Best and Favorite Christmas Movies
by frehley666 | created - 20 Nov 2012 | updated - 20 Nov 2012 | PublicSome of my favorite Christmas movies in no particular order and by no means a complete must watch list, just some ideas in case you haven't heard of them. Some are classics, some are just my favorites and yes, some are corny.
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1. 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: 310,934 | Gross: $173.40M
2. A Wish for Wings That Work (1991 TV Movie)
TV-G | 23 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
Opus the Penguin struggles to achieve his seemingly impossible dream to be able to fly.
Director: Skip Jones | Stars: Michael Bell, Joe Alaskey, John Byner, Tress MacNeille
Votes: 1,049
3. 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: 133,458 | Gross: $144.83M
4. 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: 57,606 | Gross: $73.78M
5. 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: 33,176 | Gross: $35.09M
6. The Polar Express (2004)
G | 100 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
On Christmas Eve, a young boy embarks on a magical adventure to the North Pole on the Polar Express, while learning about friendship, bravery, and the spirit of Christmas.
Director: Robert Zemeckis | Stars: Tom Hanks, Chris Coppola, Michael Jeter, Leslie Zemeckis
Votes: 241,444 | Gross: $183.37M
7. 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: 653,178 | Gross: $285.76M
8. 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: 54,941 | Gross: $2.65M
9. Miracle on 34th Street (1994)
PG | 114 min | Drama, Family, Fantasy
A lawyer and a little girl must prove that a man claiming to be Santa Claus is the real thing.
Director: Les Mayfield | Stars: Richard Attenborough, Elizabeth Perkins, Dylan McDermott, J.T. Walsh
Votes: 43,894 | Gross: $17.19M
10. 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: 499,494
11. 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: 80,859 | Gross: $120.15M
12. 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: 47,813 | Gross: $72.01M
13. 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: 40,959 | Gross: $34.55M
14. 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: 220,207 | Gross: $71.32M
15. Serendipity (2001)
PG-13 | 90 min | Comedy, Romance
A couple search for each other years after the night they first met, fell in love, and separated, convinced that one day they'd end up together.
Director: Peter Chelsom | Stars: John Cusack, Kate Beckinsale, Jeremy Piven, Bridget Moynahan
Votes: 121,437 | Gross: $50.29M
16. White Christmas (1954)
Not Rated | 120 min | Comedy, Musical, Romance
A successful song-and-dance team become romantically involved with a sister act and team up to save the failing Vermont inn of their former commanding general.
Director: Michael Curtiz | Stars: Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, Vera-Ellen
Votes: 51,148 | Gross: $30.00M
17. 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: 375,364 | Gross: $75.08M
18. Santa Baby (2006 TV Movie)
PG | 89 min | Animation, Comedy, Fantasy
Mary Class is a highly successful business executive - who just happens to be the daughter of Santa Claus. But when her father falls ill, Mary returns to the North Pole and the life she ... See full summary »
Director: Ron Underwood | Stars: Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg, Ivan Sergei, George Wendt, Kandyse McClure
Votes: 1,845
19. Surviving Christmas (2004)
PG-13 | 91 min | Comedy, Romance
A lonely, obnoxious young millionaire pays a family to spend Christmas with him.
Director: Mike Mitchell | Stars: Ben Affleck, Christina Applegate, James Gandolfini, Catherine O'Hara
Votes: 27,752 | Gross: $11.66M
20. A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965 TV Movie)
TV-G | 25 min | Animation, Comedy, Drama
Depressed at the commercialism he sees around him, Charlie Brown tries to find a deeper meaning to Christmas.
Director: Bill Melendez | Stars: Ann Altieri, Chris Doran, Sally Dryer, Bill Melendez
Votes: 44,115
21. Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town (1970 TV Movie)
TV-G | 48 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
A mailman reveals the origin of Santa Claus.
Directors: Jules Bass, Arthur Rankin Jr. | Stars: Fred Astaire, Mickey Rooney, Keenan Wynn, Paul Frees
Votes: 17,514
22. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964 TV Movie)
TV-G | 47 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
A young reindeer Rudolph lives at the North Pole. His father is one of Santa's reindeer and it is expected that Rudolph will eventually be one too. However, he has a feature which is a setback and causes him to be ostracized: his red nose.
Director: Larry Roemer | Stars: Billie Mae Richards, Burl Ives, Larry D. Mann, Paul Soles
Votes: 37,493
23. How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966 TV Movie)
Not Rated | 26 min | Animation, Comedy, Family
A grumpy hermit hatches a plan to steal Christmas from the Whos of Whoville.
Directors: Chuck Jones, Ben Washam | Stars: Boris Karloff, June Foray, Dal McKennon
Votes: 59,053
24. The Holiday (2006)
PG-13 | 136 min | Comedy, Romance
Two women troubled with guy-problems swap homes in each other's countries, where they each meet a local guy and fall in love.
Director: Nancy Meyers | Stars: Kate Winslet, Cameron Diaz, Jude Law, Jack Black
Votes: 323,218 | Gross: $63.22M
25. The Year Without a Santa Claus (1974 TV Movie)
TV-G | 51 min | Animation, Comedy, Family
When a weary and discouraged Santa Claus considers skipping his Christmas Eve run one year, Mrs. Claus and his elves set out to change his mind.
Directors: Jules Bass, Arthur Rankin Jr. | Stars: Shirley Booth, Mickey Rooney, Dick Shawn, George S. Irving
Votes: 11,645
26. 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: 116,469 | Gross: $60.33M
27. Prep & Landing (2009 TV Short)
TV-G | 22 min | Animation, Short, Adventure
Wayne gets a new rookie partner, Lanny, after his previous partner got the promotion he wanted. Lanny has to remind Wayne of the Spirit of Christmas and the importance of being an elf in Santa's Prep and Landing elite unit.
Directors: Kevin Deters, Stevie Wermers | Stars: David Foley, Sarah Chalke, Mason Cotton, David DeLuise
Votes: 4,007
28. Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice (2011 TV Movie)
TV-G | 22 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
Lanny and Wayne race to recover classified North Pole technology.
Directors: Kevin Deters, Stevie Wermers | Stars: David Foley, Derek Richardson, Sarah Chalke, Rob Riggle
Votes: 2,272
29. Prep & Landing Stocking Stuffer: Operation: Secret Santa (2010 TV Short)
PG | 7 min | Animation, Short, Comedy
Wayne and Lanny now partners, are called by Magee to meet with a secret contact Mrs. Claus who sends them on a new mission to retrieve a box from Santas secret workshop.
Directors: Kevin Deters, Stevie Wermers | Stars: Betty White, David Foley, Derek Richardson, Sarah Chalke
Votes: 2,218
30. The Happy Elf (2005 Video)
Not Rated | 45 min | Animation, Adventure, Family
Based on Grammy-winner Harry Connick, Jr.'s original song, this family comedy follows one of Santa's helpers whose overly optimistic outlook is put to the test when he decides to bring Christmas joy to a sad little town called Bluesville.
Director: John Rice | Stars: Harry Connick Jr., Rob Paulsen, Carol Kane, Mickey Rooney
Votes: 482
31. Christmas Mail (2010)
TV-PG | 89 min | Comedy, Drama, Family
In this holiday romantic comedy, a mysterious woman who works at the post office answering Santa's mail captures the heart of a disillusioned postal carrier
Director: John Murlowski | Stars: Ashley Scott, A.J. Buckley, Lochlyn Munro, Rolonda Watts
Votes: 1,952
32. The Christmas Card (2006 TV Movie)
84 min | Drama, Romance
US soldier visits the town from where an inspirational Christmas card was sent to him by a church group that mails cards out to servicemen as a goodwill effort.
Director: Stephen Bridgewater | Stars: Edward Asner, John Newton, Alice Evans, Lois Nettleton
Votes: 4,528
33. Snow (2004 TV Movie)
120 min | Comedy, Family, Fantasy
Set in San Ernesto, California with only three days before Christmas, Nick Snowden needs to rescue a young reindeer from a zoo.
Director: Alex Zamm | Stars: Tom Cavanagh, Ashley Williams, Patrick Fabian, Bobb'e J. Thompson
Votes: 2,056
34. Love Actually (2003)
R | 135 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
Follows the lives of eight very different couples in dealing with their love lives in various loosely interrelated tales all set during a frantic month before Christmas in London, England.
Director: Richard Curtis | Stars: Hugh Grant, Martine McCutcheon, Liam Neeson, Laura Linney
Votes: 531,779 | Gross: $59.70M
35. Yes, Virginia (2009 TV Movie)
TV-Y | 22 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
An eight-year-old girl living in New York City in 1897 learns about belief and Christmas when her classmates question if Santa is even real.
Director: Pete Circuitt | Stars: Neil Patrick Harris, Bea Miller, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Alfred Molina
Votes: 582
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