Bah, Humbug! The Worst Christmas Movies of All-Time

As a seasoned movie critic with over two decades of experience, I’ve seen my fair share of holiday films that range from heartwarming to downright disastrous. The collection you’ve presented is a perfect example of the latter, and I must say, it brings me no joy to review these cinematic turkeys.

From ho-ho-ho to no-no-no.

At TopMob News, we truly cherish the holiday season. There’s something magical about being with loved ones, savoring seasonal drinks, marveling at twinkling lights, indulging in delicious food, and not forgetting the special movies. You know we can’t resist a comfortable Sunday night curled up with Hallmark’s newest, delightfully cheesy yet captivating Countdown to Christmas movie, accompanied by a steaming mug of hot cocoa. (And our dedication shows: We’ve rated every single one of their previous productions, yes, all of them!)

But while we love us a cheery Christmas flick, that doesn’t mean we don’t have standards: We can spot the difference between a gift (think classics like Home Alone, Christmas Vacation and Elf) and a lump of coal that leaves us colder than the frigid temps outside.

Not every seasonal outing has the potential to be transformed into yearly event programming like “Love Actually” or “The Santa Clause”. Some will likely wind up as selections towards the end of Netflix’s Christmas recommendations list – akin to the South Pole in terms of popularity, as Kevin McCallister would put it, “Yikes!

And bad holiday movies can happen to good actors, including Keira Knightley.

Using a vivid recollection from her childhood, where she saw The Nutcracker ballet with her mother, she threw herself wholeheartedly into making that production real in 2018’s film The Nutcracker and the Four Realms. She even adopted a charmingly youthful, high-pitched voice to portray the Sugar Plum Fairy.

She expressed to Entertainment Weekly that the essence of magic was predominant in the upcoming story. The idea of toys and sweets becoming alive, something every child dreams about while playing with their toys, was what she intended to convey. However enchanting it may have appeared on paper, the movie didn’t quite captivate audiences to the extent they were expected to leave theaters mesmerized.

Despite the fact that Michael Keaton’s character Jack Frost had an endearing concept on paper – a father who dies in a car crash returns to spend time with his son as a friendly snowman named Jack Frost – the 1998 movie was more chilling than comforting in reality.

Which Christmas movies over time haven’t managed to become timeless classics but rather embody holiday disasters instead? We’ve put together a list, verified it twice, and now you’ll discover which ones we consider naughty or nice.

From watching the 2019 rom-com starring Emilia Clarke and Henry Golding, two individuals who exude warmth and fuzziness, penned by Emma Thompson herself, I’ve learned that a popular Christmas song (“Last Christmas” by George Michael) doesn’t guarantee a heartwarming Christmas movie.

If you enjoy Christmas movies with grumpy characters, plenty of unkind antics, and minimal warmth, then this 2006 comedy featuring Matthew Broderick and Danny DeVito is just the ticket for you, Grinch-like souls!

It appears that at least Keira Knightley seemed to enjoy herself in this vibrant, eccentric, and offbeat retelling of The Nutcracker? Despite the initial enthusiasm, The Nutcracker and the Four Realms turned out to be one of the biggest flops at the box office in 2018.

This 2008 film, on the surface, seems promising with stars like Reese Witherspoon, known for her charming roles, and Vince Vaughn, famed for his witty portrayals, playing a couple who have to spend Christmas with four chaotic, complex, and awkward families. However, this romantic comedy turned sour as it was filled with tired tropes, making it more stale than your Aunt Karen’s forgotten fruitcake.

Vaughn has not had much success in Christmas movies. His 2007 comedy about the grumpy and miserly older brother of Santa Claus didn’t bring many chuckles…or profits.

Ponder over a heartwarming Christmas movie from 1998, where a father who passed away on Christmas Day (he was often absent due to work travels and wasn’t much of a family man) is reimagined as a living snowman by his son. It might seem scary at first, but the filmmakers thought this was the perfect recipe for a wholesome family flick. In this unique tale, Michael Keaton plays the role of the father-turned-snowman.

Choice Review: “Let it thaw!

In the Santa Clause trilogy, Tim Allen beautifully captured the holiday spirit, but that magic was lost in this 2004 family comedy. The plot revolved around Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis, both from Home Improvement, playing a pair who are forced to organize a last-minute Christmas celebration when their adult daughter unexpectedly decides to return home. Despite the hilarious talents of Allen and Curtis, this Christmas production turned out to be a cheesy and awkward mess, as evidenced by its 5% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

A more fitting title for the 2016 follow-up to the unexpectedly amusing dark comedy featuring Billy Bob Thornton could be: “Santa’s Second Act: Not as Merry as Before

In a heartwarming twist, a movie set during the holidays revolves around a couple, portrayed by Diane Keaton and John Goodman, who are planning to divorce shortly after their adult children visit. The family’s last perfect Christmas together is anything but, as they navigate through this difficult time. The film, released in 2015, features an impressive cast including Olivia Wilde, Anthony Mackie, and Alan Arkin, but unfortunately squanders most of its talent trying too hard to tug at your holiday heartstrings. Here are some possible titles for the movie: “‘Tis the Season for Divorce,’ ‘Bah Humbug Marriage,’ or ‘Holiday Heartbreak.’

To clarify, let me rephrase that for you: Essentially, the 1994 remake isn’t a terrible film, but it doesn’t bring anything new or exceptional to the table. Starring Richard Attenborough, Dylan McDermott, Elizabeth Perkins, and Mara Wilson, it feels redundant compared to the original 1947 version that continues to be more popular on television.

Prior to engaging in disagreement, let’s make it clear that we found the inaugural film of the A Christmas Prince series quite enjoyable due to its amusingly low-budget and unintentional humor. It’s remarkable how it turned into a meme sensation and gained a dedicated fanbase. Nonetheless, the 2018 sequel was far from being so-bad-it’s-good; instead, it was just plain bad. The Netflix romantic comedy fell flat, lacked effort, and, most disappointingly, was painfully dull. Consequently, we chose to exclude it from our viewing list.

2024-12-24 11:17

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