Everyone takes their favorite Christmas movies pretty seriously. We’ve all seen Love Actually, Elf, and Home Alone. But there are some hidden gems among the festive film genre that have gone unnoticed for far too long. Below are the most underrated Christmas films and my reasoning for why you should cancel all of your plans, curl up in bed, and watch them immediately.
The Holiday
Two words: Kate. Winslet. That’s basically all you should need to want to watch this film immediately, but if that didn’t grab your attention, the rest of the cast includes Jude Law, Jack Black, and Cameron Diaz. Winslet and Diaz play two women who end up swapping homes in Los Angeles and England during the holidays, and find themselves falling in love and learning some hard lessons in the process. It’s the perfect feel good, heartwarming rom-com to watch by the fireplace with some cocoa.
The Family Stone
The Family Stone is definitely one of the most underappreciated Christmas movies there is. Diane Keaton plays the matriarch to the Stone family, who meets their son’s girlfriend (Sarah Jessica Parker) for the first time. Chaos unfolds from there as she encounters her boyfriend’s siblings and learns a lesson about what it means to be yourself. Also, sleepy, grumpy, disgruntled Rachel McAdams is a whole mood in this film.
While You Were Sleeping
Finally, my personal favorite. This one might be a bit controversial, but I have argued for years now that While You Were Sleeping is a holiday film, although many disagree. But the most pivotal scenes happen on Christmas, people! Plus, who doesn’t love a classic girl saves boy and mistakenly gets confused for his fiance while he’s in a coma movie? It’s got young Sandra Bullock before her big break, Bill Pullman in festive, chunky sweaters, and a great ensemble cast. The Chicago backdrop to this quirky film all about true love and family is guaranteed to top your favorite Christmas movie list if you just give it a shot.