(Photo by Lionsgate / Courtesy Everett Collection. THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER.)
Here at Rotten Tomatoes, we deck our halls year-round with reds and greens, and now the season aligns with us as we unwrap the best new Christmas movies of 2024! The list begins with Certified Fresh films, including famous last names shindig Christmas Eve at Miller’s Point (On Spielberg! On Scorsese! On…Turkington?), and sordid stocking stuffer Terrifier 3.
Frothy Fresh films march in next, like Netflix’s Hot Frosty and Meet Me Next Christmas, Disney+’s detailed animation An Almost Christmas Story, and new favorite The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.
Rotten movies round out the guide, which right now tallies up to just one: Red One. The Dwayne Johnson & Chris Evans action/comedy may have ended up on the critics’ naughty list, but audiences were pleased with what they received, smacking it with a Verified Hot award.
And the best new Christmas movies list is the gift that keeps on giving as we extend back through 2023’s holiday movies, including Eddie Murphy’s Candy Cane Lane, and specials for Batman, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and The Bad Guys. Just like with the 2024 entries, it’s Certified Fresh films first, and we’re also including movies with Popcornmeter scores, but nothing yet on the Tomatometer.
#1
Adjusted Score: 84152%
Critics Consensus: Capturing both the cheer and frustration that accompany holiday gatherings, Christmas Eve in Miller’s Point is a yuletide chronicle that rings true.
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#2
Adjusted Score: 84162%
Critics Consensus: Taking an axe to yuletide cheer and everything else in its path, Terrifier 3 is a bloody fantastic stocking stuffer for the holiday season.
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#3
Adjusted Score: 56490%
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#4
Adjusted Score: 93940%
Critics Consensus: Decking the halls with unflappable charm and sincere spiritual conviction, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever is winningly wholesome family entertainment.
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#5
Adjusted Score: 89271%
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#6
Adjusted Score: 85414%
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#7
Adjusted Score: 82552%
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#8
Adjusted Score: 63106%
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#9
Adjusted Score: 63127%
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#10
Adjusted Score: 40623%
Critics Consensus: Wrapped in slick packaging but wholly lacking in holiday magic, Red One is a ho-ho-hum action-adventure.
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#1
Adjusted Score: 96685%
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#2
Adjusted Score: 36122%
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#3
Adjusted Score: 65344%
Critics Consensus: Silent Night reaffirms that an action movie doesn’t need much dialogue if the set pieces are solid enough — and that even second-tier John Woo can be worth the price of admission.
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#4
Adjusted Score: 24085%
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#5
Adjusted Score: 49274%
Critics Consensus: Candy Cane Lane gets credit for its willingness to get weird, but in most other respects, this Eddie Murphy-led holiday comedy is a dead end.
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#6
Adjusted Score: 45746%
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#7
Adjusted Score: -1%
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#8
Adjusted Score: -1%
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#9
Adjusted Score: -1%
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#10
Adjusted Score: -1%
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#11
Adjusted Score: -1%
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#12
Adjusted Score: -1%
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#13
Adjusted Score: -1%
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#14
Adjusted Score: -1%
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