The Best Christmas Rom-Coms
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Voting Rules
Romantic comedies where Christmas or the Christmas season is an important part of the story, no Hallmark movies
- 1Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Jude LawIn The Holiday, Amanda Woods (Cameron Diaz), a successful workaholic from Los Angeles, and Iris Simpkins (Kate Winslet), a lovelorn society columnist from Surrey, England, decide to swap homes for the Christmas season. Their lives take an unexpected turn when they meet and fall in love with two local men: Graham (Jude Law), Iris's brother, and Miles (Jack Black), a film composer. This romantic comedy-drama, directed by Nancy Meyers, weaves together stories of self-discovery and love against the backdrop of two picturesque locations. The movie is celebrated for its heartwarming narrative and charming performances.More The Holiday
- #42 of 126 onThe Best Christmas Movies Of All Time
- #19 of 134 onThe 100+ Best Movies For Date Night
- #12 of 469 onThe 400+ Best Chick Flicks Ever
- 2Sandra Bullock, Bill Pullman, Peter GallagherIn While You Were Sleeping, Lucy Moderatz (Sandra Bullock) is a lonely token collector for the Chicago Transit Authority. Secretly admiring a handsome commuter, Peter Callaghan (Peter Gallagher), she saves him from an oncoming train after he falls onto the tracks. Unconscious in the hospital, Peter's family mistakenly believes Lucy to be his fiancée. Jack Callaghan (Bill Pullman), Peter's brother, is skeptical yet drawn towards Lucy. As Peter recovers, Lucy finds herself entangled in a comical and unexpected romantic dilemma. This charming 1995 rom-com won the hearts of many, earning Bullock a Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Actress.
- #65 of 126 onThe Best Christmas Movies Of All Time
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- 3Hugh Grant, Laura Linney, Colin FirthIn the heartwarming film Love Actually, nine intertwined stories explore the complexities of love during the festive Christmas season. The ensemble cast includes characters like Prime Minister David (Hugh Grant), writer Jamie (Colin Firth), and aging rock star Billy Mack (Bill Nighy). Their tales of romance, heartbreak, and discovery unfold against a backdrop of London's charming streets and homes. Directed by Richard Curtis, this multi-narrative comedy-drama offers a humorous and touching exploration of love's many forms. Its deft storytelling and memorable performances earned it a BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actor for Bill Nighy.More Love Actually
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- 4John Cusack, Kate Beckinsale, Molly ShannonIn Serendipity, Jonathan Trager (John Cusack) and Sara Thomas (Kate Beckinsale) cross paths serendipitously one Christmas in New York, sparking a love-at-first-sight connection. Yet, Sara believes in destiny. To test their fate, she writes her number in a book, promising that if he finds it, they are meant to be. Years later, both engaged to others, they can't shake the memory of their chance encounter. The movie is a romantic comedy-drama, exploring themes of fate and love with a dash of whimsy and humor. It's a tale about destiny's mysterious ways and the relentless pursuit of true love.More Serendipity
- #89 of 126 onThe Best Christmas Movies Of All Time
- #78 of 113 onThe Best Movies Of 2001
- #37 of 134 onThe 100+ Best Movies For Date Night
- 5Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary ClooneySingers Bob Wallace (Bing Crosby) and Phil Davis (Danny Kaye) join sister act Betty (Rosemary Clooney) and Judy Haynes (Vera-Ellen) to perform a Christmas show in rural Vermont. There, they run into Gen. Waverly (Dean Jagger), the boys' commander in World War II, who, they learn, is having financial difficulties; his quaint country inn is failing. So what's the foursome to do but plan a yuletide miracle: a fun-filled musical extravaganza that's sure to put Waverly and his business in the black!More White Christmas
- #38 of 204 onMusical Movies With The Best Songs
- #19 of 126 onThe Best Christmas Movies Of All Time
- #95 of 228 onThe 200+ Best Film Scores Of All Time
- 6
Last Christmas
Emilia Clarke, Henry Golding, Michelle YeohNothing seems to go right for young Kate, a frustrated Londoner who works as an elf in a year-round Christmas shop. But things soon take a turn for the better when she meets Tom -- a handsome charmer who seems too good to be true. As the city transforms into the most wonderful time of the year, Tom and Kate's growing attraction turns into the best gift of all -- a Yuletide romance.More Last Christmas- #74 of 126 onThe Best Christmas Movies Of All Time
- #29 of 70 onThe Funniest Christmas Comedy Movies
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- 7Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, Bill PullmanIn Sleepless in Seattle, Sam Baldwin (Tom Hanks), a widower, sparks nationwide interest when his son Jonah (Ross Malinger) calls into a radio talk show. Across the country, Annie Reed (Meg Ryan), a journalist, hears Sam's poignant story and becomes intrigued by him. As fate would have it, their paths cross in a climactic meeting atop the Empire State Building. This romantic drama, directed by Nora Ephron, garnered two Oscar nominations and is hailed for its charming blend of comedy and pathos. It's a testament to love transcending boundaries.More Sleepless in Seattle
- #402 of 772 onThe Most Rewatchable Movies
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- 8Margaret Sullavan, James Stewart, Frank MorganAlfred Kralik (James Stewart) and Klara Novak (Margaret Sullavan) are employees at Matuschek and Company, a general store in Budapest. Klara and Alfred are constantly at odds with each other, butting heads and disagreeing on almost everything. Both are enamored of their respective pen pals, who serve as welcome distractions in their lives. Little do they know, they are each the other's pen pal and, despite outward differences, have unwittingly fallen in love through their letters.
- #69 of 126 onThe Best Christmas Movies Of All Time
- #5 of 45 on50+ Quirky Romance Movies With Unique Love Stories
- #6 of 75 onThe 75 Best Classic Romance Movies
- 9Cary Grant, Loretta Young, David NivenDejected by his efforts to raise money to build a cathedral, Bishop Henry Brougham (David Niven) beseeches heaven for guidance, and is visited immediately by Dudley (Cary Grant), who claims to be an angel. Henry is skeptical, then annoyed when Dudley ingratiates himself into the household as his assistant -- and worse, wins the attentions of Henry's long-suffering and kindly wife (Loretta Young). When Dudley continues to intervene in Henry's struggles, the bishop decides to challenge heaven.More The Bishop's Wife
- #64 of 126 onThe Best Christmas Movies Of All Time
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- #9 of 60 onThe Best Comedies Of The 1940s
- 10Queen Latifah, Gérard Depardieu, LL Cool JThe discovery that she has a terminal illness prompts introverted saleswoman Georgia Byrd (Queen Latifah) to reflect on what she realizes has been an overly cautious life. So Georgia withdraws her life savings and jets off to Europe where she lives like a millionaire. Upbeat and passionate, Georgia charms everybody she meets, including renowned Chef Didier (Gérard Depardieu). The only one missing from her new life is her longtime crush Sean Matthews (LL Cool J).More Last Holiday
- #80 of 126 onThe Best Christmas Movies Of All Time
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- #247 of 469 onThe 400+ Best Chick Flicks Ever
- 11Barbara Stanwyck, Dennis Morgan, Sydney GreenstreetWhile recovering in a hospital, war hero Jefferson Jones (Dennis Morgan) grows familiar with the "Diary of a Housewife" column written by Elizabeth Lane (Barbara Stanwyck). Jeff's nurse arranges with Elizabeth's publisher, Alexander Yardley (Sydney Greenstreet), for Jeff to spend the holiday at Elizabeth's bucolic Connecticut farm with her husband and child. But the column is a sham, so Yardley hastens to arrange a publicity ploy by setting up single, nondomestic Elizabeth on a country farm.
- 12Nicolas Cage, Téa Leoni, Don CheadleIn The Family Man, Jack Campbell (Nicolas Cage), a single, wealthy Wall Street executive, confronts an alternate suburban reality. A glimpse into what life could have been, he wakes up married to his long-lost love, Kate (Téa Leoni), with two kids in tow. The genre blends romance and drama with a dash of comedy. Directed by Brett Ratner, the movie showcases how Jack navigates this unfamiliar world, grappling with domesticity and the demands of a middle-class lifestyle. Notably, it won the ASCAP Award for Top Box Office Films in 2001.More The Family Man
- #417 of 772 onThe Most Rewatchable Movies
- #58 of 126 onThe Best Christmas Movies Of All Time
- #68 of 134 onThe 100+ Best Movies For Date Night
- 13
The Preacher's Wife
Denzel Washington, Whitney Houston, Courtney B. Vance - 14Katerina Graham, Ethan Peck, Quincy BrownA photographer inherits an antique Advent calendar that seems to predict her future -- including a budding romance.
- 15Vanessa Hudgens, Josh Whitehouse, Emmanuelle ChriquiA medieval knight is transported to the present day, where he falls for a high school science teacher who's disillusioned by love.
- 16Bill Murray, Karen Allen, John ForsytheIn the darkly comic film Scrooged, Bill Murray plays Frank Cross, a cynical television executive who has lost sight of the true meaning of Christmas. In a modern twist on Charles Dickens' classic 'A Christmas Carol', Cross is visited by three spirits on Christmas Eve. Each spirit exposes him to a different aspect of his life - past, present and future - forcing him to confront his ruthless behavior. As he embarks on this supernatural journey, Cross grapples with regret, fear and hope. Directed by Richard Donner, this festive satire cleverly blends humor and fantasy, resulting in an unforgettable holiday movie experience.More Scrooged
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- #304 of 772 onThe Most Rewatchable Movies
- #18 of 126 onThe Best Christmas Movies Of All Time
- 17
The Princess Switch
Vanessa Hudgens, Sam Palladio, Nick SagarOne week before Christmas, a duchess switches places with an ordinary woman from Chicago, who looks exactly like her, and they each fall in love with each other's beaus. - 18James Stewart, Kim Novak, Jack LemmonIn the late 1950s, Gillian Holroyd (Kim Novak) is a modern-day witch living in New York City's Greenwich Village. When she encounters charming publisher Shepherd Henderson (James Stewart), she decides to make him hers by casting a love spell. Gillian takes added pleasure in doing so because Henderson is engaged to her old college rival (Janice Rule). However, Gillian finds herself actually falling for Shepherd, which poses a problem: She will lose her powers if she falls in love.
- 19Ginger Rogers, David Niven, Charles CoburnPolly Paris (Ginger Rogers) accidentally stumbles into motherhood after discovering an abandoned baby on the steps of an orphanage. Believing the baby is Polly's, department store owner J.B. Merlin (Charles Coburn) and his son David (David Niven) offer Polly a job -- but only if she takes responsibility for the child. Unemployed and in need of work, Polly accepts and all seems well, until her increasingly romantic relationship with David raises suspicions about the child's paternity.
- 20Barbara Stanwyck, Fred MacMurray, Beulah BondiMoved to pity by the Christmas season, New York District Attorney John Sargent (Fred MacMurray) lets pretty shoplifter Lee Leander (Barbara Stanwyck) out on bail and offers her a ride home to Indiana. Along the way they have a run-in with a Pennsylvania sheriff, meet each others' parents, and eventually fall in love. John's mother, however, disapproves, and warns Lee to stay away, lest she damage John's career. Not wanting to cause trouble, Lee resolves to leave the man she loves.
- 21Morris Chestnut, Taye Diggs, Regina HallNearly 15 years after they were last together as a group, college friends Lance (Morris Chestnut), Harper (Taye Diggs), Candace (Regina Hall), Quentin (Terrence Howard), Robyn (Sanaa Lathan), Jordan (Nia Long), Murch (Harold Perrineau), and Mia (Monica Calhoun) finally reunite over the Christmas holidays. Though much has changed in their lives, the friends discover just how easy it is for long-forgotten rivalries and passionate romances to be reignited.
- 22Spencer Tracy, Katharine Hepburn, Gig YoungBunny Watson (Katharine Hepburn) is a library reference clerk stuck in a dead-end relationship with a boring television executive (Gig Young). Her life is thrown into turmoil when computer expert Richard Summers (Spencer Tracy) enters it. He has been assigned with automating her department, and she is fearful that Summers' new computers will automate her out of a job. She despises him at first, but eventually each of the two start to fall for the other's charms and strong personalities.
- 23Rose McIver, Ben Lamb, Alice KrigeChristmas comes early for an aspiring young journalist when she's sent abroad to get the scoop on a dashing prince who's poised to be king.
- 24Dick Powell, Ellen Drew, Raymond WalburnWhen the coworkers of Jimmy MacDonald (Dick Powell) play a prank and trick him into thinking that's he's won the grand prize money in a slogan contest for a coffee company, he is thrilled and makes plans to marry his sweetheart, Betty Casey (Ellen Drew). To everyone's surprise, the coffee company owner, Dr. Maxford (Raymond Walburn), also falls for the prank and awards the prize check to Jimmy. Eventually the ruse is discovered, jeopardizing Jimmy and Betty's newfound happiness.
- 25Kimberly Elise, Mo'Nique, Gabrielle UnionAlmost Christmas is a 2016 American Christmas comedy-drama film written and directed by David E. Talbert. The film follows a dysfunctional family that comes together for the holidays for the first time since their mother's death.
- 26Robert Mitchum, Janet Leigh, Wendell CoreyCharming seasonal clerk Steve Mason (Robert Mitchum) catches beautiful Connie Ennis (Janet Leigh) in a fraudulent shopping scheme during the busy Christmas rush. But when he discovers that Ennis is a war widow and single mother, Mason takes pity on her and can't bring himself to turn her in. His supervisor takes notice and fires him on the spot. Mason befriends Connie and her young son, Timmy (Gordon Gebert), and may complicate her plans to marry boring nice guy Carl Davis (Wendell Corey).
- 27Gabrielle Union, Morris Chestnut, Queen LatifahNancy (Gabrielle Union), a divorced mother of three, feels especially lonely during the holidays. Sensing her sadness, Nancy's youngest daughter, Emily (Khail Bryant), has a plan to make her mom happy again. She asks Benjamin (Morris Chestnut), a department-store Santa Claus, to pay Nancy a compliment. And Benjamin, who is also a struggling songwriter, knows exactly the right words to say.
- 28Dick Van Dyke, Barbara Feldon, Edith EvansIn this clever 1960s comedy, tireless and loyal butler Fitzwilly (Dick Van Dyke) hides from his eccentric spinster boss, Victoria Woodhouse (Edith Evans), the fact that she has been bankrupt since her father died. Through wily schemes with his fellow servants, he creates one racket, swindle or con after another to maintain the household and fund his employer's frivolous philanthropy. When new secretary Juliet (Barbara Feldon) is hired on, Fitzwilly's life gets even more complicated.
- 29Tim Allen, Elizabeth Mitchell, David KrumholtzScott Calvin (Tim Allen) has been in the role of Santa for the past eight years, and his loyal elves consider him the best one ever. But the world of the "Merry Old Soul" turns upside down when he's dealt a double whammy of news: Not only has his son, Charlie (Eric Lloyd), landed on this year's naughty list, but Scott discovers that he must marry by Christmas Eve -- just a month away! -- or he will stop being Santa Claus forever.More The Santa Clause 2
- #274 of 772 onThe Most Rewatchable Movies
- #24 of 126 onThe Best Christmas Movies Of All Time
- #8 of 70 onThe Funniest Christmas Comedy Movies
- 30Dick Powell, Debbie Reynolds, Anne FrancisA penniless Hollywood scriptwriter agrees to look after a rebellious teenage girl at Christmas in order to help with his research for film about juvenile delinquency. The troublesome girl causes all kinds of problems, not the least of which is setting the writer's girlfriend on fire with jealousy.
