Best heart-warming New Year & Christmas Movies
by zetec76 | created - 09 Oct 2016 | updated - 23 Apr 2023 | PublicWith the new year come new goals, hopes, and precious lives. Here are my favourite movies and tv episodes for this special season ! Enjoy !
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1. 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: 653,131 | Gross: $285.76M
2. 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: 116,463 | Gross: $60.33M
3. The Family Man (2000)
PG-13 | 125 min | Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
A fast-lane investment broker, offered the opportunity to see how the other half lives, wakes up to find that his sports car and girlfriend have become a mini-van and wife.
Director: Brett Ratner | Stars: Nicolas Cage, Téa Leoni, Don Cheadle, Jeremy Piven
Votes: 119,433 | Gross: $75.79M
4. 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: 26,555 | Gross: $11.44M
5. 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: 220,188 | Gross: $71.32M
6. 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: 946,155 | Gross: $83.01M
7. 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: 499,448
8. 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: 168,647 | Gross: $20.61M
9. 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: 160,365 | Gross: $49.53M
10. Trading Places (1983)
R | 116 min | Comedy
A snobbish investor and a wily street con artist find their positions reversed as part of a bet by two callous millionaires.
Director: John Landis | Stars: Eddie Murphy, Dan Aykroyd, Ralph Bellamy, Don Ameche
Votes: 165,913 | Gross: $90.40M
11. 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: 531,735 | Gross: $59.70M
12. 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: 323,178 | Gross: $63.22M
13. 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: 121,423 | Gross: $50.29M
14. All Is Bright (2013)
R | 107 min | Comedy, Drama
While out on parole, Dennis reluctantly takes a job selling Christmas trees with his old buddy Rene in order to make enough money to buy his estranged daughter the piano she's always wanted.
Director: Phil Morrison | Stars: Paul Giamatti, Paul Rudd, Sally Hawkins, Amy Landecker
Votes: 6,945 | Gross: $0.00M
15. 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: 247,977 | Gross: $148.17M
16. The Night Before (II) (2015)
R | 101 min | Comedy, Fantasy
On Christmas Eve, three lifelong friends spend the night in New York City looking for the Holy Grail of Christmas parties.
Director: Jonathan Levine | Stars: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, Jillian Bell, Lizzy Caplan
Votes: 82,652 | Gross: $43.04M
17. The Apartment (1960)
Approved | 125 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
A Manhattan insurance clerk tries to rise in his company by letting its executives use his apartment for trysts, but complications and a romance of his own ensue.
Director: Billy Wilder | Stars: Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine, Fred MacMurray, Ray Walston
Votes: 196,994 | Gross: $18.60M
18. 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: 310,914 | Gross: $173.40M
19. A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas (2011)
R | 90 min | Adventure, Comedy
Six years after their Guantanamo Bay adventure, stoner buds Harold Lee and Kumar Patel cause a holiday fracas by inadvertently burning down Harold's father-in-law's prize Christmas tree.
Director: Todd Strauss-Schulson | Stars: Kal Penn, John Cho, Neil Patrick Harris, Patton Oswalt
Votes: 72,752 | Gross: $35.03M
20. A Flintstones Christmas Carol (1994 TV Movie)
G | 69 min | Animation, Comedy, Family
Fred is cast as Ebenezer Scrooge in a stage adaptation of the story, but is acting a bit stingy in real-life.
Director: Joanna Romersa | Stars: Henry Corden, Jean Vander Pyl, Frank Welker, B.J. Ward
Votes: 1,631
21. 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: 47,812 | Gross: $72.01M
22. 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: 44,111
23. It Happened on Fifth Avenue (1947)
Passed | 116 min | Comedy, Music, Romance
Two homeless men move into a mansion while its owners are wintering in the South.
Director: Roy Del Ruth | Stars: Don DeFore, Ann Harding, Charles Ruggles, Victor Moore
Votes: 6,300
24. Holiday Affair (1949)
Approved | 87 min | Comedy, Drama, Family
A young widow is torn between a boring attorney and a romantic ne'er-do-well.
Director: Don Hartman | Stars: Robert Mitchum, Janet Leigh, Wendell Corey, Gordon Gebert
Votes: 7,049
25. When Harry Met Sally... (1989)
R | 95 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
Harry and Sally have known each other for years, and are very good friends, but they fear sex would ruin the friendship.
Director: Rob Reiner | Stars: Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan, Carrie Fisher, Bruno Kirby
Votes: 242,914 | Gross: $92.82M
26. 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: 116,189 | Gross: $60.57M
27. Dutch (1991)
PG-13 | 107 min | Comedy, Drama
To get to know his girlfriend's son, a working-class good guy volunteers to pick him up from his prep school, only to learn that he isn't the nicest young man.
Director: Peter Faiman | Stars: Ed O'Neill, Ethan Embry, JoBeth Williams, Christopher McDonald
Votes: 14,372 | Gross: $4.60M
28.
Taxi (1978–1983)
Episode:
A Full House for Christmas
(1978)
TV-PG | 25 min | Comedy
Louie's gambling brother, Nick from Las Vegas, comes to visit the garage. Irritated that Nick refuses to spend time with their mother, Louie bankrolls Alex in a card game to try and get back at him.
Director: James Burrows | Stars: Judd Hirsch, Jeff Conaway, Danny DeVito, Marilu Henner
Votes: 236
29. Blackadder's Christmas Carol (1988 TV Movie)
43 min | Comedy, History
After a genial spirit shows the benevolent Ebenezer Blackadder visions of his unscrupulous ancestors, he resolves to mend his generous ways.
Director: Richard Boden | Stars: Rowan Atkinson, Tony Robinson, Miranda Richardson, Stephen Fry
Votes: 13,964
30.
Cheers (1982–1993)
Episode:
Christmas Cheers
(1987)
TV-PG | 30 min | Comedy, Drama
It's the Christmas season. Frasier is in a anti-Christmas bah-humbug mood much to Lilith's chagrin. Norm has a part-time job he fails to mention. And Cliff is collecting food for the needy ... See full summary »
Directors: James Burrows, Thomas Lofaro | Stars: Ted Danson, Kirstie Alley, Rhea Perlman, John Ratzenberger
Votes: 554
31.
The White Shadow (1978–1981)
Episode:
Christmas Story
(1980)
TV-PG | Drama, Sport
Reeves and the team put on a basketball clinic. The players soon learn that although they live in poverty, there are children much more needy. Meanwhile Stone attempts a get rich scheme but as usual it blows up.
Director: Victor Lobl | Stars: Ken Howard, Joan Pringle, Kevin Hooks, Timothy Van Patten
Votes: 22
32.
The Golden Girls (1985–1992)
Episode:
'Twas the Nightmare Before Christmas
(1986)
TV-PG | 30 min | Comedy, Drama
The girls all plan to visit their respective families for Christmas, but their plans are ruined when they are held hostage by a man dressed as Santa Claus at the Grief Counseling Center.
Director: Terry Hughes | Stars: Bea Arthur, Betty White, Rue McClanahan, Estelle Getty
Votes: 588
33.
The Golden Girls (1985–1992)
Episode:
Have Yourself a Very Little Christmas
(1989)
TV-PG | 30 min | Comedy, Drama
The girls volunteer at a homeless shelter on Christmas day and learn that Stan has been thrown out on the streets by his current wife.
Director: Terry Hughes | Stars: Bea Arthur, Betty White, Rue McClanahan, Estelle Getty
Votes: 408
34.
Married... with Children (1987–1997)
Episode:
Christmas
(1992)
TV-PG | 23 min | Comedy
In the company of his peers at a bar with other Santas, mall Santa Al recalls Christmases past when he managed to avoid buying gifts for Peggy, Kelly, and Bud by turning them against one ... See full summary »
Director: Gerry Cohen | Stars: Ed O'Neill, Katey Sagal, Amanda Bearse, Christina Applegate
Votes: 565
35.
Married... with Children (1987–1997)
Episode:
It's a Bundyful Life Part 1
(1989)
TV-PG | 60 min | Comedy
Al has finally saved up a lot of cash to buy his family a ton of presents they want this year. Unfortunately, a mob of late customers in the shoe store prevents him from getting to the bank and retrieving the money he needs.
Director: Gerry Cohen | Stars: Ed O'Neill, Katey Sagal, David Garrison, Amanda Bearse
Votes: 728
36.
Married... with Children (1987–1997)
Episode:
It's a Bundyful Life Part 2
(1989)
TV-PG | 60 min | Comedy
His guardian angel decides pay Al a visit and shows him what life is like without him born. The Jablonskys are a perfect family and The Rhoades are more like the Bundys except without Al.
Director: Gerry Cohen | Stars: Ed O'Neill, Katey Sagal, David Garrison, Amanda Bearse
Votes: 742
37. New Year's Eve (2011)
PG-13 | 118 min | Comedy, Romance
The lives of several couples and singles in New York City intertwine over the course of New Year's Eve.
Director: Garry Marshall | Stars: Sarah Jessica Parker, Jessica Biel, Ashton Kutcher, Michelle Pfeiffer
Votes: 89,871 | Gross: $54.54M
38. Why Him? (2016)
R | 111 min | Comedy
A holiday gathering threatens to go off the rails when Ned Fleming realizes that his daughter's Silicon Valley millionaire boyfriend is about to pop the question.
Director: John Hamburg | Stars: Zoey Deutch, James Franco, Tangie Ambrose, Cedric The Entertainer
Votes: 123,746 | Gross: $60.32M
39. Christmas Inheritance (2017)
TV-PG | 104 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
To be the CEO, an heiress is challenged by her dad to deliver a Christmas letter in person to his ex-partner in their hometown - traveling by bus, incognito and with only $100. Will she learn something from the people there?
Director: Ernie Barbarash | Stars: Eliza Taylor, Jake Lacy, Andie MacDowell, Neil Crone
Votes: 13,379
40. Are We There Yet? (2005)
PG | 95 min | Adventure, Comedy, Family
To impress a foxy divorcee, ladies' man Nick offers to take her kids on an extended road trip, unaware of the torture he's in for.
Director: Brian Levant | Stars: Ice Cube, Nia Long, Aleisha Allen, Philip Bolden
Votes: 34,572 | Gross: $82.67M
41.
Seinfeld (1989–1998)
Episode:
The Red Dot
(1991)
TV-PG | 22 min | Comedy
George gets a job at Elaine's office and gets involved with the cleaning woman. Elaine's boyfriend is a recovering alcoholic who falls off the wagon because of Jerry's carelessness. George buys Elaine a marked-down cashmere sweater.
Director: Tom Cherones | Stars: Jerry Seinfeld, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Michael Richards, Jason Alexander
Votes: 4,363
42.
The Jeffersons (1975–1985)
Episode:
All I Want for Christmas
(1980)
TV-PG | 30 min | Comedy
While playing Santa Claus at the Help Center, George promises to get ten-year-old orphan Billy his desired Christmas present: a pair of parents.
Director: Bob Lally | Stars: Isabel Sanford, Sherman Hemsley, Roxie Roker, Franklin Cover
Votes: 83
43.
NewsRadio (1995–1999)
Episode:
Christmas
(1996)
TV-PG | 23 min | Comedy, Romance
All the staff wants to leave early for Christmas, which delays Lisa's meeting Dave's parents in Wisconsin. Matthew helps Mr. James pick gifts for his rich friends. Bill has Beth record a commercial with him.
Director: Patrick Maloney | Stars: David Foley, Stephen Root, Andy Dick, Maura Tierney
Votes: 348
44. The Survivors (1983)
R | 103 min | Comedy, Crime, Drama
Having both lost their jobs, two strangers become unlikely friends after a run in with a would be robber, who is actually a hitman with a grudge against the two.
Director: Michael Ritchie | Stars: Walter Matthau, Robin Williams, Jerry Reed, James Wainwright
Votes: 5,735 | Gross: $14.00M
45. 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: 531,735 | Gross: $59.70M
46. 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: 30,220 | Gross: $32.98M
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