People Are Sharing Their Most Controversial Holiday Movie Opinions, And Some Of These Are Brutal

    "I don't care if you think The Nightmare Before Christmas is a Halloween movie or a Christmas movie — I detest it."

    Liz Richardson
    by Liz Richardson

    BuzzFeed Staff

    We recently asked members of the BuzzFeed Community to share their unpopular opinions about popular Christmas movies. Here are the surprising results:

    1. "The live-action Grinch with Jim Carrey is disturbing. Between the Whos' creepy faces and the Grinch's backstory, it just makes me uncomfortable."

    Jim Carrey as the Grinch in "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" looks shocked
    Universal / Courtesy Everett Collection

    —S_uffel

    2. "Elf is...not really funny. Will Ferrell just screams all the time. Saw it once, don't want to see it again."

    Will Ferrell as "Buddy the Elf" screaming for Santa Claus among kids
    New Line Cinema / Courtesy Everett Collection

    —lempinimisukunimi

    3. "Elf is trash...Zooey Deschanel is much better than playing a role in that movie."

    Zooey Deschanel as department store employee Jovie in "Elf"
    New Line Cinema / Courtesy Everett Collection

    —Kaylamaemwe

    4. "The Muppet Christmas Carol is by far my favorite version of the movie. Michael Caine is an awesome Scrooge, and the songs are total bops."

    Michael Caine as Ebenezer Scrooge with muppets in "The Muppet Christmas Carol"
    Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

    —S_uffel

    "The Muppet Christmas Carol is the best Christmas movie, but it never gets any love!!!"

    —moonjock1

    5. "Home Alone is a terrible film. Emotionally abused, neglected, and ostracized by his family, a literal child thinks up increasingly sadistic ways to torture two burglars instead of, y’know, calling the police."

    Kevin McCallister in "Home Alone" holds his face in shock as he looks in a mirror
    20th Century Fox Film Corp. / Courtesy Everett Collection

    —maxh42ad06405

    6. "Love Actually is awful. The jokes fell flat, and there were too many plotlines to keep up with. And some of the characters deserved so much better."

    Keira Knightley and Andrew Lincoln in "Love Actually" during the iconic note card scene
    Universal / Courtesy Everett Collection

    —queenmatilda

    7. "I don’t get It’s a Wonderful Life and the hype of it being one of the greatest movies ever. I just don’t think it’s that great a film.

    The cast of "It’s a Wonderful Life" smile together during a Christmas scene
    RKO Radio Pictures

    "This opinion has gotten me into a lot of disagreements over the years."

    —BakerStGirl

    8. "Last Holiday is the best Christmas movie ever created.

    Queen Latifah and LL Cool J in "Last Holiday"
    Paramount / Courtesy Everett Collection

    "Queen Latifah, LL Cool J, and Giancarlo Esposito BEFORE he was Gus Fring!!! Suck it, Love Actually, suck it."

    —kroxdz

    9. "Stop-motion specials/movies are creepy AF!

    Rudolph and other reindeer friends in the 1964 "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer"
    NBC

    "The movements, especially in older specials like Rudolph, are freaky because they're choppy, since they have to do every motion separately. Also, the voiceovers don't always match the motion being made."

    —jackiem440fbc631

    10. "The marionette scene in The Polar Express absolutely outweighs any merit the 'Hot Chocolate' song, strong Tom Hanks presence, or general Christmas magic may give that movie.

    The incredibly haunting Scrooge puppet in "The Polar Express"
    Warner Bros. Pictures

    "The puppet is nightmare fuel."

    —bluepictureframe

    "The Polar Express is so creepy! I find the whole thing unsettling, but especially the part with the marionettes, the ghost man on top of the train, and the elves."

    —allybjohnson14

    11. "Better Watch Out is probably the most underrated Christmas horror movie. It deserves way more praise."

    A bloodied Olivia DeJonge tied to a chair with Christmas lights in "Better Watch Out"
    Sean O'Reilly / Courtesy Everett Collection

    —sammachado

    12. "Christmas-themed rom-coms are overrated and boring.

    Alicia Witt and Mark Wiebe in "A Very Merry Mix-Up," a Hallmark Christmas rom-com
    Christos Kalohoridis / Hallmark Channel / Courtesy Everett Collection

    "I don’t like romance in general, but setting something at Christmas and having it snow at the emotional climax doesn’t make a rom-com any better."

    —321missmaximoff

    13. "A Christmas Story is so boring."

    The iconic "A Christmas Story" scene where Flick gets his tongue stuck on a pole
    MGM/UA Entertainment Co. / Courtesy Everett Collection

    "It doesn’t offer any of the heartwarming, magical feel that’s typical of Christmas movies, and I just really can’t stand any of the characters."

    —Cor15

    "A Christmas Story is not a good movie; it’s just annoying and dated. I hate it so very much and all of its dumb memorabilia."

    —AJPanda

    14. "Mixed Nuts is the most underrated Christmas movie. It’s a hot mess but in the best way possible, with an all-star cast!"

    Juliette Lewis and Anthony La Paglia in "Mixed Nuts"
    Tristar Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

    —beckers0505

    15. "I don't care how much of a classic it is — Miracle on 34th Street was beyond dull, [and there was no need for a] '90s remake."

    Susan Walker with Santa in the 1947 "Miracle on 34th Street" next to her with Santa in the 1994 remake
    20th Century Fox Film Corp. / Courtesy Everett Collection

    —childrenofthecornbread

    16. "Home Alone 2 is far superior to the first one.

    Macaulay Culkin as Kevin McCallister preparing for a prank in "Home Alone 2: Lost in New York"
    20th Century Fox Film Corp. / Courtesy Everett Collection

    "It's campier and more escapist, and the pranks are much funnier. In the first movie, I always flinch at the horrors he inflicts on them, but the second is just silly. The actor for Marv in particular is hamming it up and having a ton of fun. The scene where he gets 'electrocuted' is hilarious because it's so over-the-top, you can't take it seriously."

    —kfarris198

    17. "The Holiday is absolute trash, and if it weren’t for Winslet, Diaz, Law, Black, etc., it wouldn’t get all the hype.

    Jude Law lovingly gazes at Cameron Diaz in "The Holiday"
    Columbia Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

    "It’s like someone wrote a Lifetime Christmas movie, took out all the 'so cheesy, it’s funny' moments, and tried to peddle it as a classic. Saccharine and hollow — I hate it."

    —what_if_we_see_sailfish

    18. "Maybe weird, but Last Christmas is a great Christmas movie.

    Henry Golding and Emilia Clarke in "Last Christmas"
    Universal / Courtesy Everett Collection

    "Very unconventional — no happy ending, and not too many trees except the shop where Kate worked — but it’s great. Teaches you the value of life, teaches about how hard life can get, shows you a family of immigrants in the UK during Brexit — and London is just amazing during that time. I actually cry every time I watch it."

    —Zarina Tolagayeva

    "I actually love Last Christmas. It got trashed by critics, and people hated the ending, but I thought it was really good. Emilia Clarke was great as the lead, and Emma Thompson was really funny as her mother. It's obviously not an Oscar-winning movie, but it's definitely worth watching."

    —Michael David

    19. "I think of The Nightmare Before Christmas as a Halloween movie more than a Christmas movie.

    Jack Skellington next to a Christmas tree with the caption "not a Christmas movie"
    Buena Vista Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

    "Yes, I know it’s about Jack wanting to take over Christmas for Halloween Town and Santa Claus is in it, but with all the creepy characters, dark scenery, and overall Goth aesthetic of the movie, I’m always in the mood to watch it at Halloween — never Christmas!"

    —Jessilyne00

    20. "I don't care if you think The Nightmare Before Christmas is a Halloween movie or a Christmas movie — I detest it.

    Jack Skellington holds Christmas lights in "The Nightmare Before Christmas"
    Buena Vista Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

    "I do not like Tim Burton's oh-so-dark-and-creepy aesthetic, and it is not pleasant or enjoyable at all."

    —raphaelahops

    21. "I don’t understand all the hate on Christmas With the Kranks. It’s a Christmas staple in our house; Jamie Lee Curtis and Tim Allen are so funny together!"

    Jamie Lee Curtis and Tim Allen have a warm embrace in "Christmas With the Kranks"
    Columbia Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

    —shelbye48288c381

    22. "National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation is a terrible movie, and it isn’t funny in the slightest.

    Chevy Chase in Santa-themed attire in "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation"
    Warner Bros. / Courtesy Everett Collection

    "Anybody who says otherwise is lying or just has no idea what good humor actually is."

    —antixdramaxllama

    23. "Any Grinch adaptation after the 1966 animated film is excruciating. Boris Karloff or bust.

    The Grinch, voiced by Boris Karloff, in the 1966 special "How the Grinch Stole Christmas"
    MGM Television / Courtesy Everett Collection

    "(And no, I’m not a boomer.)"

    —NebulaTuesday

    24. "Howard in Jingle All the Way gets a lot of unfair pressure.

    Arnold Schwarzenegger as Howard Langston looks confused among several Santas in "Jingle All the Way."
    20th Century Fox Film Corp. / Courtesy Everett Collection

    "He is working hard, including through his office Christmas party to provide for his family. What thanks does he get? None."

    —kathryns4f9cfb34f

    25. "Millions is freaking fantastic — not enough people talk about it. It's the most heartwarming Christmas movie you forgot about or haven't seen.

    Lewis McGibbon and Alex Etel in 2004 movie "Millions"
    Rights Managed / Mission Pictures / Pathe Pictures International / BBC / INGE / Ronald Grant Archive / Mary Evans / Courtesy Everett Collection

    "Danny Boyle does his thing, and Alex Etel casually gives a genius performance."

    —miznortonbuswell

    26. And last but not least: "The Whos are TERRIBLE people."

    The Whos looked shocked during a scene in "How the Grinch Stole Christmas"
    Universal / Courtesy Everett Collection

    "The Grinch was a child who clearly needed love and affection. Instead, they allowed a CHILD to live alone on a mountain and then ostracized him. Also, the term 'grinch' means 'wet blanket' or 'stick-in-the-mud,' and they NAMED A BABY THAT."

    —bridgettnicoler

    Do you agree with these Christmas movie opinions? Let me know in the comments below! And for a chance to be featured in similar BuzzFeed posts, follow the BuzzFeed Community on Facebook and Twitter!

    Note: Some submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.