The 10 Best Christmas Movies with Incredible Casts

Everyone likes to do different things on Christmas Day. Of course, all of those should include spending time with your family. But doing what exactly? Right when you notice the kids getting tired of playing with their new toys, it's time to pull out the big guns: the good old marathon of cozy Christmas flicks.

And as many options as we have given you, they don't always work for everyone. They should appeal to all members of the family in their own way, and for this to happen, minds should be opened to receive innovative films with a different kind of Christmas spirit. What the movies must have are compelling characters, naturally executed by a good cast. To prove our point, we compiled the best Christmas films with the best casts ever assembled. Remember, they don't have to be great to be enjoyable.

10 Krampus (2015)

Krampus

Release Date

November 26, 2015

Director

Michael Dougherty

Cast

Emjay Anthony, Adam Scott, Toni Collette, Stefania Owen, Krista Stadler, Conchata Ferrell

Rating

PG-13

Main Genre

Horror

Runtime

98

Michael Dougherty's Krampus is a great holiday film that tells the story of Max Engel, a boy whose Christmas spirit is shattered when his family gets way too dysfunctional. As sad as he is, he still believes in Santa Claus and writes him a letter. All his family does is deride him, and when he yells that he hates them all and Christmas, he unleashes the spirit of Krampus, a demonic beast from folklore legends that hurts naughty kids during Christmas. On Christmas Eve, the Engels fall prey to a very violent entity and all its followers. How this one didn't get a sequel yet is beyond our understanding.

Why Is the Cast of Krampus Impressive?

The film's cast is full of stars. David Koechner and Conchata Ferrell stand out as comedy starlets. But the dramatic side has Adam Scott, Allison Tolman, and the incredible Toni Collette on its side. The voice cast for the creatures shine as well: Seth Green, Justin Roiland, and Gideon Emery, among others.

You can stream Krampus on Peacock Premium.

9 The Family Stone (2005)

The Family Stone

Release Date

December 15, 2005

Director

Thomas Bezucha

Cast

Claire Danes, Diane Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Dermot Mulroney, Craig T. Nelson, Sarah Jessica Parker

Rating

PG-13

Main Genre

Comedy

Runtime

103

In The Family Stone, the Christmas holidays seem like a perfect time for Everett Stone to introduce his new girlfriend, Meredith Morton, to his family. The Stones are a tight-knit family that doesn't do well with strangers, so Meredith decides to bring along her sister. Everett disrupts the celebration when he announces he will propose to Meredith using an heirloom ring that has been passed from generation to generation, and this further complicates the Stone family holidays. The drama and comedy are executed by a finely-tuned cast.

Who's in the Cast of The Family Stone?

The comedy-drama is full of familiar faces. Craig T. Nelson in one of his best performances to date, but also Diane Keaton, Dermot Mulroney, Elizabeth Reaser, Luke Wilson and Rachel McAdams. The Mortons are played by Sarah Jessica Parker and Claire Danes, respectively.

You can stream The Family Stone on Hulu.

8 Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)

Home Alone 2: Lost in New York

Release Date

November 19, 1992

Director

Chris Columbus

Cast

Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, Catherine O'Hara, John Heard, Devin Ratray

Rating

PG

Main Genre

Adventure

Runtime

120

Chris Columbus' Home Alone 2: Lost in New York puts Kevin McCallister in peril again, only this time he's not left home alone. Instead, he takes a plane to New York City and lands all alone in the city that never sleeps. Packed with a lot of cash and a very cool device called the Talkboy, Kevin enjoys the holidays in a big, fancy hotel. But the personnel suspect there's something shady about the boy. This doesn't bode well for Kevin, who also has a reunion with the thieves he defeated in the first movie. In hindsight, we can safely say that this is a very dark film.

Why Is the Cast of Home Alone 2 Memorable?

The main cast comes back for this one: Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, Catherine O'Hara, Devin Ratray, and John Heard, are some of the most familiar faces from this part of the franchise. But newcomers include Tim Curry and Rob Schneider as hotel personnel, and Brenda Fricker as the Pigeon Lady.

You can stream Home Alone 2: Lost in New York on Disney+.

7 Elf (2003)

Elf

Release Date

October 9, 2003

Director

Jon Favreau

Cast

Will Ferrell, James Caan, Bob Newhart, Edward Asner, Mary Steenburgen, Zooey Deschanel

Rating

PG

Main Genre

Comedy

Runtime

97

Jon Favrearu's Elf tells the story of Buddy, an elf who's not exactly one of Santa's minions. He was just raised in the North Pole after crawling in Santa's sack when he was a baby. Now a grown man, Buddy is released by Santa and arrives in New York City to find his dad. Unfortunately, his dad isn't exactly a nice guy. He's a corporate mogul who has no plans to become a father. But Buddy will try to convince him to change his mind, and he's got enough energy to insist. Another one with a potential sequel that needs to be produced.

Who's in the Cast?

Of course, the former SNL star Will Ferrell shines as Buddy. The comedy icon is joined by James Caan, Zooey Deschanel, Mary Steenburgen, Ed Asner, Bob Newhart, Faizon Love, and Peter Dinklage, among many others. Fun fact: special effects legend Ray Harryhausen also provides voice work for an animated creature.

You can stream Elf on Hulu or Max.

6 A Christmas Story (1983)

A Christmas Story

Release Date

November 18, 1983

Director

Bob Clark

Cast

Melinda Dillon, Darren McGavin, Peter Billingsley, Ian Petrella, Scott Schwartz, R.D. Robb

Rating

PG

Main Genre

Comedy

Runtime

94

A Christmas Story is the classic comedy of the holidays that tells the story of Ralphie Parker, a small boy who early on claims he only wants one thing for Christmas: an air rifle. Of course, mom and dad don't agree with this, and the film shows Ralphie trying to convince them, but it also paints a great picture of 1940s America with all the popular culture tropes you can think of. When it comes to Christmas classics, this is the one you have to be on the lookout for. A Christmas Story actually had a sequel in 2022, but we're still figuring out if it was actually worth it.

Why Is the Cast of A Christmas Story so Great?

The cast of A Christmas Story isn't huge, but of the films on this list, we can't think of a better ensemble than this one. Peter Billingsley leads as Ralphie. Melinda Dillon and Darren McGavin are his parents, and Ian Petrella, his brother. Scott Schwartz and Zack Ward play one of his friends, and his sworn enemy, respectively.

You can stream A Christmas Story on Max.

5 National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989)

christmas vacation

Release Date

November 30, 1989

Director

Jeremiah S. Chechik

Cast

Chevy Chase, Beverly D'Angelo, Juliette Lewis, Johnny Galecki, John Randolph, Diane Ladd

Rating

PG-13

Main Genre

Comedy

Runtime

97

The holiday classic National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation tells the story of the Griswold family as they prepare to receive visits for the holiday season. Papa Clark is as quirky as ever with his drive to cause imbalance in the entire country's electrical power grid by lighting millions of Christmas lights, and this is only the beginning of his misfortunes. Family arrive, and with them come some uninvited guests that turn the Griswold Family Christmas into a very funny cinematic event.

What Makes the Cast Great?

Christmas Vacation has one of the most notable casts on the list. The Griswolds are Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo, but their children are switched to Johnny Galecki and Juliette Lewis in this version of the Griswold family adventure. Clark and Ellen's parents are John Randolph, Diane Ladd, E.G. Marshall, and Doris Roberts. Cousin Eddie is, of course, the iconic Randy Quaid in the best performance of his career. Others include Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Nicholas Guest and Brian Doyle-Murray.

You can stream National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation on Hulu or Max.

4 The Night Before (2015)

The Night Before

Release Date

November 20, 2015

Director

Jonathan Levine

Cast

Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, Anthony Mackie, Jillian Bell, Lizzy Caplan, Helene York

Rating

R

Main Genre

Comedy

Runtime

100

The stoner comedy film The Night Before is a very underrated film that follows three lifelong friends who reunite every year on Christmas Eve to look for New York City's finest party to crash. Their friendship has been solid throughout the years, and this year things won't change. Jonathan Levine's Christmas comedy is a very underrated and very funny film that should be added to watchlists everywhere.

Who's in the Cast of The Night Before?

Perhaps you may think The Night Before doesn't focus on anyone beyond its three leads. But you would be surprised at its secondary performances. We have Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, and Anthony Mackie as the childhood friends and leads. But then Lizzy Caplan, Jillian Bell, Mindy Kaling, and Michael Shannon, shine in supporting performances.

You can stream The Night Before on Tubi.

3 The Christmas Chronicles (2018)

The Christmas Chronicles

Release Date

November 22, 2018

Director

Clay Kaytis

Cast

Kurt Russell, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Oliver Hudson, Judah Lewis, Lamorne Morris, Darby Camp

Rating

PG

Runtime

104

A fairly simple premise. A well-executed concept. In The Christmas Chronicles, Teddy is a teenager who's lost his Christmas spirit. Kate is his little sister, who insists on keeping it alive in the Pierce household. However, things change for both when Santa crashes his sleigh after the kids jump into it. Now it's up to them to save everyone's Christmas when they have to fix up the sleigh, or else Santa won't be able to travel to every home and deliver the presents. It was extremely successful, and it got a sequel a couple of years ago, and part three is yet to be announced. Perhaps, that spec script in found footage format could turn itself into a reality at some point.

Why The Christmas Chronicles Makes the List

The Christmas Chronicles stars a solid ensemble cast that includes Kurt Russell (best Santa ever?), Judah Lewis and Darby Camp as the siblings, and Kimberly Williams-Paisley and Oliver Hudson as their parents. Supporting characters are played by the hilarious Lamorne Morris, Steven van Zandt, and Goldie Hawn in a cameo that's worth gold.

You can stream The Christmas Chronicles on Netflix.

2 Love Actually (2003)

Love Actually

Release Date

September 7, 2003

Director

Richard Curtis

Cast

Bill Nighy, Gregor Fisher, Rory MacGregor, Colin Firth, Sienna Guillory, Liam Neeson

Rating

R

Main Genre

Comedy

Runtime

135

A classic rom-com, Love Actually, depicts 10 different stories of love-related situations with different characters that connect with each other as the plot goes on and conflicts are resolved. All timelines take place before, during, and after the Christmas season. The film was directed by British pioneer of romantic comedies, Richard Curtis, and back in 2003, it received international acclaim.

Why We've Included Love Actually

Love Actually is famous for its lovely screenplay. But if there's another noteworthy aspect, that would be its star-studded ensemble cast. It includes Alan Rickman, Laura Linney, Emma Thompson, Hugh Grant, Martin Freeman, Billy Bob Thornton, Andrew Lincoln, Elisha Cuthbert, Shannon Elizabeth, Keira Knightley, Colin Firth, Liam Neeson, Bill Nighy, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and others. Without question, the list's best cast.

You can stream Love Actually on Netflix.

1 Office Christmas Party (2016)

Office Christmas Party

Release Date

November 25, 2016

Director

Josh Gordon, Will Speck

Cast

Jason Bateman, Olivia Munn, T.J. Miller, Jennifer Aniston, Kate McKinnon, Courtney B. Vance

Rating

R

Main Genre

Comedy

Runtime

105

The raunchy comedy Office Christmas Party tells the story of a group of office workers who decide to commit the ultimate act of rebellion: Upon finding out that their branch will be closed, Josh and Clay decide to throw the ultimate Christmas party to impress a potential client and save the company. The problem is that things get out of hand very quickly. Way out of hand.

Does Office Christmas Party Have the Best Christmas Movie Cast?

Office Christmas Party has a roundup of comedy stars. Jason Bateman, the underrated Olivia Munn, T.J. Miller, Jennifer Aniston, Randall Park, Abbey Lee, SNL alumni Kate McKinnon and Vanessa Bayer, Sam Richardson, Jillian Bell, Courtney B. Vance, Rob Corddry, as well as many others. Modern comedies don't get any better than this.

You can rent or buy Office Christmas Party on Prime Video or Apple TV+