Top 10 Christmas Movies to Watch on Netflix
#10: “Christmas Inheritance” (2017) In the past couple of years, Netflix has obviously realized what a strong market there is for Hallmark-style cheesy Christmas movies as saccharine as they come. Maybe our troubled and jaded generation just wants something fluffy every now and then, okay? One of the first that they created was this one, which is essentially “Sweet Home Alabama” but it’s Christmas. The smaltz-athon is no award winner, but it’s got a cute and sappy plot that’s perfect to watch while you sip hot chocolate and stuff yourself with Christmas cookies.
#9: “The Christmas Chronicles” (2018)
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One of Netflix’s main holiday releases for 2018 was “The Christmas Chronicles”, which defies expectations and offers up a movie that’s totally outside the box. Though the promos make this seem like a classic family movie, the end result is actually quite a bit darker than one would expect. Kurt Russell’s version of Santa Claus may charm you or may just make you a little bit uncomfortable, it’s kind of a toss up. Regardless, you’d be remiss to not add this to your holiday viewing schedule.
#8: “A Very Murray Christmas” (2015)
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This holiday themed musical extravaganza is certainly a star-studded affair, featuring the likes of George Clooney, Miley Cyrus, Amy Poehler, Chris Rock, Michael Cera, Jason Schwartzman and of course Bill Murray, but we have to admit, it’s not for everyone. “A Very Murray Christmas” tells the story of the Ghostbusters star - playing himself - on a night when his live performance has basically been snowed out. The tone of the movie may be a little bit gloomy for some, but if you’re a big Murray fan, you’ll love it just the same.
#7: “White Christmas” (1954)
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Unfortunately most of the Christmas classics aren’t available for streaming on Netflix but there are a couple of exceptions including this one. “White Christmas” has been beloved for generations, and it’s the perfect thing to put on when you’re visiting your grandparents over the holidays. The song "White Christmas" actually originated in an earlier Bing Crosby movie, “Holiday Inn” but a new version is heard in this film. In the year of its release, it was actually the highest grossing film by a significant margin.
#6: “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” (2000)
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Ok so the original animated version of Dr. Seuss’s beloved Christmas tale isn’t available on Netflix, but the live action Jim Carrey remake is! Because this is a full length film, many details are added to expand upon the initial tale, and the end result is a charming - if chaotic - take on a well loved story. There are plenty of jokes thrown in for the grown ups, so don’t worry about this being exclusively for the little ones. You also get to see an adorable pre-”Gossip Girl” Taylor Momsen playing Cindy Lou Who!
#5: “Bad Santa” (2003)
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This is definitely not your typical Christmas movie. The premise of “Bad Santa” is that a sex-addicted, alcoholic thief disguises himself as a mall Santa every year in order to pull off minor heists after the shops have closed. Billy Bob Thornton plays the titular character and Lauren Graham plays a woman with a fetish for Santas. It may not give you the warm fuzzy holiday feels like some of the other entries on our list, and you definitely shouldn’t watch it with your kids, but it has become something of a modern holiday classic.
#4: “The Holiday Calendar” (2018)
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There’s been a lot of talk lately about Netflix’s holiday originals, but one of the most underrated has to be “The Holiday Calendar”. The movie is about an advent calendar that predicts the future, but bear with us because it’s actually pretty good, even if it may be in a “so bad it’s good” kind of way. Despite the far-out premise, the rest of the film is pretty well grounded in reality, featuring a believable female lead and a diverse cast of characters who offer representation that we rarely see in holiday films.
#3: “Love Actually” (2003)
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What is there to be said about this movie that’s hasn’t been said already? “Love Actually” has become a mainstay as far as Christmas themed romantic comedies go, and love it or loathe it, you can’t deny that it’s ideal for the holiday spirit. Considering this has become a part of so many people’s annual holiday traditions, we give thanks every year that it’s available on Netflix. Everyone has their favorite of the many interwoven storylines, and you can get a new appreciation for the film every time you watch it.
#2: “The Princess Switch” (2018) It feels like a lot of different ideas all rolled into one - including a bake-off finalé - but when it works, it works! “The Princess Switch” takes a time honored formula honed by films like “It Takes Two” and “The Lizzie Mcguire Movie” and gives it a Christmas spin, offering up audiences everything they could possibly want from a festive viewing experience. Vanessa Hudgens plays both the princess desperate to pull a Roman Holiday, and the commoner living it up in luxury. While this movie probably won’t be taking home any awards, we love it either way. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. “El Camino Christmas” (2017) “A Holiday Engagement” (2011) “A Christmas Star” (2017)
#1 “A Christmas Prince” (2017)
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Unless you were living under a rock during the holiday season of 2017, you’ve definitely heard of “A Christmas Prince”. The premise is that an up-and-coming journalist is sent to cover the royal family of a fictional country and ends up becoming more involved with the prince than she ever could have imagined. It’s hard to say whether Netflix was trying to make an intentionally bad holiday romance movie, but it almost doesn’t matter, because this movie is plenty of fun whether you’re watching it ironically or not. The sequel, “A Christmas Prince: The Royal Wedding” was released in 2018 and is just as delightful.
