Christmas is a wonderful time of year, a time for people to gather with their loved ones and celebrate the year that was while indulging in many festive treats and traditions, from giving each other presents to enjoying excessive amounts of fantastic food. For many,Christmas movies play an integral part in conjuring the festive fun, with everyone having their selection of favorites that they go back to annually to get into the Christmas spirit.
It should come as no surprise that the film curation website Letterboxd also has its own evaluation of such films. Ranging from true Christmas classics to underrated gems, and featuring everything from animated family comedies to violent yuletide slashers (though, controversially, not viewingDie Hardas a Christmas movie), the website’s selections are eclectic, to say the least.
10’A Christmas Story' (1983)
Letterboxd Rating: 3.6
An adaptation ofJean Shepherd’s first and most influential novel, “In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash”,A Christmas Storyhas come to be viewed as one of America’s most cherished Christmas comedies. Nostalgic and darkly funny, it follows Ralphie (Peter Billingsley), a young boy with a grumpy father and a doting mother who spends his days avoiding his schoolyard bully while yearning for an air rifle as his Christmas present.
While its comedic tastes are a little more cynical than many other Christmas classics,A Christmas Storystill finds no small amount of wholesome charm withits reflections on the simplicity of childhood, something which was a central theme throughout Shepherd’s work. It remains one of the most endearing holiday movies and is one of the few defining comedies of the 1980s which has aged gracefully.
A Christmas Story
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9’Miracle on 34th Street' (1947)
Letterboxd Rating: 3.8
One of the earliest of cinema’s true Christmas classics, the only shocking thing aboutMiracle on 34th Street’s standing on Letterboxd’s ratings was that it didn’t end up even higher. The famous festive favorite tells the story of Kris Kringle (Edmund Gwenn), an old man who becomes a hit when he fills in as Santa Claus during a Thanksgiving Day parade at Macy’s, becoming a hallmark of the store in the lead-up to Christmas until he stuns customers and staff alike by claiming to be the real Santa Claus.
With a court case being conducted to adjudge Kringle’s mental health (or his authenticity), the film has become an evergreen sensation of the holidays, excelling as a dazzling dose of family fun. Comedic, beautifully sentimental, and powerfully wonderful, the perennial Christmas flick remains a flawless holiday gem to this very day.
Miracle on 34th Street
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8’The Muppets Christmas Carol' (1992)
Letterboxd Rating: 3.9
The Muppets Christmas Carolsaw the titular entertainment brand do what it always did so remarkably well; take something familiar and honor it while also stamping a unique, hilariousThe Muppetsspin on the story as well. Running at a brisk 85 minutes, the musical Christmas comedy sees many of the famous puppets recast as different characters fromCharles Dickens’ classic tale, with Kermit as Bob Cratchit and Miss Piggy as Emily Cratchit just some examples.
The Muppets’ trademark irreverent comedy, underlying charm, and penchant for a great song moment mixing with Dickens’ beloved storyto make for one ofThe Muppets’ finest, most enthralling pieces. Arguably the true genius of it, though, is ensuring all the fun revolves arounda brilliant performance fromMichael Caineas Ebenezer Scrooge.
The Muppet Christmas Carol
The Muppets present their own touching rendition of Charles Dickens' classic tale.
7’Black Christmas' (1974)
A seasonal celebration for slasher fans the world over,Black Christmastakes the fun and fervor of the festive season and turns it into something deadly and sinister. The film follows a group of sorority sisters during the Christmas break as they find themselves being stalked by a mysterious killer who leaves threatening phone calls to the girls before he attacks.
Naturally, it’s not the most heart-warming Christmas film ever made, but it does deserve all the praise it gets for being not only an incredibly smart and suspenseful horror movie, butone of the defining early slasher filmsas well. Disturbing and imbued with an uncanny ability to creep under the audiences’ skin,Black Christmasdoubles as a Christmas and Halloween classic, and watching it should be an annual event for horror lovers everywhere.
Black Christmas
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6’Meet Me in St. Louis' (1944)
Rich with charm, romance, compelling characters, and an engrossing story to boot,Meet Me in St. Louiswas a beautiful example of the kind of hit musical Hollywood seemed to churn out so effortlessly during its golden era. WithJudy Garlandstarring, it focuses on the experiences of four sisters as the St. Louis World’s Fair of 1904 draws near, highlighting their education and social lives, particularly their relationships.
Over the course of a tumultuous year, the Smith family fear that the patriarch’s new job in New York will uproot their lives and cause them to miss out on the fair, with their story culminating on one faithful Christmas Eve.Nominated for four Academy Awards, the film has become a revered classicwhich works as both a magical Christmas taleand a fine, balanced storydealing with some of the complexities of life at the turn of the century.
Meet Me in St. Louis
Meet Me in St. Louis, directed by Vincente Minnelli, is a musical film set in the early 20th century. The narrative follows the Smith family over the course of a year as they anticipate the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis. Starring Judy Garland, the film explores themes of family, love, and hope against the backdrop of a changing America.
Rent on Apple TV+
5’A Christmas Carol' (1951)
Charles Dickens’ famous story is one of the most beloved Christmas tales ever conceived, and it has been put to screen dozens of times over the years, but no adaptation has come close to being as good as 1951’sA Christmas Carol. In addition to being one of the most faithful films based on Dickens’ novella, it also coasts by onan exceptional starring performance fromAlistair Simwho appears as the crotchety old miser Ebenezer Scrooge.
Sim portrays Scrooge’s greedy selfishness and spiteful disdain with aplomb, but he equally excels at bringing the tragic character’s eventual realization of the error in his ways and the ensuing redemption to life with poignance and charm. Even as some elements of the film are dated by today’s standards,it remains one of the true Christmas classicswhich still warrants annual viewings come the festive season.
A Christmas Carol (1951)
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4’The Nightmare Before Christmas' (1993)
A mesmerizing mixture of animated family entertainment and dark fantasy wonder,The Nightmare Before Christmasmay be more commonly associated with Halloween, but that doesn’t prevent it from being a spectacular Christmas movie as well. It follows Jack Skellington (Chris SarandonandDanny Elfman), the King of Halloween Town, as he becomes enchanted by Christmas Town and insists on the citizens of his own fantasy land taking charge of the festive season, conflating Christmas customs with Halloween traditions in the process.
With stop-motion maestroHenry Selickdirecting the film andTim Burtoninvolved as a producer,the animated adventure fast became a holiday classicwith its originality, its musical allure, and, of course, its striking visual display. Given it’s a true icon of 90s cinema – and an infectiously fun one at that – fans who can’t decide if it better suits Christmas or Halloween might just have to watch it twice a year to be safe.
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Jack Skellington, king of Halloween Town, discovers Christmas Town, but his attempts to bring Christmas to his home causes confusion.
3’Klaus' (2019)
Letterboxd Rating: 4.1
A modern Christmas classic which ought to stand the test of time,Klausisa somewhat underrated holiday adventurewhich functions as an unlikely yet gorgeous Christmas origin tale. Jesper Johansen (Jason Schwartzman), the spoiled son of the Royal Postmaster General, is sent to the miserable island town of Smeerensburg to prove himself, befriending a reclusive toymaker and bringing joy to the children on the island.
The film finds much of its charm in its hand-drawn animation, which suits the heart-warming narrative and endearing characters to perfection. It’s unafraid of being quirky and even a little awkward at times, all of which feeds into its earnest allure, and sees it standnot only as a dazzling Christmas classic, but as one of the most powerful triumphs of animated cinemathis century as well.
Watch on Netflix
2’Tokyo Godfathers' (1992)
Letterboxd Rating: 4.2
As an adult anime with some confronting ideas which isn’t shy about stepping into the darker areas of life,Tokyo Godfathersmay not be the most conventional Christmas movie, but it is one of the most affecting. It follows three homeless people – a middle-aged alcoholic, a trans woman, and a teenage runaway – who come across an abandoned baby while rummaging for food on Christmas Eve and, determining what little they can of the child, set out to reunite it with its parents.
It was an uncharacteristic film fromSatoshi Kon, one which substituted his usual exploration of fantasy and reality for a more grounded tale with a narrative that took precedence over everything, even the stunning animation. Ultimately,Tokyo Godfathersis so masterful because it manages to engage with complex issues in the world with poise and depth without ever compromising on what it strives to achieveas a fun and endearing Christmas tragicomedy.
Tokyo Godfathers
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1’It’s a Wonderful Life' (1946)
Letterboxd Rating: 4.4
Despite being almost 80 years old,Frank Capra’s Christmas classicIt’s A Wonderful Liferemains the finest example of festive triumph ever put to screen. It follows George Bailey (James Stewart), a selfless businessman who has fallen on hard times and tries to kill himself so his family can claim the life insurance, but an angel named Clarence (Henry Travers) helps him realize the impact he has made throughout his life.
Interestingly, the majority of the moviedoesn’t actually function as a festive season story, simply following George through some of the pivotal moments of his life and reflecting on how his good-intentioned decisions led him to such a damned, desperate situation. However,the film’s ending remains the greatest Christmas celebration ever put to screen, one which is wholesome, inspirational, and exceptionally beautiful.
It’s a Wonderful Life
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