by Daniel Andrade
Photo by freestocks.org on Unsplash
It’s the most wonderful time of the year, when families and friends get together and celebrate the holidays. The cold weather brings cozy blankets, tasty hot chocolate, and a comfortable fire to gather around. And what better way to enjoy the warmth inside than with a good movie? You can always count on holiday movies coming out every year, either rebooting or remixing a classic tale or trying to tell a brand new story. Because of that, there is an overwhelming number of films out there that celebrate this festive season. So how do you pick which ones to watch? Well, we here at SkySoft have decided to help you out with this dilemma by presenting to you our Top 10 Favorite Holiday Movies! How did we come up with such a list? We ranked movies based on three criteria: timelessness (can you rewatch this movie years after it’s initial release?), holiday spirit (does it truly embody what the holidays are all about?), and feel-good factor (does it make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside?). So with that in mind, let’s get started!
10. Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas
Courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures
What better way to exemplify the magic of Christmas than by experiencing it through the eyes of someone who has never witnessed it before? From the frightening yet gorgeous stop-motion animation to the haunting yet beautiful music of Danny Elfman, The Nightmare Before Christmas is a bonafide classic. Watching Jack Skellington discover what Christmas is and genuinely be enchanted by it (“What’s this? What’s this?”) reminds us why so many of us love this holiday in the first place. At the same time, it gave all of us emo kids a dark and twisted Christmas movie we could relate to, with its creepy monsters including the oddly charming villain Oogie Boogie. It is endlessly rewatchable and you will be singing those songs long after the final credits roll. The love story between Jack and Sally is incredibly endearing as well, you can’t help but root for them. The only thing that prevents this movie from being higher on the list? The fact that it’s an equally classic Halloween movie as well.
9. Jingle All The Way
Courtesy of 20th Century Fox
Who would’ve thought that a former bodybuilder with a thick Austrian accent would gift us with one of the funniest holiday movies of all time? Jingle All The Way is a hilarious look at the insane consumerist aspect of Christmas, showing how far people are willing to go to get THE gift that all the kids want, in this case, the iconic Turbo Man action figure. The comedic chemistry between Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sinbad is incredible, leading to some hilarious exchanges between the two. It has some of the most memorable lines that I for one quote all the time (“Ta-ta, Turtleman”; “Put that cookie down, now!”; “Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen…”), and some of the most hilarious and ridiculous slapstick scenes in a holiday film since a certain other movie on this list. It may not show the most warm-hearted and feel-good side of the holiday season, but it’s always a guaranteed good time that will make you laugh and be thankful for what you have.
8. The Santa Clause
Courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures
Everyone loves a good redemption story, and The Santa Clause provides us with a classic one that’s overflowing in Christmas cheer. Next to Home Improvement and of course the Toy Story franchise, it’s fair to say this is easily one of Tim Allen’s most iconic roles. He plays Scott Calvin, a successful toy salesman, who accidentally kills Santa Claus. Definitely a bit of a dark beginning, but thankfully it takes a magical turn for the better, as Scott must now take on the role of Santa himself. From his hilarious transformation (I always love the beard growth scene) to his interactions with the elves in the North Pole, this movie does a great job of both humanizing who Santa Claus is while still adding that mystical element that we all love about him, and we get to see a grown man embittered by the corporate world re-learn the true meaning of Christmas. This movie was an annual traditional viewing in our home growing up, so it holds a special emotional place in my heart. Plus, the little son Charlie is just so adorable, and his eagerness to believe in Santa is infectious. While the theme of Grinches and Scrooges is classic in holiday films (more on those later), none have ever put those people in the actual shoes of Kris Kringle himself, and it’s that unique perspective that makes this holiday classic stand out from the rest.
7. The Holiday
Courtesy of Universal Pictures
Nancy Meyers is one of the undisputed queens of the romantic-comedy, delivering hits like Something’s Gotta Give and It’s Complicated. She delivers again in this heartwarming story that reminds us that no matter who we are or where we live, we’ve all had our hearts broken and yet we’ve all found a way to recover from it. The four main leads are wonderful. Kate Winslet is especially endearing (and, in my case, very relatable) as Iris, Cameron Diaz is an adorable delight as Amanda, Jude Law brings his trademark charm to the character of Graham, and Jack Black balances out the comic relief playing Miles without having to go over the top. Additionally, the houses featured in the film are absolutely stunning, making you want to live in both the idyllic cozy cottage and the high-tech spacious mansion. Plus, there’s also a sweet side story of platonic love and friendship between Iris and an older gentleman named Arthur. It serves as a wonderful rom-com, as well a fun look behind the scenes of the entertainment industry, with Amanda creating movie trailers, Miles composing scores for film, and Arthur serving as a Hollywood icon set to be honored at an awards ceremony. There is no shortage of holiday rom-coms out there, but this one finds a way to shine through and is definitely worth a watch.
6. The Muppet Christmas Carol
Courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures
It’s not a stretch to say that A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens is the quintessential Christmas story. It introduced us to the classic Ebeneezer Scrooge character and redemption story that has been mimicked or twisted around countless times, and has been a constant reminder through the years of what the true meaning of Christmas really is. Over the past 100+ years, over two dozen versions of this iconic tale have been created for film or TV, but one of the sweetest and most memorable versions is this classic take on it. The Muppets do what they do best, bringing the funny while also being cute and endearing. Michael Caine puts his unique spin on Scrooge while acting as if he were on stage with fellow thespians instead of his cuddly, felt castmates. The musical numbers are catchy, and the whole movie just feels genuine and authentic, hard to do with such an old story we’ve heard countless times before and particularly one that is primarily aimed at children. But young or old, this version deserves a spot on this list and will fill you with Christmas cheer.
5. Home Alone
Courtesy of 20th Century Fox
Like a live-action cartoon, Home Alone introduced us to the wackier and more insane side of Christmas movies that paved the way for other zany slapstick holiday movies (like our number 9 entry!) and made Macaulay Culkin a household name. Many Christmas movies are all about the importance of family and being there for each other. This one starts off on quite a different note, with Culkin’s Kevin being forgotten and abandoned by his family during the holidays. While this is initially a dream come true for any kid, he soon realizes this massive and gorgeous house (another one I’d love to visit, along with the ones mentioned in our number 7 entry) just isn’t a home without his family. Throw in a bumbling pair of bandits (portrayed wonderfully by Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern) along with the diabolically creative and surprisingly violent traps of Kevin, and you suddenly have a cat-and-mouse game the likes of which you’ve never seen before. This movie has countless memorable moments and quotes, introduced us all to the best version of “White Christmas” by The Drifters, and reminded us to “keep the change you filthy animal.”
4. Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
Courtesy of Universal Pictures
As we mentioned earlier, there are a few traditional Christmas stories and characters that have become holiday staples over the years. We’ve already mentioned Scrooge in our entry number 6. The Grinch is another alternative of that character, someone who hates Christmas until his heart grows three sizes after being seen and understood for the first time. While the classic song and animated short did a great job of introducing us to the bitter green menace, we really got to know who the Grinch was when Jim Carrey took on the role in the now iconic live-action version. He did such a great job with the role that now everyone who impersonates the Grinch uses Carrey’s version for inspiration. Carrey is one of the undeniable masters of physical comedy (both in his body language and his facial expressions), and he absolutely goes above and beyond with that in this role, making it one of his most notable characters to date. Additionally, the world of Whoville is absolutely breathtaking, and the make-up on both the Whovians and the Grinch is incredibly impressive. A lot of care was put into bringing the animated original to life, and that attention to detail is what makes this film a new classic. Also, you can’t deny that Baby Grinch is so darn cute!
3. A Charlie Brown Christmas
Courtesy of Lee Mendelson Film Productions
Even if you have never seen this classic cartoon story (and if that’s the case, you need to remedy that immediately! It’s only a half-hour long, get on it!), there’s no doubt you’ve heard the definitive jazz staple of the holidays, Vince Guaraldi Trio’s “Christmas Time is Here.” Every time I hear that song, I’m immediately filled with the joy of the holidays. Charlie Brown and Snoopy have been a part of American culture for nearly 70 years now, and this special, which came out almost 55 years ago, was the first to bring the comic strips to life and give them a voice. While this is certainly the shortest entry on our list, it is no less emblematic of the holiday season. The simple and often rough animation, as well as the untrained child actors giving it their best, all add to the nostalgic charm of the short. From the memorable music, to the sad little Christmas tree, to the surprisingly deep message of anti-consumerism, to the beautiful moment at the end of all the kids coming together to remind Charlie Brown what Christmas is really all about, there’s no better reminder that Christmas time is indeed here than by celebrating it with the Peanuts gang.
2. Elf
Courtesy of New Line Cinema
Fresh out of his 7-year run as an SNL cast member, Will Ferrell burst into the movie industry and made himself known. His role in Elf as the titular elf Buddy proved that Ferrell can channel his high-energy and often offbeat comedic skills into a family-friendly character. Ferrell was able to portray the childlike innocence of Buddy effortlessly and made Christmas magical again. It’s kind of the opposite situation from our entry number 10; this time, you have a character whose whole life revolved around Christmas, since Buddy literally grew up with Santa as one of his elves, trying to remind his grumpy birth father (James Caan), skeptical love interest (Zooey Deschanel), and other cynical and bitter adults why Christmas is such a special time. There are plenty of holiday movies out there with bubbly children trying to remind their parents or other adults about the reason for the season, but to see that same level of excitement coming from an adult makes it even more surreal yet oddly endearing. Buddy’s enthusiasm is contagious, and you can’t help but love Buddy by the end of the film. It makes you remember how excited you used to get for Christmas as a kid, when times were so much simpler. Elf is a well-balanced movie too: it’s sweet without being corny, funny without being raunchy. As the most recent entry on our list, it’s also a testament to the film that it’s become an instant holiday movie staple after a little more than 15 years.
Before we get to the top of our list, here’s a brief list of honorable mentions that are often debated as holiday movies, or that just weren’t quite magical enough to make it into the Top 10. They are still worth a watch and have plenty of redeeming qualities.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Gremlins
Die Hard
Batman Returns
Love Actually
The Polar Express
Just Friends
The Rankin/Bass stop-motion movies (Rudolph, Little Drummer Boy, Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town)
Frosty the Snowman (1969)
And now, without further ado, the holiday film we consider the greatest of all time is...
And now, without further ado, the holiday film we consider the greatest of all time is...
1. It’s A Wonderful Life
Courtesy of Liberty Films
This is the oldest film on our list, but that is no surprise for this timeless film. Even after 73 (!) years, this movie has still found a way to capture the hearts of all who have seen it. It takes the classic Christmas Carol story of a greedy banker and poor family man and flips it, this time giving our poor man an otherworldly experience through an angel. Through the shocking realization of what life would be like if he had never been born, George Bailey (played exceptionally by James Stewart) discovers how much he truly has to be grateful for, and that his life has more purpose and value than he ever imagined. It’s a sweet, sentimental movie that never fails to make me tear up. While it is certainly the most depressing movie on this list overall (George nearly commits suicide within the first few minutes of the film), it is rewarding emotionally in the end and is sprinkled with funny and charming moments throughout. There’s a reason why countless lists, including this one, have this film in the number one slot. It has everything you look for in a holiday film and reminds you that in an often stressful time that can you make you feel less-than as you try to provide for your loved ones, you are the greatest gift for someone, and you matter and are worth it more than you know. That is simply a message that will never get old and will always feel good.
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