.

Watch on Criterion

44 'The Bishop’s Wife' (1947)

Director: henry koster.

Nowadays, Cary Grant might be most well-recognized for his collaborations with Alfred Hitchcock , though he also starred in plenty of broader comedies in the 1930s and '40s that still hold up very well. One of these is The Bishop's Wife , and though it's a comedy set around Christmas, it also functions as a family drama and has a plot that even includes some fantastical elements for good measure.

Like various Christmas movies based around a family, the main character here is a father ( David Niven ) who's something of a workaholic and at risk of alienating his family. Things change for him when a literal angel (Grant) enters his life and begins to make things better, though it causes a little jealousy and tension for the father, despite the help. The Bishop's Wife is another Christmas film that's all about appreciating what you have and learning to make compromises for the greater good , and it tells this simple yet inevitably nice story quite effectively.

The Bishop's Wife

Watch on Prime Video

43 'Scrooge' (1970)

Director: ronald neame.

While many Charles Dickens stories have proven popular for film adaptations, none seem quite as well-represented within the cinematic as A Christmas Carol . It tells the familiar story of Ebenezer Scrooge, and how his hate for Christmas is challenged one Christmas Eve when he's visited by spirits who convince him to change his outlook on the holiday period, and his life overall. Sometimes, these adaptations are named after the protagonist, as is the case with 1970's Scrooge .

This one manages to stand out from the pack a little by being a musical version of the frequently told story, and a fairly vibrant/enjoyable one at that. Of course, it's unlikely to convert many people who aren't already fans of musicals, and it'll similarly turn off those who don't love Christmas films, too, given it doesn't get much more Christmassy than A Christmas Carol . One could well call Dickens the man who, in a way, invented Christmas...

Watch on Paramount+

42 'The Man Who Invented Christmas' (2017)

Director: bharat nalluri.

The Man Who Invented Christmas argues, with its title at least, that Charles Dickens more or less invented Christmas as it's now known and celebrated, though perhaps it would be more accurate to say he redefined Christmas. Then again, The Man Who Invented Christmas isn't an entirely straightforward biographical film about Dickens, as it takes an interesting approach to showing how the author developed and wrote one of his defining works: A Christmas Carol .

The real-life world Charles Dickens inhabited crosses over with the one he created for A Christmas Carol , and he discovers things about himself while interacting with - and developing - the characters of his story. It brings something fresh to the biopic genre (if it can be labeled as such), and also manages to recontextualize and retell a familiar story in an engagingly novel way, working as a rock-solid Christmas movie in its own right in the process.

41 'A Christmas Carol' (1984)

Director: clive donner.

Got through Scrooge (1970) and still find yourself in the mood for some more Christmas Caroling ? There are plenty more to choose from, of course, but 1984's A Christmas Carol could be a decent next step, considering it wasn't made long after and is similarly acclaimed as far as adaptations go. This one isn't a musical, but it makes up for that by having George C. Scott in the lead role , as he was one of those legendarily reliable actors who was always good, no matter what he appeared in.

This version of A Christmas Carol is also a TV movie, but overcomes budgetary limitations thanks to the warmth with which it tells its story, and the fact that Scott commits wholeheartedly to playing the protagonist at the film's center. It's one of the better Christmas Carols out there, and perhaps one of the more direct and least flashy adaptations, too, in turn capturing the essence of the original story without much by way of distractions.

A Christmas Carol (1984)

Watch on Starz

40 'Christmas in Connecticut' (1945)

Director: peter godfrey.

Christmas in Connecticut is a bright and lightweight romantic comedy set around Christmas, following a woman who's found success as a food writer at a magazine, yet her writing isn't entirely authentic. Circumstances end up forcing her to set up the life she's pretended to have or risk losing her job, and the entire scheme gets further complicated when love enters the picture in the form of a soldier returning from World War II.

Barbara Stanwyck might be best recognized for her femme fatale roles , but she's also just as capable in less heavy/intense movies, as Christmas in Connecticut shows. It's a very good and charmingly old-fashioned Christmas movie and, interestingly enough, was also remade as a TV movie in 1992... a TV movie that was directed by Arnold Schwarzenegger , of all people (his sole directorial credit to date).

Christmas in Connecticut

Watch on Max

39 'Trading Places' (1983)

Director: john landis.

A film starring Dan Aykroyd and Eddie Murphy , as well as Jamie Lee Curtis , Trading Places takes a comedic look at wealth and power during a decade when money felt, more than ever, like it was all that mattered. In the film, a businessman and a con artist find their positions in life swapped, with one getting everything and one forced to get by with next to nothing, all because of external forces deciding to manipulate their lives through a bet.

If a movie's set around Christmas and seems to center on greed or a lack of generosity, it's not exactly hard to work out where things will progress, but the story here in Trading Places is arguably secondary to the comedy. There might be an argument to be made that Trading Places hasn't aged perfectly when it comes to exploring the sorts of issues it chooses to explore, but it's fairer by '80s standards, and does ultimately end up working surprisingly well as a somewhat offbeat holiday film .

Trading Places

38 'national lampoon’s christmas vacation' (1989), director: jeremiah s. chechik.

A Christmas comedy classic that ended up inadvertently birthing another beloved Christmas movie , National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation is arguably the best entry in the Vacation series. Other entries were defined by the perpetually unlucky Griswold family traveling to other locations, but Christmas Vacation sees them spending their vacation time at home and with more extended family members than ever.

Typical for these characters, staying in one place proves just as chaotic as taking a trip somewhere more exotic; perhaps even more so . The comedy is broad and in-your-face, but there is something inherently funny about much of National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation , and it earns its status as a comedic classic of its decade for good reason, emerging as a cynically funny yet accessible holiday flick.

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

Watch on Hulu

37 'Fanny and Alexander' (1982)

Director: ingmar bergman.

The holiday period means time off from work for many (albeit not all), and so if there's any time of year when you can afford to spend three hours watching a movie, it's debatably December. And for an epic like Fanny and Alexander , you will need just over three hours if you choose to watch the theatrical cut, and more like five hours if you're feeling brave and want to watch the (arguably superior) miniseries cut .

Whatever the case, Fanny and Alexander is an essential film, standing as debatably the greatest Ingmar Bergman ever made while also being a highlight of the entire 1980s . Many scenes capture the holiday spirit, with various family events and a good deal of snowy weather, even if the central narrative about the two titular children surviving a new (and tyrannical) stepfather doesn't always scream Christmas. It's a unique and tremendously moving film, and well worth the time required to soak it all up.

Fanny and Alexander

36 '3 godfathers' (1948), director: john ford.

John Ford made countless iconic American movies throughout his filmmaking career, and many of them starred the equally iconic John Wayne , usually in a leading role. One of the films the two collaborated on was 3 Godfathers , a uniquely Christmassy Western ; two worlds (or genres, if "Christmas" counts as a genre) you don't see colliding all too often.

The whole film takes place around Christmas, and follows a trio of outlaws who come across a dying woman and her infant, and are unable to abandon the child. The woman makes a dying request for her baby to be returned to safety, and the men oblige, despite the riskiness of the mission. It's a film about sacrifice and redemption, and ends up capturing the Christmas spirit within the kind of movie you might not expect it to be in. 3 Godfathers works surprisingly well, overall, and is another typically reliable film from the two aforementioned Johns.

3 Godfathers

Watch on TCM

35 'Bad Santa' (2003)

Director: terry zwigoff.

It shouldn't come as too much of a surprise that a movie called Bad Santa has a mean streak to it for much of its runtime, making it stand out as one of the better R-rated Christmas films out there . It's a movie that blends crime with Christmas (Crimemas?), telling the story about a relatively miserable conman who robs department stores while dressed up as a mall Santa, and the way his life changes after he meets a young and socially outcast kid.

Bad Santa gets kind of bleak by comedy standards, meaning it's possible to define it as a dramedy. It has some heart hidden behind a good deal of coal, and benefits immensely from Billy Bob Thornton delivering one of his best-ever lead performances. It might not be the kind of dark Christmas movie that'll appeal to everyone, but those looking for a dark comedy with a Christmas setting and overall holiday flavor will likely find that Bad Santa satisfies.

34 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas' (1966)

Directors: chuck jones and ben washam.

Forget about the divisive 2000 live-action movie that's a beloved childhood classic to some a nightmarish fever dream of a movie to others; 1966's How the Grinch Stole Christmas is where it's at as far as adaptations go. This 1966 animated short film manages to condense the beloved Dr. Seuss story into a runtime that clocks in at just under half an hour, meaning little time is wasted and the narrative remains faithfully told without any filler.

The direct yet charming story is about a creature that gives Scrooge some competition when it comes to deciding which fictional character hates Christmas the most. Like the protagonist of A Christmas Carol , the Grinch does eventually have a change of heart, ending things on a hopeful note. The animation used for this version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas is quite simple by modern standards, but it also looks endearing in its own way, and the core of the story is undeniably timeless.

Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas!

Watch on Peacock TV

33 'Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale' (2010)

Director: jalmari helander.

Jalmari Helander is a filmmaker who specializes in making unusual and rather out-there genre films, as demonstrated more recently in the relentless 2022 action movie that was Sisu . Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale is even more bizarre, though, given this one centers on the discovery of a creature that's such an evil, twisted version of Santa Claus that it makes Krampus look like the real Father Christmas in comparison .

This is up there with the very best Christmas-themed horror movies, especially because it's played a little more for horror than comedy compared to a good many horror films with a festive spirit. Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale is a remarkably atmospheric movie that's not afraid to take its time throughout, but those willing to give it a chance should find themselves well rewarded with an effectively creepy slow-burn of a blisteringly chilly and largely entertaining film.

Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale

Watch on Hoopla

32 'A Christmas Tale' (2008)

Director: arnaud desplechin.

There are plenty of well-established Christmas movies in the English language, but it's also worth highlighting Christmas movies that are in languages other than English , given the holiday is celebrated outside English-speaking countries. A Christmas Tale is one such movie, being a French production that stars some of the country's most well-known actors, including the likes of Catherine Deneuve and Mathieu Amalric .

It's not quite up there with Fanny and Alexander , admittedly, but A Christmas Tale is still quite long for a holiday movie, with a runtime of approximately 2.5 hours. It centers on a large family, with many of its members not exactly being thrilled about the idea of gathering around Christmastime, but nevertheless doing their best to get along. It's well-acted and balances its family drama with just enough comedy to prevent it from being too downbeat.

A Christmas Tale

Watch on MUBI

31 'A Charlie Brown Christmas' (1965)

Director: bill melendez.

A Charlie Brown Christmas joins the ranks of How the Grinch Stole Christmas as another beloved short film with a Christmas theme that was released in the 1960s. It's one of the most well-known pieces of media within the series/franchise that is Peanuts , and follows its titular character as he struggles with finding the true spirit of Christmas, initially believing it to be hopelessly lost under the materialism and money-spending most people get wrapped up in every year.

In that way, it's possible to call A Charlie Brown Christmas ahead of its time, or, at the very least, timeless, given concerns about such a thing persist to this very day. At the same time, this beloved TV short is also just a good deal of fun to watch, and ultimately positive in the kind of message it delivers. It'll resonate for viewers regardless of age, and with its brevity, is always a good pick to watch on Christmas Day if you find most of your time is spent on various (and sometimes lengthy) family events.

A Charlie Brown Christmas

Watch on Apple TV

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The 50 best Christmas movies of all time

From silly Santas to shoot-outs in the snow, here's our pick of the best Christmas films ever

It’s easy to be a Scrooge about Christmas movies, especially these days. Streaming platforms have shamelessly muscled into the Hallmark market, churning out quick, cheap holiday romcoms with C-list casts every year, hoping to land on something so irresistibly cheesy it briefly becomes a seasonal phenomenon. Put that cynicism aside, however, and most of us can admit that we all have at least one movie we return to every December – the one that allows us to embrace nostalgia unapologetically and lets us know that the most wonderful time of the year has arrived.

It doesn’t have to be schmaltzy and saccharine, either. Maybe it’s a golden era classic like It’s a Wonderful Life or Miracle on 34th Street . Maybe it’s something more modern and goofy, like Elf or Home Alone . Maybe it’s raunchy and rude, like Bad Santa or Christmas Vacation , or just plain dark, like Black Christmas . That full range of yuletide cheer can be found on this list of the best holiday movies ever made. No matter what kind of Christmas movie you prefer, you’ll find one that warms your core like a cup of hot cocoa.

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Best Christmas movies

1. It's a Wonderful Life (1946)

Tinged with magical passages, buckets of good will and an alternate plotline with the disturbing kick of a Black Mirror episode, this tribute to the efforts of a small-town do-gooder (James Stewart, in his most beloved role) cements the idea of Christmas as a time for giving.

2. Die Hard (1988)

Action and adventure

It’s up there with ‘Is a hot dog a sandwich?’ and ‘Is cereal a soup?’ as one of those goofy online debates that’s so played out your eyes cross whenever it heats up again, so let’s just put it to bed right now: yes, Die Hard is a Christmas movie. C’mon: it takes place on Christmas Eve. Run-DMC’s immortal ‘Christmas in Hollis’ is on the soundtrack. Some have even argued that it’s secretly a remake of It’s a Wonderful Life . Look, you can and should watch John McTiernan’s action classic year-round – but for our money, ringing in the season with the sound of machine-gun fire, C4 explosions and Alan Rickman’s accent sure beats the heck out of sleigh bells.

3. Gremlins (1984)

Plenty of Christmas presents come with instructions, yet none are as ominous as the following: Never expose to bright light, never add water and, crucially, never feed after midnight. Joe Dante’s horror-comedy turns a well-intentioned gift into a nightmare. Meanwhile, a traumatised Phoebe Cates tells the saddest Christmas story ever.

4. Elf (2003)

Will Ferrell’s overgrown-child persona hilariously complements this comedy about a guileless giant elf searching for his dad in NYC, but the film’s focus isn’t just on the funny bone. There’s an abundance of heart and soul in the way the story cherishes holiday cheer; in a genre that’s become generically saccharine, this is one modern Christmas movie that’s genuinely sweet.

5. Bad Santa (2003)

Admittedly, this yuletide raunch-fest subsists on a single joke, and it’s basically ‘guy in a Santa suit swears a lot’. But Billy Bob Thornton, in the title role, manages to stretch that premise much further than it should go, and also generates some genuine Christmas warmth through his unlikely friendship with a bullied kid unfortunately named Thurman Merman.

6. Home Alone (1990)

John Hughes penned this rollicking holiday classic that essentially plays like Straw Dogs for children. No matter that everybody’s on the naughty list here, from Catherine O’Hara’s woefully neglectful mom to Macaulay Culkin’s sadistic moppet and Daniel Stern and Joe Pesci’s vindictive crooks. Once the John Williams score kicks in, even the coldest hearts will warm and the most life-altering concussions will heal.

7. A Christmas Story (1983)

Back in the ’80s, who would have thought that this odd slice of life from the director of Black Christmas and friggin’ Porky’s would eventually gain on It’s a Wonderful Life and Miracle on 34th Street as America’s favourite holiday movie? Bob Clark’s nostalgic comedy existed as a borderline cult film for decades, and no wonder: it’s pretty weird. But it’s weird in the way most families are, and that few films actually acknowledge. Constructed as a series of vignettes, it plays like the home videos you dust off once a year after a couple of eggnogs, making it infinitely rewatchable – and given how often it now appears on TV every December, you’ve probably seen it enough that it’s getting harder to discern the yuletide memories of little gun-loving Ralphie Parker from your own.

8. Edward Scissorhands (1990)

One of the first Johnny Depp performances to suggest he was more than just a set of cheekbones, the actor’s gothed-out title character is a study in pain and pathos. Tim Burton’s suburban fantasy wouldn’t be nearly as touching without Depp’s sad-eyed hero at its center – or its context of Christmas, a time of acceptance, charity and Winona Ryder dancing around ice sculptures.

9. The Snowman (1982)

Raymond Briggs’s book came to life once a year throughout many childhoods, as the animated film was shown on British TV with religious precision. Nominated for an Oscar, the short film tells of a boy whose snowman magically becomes real – but not forever. Add the haunting song ‘Walking In The Air’ and you have a true Christmas classic.

10. Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang (2005)

Small-time crook Robert Downey Jr hits Hollywood in this witty crime comedy featuring a memorable turn from Val Kilmer as a private investigator hired to give the wannabe actor background for a role. There are as many complications as belly laughs, while Michelle Monaghan puts in a break-out turn in a sexy Santa costume.

11. A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)

By now as iconic as the story of Kris Kringle himself, this Peanuts-based perennial sends viewers into happy spasms of neck-tipped dancing year after year. Its most lasting achievement is Vince Guaraldi’s breezy jazz score – whimsical and lovely like a falling snowflake.

12. Batman Returns (1992)

Tim Burton’s second stab at the Caped Crusader is actually a slight improvement on his original 1989 blockbuster, mainly due to Michelle Pfeiffer’s uncommonly fierce performance as Catwoman (the finest work she’s ever done). If you forget, Gotham is dusted with a layer of snow and in the process of crowing its Ice Princess. It doesn’t go well for the beauty queen, or anyone, really, in this especially downbeat Christmas.

13. Scrooged (1998)

Bill Murray excels at portraying smug, sarcastic cranks, so if nothing else, casting him as the Scrooge figure in this modern-day satire of A Christmas Carol was a stroke of genius. Predating his turn as grouchy weatherman Phil Connors in Groundhog Day , here Murray is a callous TV exec named Frank Cross whom the universe decides to teach a lesson in merriment and goodwill toward men. And he’s not the only inspired casting choice – see also Carol Kane as the unexpectedly violent Ghost of Christmas Present and New York Dolls’ David Johansen as the cab-driving Ghost of Christmas Past.

14. 8 Women (2001)

Singing, dancing, over-emoting on Christmas, whatever: When those eight women happen to be Catherine Deneuve, Danielle Darrieux, Isabelle Huppert, Emmanuelle Béart, Virginie Ledoyen, Firmine Richard, Fanny Ardant and Ludivine Sagnier, they’re welcome to do whatever they damn well please.

15. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005)

It might be better known these days for SNL’s classic ‘ Lazy Sunday’ skit (‘Pass the chronic – what? – cles of Narnia’), but this snowy Christmas treat based on C.S. Lewis’s novel is, indeed, a dreamworld of magic. There’s both a Father Christmas and a White Witch, the latter played by Tilda Swinton.

16. Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

The ultimate in cuddly Christmas afternoon movies, this original stars Edmund Gwenn as Kris Kringle, who must prove he is in fact Santa Claus – not least to a young girl (Natalie Wood) who has lost the true meaning of Christmas.

17. In Bruges (2008)

Martin McDonagh’s breakthrough as a writer and director, about two mismatched hitmen (Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson) are forced to spend the holidays hiding out in a Belgian tourist town after a hit gone wrong, is sad and hilarious in equal measure. If you like your Christmas movies foul-mouthed and melancholy, this dark crime comedy is for you.

18. The Shop Around the Corner (1940)

This festive masterpiece by German-expat genius Ernst Lubitsch about the struggles of a coterie of neurotic, underpaid, underloved department store clerks is an immaculate conflation of his sprightly shooting style, expertly layered wisecracking and bracing realism, all topped off with a romantic subplot that offers a nakedly joyous celebration of young, serendipitous love.

19. Carol (2015)

It’s already become a Christmas classic for especially forward-thinking families. Working for the first time with material developed by another screenwriter, director Todd Haynes transforms an underappreciated 1952 Patricia Highsmith novel about secret lesbian love into a universal romance. Once you’ve seen Rooney Mara in a Santa hat, there’s no turning back.

20. The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)

Family and kids

Michael Caine as Scrooge, Gonzo the Great as Charles Dickens, Kermit the Frog as Bob Cratchit – just three of many reasons to love this witty, warm-hearted take on the immortal story. Despite the presence of Muppets, it is (believe it or not) one of the more faithful versions of the book.

21. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

There’s something incredibly lovely about first-rate stop-motion work, and this gorgeous musical about a botched Halloween-Christmas merger ranks up there with the old Rankin/Bass Xmas toons. Who else but Tim Burton, the project’s patron producer, could have come up with such appealingly macabre mayhem?

22. Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001)

Hideous Christmas jumpers weren’t always considered cool like they are today. So we can’t blame our protagonist Bridget Jones’s (Renée Zellweger) less than pleasant reaction when she sees her potential love interest, Mark Darcy (a wonderfully stuffy Colin Firth), wearing a sweater with a giant reindeer face on it. It does, however, kick off this sharp romantic comedy-drama about navigating twenty-first-century dating and the pitfalls of having an affair with a caddish, dashing Hugh Grant.

23. You’ve Got Mail (1998)

Nora Ephron’s remake of The Shop Around the Corner is a fairytale about warring booksellers is both a dreamy ode to New York’s Upper West Side as it is to the power of love. The melancholic Christmas scenes set to Harry Nilsson's ‘Remember’ will make you want to go out ice skating or gift a bunch of children’s books, while the chemistry between Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks transforms a cheesy into a classic.

24. Trading Places (1983)

If you’re keen to learn the harsh realities of the global economy but can’t be bothered to trawl through a textbook, this comic satire should do the trick. Eddie Murphy is the streetwise hustler who switches lives with Dan Aykroyd’s preening Wall Street moneybags, only to find himself the victim of a cruel joke played by a pair of vicious aristocrats.

25. Arthur Christmas (2011)

It’s Christmas every day for Arthur, son of Sant. Sarah Smith’s humorous animation sees the clumsy kid leaving the North Pole on a mission, complete with reindeer and comedy elves. James McAvoy and Jim Broadbent provide voices.

26. A Christmas Carol (1938)

This early version of Charles Dickens’s much-told story remains one of the finest, with Reginald Owen as Ebenezer Scrooge and Gene Lockhart as Bob Cratchit. There’s something oddly comforting about watching snow fall in black and white.

27. Holiday Inn (1942)

This musical is the ultimate ’40s cheerer as Fred Astaire and Bing Crosby sing and dance their way into the ladies’ hearts. The set up is pure Broadway: they’re a musical troupe who only perform on holidays, from Easter to Christmas. The film scored an Oscar for the now iconic song ‘White Christmas’.

28. Die Hard 2 (1990)

‘How could the same shit happen to the same guy twice?’ Sure, it’s bigger, pricier and more bloated than the one that came before it – but that’s what Christmas is all about! Once again, Bruce takes down a terror gang to the tune of twinkly seasonal carols, this time in an airport.

29. While You Were Sleeping (1995)

Sandra Bullock is at her most loveable in this smart, thoughtful romcom about a lonely Chicago subway worker who rescues the man of her dreams from an oncoming train only to fall in love with his bad-tempered brother. Witty, sweet and festive – if a little stalker-y – it’s the kind of movie Hollywood has always excelled at.

30. Christmas Evil (1980)

Before Silent Night, Deadly Night , there was another horror movie about a psychopath donning a Santa costume and going on a killing spree. This is that movie. John Waters is such a megafan, he even recorded a feature-length commentary for the movie’s Blu-ray re-release in 2014.

31. About a Boy (2002)

At a glance, this Nick Hornby adaptation sounds as saccharine as Love Actually , and even shares a plot point: Hugh Grant is a louche playboy living off the money his late songwriter father made off a novelty Christmas single who eventually he learns the value of love and family through his friendship with a young boy (Nicholas Hoult). Slough it off at your peril, though – it’s sharp, spiky, funny and full of genuine heart.

32. Meet Me in St Louis (1944)

‘Have yourself a merry little Christmas,’ sang Judy Garland in this cockle-warming musical set against the backdrop of the 1904 World Fair. The breakout song wasn’t originally so cheery, but Garland and her co-stars objected to the cynical tone in lyrics such as: ‘Have yourself a merry little Christmas / It may be your last / Next year we may all be living in the past.’ Cheery.

33. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989)

Bad Santa is raunchier, but Christmas Vacation is possibly the most madcap Christmas comedy ever. The title is a bit of a misnomer, though: in this instalment of the Vacation franchise, the Griswold clan opts to stay at home in suburban Chicago for the holidays. But that doesn’t mean Chevy Chase, as overly ambitious patriarch Clark Griswold, can’t find a way to snatch disaster from the jaws of tranquillity. Several ways, in fact.

34. Babes in Toyland (1934)

Laurel and Hardy go family-friendly in this fairytale mash-up featuring characters from the stories of Mother Goose, Little Bo Peep and others. The duo play the Toymaker’s Apprentices in this slapstick heartwarmer, which was a Christmas TV favourite throughout the ’60s and ’70s. Just be wary of the horrifying 1986 version starring young Keanu Reeves and Drew Barrymore.

35. Mickey’s Christmas Carol (1983)

This Oscar-nominated Disney short film casts Mickey as Bob Cratchit and Scrooge McDuck as his selfish boss, while Goofy, Jiminy Cricket and other familiar characters morph into the various ghosts. A nifty blending of Disney favourites with the Dickens classic.

36. A Christmas Tale (2008)

Seething with long-held resentments, an extended French family gathers for the holiday and, as the booze starts to flow, out come the knives. Don’t expect figgy pudding and sentiment: Director Arnaud Desplechin is more interested in open wounds. Paradoxically, this is a great film to watch with your clan, who are undoubtedly in a better place.

37. White Christmas (1954)

Christmas may have been white, but this time Irving Berlin’s musical was in Technicolor. Inspired by Holiday Inn , this follow-up could not be more Christmassy if it tried (and try it probably did). Snow, shows and romance all added up to a massive festive box office hit that would run and run on TV. When Clark Griswold famously promised the ‘hap-hap-happiest Christmas since Bing Crosby tap-danced with Danny (expletive deleted) Kaye,’ he was talking about this gloriously old-fashioned musical

38. Klaus (2019)

This oddball origin story of Santa is the first animated feature from Netflix, and it's a doozy. Featuring Oscar winner JK Simmons as a grizzled proto-Fat Man who loves toymaking but isn't interested in children, Jason Schwartzman as an incompetent postal carrier and Rashida Jones as a cynical teacher, the film’s eye-popping art direction scored the streamer a Best Animated Feature nomination. And if the set-up sounds cynical, worry not: Icy hearts melt, fast.

39. Krampus (2015)

The closest any horror-comedy has gotten to the yuletide mania of Gremlins , Mike Dougherty’s Krampus pits a squabbling family led by Toni Collette and Adam Scott against the Scandinavian anti-Santa: A deranged goat-like demon who devours kids (and adults) on the naughty list. And while it doesn’t reach the derange heights of Joe Dante’s classic, it does include a particularly toothy killer clown sure to keep the kiddies awake well into Christmas morning.

40. Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale (2010)

Scandinavia does Christmas a little differently, what with all the demons running about devouring the naughty. This overlooked horror-comedy finds a lovably Amblinesque group of kids and misfits unearthing a massive ancient monster… and an army of feral, marauding Fathers Christmas. It’s a worthy successor to Gremlins , minus the slime and with much, much more full-frontal elderly nudity. Yet for all the horrific imagery and snarling Santas, it’s a wildly inventive, even heartwarming affair from the Finnish wilderness.

41. Lethal Weapon (1987)

All hail Shane Black, the king of the fast-quipping buddy comedy-thriller, and a man who seems incapable of writing a screenplay without somehow involving Christmas. We’ll meet him again later in our list, but this is where it all started: with two bickering cops on a mission to take down drug dealers. At Christmas.

42. The Family Stone (2005)

It’s never easy going to someone else’s home for the holidays, especially when their family is abnormally close and unbearably kooky. In this fluffily entertaining dramedy, Sarah Jessica Parker is the girlfriend meeting her partner’s parents and siblings for the first time. Initially uptight and anxious, she grows more sympathetic the more you learn about the situation she’s been thrust into. Despite the Hallmark-y plotting, the movie contains some sharp observations about family dynamics and charming performances from Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams and Diane Keaton.

43. Love Actually (2003)

The film that single handedly turned Mariah Carey’s ‘ All I Want For Christmas is You ’ into a cultural juggernaut, Richard Curtis’s sprawling London ensemble piece is so sticky sweet that it’s easy to forget that each bit of holiday cheer is counterbalanced with characters destined for the naughty list. From Alan Rickman’s philandering editor to Hugh Grant’s assistant-seducing Prime Minister and Andrew Lincoln’s borderline stalker, most vignettes balance the sugar with some truly bitter spice. No matter. Like Bill Nighy’s ageing rocker says: Christmas is all around it. And it takes a bit of naughtiness to make the nice shine through anyway.

44. Black Christmas (1974)

Bob Clark’s other Christmas story might not get played on an endless loop on cable every December, but it did basically invent the modern slasher four whole years before that other holiday-themed thriller got all the credit for it. A group of college girls stay behind at the sorority house over winter break and find themselves stalked by an unseen killer – it doesn’t sound like much, but that’s only because decades of copycats turned its plot points into clichés. Trust us: it’s still genuinely unnerving.

45. Christmas in Connecticut (1945)

Loved for her columns about her wholesome husband and family in Connecticut, Elizabeth (Barbara Stanwyck) is actually a single New Yorker. When asked to host a Christmas dinner by her boss, she must head to Connecticut and keep up the pretence. Romantic complications follow.

46. The Polar Express (2004)

Robert Zemeckis sprinkled his family-friendly magic on this performance-capture animation starring Tom Hanks in multiple roles, including narrator, train conductor and Santa Claus. This one ticks a lot of boxes for Christmas fanatics, including reindeer, elves and a whole heap of snow. Zemeckis would later revisit the uncanny valley of the holidays with the Jim Carrey-starring Disney’s a Christmas Carol , but for our money this first crack at mo-cap holiday cheer is the perfect holiday heartwarmer.

47. The Holiday (2006)

Everything about this Christmas movie in which Jude Law romances Cameron Diaz in a cutesy country cottage shouldn’t work. And yet there’s something deeply charming about this festive romantic comedy. Perhaps it’s because we’ve been bullied into submission by numerous viewings; or perhaps it’s the secondary LA-set plot, which features Kate Winslet on peak form as a scorned British reporter who flirts with Jack Black and befriends a forgotten but famous screenwriter from the Golden Age of Hollywood (played by the late Eli Wallach). Either way, like a tub of Quality Street, it’s irresistible.

48. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)

Rankin and Bass’s stop-motion perennial drips with nostalgia, so much so that it’s easy to forget the cynical streak coursing through its short runtime: This is a North Pole where even Santa gets in on bullying Rudolph for his bright-red nose and a legion of elves displays a toxic amount of, um, dental-phobia toward a flamboyant would-be dentist. Throw in peppermint addict Yukon Cornelius, a whole island of misfit toys and a gnashing abominable snowman and it’s a wonder this hasn’t been revisited by Tim Burton.

49. The Santa Clause (1994)

It could have been a Cronenbergian body-horror nightmare to stand alongside The Fly : Tim Allen, having accidentally caused the death of Santa, finds his body swelling and hair growing as he involuntarily becomes Santa’s successor. Yet this schmaltzy ‘90s kid classic is far from a reverse Thinner : It’s a warmhearted tale of an overworked dad rekindling his relationship with his family in the classic Disney mode – dead Santa notwithstanding.

50. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (2001)

Christmas is a time for magic, and what could be more magical than Hogwarts? While some of the acting in the first of the Harry Potter adaptation s leaves something to be desired, the genuine wonder of Harry and Ron at Christmas is enough to give you a frisson of festive excitement. Now, who's up for a game of Wizard’s Chess?

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30 best Christmas movies to stream right now

Hark those heralds and get the reindeer ready — it’s almost Christmastime! With season’s greetings comes an abundance of food, unwanted relatives, tinsel everywhere , shopping bills that won’t get paid until 2024, and more holiday movies than you can shake a candy cane at.

HBO and Max

Amazon prime video.

Since the sheer volume of Christmas movies can be overwhelming, it helps to have a handy guide to make sure each Christmas movie you are watching is worth your time. From classics like It’s a Wonderful Life and A Christmas Story to newer films like Spirited and Bad Santa , these 30 movies represent the best Christmas offerings in 2023 that Netflix , Max, Hulu , YouTube, and other streamers have to offer.

Need more holiday viewing suggestions? Then please check out the best Christmas movies on Netflix , the best Christmas movies on Hulu , the best Christmas movies on Max , the best Christmas movies on Disney+ , the best Christmas movies on the Hallmark Channel , 7 great Christmas movies you can watch for free , and 7 best funny Christmas movies you should watch this season .

The 10 most popular movies on Netflix right now
The best shows on Hulu right now (May 2024)
The best shows on Peacock right now

Love Actually (2003)

Most romantic comedies tend to focus on one or two couples. Love Actually ups the ante with eight different couples throughout the film, and you might need a scorecard to keep up with them all.

One of the strengths of Love Actually is its ensemble cast, which includes Academy Award winners and many well-known actors. The ensemble features Hugh Grant, Colin Firth, Liam Neeson, Laura Linney, Alan Rickman, Emma Thompson, Keira Knightley, Bill Nighy, Martine McCutcheon, and Rowan Atkinson. Also popping up are Shannon Elizabeth, Claudia Schiffer, Denise Richards, and a pre- Mad Men January Jones. It all amounts to a movie that you shouldn’t like as much as you do, and you might feel guilty for falling prey to its shameless, melodramatic charms. After 20 years, the movie is still as charming as ever.

Love Actually is streaming on Netflix .

Best. Christmas. Ever! (2023)

Best. Christmas. Ever! is the latest addition to this list, but its super cheesiness will make it a contender for a spot here every Christmas from now on. The story follows Charlotte Sanders (Heather Graham), a frustrated housewife who is jealous of her friend, Jackie Jennings (Brandy Norwood) because she’s found the success and happiness that have eluded her.

One Christmas, Heather’s son, Grant (Wyatt Hunt), gets his mother and father, Rob Sanders (Jason Biggs), to visit Jackie and her husband, Valentino (Matt Cedeño). When the Sanders family is snowed in and forced to stay longer, Heather tries to prove that Jackie’s life isn’t as good as she pretends it is.

Watch Best. Christmas. Ever! on Netflix .

Holidate (2020)

Most people love the holidays. With themed parties and countless presents, the holiday season is a time to be with friends and family. Yet, Sloane ( American Horror Story’s Emma Roberts ) and Jackson (Luke Bracey) despise the holidays. The duo hates awkward social outings and attending family gatherings without a significant other.

After a chance encounter, they to be each other’s “holidate” for every special occasion – New Year’s, Valentine’s Day, Thanksgiving, etc. But as we’ve all learned by watching countless romantic comedies, pretending to be a couple always works until someone gets feelings. Then, it gets complicated.

Stream Holidate on Netflix.

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989)

No other modern holiday movie gets the agony and ecstasy of Christmas quite as well as National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation . The film is funny yet still grounded in the painful reality of sharing your home with other relatives, having terrible neighbors, and being disappointed by the weird gifts you get on Dec. 25. (Hint: don’t gift anyone a membership to the Jelly of the Month Club.)

Both Chevy Chase and Beverly D’Angelo return as the Griswold matriarchs, with future Oscar nominee Juliette Lewis and The Big Bang Theory star Johnny Galecki as Audrey and Rusty, respectively. Randy Quaid makes a hilarious appearance as Cousin Eddie, and yes, that’s a pre- Seinfeld Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Clark’s yuppie neighbor. Jeremiah S. Chechik directed the movie and runs at a thrifty 97 minutes, which is the perfect length for this type of movie.

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation is currently streaming on Max . It can also be streamed on Hulu.

A Christmas Story (1983)

It’s now an annual requirement to watch this movie. There’s no denying the rose-colored nostalgia that A Christmas Story offers, and it’s the rare wholesome family picture that doesn’t make adults or cynics gag. The comedy is still fresh, and everyone can relate to the childhood traumas poor Ralphie goes through in the movie, like being bullied, not getting the present that he wants, and … yes, being forced to wear an embarrassing outfit the family insists he put on.

The film was directed by Bob Clark, who has one of the oddest résumés in film history. In the 1970s, he directed the terror classic Black Christmas (which showcases a different set of holiday horrors) before moving on to the ’80s teen sex comedy Porky’s . A Christmas Story is 94 minutes long and stars Peter Billingsley, Melinda Dillon, Darren McGavin, and Jean Shepherd as adult Ralphie. It’s still as charming as ever, and will make you long for the days of ginger-haired bullies, Ovaltine, and Little Orphan Annie.

A Christmas Story is streaming on Max .

The Polar Express (2004)

The Polar Express exists in the rare gray area of being both visually stunning and off-putting at the same time, because the human characters aren’t as convincing as the CG backgrounds. Those were the limitations of performance capture animation at the time when animators just didn’t have all of the tricks and advancements that they do now.

Regardless, director Robert Zemeckis’ adaptation of Chris Van Allsburg’s children’s book The Polar Express has become a perennial favorite during the holiday season. Asteroid City ‘s Tom Hanks lends his voice to several characters in the film, most notably the conductor of the Polar Express, a magical train heading directly for the North Pole that allows some lucky children to meet Santa Claus (Hanks) and have their Christmas wishes come true.

The Polar Express is streaming on Max .

A Christmas Story Christmas (2022)

Ralphie is back! Nearly 40 years after the original, A Christmas Story has finally gotten a proper sequel with A Christmas Story Christmas. (No, we’re not counting the dreadful A Christmas Story 2 , a movie that’s best avoided). A now grown-up Ralphie (Peter Billingsley) returns to his old house on Cleveland Street to try to give his kids the kind of magical Christmas he experienced as a kid.

But between reconnecting with childhood friends and reconciling the passing of his Old Man, things don’t go as smoothly as Ralphie hoped. Yes, it’s not as good as the original, but A Christmas Story Christmas has its own kind of nostalgic charm.

A Christmas Story Christmas is streaming on Max .

Four Christmases (2008)

For those craving a modern Christmas rom-com, look no further than Four Christmases . When you’re in a relationship, you have to spend Christmas with two different families. It’s stressful, right? Well, in Four Christmases , that idea is taken to its greatest extent as Brad (Vince Vaughn) and Kate (Reese Witherspoon) get caught red-handed in their annual ruse of avoiding their families during the holidays.

Suddenly, each of their single parents knows Brad and Kate have been trying to get out of Christmas, and everybody wants a piece of them on Christmas Day. It’s all a bit chaotic, but the charm of the two leads help make this one a pleasant Christmas movie to watch while wrapping presents.

Four Christmases is streaming on Max .

Arthur Christmas (2011)

Here’s an animated Christmas movie that isn’t so well-known to the public. Everybody knows that each Christmas, Santa and an army of dutiful elves manage to produce and distribute gifts to children worldwide. But how do they do it? Well, Arthur Christmas tells you through the lens of Santa’s misfit son, Arthur (James McAvoy).

When one of the 600 million children to receive a gift from Santa gets mistakenly overlooked, Arthur takes it upon himself to execute an unauthorized mission to get the last present to the other side of the world before Christmas morning.

Arthur Christmas is streaming on Max .

Christmas in Connecticut (1945)

In the mood for a classic old Hollywood Christmas movie? Then you’re in luck with the 1945 comedy-drama Christmas in Connecticut. Barbara Stanwyck stars as Elizabeth Lane, one of America’s most famous food writers, who adopts a persona as a hard-working farm woman and perfect housewife and mother. Unfortunately, it’s all a lie. In real life, she’s an unmarried New Yorker who can’t use a toaster — she’s just been taking recipes from her friend, Felix (S.Z. Sakall).

So, when her magazine publisher decides to send a heroic sailor, Jefferson (Dennis Morgan), to spend Christmas with Elizabeth as a publicity stunt, she has to pull out all the stops to fake it until she makes it. Fun trivia: Arnold Schwarzenegger directed a cable TV remake in the ’90s. Don’t watch it!

Christmas in Connecticut is streaming on Max .

8-Bit Christmas (2021)

This HBO Max Original takes place in suburban Chicago in the late 1980s. It’s something of a refresh of A Christmas Story as 10-year-old Jake Doyle (Winslow Fegley) makes it his life’s (or at least his Christmas) mission to get the latest 8-bit gaming system for Christmas.

Does he succeed? And can he escape a determined bully to attain the ultimate Christmas gift for any kid in the late 1980s: the Nintendo Entertainment System? Neil Patrick Harris stars as an older, not-much-wiser Jake, who still fondly remembers one of the best holidays he’s ever had.

8-Bit Christmas is streaming on Max .

This is Christmas (2022)

Never heard of This is Christmas ? Don’t worry, no one else has either. Released without a peep in 2022, the genuinely sweet British comedy is one of the most charming movies you’ll see in a while. Harry Potter’s Alfred Enoch stars as Adam, a depressed commuter who, tired of taking the same train every day with the same people and not knowing any of them, impulsively decides to invite them all to an impromptu Christmas party.

What follows is a sweet, sentimental journey as Adam and fellow passenger Emma get to know each of their fellow commuters as they all plan for the party. Of course, this being a Christmas rom-com, Adam and Emma begin to develop feelings for each other, complicating things. While this may sound like a cloying Hallmark movie, This is Christmas manages to rise above the clichés and deliver a crowd-pleasing good time without overdosing too much on the sugar.

This is Christmas is streaming on Prime Video .

The Man Who Invented Christmas (2017)

The Man Who Invented Christmas’ s title might be giving Charles Dickens (Dan Stevens) too much credit, but he really did play a major role in how we celebrate the holiday season. That’s how much influence Dickens’ A Christmas Carol has had over the last 180 years. This film dramatizes Dickens’ life when he struggles to write his next story before coming face-to-face with his creation: Ebenezer Scrooge (Christopher Plummer).

The visions of Scrooge and other characters from A Christmas Carol may not be real, but the emotions they bring out of Dickens force him to reconsider his story and his relationship with his own family. From there, a classic novel is born.

The Man Who Invented Christmas is streaming on Prime Video .

Scrooged (1988)

Scrooged is basically A Christmas Carol , but modernized and played more for laughs with Bill Murray in the leading role as Frank Cross, a Scrooge-like network executive at the IBC Television network. On Christmas Eve, Frank forces his employees to work on A Christmas Carol broadcast while giving them chintzy gifts for Christmas.

In other words, Frank is a perfect candidate for some Christmas Carol magic to find any humanity under his sleazy exterior. The Ghost of Christmas Past (David Johansen), the Ghost of Christmas Present (Carol Kane), and the Ghost of Christmas Future (Robert Hammond) are really going to have their hands full trying to convince Frank to change.

Scrooged is streaming on Prime Video .

Last Christmas (2019)

Warning: If you’ve been trying to avoid hearing Wham!’s Last Christmas this holiday season, you will be Whamed several times in this film. The name of the movie really should have been a dead giveaway. Game of Thrones ’ Emilia Clarke goes the full rom-com here as Kate Andrich, a young woman whose recovery from a life-threatening illness has left her working at a year-round Christmas store with no prospects in her life.

Kate soon takes a liking to Tom Webster (Henry Golding), a handsome guy who disappears from her life for days at a time. And while Kate finds that aggravating, she is also inspired by Tom’s innate goodness to become a better person herself. The only thing that Kate can’t understand is why she and Tom can’t be together as a couple.

Last Christmas is streaming on Prime Video .

Violent Night (2022)

Unless your kids are old enough to see a candy cane turned into a lethal weapon without running away screaming in terror, then Violent Night may not be the perfect family Christmas film for you. Once you look past the over-the-top action and grisly deaths of the bad guys, you may see that this movie really does get what Christmas is supposed to be about. It’s also very easy to sympathize with David Harbour’s burnt-out Santa Claus.

Santa is ready to call it a day on Christmas for good when he finds himself trapped in a rich family’s home on Christmas Eve while a thief calling himself Scrooge (John Leguizamo) and his men threaten their lives. Because one of the family members, Trudy (Leah Brady), really believes in both Santa and Christmas, Santa embraces his inner John McClane in the best Die Hard -adjacent film we’ve seen in years.

Violent Night is streaming on Prime Video .

It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)

Of course, it wouldn’t be Christmas without the holiday mainstay It’s a Wonderful Life . The immortal classic stars James Stewart as George Bailey — a man ready to end it all before the intervention of an angel (Henry Travers) reveals to him exactly how the lives of the people of Bedford Falls would have unfolded without him.

The vision is a revelation to George, whose second chance at life comes with rare, ecstatic gratitude. Ironically, It’s a Wonderful Life was a commercial bomb upon release, while today it’s as much a mandatory part of our annual traditions as A Christmas Carol .

It’s a Wonderful Life is streaming on Prime Video .

Twenty years ago, Ferrell starred in the still-great Elf , which has become the defining Christmas movie of the 21st century. From the memorable quotes (“Buddy the elf, what’s your favorite color?”) to laugh-out-loud scenes ( Peter Dinklage in the boardroom), Elf is a Christmas movie with heart, humor, and love, three key ingredients we seek at the holidays.

Directed by Jon Favreau, Elf stars Ferrell as Buddy, a human raised by elves at the North Pole. Unfortunately for Buddy, he struggles to fit in with the other elves due to his size and ineptitude in the art of toymaking. Papa Elf (Bob Newhart) reveals to Buddy that his father, Walter Hobbs (James Caan), works in New York City, but is unaware of his elflike son’s existence. To make matters worse, Walter is on the Naughty List. Convinced he can fix things, Buddy must travel to New York City and spread a little Christmas cheer in the Big Apple.

Stream Elf on Max or Hulu .

Happiest Season (2020)

A holiday rom-com, Happiest Season takes a distinct approach to the formula by telling the story of a relationship between two women, one of whom hasn’t come out to her parents yet. When the two go to visit her parents, they pose as friends, straining their relationship almost to its breaking point.

While there are plenty of genuinely funny moments in Happiest Season , which features stellar supporting turns from Aubrey Plaza and Dan Levy, Happiest Season is propelled by the chemistry between its two leads, Kristen Stewart and Mackenzie Davis, who combine to make this one of the best Christmas movies on Hulu .

Happiest Season is streaming on Hulu .

The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)

If you ever needed a reminder that Michael Caine is an actor’s actor, then watch The Muppet Christmas Carol . Caine gives an excellent performance in this movie as he plays Ebenezer Scrooge absolutely straight. Most of Caine’s co-stars may be famous Muppets, but Caine himself never breaks character as Scrooge or winks to the audience. Caine’s absolute commitment to the role elevates everything else about the movie.

The script is actually pretty close to the original story by Charles Dickens. On Christmas Eve, the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future visit Scrooge and warn him to change his ways before it’s too late.

The Muppet Christmas Carol is streaming on Disney+ .

Home Alone (1990) and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)

No Christmas season is complete without at least one viewing of Home Alone, the 1990 comedy that’s become a hallmark of the holidays. After Kevin McCallister is inadvertently left home alone for Christmas, Home Alone follows Kevin as he initially revels in his time alone and eventually must ward off a pair of bandits who want to rob his home.

While Home Alone is mostly a wacky comedy and is sure to keep your kids engaged on that level, it’s also surprisingly thoughtful about the holiday season, and about recognizing that your neighbors might not be as scary as they seem. Home Alone is an urging not to judge one another, and it’s one worth returning to every holiday season. It’s also still incredibly funny, and will make you think twice about walking around barefoot. A sequel, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York , is almost as charming, if slightly reduant.

Home Alone and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York are now streaming on Disney+ .

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

What’s this? What’s this? Why, it’s The Nightmare Before Christmas ! If you’ve got a kid who is fairly nightmare-resistant and into spooky-adjacent movies, then The Nightmare Before Christmas might be right up their alley. And even if you don’t have one, you should watch it anyway to satisfy your inner child.

The debate about whether this movie is a Halloween or Christmas movie will rage forever (that’s because it’s both), but the story of Jack Skellington’s discovery of Christmas and his attempt to run it himself has endured for 30 years for a reason. The movie features vibrant, astounding stop-motion animation and several classic songs to boot.

Stream The Nightmare Before Christmas on Disney+ .

Spirited (2022)

Ferrell is so talented and funny that any co-star who can match his wit and energy will thrive next to the comedian. Enter Ryan Reynolds, one of the more underrated comic actors in Hollywood. Ferrell and Reynolds collaborated on a retelling of Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol in Apple TV+’s 2022 movie Spirited .

Every Christmas Eve, the Ghosts of Christmas Present (Will Ferrell), Past (Sunita Mani), and Yet to Come (Loren G. Woods) pick one soul to redeem. This year, the ghosts select Clint Briggs (Reynolds), a lonely and controversial media consultant. The roles are reversed in Spirited as the ghosts become the ones to examine their past, present, and future. Oh, did I mention it’s a musical comedy? And you can now belt out all the songs in the singalong version of Spirited .

Stream Spirited on Apple TV+ .

A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)

First broadcast in 1965, A Charlie Brown Christmas is still watched yearly as the holly goes up and the carolers start singing. Yes, it’s over a half-century old and the animation is dated (or retro, depending on your point of view), but it’s charming as can be, and perfect for anyone to get in the mood for Christmas.

Plus, it’s funny! You forget how many laughs are packed in these Peanuts specials, and Schultz is at his best with this special. Who can forget Lucy’s wayward advice to poor Charlie or any of Snoopy’s antics? A Charlie Brown Christmas taps into nostalgia for a “simpler time” without being too heavy-handed about it.

A Charlie Brown Christmas is streaming on Apple TV+ .

Bad Santa (2003)

Bad Santa is one of the more unconventional holiday movies on this list, but it’s the Christmas movie for the cynic in your life. Telling the story of a con man who runs an annual con in which he poses as Santa, the movie is really a redemption story about whether a man who uses Christmas to get over on other people can be saved.

Billy Bob Thornton is great in the central role, and Bad Santa benefits from being much more clear-eyed about the nature of Christmas than your typical holiday fare. It may end happily, but at least it’s willing to acknowledge the holiday’s seedier underbelly.

Bad Santa is streaming on Paramount+ .

Krampus (2015)

Not every Christmas movie has to be full of merriment and Santa Claus. For those moviegoers looking for something scary and off-kilter around the holidays, check out Krampus , the 2015 horror comedy about the horned beast who terrorizes naughty children and those who lose the Christmas spirit.

A few days before Christmas, the Engel family is in shambles. Dysfunction is at an all-time high, causing the youngest son, Max (Emjay Anthony), to denounce his family and Christmas. When he tears up a letter to Santa, Max unknowingly summons Krampus, a demonic monster who wreaks havoc on the neighborhood. To prevent tragedy, the Engel family must band together and fight back against Krampus if they want to survive.

Stream Krampus on Peacock.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)

“You’re a mean one, Mr. Grinch.” Who better to star in the live-action version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas than Jim Carrey, one of the most physical and elastic comedians of his generation? Ron Howard’s adaption of Dr. Seuss’ classic children’s book came to life in 2000 with Carrey playing the Grinch, the green, foul-mouthed creature who lives in a cave on Mount Crumpit overlooking the town of Whoville. The Grinch hates happiness, but he despises Christmas even more. This year, the Grinch is determined to ruin the holiday spirit for the citizens of Whoville.

Dressed as Santa Claus, the Grinch plans to steal every gift, ornament, and decoration in Whoville so the townspeople have nothing to commemorate Christmas. Just as she does in the book, Cindy Lou Who ( Gossip Girl ‘s Taylor Momsen) helps the Grinch understand the true meaning of Christmas, a lesson we all need to remember during the holidays. While not the best version of the Grinch, it’s so far the only live-action one, and it’s beloved by the Gen Z generation for some reason.

Stream How the Grinch Stole Christmas on Peacock starting December 20.

A Christmas Tale (2008)

Renowned director Arnaud Desplechin ( Kings and Queen ) directs French icon Catherine Deneuve and a stellar supporting cast in the 2008 comedy-drama A Christmas Tale . A tale of dysfunctionality like no other, the film follows a family gathering for Christmas after learning the matriarch has leukemia.

Morbid, sardonic, and wickedly humorous, A Christmas Tale is a biting examination of the ties that bind us. Led by a commanding Deneuve, the film explores the thornier sides of family dynamics, delivering a refreshing take on a well-known trope. A Christmas Tale might not be necessarily depressing, but it’s certainly gloomy and pessimistic, with a truly cynical and uncompromising ending.

A Christmas Tale is available to watch on YouTube .

The Christmas Tree (1969)

Instead of feeling cheerful this holiday season, are you inclined to cry instead? There are bleak Christmas movies, and then there’s Terence Young’s 1969 tearjerker The Christmas Tree . William Holden stars as Laurent Ségur, a French millionaire who learns his 10-year-old son Pascal is dying after being exposed to radiation. Together with his new girlfriend, Laurent tries to fill Pascal’s last days with joy and adventure.

The Christmas Tree is dark, but strangely unsentimental. Unlike the Julia Roberts tearjerker Stepmom , a film that wants you to s uffer , The Christmas Tree wants you to analyze and feel blessed about what you have because others have it worse. However, the film is not subtle with its imagery ( spoiler: the kid dies , but the way he goes is equal parts emotional and slightly absurd). Still, The Christmas Tree is as grim as Christmas movies come, a slice-of-life story about a life that is ending.

The Christmas Tree is available for free on Tubi .

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Steadily, month after month, Apple TV+ has been introducing exciting new shows since its debut back in late 2019. The streaming service has even delivered some Emmy-nominated and winning shows like Ted Lasso, The Morning Show, and Black Bird. Many Apple TV+ shows attract top talent in the business as well, including movie actors like Colin Farrell, Rebecca Ferguson, Gary Oldman, and Michael Douglas.

If you're looking for something to watch on Apple TV+ this month, this comprehensive list of the best shows on Apple TV+ right now is a good place to start. This list is consistently updated to add new titles and remove ones that might no longer make the cut. Whether you're in the mood for drama, horror, comedy, or a thought-provoking docuseries, Apple TV+ has a wide selection across every genre, including new titles like Dark Matter and Franklin.

Starting a family movie night is a great way to spend more time with relatives, and the best family movies on Amazon Prime Video right now can help. Although Prime Video has some great movie options for your nearest and dearest, its clunky interface can make browsing and trying to find something to watch anything but an enjoyable experience.

So, we've done the work for you! We've scoured the Amazon Prime Video collection and compiled the best family-friendly movies available now into this roundup.

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From modern masterpieces like Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer to classics like Alien, some of the best R-rated movies ever made are available to stream on different platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and Max. With bold narratives and unfiltered realism, these are great picks for an enjoyable movie night among adult friends.

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The 50 Best Christmas Movies of All Time

This story was originally published on December 6, 2018. It has been updated since then with additional Christmas movies, including The Holdovers .

The holiday season is upon us, which means it’s time to put away our differences in the interest of peace on earth, goodwill toward others, etc., etc., and kick back with a great Christmas movie , a filmmaking tradition that dates back to the 1898 film Santa Claus . In that one, Santa slides down a chimney, stuffs some stockings, and promptly disappears into the ether; the whole film runs just over one minute long.

No one would argue that that early effort was anything but a Christmas movie, but these days, the question comes up frequently: What exactly is a Christmas movie? Is merely being set at Christmas enough? Or is there some elusive other element that makes a Christmas movie a Christmas movie? It’s the old, now tired, “Does Die Hard count?” debate.

Well, does it? Opting for a big-tent definition of what constitutes a Christmas movie, this list of the greatest Christmas movies ever made argues, yes, it does, very much so. And not just because it takes place at Christmas. The story of a man trying to repair his life, earn redemption, and keep his family together, Die Hard engages with some key Christmas-movie themes. More than twinkling lights and gift-making elves, we looked to these elements when putting the list together.

Also, the movies on this list have to be good. There’s a cynical reason to make a Christmas movie: The demand is high, even for the bad ones, every holiday season, when cable plays them ad nauseam to satisfy Christmas-crazed subscribers. So, sorry, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation — just because you’re unavoidable doesn’t earn you a spot on the list. Another qualifier: We stayed away from the world of made-for-TV movies, though some direct-to-streaming titles did make the cut. That means Hallmark Channel Christmas movies about young people who don’t like each other but then end up liking each other a lot weren’t considered. The list is mostly feature films but with a few shorts thrown in as well.

We also opted to include a wide variety of Christmas movies, ranging from established classics to cult horror movies . Not every title will be for everyone, but there should be something for everyone here, whether you want Jimmy Stewart welcoming the season or Santa’s demonic counterpart threatening a dysfunctional family. In the spirit of the season, we erred on the side of generosity.

50. The Christmas Chronicles (2018)

The streaming era has produced many forgettable movies that disappear from memory almost as quickly as they appear under the “Top Picks” header. But some have stuck around, like this goofy, endearing Netflix movie starring Kurt Russell as a gruff but good-hearted ( and hunky ) Santa who spends one busy Christmas Eve helping out a family of troubled kids escape a series of mishaps. Think Adventures in Babysitting , but with St. Nicholas and a musical cameo from Steven van Zandt and his band. A sequel followed in 2020 that, while not quite as good, does expand on Goldie Hawn’s last-minute appearance as Mrs. Claus at the end of the original.

49. The Great Rupert (1950)

A true Christmas oddity, this is the only holiday movie featuring Jimmy Durante as a down-on-his-luck vaudevillian forced to part ways with his trained squirrel as Christmas approaches. That’s the heartbreaking premise of The Great Rupert , but it’s all a set-up to a happy ending in which Durante is reunited with his four-legged friend, the poor get rich, and the rich learn a lesson (a story element that pops up a lot in the flood of Christmas movies released in the years immediately following World War II). The plot lags at times, but Durante’s always fun, and so is Rupert, the delightful creation of producer George Pal, the stop-motion wizard behind Puppetoons .

48. Krampus (2015)

Christmas horror films are their own subgenre (there will be more ahead), using the most wonderful time of year as the backdrop for some ugly, scary business. This 2015 horror comedy doesn’t always get the scares-to-laughs balance right, but its tale of a squabbling family visited by the demonic spirit of Krampus, a kind of anti-Santa sent to punish the naughty, benefits from a great cast (Toni Collette, Adam Scott, Allison Tolman, David Koechner) and some truly inventive monster designs. Collette heads a family that is not feeling the holidays — and winds up falling prey to murderous visitors, including some gingerbread men determined to bite back.

47. The Ice Harvest (2005)

Between this movie and another one a little higher on the list, Billy Bob Thornton has carved himself a nice space in the seamy-underbelly-of-Christmas subgenre. Holiday cheer provides an ironic backdrop for this overlooked-but-quite-good Harold Ramis thriller, starring Thornton and John Cusack as a pair of seedy characters looking to get the hell out of Wichita after ripping off their boss. Unfortunately, they haven’t factored in the possibility that bad weather (to say nothing of double crosses and other unforeseen bits of adversity) will get in their way. Thornton and Cusack make for a great pair, but it’s Oliver Platt who steals his every scene as a drunken lawyer in a film that provides the perfect antidote to the season’s excessive amounts of good cheer and faith in one’s fellow man.

46. Batman Returns (1992)

Tim Burton isn’t exactly underrepresented on this list, but his second Batman movie is too filled with twinkles and tinsel not to include, even if its mood is ultimately more frightful than festive. The sequel pits Batman (Michael Keaton) against the dreadful Penguin (Danny DeVito) and the alluring Catwoman (Michelle Pfeiffer) against the backdrop of a Gotham City all decked out for the holidays. (One key scene takes place at a Christmas tree-lighting ceremony that goes awry.) Whether it truly celebrates the season or not is open for debate, but watching the film’s superheroics play out in a snowy, light-strewn, postcard-perfect city makes it feel of a piece with Burton’s other Christmas films.

45. The Silent Partner (1978)

There’s been no shortage of scary Santas in movies — see above and below for examples — but few as terrifying as Christopher Plummer in this sometimes brutal thriller. Plummer plays Arthur Reikle, a psychopathic criminal who poses as a mall Santa while scheming to rob a Toronto bank. When a clever clerk (Elliott Gould) gets wise and schemes to rob the robber, a battle of wits ensues. The action plays out across several months, but it’s the early scenes that will make you look askance at any stranger in a Santa costume, no matter how jolly-seeming.

44. Christmas Evil (a.k.a. You Better Watch Out and Terror in Toyland ) (1980)

Or, if The Ice Harvest isn’t a strong enough antidote, check out this truly twisted slasher about a toy-factory employee who goes on a Yuletide killing spree. Christmas Evil has a premise similar to the much better known Silent Night, Deadly Night , which sparked protests in the streets when it was released four years later. But Silent Night, Deadly Night is just a standard slasher movie in Christmas drag. Christmas Evil plays like a demented piece of outsider art that takes the idea of a killer Santa to some pretty extreme places — including an ending that has to be seen to be believed. John Waters is a fan, which pretty much tells you all you need to know.

42. Eyes Wide Shut (1999)

What’s Stanley Kubrick’s final film about, really? Is it about one man’s harrowing descent into the erotic underbelly of New York as he wanders around one night? It is. But isn’t it also about a family nearly falling apart then getting back together in time for Christmas? Its final scene, set in a toy-and-Christmas-light-filled FAO Schwarz, suggests that’s the case. The film’s final lines are not directly related to the holidays or, technically speaking, family-friendly. But they, in their own way, encapsulate the season’s spirit of togetherness.

41. The Bishop’s Wife (1947)

As Christmas approaches, all is not well for Henry Brougham (David Niven), a Protestant bishop trying to raise funds for the glorious new cathedral of his dreams — a project that’s led him to neglect his wife, Julia (Loretta Young), and daughter and cause him to lose sight of his roots as a minister to the needy. Enter Dudley (Cary Grant), an angel determined to set Henry on the right path. The only trouble: He finds himself increasingly wanting to spend time with Julia instead. The film’s a bit pokily directed at times, but Young and Grant’s chemistry smooths over some rough patches — particularly when Grant gets a wistful look in his eyes suggesting that he might call heaven his home but he knows he could find even greater happiness on earth with Young’s character by his side. ( The Preacher’s Wife , the 1996 remake starring Denzel Washington and Whitney Houston, is also worth a look.)

40. Spencer (2021)

Sure, Pablo Larraín’s film is a harrowing depiction of Princess Diana’s alienation anchored by a remarkable Kristen Stewart performance. But it’s also a fairly universal movie about what it’s like to spend an awkward Christmas with in-laws that don’t like you. Set in 1991, when Diana was considering divorcing her husband, the Prince of Wales and future King Charles III, it captures the way being in close quarters can deepen preexisting divides. Most of us will never reach the rarefied sphere of the British Royal Family. But grudgingly going through dumb family rituals when you want to be anywhere else? That’s relatable!

39. Scrooged (1988)

What is Scrooged trying to say, anyway? You can watch the film over and over — easy to do if you have a cable subscription in December, when it plays all the time — and never quite figure it out. Is it a pitch-black comedy about the commercialization of Christmas? Is it a cynical send-up of our once-a-year celebration of kindness and selflessness? Is it a sincere depiction of a man being transformed by the holidays? It’s a tough film to pin down, probably because the darkly comic sensibilities of star Bill Murray and writers Mitch Glazer and Michael O’Donoghue often seem at odds with that of blockbuster director Richard Donner. But what makes this Reagan-era update on Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol — in which Murray plays a cold-hearted TV network president visited by Christmas spirits — flawed also makes it fascinating, and Carol Kane is especially fun as the Ghost of Christmas Present. Worth noting: Dickens’s classic looms large over the Christmas-movie genre, making this just one of many A Christmas Carol adaptations to make the list. Others include …

38. Scrooge (1970)

For a more tuneful version of the Dickens tale, there’s this 1970 musical starring Albert Finney as the eponymous miser. Finney holds nothing back as Scrooge, truly living up to the moniker “the Meanest Man in the Whole Wide World” given to him in “Father Christmas,” one of many earworm-y songs written by Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory songwriter Leslie Bricusse. Highlights include Alec Guinness as a spooky Jacob Marley and a truly scary Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. It’s a big, occasionally tacky, but quite fun take on the familiar story.

35. Little Women (1994), 36. Little Women (2019), and 37. Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)

All three of these movies raise a question: How much Christmas does a movie need to be a Christmas movie ? All are great films that set key scenes at Christmastime, but is it fair to call them Christmas movies? In the generous spirit of the season, let’s include them (but let’s also rank them a little lower than some others because so much of their narratives don’t take place during the holidays). All also have moments so Christmassy it would be a shame not to include them. Gillian Armstrong’s 1994 Little Women adaptation gets the nod for the moving way it stages the moment when Beth (Claire Danes) receives a piano for Christmas (and Danes’s heartrending expression of overwhelming joy). Greta Gerwig’s 2019 version has to be included for the moment when Bob Odenkirk’s Mr. March returns home for Christmas and embraces his family while calling them “my little women.” Vincente Minnelli’s classic 1944 musical spans a year in the life of St. Louis’s Smith family, but it’s a year in which a Christmas ball plays a pivotal role and features Judy Garland debuting “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” now a Christmas standard (albeit one no one has performed more heartbreakingly than Garland).

34. The Holiday (2006)

With her follow-up to Something’s Gotta Give , Nancy Myers seemingly set out to ask the question, If I cast four actors who really have no business appearing in a soft-edged romantic comedy in my next movie, could I make it work anyway? The answer: kind of? Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet play, respectively, a tightly wound editor of movie trailers and a British newspaper reporter who decide to swap houses shortly before Christmas. This leads Winslet’s character, now in L.A., to befriend an aging screenwriter played by Eli Wallach and (eventually) fall for a kindhearted composer played by Jack Black. Meanwhile, Diaz’s character, installed in Surrey, unwittingly hooks up with the brother of Winslet’s character, played by Jude Law. It’s a somewhat shapeless movie that goes on too long, but it also has an undeniable, nap-friendly, tryptophan-like charm as four beautiful people overcome the ridiculously small hurdles keeping them from getting together in two photogenic environments. (Also, Wallach’s a lot of fun.)

33. The Lemon Drop Kid (1951)

Bob Hope didn’t so much play characters as variations on the Bob Hope persona, a wisecracking coward with a tendency to get in way over his head then make matters worse for himself. Hope’s not the most obvious fit for a Damon Runyon adaptation, much less a Christmas-themed Runyon adaptation with a deep sentimental streak, but their sensibilities end up meshing pretty well anyway in this 1951 comedy. Hope plays the eponymous character, a con artist who has to flee Florida for New York in order to pay off a debt to a gangster. The ensuing scam involves criminals dressed as Santa and a fake retirement home for “Old Dolls.” The inspired slapstick bits reportedly come from the brilliant animator-turned-director Frank Tashlin, but it’s Hope and co-star Marilyn Maxwell’s performance of the then-new “Silver Bells” that’s ensured the film its spot in the Christmas-movie canon.

32. Home Alone (1990)

Nostalgia and holidays both have a way of warping emotions. Combined, they’re hard to resist, especially when it comes to movies that won us over when we were younger. That’s why it’s impossible not to include Home Alone — the John Hughes–scripted, Chris Columbus–directed hit in which Macaulay Culkin finds himself unexpectedly left behind when his family mistakenly flies to Paris without him. But it would be unfair to rank it any higher. Have you watched it? Lately? As a grown-up? Like, watched it all the way through from the shrill opening filled with obnoxious kids to the leadenly staged slapstick climax? It’s a much rougher ride than you might remember. Still, Culkin’s charming, and the sentimental ending works every time. Just ask George Costanza .

31. Love Actually (2003)

Few movies have been embraced and rejected, rejected and embraced with the ferocity of Richard Curtis’s 2003 holiday smorgasbord of new love, old love, dying love, Prime Minister love, and porn-movie love. It’s unabashedly corny and sometimes annoyingly smug and simplistic in its take on love, but there’s just so much going on in the movie that it’s hard to reject it wholesale. Don’t like the silly story line in which some luckless Brits fly to America to test the theory that their accents will make them a hit with women? Just stay tuned for a wrenching tale of infidelity starring Alan Rickman and Emma Thompson. Plus, it features the quintessential Bill Nighy performance as a washed-up rock star made miserable by his success, a true present any time of year.

30. Holiday Affair (1949)

Janet Leigh plays Connie, a war widow who unexpectedly becomes the center of a love triangle when her longtime suitor Carl (Wendell Corey) meets an unexpected rival in the form of Steve (Robert Mitchum), a veteran trying to figure out his place in the postwar world. Steve finds himself infatuated with Connie after they meet-cute in a department store — he’s a clerk, she’s a Christmastime undercover shopper — then starts a hard sell, asking him to dump Carl and take a chance on him. Mitchum’s tough-guy demeanor serves him well here, giving an odd energy to the love story. His character is sometimes written as too pushy, but the scene in which he declares his intentions over Christmas dinner, a moment where there’s no room for lies, is downright electric — and the final scene is a stunner.

29. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005)

Shane Black often sets his films against a Christmas backdrop, but where Lethal Weapon , Iron Man 3 , and others feel like films that happen to take place at Christmas, Black’s directorial debut feels like it could only take place at Christmas thanks to its themes of redemption, forgiveness, and rebirth. Here it’s New York thief Harry Lockhart (Robert Downey Jr.) in need of a new start, which he gets when he’s mistakenly asked to audition for a role in a Hollywood movie. Once there, he falls into a mystery tied to his own past when he reconnects with a childhood friend (Michelle Monaghan) and reluctantly partners with a private eye (Val Kilmer). The twists, rapid-fire banter, and love of seedy crime fiction are familiar Black trademarks, but the concern for Harry’s happiness and connections with others — brought to life by the performance that cemented Downey’s comeback — make this Black’s most heartfelt script.

28. Elf (2003)

Sometimes the right actor in the right role is pretty much all you need. This pleasant, goofy film stars Will Ferrell as Buddy, a human who’s grown up at the North Pole living under the mistaken impression that he’s an elf, despite developing into a lumbering adult with little skill for elfish endeavors such as toy-making. Eventually, he has to find his way in the human world when he travels to New York in search of his birth father (James Caan). As a cynical department-store employee, Zooey Deschanel provides a fun contrast to Ferrell’s wild-eyed enthusiasm. The film’s more winning the less it relies on wild antics, but Ferrell and others make sure it stays heartfelt throughout.

27. Arthur Christmas (2011)

Aardman Animations, the studio behind the Wallace and Gromit shorts and Chicken Run , brings its own particular whimsical sensibility to a holiday tale with this playful look inside the inner workings of the North Pole, where the latest in a long line of Santas (Jim Broadbent) seems reluctant to give up his post to one of his sons. Steven Claus (Hugh Laurie), who’s been running the operation for his dad with military precision, seems the obvious successor, but it’s the bumbling Arthur (James McAvoy) who best embodies the Christmas spirit, as evidenced by his mad rush to make sure the one kid who mistakenly got the wrong present doesn’t wake up disappointed on Christmas morning. The film mixes clever ideas — dig that high-tech North Pole! — with real warmth, making it feel like nothing less than the future of Christmas itself rests on Arthur’s shoulders.

26. A Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)

The first big-screen Muppet project after the 1990 death of Jim Henson, A Muppet Christmas Carol features some terrific Paul Williams songs, and smartly slots the always charming Muppets in the familiar Dickens roles. (Kermit and Piggy play the Cratchits, naturally, yet it’s details like the Swedish Chef as a party cook that make it a particular delight for longtime fans.) In the end, though, what makes the movies is Michael Caine’s performance as Ebenezer Scrooge. Caine plays it straight, as if he doesn’t even realize he’s surrounded by puppets, ensuring that the movie works as a moving Dickens adaptation first, and a Muppet movie second.

25. Blast of Silence (1961)

A true cult classic, this low-budget noir directed by Allen Baron unfolds against the backdrop of a New York decked out for the holidays. Yet it’s anything but a merry Christmas for Frank Bono (also Baron), a Cleveland hit man who’s in town to do a job. Mixing gritty location shooting with lyrical narration, it mixes pulpy themes with a feeling of existential loneliness. The movie would work if it weren’t set at Christmas, but the holiday cheer ratchets up the sense of alienation and despair. Not everyone is destined to have happy holidays. Some might not even make it out alive.

24. Black Christmas (1974)

Arthur Christmas too heartwarming for you? Then try Bob Clark’s classic horror film, in which a mysterious killer starts picking off members of a sorority house one by one during the lead-up to Christmas. Shot on and near the University of Toronto campus, it’s secretly one of the most influential horror films of all time, inspiring Halloween and all the slasher films that followed. Beyond its odd cast (Margot Kidder! SCTV ’s Andrea Martin! Romeo and Juliet star Olivia Hussey! 2001: A Space Odyssey ’s Keir Dullea!), it’s notable for using Christmas trappings to unnerving effect, including a truly memorable final scene. (Clark, who’d later go on to direct Porky’s , would return to Christmas with a much different movie less than a decade later.)

23. Tim Burton’s the Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

Is this a Christmas movie or a Halloween movie? Why choose one when it’s obviously both? The Nightmare Before Christmas has become such a Halloween marketing bonanza — with images of protagonists Jack Skellington and Sally becoming unavoidable every October — that it’s easy to forget it’s at heart the story of a kindhearted ghoulish spirit learning the true meaning of Christmas. (That its most famous song repeats the words “This is Halloween!” over and over again probably doesn’t help.) Directed by stop-motion wizard Henry Selick from a story and designs by Tim Burton, it plays like a sweet-creepy take on a Rankin-Bass Christmas special, building an elaborate mythology out of the holidays and populating it with endearing characters with lessons to learn and adversity to overcome.

22. Gremlins (1984)

Much like Nightmare Before Christmas , Joe Dante’s enduring horror favorite Gremlins plays like someone wanted to see how badly a bunch of little monsters could screw up the setting of another Christmas classic. The answer: pretty badly! Set in an idyllic American town straight out of It’s a Wonderful Life — its name, Kingston Falls, even hearkens back to that movie’s Bedford Falls — Gremlins features a cuddly little creature whose evil offspring run amok all over a sweet burg as it gets ready to celebrate the Christmas season. As usual, Dante mixes mockery with celebration, and the film evolves from a horror movie into a freewheeling send-up of both the holidays and the Hollywood movies that celebrate them.

21. Mickey’s Christmas Carol (1983)

Neither Disney animation nor its biggest star, Mickey Mouse, were riding high in the early ’80s. Disney had suffered a string of disappointments and setbacks, and though he remained an inescapable icon, Mickey hadn’t been seen in movie theaters since the ’50s. But this adaptation of the Dickens story suggested there might be life in both yet. Running just 26 minutes — and originally serving as the opener for a rerelease of The Rescuers — Mickey’s Christmas Carol offers a brisk, moving take on the familiar story. Scrooge McDuck (who else?) assumes the Scrooge role, but it’s Mickey and Minnie’s turns as the Cratchits that give the lovingly animated film its heart. After years of cutting corners and coasting on past triumphs, it provided an early sign that Disney was trying again — almost as if the studio has been visited by spirits reminding it what really mattered or something.

20. Remember the Night (1940)

Fred MacMurray and Barbara Stanwyck famously co-starred in Billy Wilder’s 1944 noir Double Indemnity , but that’s just one of four films to pair them together. They first teamed up for this 1940 Christmas romance in which Fred MacMurray plays John Sargent, a hard-charging DA who, through a misunderstanding, comes to spend the days before Christmas with Lee Leander (Barbara Stanwyck), a small-time jewel thief he’s prosecuting. They start to fall in love during a road trip to Indiana, a sojourn that almost allows them to forget that John still has to try to send Lee to jail when they get back. Directed by Mitchell Leisen from a Preston Sturges script, Remember the Night begins as a broad, brisk comedy but shifts moods as John learns about Lee’s difficult past. In a classic holiday-spirit turn, he comes to realize the advantages his loving family have bestowed upon him once he sees how appreciative Lee is after sharing the first warm Christmas morning of her life with his family.

19. The Holdovers (2023)

A movie about holiday togetherness that focuses on three characters that would rather be anywhere else (at least at first), Alexander Payne’s 1970-set comedy stars Paul Giamatti as Paul, a boarding-school teacher unexpectedly saddled with caring for a handful of boys with nowhere else to go at Christmastime. When that bunch gets reduced to just one bright, sad, rebellious kid named Angus (Dominic Sessa), Paul finds himself forced to open up for the first time in years, both to Angus and Mary (Da’Vine Joy Randolph), the head of the school’s cafeteria services who’s remained behind to provide meals. Mary’s still mourning the loss of her son in Vietnam, and Angus has family problems that remain veiled until late in the film. They seemingly have nothing in common, but Payne’s film evolves from a comedy of awkward interactions to a bittersweet celebration of togetherness that unfolds on the edge of despair.

18. Reve De Noel (The Christmas Dream) (1900)

French cinematic pioneer Georges Méliès’s contribution to the Christmas-film canon offers little in the way of narrative, just an abundance of turn-of-the-century Christmas imagery as a pair of sleeping children imagine a winter wonderland filled with frolicking musicians, holiday revelers, and, of course, Père Noël himself. It’s a lovely, whimsical short film that captures the inventive director in a festive mood, and immortalizes on film ways of celebrating Christmas that otherwise might have faded from memory.

17. White Christmas (1954) and 16. Holiday Inn (1942)

A song of yearning for holiday togetherness the singer suspects he’ll never find again, Bing Crosby’s recording of the Irving Berlin song “White Christmas” became a runaway hit in 1942 as America adjusted to the loss and separation of World War II. Its success was spurred on by the August release of Holiday Inn , a musical conceived by Berlin that starred Crosby and Fred Astaire as collaborators who break up and reunite over the course of a year, all against the backdrop of a country inn only open on holidays. (All the better to showcase Berlin’s knack for crafting holiday-themed hits.) With Danny Kaye subbing in for Astaire, Berlin and Crosby teamed up 12 years later for White Christmas , another holiday musical set at an idyllic getaway.

Both films have become Christmas staples, and both have much to recommend them. Featuring top-drawer Berlin songs and one memorable scene after another — Astaire tap dances while smoking and setting off fireworks in one — and elegant direction by Mark Sandrich, Holiday Inn is the better film by a good measure, but watching it means grappling with an ugly blackface number mid-film. (To make matters worse, skipping the scene altogether would result in missing an important plot point.) White Christmas , on the other hand, features fewer songs and a sleepy, low-stakes plot as Crosby and Kaye romance (sort of) a sister act played by Rosemary Clooney and Vera Ellen. Still, its aggressive, Technicolor pleasantness has its own charms.

15. Edward Scissorhands (1990)

Tim Burton clearly has a fondness for Christmas that extends beyond A Nightmare Before Christmas . Batman Returns , for one, uses the holiday to memorable effect. But Burton’s Edward Scissorhands goes even further, treating a sensitive, lab-created man with scissors for hands (Johnny Depp) as a Christ-like, too-pure-for-this-world figure who descends on an American suburb where he’s celebrated, then persecuted. The first collaboration between Burton and Depp, a team-up that would become less welcome as the years piled up, is a lovely celebration of outsiders that captures the Burton sensibility in its purest form, elevating his sympathy for monsters and a disdain for the “normal” world into a moral drama filled with arresting images.

14. 3 Godfathers (1948)

Not unlike Scissorhands , John Ford’s 3 Godfathers similarly uses echoes of the story of Christ to tremendous effect. A rare Christmas Western, the film stars John Wayne as one of a trio of bank robbers who agree to care for a newborn child while fleeing the law in Death Valley. Ford’s biblical echoes aren’t subtle, nor are they intended to be, but Wayne keeps the film, and its themes of redemption and rebirth, grounded with one of his most sensitive performances.

13. It Happened on Fifth Avenue (1947)

A great Christmas movie that not enough people talk about, It Happened on Fifth Avenue opens with the homeless sage Aloysius T. McKeever (Victor More) moving, as he does every Christmas season, into the luxurious Manhattan home of vacationing tycoon Michael J. O’Connor (Charles Ruggles). From there the film keeps piling on the complications as it breaks down the divide between the haves and the have-nots. McKeever is soon joined by a displaced World War II vet (Don DeFore) and O’Connor’s daughter Mary (Ann Harding), who doesn’t let on that she’s loaded and knows the house even better than those squatting there. The house grows more crowded, new loves get kindled, old loves get renewed, and O’Connor is forced to do a Scrooge-like about-face when he gets reacquainted with those less fortunate than him. Directed by Roy Del Ruth, who took on the project after Frank Capra decided to make It’s a Wonderful Life instead, It Happened on Fifth Avenue earns its warmth honestly, tethering a tale of fresh starts and changed hearts to the real difficulties faced by those reaching for the American dream in a postwar era that was supposed to bring prosperity for all.

12. Christmas in Connecticut (1945)

In a film as sexy as it is funny, Barbara Stanwyck plays Elizabeth Lane, a magazine columnist who risks being exposed as a phony if she can’t create the perfect Christmas at the Connecticut home she’s writing about as part of a PR stunt to reward recuperating GI Jefferson Jones (Dennis Morgan), who’s been dreaming of tasting her recipes while serving in World War II. The only problem: There is no Connecticut home, and she can’t cook. The farcical complications pile up from there, and Stanwyck deftly balances Elizabeth’s mounting sense of panic with wry humor as she reckons with her unexpected desire for Jones — a desire that has popped up just after she’s decided to give up on love in return for a marriage of convenience. Director Peter Godfrey keeps the action fast and light while trusting Stanwyck to excellently bring her character’s dilemma to life, even if it involves changing a diaper as if she’s never seen a baby before in her life.

11. Peace on Earth (1939)

Produced as the planet descended into another World War, this 1939 short , like many animated films, depicts a world populated by wide-eyed cartoon animals. The difference: They’ve inherited the Earth from humanity, whose habit of making war has led to its destruction. Directed for MGM by the influential animation pioneer Hugh Harman — who, with his partner Rudy Ising, had already logged stints working for Walt Disney and Warner Bros. — it’s a masterfully downbeat vision of the future; the cute protagonists, with their enthusiasm for keeping Christmas traditions alive, do little to offset the short film’s depictions of the horrors of war and the ways we fail to live up to our noblest principles. When Fred Quimby, William Hanna, and Joseph Barbera remade it 16 years later as the also-great Good Will to Men , they had to change little beyond the addition of nuclear war and other up-to-date threats.

10. Comfort and Joy (1984)

The end of the year can be a confusing time of reflection for those who feel they don’t have anything to celebrate. That feeling is captured beautifully in Scottish director Bill Forsyth’s tale of a Glasgow DJ (Bill Paterson), who finds himself unexpectedly alone when he’s dumped by his girlfriend shortly before Christmas. Adrift, he finds himself drawn into a turf war between two rival ice-cream vendors, a conflict that might offer him a chance to start over, or might drive him to the brink of madness. Paterson beautifully depicts a man who’s quietly, and sometimes not so quietly, experiencing a nervous breakdown as the world around him grows stranger and more absurd. That it all somehow builds toward a hilarious moment of reconciliation involving an unexpected new ice-cream product is just one of many little miracles in a Christmas movie that takes a roundabout way to celebrating the season’s possibilities of renewal and rebirth, but still gets there all the same.

9. Tangerine (2015)

It takes time for a film to emerge as a Christmas classic, and while this one may not end up being shown in constant rotation alongside A Christmas Story and Home Alone , let’s stake an early claim for Sean Baker’s Tangerine , a film that follows the Christmas spirit into some unexpected corners . Kitana Kiki Rodriguez and Mya Taylor co-star as, respectively, Sin-Dee and Alexandra, a pair of transgender sex workers living on the fringes of Los Angeles. Released from jail on Christmas Eve, Sin-Dee is driven to frustration when she learns that her pimp/lover Chester (James Ransone) is cheating on her as Alexandra prepares for a musical performance. Chaos mounts as day turns into night in the hours before Christmas.

Baker’s film, co-written by Chris Bergoch, alternates laughs and shocks, but it keeps circling back to how this particular Christmas has become a crossroads for its central characters, and how much they need each other if they’re going to make it through another year. It all ends with an image that, in its own way, is as warm and generous as Charlie Brown’s friends reviving a seemingly hopeless tree.

You might have noticed that this list — some notable exceptions aside — is dominated by stories of prosperous white families. Among its other virtues, Tangerine serves as a corrective to that tradition, serving as a reminder that Christmas isn’t limited to the land of picket fences and neatly trimmed trees. It’s a film as vital, alive, and in touch with the holiday as more traditional entries — an invitation to other filmmakers to redefine what a Christmas movie can be, and as much a story about the importance of human kindness as the one that tops this list.

8. Carol (2015)

Like Comfort and Joy , Todd Haynes’s Carol depicts the holidays as a time of possibility and peril as an intense, forbidden romance plays out against the backdrop of the 1952 Christmas season. The film stars Cate Blanchett as the eponymous unhappy housewife, a woman who unexpectedly falls for Therese (Rooney Mara), a store clerk. But their relationship seems doomed before it really begins once it threatens Carol’s ability to see her child, leaving her with an impossible choice. Inspired by Brief Encounter and adapted from a 1952 novel by Patricia Highsmith, otherwise best known for pitiless crime fiction like The Talented Mr. Ripley , Carol uses its holiday setting as more than a backdrop: Haynes bathes the films in Christmas lights, sure, but he also captures the spirit of a season through Carol and Therese’s relationship. The passing of one year gives way to a potential new beginning of the next — for those who can make it to the other side.

7. Die Hard (1988)

Odd as it may sound, many of the same qualities in Carol also make Die Hard a great Christmas movie, no matter what star Bruce Willis says . Yes, the John McTiernan–directed movie is one of the best action movies ever made; yes, it’s endlessly quotable; and, yes, it transformed Willis from that guy on Moonlighting who occasionally put out music under a different persona into a full-fledged movie star. But it’s also a story of loss and renewal in which Willis’s New York cop John McClane has to navigate the strange world of L.A. and take down a bunch of Eurotrash pseudo-terrorists in order to repair his marriage. And that’s no small part of the movie. Reconciling with his wife in time for the holidays is McClane’s mission. The rest is just a sidetrack, though neither goal will be easy. Still, he guns down the bad guys and emerges from the confrontation bloody and with a sense of forgiveness. Merry Christmas to all!

6. Bad Santa (2003)

A proudly mean-spirited black comedy seemingly at war with the Christmas spirit, Bad Santa somehow loops all the way back around to being a heartwarming Christmas movie about one man’s redemption. It’s a weird trick, pulled off in large part thanks to star Billy Bob Thornton’s performance as a hard-drinking con artist who uses his work as a mall Santa as a setup for grand larceny. Actually, “hard-drinking” doesn’t begin to describe Thornton’s Willie Soke, who spends much of the film in a near-stuporous state yet still manages to form an unlikely makeshift family with a misfit kid (Brett Kelly) and a bartender (Lauren Graham) with a thing for Santas. With able support from Bernie Mac and John Ritter, director Terry Zwigoff keeps the humor dark without losing sight of his characters’ humanity — however deep they might sink into a drunken haze.

5. A Christmas Story (1983)

Making his second appearance on this list with a much different Christmas movie, director Bob Clark’s venerable 1983 film adapts storyteller and radio personality Jean Shepherd’s tales of growing up in Hammond, Indiana, while cutting nostalgia and sentiment with just the right amounts of broad, occasionally dark, comedy. (And, it has to be noted, some pretty unfortunate racial stereotypes toward the end.) The episodic film follows Ralphie (Peter Billingsley) in the days before Christmas, when he wants nothing more than a Red Ryder air rifle — and seems destined not to get one. Narrated by Shepherd himself, it mixes big comic moments, like a kid getting his tongue stuck to a stop sign, with affection for family life and days gone by. Clark renders the memories of growing up in a particular time and place so well that Shepherd’s Hammond — its name changed to “Hohman” — becomes an idealized stand-in for any time and every place.

4. The Shop Around the Corner (1940)

There are many great romantic movies set at Christmas, but somehow The Shop Around the Corner still stands above them all. Maybe it’s the irresistible premise: A pair of feuding co-workers don’t realize they’re falling in love with one another via anonymous letters. (If that sounds familiar, it’s because Nora Ephron drew on the same source material — the Miklós László play Parfumerie — for You’ve Got Mail .) Maybe it’s a cast headed by Jimmy Stewart and Margaret Sullivan and filled out with colorful character actors. Maybe it’s because few directors have balanced lightness and romance like Ernst Lubitsch. Whatever the case, it’s both a peerless romantic comedy and one of the great Christmas movies, weaving themes of forgiveness and second chances into a love story that reflects the season in which it takes place.

3. A Christmas Carol (a.k.a. Scrooge ) (1951)

What makes an adaptation of A Christmas Carol great? Above all, it’s the actor playing Ebenezer Scrooge. There have been many memorable movie Scrooges (take a look at the multiple entries above), but few as memorable as Alastair Sim. He’s not just terrifyingly convincing as a pitiless miser in the film’s early scenes but also heartbreakingly affecting as a changed man in its closing moments. Not that Sim doesn’t get help from director Brian Desmond Hurst, who whisks the action along while surrounding his lead with lushly realized Victorian trappings and an able supporting cast. But the film rests on Sim’s shoulders, and it’s not hard to see why he’s yet to be supplanted as the definitive Scrooge.

2. Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

Here’s a question: What was going on that led to so many great Christmas movies being released in 1947? That year saw the release of The Bishop’s Wife , It Happened on Fifth Avenue (see above), and offered most viewers their first chance to see the greatest Christmas movie of all time (see below). It also produced this lovely story of a girl (Natalie Wood) whose mother (Maureen O’Hara) unwittingly hires someone who may be the actual Kris Kringle as a department-store Santa at Macy’s. What follows is part fantasy, part romance (as O’Hara’s character starts to fall for a charming neighbor), part indictment of commercialism, part defense of letting children be children as long as they can, and part legal thriller (well, sort of). Mostly, the film, written and directed by George Seaton, is an irresistible bit of Christmas whimsy made unforgettable by Edmund Gwenn’s turn as the man who might be Santa.

1. It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)

What else? Really, what other film could top a list of the greatest Christmas movies of all time? Frank Capra’s enduring classic stars Jimmy Stewart as George Bailey, the unwitting savior of Bedford Falls, a man whose goodness and generosity has touched more people than he realizes. In fact, as one bleak Christmas looms, he doesn’t realize it at all and is ready to commit suicide — until an angel named Clarence (Henry Travers) arrives to show him the error of his ways.

Though it’s become synonymous with holiday cheer, Capra’s film works because of its willingness to go to some dark places, and because of Stewart’s ability to play a gregarious goof one moment and a man whose world comes crashing down the next. Curiously, the film didn’t go into wide release until after Christmas in January of 1947, which might have contributed to its underwhelming box-office performance. But it received a second life thanks to relentless airings on local television in the ’70s and ’80s, where its depiction of one man’s dark night of the soul (and a nightmarish vision of what unrestrained greed looks like without those interested in fairness and justice to stand in the way of the Mr. Potters of the world) connected with a new generation.

It’s not hard to see why. It’s grounded in details of the times that inspired it — the Depression, World War II — but its vision of holiday kindness, and of the sort of country most of us would want to live in and the values of kindness and generosity most of us share, remains timeless.

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All of Candace Cameron Bure’s TV Christmas Movies, Ranked

By Emily Longeretta

Emily Longeretta

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The queen of Christmas is back. Candace Cameron Bure — who has been creating holiday content for the Hallmark Channel since 2008 — may have made a major move to Great American Family this year, but her hit movies still live on.

Her first Hallmark holiday movie was 2008’s “Moonlight & Mistletoe , ” starring alongside Christopher Wiehl and Tom Arnold. She loved it so much — and it came at the right time in her life — that she continued. “That was one of my first jobs after taking a 10-year break and being a stay at home mom. And I was like, ‘Okay, let’s start auditioning again,'” she recently told Variety . “It was great. It was fun. I enjoyed it and it was three weeks away from the family, which was manageable and doable. And then I got asked to do another one and they just did so well. We all realized, as that channel was growing so rapidly and it was capturing this audience, they just kept coming back. To date, I still hold the highest rated movie in the history of the Hallmark Channel. So I’m very grateful for it. As that expanded within the Movies & Mysteries and more Christmas films, I think about my fifth or sixth movie in, I started executive producing them.”

While she starred in more than two dozen films for the network, 10 of those revolved around Christmas. She also briefly appeared in “The Heart of Christmas,” a Christian drama that was released on Gospel Music Channel in 2012, but was not a leading character.

“The channels that have really grown holiday programming have done a phenomenal job and they really captured an audience who wants comfort and heartfelt content and content they they know what to expect,” she told Variety of the success of holiday TV movies. “I think that’s the biggest thing about Christmas movies in general is that people make fun of them, and yet people love them. It’s because they are predictable. You know that someone’s going to fall in love, you know that there’s going to be a kiss at the end. You know it’s just going to be happy and warm and heartfelt. And people run to that, especially at the holidays.”

This year, she will lead and produce “A Christmas… Present” on Great American Family, set to air on Nov. 27.

Scroll down for a ranking of Bure’s best holiday movies.

‘A Journey Back to Christmas’ (2016)

WWII nurse Hanna (Bure) wakes up in 2016 and learns an important lesson about the meaning of Christmas. Oliver Hudson co-stars.

Reason for rank : Time-travel Christmas movies don’t always register as strong, and the comet twist is a little more cheesy than usual.

‘The Christmas Contest’ (2021)

Reuniting with her “Fuller House” co-star John Brotherton, Bure reunites with her ex while competing in Christmas-themed activities.

Reason for rank: While everyone loves a reunion, it should have been with Scott Weinger. Otherwise, the plot of “The Christmas Contest” was a bit too silly for my liking, but did have a strong landing.

'Moonlight & Mistletoe' (2008)

In her first Hallmark movie, Bure’s Holly reconnects with a past love, Peter (Christopher Wiehl), while home helping her dad (Tom Arnold) run Santaland.

Reason for rank: While the movie is charming and sweet, Bure and Wiehl aren’t my favorite match. The best part of this one was Tom Arnold.

‘If I Only Had Christmas’ (2020)

Cheerful publicist Darcy (Bure) teams up with a cynical business owner (Warren Christie) to help a charity in need. Bonus: There’s a “Wizard of Oz” twist.

Reason for rank: The chemistry was strong between Bure and Christie, especially in the first half of the movie, but the weak side storylines weighed down the overall experience.

‘A Shoe Addict's Christmas’ (2018)

Bure’s Noelle takes a trip to her past, present and future Christmases with the help of a guardian angel (Jean Smart) and her firefighter neighbor, Jake (Luke Macfarlane) — who also happens to rescue her when she gets locked inside a department store on Christmas Eve.

Reason for rank: Jean Smart and Luke Macfarlane? Even though the plot on this one felt a bit lackluster, it’s impossible to fall flat with those two added into the mix.

‘Christmas Town’ (2019)

On her way to Boston, teacher Lauren (Bure) takes a detour to a small town and quickly discovers the meaning of family upon meeting Travis (Tim Rozon) and his foster son.

Reason for rank: Finally, Hallmark was able to highlight foster care and adoption. It also allowed Bure’s Lauren to find what makes her happy first, rather than depend on romance.

‘A Christmas Detour’ (2015)

When Bure’s Paige gets stranded on her way to meet her fiancé’s parents for the first time, she’s forced to hitch a ride with a married couple and a cynic, played by Sarah Strange, David Lewis and Paul Greene, respectively.

Reason for rank: It’s hard not to love seeing two strangers, who couldn’t be more different, spark an unlikely romance while in the air. Greene and Bure have excellent chemistry, and Strange and Lewis portray a relatable married couple who are trying to find that fire again.

‘Christmas Under Wraps’ (2014)

After a breakup, Dr. Lauren Brunell (Bure) is forced to move to Alaska for a new job. What is set to be temporary soon turns into more when she realizes that the small town has everything she’s looking for — including Santa (Brian Doyle-Murray) and his handsome son, Andy (David O’Donnell).

Reason for rank: While the romance is predictable, what isn’t is the hidden storyline of Santa, his “elves” and reindeer. Plus, 2022 will see a sequel with Bure’s former “Full House” co-star Jodie Sweetin finding love with Andy!

‘Switched for Christmas’ (2017)

Bure plays twins Chris, a single mother of two, and Kate, a single and busy workaholic, who switch places for the holidays. Things get messy when they realize the grass isn’t always greener — and start falling in love with men who think they’re each other. Mark Deklin, Eion Bailey and Bure’s daughter, Natasha, star.

Reason for rank : There’s not just one great love story here, there are two — and the welcome addition of sisters reconnecting despite their differences.

‘Let It Snow’ (2013)

Christmas cynic Stephanie (Bure) heads to a family lodge before the holidays to prove to her father (Alan Thicke) that she has what it takes to transform it into a vacation spot. While there, she falls in love with Christmas, the property and the owner’s son (Jesse Hutch).

Reason for rank: Not only is there a kiss before the movie’s end (gasp!), the father-daughter relationship between Bure and Thicke is just as powerful as the romance at the center.

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Where to travel based on your favorite holiday movies

There's something about chilly weather during the holidays that makes curling up on the sofa with a mug of cocoa, a bowl of popcorn and a good movie the perfect indoor activity.

Whether you're a fan of Hallmark movies, classic films, what I call "holiday adjacent" movies (such as "Die Hard") or a mix of all of the above, there are plenty of great Christmas-themed movies to watch this time of year — and some might even inspire your next real-life adventure.

As we all dream of trips we might take in 2022 , here's a roundup of where you should book a trip next on your favorite holiday movie.

Want more travel news and advice from TPG? Sign up for our daily newsletter.

'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone'

In the same way that "Die Hard" is absolutely a Christmas movie, so is "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone." And if you're dreaming of a Hogwarts holiday season, you don't have to go far to make those dreams a reality.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida, is an immersive section of the theme park that recreates some of the settings from the Harry Potter movies. There, you'll find all of your favorite wizarding world locations, from Diagon Alley to Hogwarts Castle. You can visit Olivanders and The Three Broomsticks and even ride the Hogwarts Express.

Of course, there's no shortage of ways to experience the magic of Harry Potter. You can visit filming locations across the U.K. or do a set tour in London . New York City is now home to a Harry Potter store filled with specialty merchandise, a wand shop, bookable experiences and even a cafe where you can get your very own butterbeer.

Related: 7 locations every Harry Potter fan should visit

'Eloise at Christmastime'

If there's one Christmas movie I associate with my childhood, it's "Eloise at Christmastime." The movie is based on the stories by Kay Thomspon, starring a precocious little girl named Eloise as she stirs up mischief at The Plaza hotel. You can recreate the magic from this iconic movie by visiting New York City — specifically The Plaza.

After shutting down at the start of the coronavirus pandemic, the hotel reopened to guests in May 2021. You can now book a stay here, but you can also go visit without spending the night. There's even a Manhattan Tea package offered at The Palm Court for those who want to get the full Plaza experience .

Of course, New York City is the setting for many Christmas movies. If films such as "Miracle on 34th Street," "Home Alone 2: Lost in New York" or "Elf" are more your style, the Big Apple is still the place to visit to recreate the magic from those holiday movies.

'The Holiday'

As my absolute favorite Christmas movie of all time, I couldn't skip out on "The Holiday." The movie tells a story of two women looking to escape their problems during the holidays by swapping homes with a stranger across the world. Both end up finding true love and a dose of Christmas spirit through the exchange.

While half of the movie is set in Los Angeles , it's the fictional cottage in the English countryside that stars in my daydreams about this movie. Unfortunately, the cottage used in filming isn't real, but the cottage that inspired the movie set is Honeysuckle Cottage in Holmbury St Mary. And you can find the same vibes in holiday cottages in Surrey, England.

'The Polar Express'

"The Polar Express" is a magic-infused animated movie based on the children's book by Chris Van Allsburg. The wholesome tale follows a young boy who learns to believe in Santa while on a magical train ride from his home to the North Pole.

While there is (unfortunately) no magical train that can take us to meet Santa Claus up at the North Pole, you can still experience stunning views and possibly a little northern lights magic on the Aurora Winter Train .

The 12-hour trip between Anchorage and Fairbanks traverses through snow-covered scenery, and packages include activities such as dog-sledding and chasing the northern lights.

Related: 14 of the most scenic train rides on Earth

'Love Actually'

This Christmas romantic comedy is set in London and showcases 10 different stories about love. Most of the film was shot on location in London, which means travelers who love the movie can easily visit where some of their favorite scenes were filmed.

Grosvenor Chapel on South Audley Street is where Peter and Juliet's wedding is held. Harry purchases the necklace for Mia at Selfridges department store on Oxford Street. Daniel has the heart-to-heart with his son on a bench found on Gabriel's Wharf, a section of Queen's Walk that stretches down the South Bank of the River Thames.

Related: An expert's guide to London neighborhoods

'It's a Wonderful Life'

"It's a Wonderful Life" is a Christmas classic many families watch every year as a holiday tradition. Though the story is set in the fictional Bedford Falls, many believe the town was based on real-life Seneca Falls, New York.

A bridge in Seneca Falls does have a resemblance to the steel truss bridge George Bailey jumps from in the film to save his guardian angel, Clarence. And each year, the "It's a Wonderful Life" Museum hosts a festival in the film's honor during the second weekend of December (though the museum is open year-round).

The small town is located in the Finger Lakes region with plenty to do in the surrounding area for travelers who want to pay homage to the iconic Christmas movie while on a larger vacation to the area.

'Christmas at Dollywood'

If you're a fan of Hallmark movies, then you've likely heard of "Christmas at Dollywood." Dolly Parton herself makes an appearance in the film about an event planner from New York City who falls in love during her holiday trip home to Tennessee when she ends up working during the Christmas event at Dollywood .

Dollywood is a worthwhile destination all year long, but the park goes all out during the holiday season. Dollywood is lit up with millions of lights, and seven different holiday shows are presented during the extravaganza. According to Dollywood's website, its Smoky Mountain Christmas festival has been hailed as America's best Christmas event for more than a decade.

'The Santa Claus'

Finally, you can't forget "The Santa Claus," the first film of the iconic Christmas movie franchise starring Tim Allen. In the film, Scott learns that he is the new Santa Claus and must take over for the previous St. Nick before the next holiday season.

The film visits Santa's workshop in the North Pole. The actual North Pole is a bit less exciting (and you won't find any elves working on this year's Christmas gifts), but you can visit Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi, Finland . It's considered the Official Hometown of Santa Claus. At Santa's Village, you can meet Santa's reindeer, go on dog sled rides, attend the Elf's Hat Academy and so much more.

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Published 2022-06-23T14:27:02.223Z Updated 2023-05-24T01:48:37.051Z

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Hallmark Christmas Time Travel Movies

List of Hallmark Christmas movies that incorporate the tropes of time travel or groundhog day. Hoping to get some sort of a paper about neoliberal neoconservatism out of these. Includes movies with nostalgic casting (80s, 90s, early 00s).

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We Ranked the 112 Best Lifetime Christmas Movies

Featuring your favorite stars from Grey’s Anatomy , One Tree Hill , Desperate Housewives , and more.

When it comes to Christmas movies , Lifetime can always be counted on to produce some of the sweetest, most surprising, and star-studded flicks every holiday season. Regularly reuniting all of our favorite TV and movie stars, Lifetime holiday movies are filled with nostalgia, and will give anyone a boost during what can be a difficult time of year for many. From multiple flicks starring One Tree Hill ’s biggest stars to Melissa Joan Hart’s glorious acting renaissance, Lifetime knows what we want and isn’t afraid to give it to us.

Whether you're in the mood for a Santa Claus-infused comedy, or you’re after some hometown wholesomeness, there's something for everyone on this list. Here, we round up 112 of Lifetime's best Christmas movies of all time .

A Christmas Intern (2023)

Cecilia (Jackée Harry) isn’t enjoying her retirement. Luckily, her daughter Alexis runs a successful gifting business, and agrees to let her mom become an intern. Working together over the holiday season has its trials and tribulations, but ultimately brings a mother and daughter closer together.

Premieres December 16 at 10/9c.

Christmas at the Chalet (2023)

Teri Hatcher stars as Lex, a former TV host whose love life leaves a lot to be desired. The holiday season proves challenging when Lex ends up in a chalet with her ex-husband and his new girlfriend. To avoid any awkward moments, Lex decides to work at the chalet, while sharing her unexpected escapades with her online followers.

Premieres November 25 at 8/7c.

A Cowboy Christmas Romance (2023)

Real estate agent Lexie ( One Tree Hill’ s Jana Kramer) returns home to broker a deal on ranch. However, Lexie finds herself in the middle of some drama when the ranch’s handsome owner doesn’t want to sell. Plus, spending time with her family is more tricky than she hoped.

Premieres December 9 at 8/7c.

Christmas Plus One (2023)

Sisters Cara and Amy decide to make a pact to find love. Miraculously, the pact works, and one year later, Amy is planning her wedding to her soulmate. However, Cara’s love life remains a little more complicated. Can she find the person she’s meant to be with before time runs out?

Premieres November 18 at 8/7c.

Ladies of the ‘80s: A Divas Christmas (2023)

Five soap stars reunite to film a special Christmas episode of their iconic show. While on set, the ladies realize that there may be a love connection between the show’s director and one of its producers. Soon, they’re working their magic to make a love match on set.

Premieres December 2 at 8/7c.

The Holiday Proposal Plan (2023)

Sonny (Tatyana Ali) reunites with her ex-boyfriend Kip in an attempt to help two of their friends get engaged. As they work together to create a magical Christmas setting, the pair realizes that there may still be a spark between them.

Premieres December 16 at 8/7c.

Yes, Chef! Christmas (2023)

Tía Mowry stars as Alicia, a culinary school teacher who agrees to take part in the annual Kringle Cook-Off. Hoping to prove that she is head chef material, Alicia finds herself working with Logan, another chef who’s a little unpredictable. Will she win the competition and realize her dream of graduating from teacher to chef?

Premieres December 10 at 8/7c.

Mistletoe Match (2022)

Undercover reporter Olivia decides to take part in the annual Mistletoe Match, secretly hoping to expose the event as a sham. However, her opinion starts to change when she meets a hunky widower and single dad named Thomas. Will she choose journalism over love?

Premires December 3 at 8/7c.

Merry Magic Christmas (2023)

Financial advisor Kat keeps seeing the number 624, and she’s told that it’s a message sent by a Christmas angel. Skeptical of the number’s meaning, Kat wrestles with the message, eventually uncovering the truth, along with an unexpected love connection.

Premieres December 17 at 8/7c.

Planes, Trains, and Christmas Trees (2022)

Event planner Kayley and sports agent Brett find themselves stranded at the airport after a Christmas Eve snowstorm grounds their flight. Hoping to make it home for the holidays, the strangers decide to work together to make it to their destination at any cost.

Premieres November 19 at 8/7c.

Mom's Christmas Boyfriend (2023)

Lily may only be 10-years-old, but she knows exactly what she wants. After winning a competition to have any Christmas wish granted, Lily decides to wish that her adoptive mom Emma finds love. But will her wish really come true?

Premieres December 23 at 8/7c.

Laughing All the Way (2023)

Writer and aspiring comedian Aubri is tasked with planning a Christmas showcase. She finds her headliner in the form of Mike, a famous comedian who owes his career to the venue. But is Aubri brave enough to take a chance and finally share her comedy with the world?

Premieres November 26 at 8/7c.

Reindeer Games Homecoming (2022)

Grey's Anatomy alum Sarah Drew writes and stars in this Christmas rom-com. MacKenzie is fundraising for The Reindeer Games, a tradition carried over from her late father. But when her high school crush Chase decides to take part, the pair finds that there might be something between them all these years later.

Merry Liddle Christmas Wedding (2020)

Lifetime's first ever Christmas movie sequel sees Kelly Rowland planning a trip down the aisle. Jacquie and Tyler (Thomas Cadrot) are trying to plan their perfect destination Christmas wedding, but their families have other ideas. Will the pair manage to organize the ideal nuptials against the odds?

Feliz NaviDAD (2020)

TV icon Melissa Joan Hart directs Mario Lopez and 90210 's AnnaLynne McCord in this festive rom-com. Lopez plays a single dad who matches with a musician on a dating app. As she's only in town for the holidays, the pair decides to go on a “practice date.” Luckily, thanks to the magic of Christmas, love is most definitely in the air.

Christmas on Mistletoe Lake (2022)

Reilly (Genelle Williams) takes a trip to a new place every Christmas. But when she picks the quaint Mistletoe Lake, she arrives to find that all accommodation is sold out on account of the Christmas Harbor Festival. Luckily, Reilly is invited to stay on a boat on Mistletoe Lake by a 12-year-old named Emma. Soon, she's roped into convincing Emma’s dad, Raymond (Corey Sevier), to enter the town's festival for one final, perfect holiday season.

A Welcome Home Christmas (2020)

A Christmas toy drive brings Chloe (Jana Kramer) and Michael (Brandon Quinn) together. Michael is a vet who has recently returned home, and the pair works together to encourage veterans and military personnel to take part in the holiday activity. As the town prepares for the Officer’s Christmas Ball, Michael and Chloe realize that they're a pretty great team, actually.

Snowed Inn Christmas (2017)

Jenna ( One Tree Hill icon Bethany Joy Lenz) volunteers for a special writing assignment alongside fellow journalist Kevin (Andrew Walker). However, a snowstorm grounds their plane in Santa Claus, Indiana, and they suddenly find themselves trying to help save a historic town inn in this Christmas wonderland.

A New Orleans Noel (2022)

Grace and Anthony are both architects, but that's where the similarities stop. However, they're thrown together when they're hired by New Orleans praline icon Loretta Brown (Patti LaBelle). And when Anthony finds out that Grace is set to spend the holidays alone, he invites her to spend time with his family. Will their disagreements turn into romance over the holiday season?

A Picture Perfect Holiday (2021)

2021's A Picture Perfect Holiday stars Tatyana Ali as a fashion photographer, who's encouraged to take part in a Christmas Photography Retreat in Pine Falls. However, when she arrives, she finds her cabin has been double-booked with a very handsome, and sometimes shirtless, fellow photographer, played by Henderson Wade.

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7 Time-Travel Movies on Netflix that You're Going to Want to Watch ASAP

I f you’re a fan of mind-bending plots and the thrill of time-travel adventures, Netflix has an array of movies that will keep you hooked from start to finish. From action-packed thrillers to heartwarming romances, these films explore the complexities of time travel in captivating and imaginative ways. So, get ready to embark on a journey through the space-time continuum with these seven must-watch time-travel movies:

Looper (2012)

In 2044, a hired gun gets rich killing people who are sent back from another time. But what will he do when his new target is his future self? Starring Bruce Willis, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Emily Blunt, this sci-fi thriller will keep you on the edge of your seat as it explores the consequences of altering the past.

See You Yesterday (2019)

As two teen prodigies try to master the art of time travel, a tragic police shooting sends them on a series of dangerous trips to the past. Starring Eden Duncan-Smith, Dante Crichlow, and Astro, this thrilling movie tackles important social issues while delivering an action-packed time-travel adventure.

The Adam Project (2022)

After accidentally crash-landing in 2022, time-traveling fighter pilot Adam Reed teams up with his 12-year-old self on a mission to save the future. With Ryan Reynolds, Mark Ruffalo, and Jennifer Garner leading the cast, this sci-fi film combines humor, heart, and high-stakes action in an exhilarating adventure through time.

In the Shadow of the Moon (2019)

A Philadelphia detective slowly unravels as he nurses a lifelong obsession with an enigmatic female serial killer whose crimes defy explanation. Starring Boyd Holbrook, Michael C. Hall, and Cleopatra Coleman, this gripping drama explores the psychological toll of chasing a killer across decades.

When We First Met (2018)

Using a magical photo booth that sends him back in time, Noah relives the night he met Avery over and over, trying to persuade her to fall for him. Starring Adam Devine, Alexandra Daddario, and Shelley Hennig, this charming romantic comedy is filled with laughs, heart, and plenty of time-travel hijinks.

Mirage (2018)

A space-time continuum glitch allows Vera to save a boy’s life 25 years earlier, but results in the loss of her daughter, whom she fights to get back. With Adriana Ugarte, Chino Darín, and Javier Gutiérrez in the lead roles, this thrilling thriller explores the lengths a mother will go to rewrite the past and save her child.

The Knight Before Christmas (2019)

Medieval magic sends a 14th-century knight to modern-day Ohio, where he falls for a high school science teacher who’s disillusioned by love. Starring Vanessa Hudgens, Josh Whitehouse, and Emmanuelle Chriqui, this heartwarming romance combines time-travel fantasy with holiday cheer for a delightful and enchanting movie experience.

The post 7 Time-Travel Movies on Netflix that You're Going to Want to Watch ASAP appeared first on New York Tech Media .

5 Deep Cut Horror Movies to Seek Out in May 2024

New month, new horror recommendations from Deep Cuts Rising . This installment features one random pick as well as four selections reflecting the month of May 2024 .

Regardless of how they came to be here, or what they’re about, these past movies can generally be considered overlooked, forgotten or unknown.

This month’s offerings include a self-loathing serial killer, a violinist’s murderous ghost, and a postmodern vamp flick.

Scream, Pretty Peggy (1973)

Pictured: Ted Bessell and Sian Barbara Allen in Scream, Pretty Peggy .

Directed by Gordon Hessler .

The TV-movie Scream, Pretty Peggy first aired as part of ABC Movie of the Week . Bette Davis plays the mother of a reclusive sculptor ( Ted Bessell ), and after the previous housekeeper goes missing, a local college student ( Sian Barbara Allen ) fills the position. Little does she know, though, the young employee’s predecessor was murdered — and the killer is still on the loose.

Admittedly, Scream, Pretty Peggy isn’t difficult to figure out; its inspiration is obvious. However, Bette Davis’ overstated performance and the son character’s macabre artwork are enough to stay tuned and learn who’s behind the killings.

Scream, Pretty Peggy is now available on physical media from Kino Lorber . Perhaps watch the movie with your own mother this Mother’s Day (May 12).

Paganini Horror (1989)

Pictured: The ghostly killer in Paganini Horror .

Directed by Luigi Cozzi .

For National Buy a Musical Instrument Day (May 22), check out this absurd Italian entry in the subgenre of cursed music horror. A rock band unleashes hell when they unknowingly use a satanic piece of music composed by Niccolò Paganini, the violinist who was rumored to have made a Faustian deal.

Even though Paganini Horror is hardly deemed a standout of Italian Horror, and the movie indeed drags itself toward the finish line, there are some bright spots worth focusing on. For instance: Donald Pleasence . If that’s not enough, the very ’80s aesthetic helps gloss over the flaws in Daria Nicolodi ‘s uneven script.

Paganini Horror is now on physical media from Severin Films and is also streaming on SCREAMBOX .

Nadja (1994)

Pictured: Suzy Amis Cameron and Karl Geary in Nadja .

Directed by Michael Almereyda .

These vampires may or may not cast a reflection, but they sure do love to reflect. David Lynch executive-produced as well as briefly appeared in the film, which Roger Ebert succinctly described as “Deadpan Noir” in his review. This tale of revenge and philosophical pondering begins with the vampiric namesake ( Suzy Amis Cameron ) seducing the daughter ( Galaxy Craze ) of Van Helsing after he killed Nadja’s father, Dracula. From there a war erupts between the two sides, all while taking place in modern NYC.

Nadja is quite slow but also just strange, stylish and creative enough to keep your attention. In addition, the trip hop soundtrack is easy on the ears, and Peter Fonda plays a memorable Van Helsing. Overall, this is a unique and artsy approach to vampire horror.

Nadja is now streaming on Freevee .

The Bone Snatcher (2003)

Pictured: Scott Bairstow, Warrick Grier and Rachel Shelley in ‘The Bone Snatcher’.

Directed by Jason Wulfsohn .

For National Sunscreen Day (May 27), dig up the monster movie The Bone Snatcher . It will take more than a high SPF to protect the sunburned characters here; they are stuck in a South African desert with a bizarre monster called the Esikhulu.

The best things about The Bone Snatcher are its setting and the creature. This beast, which is brought to life on screen using a combination of practical and digital effects, sports a ghastly design to go with its unnerving ability to animate skeletons. Something else this movie has going for it is a refusal to show the monster too often; that way there is less chance of becoming desensitized to the Esikhulu. Ultimately, this has nothing on John Carpenter’s The Thing , however, those more forgiving fans of Syfy-ish creature-features should be satisfied.

The Bone Snatcher is currently streaming on Tubi .

#1 Serial Killer (2013)

Pictured: Jason Tobin in #1 Serial Killer .

Directed by Stanley Yung .

May is AAPIM, and the subversive #1 Serial Killer (originally titled Chink ) is relevant when discussing the “Invisible Asian” notion. Acknowledging the irony, Stanley Yung’s movie has gone widely unnoticed despite its potent take on race and identity.

Jason Tobin ( Warrior ) delivers a compelling performance as the vile protagonist here. The self-hating, Ted Bundy-admiring character discriminates against other Asians after years of mistreatment and disregard, and that growing rage finally manifests as cathartic violence.

#1 Serial Killer is currently available at digital retailers like Apple .

No genre is as prolific as horror, so it’s understandable that movies fall through the cracks all the time. That is where this recurring column, Deep Cuts Rising , comes in. Each installment of this series will spotlight several unsung or obscure movies from the past — some from way back when, and others from not so long ago — that could use more attention.

Paul Lê is a Texas-based, Tomato approved critic at Bloody Disgusting, Dread Central, and Tales from the Paulside.

Silly, Self-Aware ‘Amityville Christmas Vacation’ Is a Welcome Change of Pace [The Amityville IP]

Twice a month Joe Lipsett will dissect a new Amityville Horror film to explore how the “franchise” has evolved in increasingly ludicrous directions. This is “The Amityville IP.”

After a number of bloated runtimes and technically inept entries, it’s something of a relief to watch Amityville Christmas Vacation (2022) . The 55-minute film doesn’t even try to hit feature length, which is a wise decision for a film with a slight, but enjoyable premise.

The amusingly self-aware comedy is written and directed by Steve Rudzinski , who also stars as protagonist Wally Griswold. The premise is simple: a newspaper article celebrating the hero cop catches the attention of B’n’B owner Samantha ( Marci Leigh ), who lures Wally to Amityville under the false claim that he’s won a free Christmas stay.

Naturally it turns out that the house is haunted by a vengeful ghost named Jessica D’Angelo ( Aleen Isley ), but instead of murdering him like the other guests, Jessica winds up falling in love with him.

Several other recent Amityville films, including Amityville Cop and Amityville in Space , have leaned into comedy, albeit to varying degrees of success. Amityville Christmas Vacation is arguably the most successful because, despite its hit/miss joke ratio, at least the film acknowledges its inherent silliness and never takes itself seriously.

In this capacity, the film is more comedy than horror (the closest comparison is probably Amityville Vibrator , which blended hard-core erotica with references to other titles in the “series”). The jokes here are enjoyably varied: Wally glibly acknowledges his racism and excessive use of force in a way that reflects the real world culture shift around criticisms of police work; the last names of the lovers, as well the title of the film, are obvious homages to the National Lampoon’s holiday film; and the narrative embodies the usual festive tropes of Hallmark and Lifetime Christmas movies.

This self-awareness buys the film a certain amount of goodwill, which is vital considering Rudzinski’s clear budgetary limitations. Jessica’s ghost make-up is pretty basic, the action is practically non-existent, and the whole film essentially takes place in a single location. These elements are forgivable, though audiences whose funny bone isn’t tickled will find the basic narrative, low stakes, and amateur acting too glaring to overlook. It must be acknowledged that in spite of its brief runtime, there’s still an undeniable feeling of padding in certain dialogue exchanges and sequences.

Despite this, there’s plenty to like about Amityville Christmas Vacation .

Rudzinski is the clear stand-out here. Wally is a goof: he’s incredibly slow on the uptake and obsessed with his cat Whiskers. The early portions of the film lean on Wally’s inherent likeability and Rudzinski shares an easy charm with co-star Isley, although her performance is a bit more one-note (Jessica is mostly confused by the idiot who has wandered into her midst).

Falling somewhere in the middle are Ben Dietels as Rick ( Ben Dietels ), Wally’s pathetic co-worker who has invented a family to spend the holidays with, and Zelda ( Autumn Ivy ), the supernatural case worker that Jessica Zooms with for advice on how to negotiate her newfound situation.

The other actors are less successful, particularly Garrett Hunter as ghost hunter Creighton Spool ( Scott Lewis ), as well as Samantha, the home owner. Leigh, in particular, barely makes an impression and there’s absolutely no bite in her jealous threats in the last act.

Like most comedies, audience mileage will vary depending on their tolerance for low-brow jokes. If the idea of Wally chastising and giving himself a pep talk out loud in front of Jessica isn’t funny, Amityville Christmas Vacation likely isn’t for you. As it stands, the film’s success rate is approximately 50/50: for every amusing joke, there’s another one that misses the mark.

Despite this – or perhaps because of the film’s proximity to the recent glut of terrible entries – Amityville Christmas Vacation is a welcome breath of fresh air. It’s not a great film, but it is often amusing and silly. There’s something to be said for keeping things simple and executing them reasonably well.

That’s a lesson that other indie Amityville filmmakers could stand to learn.

The Amityville IP Awards go to…

Recurring Gag: The film mines plenty of jokes from characters saying the quiet part (out) loud, including Samantha’s delivery of “They’re always the people I hate” when Wally asks how he won a contest he didn’t enter.
Holiday Horror: There’s a brief reference that Jessica died in an “icicle accident,” which plays like a perfect blend between a horror film and a Hallmark film.
Best Line: After Jessica jokes about Wally’s love of all things cats to Zelda, calling him the “cat’s meow,” the case worker’s deadpan delivery of “Yeah, that sounds like an inside joke” is delightful.
Christmas Wish: In case you were wondering, yes, Santa Claus ( Joshua Antoon ) does show up for the film’s final joke, though it’s arguably not great.
Chainsaw Award: This film won Fangoria’s ‘Best Amityville’ Chainsaw award in 2023, which makes sense given how unique it is compared to many other titles released in 2022. This also means that the film is probably the best entry we’ll discuss for some time, so…yay?
ICYMI: This editorial series was recently included in a profile in the The New York Times , another sign that the Amityville “franchise” will never truly die.

Next time: we’re hitting the holidays in the wrong order with a look at November 2022’s Amityville Thanksgiving , which hails from the same creative team as Amityville Karen <gulp>

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The Best New TV Shows and Movies to Stream on Netflix, Hulu, Max and More for the Week of April 29

The Best New TV Shows and Movies to Stream This Week

Each week, ET rounds up the best shows and movies across streaming services to help you decide just what to watch.

With Prime Video , Hulu , Disney+ , Max (formerly HBO Max), Apple TV+ , Paramount+ , Netflix , Peacock , Starz and even more streaming services , there’s no shortage of options when choosing what to binge-watch in your free time. However, sometimes, the sheer amount of great films and television shows available to stream can be overwhelming and lead to aimless scrolling — hoping to land on that perfect thing to watch.

Scroll no more! To help you out, we've rounded up the best movies and TV shows to stream this week , including new arrivals, nostalgia-filled favorites, and more. For starters, Jerry Seinfeld's much-anticipated movie inspired by Kellogg’s Pop-Tarts, with appearances from many of Hollywood's finest comedians, begins streaming on Friday just in time for your weekend movie night.

There are plenty more new series and movies in store to stream. May the fourth be with you when Disney+ celebrates Star Wars Day by dropping a new Star Wars animated series. Selena Gomez has another show premiering on Food Network while Elisabeth Moss returns to Hulu, but not for The Handmaid's Tale (yet). Comedy fans won't want to miss Jean Smart in the third season of Hacks . Plus, Anne Hathaway stars alongside Nicholas Galitzine in a steamy new film.

It's time to make your weekly streaming plans. Here are this week's best TV shows and movies to stream.

ET, CBS, SHOWTIME, Nickelodeon and Paramount + are subsidiaries of Paramount.

Written, directed and starring Jerry Seinfeld , Unfrosted tells a very embellished story of the creation of the beloved breakfast food, Pop-Tarts. Along with Seinfeld, this film is stacked with star power, including appearances from Amy Schumer , Melissa McCarthy , Hugh Grant and so many more. Unfrosted premieres on Netflix on Friday, May 3.

Watch on Netflix

Selena + Restaurant

After the success of her previous show, Selena + Chef , superstar Selena Gomez is hitting LA's hottest restaurants, including Wolfgang Puck's and Shirley Chung's spots, in her new Food Network show Selena + Restaurant. The series premieres on Food Network and streams on Max on May 2. While we wait for the trailer, learn more about Gomez in the Food Network clip above.

Watch on Max

The Idea of You

Based on the romance novel of the same name, The Idea of You stars Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine . In the film, a single mom (Hathaway) finds herself in an unexpected romance with Hayes Campbell (Galitizine) — a member of one of the hottest boy bands on the planet — despite their large age gap. Can their happiness withstand public scrutiny? Find out on May 2 when the movie begins streaming on Prime Video.

Watch on Prime Video

Hacks (Season 3)

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Priyanka Chopra Jonas narrates Disneynature's latest documentary, Tiger . The nature film documents 1,500 days in the forest of India where a young tigress has just given birth to cubs. Viewers will see how the tigress raises these clumsy cubs to be fierce predators while dealing with predators of their own as they grow including pythons, bears and rivaling male tigers.

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These 3 iconic movies were filmed in Colorado

Colorado, the home to many beautifully diverse landscapes and scenery, has been the backdrop for various cult classic movies that fans continually go back to.

Colorado fans can visit their filming locations, maintaining a nostalgic connection to their favorite movies in their very own home.

“My first impression of Aspen in Colorado (was) learning about it through ‘Dumb and Dumber.’ I thought it was a place where wealthy, conniving, villainous people liked to ski and stay in big lodges and get their tongues stuck to the ski lift battle post.” – Nick Marx, film and media studies associate professor

1. ‘National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation’

The 1989 comedy classic “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” follows Clark Griswold as he tries to plan the perfect Christmas for his family. However, he finds himself dealing with a series of hijinks and unfortunate events, leading him to discover the true meaning of Christmas.

This movie filmed many of its scenes in Colorado areas such as Breckenridge, Frisco and Copper Mountain. Most prominently, the crew used Summit High School in Frisco as a backdrop for the throwback home video scenes.

Vanessa Agee has been the director of marketing and communications for the town of Frisco for a little over 10 years. She said the setting has changed since the late ’80s; they would have used what is now Summit Middle School and Snowy Peaks High School. Even with these changes, Agee still said the surrounding area is so appealing with its beautiful hiking paths and views of the lake from the school itself.

“It’s just a phenomenal place in terms of trails and public land,” Agee said. “It’s a place which appeals to people who want to be outside. ”

The local town of Frisco itself is incredibly charming in Agee’s eyes, further reflecting the nostalgic and merry vibes of “Christmas Vacation.” She recalled cheerful memories of getting a Christmas tree with her family during the holidays. Frisco as a whole evokes a reminiscent feeling of the movie.

2. ‘Dumb and Dumber’

“ Dumb and Dumber ,” starring Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels, is a 1994 slapstick comedy about two guys who go on a hilarious road trip to Aspen, Colorado, to return a woman’s briefcase.

Nick Marx is an associate professor of film and media studies for Colorado State University. He said this movie holds a special place in his “adolescent heart”; it’s a comedy he could always come back to as a teenager.

With scenes in and around Aspen, Breckenridge and The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Marx said he initially came to know more about Colorado through this film.

“My first impression of Aspen in Colorado (was) learning about it through ‘Dumb and Dumber,'” Marx said. “I thought it was a place where wealthy, conniving, villainous people liked to ski and stay in big lodges and get their tongues stuck to the ski lift battle post.”

Marx said being in the hotel fueled a feeling of reminiscence within him; he could almost immediately recognize the sets from one of his favorite films. With this memorable comedy being so quotable with silly lines and gags, Marx said he felt rather connected to the film when visiting Stanley Hotel.

“I remember going there with my wife and quoting the movie back and forth to her from the scenes set in the bar,” Marx said.

3. ‘The Shining’

Known as the one of the most popular cult classic horror films, “ The Shining ,” based on the novel by Stephen King, tells the story of a family that travels to a remote hotel and is unraveled by violence and visions.

Hye Seung Chung has been a professor of film and media studies at CSU since 2011 and has grown to love this Stanley Kubrick film after bringing it into her classes.

Chung said that the film’s setting, the Overlook Hotel, was inspired by The Stanley Hotel, which opened in 1909. Even to this day, the hotel has maintained the eerie grandeur of the 1910s and ’20s through its appearance.

“(Kubrick) apparently researched everything about the Colorado history, especially its history of genocide of Native Americans,” Chung said. “He intentionally inserted many visual motifs of Native American art and culture to allude to this tragic state history.”

Chung said she appreciates that Kubrick brings The Stanley Hotel to life, picking a setting that invokes the atmospheric horror of the past. The Stanley Hotel is known for its paranormal activity and “maze-like quality,” which mirrors the violent horrors of the 20th century in Colorado that Kubrick highlighted throughout the film.

“Kubrick captured both timeless charms and sinister feelings of the place magnificently,” Chung said. “I cannot imagine a better setting for King’s novel and Kubrick’s adaptation.”

Reach Sananda Chandy at [email protected] or on Twitter @CSUCollegian .

2 famous cults got their start — or end — in Colorado

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