You might not think there are multiple polarizing Christmas movies, but there are. Lots of holiday films are universally beloved, but these four are among the most hotly debated. Stream these four polarizing Christmas movies before the year ends.
‘The Polar Express’
Putting the polar in polarizing Christmas movies, The Polar Express, which was adapted from the award-winning children’s book of the same name, garnered three separate nominations at the 2005 Oscars (all of which were related to sound in some way), but that didn’t make the film any better for some viewers. Many an audience member has dragged this film for its animation style, and others don’t like that Tom Hanks voiced so many of the characters. But for some, The Polar Express is a timeless classic that gets rewatched each year.
The Polar Express is streaming now on Hulu and Max.
‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas’ (2000)
Any time a film is adapted from another classic film, it’s going to have people who hate it before they even see it. Because of this, How the Grinch Stole Christmas was automatically at a disadvantage when it came out. Lots of viewers found Jim Carrey’s performance and the script hilarious, but critics panned the film, and plenty of others found it to be terrifying.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas is streaming now on Peacock.
‘A Christmas Carol’ (2009)
Some think Jim Carrey was brave to play another classic character who notoriously hates Christmas, but others think he was a lunatic for signing onto this film when he was at a point in his career where he could’ve attached himself to anything. Like The Polar Express, A Christmas Carol was ragged on for its animation style, which is fitting given they were both directed and produced by the same man, Robert Zemeckis. If you have a child you want to introduce to this classic story, the 2009 Disney version may or may not be the right fit.
A Christmas Carol is streaming now on Disney+.
‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’
One of Tim Burton’s most popular (and arguably his most artistic) works to date, The Nightmare Before Christmas’s polarization has worked to its benefit. Viewers will continue debating whether this is a Halloween film or a Christmas film for eternity, but it’ll only end up generating more views for the flick as it’s already streamed steadily from September to December. Is it surprising to anyone that Burton made one of the most polarizing Christmas movies of all time?
The Nightmare Before Christmas is streaming now on Disney+.
