Running out of Christmas movies to watch? Not so fast! While some holiday-movie lovers may have already worked their way through their entire list of must-watch Christmas movies, there are always and we mean always more Christmas movies to unearth on the internet. From little-known films from decades long gone to more modern Christmas flicks that don't exactly have a solid following, the trove of holiday movies still to be watched is seemingly never ending. And yes, that includes some Christmas movies that aren't exactly considered tops.
If we're being totally honest, we're kind of gluttons for punishment when it comes to corny Christmas movies. The cheesier the better. Well, as long as the acting isn't awful. And even then … From totally uncalled-for sequels to painfully awkward family dramas, these Christmas movies are more cringeworthy than charming, but for those who are really obsessed with Christmas movies, they might still be worth watching. There's something for everyone, right?
So, put on that ugly Christmas sweater, grab a cozy blanket and a cup of cheer and queue up some of the absolute worst (but dare we say, delightful?) Christmas movies ranked according to film review site Rotten Tomatoes tomatometer system. Keep reading to see what they are, from bad to worst.
20. 'Noel'
Surprised that a film starring Penelope Cruz, Paul Walker, Susan Sarandon, and Alan Arkin kicks off this list? The film's about five down-on-their-luck New Yorkers who cross one another's paths on Christmas Eve. It tries really hard to evoke sentiment, but honestly, it's just too much. Too much sadness, too much desperation, too much heartache.
19. 'Four Christmases'
Starring Reese Witherspoon and Vince Vaughn as a childless-by-choice married couple who stays as far from their families as possible, Four Christmases sees this bougie couple out of options and forced to spend Christmas miserably hopping between different family members' homes. Everything that can go wrong does, but somehow everything works out in the end.
18. 'Santa Claus Conquers the Martians'
Based on the title alone, this one may not even need any explanation. About a Martian leader who has Santa Claus kidnapped in the hopes of restoring joy and wonder to Earth-obsessed Martian children, 1964's Santa Claus Conquers the Martians is admittedly a B-movie, but it's bad even for that designation.
17. 'I'll Be Home for Christmas'
Any girl who grew up in the '90s might find it hard to resist anything starring Jonathan Taylor Thomas, but be warned, I'll Be Home for Christmas wasn't any good in 1998 and it definitely doesn't sit well today. There's bullying, bribery, entitlement, and nary a merry Christmas moment in sight as the lead character attempts to make it home for Christmas after being left stranded in the middle of the desert.
16. 'The Christmas Candle'
From best-selling Christian author Max Lucado, The Christmas Candle doesn't, well, hold a candle to any of our favorite Christmas movies. The film takes place in 19th century England and follows a grieving pastor who arrives in a town whose residents steadfastly believe in a Christmas miracle candle. The pastor then promptly proceeds to make every attempt to dissuade the villagers of the candle's powers. Bah! Humbug!
15. 'Fred Claus'
Oh, this one is bad. Starring Paul Giamatti and Vince Vaughn, it should be funny, but all of the attempts at humor just fall flat. Fred Claus is the story of Santa's broke brother who shows up at the North Pole just before Christmas in the hopes of being paid to help Santa and the elves prepare for Christmas. That's not the way Christmas works, buddy.
14. 'Santa Claus: The Movie'
We want to like 1985's Santa Claus: The Movie, mainly because actor David Huddleston, who plays Santa, looks just like he could be the real thing. But, this movie just isn't very good. Also starring Dudley Moore and John Lithgow, it's the not-so-original story of a an elf-gone-bad who ends up nearly ruining Christmas until Santa steps in. Little ones might enjoy this low-budget film, but anyone else will certainly cringe.
13. 'Tyler Perry's A Madea Christmas'
Tyler Perry's movies are just all over the place when it comes to quality and A Madea Christmas is definitely not one of his best. The film sees Tyler's most famous character, Madea, talked into helping a friend travel to the country to see her daughter for Christmas. The humor feels forced though, and overall, it just doesn't deliver the laughs viewers expect from the franchise.
12. 'The Perfect Holiday'
The Perfect Holiday starring Gabrielle Union, Queen Latifah, and Morris Chestnut, should've been a perfect Christmas movie, but it falls horribly short. It's the story of a young girl who asks Santa to help her single mom find a new husband for Christmas. Typical Christmas movie fodder, right? Well, it's cheesy and over the top, but not in a good way.
11. 'Love the Coopers'
Love the Coopers is all about family dramas unfolding just before Christmas that lead four generations of "The Coopers" to open up to each other and reconnect over their Christmas Eve celebration. With a fantastic cast starring Steve Martin, Diane Keaton, Olivia Wilde, John Goodman, and Ed Helms, it should be a winner, but the writing falls completely flat.
10. 'The Santa Clause: The Escape Clause'
Some children will likely get a kick out of the final installment of Tim Allen's The Santa Clause trilogy, but others might just be too spooked to watch it until the end. Starring as an eccentric Jack Frost, Martin Short builds an army of terrifying toy soldiers to help him co-opt Christmas for his own gain.
9. 'Jingle All the Way'
While some of us may feel a nostalgic connection to Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sinbad's Jingle All the Way, it's really an awful film. It becomes more and more chaotic as the hunt for the "it" holiday toy ensues. Plus, both of the film's main characters are totally guilty of overacting.
8. 'A Merry Friggin' Christmas'
A Merry Friggin' Christmas starring the late Robin Williams and comedian Joel McHale makes a valid attempt at being a serious Christmas movie with more drama than comedy or romance. Unfortunately, it just ends up being a bore. It's about a man who arrives at his estranged parents' home to celebrate Christmas with his own family in tow, only to realize he left all of the gifts behind. He's then forced to retrieve them alongside a father he can't stand. There's some humor in there, but it's overshadowed by Joel McHale's incessant pouting in the role of a completely unlikable character.
7. 'Black Christmas'
A remake of the classic 1970s-era Christmas slasher, 2006's Black Christmas, starring Michelle Trachtenberg and Lacey Chabert, pales in comparison to the original. It's the same story of a disturbed man who goes on a murderous rage, attacking the residents of a sorority house, but the backstory has been morphed into something far more unbelievable than that of the original simply for the sake of more gore.
6. 'An American Carol'
Anybody remember this movie? No? We forgot about it for a reason. It's not exactly a Christmas movie, but it takes the concept of Charles Dickens' Christmas classic A Christmas Carol and applies it to the Fourth of July. Weird, right? The film's humor just doesn't work and it's way too political for a film that should be fun.
5. 'Mixed Nuts'
Realistically, anyone who enjoys Steve Martin's humor will probably find 1994's Mixed Nuts at least somewhat entertaining. But when it comes to Christmas movies, there are much better options out there. The film revolves around the calls received by a crisis center hotline during the holidays, and while it's intended to be funny, it's just inappropriate. Making fun of mental health issues is not cool.
4. 'Surviving Christmas'
Surviving Christmas starring Ben Affleck, Christina Applegate, and James Gandolfini, is another Christmas film that wasn't terribly good when it came out in 2004, but is particularly uncomfortable today. It's about a wealthy, single guy who hires a family to spend Christmas with him. It's awkward and clunky and the lead character reeks of privilege.
3. 'Deck the Halls'
Based on its cast alone, 2006's Deck the Halls should have been good, maybe even great, but it's actually just miserable. Starring Danny DeVito, Matthew Broderick, Kristin Chenoweth, and Kristin Davis, the film is about two neighbors at war over over-the-top Christmas decorations. The writing isn't great, which means a lot of the jokes just don't work, but even worse is the overall grinchiness of this movie.
2. 'Christmas With the Kranks'
Tim Allen takes another stab at the holiday genre in Christmas With the Kranks which also stars Jamie Lee Curtis, and features appearances by Dan Aykroyd and Cheech Marin among others. It's the retelling of the John Grisham novella Surviving Christmas in which a couple of empty nesters decides to forgo all holiday celebrations in favor of a Caribbean cruise when they learn their daughter won't be coming home for Christmas. It's bad only because the disaster scenes are so over-the-top they often come off as overdone and plain goofy.
1. 'The Nutcracker in 3D'
We all love The Nutcracker, right? It's quintessential Christmas entertainment, but did anyone really need to see it made into a 3D film? We think not. Most of the magic of the classic tale is stripped away in this overworked darker retelling that is missing both the gorgeous dancing of the traditional ballet and the heart other cinematic versions have managed to capture.
