Festive Flicks Index
Christmas is that special time of year when you come together with the people you love to celebrate the festive season. There’s no better way of enjoying a winter evening in the run up to the festivities than getting cosy by your Christmas tree and enjoying a festive movie with the people you love most to get you into the spirit of Christmas.
But which Christmas classics can be crowned as THE best? We’ve delved into reviews from audiences and critics, and Google searches too, to find the top festive films that are guaranteed to get you in the Christmas spirit.
Die Hard
Festive flick score: 8.57/10
Taking the top spot in our index is this 80s action classic set during Christmas time. The blockbuster ranks first thanks to its fanbase, placing in the top three Christmas films most loved by audiences. It also ranks in the top ten for critical acclaim and Google searches too.
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Festive flick score: 8.37/10
Tim Burton’s gothic musical is up next, scoring 8.37 out of ten. Gaining a cult following since its release in 1993, the stop-motion animation ranks highly across the board, placing in the top five for both audience ratings and critical acclaim, and in the top ten for Google searches.
It's A Wonderful Life
Festive flick score: 8.23/10
This Christmas classic from the golden age of Hollywood takes third place. It’s the most beloved film in the index, taking the top spot for IMDB user reviews. The movie is also one of the most critically acclaimed films in the index, ranking in the top ten for the factor and still remains popular 75 years after its initial release, ranking in the top 20 for Google searches.
These movies might be old, but they’re festive classics and despite newer releases every Christmas, the timeless nature of their stories is what’s guaranteed to get us all cosy around the tree every year!
It's A Wonderful Life
IMDB user rating: 8.6/10
This Christmas classic is also considered one of the best films ever made. It's A Wonderful Life resonates with audiences across generations at Christmas time thanks to its uplifting story of hope, redemption and family, so it's no surprise it’s the festive movie that audiences love the most!
The Apartment, A Charlie Brown Christmas
IMDB user rating: 8.3/10
A classic 60s rom-com The Apartment is considered one of the best films of all time, so it's no surprise it takes second place on the list. The film may not be as upbeat as other Christmas classics, but it brings comfort to audiences as it reflects the hope for the future that Christmastime brings.
A Charlie Brown Christmas shares second place with an audience rating of 8.3. The TV special is a timeless classic, with audiences tuning in every Christmas to watch Snoopy and his friends.
Die Hard
IMDB user rating: 8.2/10
Taking third place is this blockbuster set on Christmas Eve. As well as being an adrenaline-fuelled thrill ride, the movie is popular with audiences as it revolves around a father struggling to reunite with his family for Christmas, albeit with more thrills and explosions than conventional Christmas flicks.
Shazam!
26.9 million Google searches
You’d be surprised to find this superhero blockbuster on our list of Christmas movies, but it takes the top spot for popularity with just under 27 million Google searches over the past year. The DC action comedy Shazam is actually set over the festive season and is the perfect Christmas watch as the film focuses on themes of finding family, making it perfect viewing for Christmas time.
Gremlins
17.1 million Google searches
This cult classic comedy horror takes second place. As well as being action-packed, Gremlins is popular with audiences at Christmas thanks to its likeable everyman characters who choose good over the greed and materialism that casts a shadow over the festive season.
Elf
16 million Google searches
Taking third place is Elf, the comedy based on a human raised by Santa’s elves who travels to New York to track down his biological father. The movie has 16 million searches, making it still one of the most popular Christmas movies nearly 20 years after its release.
The Shop Around The Corner, Mickey's Christmas Carol, Meet Me in St. Louis, Remember The Night, March Of The Wooden Soldiers.
Tomatometer Score:100%
Five Christmas movies on our list have a perfect score from critics, with four of them created during the golden age of Hollywood.
Mickey's Christmas Carol is an adaptation of Charles Dickens's Christmas classic, featuring Mickey and his friends acting out the tale.
The Thin Man
Tomatometer Score: 98%
Up next is this 1930s comedy-mystery set in Wintery New York. The movie, about a retired detective and his wife, features a sinister murder plot and lots of drinking, so is best left to the grown-ups.
Babe
Tomatometer Score: 97%
Taking third place is Babe, the family comedy about a piglet who narrowly escapes becoming Christmas dinner and triumphs as a sheepherding pig. The film highlights a slightly darker side of Christmas, criticising farming animals for meat.
Fantasy
Average Festive Flick Score: 5.71/10
Taking first place as the most popular genre for Christmas films is fantasy, with an average score of 5.71. This is unsurprising as Christmas is the most magical time of year for many families and fantasy films can add that extra touch of magic to the festive season.
Family
Average Festive Flick Score: 5.50/10
Christmas is a time for spending quality time with your loved ones, and there’s no better way than watching a film together that the whole family can enjoy. Up next are family movies, scoring 5.50 out of 10.
Action
Average Festive Flick Score: 5.49/10
Just behind family films are action movies, with an average festive flick score of 5.49 out of 10, taking them to third place. Some of the most iconic action films take place around the festive season, including Lethal Weapon and Die Hard.
1940s
Average Festive Flick Score: 6.50/10
Taking the top spot are movies from the golden age of cinema, with festive flicks from the era scoring an average of 6.50/10. Oscar-winning movies, like It’s A Wonderful Life and Miracle on 34th Street, are considered classic Christmas flicks and have delighted audiences for more than 70 years!
1980s
Average Festive Flick Score: 5.50/10
In second place are 80s Christmas movies, scoring 5.50 out of 10. The decade produced some of the most action-packed Christmas movies like Die Hard and Lethal Weapon, and some of the most creative too.
1990s
Average Festive Flick Score: 5.44/10
Up next are 90s Christmas movies, with the decade creating classic family films like Home Alone and The Muppet Christmas Carol, and more unconventional flicks like The Nightmare Before Christmas that cater to every taste.
New movies arrive every year to get you in the festive spirit with fresh and modern stories, but these classic Christmas movies will keep returning as our favourites for years to come thanks to their timeless tales and their festive comfort feel!
Methodology
Beginning with a list of Christmas films, we analysed each one on the following factors. We then gave each film a normalised score out of ten for each of the factors, before taking an average across each of these scores to reach our final overall score out of ten.
The most-loved Christmas movies: The user rating of each film according to IMDB.
The most popular Christmas movies: The total Google searches for each film over the last 12 months according to Google Ads’ Keyword Planner.
The most critically acclaimed Christmas movies: The percentage of positive reviews for each film according to Rotten Tomatoes.
The best genres for festive flicks: The average festive flick score for each film, grouped by genre.
The best decade for festive flicks: The average festive flick score for each film, grouped by the decade it was released.
