3. Elf (2003)
Deck the Halls, Unaccompanied Minors, Four Christmases--Remember these? No, you probably don't. Holiday movies can be especially risky, and most of them find their way into those $5 movie bins that I mentioned earlier where they'll remain until the end of time. However, certain holiday films stand the test of time better than several Best Picture winners. Elf is the first (and only) holiday classic to come out of the 21st century. It just works. The script is funny and charming, the themes are easy for anyone to get behind, and of course there's Will Ferrell. Elf is a Christmas-time necessity just like A Christmas Story, It's A Wonderful Life, and Miracle on 34th Street--it's a gift.