Christmas motion pictures have at all times been a staple of the vacation season, joyfully recreating the real emotions and emotional highs that come from the vacation season. Nevertheless, not each Christmas movie can successfully recreate these holly jolly moments; in some situations, they are often as fulfilling to look at as a glass of spoiled eggnog. Whereas there have been many movies which have been vacation misfires over time, it takes a particular kind of mediocrity to be thought of one of many worst Christmas motion pictures of all time.

Because the premiere trendy platform for movie followers to debate and discuss their newest watches, Letterboxd is the very best place to see the consensus and opinions of recent movie followers. With its distinct style and diverse opinions in comparison with different movie communities, Letterboxd’s decisions for the worst Christmas movies are fascinating. It is an attention-grabbing steadiness between notorious movies from the previous which have huge unfavorable reputations and up to date offenders that obtained huge quantities of flack upon launch.

15 ‘A Pretty Odd Christmas’ (2012)

Letterboxd Common Ranking: 1.8/5

The second in a whole trilogy of live-action Pretty OddParents movies, A Pretty Odd Christmas could also be the very best of this lackluster trilogy, but nonetheless removed from a satisfactory Christmas movie. The movie sees Timmy Turner having to turn out to be the brand new Santa Claus after he unintentionally offers him amnesia, forcing his North Pole workshop to close down. Nevertheless, to turn out to be Santa, Timmy should journey to an Elder Elf in order that he might be taken off the naughty checklist.

Every of those live-action specials already has an inherent disconnect from remodeling its animated characters into grownup live-action actors like Drake Bell. Even when these movies weren’t jarring to take a look at, the humor and attraction that made the unique animated sequence nice are additionally lacking from them, changed with an array of unfunny gags and lackluster performances. The movie manages to be underwhelming even when in comparison with cartoon Christmas episodes, making its determination to be near-feature size that rather more egregious.

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14 ‘The Yummy Gummy Seek for Santa’ (2012)

Letterboxd Common Ranking: 1.8/5

Some of the infamous and largely forgotten fragments from the early days of YouTube and web movies was Gummibär, a German Eurodance musician whose musical video “I am a Gummy Bear” grew to become a large hit on early YouTube. As was the overwhelming pattern for early-internet phenomena like this, Gummibär was given a movie to capitalize on this huge recognition. The Yummy Gummy Seek for Santa makes an attempt to create a plot round this music video character, having him and his associates touring to the North Pole searching for a lacking Santa.

It is blatantly apparent that The Yummy Gummy Seek for Santa solely exists to money in on a fad that had already lengthy since pale when it was launched. Because the precise movie is worried, it has little benefit to its personal title, being crammed with jarring and uncomfortable character designs, shoddy animation, and a deeply annoying most important character that shortly turns into insufferable. This might fortunately find yourself being the one cinematic outing for Gummibär, as he would quickly return to obscurity as a fraction of the early web.

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13 ‘Greatest. Christmas. Ever!’ (2023)

Letterboxd Common Ranking: 1.7/5

Netflix has made a reputation for itself by releasing quite a few low-quality Christmas movies yearly, starting to rival the likes of Hallmark in infamous low high quality, with one of the crucial infamous of current reminiscence being Greatest. Christmas. Ever!. The movie sees a duo of former greatest associates Charlotte and Jackie miraculously reconnecting and spending the Christmas vacation along with their households. Nevertheless, Charlotte is severely jealous of Jackie’s seemingly good life, so she units out to show that Jackie’s life is definitely too good to be true and never solely good.

It is not notably tough to create a low-effort, schmaltzy Christmas movie that accomplishes the straightforward objectives of vacation cheer and healthful vitality, but Greatest. Christmas. Ever! manages to fail on this regard. The central plot is needlessly sophisticated and complicated to comply with, made worse by the truth that the seemingly solely factor that it accomplishes is making its most important character as unlikable as doable.

12 ‘A Christmas Story 2’ (2012)

Letterboxd Common Ranking: 1.7/5

Needlessly unwarranted sequels to all-time traditional movies launched many years after the unique is a pattern that has been repeatedly prevalent all through the twenty first century, with one of the crucial infamous Christmas movie examples being A Christmas Story 2. Following up 5 years after the unique A Christmas Story, Ralphie now has his eyes mounted upon the proper Christmas current, a automotive. Nevertheless, similar to earlier than, hassle is correct behind him in his makes an attempt to persuade his dad and mom to get him this top-notch present.

A Christmas Story 2 falls into loads of the identical pitfalls and points that plague the worst legacy sequels on the market, overly reliant on the whims and iconic standing of the unique movie and never having something new to supply. It is about as soulless and underwhelming as Christmas movies get, appearing as a drastic downgrade to the unique in nearly each conceivable manner. It managed to be so dangerous that they utterly ignored its existence and easily made one other legacy sequel 10 years later with A Christmas Story Christmas.

11 ‘I Imagine in Santa’ (2022)

Letterboxd Common Ranking: 1.7/5

An odd Christmas-themed romantic comedy, I Imagine in Santa follows Lisa and Tom, who appear as in the event that they could be the good match for each other. Nevertheless, one small hiccup proves too unusual for Lisa to deal with — Tom not solely has an obsession with all issues Christmas however, as a grown grownup, nonetheless believes in Santa Claus. Lisa now finds herself utterly reevaluating the connection, deciding to herself whether it is value staying with Tom regardless of this unusual obsession.

I Imagine in Santa is as tacky, primary, and lazy as Christmas romantic comedies get. The fundamental plot is dangerous sufficient — adults believing in Santa are nothing new. Nevertheless, not one of the characters are notably likable, as each Tom and Lisa are insufferable and unlikable. Thus, I Imagine in Santa is an unenjoyable romcom expertise the place each halves of the couple aren’t enjoyable to look at on-screen.

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10 ‘Krampus: The Christmas Satan’ (2013)

Letterboxd Common Ranking: 1.6/5

To not be confused with the really fulfilling Krampus movie from director Michael Dougherty, Krampus: The Christmas Satan takes a extra motion thriller method to the enduring Christmas monster. The movie follows native police officer Jeremy, who’s on the case after a excessive variety of youngsters go lacking throughout the vacation season. He quickly realizes the offender could be the traditional yuletide demon Krampus, the brother of St. Nick, and it is as much as Jeremy to place a cease to Krampus’s onslaught.

Whereas being a low-budget, cheaply made horror film is already dangerous sufficient for Krampus: The Christmas Satan, the truth that it was shortly one-upped by Dougherty’s movie 2 years later solely makes it stick out much more. The film spends an excessive amount of time meandering round and failing to do something attention-grabbing for almost all of its runtime, making the viewing expertise a large slog. As soon as it lastly will get to its promised motion, Krampus: The Christmas Satan coats them in layers of uncomfortable shock worth, turning your entire expertise bitter.

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9 ‘Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny’ (1972)

Letterboxd Common Ranking: 1.6/5

A musical fantasy movie that’s usually in consideration of being one of many worst motion pictures of all time, Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny is an notorious fever dream of chaotic, low-budget proportions. The movie sees Santa getting his sleigh caught on the sands of a Florida seashore with solely days remaining till Christmas Eve. He enlists the assistance of a number of youngsters in in a position to assist his sleigh get unstuck, ultimately getting extra assist from the titular Ice Cream Bunny.

Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny‘s array of lackluster visuals and chaotic, unpredictable plot factors makes the act of watching the movie the exact opposite of its supposed objective, being a nightmare of disturbing proportions. The movie shortly turns into a check of endurance, between its slow-moving and uneventful plot, bottom-of-the-barrel visuals, and a plot that’s so lackluster that it pauses partway by to play two utterly totally different movies that the producer made beforehand.

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8 ‘Jaws: The Revenge’ (1987)

Letterboxd Common Ranking: 1.6/5

The fourth and extensively thought of worst movie within the Jaws franchise, Jaws: The Revenge sees Ellen Brody and her household deciding to depart Amity Island for good after one other lethal shark assault happens. Nevertheless, the lethal killer shark has some form of grudge in opposition to the household and follows all of them the way in which to their new dwelling within the Caribbean. It is quickly as much as the Brody household to place a cease to this killer shark’s killing spree as soon as and for all.

Whereas it could not seem to be it at first, Jaws: The Revenge is an sudden Christmas movie that includes an excessive amount of vacation decor and festivities. Nevertheless, as an alternative of being handled as an sudden Christmas traditional within the vein of a movie like Die Exhausting, Jaws: The Revenge has a legacy as one of many worst motion pictures of all time. Nevertheless, the movie does have its defenders, who love the extra comedic and nonsensical antics of this non-serious sequel.

7 ‘Dwelling Alone: The Vacation Heist’ (2012)

Letterboxd Common Ranking: 1.5/5

The fifth movie within the Dwelling Alone sequence, Dwelling Alone: The Vacation Heist, follows 8-year-old Finn Baxter, who’s terrified to study that his household is transferring from sunny California to a scary new home in Maine. Satisfied that his new home is haunted, Finn units up elaborate traps to catch the ghost. After being left dwelling alone together with his sister whereas his dad and mom are on the town, Finn’s traps work, however as an alternative of ghosts, they catch a bunch of thieves planning to steal from his new dwelling.

Dwelling Alone: The Vacation Heist is simply one of many many examples of why the Dwelling Alone franchise ought to have stopped after the primary two movies. By the fifth entry, the sequence had utterly misplaced all of the attraction and coronary heart of the unique, remodeled right into a shameless cash-grab that solely makes an attempt to financial institution off of success and title recognition. Whereas not the bottom level on this as soon as beloved franchise, Dwelling Alone: The Vacation Heist has little to no constructive elements, appearing as a hole husk of what the sequence was once.

6 ‘Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch Musical’ (2020)

Letterboxd Common Ranking: 1.5/5

A musical adaptation of the traditional, Dr Seuss’ The Grinch Musical reinterprets the story of the mean-spirited Grinch and his nefarious scheme to steal Christmas from Whoville. Your complete story is narrated by The Grinch’s canine, Max, as he relays the enduring story from starting to finish, together with a wide range of musical numbers.

There have been many variations of The Grinch over time, starting from the extremely iconic to the forgettable. Nevertheless, The Grinch Musical stands out as arguably the worst model of the fabric. This reside recording does not do the unique Broadway play any service, because it’s utterly phoned in by an over-the-top lead efficiency from Matthew Morrison mixed with a extremely uncomfortable design for the character. Particularly with so many higher and extra fleshed-out variations of the story launched over time, there’s merely no purpose to provide this musical the time of day.

5 ‘Christmas Trip 2: Cousin Eddie’s Island Journey’ (2003)

Letterboxd Common Ranking: 1.5/5

An unlucky and unwarranted sequel to considered one of the very best Christmas motion pictures of all time, Christmas Trip 2: Cousin Eddie’s Island Journey shifts the main focus to the facet character Cousin Eddie. The movie follows Eddie, who, regardless of being fired proper at Christmastime, is distributed together with his household on a South Pacific trip by his boss in hopes that he will not sue after being bitten by a lab monkey. Nevertheless, the holiday fails to be the tropical paradise that they’d hoped for, as they find yourself getting trapped on the island, forcing Eddie to supply for everybody and show his value.

Christmas Trip 2 is the premiere instance of a legacy sequel no person requested for. It solely exists to squeeze potential earnings from a tried and true Christmas traditional. From the title alone, it is simple to inform the extent of high quality being produced, because the movie feels and appears low cost and uninspired, a whole shame when in comparison with the unique. The best crime that the movie commits, nevertheless, is its full failure at being a worthwhile comedy, as it’s as unfunny as it’s undeserving of consideration.

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4 ‘The Star Wars Vacation Particular’ (1978)

Letterboxd Common Ranking: 1.4/5

Probably the most notorious piece of Star Wars media ever created, The Star Wars Vacation Particular sees Luke Skywalker and Han Solo battling in opposition to the Empire to assist Chewbacca return dwelling in time for Life Day. Because the premiere vacation celebrated throughout the galaxies of the Star Wars universe, Life Day gives an excessive amount of celebratory customs, together with musical numbers and a wide range of enjoyable and video games. The movie gives a glimpse into the assorted Life Day festivities and the way they’re celebrated by Chewbacca’s household, patiently awaiting his arrival.

The Star Wars Vacation Particular was created solely a yr after the unique Star Wars was launched and properly earlier than the franchise understood the way to make efficient world-building materials for its universe. The result’s surprisingly complicated, a mind-numbing expertise crammed with celeb appearances, annoying authentic characters, and the general exact opposite of the unique Star Wars movie. Notorious and embarrassing, The Star Wars Vacation Particular even obtained a documentary detailing the behind-the-scenes story of how the dumpster hearth got here to be.

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3 ‘Dwelling Candy Dwelling Alone’ (2021)

Letterboxd Common Ranking: 1.4/5

The newest modern-day reboot of the Dwelling Alone franchise, Dwelling Candy Dwelling Alone follows 10-year-old Max Mercer, who has been left at dwelling by himself for the vacations. Whereas initially having fun with his time by himself, his solitude is quickly interrupted by a number of tried break-ins by a married couple trying to retrieve a invaluable heirloom from Max’s dwelling. Max now should do all that he can to defend his dwelling from these dreadful criminals.

Whereas initially perceived to have extra potential and promise than the opposite Dwelling Alone sequels, Dwelling Candy Dwelling Alone managed to nonetheless solely present mediocrity, simply in its particular manner. The movie is a blatant copy of the primary movie story-wise, besides it misses all of the attraction and wit that made the unique so nice, changing it with low cost bathroom jokes. Hopefully, with the unfavorable reception surrounding this movie, this may lastly mark the top of the Dwelling Alone franchise as soon as and for all, and the viewers might be spared from any extra dire sequels.

2 ‘Dwelling Alone 4’ (2002)

Letterboxd Common Ranking: 1.3/5

Dwelling Alone 4 continues the story of Kevin McCallister. Together with his dad and mom divorcing, Kevin decides to spend Christmas together with his dad and future stepmother’s huge mansion. Nevertheless, proper on Kevin’s tail is the infamous bandit Marv, joined by a brand new associate in crime named Vera, as they try to hit the mansion for a doable huge payout. It as soon as once more turns into as much as Kevin to defend his area from intruders by any means vital.

Whereas all of the Dwelling Alone sequels are dangerous in their very own proper, Dwelling Alone 4 is the crowning king of simply how horrible the franchise can get. Even when in comparison with all the opposite sequels, Dwelling Alone 4 feels muted and underwhelming even with the bottom doable bar, with the weakest traps within the Dwelling Alone sequence, and an general feeling of missed potential. The film additionally does a disservice to the characters of Kevin McCallister and Marv, with these new portrayals having nowhere close to the vitality and display presence of Macaulay Culkin and Oscar-winner Joe Pesci.

1 ‘Saving Christmas’ (2014)

Letterboxd Common Ranking: 1.2/5

Saving Christmas follows Kirk Cameron, who’s having fun with his annual Christmas occasion extravaganza and relishing all of the glory that comes from the vacation season as a Christian. Nevertheless, he quickly realizes that he has to assist his brother-in-law out of a predicament, as he’s having doubts concerning the state of Christmas, worrying it’s far faraway from its pure origins. Kirk is there to show, nevertheless, that Christmas is as Christian as ever and that there must be no worries concerning the trendy state of the vacation.

The fictional plot of Saving Christmas frankly does not actually matter all an excessive amount of, because the movie is kind of only a jumping-off level for Cameron to monologue about how Christmas continues to be a Christian vacation. Even exterior of Letterboxd’s inherent bias that they’ve in opposition to extra right-leaning faith-based movies, Saving Christmas is just too preachy, sanctimonious, and outright boring to look at underneath regular circumstances. The movie has extra in frequent with an prolonged historic lecture than an precise Christmas journey, which would not be an issue if it did not current itself as a high-octane fantasy comedy.

NEXT: The Greatest Christmas Films of the Previous 5 Years, Ranked