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You won't believe these 10 highest-grossing Christmas movies
Some of these entries are unbelievable.
Let's start off with a warning: You may think you have an idea of the highest-grossing Christmas movies of all time, but dear reader, we are here to tell you there is no way you'd guess these ones.
"Sure," you think to yourself, "The Nightmare Before Christmas, or The Santa Clause, or heck, maybe even Die Hard have to be in the top five, right?" Oh, you beautiful, naive fool. Those movies aren't even in the top 10!
Have a look for yourself as we share the 10 highest-grossing Christmas movies of all time, according to Wikipedia. Beware, they are... unlikely.
1. The Grinch (2018)
Weird, right? No, this isn't the Jim Carrey one. You'll see that one a bit further down the list. This one, the highest-grossing Christmas movie of all time, is an animated offering from Illumination studios. This time around, the green grouch is portrayed by Benedict Cumberbatch.
2. Home Alone (1990)
Ah, that's more like it. This Christmas Classic, starring Macaulay Culkin, grossed $476,684,675, making it the second-highest-grossing Christmas-themed movie of all time. The only movie that scored bigger at the box office in 1990 was Ghost!
3. Alvin and the Chipmunks (2007)
The third-highest-grossing Christmas movie of all time, and we bet you didn't even know it was a Christmas movie. Of course, fans will remember the old "The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)," the bona fide novelty holiday classic from 1958. The 2007 version gets a rock update with lead vocals from Jason Lee. Sure!
4. Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)
Phew, back on track. This one isn't quite as well-remembered as the first one, but it does have its charms. Mostly, it's great for having Brenda Fricker in it. She's the scary bird lady who turns out to be an actually nice bird lady. Tim Curry's there. Rob Schnieder, too. Christmas... am I right, people?
5. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
Now we're cooking with gas. Jim Carrey is at his career best (which is always the case, because the guy commits), and look who it is behind the camera! Why it's Opie himself, Ron Howard, all grown up and directing a movie! This movie is a true labor of love from everyone involved, and you can still visit the set in Universal Studios Hollywood!
6. A Christmas Carol (2009)
Ba-humbug! We bet you didn't expect Jim Carrey to star in two of the top ten Christmas movies. Disney loves this Dickens story. They let Mickey have an adaptation. Then they let the Muppets have an adaptation. So why not also give Robert Zemeckis an adaptation while we're at it?
7. The Polar Express (2004)
Hey, two Robert Zemeckis movies in a row! This is the one where Tom Hanks plays, like, half a dozen equally dead-eyed characters. When people bring up the "uncanny valley," this is absolutely what they're referring to. Look at those kids' EYES!
8. Love Actually (2003)
Aw, cute. This one is written and directed by rom-com mastermind Richard Curtis. Love Actually is a classic example of a movie resonating much more with audiences than critics. However, getting to see Alan Rickman do anything at all is well worth the price of admission.
9. Elf (2003)
Elf, to many, is the perfect Christmas movie. It's got laughs. It's got heart. It's got James Caan. It's got a cameo from the guy who played Ralphie in A Christmas Story! The movie is so special, in fact, that Will Ferrell reportedly turned down a sequel, losing out on millions, just to uphold the integrity of the original.
10. The Holiday (2006)
See #8. Rinse. Repeat. We do, however, reserve the right to proclaim Nancy Myers as one of the greatest rom-com auteurs of all time. We'd just rather watch Father of the Bride. Or even It's Complicated, really. The Holiday just feels like Home and Garden Magazine come to life.
36 Comments
Of course, while it’s now pretty much a beloved classic, “It’s a Wonderful Life” did not do that well in its initial box office release. Also, while it did have a limited release in December of 1946, the movie didn’t go into wide release until January 1947. The appeal of a Christmas movie was pretty much over by then.
The Grinch (2018)
Home Alone (1990)
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
A Christmas Carol (2009)
The Polar Express (2004)
Love Christmas movies! (-:
It's a Wonderful Life (1946), Miracle on 34th Street (1947), White Christmas (1954) and
A Christmas Story (1983).
There are a few good movies in the article's list: The Home Alone movies and The Polar Express are both worthy watches (jmo). No shortage of movies on the whole it seems.