Top 10 Christmas Movies

In the spirit of Christmas, my wife and I have been spending the last 2 months watching our list of Christmas movies. Unlike Halloween and other holidays, Christmas has a lot of movies that are actually quite good. With that being said, I wanted to share my top 10 all-time favorite Christmas movies. I have also added a couple of honorable mentions. They didn't quite make the list as I have only seen them once, but they are movies that after a re-watch have a very high chance of making the top 10.

Honorable Mention: Spirited

Spirited is a musical retelling of A Christmas Carol that was released this year on Apple TV+. I really enjoyed this movie. It has two of my favorite actors in it, Ryan Reynolds and Will Ferrell. The two of them have great chemistry together. I also really enjoyed the modernized take on the well-used Christmas Carol story. I also thought it was interesting that the story was told through the perspective of The Ghost of Christmas Present. It added a different angle to the story and really delivered something unique to an overly remade story. Of course, the stand of this film is the music. I really enjoyed the songs in this movie, still listening to 3-4 of them all them. Overall, this is a fun feel good Christmas story with fun characters and great songs.

Score: 7.5/10 Grade: B

Honorable Mention: Violent Night

The other honorable mention is this year's Santa action film, Violent Night. This film was so much fun to see. It is basically Die Hard with Santa which is a premise I am definitely on board with. The action in this movie is so cool with Santa using a lot of Christmas-related items to take down the bad guys. David Harbor is excellently cast as a more cynical Santa. The movie does a great job of allowing him to grow and regain his hope in the Christmas season. The character of Trudy is also a fun addition. She adds some really fun scenes towards the end of the film and has some great interactions with Santa. In the end, this is a fun Christmas action movie that may very well become a classic that I watch every year.

Score: 8.5/10 Grade: A-

10. Home Alone 2: Lost in New York

Home Alone 2 is a prime example of the idea of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". This movie takes what works about the first Home Alone movie and basically does it again but this time in New York City. As with the first film, this film has some funny moments and also has a heartwarming conclusion to the film. What is fun about this film, is that instead of Kevin being confined to his house, he gets to explore NYC. There are several scenes with him either at a hotel, a toy store, or just in Central Park which is a lot of fun. This movie also brings the big finale to the next level with some of the traps Kevin makes being so much more extreme than that of the last film. Overall, while this movie is still a bit derivative, it still works and is still fun to watch.

Score: 7/10 Grade: B

9. The Polar Express

The Polar Express is another fun Christmas classic that I enjoy watching every year. This is a sweet little story that doesn't have much to it but is easy to digest. The theme itself is perfectly in tune with the spirit in that the movie is all about belief. The story centers around a young boy who is struggling with his belief in Santa and his journey that allows him to joy in Christmas. The characters in this movie are also really well done. They all have some sort of character flaw that the journey of the Polar Express helps them to develop. Tom Hanks steals the show in this movie as he plays basically everyone in the movie. Every character he plays is so unique and helps the main characters on their journey in one way or another. Finally, the songs in this film are a lot of fun with several of the songs being classics for Christmas such as "Hot Chocolate", and "Believe". In the end, this is a sweet little movie that is a great time to watch.

Score: 7.2/10 Grade: B

8. How the Grinch Stole Christmas

How the Grinch Stole Christmas is one of the funniest films I watch every Christmas. This film is absolutely hilarious and has so many laugh-out-loud moments. Jim Carey steals the show in this movie and is an absolute riot to watch. He is so over the top with his performance that it makes it so much fun to watch. This is probably the movie on this list that quote the most as there are so many funny lines that just stick with me. Finally, I liked how this movie added some depth and backstory to the Grinch characters. It gives a deeper understanding of why he is how he is and really helps flesh out his character. Overall, while it may not be the greatest movie, it is still a lot of fun and probably the film I find the most rewatchable.

Score: 7.5/10 Grade: B

7. The Santa Clause

For anyone who grew up in the '90s and early 2000s, this film was seen as a Christmas classic. The basic premise is a lot of fun with a normal guy accidentally killing Santa and taking over his job. There are also a lot of funny moments throughout the movie, mostly from Tim Allen but also from a few of the side characters. Of course, Tim Allen as Santa is perfectly cast. Aside from him, Charlie and Bernard are also fun aspects of the film as well as the banter between Scott and his ex-wife and her husband. There are so many iconic moments and lines in this movie as well that make it one that needs to be watched every Christmas. It is also very heartwarming at times especially in the moments between Scott and Charlie at the end of the film. Overall, this is an iconic Christmas movie that is still a lot of fun to watch.

Score: 7.5/10 Grade: B

6. A Christmas Story

Iconic would be the best way to describe A Christmas Story. This movie is a true Christmas classic and is so much fun to watch. It has so many iconic moments and memorable lines such as the leg lamp and "you'll shoot your eye out". The movie itself is also quite funny with several moments making me laugh out loud. All of the characters in this film are also a lot of fun. They each get their own iconic moment and/or famous line. The film also has a lot of sweet moments throughout and really ties things up in a really sweet way at the end of the film. In the end, this is an iconic sweet movie that is such a classic and is a lot of fun to watch

Score: 8/10 Grade: B+

5. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

Like How the Grinch Stole Christmas, this film is truly hilarious and is probably one of the funniest films I watch every Christmas. There is so much humor and so many jokes in this film that the audience is basically laughing nonstop. Chevy Chase as Clark Griswold delivers a fantastic performance, going over the top with everything he does. What makes this movie so good, is that it goes all in with the stupidity and jokes which makes it such a fun and ridiculous time. The movie also manages to balance the humor throughout the film. Most comedies have the issue of being super top-heavy, with a lot of jokes at the beginning and not so much at the end. This movie does not fall into that trap and maintains the jokes throughout. Asides from the humor, the story is also really solid. The entire movie, while episodic, is all about Clark trying to create the perfect family Christmas and conveys that narrative very well. Overall, this movie is a lot of fun and is one I will never get tired of watching.

Score: 8.4/10 Grade: B+

4. It's a Wonderful Life

It's a Wonderful Life is one of the OG Christmas classics. It is such a heartwarming feel-good story that can't help but me feel better when I watch it. The story itself is fantastic as it is all about George Bailey being a selfless person and learning about the value of his life and how much he impacts others. Of course, the whole sequence where he was never born is such an iconic sequence. The film is also able to deliver a lot of emotional moments with the ending making me feel all the emotions. Jimmy Stewart gives such a standout performance in this movie in his role as George Bailey. Since movies at this time didn't have the effects or CGI to entertain people, they had to rely solely on acting performances and Jimmy Stewart truly delivers. He can deliver a wide range of emotions and really showcases his talents as an actor. Overall, this is a feel-good heartwarming story that is great to watch every year.

Score: 8.5/10 Grade: A-

3. Home Alone

Home Alone has been one of my favorite Christmas movies since I have been a little kid. This movie is always so much fun to watch. Macaulay Culkin does such a great job as Kevin and really cements himself as one of the greatest child actors ever. Marv and Harry are also a lot of fun to watch. It is fun to see Joe Pesci in more of a goofy role. Both characters really have a lot of fun in their performances and have some really funny moments. Of course, the ending is the most iconic part of the film, with Kevin setting up all of his traps to try and take down Harry and Marv. Some of the stuff that happens to them hurts just by looking at it but in the end, it is truly hilarious. As with some of the others on this list, this film has so many iconic moments and lines that really cement it as a classic. In the end, this movie is a lot of fun and really brings me good memories of watching it as a kid.

Score: 8.7/10 Grade: A-

2. Elf

Elf is one of those Christmas movies I could watch multiple times a year and not get tired of it. This film is just so hilarious, having so many moments that make me laugh out loud even to the point where I laugh at them before they happen. Will Ferrell just kills it in the role. His over-the-top performance is just so funny and his physical comedy just kills me. His performance in this movie cements Buddy the Elf as an iconic Christmas character and an iconic Will Ferrell character. The joy Buddy brings is just so infectious not only to the other characters in the movie but also to the audiences at home. This movie is also just a really strong feel good movie with so many heartwarming moments throughout the entire film. In the end, this film is just so hilarious and really takes its place as a modern Christmas classic.

Score: 8.8/10 Grade: A-

I. Die Hard

I may get some heat for this placement but Die Hard is a Christmas movie. It takes place on Christmas Eve, centers around a Christmas party, has several Christmas songs in the soundtrack, the movie literally ends with Let it Snow, and includes several lines of Christmas-related dialogue. It's a Christmas movie. Regardless of that, it is still fantastic. John McClane's tank top is in the Smithsonian, this movie is basically perfect. The action in this movie is amazing. It is not over the top as many modern action movies are. It is very grounded in its action and fight sequences. As the movie is just about a regular guy trying to take down some bad guys, the action matches that and makes for some very realistic sequences. The characters are all very good too. John McClane is of course the staple of this movie, but Hans Gruber is also a major standout and arguably one of the greatest movie villains of all time. The story itself is very simple and moves at a very brisk pace. It finds the perfect balance between rushing through the story and adding too many slow scenes that it drags. Finally, the dialogue in the film is very well done. There are no throwaway lines in the film. Every line is connected to something relevant later in the film. Overall, this is a near-perfect action Christmas movie and is one of my all-time favorite movies.

Score: 9.8/10 Grade: A