Three Kings of Christmas
Rick Retro’s Rankings #10: Counting down #5 to #3 All-Time Best Christmas Movies (w/ Retro Reviews up to 2026-01-12)
Rick Retro’s Rankings #10: Counting down #5 to #3 All-Time Best Christmas Movies (feature length, w/ Retro Reviews up to 2026-01-12)
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After completing our 2025 Christmas Tour and finishing the 2025 Christmas Leftovers, I’ve now reviewed 25 feature-length Christmas movies. Since I watched and analyzed all 25 twice in two years, I’ve Retro-actively re-graded and re-ranked a few of them, after this season’s second viewing.
The movies ranked #5 to #3 in our updated rankings of All-Time Best Christmas Movies are all great cinematic triumphs, truly Kings of Christmas as far as film history goes. I would not disagree with anyone who had one of these three films at number one on their list! For me, ranking the Top Five is very difficult and could easily change with future viewings, depending on a lot of factors. But for now these three rank #5, #4 and #3 on my list. By all means if you have missed any of these, read our no-spoilers Retro Reviews below and then be sure to put them on your list for next Christmas!
If you want to see how #5 to #3 were graded and ranked after my 2024 Christmas Tour and 2024 Christmas Leftovers, look here.
Previous Countdowns of the All-Time Best Christmas Movies (feature length, with Retro Reviews up to January 12, 2026):
Counting down from #25 to #16
Counting down from #15 to #11
Counting down from #10 to #6
Counting down from #5 to #3:
I’m ranking the overall quality of movies that are widely regarded as Christmas movies, not how well these movies demonstrate holiday spirit or even fit a Christmas theme.
Reminder: The arrow after a grade indicates if it is in the top third (^), middle third (>), or lower third (v) of works that share the same letter grade. The icons for EQ (Entertainment Quality) grades are as follows👍Overall Entertainment Quality, 📖 Story, 👥 Characters,📽️ Visuals,🎼 Soundtrack. Alignment with Judeo-Christian values range from +4 ✝️❎4️⃣ down to -4 ✝️⛔4️⃣.
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#5 A+^
👍A+ | 📖A+ 👥A+ 📽️A+ 🎼A-
✝️❎2️⃣
#4 A+^
👍A+ | 📖A+ 👥A+ 📽️A+ 🎼A
✝️❎1️⃣
#3 A+^
👍A++ | 📖A+ 👥A+ 📽️A+ 🎼A+
✝️❎3️⃣
Coming soon:
Counting down from #2 to #1
Meanwhile, feel free to debate these rankings or post your own as comments! I especially want to know which rankings you think I got wrong!
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