Best Christmas Films
Christmas has always been my favourite holiday, not least because I get to eat my weight in mince pies and stuffing! I am also a huge film buff so it should come as no surprise that I love Christmas films. I can take or leave Love Actually or The Holiday, controversial I know. There are so many films that are more worthy of your attention and it is my absolute pleasure to tell you all about them. From some Christmas classics to some perhaps lesser-known films, I’m sure you will find something on this list that fills you up with Christmas cheer! Note: These are done in no particular order, they are all equally wonderful Christmas films!
The Best Christmas Films
1. The Polar Express (2004, Robert Zemeckis)
To start off this list of best Christmas films, I have chosen none other than The Polar Express. Not only is it full to the brim with Christmas songs and paraphernalia, but it also stars none other than the brilliant Tom Hanks, who voices not one but six characters! It tells the story of a young boy lacking in Christmas spirit, who boards a mysterious train and embarks on an extraordinary journey to the North Pole to meet Santa Claus. It is visually exciting, constantly changing pace, and shows huge character development in not just the protagonist but also the supporting cast. The Polar Express fully deserves a place on this list of best Christmas films.
2. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993, Henry Selick)
If like me, you are obsessed with anything and everything Tim Burton, then you will have undoubtedly seen this one. Perhaps it's the intricacy of the stop-motion animation that does it for me or maybe it's the visual richness or the sweet escape from realism (much needed in these Covid times). However, if you're not as excited by the visual elements of this film as I am, then watch it for no other reason than the adorable Jack Skellington. He truly is the perfect misfit with whom you can't help but form an attachment as the film progresses. There is no denying that this is one of the best Christmas films around. It is a fantastically festive film for all ages, with just the right amount of the macabre.
3. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000, Ron Howard)
It's safe to say I'm a sucker for the classics so this masterpiece had to be included. Jim Carey and the Grinch are quite simply a match made in movie heaven and I can't imagine any other actor doing this role as much justice. I'm sure most of you know the premise so I won't bother telling you. While the film itself wasn't reviewed in the best of lights, with some claiming it to be too dark and scary for their kids (it definitely isn’t), I believe it to be an absolute Christmas staple. It certainly made my small, covid-shrunken heart grow three times bigger. One of the best Christmas films for all ages!
4. The Snowman (1982, Dianne Jackson)
A true masterpiece in visual storytelling, The Snowman, in my not-so-humble opinion, is one of the best Christmas films to ever grace our screens. This silent animated short film based on the 1978 book by Raymond Briggs, is ethereal, iconic, and definitely worthy of its praise. In short, it tells the story of a boy who builds a snowman that comes to life and the adventure they share. In just 27 minutes, it manages to cover everything from camaraderie to innocence, to isolation and freedom, in a way that doesn't feel heavy-handed or cheesy. Like many silent films, it relies heavily on its score which most certainly delivers. 'Walking In The Air', written by Howard Blake and sung by the hauntingly beautiful tones of Peter Auty is a delight for the ears and will most definitely stick with you.
5. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989, Jeremiah S. Chechik)
This is a family staple and without a doubt something I look forward to watching every Christmas. Not least because of the uncanny resemblance between the Griswold family and mine...While I'm not the biggest fan of slapstick, there is something so undeniably funny about how everything seems to go wrong in this family's rollicking run-up to Christmas. Odious in-laws? Check. Christmas dinner disaster? Check. Exploding toilet? Check! Absolutely everything about this film is pure genius with Clark Griswold's (Chevy Chase) desperate attempt to cling onto his sanity proving to be comedy gold. It perfectly balances slapstick with dry humour in a way that I promise will have you laughing till your stomach hurts. Easily one of the best Christmas films you can watch (maybe wait till the kids are a bit older though)!
6. Klaus (2019, Sergio Pablos)
Klaus may be one of the newer films, but it still unquestionably deserves a place on this best Christmas films list! Without giving too much away, it tells the story of a postman dispatched to a faraway frozen outpost whereupon he discovers Santa Claus...but not as we know him. Despite having only watched it once, it immediately became one of my favourites, not just because of its irreverent humour and inventively staged slapstick, but also because of its unique animation style that fully had me geeking out. It is the perfect holiday movie covering everything from friendship to the importance of Christmas spirit and being selfless. A modern film to rival its older, more established counterparts. Hats off.
7. Home Alone (1990, John Hughes)
Now here’s a film that needs absolutely no introduction! Hailed by many as one of the best Christmas films ever made, it more than deserves a place on this list. For those who haven’t seen it, it tells the story of an eight-year-old troublemaker named Kevin, who must protect his house from a pair of burglars when he is accidentally left home alone by his family during Christmas vacation. What ensues is utter chaos but in the best way possible, definitely one that will have the whole family laughing!
8. The Santa Clause (1994, John Pasquin)
The Santa Clause is a classic and easy Christmas watch that is firmly rooted in the sort of good old-fashioned holiday spirit missing from too many modern yuletide films. It focuses on divorced dad Scott (Tim Allen) who has custody of his son on Christmas Eve. After he accidentally kills a man in a Santa suit, they are magically transported to the North Pole, where an elf explains that Scott must take Santa's place before the next Christmas arrives. It may not be laugh out loud funny but is nonetheless irresistibly charming and definitely one of the best Christmas films going!
9. Elf (2003, Jon Favreau)
I may not be the biggest fan of Will Ferrell but there is no denying that Elf is one of the best Christmas films ever made! It follows Buddy, a human, who is raised amongst elves at the North Pole. When he discovers that he is not an elf, he travels to New York to search for his biological father. Perfect to watch as a family, it’s charming, heartwarming, and has an abundance of Yuletide cheer, a true classic this one!
10. Arthur Christmas (2011, Sarah Smith)
It would be criminal of me to not include this on the list of best Christmas films. I must have watched this every Christmas since it came out, without fail! It tells the story of Santa's clumsy son Arthur who sets out on a mission with Grandsanta to give out a present they misplaced to a young girl in less than two hours. Voiced by James McAvoy, Arthur is hopelessly charming and surprisingly funny. Arthur Christmas is a clever and earnest holiday film with surprising emotional strength that is suitable for every member of the family!
