Christmas is a time of catching up with friends and family, but it is also a time for cozying up around the TV to watch movies that put us in the holiday spirit. With so many Christmas-themed films to choose from, it can be a little hard to decide what to watch. Don't worry, as we are here to help, having scoured the lands of cinema to list some of the greatest Christmas movies of all time. So let's not waste any more time and get right into what most people would agree are the 7 greatest Christmas films of all time.
7. It's a Wonderful Life
Arguably considered to be the best Christmas movie ever made, It’s a Wonderful Life is a 1946 classic by Frank Kafra that is an instant cure for all the holiday blues. The film stars James Stewart as George Bailey, a man who has given up his personal dreams to help others in his community and whose thoughts of suicide on Christmas Eve bring about the intervention of a guardian angel. Clarence shows George all the lives he influenced and what the world would be like if he had not existed at all. Heartfelt, moving, and a real tear-jerker, this movie is perfect, and it would be good to revisit it every holiday season.
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6. Love Actually
In a subgenre of ensemble films, Love Actually stands tall as both a towering achievement of filmmaking and a fantastic Christmas movie. Richard Curtis’ romance comedy weaves together the lives of several characters, each trying to rekindle love during the holiday season. From a prime minister falling for his staffer to a grieving widower helping his son pursue the girl of his dreams, the film is a no-holds-barred dive into our messy and emotional lives. With a cast that includes the likes of Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson, and Colin Firth, Love Actually captures the romantic side of Christmas unabashedly and shows how the holiday season is the perfect time to rekindle desires of the heart.
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5. Home Alone
No Christmas is complete without a rerun of Home Alone, the 1990 classic from Chris Columbus. When a family inadvertently forgets their youngest son, Kevin, during a chaotic Christmas getaway, two bumbling thieves break into their home to get their hands on life-changing wealth. However, unknown to them, the young boy is all that remains between them and hitting the jackpot. As he devises increasingly complex traps to thwart them, Kevin will realize the importance of family and how Christmas is the time for forgiveness and contentment. No Christmas is complete without a rerun of Home Alone.
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4. How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Ron Howard’s adaptation of Dr Seuss’s book is a delight in all senses of the word. How the Grinch Stole Christmas is the story of a green, revenge-seeking Christmas-hating Grinch who plans to ruin Christmas for all inhabitants of Whoville. However, fate has other plans as a Whoville resident, Cindy strives to change the Grinch’s mind. Featuring Jim Carrey as the titular character, this Ron Howard adaptation is famous for its story, characters, and overall theme of growing to love the holidays. This is a must-watch during the holiday season as Carrey’s phenomenal performance, the impressive set design, and the clever storyline make this movie stand out amongst other Christmas films.
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3. A Christmas Carol
Charles Dickens changed the world when he wrote A Christmas Carol, and Robert Zemeckis’ 2009 adaptation of the novel is no less impactful. Focusing on a miserly moneylender called Ebenezer Scrooge who is visited by three ghosts on Christmas so that he may mend his oppressive ways, A Christmas Carol is one of the greatest Christmas stories ever told. Jim Carrey is masterful in the titular role, and Zemeckis’s decision to go with motion capture as opposed to traditional animation or real actors works wonders. A Christmas Carol manages to capture the spirit of the festival with both charm and grace.
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2. The Polar Express
Another Robert Zemeckis Christmas classic, 2004’s The Polar Express is both a cinematic achievement and a terrific Christmas film. Set on Christmas Eve, we find ourselves in the shoes of a young boy who travels to the North Pole aboard a magical train guided by its conductor. With quirky characters and unexpected twists, Chris finds himself in the middle of an adventure of a lifetime. The Polar Express wowed everyone in 2004 by being the first motion capture film made in its entirety. With a heartfelt story, stunning visuals, and a great soundtrack, this film perfectly captures the wonder and amazement of Christmas in all of its glory.
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1. Die Hard
No talk of the greatest Christmas movies of all time is complete without Die Hard, the 1988 action classic from John McTiernan starring Bruce Willis. When a group of well-dressed terrorists takes over the Nakatomi Plaza in downtown Los Angeles on Christmas Eve, it is up to an off-duty cop to outwit and outgun the bad guys before all hell breaks loose. Die Hard might be the perfect action movie, with a scene-stealing villain, timeless one-liners, and an emotional, action-packed story at its core. Bruce Willis is in top form here, and Alan Rickman delivers one of the best bad guy performances of all time through Hans Gruber. While it may not be the ladies’ cup of tea due to all the action, everyone can get behind the story of a guy trying to reunite with his wife on Christmas Eve.
While the title of the best Christmas film of all time might be debatable, what is clear is that no one will dispute the 7 films listed above as the greatest Christmas movies of all time. However, we know films are subjective, and on a wholesome holiday such as Christmas, a particular film might move you more than the others. So please, tell us which movies you think are the greatest Christmas movies of all time in the comments below.
