Christmas movies are a time honored part of many families' December rituals in anticipation of the 25th. Some yuletide offerings (such as It's A Wonderful Life or A Christmas Story) become annual viewings for many people, aired countless times on TV. But for some reason or another, a lot of good movies don't quite make that list the way many classics have.

Most of these movies collect cult fans that will give them the love they deserve every holiday season, but they deserve more. With that said, in no particular order, these are 5 movies I think need a little more viewing love this Christmas.

1. Christmas with the Kranks

I remember this movie getting lambasted with negative critical reviews when it first came out some ten years ago now. Reasons varied, but across the board people just didn't seem to like it very much. I don't know why; Tim Allen and Dan Aykroyd are comedic geniuses who have a lot of fun with the admittedly campy material.

Whether it's "free Frosty" or "Hickory Honey Ham," there's just so much memorable about this movie. It's also a surprisingly timely little parable about our materialistic culture and its potential downfalls. And while the movie may ultimately seem to promote the "go big or go home" type message, it seems the ultimate thesis is more about family and community pulling together. Plus, there are definite heart-warming moments that uplift for the season. Far from perfect (Jamie Lee Curtis does overdo it just a bit), and maybe even legitimately not as well regarded as the true classics, Christmas with the Kranks is one movie that seems to get an unfair shake.

2. Miracle on 34th Street (1994 remake)

The original is rightly regarded as a classic, but the 2nd remake (there was another TV movie remake in the 70's, which I have not seen) is actually my preferred version. Before you cry blasphemy, let me explain. I concede immediately that the movie's legal logic is atrocious and ridiculous. The first movie stretched the law thinly enough, and this one makes that one seem like a well-researched legal docudrama. That said, I find this movie much more enjoyable to watch on the whole.

I think the lion's share of this comes from the characters simply being more likable. In the original, I found Susan especially flat and annoying as a character. And there was a definitely coldness to the whole thing that just feels less than Christmassy. Perhaps it's just the modern sheen, but I find the new one packs considerably more "Christmas magic" and charm.

Mara Wilson's Susan Walker feels a lot more likeable and lively than Natalie Wood's. She actually feels like a genuine kid. She's allowed to be both annoyingly precocious and enjoyably playful. She's less snooty. When she makes her big demand to Kris to prove he's really Santa, it feels a lot less like greed. She actually sells her desires as being heartfelt. And Richard Attenborough's Kris, while definitely a lot more naïve, definitely boasts a more mystical quality befitting the "Santa" figure. Dylan McDermott is also capable as the lawyer/love interest, allowing the character more vulnerability. Dory (Elizabeth Perkins) is really the only major character who seems to be noticeably flatter than in the original.

I can't argue the plotline in this is stronger. It's not. And there's an unnecessary crude element at times. I am definitely not advocating replacing the original with this, but the overall feel and characters of this one at least make it deserving of standing alongside the original.

3. Angels Sing

This is the new one on the list. I remember reading the (very short) book this is based on and thinking how amazing the movie would be. The result is slightly less legendary than I imagined. Some of the book's darker elements are glossed over a bit. But the result is still a solid family outing that packs noteworthy performances by Harry Connick Jr. and the lad Chandler Canterbury.

The movie is a lot more an attempt at comedy than the book, which I think probably wasn't the best decision. But it's still enjoyable from start to finish. Another potentially forgettable offering on paper, the end result is a charming little country music themed Christmas offering that can hopefully grow some legs in the years to come and reach more viewers.

4. The Nativity Story

Many wrote this one off as a cash-in on the success of The Passion of the Christ, which might explain why it didn't really do that well at the box office. But for all the talk of "the true meaning of Christmas," you'd think Christians would flock to a big screen adaptation of the story. I think it's definitely among the finest representations of this story I've seen among live action films.

Most Jesus movies don't place extended focus on the birth of our Savior (they're understandably about His ministry), so I find this film to be quite a treat. It's sometimes easy to romanticize the birth of Christ, and I think this movie provides the sobering reality of the lowliness of it all.

While Keisha Castle-Hugh's Mary doesn't really charm the way the role demands, Oscar Isaac's Joseph steals the show. This is really his movie, and he treats the foster father of Jesus to a rich and moving development that few films dare to even attempt. While perhaps younger than history implies, his take on the character still is enthralling and complex. Ciaran Hinds is also compelling as the villainous Herod. All around, a solid offering that shouldn't be relegated to the bargain bin.

5. It Happened One Christmas

Picture this: It's A Wonderful Life done with the genders for the leads switched. Instead of the story revolving around a guy named George Bailey, the story revolves around a woman named Mary Bailey who married a guy named George Hatch and had a guardian angel named Clara (who needed to earn her wings). What if I told you that other than these changes, the story played out pretty much the exact same way as in the original?

In the 70's, before It's A Wonderful Life experienced resurgence in popularity, there was a TV movie that attempted to remake the now-classic film with a twist of switching up the genders. Marlo Thomas played Mary Bailey, who essentially went through the lion's share of everything George Bailey did in It's A Wonderful Life (minus a few scenes/details due to time constraints and practical implications), down to the near-suicide and the subsequent infamous wish that later proved to be an eye-opening experience.

While I can't argue it surpasses the original or that Thomas packs even half the emotional wallop that Jimmy Stewart did, the movie at the very least proves an interesting spin. The cheese factor is ramped up a bit, and it definitely feels a lot more b-movieish, but it's hard to not get caught up in how much of the story remains exactly the same (down to even a good portion of the dialogue.) The movie, unfortunately, seems to have disappeared in the great beyond without even so much as a DVD release. But if you can track down a way to see it, it's definitely a noteworthy movie experience. Not an epic classic like the original, It Happened One Christmas serves as at least a cheerful and harmless homage to it with the same life-affirming messages.

So there are five of the Christmas movies I think are criminally underrated. What are yours? Hit the comments and share! Maybe we'll all discover some new additions to our lists.