Buzzworthy Suggestions for Holiday Movies

This was initially going to be a single award, but there are So. Many. Holiday. Movies. Not just Christmas (which we had to divide into two awards) but Halloween, Easter, Valentine’s Day, and so many more. We’re going to try to go through them chronologically through the calendar year with a final catch-all award at the end.

Favorite Valentine’s Day Movies

Everyone’s favorite Hallmark Holiday – okay, not everyone’s, and these aren’t all heartwarming love stories. What’s your favorite movie about Valentine’s Day or with the holiday as a backdrop?

Buzzworthy: An Affair to Remember (1957) • Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown (1975) • The Berenstain Bears’ Comic Valentine (1982) • Bugs Bunny’s Valentine (1979) • A Charlie Brown Valentine (2002) • Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind (2004) • Hospital Massacre (1982) • I Hate Valentine’s Day (2009) • I Love the Chipmunks – Valentine Special (1984) • Madly Madagascar (2013) • The Muppets’ Valentine Special (1976) • My Bloody Valentine (1981) • My Bloody Valentine 3D (2009) • Obvious Child (2014) • The Old Maid’s Valentine (1900) • Overnight Delivery (1998) • Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975) • The Pink Panther in: Pink at First Sight (1981) • A Scooby-Doo Valentine (2002) • Sleepless In Seattle (1993) • A Special Valentine with the Family Circus (1978) • The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre (1967) • Valentine (2001) • A Valentine for You (1999) • Valentine’s Day (2007) • Valentine’s Day (2010) • The Valentine’s Day That Almost Wasn’t (1982)

Favorite Passover and Hanukkah Movies

Yes, we know, these holidays aren’t even in the same season (but just wait until you see what we’ve combine Mother’s Day with).

Buzzworthy: The 3 Little Wolfs (2001) • Adam & Steve (2005) • All I Want Is Christmas (2012) • An American Tail (1986) • Autism: The Musical (2007) • Call Me by Your Name (2017) • Children of the Ghetto (1915) • The Diary of Anne Frank (1959) • Die Gezeichneten (1922) • Die, Mommie, Die! (2003) • Dita Saxová (1968) • Eight Crazy Nights (2002) • Ernesto (1979) • Europa Europa (1990) • Exodus: Gods and Kings (2014) • The Fixer (1968) • Full-Court Miracle (2003) • The Garden of the Finzi-Continis (1970) • The Glorious Silver Hanukah Menorah (1996) • God Is Great and I’m Not (2001) • The Hebrew Hammer (2003) • Hit and Runway (1999) • The Holiday (2006) • Holy Rollers (2010) • Imaginary Heroes (2004) • It Runs in the Family (2003) • The Jazz Singer (1952) • Kissing Jessica Stein (2001) • Lemon (2017) • Let My People Go! (2011) • Leylasede (1995) • Little Fockers (2010) • A Majority of One (1961) • My Sister (2014) • Next Year in Jerusalem (1997) • Off and Running (2009) • Once Upon a Time in America (1984) • The Prince of Egypt (1998) • Risen (2016) • The Ritchie Boys (2004) • Seder Trek (1999) • The Silver Chalice (1954) • Sleeping with Other People (2015) • Southern Belles (2005) • Stories We Tell (2012) • The Ten Commandments (1956) • Various Positions (2002) • Voices from the Heartland: Slaves of the Lord (2003) • Waiting for the Messiah (2000) • When Do We Eat? (2005) • Wide Awake (1998) • Wo ai ni mommy (2010)

Favorite Easter Movies

One award for such disparate titles: everything from the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ to the Easter Bunny. We noticed that some movies about rabbits got tagged even if they didn’t appear to have anything to do with the holiday (and one that was just about candy) – you get to decide where to draw the line.

Buzzworthy: Annie Hall (1977) • Ben Hur (1959) • Cookie’s Fortune (1999) • Easter Parade (1948) • The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965) • Hank and Mike (2008) • Happy Easter (1984) • Harvey (1950) • Here Comes Peter Cottontail (1971) • Here Comes Peter Cottontail: The Movie (2005) • Hop (2011) • It’s the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown (1974) • Jesus Christ Superstar (1973) • Jesus of Nazareth (1977) • The Last Temptation of Christ (1988) • Life of Brian (1979) • Peter Rabbit (2018) • Rebel Without a Cause (1955) • Rise of the Guardians (2012) • Risen (2016) • Steel Magnolias (1989) • The Ten Commandments (1956) • Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)

Favorite Independence Day Movies

This is your chance to honor films depicting the birth of our nation, or set against the backdrop of celebrating the birth of our nation.

Buzzworthy: 1776 (1972) • Born on the Fourth of July (1989) • Cape Fear (1991) • Dance Party USA (2006) • Dark Skies (2013) • Dick (1999) • The Glorious Fourth (1927) • Holiday Inn (1942) • I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997) • I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (1998) • I’ll Always Know What You Did Last Summer (2006) • Independence Day (1996) • Independence Day: Resurgence (2016) • Independence Daysaster (2013) • Jaws (1975) • Junior Bonner (1972) • The Last Summer (2019) • Live Free or Die Hard (2007) • Mad Families (2017) • Miss Firecracker (1989) • The Music Man (1962) • Night of the Living Deb (2015) • The Return of the Living Dead (1985) • Rollercoaster (1977) • Summer Holiday (1948) • Sunny Side Up (1929) • To Kill a Clown (1972) • Uncle Sam (1976) • When Every Day Was the Fourth of July (1978) • Wonder Woman 1984 (2020) • Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942)

Favorite Halloween Movies (Comedy and Kids’ Films)

Like Christmas, we’ve had to divide Halloween movies into two awards. For this one, we’ve decided to separate the scary movies from the more light-hearted ones. This award is for comedic and child-friendly films.

Buzzworthy: Arsenic and Old Lace (1944) • Bewitched (2005) • Boo 2! A Madea Halloween (2017) • Boo! A Madea Halloween (2016) • Burying the Ex (2014) • Casper’s Halloween Special (1979) • Disney’s Halloween Treat (1982) • Dracula: Dead and Loving It (1995) • E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982) • The Flintstones Meet Rockula and Frankenstone (1979) • Frankenweenie (2012) • Gravy (2015) • Grumpier Old Men (1995) • Hocus Pocus (1993) • The Hollywood Knights (1980) • How High (2001) • Hubie Halloween (2020) • Idle Hands (1999) • It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966) • Mean Girls (2004) • Mean Girls 2 (2011) • Meet Me In St. Louis (1944) • Mickey’s House of Villains (2002) • The Midnight Hour (1985) • Monster Mash (1995) • Mr. Mom (1983) • The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) • Once Bitten (1985) • Practical Magic (1998) • Scary Movie (2000) • Scary Movie 2 (2001) • Scary Movie 3 (2003) • Scary Movie 4 (2006) • Scary Movie 5 (2013) • Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983) • Son of the Mask (2005) • Stan Helsing (2009) • To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) • Wasabi Tuna (2003) • When We First Met (2018)

Favorite Halloween Movies (Scary/Horror Films)

When it came to create this buzzworthy list, it was tough finding films specifically set on Halloween, as too many lists were for scary movies to watch on Halloween even if they weren’t set on Halloween. Use your discretion.

Buzzworthy: 31 (2016) • All Hallows’ Eve (2013) • The Amityville Horror (1979) • The Amityville Horror (2005) • Babysitter Massacre (2013) • Bad Reputation (2005) • The Barn (2016) • Black Pumpkin (2020) • Boo (2005) • Boys in the Trees (2016) • C.H.U.D. II: Bud the C.H.U.D. (1989) • The Changeling (1980) • The Clown Murders (1976) • Clownhouse (1989) • The Collection (2012) • The Collingswood Story (2006) • Dark Night of the Scarecrow (1981) • Deadly Friend (1986) • Demonic Toys (1992) • Donnie Darko (2001) • Flatliners (1990) • Flesheater (1988) • Flick (2008) • Ghostwatch (1992) • Ginger Snaps (2000) • Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed (2004) • Ginger Snaps Back: The Beginning (2004) • Girls Against Boys (2012) • Grave Halloween (2013) • The Guest (2014) • Halloween (1978) • Halloween (2007) • Halloween (2018) • Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988) • Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers (1989) • Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998) • Halloween II (1981) • Halloween II (2009) • Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982) • Halloween Kills (2021) • Halloween Night (2006) • Halloween: Resurrection (2002) • Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995) • Halloweenight (2009) • Haunt (2019) • Hell Fest (2018) • Hell Fire (2012) • Hell House LLC (2015) • Hellbent (2004) • Hellions (2015) • Holidays (2016) • The Hollow (2004) • House II: The Second Story (1987) • House of 1000 Corpses (2003) • House of Fears (2007) • The Houses October Built (2014) • The Houses October Built 2 (2017) • I Was a Teenage Werewolf (1957) • In Search of Lovecraft (2008) • The Invasion (2007) • Jack-O (1995) • The Kiss (1988) • Lady in White (1988) • The Legend of Fall Creek (2021) • The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane (1976) • May (2002) • Mischief Night (2013) • Murder Party (2007) • Night of the Demons (1988) • Night of the Demons (1988) • Night of the Demons (2009) • Night of the Demons (2009) • Night of the Demons 2 (1994) • Night of the Demons 3 (1997) • The People Under the Stairs (1991) • Pet Sematary (1989) • Pet Sematary Two (1992) • The Predator (2018) • Primal Rage (1988) • The Pumpkin Karver (2006) • The Rage: Carrie 2 (1999) • The Return of Count Yorga (1971) • The Return of Dracula (1958) • Return of the Living Dead: Rave to the Grave (2005) • Satan’s Little Helper (2005) • The Scarehouse (2014) • Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (2019) • The Silence of the Lambs (1991) • Silver Bullet (1985) • Sinister (2012) • Sleepy Hollow (1999) • Slugs (1988) • Tales of Halloween (2015) • Terrifier (2016) • Trick (2019) • Trick or Treat (1986) • Trick or Treats (1982) • Trick ‘r Treat (2007) • Truth or Dare (2012) • Truth or Dare (2017) • Volumes of Blood (2015) • We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011) • WNUF Halloween Special (2013) • Wrong Turn 5: Bloodlines (2012)

Favorite Thanksgiving Movies

Thanksgiving tends to get overshadowed by Christmas, a holiday that would encroach on Labor Day if Halloween wasn’t there. But here we celebrate the “family and foodfest” this holiday has become.

Buzzworthy: Addams Family Values (1993) • Alice’s Restaurant (1969) • Avalon (1990) • The Blind Side (2009) • A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (2003) • Funny People (2009) • Hannah And Her Sisters (1986) • Hollidaysburg (2014) • Home for the Holidays (1995) • The House of Yes (1997) • The Ice Storm (1997) • Jim Henson’s Turkey Hollow (2015) • Krisha (2015) • The Myth of Fingerprints (1997) • The Oath (2018) • Pieces of April (2003) • Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987) • Scent of A Woman (1992) • Tadpole (2002) • The Vicious Kind (2009) • The War at Home (1996)

Favorite Christmas Movies (Animated)

There are so many Christmas movies that we had to divide them into two awards. This one celebrates all forms of animation, including hand-painted, digital, motion capture, Claymation, and more.

Buzzworthy: Anastasia (1997) • Annabelle’s Wish (1997) • Arthur Christmas (2011) • Beauty and the Beast (1991) • Bugs Bunny’s Looney Christmas Tales (1979) • Casper’s First Christmas (1979) • A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965) • A Chipmunk Christmas (1981) • A Christmas Carol (2009) • Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch (2018) • A Flintstone Christmas (1977) • A Flintstones Christmas Carol (1994) • Frosty the Snowman (1969) • Frozen (2013) • Frozen II (2019) • Goof Troop Christmas (1992) • Happy Feet (2006) • He-Man and She-Ra: A Christmas Special (1985) • How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966) • Jack Frost (1979) • The Life & Adventures of Santa Claus (1985) • The Little Troll Prince (1987) • Mickey’s Christmas Carol (1983) • Mickey’s Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse (2001) • Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas (1999) • Mickey’s Twice Upon a Christmas (2004) • Mister Magoo’s Christmas Carol (1962) • The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992) • The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) • Nutcracker Fantasy (1979) • The Nutcracker Prince (1990) • Olive, the Other Reindeer (1999) • Paddington (2014) • Paddington 2 (2017) • The Polar Express (2004) • Rise of the Guardians (2012) • Rudolph and Frosty’s Christmas in July (1979) • Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964) • Santa and the Three Bears (1970) • Santa Claus and the Magic Drum (1996) • Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town (1970) • The Snowman (1982) • Tokyo Godfathers (2003) • Toy Story That Time Forgot (2014) • Winnie the Pooh: A Very Merry Pooh Year (2002) • The Year Without a Santa Claus (1974) • Yogi’s First Christmas (1980)

Favorite Christmas Movies (Live Action)

This award celebrates live action Christmas movies – both the warm, feel-good movies and the shockingly significant number of Christmas-themed horror movies.

Buzzworthy: Anna and the Apocalypse (2017) • A Bad Mom’s Christmas (2017) • Bad Santa (2003) • Batman Returns (1992) • The Bells of St. Mary’s (1945) • The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (1983) • The Best Man Holiday (2013) • The Bishop’s Wife (1947) • The Christmas Card (2006) • A Christmas Carol (1951) • A Christmas Carol (1984) • A Christmas Horror Story (2015) • A Christmas Story (1983) • Christmas with the Kranks (2004) • Die Hard (1988) • Edward Scissorhands (1990) • Elf (2003) • The Family Man (2000) • Gremlins (1984) • The Holiday (2006) • Holiday Inn (1942) • Home Alone (1990) • Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992) • It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) • Jingle All the Way (1996) • Klaus (2019) • Krampus (2015) • Last Holiday (2006) • Little Women (1994) • Little Women (2019) • Love Actually (2003) • Meet Me In St. Louis (1944) • Miracle on 34th Street (1947) • Miracle on 34th Street (1994) • National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989) • O. Henry’s Full House (1952) • One Magic Christmas (1985) • Prancer (1989) • The Preacher’s Wife (1996) • The Santa Clause (1994) • Scrooged (1988) • The Shop Around the Corner (1940) • Trading Places (1983) • A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas (2011) • We’re No Angels (1955) • White Christmas (1954)

Favorite New Year’s Movies

Technically, the holiday is New Year’s Day, the first day of the year, but honestly, we celebrate more the night before.

Buzzworthy: 200 Cigarettes (1999) • 54 (1998) • About A Boy (2002) • About Time (2013) • The Age of Adeline (2015) • Are We There Yet? (2005) • Assault on Precinct 13 (2005) • Boogie Nights (1997) • Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001) • Can’t Buy Me Love (1987) • Carol (2016) • Forrest Gump (1994) • Four Rooms (1995) • Ghostbusters 2 (1989) • The Godfather Part II (1974) • Happy New Year (2014) • Happy New Year, Charlie Brown (1986) • High School Musical (2006) • Holidate (2020) • The Holiday (2006) • Little Women (2019) • A Lot Like Love (2005) • Money Train (1995) • New Year’s Evil (1980) • New Year’s Eve (2011) • Now You See Me 2 (2016) • Ocean’s 11 (1960) • The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012) • Phantom Thread (2017) • Poseidon (2006) • The Poseidon Adventure (1972) • Rent (2005) • Sex and the City (2008) • The Shining (1980) • Sleepless In Seattle (1993) • Snowpiercer (2013) • Strange Days (1995) • Sunset Boulevard (1950) • Trading Places (1983) • Two Lovers (2009) • Waiting To Exhale (1995) • When Harry Met Sally (1989) • While You Were Sleeping (1995)

Favorite Movies Celebrating Other Holidays

We were tempted to have separate awards for St. Patrick’s Day and Mardi Gras/Carnival, but there just didn’t seem to be enough films to warrant it. This award is meant for films covering any holidays not called out for its own award. While we’ve provided lots of buzzworthy suggestions, don’t feel limited to these holidays.

Buzzworthy: Father’s Day: Father’s Day (2011) • Knock Knock (2015) • Stepfather III (1992) • Underworld (1996). Groundhog Day: Groundhog Day (1993) • Jack Frost (1979). Mardi Gras: Abbott and Costello Go to Mars (1953) • Always for Pleasure (1978) • Angel Heart (1987) • Autopsy (2008) • Avenging Force (1986) • Deja Vu (2006) • Easy Rider (1969) • Flesh and Fantasy (1943) • Hatchet (2006) • Holiday for Sinners (1952) • Mardi Gras (1958) • Mardi Gras Massacre (1978) • Mardi Gras: Made in China (2005) • Mardi Gras: Spring Break (2011) • The Order of Myths (2008) • The Princess and the Frog (2009). May Day: The Assassination of Trotsky (1972) • Camelot (1967) • First Knight (1995) • The First of May (1998) • Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch (2005) • Maytime (1923) • Maytime (1937) • Midsommar (2019) • On the Green Carpet (2001) • Salvatore Giuliano (1962) • Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011) • The Unbearable Lightness of Being (1988) • The Wicker Man (1973) • The Wicker Man (2006) • The Wicker Tree (2011) • Zero Day (2003). Mother’s Day: Going Shopping (2005) • Mother’s Day (1980) • Mother’s Day (1993) • Mother’s Day (2010) • Mother’s Day (2016) • Parking (2008). St. Patrick’s Day: Beau James (1957) • Between the Canals (2010) • The Boondock Saints (1999) • Flight of the Doves (1971) • Fourteen Hours (1951) • The Fugitive (1993) • Leapin’ Leprechauns! (1995) • Leprechaun 2 (1994) • Leprechaun’s Revenge (2012) • Little Nellie Kelly (1940) • The Lost Weekend (1945) • The Luck of the Irish (2001) • Maniac Cop (1988) • Muck (2015) • Patrick’s Day (2014) • Portrait of Jennie (1948) • Red Clover (2012) • Spellbreaker: Secret of the Leprechauns (1996) • St. Patrick: The Irish Legend (2000) • State of Grace (1990).

Buzzworthy Suggestions for Other Awards

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