Choosing a Christmas film that pleases everyone can be as tricky as cooking the perfect turkey. To settle the annual debate, a new data-driven ranking has revealed the definitive list of the best and worst festive films ever made, using combined scores from Rotten Tomatoes and IMDB.
The Undisputed Festive Champion
Topping the list as the greatest Christmas film of all time is the 1946 classic, It's a Wonderful Life. Starring Jimmy Stewart as a despairing businessman, the film's message of hope, guided by a guardian angel, has cemented its status as a perennial favourite. It achieved a stellar 94% 'fresh' rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, alongside a 95% audience score and an 8.6/10 on IMDB, giving it the highest combined rating across both platforms.
Rotten Tomatoes hails it as "the holiday classic to define all holiday classics" and recommends an annual viewing. The film's journey from a box-office disappointment to a beloved seasonal treasure is a heart-warming story in itself.
Modern Classics and Surprising Contenders
The rankings show that new classics are still being born. In second place is the beautifully hand-drawn 2019 animation Klaus, which tells the story of a postman's friendship with a reclusive toymaker. It is followed closely by The Holdovers, a 2023 release featuring Paul Giamatti as a grumpy teacher stuck supervising students over the holidays.
The rest of the top ten is a mix of timeless gems and cult favourites, proving there's a perfect Christmas film for every taste. The list includes:
- The romantic comedy The Shop Around the Corner (1940).
- The action blockbuster Die Hard (1988).
- The Oscar-winning The Apartment (1960).
- Tim Burton's animated musical The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993).
An interactive festive film picker allows viewers to sort these top choices by genre, star rating, or even the decade they were made, whether you're after a family comedy, a heart-warming romance, or a thrilling alternative.
The Festive Flops: Films to Avoid This Christmas
The data also highlights the Christmas films that failed to deliver cheer. According to the aggregated scores, the worst festive film is a tie between two comedies. The 2006 film Deck the Halls, starring Matthew Broderick and Danny DeVito, was panned by critics, while the 2014 movie A Merry Friggin' Christmas, featuring the late Robin Williams, was equally disliked by both audiences and reviewers.
IMDB users separately voted the 2022 horror parody The Mean One as their lowest-rated festive film. Meanwhile, the 2016 slasher film Red Christmas, starring Dee Wallace, was singled out as the most despised by cinema-goers.
This comprehensive analysis provides a clear guide for your holiday viewing, ensuring you spend less time arguing and more time enjoying cinematic magic—or knowingly indulging in a so-bad-it's-good festive flop.
