The 30 Best Christmas Movies & 2 Thanksgiving Flicks
by LoebFanHUSH05 | created - 26 Nov 2010 | updated - 27 Nov 2010 | Public- Instant Watch Options
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1. A Christmas Story (1983)
PG | 93 min | Comedy, Family
In the 1940s, a young boy named Ralphie Parker attempts to convince his parents, teacher, and Santa Claus that a Red Ryder Range 200 Shot BB gun really is the perfect Christmas gift.
Director: Bob Clark | Stars: Peter Billingsley, Melinda Dillon, Darren McGavin, Scott Schwartz
Votes: 168,614 | Gross: $20.61M
2. Home Alone (1990)
PG | 103 min | Comedy, Family
An eight-year-old troublemaker, mistakenly left home alone, must defend his home against a pair of burglars on Christmas Eve.
Director: Chris Columbus | Stars: Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, John Heard
Votes: 652,783 | Gross: $285.76M
3. Christmas Vacation (1989)
PG-13 | 97 min | Comedy
The Griswold family's plans for a big family Christmas predictably turn into a big disaster.
Director: Jeremiah S. Chechik | Stars: Chevy Chase, Beverly D'Angelo, Juliette Lewis, Johnny Galecki
Votes: 220,107 | Gross: $71.32M
4. It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
PG | 130 min | Drama, Family, Fantasy
An angel is sent from Heaven to help a desperately frustrated businessman by showing him what life would have been like if he had never existed.
Director: Frank Capra | Stars: James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore, Thomas Mitchell
Votes: 499,088
5. Die Hard (1988)
R | 132 min | Action, Thriller
A New York City police officer tries to save his estranged wife and several others taken hostage by terrorists during a Christmas party at the Nakatomi Plaza in Los Angeles.
Director: John McTiernan | Stars: Bruce Willis, Alan Rickman, Bonnie Bedelia, Reginald VelJohnson
Votes: 945,486 | Gross: $83.01M
6. Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
Not Rated | 96 min | Comedy, Drama, Family
After a divorced New York mother hires a nice old man to play Santa Claus at Macy's, she is startled by his claim to be the genuine article. When his sanity is questioned, a lawyer defends him in court by arguing that he's not mistaken.
Director: George Seaton | Stars: Edmund Gwenn, Maureen O'Hara, John Payne, Gene Lockhart
Votes: 54,911 | Gross: $2.65M
7. The Santa Clause (1994)
PG | 97 min | Comedy, Drama, Family
When a man inadvertently makes Santa fall off his roof on Christmas Eve, he finds himself magically recruited to take his place.
Director: John Pasquin | Stars: Tim Allen, Judge Reinhold, Wendy Crewson, Eric Lloyd
Votes: 133,411 | Gross: $144.83M
8. Go (1999)
R | 102 min | Comedy, Crime
The aftermath of a drug deal as told from three different points of view.
Director: Doug Liman | Stars: Sarah Polley, Jay Mohr, Scott Wolf, Taye Diggs
Votes: 75,150 | Gross: $16.84M
9. Scrooged (1988)
PG-13 | 101 min | Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
A selfish, cynical television executive is haunted by three spirits bearing lessons on Christmas Eve.
Director: Richard Donner | Stars: Bill Murray, Karen Allen, John Forsythe, John Glover
Votes: 116,425 | Gross: $60.33M
10. Gremlins (1984)
PG | 106 min | Comedy, Fantasy, Horror
A young man inadvertently breaks three important rules concerning his new pet and unleashes a horde of malevolently mischievous monsters on a small town.
Director: Joe Dante | Stars: Zach Galligan, Phoebe Cates, Hoyt Axton, John Louie
Votes: 247,778 | Gross: $148.17M
11. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
PG | 76 min | Animation, Family, Fantasy
Jack Skellington, king of Halloween Town, discovers Christmas Town, but his attempts to bring Christmas to his home causes confusion.
Director: Henry Selick | Stars: Danny Elfman, Chris Sarandon, Catherine O'Hara, William Hickey
Votes: 375,113 | Gross: $75.08M
12. Bad Santa (2003)
R | 92 min | Comedy, Crime, Drama
A miserable conman and his partner pose as Santa and his Little Helper to rob department stores on Christmas Eve. But they run into problems when the conman befriends a troubled kid.
Director: Terry Zwigoff | Stars: Billy Bob Thornton, Bernie Mac, Lauren Graham, John Ritter
Votes: 155,157 | Gross: $60.06M
13. Jingle All the Way (1996)
PG | 89 min | Adventure, Comedy, Family
A father vows to get his son a Turbo Man action figure for Christmas. However, every store is sold out, and he must travel all over town and compete with everybody else in order to find one.
Director: Brian Levant | Stars: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sinbad, Phil Hartman, Rita Wilson
Votes: 116,141 | Gross: $60.57M
14. Ernest Saves Christmas (1988)
PG | 95 min | Comedy, Family, Fantasy
Ernest helps Santa Claus as he searches for his successor.
Director: John R. Cherry III | Stars: Jim Varney, Douglas Seale, Oliver Clark, Noelle Parker
Votes: 12,861 | Gross: $28.20M
15. Elf (2003)
PG | 97 min | Adventure, Comedy, Family
Raised as an oversized elf, Buddy travels from the North Pole to New York City to meet his biological father, Walter Hobbs, who doesn't know he exists and is in desperate need of some Christmas spirit.
Director: Jon Favreau | Stars: Will Ferrell, James Caan, Bob Newhart, Zooey Deschanel
Votes: 310,782 | Gross: $173.40M
16. Eight Crazy Nights (2002)
PG-13 | 76 min | Animation, Comedy, Musical
Davey Stone, an alcoholic with a criminal record, is sentenced to community service under the supervision of an elderly referee. Davey is then faced with trying to reform and abandon his bad habits.
Director: Seth Kearsley | Stars: Adam Sandler, Rob Schneider, Jackie Sandler, Austin Stout
Votes: 25,611 | Gross: $23.44M
17. Friday After Next (2002)
R | 85 min | Comedy, Drama
Working as security guards, Craig and Day-Day run into the thief who stole their Christmas presents.
Director: Marcus Raboy | Stars: Ice Cube, Mike Epps, John Witherspoon, Don 'D.C.' Curry
Votes: 30,205 | Gross: $32.98M
18. Batman Returns (1992)
PG-13 | 126 min | Action, Crime, Fantasy
While Batman deals with a deformed man calling himself the Penguin wreaking havoc across Gotham with the help of a cruel businessman, a female employee of the latter becomes the Catwoman with her own vendetta.
Director: Tim Burton | Stars: Michael Keaton, Danny DeVito, Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Walken
Votes: 327,439 | Gross: $162.83M
19. Black Christmas (1974)
R | 98 min | Horror, Mystery, Thriller
During their Christmas break, a group of sorority girls are stalked by a stranger.
Director: Bob Clark | Stars: Olivia Hussey, Keir Dullea, Margot Kidder, John Saxon
Votes: 48,345 | Gross: $4.05M
20. The Ref (1994)
R | 97 min | Comedy, Crime, Drama
A cat burglar is forced to take a bickering, dysfunctional family hostage on Christmas Eve.
Director: Ted Demme | Stars: Denis Leary, Judy Davis, Kevin Spacey, Robert J. Steinmiller Jr.
Votes: 26,553 | Gross: $11.44M
21. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
PG | 104 min | Comedy, Family, Fantasy
On the outskirts of Whoville lives a green, revenge-seeking Grinch who plans to ruin Christmas for all of the citizens of the town.
Director: Ron Howard | Stars: Jim Carrey, Taylor Momsen, Kelley, Jeffrey Tambor
Votes: 291,479 | Gross: $260.04M
22. Noel (2004)
PG | 96 min | Drama
Five New Yorkers come together on Christmas Eve, seeking a miracle.
Director: Chazz Palminteri | Stars: Susan Sarandon, Penélope Cruz, Paul Walker, Alan Arkin
Votes: 10,661
23. Deck the Halls (2006)
PG | 93 min | Comedy, Family
Two neighbors have it out after one of them decorates his house for the holidays so brightly that it can be seen from space.
Director: John Whitesell | Stars: Matthew Broderick, Danny DeVito, Kristin Chenoweth, Kristin Davis
Votes: 33,163 | Gross: $35.09M
24. Fred Claus (2007)
PG | 116 min | Comedy, Family, Fantasy
Fred Claus, Santa's bitter older brother, is forced to move to the North Pole to help Santa and the elves prepare for Christmas in exchange for cash.
Director: David Dobkin | Stars: Vince Vaughn, Paul Giamatti, Elizabeth Banks, John Michael Higgins
Votes: 47,800 | Gross: $72.01M
25. I'll Be Home for Christmas (1998)
PG | 86 min | Comedy, Family
A college student faces an impossible journey when he is left stranded in the desert, thousands of miles from home, with no money and only a few days left until Christmas.
Director: Arlene Sanford | Stars: Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Jessica Biel, Adam LaVorgna, Gary Cole
Votes: 11,917 | Gross: $12.21M
26. Jack Frost (1998)
PG | 101 min | Comedy, Drama, Family
A father who can't keep his promises is killed in a car accident. One year later, he returns as a snowman who has the final chance to put things right with his son before he is gone forever.
Director: Troy Miller | Stars: Michael Keaton, Kelly Preston, Joseph Cross, Mark Addy
Votes: 40,942 | Gross: $34.55M
27. The Ice Harvest (2005)
R | 92 min | Comedy, Crime, Drama
A shady lawyer attempts a Christmas Eve crime, hoping to swindle the local mob out of some money. But his partner, a strip club owner, might have different plans for the cash.
Director: Harold Ramis | Stars: John Cusack, Billy Bob Thornton, Connie Nielsen, Lara Phillips
Votes: 25,006 | Gross: $8.82M
28. Four Christmases (2008)
PG-13 | 88 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
A couple struggles to visit all four of their divorced parents on Christmas.
Director: Seth Gordon | Stars: Reese Witherspoon, Vince Vaughn, Mary Steenburgen, Robert Duvall
Votes: 80,830 | Gross: $120.15M
29. Unaccompanied Minors (2006)
PG | 90 min | Adventure, Comedy, Family
A group of unaccompanied minors bond while snowed in at the midwestern Hoover International Airport during the holiday season and ultimately create a makeshift holiday themselves.
Director: Paul Feig | Stars: Dyllan Christopher, Tyler James Williams, Gia Mantegna, Quinn Shephard
Votes: 12,428 | Gross: $16.65M
30. Christmas with the Kranks (2004)
PG | 99 min | Comedy, Family
With their daughter, Blair, away in Peru, Luther and Nora Krank decide to skip Christmas all together until she decides to come home, causing an uproar when they have to celebrate it at the last minute.
Director: Joe Roth | Stars: Tim Allen, Jamie Lee Curtis, Dan Aykroyd, M. Emmet Walsh
Votes: 57,586 | Gross: $73.78M
31. Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987)
R | 93 min | Comedy, Drama
A Chicago advertising man must struggle to travel home from New York for Thanksgiving, with a lovable oaf of a shower-curtain-ring salesman as his only companion.
Director: John Hughes | Stars: Steve Martin, John Candy, Laila Robins, Michael McKean
Votes: 160,232 | Gross: $49.53M
Thanksgiving Classic
32. Home for the Holidays (1995)
PG-13 | 103 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
After losing her job, making out with her soon-to-be former boss, and finding out that her daughter plans to spend Thanksgiving with her boyfriend, Claudia Larson faces spending the holiday with her family.
Director: Jodie Foster | Stars: Holly Hunter, Anne Bancroft, Robert Downey Jr., Charles Durning
Votes: 14,559 | Gross: $17.52M
Thanksgiving Classic
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