Top 11 Christmas Movies that Jeff Actually Likes
I’ve been accused of being a scrooge on more than one occasion, but that doesn’t mean that even I can’t get into the holiday spirit from time to time. And is there a better way to get into a Christmassy mood than by curling up by the fireplace with a hot cup of cocoa and watching a Christmas movie with your loved ones?
There are plenty of Christmas movies out there, and it’s right up there with Halloween when it comes to the most popular holidays to make movies about. (We are all waiting for that big Arbor Day blockbuster!) Most Christmas movies though are the holiday equivalent of finding coal in your stocking (not good). So what are 11 actually good Christmas movies?
The Classics
As all old people (40+) will tell you, things were better in the “good ol’ days.” Sure, two of my three favorite classic Christmas movies came out before man even walked on the moon, but that doesn’t mean they still can’t be thoroughly enjoyed!
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)
I’m a big fan of the stop-motion animation of this 55 minute TV special that’s based on the 1949 Johnny Marks song, “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” Marks’ song was based off of the book titled with the same name released in 1939, written by Robert L. May, who actually created Rudolph. Rudolph’s such an important part of Christmas at this point that it seems crazy he’s existed for less than 100 years.
Anyways, this movie airing annually around the holidays for decades definitely made everyone’s favorite underdog reindeer pretty famous. There are other fantastic characters in this one too, like Sam the Snowman, Clarice, Yukon Corneilus, and Hermey the elf. This is a must-watch for families with young kids as it’s 100x better than most of the Christmas movies out there.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966)
It’s crazy to think that when Universal Studios decided to make a new Grinch movie in 2000 (the one starring Jim Carrey), adjusted for inflation, they spent around 75 times more than this movie cost to make and somehow managed to be right around 75 times worse than this movie is quality-wise.
Sure, this 1966 TV movie is only 25 minutes long (perfect for someone with my attention span), but does a movie based off of a 1,350-word Dr. Seuss book need to be longer than that? This is the definitive movie of Seuss’ classic, featuring great narration from Boris Karloff (also known for portraying Frankenstein’s monster in 1931’s Frankenstein), artwork true to Dr. Seuss’ style, and the written for the TV movie song, “You’re a Mean One Mr. Grinch.”
Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town (1970)
Another stop-motion animation movie done by the same company that made Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, this 51-minute TV movie is based off the 1934 song of the same name. As someone Jewish, this is how I learned the story of Kris Kringle and what Christmas is all about. (I am pretty sure this movie is exactly what happens in the Bible.)
This Santa Claus origin story also has some great musical numbers, like “Put One Foot in Front of the Other,” and is another great Christmas classic.
The New Classics
These two films might not be quite as old as the three listed above, but they’re popular movies that have stood the test of time (are at least 20+ years old) and qualify as new classic Christmas movies. I think both of the films in this section will be enjoyed by new generations for decades to come.
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas is an all-around fantastic movie, and I think it’s one of the best overall movies on this whole list. The stop-motion look of the film was unique compared to the cartoon artwork that most animated movies of the time were using, and makes the movie a visual treat to watch.
Burton’s story is great too, but the real standout of the movie for me is the music by Danny Elfman. “This is Halloween” starts the movie off with one of the best musical openings ever, and “What’s This?” when Jack Skellington arrives in Christmas Town is one of my personal favorites.
The villain of the movie, Oogie Boogie, might actually be pretty scary for younger viewers. I know my sister, Jennifer, was (still is?) scared of this movie largely due to him. I’d actually hesitate to really call this a “kid’s movie” since it’s really just a great film overall.
Elf (2003)
Elf has definitely become one of the new classic Christmas movies – I know we watched it yearly in my family for a while, and with good reason. Elf really captures what the spirit of Christmas is all about, while also having some genuinely funny moments. Will Ferrell’s Buddy the Elf is probably the best original Christmas character of the past 20 years.
Elf was almost too popular for a little while there, but I think we’re finally coming around to where it can be enjoyed again, by audiences young and old alike.
Christmas Comedies
These three comedies are sure to bring holiday cheer to your household!
The Santa Clause (1994)
You know a movie is going to be good when it’s got a pun in its title. After Tim Allen’s character startles Santa and Ol’ St. Nick falls off his roof, Allen puts on Santa’s suit and spends the rest of the night delivering Christmas presents. He’s shocked to learn later from Bernard the head elf that he’s actually accepted “The Santa Clause,” and by putting on the suit has accepted all Santa’s responsibilities.
There’s a giant loophole in the movie where none of the adults believe in Santa despite the fact that in this movie’s version of the real world there’s a Santa who’s been delivering presents every year in their homes. Where do they think these presents come from? I’m starting to think they were not going for something super realistic with The Santa Clause...
This lack of realism is made up for with a great performance from Allen, in what’s his third best role of the 1990s (after Buzz Lightyear in Toy Story and the commander in Galaxy Quest). Skip the two lackluster sequels, but check out The Santa Clause – especially if you’re a child.
Jingle All the Way (1996)
It pains me to say it, but Jingle All the Way is probably the worst movie on this list in terms of actual, overall quality. In terms of overall holiday fun though (if you’re willing to just go with it), Jingle All the Way is still pretty enjoyable today.
Arnold Schwarzenegger plays a workaholic father who needs to get the “it” toy of the year, Turbo-Man, in time for Christmas. There are definitely a lot of slapstick elements to this one which might be more enjoyable if you’re eight years old, but I still enjoy it (since it’s really, after all, a detailed critique on the commercialization of Christmas disguised as a kid’s comedy). The film also stars comedian Sinbad as a mailman after the same Turbo-Man toy. Sadly, he wasn’t nominated for a Oscar for the role.
As far as Schwarzenegger comedies go, this is up there with Kindergarten Cop as one of the better ones.
Bad Santa (2003)
In stark contrast to the first two comedies in this section, Bad Santa is most definitely not for children. Billy Bob Thornton stars as a downright awful human being who works in department stores as Santa Claus so that at night he can rob the stores with his partner, a dwarf who plays the role of a Christmas elf.
Bad Santa isn’t for everyone. This dark comedy is as crude as they come, but if you like that sort of movie, it’s hilarious.
A More Thrilling Christmas
These movies are great for when you’re looking for something a little more exciting to watch this holiday season, though all are best suited for the 13-years old and older crowd.
Die Hard (1988)
So there’s a raging debate (probably the biggest debate in the world) about whether or not Die Hard is a Christmas movie. I do think there’s a distinction to be made between movies that are actually about Christmas directly and movies where Christmas is really just the backdrop to the story being told.
In the case of Die Hard, and the movies listed below, I feel like the holiday plays a big enough role in the film that it should still qualify as a Christmas movie overall. “Holiday movie” might not be the main genre of Die Hard, as it’s an action film first and foremost, but this isn’t the same story if it’s being told any other time of the year.
Die Hard is the best movie of the year I was born, with the one of the best movie villains ever (Alan Rickman’s Hans Gruber).
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005)
There aren’t many neo-noir black comedy mystery thriller Christmas movies, but even if there were, Shane Black’s Kiss Kiss Bang Bang would be the best one out there. This film has great performances from a pre-Iron Man Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer. It’s also just really, really well-written and does a great job at paying homage to old school detective stories.
It might have been largely overlooked when it was first released, but Kiss Kiss Bang Bang has gained some much-deserved popularity over the years.
Better Watch Out (2016)
This list wouldn’t be complete without a little holiday horror, and one of my favorite horror Christmas movies is Better Watch Out. The story centers on a babysitter watching a precocious pre-teen during Christmas time and, well, let’s just say things don’t go as planned.
Better Watch Out is more sinister fun than truly terrifying, and you could probably classify it as a horror-comedy. Basically, the movie asks what would happen if you took the kid from Home Alone (a Christmas movie that just barely missed being in this top 11 list), and made him even more of a psychopath.