5 Great Christmas Movies to Watch This Weekend
Christmas movies are numerous and greatly vary in quality and entertainment value, to put it mildly. For every great one, there are dozens, if not hundreds of disposable, Hallmark-style movies. But, there are no shortage of great holidays picks to entertain you and your family during a holiday season movie marathon, so here are some of our own personal Christmas classics!
The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
Originally, this film wasn’t exactly beloved. Critics were unimpressed, and audiences responded with little enthusiasm. Over time, however, it has become a family holiday favorite, revisited year after year. What began as a modest release has evolved into a cult classic, ultimately circling back to become a major success for Jim Henson Studios (and Disney, which now owns it). Much of what makes the film so special is its blend of whimsy and sincerity, anchored by Michael Caine’s classic performance. He plays his role with complete seriousness and conviction, despite being surrounded by Muppets. That contrast, his grounded intensity set against the playful puppetry, creates a kind of magic that could only exist in the Muppets universe. The music has become a staple of many people’s holiday soundtracks, and the imagery remains enchanting. There’s something deeply comforting about having a “whatever” and a rat, or Gonzo and Rizzo, narrate the story of Scrooge while bickering about food.
Elf (2003)
This is the film that arguably made Will Ferrell the biggest comedy star of the 2000s. While proclaiming your love for it may feel cliché now, it’s genuinely great. Beneath all the silliness and chaos, somewhere between Will Ferrell as North Pole resident in yellow tights and a department store that looks suspiciously like Macy’s, there’s a story rooted in love, hope, and Christmas cheer. The movie is unapologetically over-the-top, but that excess is exactly what makes it work. Its comedy is layered with wordplay, absurdity, and physical gags, offering something for everyone. Is it a bit much? Not at all! It’s a whole lot of “much,” and it’s perfect that way. David Berenbaum’s writing and Jon Favreau’s direction reveal a clear understanding that Christmas doesn’t look the same for everyone, yet it always centers on hope and connection. Ultimately, the film is a joyful celebration of family, classic holiday spirit, Santa, and pure, silly nonsense, guaranteed to leave viewers happier than when they started. It’s the ideal movie to kick off the season, or to watch first thing on Christmas morning with hot cocoa by the fire.
Batman Returns (1992)
Released the same year as The Muppet Christmas Carol, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, and several other holiday staples, this film stands apart as a darker classic, one that still inspires devotion more than 30 years later. Its appeal lies in that unusual blend of holiday atmosphere and shadowy tone. It isn’t a horror film, but it is a comic book movie filtered through Tim Burton’s unmistakable style, complete with Danny Elfman’s now-iconic score. It’s the perfect choice for those moments when the cheer and carols become overwhelming, when you want to step outside tradition without giving up nostalgia or quality filmmaking. The story itself is familiar: Batman faces two of his most iconic adversaries, Catwoman and the Penguin. Set against a Christmas backdrop, however, the film becomes something altogether stranger: dark, gothic, and deliberately uncheerful. There’s little warmth or hope here, and that’s exactly the point. The result is a perfect anti–Christmas Christmas movie, offering a moody alternative to the season’s usual sentimentality.
Go (1999)
A Best Movie You Never Saw pick, this is one you can throw on and party like it’s 1999. Go is a film that often flies under the radar, yet it’s a fantastic holiday-adjacent party movie set during Christmas. One of its biggest draws is the cast, which alone is enough to bring viewers back, or to convince them to watch it for the first time. The ensemble includes Sarah Polley, Katie Holmes, Timothy Olyphant, Taye Diggs, James Duval, Jay Mohr, Scott Wolf, and plenty of other familiar faces. The film weaves together three interconnected storylines, which can feel a bit chaotic at first, but everything clicks together by the end, turning the experience into an exhilarating, highly enjoyable ride. It’s packed with everything from Christmas music to a Vegas trip, a drug deal gone wrong, raves, a hit-and-run, and even an MLM scheme. There’s so much happening that it rewards repeat viewings. The cast is uniformly excellent, and their performances are a big part of what makes the film so fun to watch. As a drug-fueled ensemble movie set around the holidays, Go is especially appealing for anyone not in the mood for traditional Christmas fare; you get a wild, energetic film with just enough seasonal flavor to ease you into the holidays without beating you over the head with them.
Die Hard (1988)
“It’s not Christmas until I see Hans Gruber falling off Nakatomi Plaza” has become a familiar refrain online over the past few years… and honestly, it’s hard to argue with. Die Hard is now inseparable from the holiday season, as synonymous with Christmas as it is with corporate holiday parties. It’s one of those films that feels just right as an annual watch, and there’s something especially satisfying about seeing the villain get his comeuppance this time of year. The movie blends high-octane action with Christmas music in a way that treats the holiday less as the point and more as the backdrop; a festive setting for a hostage crisis and a reluctant hero’s rise. Few films pull off that balance as well as Die Hard. Bruce Willis is at his best here, delivering the gruff, weary hero performance that would become his trademark. He’s terrific, and the film remains endlessly entertaining whether it’s your first viewing or your hundredth. At this point, it’s a bona fide classic, perfect for cutting through the nonstop loop of “Last Christmas” and “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” Some people still insist Die Hard isn’t a Christmas movie. They’re wrong.
A few runners-up here are The Long Kiss Goodnight, Scrooged, 3615 Code Père Noël, Treevenge, The Brentwood Strangler, and Shazam! Which are your Christmas classics, your must-watch movies this time of year?
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