In the last few years, the Christmas movie has made a comeback. Netflix has made a cottage industry of the season, following in the well-polished shoes of Hallmark. New favorites compete with the classics on television and streaming services. Vanessa Hudgens is making a play to become the queen of Christmas, with a third Princess Switch set for release. We are up to our eyeballs in holly, jolly entertainment.
Still, not all Christmas movies are created equal. Netflix unleashed more than a dozen new holiday movies this year with mixed results: Single All the Way might be an instant classic. Love Hard not so much. To help you separate the coal from the gold, we’re counted down the most charming, entertaining and occasionally even terrifying festive movies of all time. From demonic Santas and home-invading thieves to feelgood fireside frolics, Christmas songs, ice-skating escapades and enough hot chocolate to drown an elf, our cinematic sack is bulging with treats.