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Let’s face it, even the best Christmas movies can be a little corny. In fact, there are a pretty slim number of Christmas movies that don’t suck. Some flicks go overkill on the preachy messages, while others will bore you to sleep with the same old holiday values. Put simply, when it comes time to pick a quality Christmas flick, not all releases are created equal.
To get to the bottom of the holiday blockbuster blunder, we’ve worked our way through a near-endless amount of content, reviewing, analysing and lamenting each second of the cheerful footage. We’ll spare you the tokenistic ‘Is Die Hard really a Christmas movie?’ debate and instead focus on the tried and tested favourites that headline the holiday season. From loveable Muppets to tragic tales of Dickensian drama, the best Christmas movies of all time are a mixed bag of emotion, cheer and a good-cooked goose for all.
So, if you find yourself with a few hours to kill on Christmas Day, let us be your guide through the season’s best. This created list contains a selection of Christmas movies that don’t suck, or if they do, they’re good-bad. You know what we mean. Consider this our gift to you.
How We Choose This List of the Best Christmas Movies
Think of us like IMDB/Rotten Tomato/data-crunching ninjas who’ve scoured the internet to find the best Christmas movies of all time. Pulling from our own previous lists, as well as stacking each movie up against one another by combining critic and audience scores through IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes, we’ve come up with an average score that determines the movies’ position on the list. We like this approach, as it gives equal weight to the critical consensus of a film, as well as how much fun it is as a viewer—the result being a set of movies we think can be enjoyed by everyone in the family, film buffs and shlock jocks alike.
Best Christmas Movies at a Glance
Our list of the best Christmas movies of all time includes the following.
- Best action Christmas movie: Die Hard
- Best Christmas comedy: Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
- Best animated Christmas movie: Klaus
- Best classic Christmas movie: It’s a Wonderful Life
- Best new Christmas movie: The Holdovers
Now we’ve rounded up our favourites, let’s check out the full list.
1. It’s a Wonderful Life
| IMDB | Tomato Meter | Popcorn Meter | Average |
| 8.6 | 94 | 95 | 91.7 |
- Genre: Christmas Fantasy
- Director: Frank Capra
- Starring: James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore
- Release Date: 20 December, 1946
Despite a limited (and pretty middling) release back in 1946, It’s a Wonderful Life has gone on to be hailed as one of the greatest movies of all time. This largely came about after the film’s copyright expired, giving burgeoning TV stations a free Christmas film to air every holiday, and allowing the movie a second chance at building an audience.
Well, it certainly got it: it’s one of 25 films selected for preservation by the US’ Library of Congress, and has gone down as the quintessential Christmas movie.
It’s a Wonderful Life follows the loose story of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol (which we’ll see elsewhere on this list), with protagonist George Bailey having given up hope on Christmas Eve. A guardian angel, however, has been assigned to show him the impact he’s made on others’ lives, and help him get back on track. It’s a feel good story for the ages, and well worth a watch if you’re looking for something wholesome, charming, and classic this Christmas.
2. Klaus
| IMDB | Tomato Meter | Popcorn Meter | Average |
| 8.5 | 95 | 96 | 91 |
- Genre: Adventure Comedy
- Director: Sergio Pablos
- Starring: Jason Schwartzmann, J.K. Simmons, Rashida Jones, Norm Macdonald
- Release Date: 8 November, 2019
A traditionally-animated modern-reimagining of the legend of Santa Claus, Klaus is a genuinely fantastic film to check out for the holidays.
Unlike so many animated movies today, Klaus was created with the goal of exploring what would have happened if the industry hadn’t properly jumped to CGI in the 2000s – the director, Sergio Pablos, literally worked on most of the last great hand-drawn Disney films of the 90s, and wanted to continue that work.
Even beyond the beautiful craftsmanship on display in Klaus, the film is a family-friendly tale of found family, and the meaning brought on by bringing joy to people’s lives. Plus you get to hear J.K. Simmons as Santa Claus, which is as awesome as it sounds.
3. Mickey’s Christmas Carol
| IMDB | Tomato Meter | Popcorn Meter | Average |
| 8.0 | 100 | 91 | 90.4 |
- Genre: Christmas Fantasy
- Director: Bunny Mattinson
- Starring: Alan Young, Wayne Allwine, Hal Smith, Will Ryan
- Release Date:16 December, 1983
The second of our retellings of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, here the famous tale of Ebenezer Scrooge is told through the lens of Disney’s cast of characters. Scrooge is represented here by Scrooge McDuck, of course, while his guardian angel is Goofy.
As is the case with the original story, here, Scrooge is visited by the three ghosts of Christmas – past, present and future – with the goal of helping him change his ways and better support the people (or animals) around him. It all comes to a head when he is pushed into his own grave (that no one came to mourn) before tumbling into a prophetic vision of the fiery pits of Hell. Pretty full on for a Disney movie, but it scares him straight enough to change his ways.
It’s the classic story you know and love, with the added animation and whimsey of an old-school Disney animation: what’s not to love? Plus, it’s like 20 minutes long, so you can check it out over a Christmas dinner.
4. Die Hard
| IMDB | Tomato Meter | Popcorn Meter | Average |
| 8.2 | 94 | 94 | 90 |
- Genre: Action
- Director: John McTiernan
- Starring: Bruce Willis, Alan Rickman, Bonnie Bedelia
- Release Date: 12 July, 1988
Die Hard is the perfect example of a movie where it just happens to be Christmas, without it dominating the story. Rather than handing out presents, Bruce Willis delivers ass-kickings and bullets, as he takes on a league of terrorists led by Alan Rickman. Whether it’s technically a Christmas movie or not, Die Hard is well worth your time, just don’t ask Roger Ebert.
The film critic extraordinaire gave the movie a cold-blooded 2/5 and found particular disinterest in the character of the Deputy Police Chief. “Here’s a suggestion for thriller-makers,” he wrote. “You can’t go wrong if all of the characters in your movie are at least as intelligent as most of the characters in your audience.”
Ouch. Despite his less-than-blazing critique, Die Hard managed to nab a ridiculous USD$139 billion at the box office and gave birth to one of the most significant action franchises of all time.
5. The Holdovers
| IMDB | Tomato Meter | Popcorn Meter | Average |
| 7.9 | 97 | 92 | 89.4 |
- Genre: Comedy
- Director: Alexander Payne
- Starring: Paul Giamatti, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Dominic Sessa
- Release Date: 10 November, 2023
The newest movie on the list more than deserves its place, with The Holdovers delivering a Christmas Carol-esque tale of learning not to be a prickly asshole in a more sophisticated way. Here, rather than being visited by ghosts, teacher Paul Hunham is left to man the boarding school he works at over the Christmas break, supervising the ones left behind with no one to celebrate with.
For two weeks, Hunham is trapped on campus with a student he repeatedly fails, as well as the school’s cook, who recently lost her son. Though they all come from vastly different places, the trio learn more about each other and bond during their time together.
It’s typical Christmas fare told in a new way. The movie is suitably R-rated and brings some new spice to the holidays without distracting from the overall message. However, maybe rethink watching this one with young kids.
6. The Nightmare Before Christmas
| IMDB | Tomato Meter | Popcorn Meter | Average |
| 7.9 | 95 | 92 | 88.6 |
- Genre: Animated Musical
- Director: Henry Selick
- Starring: Danny Elfman, Chris Sarandon, Catherine O’Hara
- Release Date: 9 October, 1993
Is The Nightmare Before Christmas a Christmas movie or a Halloween movie? We’d have to say both. Jack Skellington, king of Halloween town, is starting to feel a bit bored with the usual scares. Halloween comes and goes each year, and Jack wants to do something new. When he discovers Christmas town, Jack is inspired and starts trying to hold his own Christmas celebrations, with a Halloween-town-twist.
Things don’t quite go according to Jack’s plan, and soon, he is fighting to save Santa from the evil Oogie Boogie. The claymation (animation with clay, like Wallace & Gromit) is visually stunning, and every scene could be paused and hung on your wall. If you’re after something a bit different this year but don’t want to go fully into ‘Holiday Horror’ mode, this isn’t a bad shout.
7. A Charlie Brown Christmas
| IMDB | Tomato Meter | Popcorn Meter | Average |
| 8.3 | 86 | 93 | 87.3 |
- Genre: Christmas Comedy
- Director: Bill Melendez
- Starring: Peter Robbins, Christopher Shea, Kathey Steinberg
- Release Date: 9 December, 1965
Wait a minute – an animated Christmas special that isn’t based on A Christmas Carol? An animated Christmas special that tells an original story? Incredible. A Charlie Brown Christmas follows the titular Mr. Brown as he grapples with the overcommercialisation of the holidays, and the emotional strain the Christmas period can put people in. Yes, really.
Charlie Brown is depressed, can’t get in the spirit of the holidays, and decides to direct the kids’ Christmas play to force himself to be merry. While the end result is a heartwarming tale of found family, happy memories, and embracing the spirit of Christmas, poor Charlie Brown goes through some tough times to get there.
Despite that synopsis, this is a family movie and is more than appropriate to watch with your kids. Plus, who doesn’t love a bit of Snoopy?
8. Tokyo Godfathers
| IMDB | Tomato Meter | Popcorn Meter | Average |
| 7.8 | 92 | 91 | 87 |
- Genre: Christmas Anime
- Director: Satoshi Kon
- Starring: Tōru Emori, Yoshiaki Umegaki, Aya Okamoto
- Release Date: 30 August, 2003
I bet you didn’t expect to find a Christmas anime on this list! Well, thankfully, Tokyo Godfathers exists and is as awesome as that combination sounds. When three homeless people living on the streets of Tokyo find an abandoned baby, they set out on a quest to find the little one’s parents – following a trail of breadcrumbs left behind by whoever left them there.
Things get pretty wild, involving the yakuza, hitmen, and what appears to be a dying, homeless Santa Claus, but as is tradition with a holiday-themed film everything comes together in the end.
Don’t be fooled by the fact this one is animated, though – it’s really not appropriate for kids. Like a lot of anime, Tokyo Godfathers isn’t scared of delving into some deep and dark subject matter to tell its story.
9. Edward Scissorhands
| IMDB | Tomato Meter | Popcorn Meter | Average |
| 7.8 | 91 | 91 | 86.6 |
- Genre: Gothic Romance
- Director: Tim Burton
- Starring: Johnny Depp, Winona Rider, Dianne Wiest, Vincent Price
- Release Date: 6 December, 1990
Born out of Tim Burton’s teenage feelings of isolation, Edward Scissorhands is a strange tale of a world not unlike our own, only with an ageless golem with scissors for hands. See, Edward was built by his father, who passed away before finishing his son, leaving him permanently without hands. So—he ends up with scissorhands. Does it make sense yet?
When Edward is coaxed out of his gothic mansion home and into a nearby suburb, he comes into contact with all kinds: people who are gentle, fearful, concerned, jealous, and angry. Though it’s not a traditional Christmas movie, it does carry the Christmas spirit. Plus, it does literally take place at Christmas. Edward even makes snow!
If you’re after something a bit strange this holiday season, and haven’t yet dived into Tim Burton’s brain, this is as good a time as any.
10. Meet Me In St. Louis
| IMDB | Tomato Meter | Popcorn Meter | Average |
| 7.5 | 99 | 86 | 86.6 |
- Genre: Christmas Musical
- Director: Vincente Minnelli
- Starring: Judy Garland, Margaret O’Brien, Mary Astor, Lucille Bremer
- Release Date: 22 November, 1944
Another Christmas classic, Meet Me in St. Louis is one of the most festive musicals in all of film. It follows the Smiths in the lead up to a St. Louis Christmas: a family of seven, with parents, four daughters and a son making up the household. While several of the daughters are enjoying budding relationships, Smith Sr. gets the word that he’ll be transferred to New York City once Christmas is done, dashing their hopes for romance.
The news rocks his children, and after he realises how much he’s upset them, he decides to stay after all, and everyone lives happily ever after. It’s the kind of simple, hopeful story you’d expect out of Hollywood in the 40’s.
Things weren’t so rosy behind the scenes though, with affairs, amphetamine addiction, and rewrite after rewrite ensuring a turbulent production. Thankfully, the film landed with overwhelmingly positive reviews, and is a festive favourite to many.
11. A Christmas Story
| IMDB | Tomato Meter | Popcorn Meter | Average |
| 7.9 | 89 | 89 | 85.6 |
- Genre: Comedy
- Director: Bob Clark
- Starring: Melinda Dillon, Darren McGavin, Peter Billingsley
- Release Date: 18 November, 1983
“A tribute to the original, traditional, one-hundred percent, red-blooded, two-fisted, All-American Christmas”, reads the poster for A Christmas Story. It promises a realistic view of what happens in homes over the holidays, and delivers it in the form of a series of vignettes which showcase the antics of a family over the course of Christmas.
These aren’t heartwarming stories, mind you: one is of a father bringing home a lamp in the shape of a woman’s leg, wrapped in fish net stockings, which causes a fight with his wife that culminates in him sadly burying the broken lamp in his backyard. Another tells the story of his son, who, using a newly acquired BB gun, manages to shoot his glasses off his own face after multiple warnings that he’ll shoot his own eye out.
There’s a bit of that Christmas spirit on display, though, with the family ending up enjoying a festive meal together at a Chinese restaurant after the neighbours dogs devour their turkey. Good times!
12. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
| IMDB | Tomato Meter | Popcorn Meter | Average |
| 7.4 | 86 | 87 | 82.3 |
- Genre: Dark Comedy
- Director: Shane Black
- Starring: Robert Downey Jr, Val Kilmer, Michelle Monaghan
- Release Date: 6 September, 2005
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is a movie set around a murder, that partners a private detective and a thief. Witty, quirky, this movie has every bit of banter you’ve come to expect from characters in a Shane Black movie. Also, like almost all Black movies, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang takes place over Christmas, making it eligible for our list.
Robert Downey Jr plays Harry Lockhart, a thief who finds himself accidentally auditioning for an acting gig while attempting to escape from the police. When he gets the part, he’s paired with a detective, played by Val Kilmer, to learn how to act as a detective.
After a series of murders starts, and Lockhart meets back up with his high school sweetheart, things start getting complicated. You can see shades of Downey Jr’s work as Tony Stark in this movie, and that’s because he essentially based his portrayal of Iron Man on his performance in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. Even without that link to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, this is a flick well worth your time.
13. Trading Places
| IMDB | Tomato Meter | Popcorn Meter | Average |
| 7.5 | 87 | 85 | 82.3 |
- Genre: Comedy
- Director: John Landis
- Starring: Eddy Murphy, Dan Akroyd, Jamie Lee Curtis
- Release Date: 8 June, 1983
The movie that arguably catapulted Eddie Murphy to superstardom, and reinvigorated Dan Akroyd’s career, Trading Places is a fish-out-of-water, get-what-you-deserve revenge movie that somehow still manages to be a Christmas movie. When a few rich commodities traders decide to meddle in people’s lives, two people—successful businessman Louis Winthrope III (Akroyd) and street hustler Billy Ray Valentine (Murphy)—find themselves living in one another’s shoes.
Poor and desperate, Winthrope attempts to claw back his old life, while Valentine uncovers the plot and decides to get back at the people toying with others. I’ll admit, the Christmas message isn’t strong here, as it’s largely a movie about getting rich and punishing others, but it’s also a good time.
Not everything has to end with people giving up wealth and donating their lives to charity. Sometimes it’s okay for our good guys to get rich trading on orange juice, you know?
14. Lethal Weapon
| IMDB | Tomato Meter | Popcorn Meter | Average |
| 7.6 | 81 | 86 | 81 |
- Genre: Action Comedy
- Director: Richard Donner
- Starring: Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, Gary Busey
- Release Date: 6 March, 1987
The quintessential buddy cop movie, Lethal Weapon brings the kind of quick, sharp dialogue you’d expect from writer Shane Black, and delivers two of the most enjoyable on-screen characters to grace this list: Mel Gibson’s Martin Riggs and Danny Glovers’ Roger Murtaugh. One, a volatile ‘loose cannon’ grieving his wife, and the other a seasoned family man at the end of his career.
Put the two together, throw in a homicide case that just doesn’t quite add up, and the threat of a shadowy CIA paramilitary unit, and you have the makings of a classic.
Now, like Die Hard, Lethal Weapon takes place over the holidays, and here it’s also more of a side-plot than the main event. There’s enough here for it to be important to the overall vibe of the story though, with Riggs effectively finding a reason to keep living in a new found family. Am I stretching? Probably, just watch Lethal Weapon alright?
15. The Muppet Christmas Carol
| IMDB | Tomato Meter | Popcorn Meter | Average |
| 7.8 | 78 | 86 | 80.6 |
- Genre: Holiday Comedy
- Director: Brian Henson
- Starring: Michael Caine, David Goelz, Steve Whitmore
- IMDB Rating: 7.8
- Release Date: 6 December, 1992
If you’ve ever wondered what it’d look like to see Sir Michael Caine yell at a bunch of Muppets, this is the movie for you. The Muppet Christmas Carol is exactly what it says on the tin: The Muppets’ take on the age-old story by Charles Dickens. For those keeping count, this is the third version of that story in the list.
In it Caine plays the ever-dour Ebenezer Scrooge, a real Christmas Grinch that treats his workers and family like crap until he is visited by the Ghost of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come. Scrooge is forced to see that, actually, he’s a bit of a prick and should probably be a bit nicer. A classic Christmas story that flies over the head of most. A Christmas Carol is a classic for a reason, and what better way to revisit it than with a bunch of famous hand puppets and one of the greatest actors of our time?
Alternatives to Best Christmas Movies
Don’t have an itching to get into the Christmas spirit? No worries! Why not have a browse of some of the best action movies of all time? Or the best movies on Netflix?
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