Scrooged
The angriest Carol and, when it lands, the funniest.
Festive Factor 89 out of 100: Christmas at its heart.Christmas films by year
The best 80s Christmas films
Every Christmas film from the 1980s that we have scored, best Festive Factor first.
At a glance
We have scored 13 Christmas films from the 1980s. The highest by Festive Factor: Scrooged (89), National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (87) and Santa Claus: The Movie (82). Certificates: 2 U, 3 PG, 1 12, 1 12A, 3 15, 2 18 and 1 with no UK certificate listed.
Ranked by Festive Factor
Highest ratified score first. A film still waiting for its ratified score comes after them.
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
The loudest Christmas film we score, and the most honest about what the day costs.
Festive Factor 87 out of 100: Christmas at its heart.
Santa Claus: The Movie
America wrote this off on release and Britain quietly adopted it, which tells you most of what you need to…
Festive Factor 82 out of 100: Christmas at its heart.
A Christmas Story
America's great Christmas institution, though it barely troubled cinemas anywhere else.
Festive Factor 73 out of 100: A different kind of Christmas.
The Snowman
Twenty-six wordless minutes that do more than most features manage in two hours.
Festive Factor 66 out of 100: A different kind of Christmas.
Silent Night, Deadly Night
A cheap, mean slasher that knew exactly which button to press, and the button was Father Christmas.
Festive Factor 56 out of 100: A different kind of Christmas.
Gremlins
Two films in one, and it never pretends otherwise.
Festive Factor 54 out of 100: A different kind of Christmas.
Trading Places
A Christmas film the way a Christmas number one is a Christmas song: it happens then, and the season does…
Festive Factor 46 out of 100: A different kind of Christmas.
Don't Open Till Christmas
A British slasher in which somebody spends the run-up to Christmas murdering every man in London who puts on…
Festive Factor 43 out of 100: A different kind of Christmas.
Lethal Weapon
A cop thriller that happens to be set at Christmas, and it wears the season more lightly than Die Hard does.
Festive Factor 37 out of 100: A different kind of Christmas.
Silent Night, Deadly Night 3: Better Watch Out!
The third Silent Night, Deadly Night drops the killer Santa for a stranger, slower road movie, and Christmas…
Festive Factor 28 out of 100: A different kind of Christmas.Swipe for more films →