Films centred on Christmas are often seen as a soft-focus detour from ‘serious’ filmmaking. However, hundreds of such films have worked well with the audiences and continue to be watched every Christmas season. Most of these movies are preoccupied with people’s anxieties: money, loneliness, faith, family. The Federal curates a selection of 10 films that are well-made and have struck a chord with viewers through the decades: some are funny, some bleak, some openly sentimental. But all of them are worth a re-watch this Christmas season:
1. It’s a Wonderful Life (1946): Frank Capra’s classic tells the story of George Bailey (James Stewart), a man facing despair on Christmas Eve who’s saved from his darkest moment by a bumbling guardian angel (Clarence Odbody) what a difference his life made, revealing his profound impact on his small town, Bedford Falls. Originally a modest success, it became a holiday favourite, celebrated for Stewart’s iconic performance, along with that of Donna Reed, who plays his wife Mary Hatch, and Capra’s humanist filmmaking philosophy, even though it wasn’t initially seen as a Christmas film.
2. The Apartment (1960): A bittersweet romantic comedy-drama starring Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine, it is centred on C.C. “Bud” Baxter, an insurance clerk who lends his apartment to executives for their affairs to climb the corporate ladder. Complications arise when he falls for elevator operator Fran Kubelik, who is having an affair with his boss, Mr. Sheldrake (Fred MacMurray). Celebrated for its sharp script and concoction of humour and pathos, the film won five Academy Awards, including Best Picture.
3. A Christmas Story (1983): Directed by Bob Clark, it is narrated by the adult Ralphie Parker (narrated by Jean Shepherd) reflecting on a memorable Christmas in 1940s Indiana, when he was nine years old, and his comedic quest for a Red Ryder BB gun. Based on Shepherd’s semi-autobiographical stories, the film is famous for its “leg lamp,” triple-dog dares, and pink bunny pajamas. Fans can visit the original A Christmas Story House & Museum in Cleveland, Ohio, which is open year-round for tours
4. Die Hard (1988): The action film, directed by John McTiernan, stars Bruce Willis as New York City detective John McClane, who is forced to single-handedly battle a group of German terrorists led by the sophisticated Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman), while visiting his estranged wife Holly (Bonnie Bedelia) at the Nakatomi Plaza in Los Angeles during a Christmas Eve party. Trapped inside the skyscraper and communicating with LAPD Sergeant Al Powell (Reginald VelJohnson), McClane’s everyman heroics reinvented the action genre and became a massive critical and commercial success. The film launched a major franchise with four sequels and is one of the greatest and most influential action films of all time.
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5. Home Alone (1990): The family comedy, directed by Chris Columbus and written and produced by John Hughes, stars Macaulay Culkin as Kevin McCallister, an eight-year-old accidentally left behind when his family flies to Paris for Christmas vacation. When two bumbling burglars, Harry (Joe Pesci) and Marv (Daniel Stern), attempt to break into his suburban Chicago home, Kevin is forced to defend the house with a series of booby traps that will have you rolling on the floor laughing. The movie became a massive commercial success, is widely considered a holiday staple, and launched the successful Home Alone film franchise.
6. Miracle on 34th Street (1994): A remake of the 1947 classic, it stars Richard Attenborough as Kris Kringle, the benevolent Macy’s department store Santa who claims to be the real deal. The plot centres on a young girl (Mara Wilson) and a lawyer who must prove Kringle’s identity in a court of law. The film was directed by Les Mayfield and features Elizabeth Perkins and Dylan McDermott in key roles. The original 1947 film, starring Natalie Wood and Edmund Gwenn (who won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor), is a banger.
7. Love Actually (2003): The Christmas-themed romantic comedy from writer/director Richard Curtis features an ensemble cast including Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson, Alan Rickman, and Emma Thompson, and weaves together 10 separate, interconnected love stories as its characters deal with relationships, family, and the search for happiness during the frantic month leading up to Christmas in London. It is structured as a series of vignettes that explore the many facets of love — both the joyful and the heartbreaking — culminating in a festive airport finale. Known for its all-star cast, memorable musical numbers, and iconic scenes, it has become a Christmas holiday favourite.
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8. The Holiday (2006): 8. Elf (2003): The film stars Will Ferrell as the innocent and enthusiastic Buddy, a human raised by Santa’s elves at the North Pole, who travels to New York City to find his biological father, a cynical businessman who is unaware Buddy exists. Directed by Jon Favreau, who used practical effects like forced perspective as an homage to classic Rankin/Bass stop-motion Christmas specials, the film also stars James Caan, Zooey Deschanel, Mary Steenburgen, and Bob Newhart.A major commercial success and considered a modern holiday classic, the movie underlines the importance of family, kindness, and maintaining the Christmas spirit.
9. Klaus (2019): The animated Netflix film, set in the fictional 19th-century island town of Smeerensburg, presents a unique origin story for Santa Claus. Jesper (voiced by Jason Schwartzman) is a selfish postman who is sent to the feuding town and befriends a reclusive toymaker named Klaus (voiced by J.K. Simmons). Their unlikely friendship and acts of kindness transform the grim town, inspiring a legacy of generosity and holiday traditions like gift-giving and hanging stockings.The movie received critical acclaim for its stunning animation style, winning a BAFTA and seven Annie Awards, and earning an Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Feature.
10. The Holdovers (2023): Directed by Alexander Payne and written by David Hemingson, it is set in a New England boarding school during the 1970s and stars Paul Giamatti, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, and Dominic Sessa. The story revolves around a curmudgeonly classics teacher (Giamatti) forced to chaperone a handful of students with nowhere to go for the Christmas holiday break, forming an unlikely bond with a troubled student (Sessa) and the school’s grieving head cook (Randolph). The film was praised for its authentic 1970s aesthetic and stellar performances, and became a word-of-mouth hit.
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