With Christmas just around the corner, getting caught up on holiday films is at the top of most people’s to-do list, but if you’ve had enough of the classics these Netflix specials might be exactly what you need. In recent years, Netflix has really stepped up its game when it comes to holiday movies, so we’re counting down our pick of 5 of those Christmas movies that you should definitely consider watching this season. For this list, we’re looking at both Netflix originals and movies carried by the streaming service that’ll get you feeling festive.
#5: “Bad Santa†(2003)
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)
There’s been a lot of talk lately about Netflix’s holiday originals, but one of the most underrated has to be “The Holiday Calendarâ€. 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)
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.
#1: “A Christmas Prince†(2017)
Unless you were living under a rock during the holiday season of 2017, you’ve definitely heard of “A Christmas Princeâ€. 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.
If these 5 movies aren’t enough to get you in the holiday spirit, make sure to watch the full video below for our pick of the Top 10 Christmas Movies to Watch on Netflix!
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