Best Christmas Movies
Holiday Movies Calendar
Monthly Release Schedule
Mark your calendar with all this season's biggest movies, all the way to the blustery end of the year.
Top 25 Christmas Movies of All Time
The 25 Best Christmas Movies of All Time
So what if Christmas movies can be a bit sappy? They warm our hearts, restore our faith in humanity and generally bring joy to the world. We've unwrapped the top 25 big-screen Christmas flicks of all time (sorry 'Charlie Brown' lovers, no TV specials here), all the way down to No. 1. Behold the 25 best Christmas movies ever.
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NBC / New Line / Fox / Paramount
25. 'The Polar Express' (2004)
Sure, the performance-capture technology may have rendered the children a touch frightening to look at (at least it improved dramatically with 'Beowulf'), but there's still plenty of joy to be had in this fast-moving adaptation of the beloved children's book starring an ensemble of Tom Hankses.
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Warner Bros.
24. 'We're No Angels' (1955)
This Christmas caper reteaming Humphrey Bogart with his 'Casablanca' director was the icon's rare comedy, and Bogie, Peter Ustinov and Aldo Ray had a ball playing escaped convicts with hearts of gold (are there any other kind?). But the 1989 remake, starring Robert De Niro and Sean Penn, was just criminal.
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Paramount / ZUMA Press
23. 'The Muppet Christmas Carol' (1992)
Michael Caine is miserly Ebenezer Scrooge and Kermit the Frog is kindly Bob Cratchit in the most sensational, inspirational, celebrational take on the Dickens tale ever to star 99 percent Muppets.
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Buena Vista / ZUMA Press
22. 'Joyeux Noel' (2006)
This moving Oscar-nominated drama tells the true story of German, French and Scottish troops in WWI who called a ceasefire for Christmas Eve. If they can find peace on earth for this most special of nights, surely you can grin and bear the in-laws.
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Nord Quest Production / Sony Pictures Classics
21. 'Gremlins' (1984)
If you think this flick about vicious green monsters tearing up a small town during the holidays isn't very Christmasy, thank your lucky stars they nixed plans for scenes in which Gremlins behead Billy's mom, eat his dog and chow down on McDonald's patrons (but strangely not the burgers). Merry Christmas!
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Warner Bros. / Everett Collection
20. 'The Santa Clause' (1994)
Tim Allen is actually, uh, jolly in this fun family tale about a guy who accidentally kills Kris Kringle -- whoops! -- then has to take his job, unwillingly at first but then growing to love it (not coincidentally, how many grown-ups feel about the movie). We will not comment on the two sequels.
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Disney / ABC
19. 'Bad Santa' (2003)
There are two types of movie fans: those who expect their Santa noble and god-fearing, with perhaps a hint of safe Tim Allen-esque humor, and those who'll allow him the occasional slip into vulgarity, promiscuity and armed burglary. To the latter group, this black comedy's a classic. To the former, we're sorry.
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Miramax
18. 'The Dead' (1987)
John Huston directed his daughter Anjelica in this delicately rendered adaptation of a James Joyce short story, set in Ireland at a Christmas dinner. Not your traditional holiday fare, but don't let that keep you away -- it's a brilliantly bittersweet confection that should be savored.
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Vestron / Everett Collection
17. 'The Shop Around the Corner' (1940)
Though it inspired 'You've Got Mail,' this rom-com classic feels more akin to 'Love Actually' in its unabashed romanticism. James Stewart and Margaret Sullivan are the oblivious couple on a crash-course toward love one X-mas Eve, proving one of film's best pairings in the process.
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MGM
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