The correct list of the top 5 Christmas movies of all time
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There are few things that can get you in the Christmas spirit like curling up and watching a good Christmas movie
Elf (2003)
In recent years, Elf (2003) has drawn more criticism than I feel as though it used to. Now, when I mention how much I love the movie Elf (2003), I am often met with groans as well as agreement. But regardless of what others might say about it, Elf (2003) is the pinnacle of Christmas cinema. So few movies, especially children's Christmas comedies, have an ensemble cast that are all putting in equal effort and heart. There is really only one word I can use to describe it properly: sweet. From the whimsical scenery of Buddy traveling through candy cane forests, to his breakfast creations of frosting and marshmallows, even to his name, Elf (2003) pulls out all the stops to make an audience not only become fond of the characters, but fond of the movie's message in a way that goes beyond agreement. Elf (2003) gives people both a laugh and an ideal.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
This may be a divisive entry due to the knee-jerk reaction that Jim Carrey—contorted and painted, and as ridiculous as he was—inspired some viewers. But the appearance of this movie is actually one of the most impactful things about it. It is very rare that a work inspired by Dr. Seuss commits so heavily to the visual aesthetic of his work, and this movie is all the better for it. The slight changes to the original Grinch story just make things better, and I do not think it would be wrong to say that this may be Jim Carrey’s greatest performance of all time.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)
This movie is an integral part of everyone’s childhood. Personally, I have great memories of mimicking little Rudolph’s nasally voice and singing along to the island of misfit toys. Outside of nostalgia, this movie has earned its spot through its classic charm. The movements of the lovingly made claymation characters can be described with the same words for how they make people feel: warm and fuzzy. Between baby Rudolph and Hermy the elf, this movie is undeniably and ridiculously cute.
A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)
No holiday is complete without Charlie Brown, least of all Christmas. The titular character’s trademark pessimism is compounded by the dreary winter scenes and his peers' ignorance of the true meaning of Christmas—a concept even Charlie Brown can't really put his finger on.As Charlie Brown and blanket-wielding, thumb-sucking Linus have a lengthy philosophical debate about the meaning of the season, the perfect setup for the ending is created, where we see Linus wrap his blanket around the misfit tree as his peers embrace the awkward and overly mature Charlie Brown. Any person who says they are not moved by the end of this movie, with all the children singing around their misfit tree, is simply lying to themself.
Klaus (2019)
While this pick is much more recent than the other entries on this list, it deserves its spot completely. Klaus (2019) follows a bumbling, lazy, and self-centered mailman thrust into a small-town family feud that's turned violent and is turning neighbor against neighbor. While our mailman is initially ambivalent to the town's unhappiness, everything changes when he meets a grumpy woodland hermit by the name of Klaus, and the two work together to unite the town through the joy of giving.