The following are mini reviews of Christmas- or holiday-themed movies that I’ve seen that come with my gingerbread cookie rating (1-5 cookies) as well as a link to various websites that can tell you whether they think the movie is appropriate for you and your family. I will also provide a review of each movie’s soundtrack, if one was released. Keep coming back as this alphabetical list will continue to grow and grow! These mini reviews are merely meant to give you my opinion on the film. I won’t dissect them in order to preserve the viewing experience for you. The soundtracks are likely available for purchase on iTunes, or for listening on youtube, Spotify, iTunes music, etc.
C
The Christmas Chronicles
In what has become a Netflix Christmas staple, Christmas Chronicles follows a tried and true formula of believers, disbelievers, widows, and a child sneaking onto Santa’s (Kurt Russell) sleigh unnoticed (of course). While it may be a fun flick for the kids, and those obsessed with the mythology of Santa, it was not my chilled cup of egg nog. The script was formulaic and predictable throughout.
However, I’m a huge fan of Kurt Russell so if you are too, his take on Santa is fun to watch. And, if you like Christmas Chronicles, you’re sure to like the sequel (Christmas Chronicles 2) that also stars Russell’s life partner Goldie Hawn as Mrs. Claus.
Released: 2018
Rated: PG
My Gingerbread Rating (out of 5)
Is this a Family film? Check out the Parents Previews website rating of Christmas Chronicles.
- The Christmas Chronicles movie Soundtrack
While there is no Christmas Chronicles soundtrack album, the film does feature a cover version of Elvis Presley’s “Santa Claus is Back in Town” with Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul as the band and Kurt Russell on lead vocals. The song is performed in the movie with Little Steven and company dressed as characters in a jailhouse setting with, who else, Kurt as the big guy.
The Christmas Chronicles 2
In this sequel to the Netflix hit Christmas Chronicles, Christmas Chronicles 2 follows the same story pattern as the first with a holiday crisis, a race to solve it, and then a happy ending. While it’s formulaic, this one was in the hands of director Chris Columbus, who also co-wrote the script, and delivers a somewhat more entertaining holiday film.
I still enjoyed Kurt Russell as Santa who is joined this time by his partner in real life, Goldie Hawn, who plays Mrs. Claus. The movie also returns some of the original cast, mom and kids, from the original. On the plus side, it was cool to see Santa’s village imagined in the movie as a holiday wonderland.
Released: 2018
Rated: PG
My Gingerbread Rating (out of 5)
Is this a Family film? Check out the Kids-in-Mind website rating of Christmas Chronicles 2.
- Christmas Chronicles 2 movie soundtrack
Like the first movie, there was no holiday movie soundtrack released. However, you can buy, or listen to on Spotify, Apple music, etc., Kurt Russell singing the “Spirit of Christmas” with singer Darlene Love, who also appears in the movie, at what is supposed to be Boston’s Logan Airport. I’ve been to Logan many, many times and would have loved to see Santa and Darlene Love break out into song. Alas, I only saw grumpy passengers and tired parents trying to shuffle their overexcited kids through airport lines and Dunkins.
A Christmas Story
One of my very favorite holiday movies, 1983’s A Christmas Story, tells the tale of one boy’s quest for the perfect Christmas present, which in this case happens to be a Red Ryder, carbine action, two-hundred shot range model air rifle! Based on the writings of Jean Shepheard (who also narrates the film and appears in the movie yelling at Ralphie in the line to meet Santa), A Christmas Story is a timeless tale about the wonders of the holiday at this particular time in a young person’s life in 1940s middle class America. From iconic leg lamps, to magical department store displays, to the excitement of waking up on Christmas morning, this movie has it all and more, including wonderful performances by Peter Billingsley, Melinda Dillon as the mom and Darin (Carl Kolchak) McGavin as the old man.
It’s the perfect holiday movie and a must-see for any Christmas enthusiast. And while you’re at it, pick up Shepheard’s book “In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash,” which features many of the original stories that A Christmas Story is based on. And also be sure to read my blog post, “How Do I Visit the Christmas Story House in Cleveland?,” which details my visit to and tour of the original Christmas story house and museum in Cleveland, Ohio (an absolute must if you are A Christmas Story fan!).
Released: 1983
Rated: PG
My Gingerbread Rating (out of 5)
Is this a Family film? Check out the Common Sense rating of A Christmas Story.
- A Christmas Story (Music from the Motion Picture) movie soundtrack
This is a really fun Christmas-themed soundtrack because it truly captures the musical magic of the movie. From the frenetic music accompanying “Jogging to School,” to the whimsy of “Meeting of the Minds,” it’s fun to listen to a soundtrack that immediately brings you back to the movie. Created by Carl Zittrer and Paul Zaza, I’ll typically listen to this one straight thru during the holidays. Available to purchase inexpensively on iTunes or available on Spotify and other music services.
My soundtrack favorites: “Ralphie’s Brilliant Idea” and “Glorious, Beautiful Christmas.”
Christmas with the Kranks
Christmas with the Kranks is a “holiday romp” comedy with a predictable and formulaic script. The movie feels a bit dated now (it was released in 2004) with its emphasis on slapstick and physical humor, but on the plus side, it does feature Tim Allen, Oscar winner Jamie Lee Curtis and Oscar nominee Dan Ackroyd amongst the cast. If you’re looking for a complex and nuanced script, you’ll just have to look elsewhere.
The movie is based on John Grisham’s bestselling book “Skipping Christmas” about a couple that decides to bypass Christmas for a cruise after they find out their only child can’t make it home for the holidays. Of course, their daughter calls at the last minute and says she’s coming, which is when the hijinks begin as they scramble, with help from their neighbors, to create their “legendary” family Christmas eve party and hallowed Christmas day celebration.
Released: 2004
Rated: PG
My Gingerbread Rating (out of 5)
Is this a Family film? Check out the Kids-in-Mind website rating of Christmas with the Kranks.
- Christmas with the Kranks movie soundtrack
One of the most underrated aspects of this film is the soundtrack, which was overseen by Little Steven Van Zandt, famous for his ongoing stint with Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band. The songs are an eclectic mix of classics (Elvis’ Blue Christmas, Brenda Lee’s Jingle Bell Rock, etc.) and tunes by lesser-known bands.
My soundtrack favorites: The Raveonettes’ “The Christmas Song, The Chesterfields’ “Hey Santa Claus” and The Butties’ “Joy to the World.”
E
Elf
A fun and original story about Buddy the Elf, who ends up in the North Pole by mistake and, once grown, begins to understand he’s a little different than the rest of the elves. That’s when his adopted dad, played brilliantly by the late Bob Newhart, tells Buddy the truth. Buddy then goes on a journey to find his real father who he understands lives in the big Apple. Will Ferrell is a joy to watch as Buddy and dominates nearly every scene he’s in. While the story veers a little off track at the end, Buddy’s journey to find his human family is a fun and festive ride from the snowy North Pole, to NYC to a department store and finally his father, played by the late James Caan. Elf is a must-see classic for any Christmas fan and can be enjoyed by the entire family. Other standouts include the late Ed Asher as Santa. And if you are a true holiday connoisseur, you’ll recognize right away the homage to a certain animated classic, including the character voiced by singer Leon Redbone. Highly recommended with only a bit of a cliche ending keeping this classic from being a five star holiday delight.
Released: 2003
Rated: PG
My Gingerbread Rating (out of 5)
Is this a Family film? Check out the Kids-in-Mind rating of ELF.
- The Elf movie soundtrack
A standard holiday movie soundtrack with some traditional classics and one standout version of “Baby It’s Cold Outside” with Leon Redbone and Zooey Deschanel. Although in the movie, Deschanel and Ferrell sing the song, not Redbone. In an interview published in a 2020 edition of Entertainment Weekly, Deschanel gives us the back story behind recording the song for the movie. She revealed that she recorded her vocals alone in the studio over Redbone’s because he was too shy to record the song at the same time. Deschanel, who’s one half of the band She & Him, recorded the song again for one of the duo’s holiday albums (She & Him have recorded two fantastic holiday albums) and took on the traditional male vocal to “flip the script.”
If you collect holiday music like I do, it’s likely you have most of these recordings presented here already but it’s worth downloading the Redbone/Deschanel version of “Baby It’s Cold Outside.” Otherwise, for those new to the holiday music genre, the album does offer some nice recordings, such as Ella Fitzgerald’s “Sleigh Ride” and Eartha Kitt’s classic version of “Santa Baby.” Of course if you are on Spotify, you can simply fire it up!
Note: there is also another album featuring music from the Elf musical and yet another that features only the movie’s score.
F
The Family Man
Nicolas Cage’s character wakes up on Christmas morning in another time and place in this terrific “what if” movie about missed opportunities, redemption, and finding out what truly makes you happy. I loved the film, with stars such as Tea Leoni, Don Cheadle and Jeremy Piven rounding out an outstanding cast. But the real star of the show is Cage, who goes from Wall Street to main street in this modern day telling of “It’s a Wonderful Life.” But unlike past remarks of this Christmas classic, The Family Man plows new and different ground in what has become a must-see holiday movie for me every year. If you haven’t seen The Family Man, it’s not too late to queue this one up. I bet it becomes a regular part of your holiday movie canon moving forward.
Released: 2000
Rated: PG-13
My Gingerbread Rating (out of 5)
Is this a Family film? Check out the Kids-in-Mind rating of The Family Man.
- The Family Man movie soundtrack
Given its holiday theme, I find it odd that the movie soundtrack doesn’t include a single Christmas song or holiday-ish tune. For that alone, I can’t recommend it.
G
The Gathering
Who can forget the classic depiction of Santa Claus by Ed Asner (aka Lou Grant from the Mary Tyler Moore show) in Will Ferrel’s Elf, which has moved into the pantheon of classic must-see holiday movies every year. But long before Elf, Ed Asner starred in an Emmy award-winning and star studded Christmas themed ABC movie called The Gathering. One of my very favorite holiday movies, it tells the poignant story of an older man (Ed Asner as Adam Thornton) seeking to reunite with the family he left behind for Christmas after separating from his wife (Maureen Stapleton) year earlier.
The story remains fresh, the music is thoughtfully selected, and the acting is superb with Asner, Stapleton, Bruce Davison, Gregory Harrison, Veronica Hamel, Lawrence Pressman, John Randolph, and Stephanie Zimbalist. While it generated a sequel in 1979, The Gathering, Part 2, it did so without Asner’s involvement and many of the original cast members didn’t return. It paled in comparison to the Emmy-award winning original movie and not worth watching. Available on DVD, you can order The Gathering from Amazon and other fine retailers of Christmas merchandise or purchase or rent from Amazon Prime and iTunes.
Released: 1977
Rated: Not rated
My Gingerbread Rating (out of 5)
This film has not been reviewed by our family friendly website sources.
- The Gathering soundtrack
There was no commercially released soundtrack for The Gathering, which included music composed by the legendary John Barry, who is responsible for arranging the 007 Theme. While the soundtrack was never available, there is a nice youtube video recreating the primary John Barry theme by songwriter Hal Dickens.
H
The Holdovers
My favorite movie of 2023 just happened to be a Christmas-themed movie. The Holdovers snuck up on people with Oscar-winning (Da’Vine Joy Randolph for Best Supporting Actress) and Oscar-nominated (Paul Giamatti for Best Actor) performances as well as a best picture nomination in this throwback homage to the way movies used to be directed and filmed. Its 1970s setting was no coincidence as director Alexander Payne looked to capture the look and feel of that eras’ aesthetic with this all-star cast.
The story itself is so well constructed and reveals the characters’ back stories in the way great movies do: slowly and with purpose. Payne once again gets an amazing performance out of Giamatti, whose previous pairing resulted in Sideways, another gem of a movie.
In The Holdovers, Giamatti plays a teacher at a New England boarding school who is assigned the dreaded task of monitoring the kids who have nowhere to go over Christmas break and must stay behind at the school. The resulting film draws out a wonderful story as Payne zeros in on three people (Randolph, Giamatti and a single student, who benefits from an amazing performance by Dominic Sessa). All three ultimately intertwine and come together for a powerfully poignant ending. I won’t include any spoilers, but I enjoyed this movie from the first scene to the last and walked out of the theatre at the end wondering why they don’t, or won’t, make movies like this anymore.
Released: 2023
Rated: R
My Gingerbread Rating (out of 5)
Is this a Family film? Check out the Kids In Mind review of The Holdovers.
- The Holdovers (Music from the Motion Picture) movie soundtrack
The Holdovers soundtrack is a mix of thoughtfully chosen 1970s non-holiday songs, readily available Christmas songs, like Andy Williams’ It’s the Most Wonderful Time of Year, and original instrumental music by Mark Orton. While I can’t personally recommend this one for your holiday soundtrack, just not enough original Christmas music for my taste, Orton’s original music score syncs perfectly with the 70s era vibe Payne was seeking and moves the movie emotionally along as all good soundtracks do. But it’s just too much of a mixed bag of non-holiday, well-worn holiday tunes, and instrumentals for me to ever tee it up during the holiday season.
My soundtrack favorites: “Drive to Boston” and “See Ya/Into the Unknown.”
I
It’s a Wonderful Life
What can you say about the most iconic of Christmas movies, or any movie? Nearly everyone knows the story of George Bailey and Clarence, the angel seeking to earn his wings. This venerable Christmas classic is nearly perfect in every way with terrific performances from Jimmy Stewart (Oscar nominated) and Donna Reed. Sure, one always wonders how Uncle Billy ever kept his job, but this redemptive story of good versus evil (Potter!) is as relevant today as it was when first released in 1946.
While the film initially received mixed reviews, it was nominated for a best picture Oscar as well as one for best director, actor, film editing, sound recording, and won a technical achievement award at the 1946 awards ceremony. Today, it is considered a must-see holiday classic and has been recognized by the American Film Institute as one of the 100 best American films ever made. It’s also been selected for preservation in the U.S. National Film Registry by the Library of Congress. Both Steward and the director of the film (Frank Capra) said it was one of their favorite films. So if you haven’t seen “It’s a Wonderful Life,” make this one a Christmas priority.
Released: 1946
Rated: PG
My Gingerbread Rating (out of 5)
Is this a Family film? Check out the Parent Previews rating of It’s a Wonderful Life.
- It’s a Wonderful Life movie soundtrack
In 1997, Nick at Nite released what they termed their first “classic” movie soundtrack for “It’s a Wonderful Life,” which is the version I have in my Christmas music collection. It’s a terrific CD, with key scenes and music from the movie, including my favorite, Buffalo Gals, sung by Stewart and Reed. However, this CD does not seem to be available today. The only soundtrack available is a 2021 release of Dimitri Tiomkin’s original music score, with bonus tracks, from the movie. It does not include any voices from the movie, just the music. And more importantly to me, it does not include Buffalo Gals. I would highly recommend seeking out the original Nick at Nite version on eBay or from other used CD resellers. Well worth it and definitely a fun listen around the holidays whether plowing out snow from your driveway, listening in the car while shopping, or even relaxing by the fire at home. I’ve seen this recently available on Amazon and eBay for roughly $20.
My soundtrack favorites: “Buffalo Gals” and “Answered Prayers.”
M
A Merry Friggin’ Christmas
Whenever I watch a move like “A Merry Friggin Christmas” that features such an all-star cast (e.g., Robin Williams, Oliver Platt, Candace Bergen, Joel McHale, and more), I can’t help but wonder, what were these talented, award-winning actors and actresses thinking?! Was it a bait and switch with the script? Did they assign the worst editor in the world to put the final movie together? What should have, or could have, been a really good Christmas movie is just awful. A mishmash of ridiculous scenes and scenarios, the script is simply terrible. Yet another “do you believe in Santa Claus movie,” comes down to Joel McHale’s character (Boyd) agreeing to visit his cranky father (Robin Williams) and beleaguered mother (Candace Bergen) at his childhood home to mend broken fences. Once he gets there, he realizes he forgot his son’s presents and elects to make the 8-hour roundtrip to make sure his child’s waning belief in Santa is reaffirmed.
The movie is notable in that it’s Robin Williams’ last starring role and was released after just three months after his tragic death. From that perspective, the movie can be difficult to watch, knowing how much Williams was suffering as he neared the end of his life. And given how talented he was, here’s hoping his last major film role won’t define who he was as an Oscar-winning actor.
Released: 2014
Rated: PG-13
My Gingerbread Rating (out of 5)
Is this a Family film? Check out the Common Sense Media rating of A Merry Friggin Christmas.
- A Merry Friggin’ Christmas movie soundtrack
Unlike the actual movie, the “A Merry Friggin’ Christmas” movie soundtrack is terrific and filled with wonderful covers and original holiday tunes. And I’m not alone in recognizing what a great holiday album this turned out to be. Ken Tucker, music reviewer for NPR’s Fresh Air, put it into his top four holiday albums of 2014 saying it gets the feelings of the season “just right.” From Rufus Wainwright and a host of lesser known but talented artists, A Merry Friggin’ Christmas soundtrack deserves a listen and may just become a mainstay on your holiday playlist.
My soundtrack favorites: “It’s Christmastime, I Know (Ho Ho Ho)” by Ryan Culwell, “Best Time of Year” by Alex Rhodes and “Christmas is for Kids” by Rufus Wainwright.”
Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
While I enjoy many vintage movies from the early 20th century, the problem I have with many is they feature what I refer to as “bombastic acting.” These are actors and actresses who seem to be screaming their lines into the camera. What makes Miracle on 34th Street so special is that it’s a wonderful heartwarming holiday story that belies that particular acting style. That, in my view, makes this wonderfully timeless and an utter joy to watch every holiday season.
The story itself is well known, with Natalie Wood’s character questioning the existence of Santa Claus. Edmund Gwen, who is wonderful as Kris Kringle, is hired to play Santa at Macy’s flagship store on 34th Street in New York City. I’ll leave additional details aside for those who’ve not yet seen this Christmas classic, as inconceivable as that sounds.
Nominated for numerous Oscars, including best picture, Miracle on 34th Street garnered Gwenn a win for best actor in a supporting role, Valentine Davis for best writing, original story, and George Seaton for best writing, screenplay. That should tell you all you need to know about the film itself, which was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry in 2005 by the Library of Congress, which was completed in 2009.
An interesting side note: the scenes from the Macy’s Day Parade were actually filmed during the real 1946 parade, which gives you a fascinating historical peek into life in Manhattan at the time. Don’t bother with the colorized version, by the way, it’s awful and is nothing but a distraction. Stick to the black and white original. In a nutshell, this is one of my very favorite Christmas movies and a must-see for any Christmas enthusiast.
Released: 1947
Rated: Not rated
My Gingerbread Rating (out of 5)
Is this a Family film? Check out the Common Sense Media rating of A Miracle on 34th Street.
- A Miracle on 34th movie soundtrack
The original soundtrack for A Miracle on 34th Street is a throwback to soundtracks from so many mid-century movie films with a wide range of instrumental styles from marching band to strings and horns. Cyril Mockridge, an English film and television composer who was nominated for an Oscar for his score to Guys and Dolls, put together a nice 32-minute soundtrack album of well-known Christmas classics for this 1947 classic. You can buy the CD from La La Land records, which also includes Mockbridge’s soundtrack to “Come to the Stable,” and composer Bruce Broughton’s soundtrack for the 1994 version of Miracle on 34th Street, which was co-written by the late John Hughes.
My soundtrack favorites: “Thanksgiving Day Parade,” and “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.”
