With the 2022 Christmas season upon us, it’s time to review the not-so definitive list of the best Christmas movies. To conduct this highly scientific poll, I talked to a handful of my colleagues here at the Daily Caller about their go-to favorites.
“Rambo: First Blood” and “Die Hard” ranked as the collective #1. “‘Die Hard‘ shows the resiliency of man, it’s great action and RIP Alan Rickman,” noted one of our writers, who only agreed to voice his opinion under guarantee of anonymity.
The anonymity was required as this particular writer’s least favorite Christmas movie is “Home Alone 3,” which “ruined the ‘Home Alone’ series. Terrible, f**king terrible.”
“A Christmas Story” is a great story about a kid’s perspective on Christmas, which is often gift-focused. And the movie, with the narration, essentially provides an adult perspective of himself, so it makes the movie more interesting. Ralphie is like a little adult in a boy’s body. Great comedic acting, has great classic tight-knit neighborhood-like stuff (local bullies with a scene of vengeance, kid gets his tongue stuck on pole) and brings us back to a seemingly simpler time. Just gives me a cozy feeling, Managing Editor Eric Lieberman wrote.
Media reporter Nicole Silverio echoed Lieberman’s sentiment, saying, “This movie is a nostalgic film that is funny and light-hearted and is relatable to all kids who just wanted it all, including a Red-Ryder BB gun. This movie never ceases to make me smile.”
“The Santa Claus” tied for Best and Worst among many Caller staffers. “This film bores me, the plot does not make a lot of sense and it’s just completely overrated. I don’t understand why it plays over and over again on Freeform, it’s not interesting and how the hell does a guy just turn into Santa Claus?” Silverio wrote. (RELATED: The Conclusion Of ‘Better Call Saul’ Proves It’s The Best Television Series Of All Time)
Social media manager Ben Smith countered Silverio’s point. “It’s a heartwarming tale that grows more relevant as you age. Scott Calvin’s (Tim Allen) journey from divorced and cynical corporate figurehead to becoming the jolly old elf himself reminds all of us that no matter what life throws our way, it’s important we don’t get too caught up in our lives and miss out on the magic of Christmas.”
“National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.” “It’s a perfect way to mix some crude humor into your Christmas spirit. The randomness of that movie is absolutely hilarious, from squirrels causing chaos to the national anthem breaking out,” sports and entertainment blogger Andrew Powell noted.
Editor Grayson Quay suggested “Children of Men.” “It’s absolutely a Christmas movie. A woman is pregnant with a child on whom all the hopes of the world rest. A man, who is not the baby’s father, must protect the woman and her unborn child. The strange family ends up tossed about amid the marginalized by the whims of an authoritarian government. There’s even a scene in a stable! It’s also a great commentary on our increasingly childless society. Want to avoid dystopia? Get that birth rate up!”
30 years ago today, The Muppet Christmas Carol released in theaters. 🎄✨ Thank you to our fans who have made the film part of their annual holiday traditions. You’re the gift that keeps on giving! pic.twitter.com/O1VkbdVqZq
— The Muppets (@TheMuppets) December 11, 2022
“The Muppet Christmas Carol” is my personal favorite Christmas-themed movie. The original? Well, as Quay noted, “That’s 0/10. Where are the Muppets?” However, I am particularly partial to the classics on Christmas. My go-to used to be “Reservoir Dogs,” because I just seem to find something new in this movie every time I watch it.
This is the official, updated list from our 2018 rankings, which you can view here. It’s probably the better, more grown-up list, and far more aligned with America’s favorite Christmas movies from 2018.