What to stream: A stocking full of fresh Christmas shows and movies
The Thanksgiving leftovers have been gobbled, the Black Friday deals secured. Which means it’s time, officially, for Christmas to begin. Even if many recognize the stroke of midnight on Nov. 1 as the start of the holiday season, now we can confidently say that Christmas (or whatever holiday you celebrate), is here. Which means a slew of new holiday content to stream, if you haven’t been mainlining Hallmark holiday movies already.
But there are treats of every different flavor in this stocking of streaming choices this week, from the comedic to the romantic, the sweet to the silly.
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What to stream: A stocking full of fresh Christmas shows and moviesCourtesy Everett Collection
"A Charlie Brown Christmas" is a cozy holiday classic now, but some of the people involved in its production thought it was going to bomb with audiences. The 1965 film was created as a TV special with financial backing from Coca-Cola, but was put together in just a matter of weeks to meet broadcast demands.
Several iconic aspects of the film, like the simple animation and unique jazz score by pianist Vince Guaraldi, were a bit odd for the time. Director Bill Melendez even reportedly declared, "I think we've ruined Charlie Brown."
Lo, all those worries were for naught. "A Charlie Brown Christmas" was an immediate hit, and all of the things producers worried made it too strange were the things that made it beloved.
Courtesy Everett Collection"A Charlie Brown Christmas" is a cozy holiday classic now, but some of the people involved in its production thought it was going to bomb with audiences. The 1965 film was created as a TV special with financial backing from Coca-Cola, but was put together in just a matter of weeks to meet broadcast demands.
Several iconic aspects of the film, like the simple animation and unique jazz score by pianist Vince Guaraldi, were a bit odd for the time. Director Bill Melendez even reportedly declared, "I think we've ruined Charlie Brown."
Lo, all those worries were for naught. "A Charlie Brown Christmas" was an immediate hit, and all of the things producers worried made it too strange were the things that made it beloved.
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What to stream: A stocking full of fresh Christmas shows and moviesParamount/Kobal/Shutterstock
The 1954 film "White Christmas" is brimming with behind-the-scenes lore, especially when it comes to the music. Most well-known is the fact that Vera-Ellen, who played Judy Haynes, didn't do any of her own singing. (Her dancing, though, was a different story.) Singer Trudy Stevens provided Judy's voice.
All of the songs in "White Christmas" were written by Irving Berlin, the legendary songwriter who wrote hundreds of hits, including "God Bless America." "White Christmas" is one of his most famous tunes, and it was originally performed in the 1942 film "Holiday Inn."
The song "Snow," sung by the starring "White Christmas" foursome as they head to Vermont, was originally called "Free," and was written for a musical called "Call Me Madam." It had a completely different set of lyrics, which Berlin changed to fit the film's holiday feel.
Paramount/Kobal/ShutterstockThe 1954 film "White Christmas" is brimming with behind-the-scenes lore, especially when it comes to the music. Most well-known is the fact that Vera-Ellen, who played Judy Haynes, didn't do any of her own singing. (Her dancing, though, was a different story.) Singer Trudy Stevens provided Judy's voice.
All of the songs in "White Christmas" were written by Irving Berlin, the legendary songwriter who wrote hundreds of hits, including "God Bless America." "White Christmas" is one of his most famous tunes, and it was originally performed in the 1942 film "Holiday Inn."
The song "Snow," sung by the starring "White Christmas" foursome as they head to Vermont, was originally called "Free," and was written for a musical called "Call Me Madam." It had a completely different set of lyrics, which Berlin changed to fit the film's holiday feel.
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What to stream: A stocking full of fresh Christmas shows and moviesEverett Collection
Do you know "Seussian Latin?" The term describes the robust collection of made-up words used by author Theodor Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss. For the 1966 animated classic "How the Grinch Stole Christmas," producers wanted the musical feeling of a Christmas special, but didn't want to include elements that would seem out of sync with Seuss' fantastical world.
Thus, Whoville's Christmas songs were written in Seussian style. Viewers even wrote in after the special aired asking for translations. Alas, "Fahoo fores, dahoo dores" doesn't actually mean anything. Trimming the tree with "bingle balls and whofoo fluff?" Just use your imagination.
Everett CollectionDo you know "Seussian Latin?" The term describes the robust collection of made-up words used by author Theodor Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss. For the 1966 animated classic "How the Grinch Stole Christmas," producers wanted the musical feeling of a Christmas special, but didn't want to include elements that would seem out of sync with Seuss' fantastical world.
Thus, Whoville's Christmas songs were written in Seussian style. Viewers even wrote in after the special aired asking for translations. Alas, "Fahoo fores, dahoo dores" doesn't actually mean anything. Trimming the tree with "bingle balls and whofoo fluff?" Just use your imagination.
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What to stream: A stocking full of fresh Christmas shows and moviesAP file
Stop-motion animation is an art form forged with exquisite craftsmanship and a lot of patience. The animators behind 1993's "The Nightmare Before Christmas" used about 400 different hand-sculpted heads to bring Jack Skellington to life. In a behind-the-scenes special about the film, animators explain that every sound and facial expression Jack made required a different head that could be popped on and off of the character's puppet body. With that kind of painstaking work, it's no wonder the film took three years to make!
About the photo: Kathy Green and David McClow, dressed as characters from Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas, ride the trolley to the convention center on day three of the Comic-Con International held at the San Diego Convention Center Saturday July 23, 2016 in San Diego. (Photo by Denis Poroy/Invision/AP)
AP fileStop-motion animation is an art form forged with exquisite craftsmanship and a lot of patience. The animators behind 1993's "The Nightmare Before Christmas" used about 400 different hand-sculpted heads to bring Jack Skellington to life. In a behind-the-scenes special about the film, animators explain that every sound and facial expression Jack made required a different head that could be popped on and off of the character's puppet body. With that kind of painstaking work, it's no wonder the film took three years to make!
About the photo: Kathy Green and David McClow, dressed as characters from Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas, ride the trolley to the convention center on day three of the Comic-Con International held at the San Diego Convention Center Saturday July 23, 2016 in San Diego. (Photo by Denis Poroy/Invision/AP)
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What to stream: A stocking full of fresh Christmas shows and moviesRudolph was voiced by Billie Mae Richards.
Rudolph may have been a cute little boy reindeer in the 1964 TV special, but he was brought to life by Canadian voice actor Billie Mae Richards. Most of the voice cast for this stop-motion classic was actually Canadian because it was cheaper to record audio for the special in Canada. However, in the original credits of the film, Richards is noted as Billy Richards.
That wasn't an accident -- she was intentionally credited that way to obscure her gender. She once said kids wouldn't believe it when her own grandchildren told them she did Rudolph's voice -- but she could prove it by doing the voice on the spot.
Rudolph was voiced by Billie Mae Richards.Rudolph may have been a cute little boy reindeer in the 1964 TV special, but he was brought to life by Canadian voice actor Billie Mae Richards. Most of the voice cast for this stop-motion classic was actually Canadian because it was cheaper to record audio for the special in Canada. However, in the original credits of the film, Richards is noted as Billy Richards.
That wasn't an accident -- she was intentionally credited that way to obscure her gender. She once said kids wouldn't believe it when her own grandchildren told them she did Rudolph's voice -- but she could prove it by doing the voice on the spot.
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What to stream: A stocking full of fresh Christmas shows and movies©Buena Vista Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection
By all accounts, Michael Caine had a great time acting as one of the sole humans in 1992's "The Muppet Christmas Carol." However, being a giant among puppets comes with a few challenges. The bottom of the sets were made up of a series of pits to allow room for Muppet puppeteers. That meant Caine and his fellow humans had to walk on boards above the puppeteers, kind of like an advanced version of "the floor is lava." (The floor is people, perhaps.)
Set designers also used forced perspective to keep everything in proportion -- a common set trick that's also used at numerous theme parks. They also included a nice nod to Caine: One of the signs on the street set reads "Micklewhite's," which is Caine's real last name.
©Buena Vista Pictures/Courtesy Everett CollectionBy all accounts, Michael Caine had a great time acting as one of the sole humans in 1992's "The Muppet Christmas Carol." However, being a giant among puppets comes with a few challenges. The bottom of the sets were made up of a series of pits to allow room for Muppet puppeteers. That meant Caine and his fellow humans had to walk on boards above the puppeteers, kind of like an advanced version of "the floor is lava." (The floor is people, perhaps.)
Set designers also used forced perspective to keep everything in proportion -- a common set trick that's also used at numerous theme parks. They also included a nice nod to Caine: One of the signs on the street set reads "Micklewhite's," which is Caine's real last name.
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What to stream: A stocking full of fresh Christmas shows and moviesCBS/Getty Images
Not all movie magic is high-tech. In the 1940s, when "It's a Wonderful Life" was produced, movie crews typically used painted cornflakes as snow. Though melt-proof, they were also a little too ... crunchy. The film's director Frank Capra decided to try something quieter, and landed on a custom blend for his winter scenes: Ivory soap flakes, chipped ice, and Foamite, a compound used in fire extinguishers. According to the "It's a Wonderful Life" museum, if you pay close attention to the scene with Clarence and George in the river, you can see some tell-tale soap suds floating by.
CBS/Getty ImagesNot all movie magic is high-tech. In the 1940s, when "It's a Wonderful Life" was produced, movie crews typically used painted cornflakes as snow. Though melt-proof, they were also a little too ... crunchy. The film's director Frank Capra decided to try something quieter, and landed on a custom blend for his winter scenes: Ivory soap flakes, chipped ice, and Foamite, a compound used in fire extinguishers. According to the "It's a Wonderful Life" museum, if you pay close attention to the scene with Clarence and George in the river, you can see some tell-tale soap suds floating by.
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What to stream: A stocking full of fresh Christmas shows and moviesMoviestore/Shutterstock
Perk up your ears while watching the 1983 comedy "Trading Places." The classical music heard in the opening scene, and throughout the movie, is from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's opera "The Marriage of Figaro." Christmas movies and classical music go together like milk and cookies, ("Ode to Joy" and "Die Hard," anyone?) but Elmer Bernstein, who scored the film, was especially clever to add this particular piece.
"The Marriage of Figaro" is a tale of madcap misunderstanding, in which a servant tries to get the best of his pompous, wealthy employer -- similar to how "Trading Places'" Dan Aykroyd and Eddie Murphy get revenge on two scheming executives.
Moviestore/ShutterstockPerk up your ears while watching the 1983 comedy "Trading Places." The classical music heard in the opening scene, and throughout the movie, is from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's opera "The Marriage of Figaro." Christmas movies and classical music go together like milk and cookies, ("Ode to Joy" and "Die Hard," anyone?) but Elmer Bernstein, who scored the film, was especially clever to add this particular piece.
"The Marriage of Figaro" is a tale of madcap misunderstanding, in which a servant tries to get the best of his pompous, wealthy employer -- similar to how "Trading Places'" Dan Aykroyd and Eddie Murphy get revenge on two scheming executives.
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2 stars of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ look back at a classicMGM
Since well before Thanksgiving, streaming and cable networks have featured Christmas movies in anticipation of the season. Some are wholesome classics, like “Miracle on 34th Street” or “It's a Wonderful Life,” that have stood as holiday standards for generations. Others are forging new traditions, with prolific holiday production house Hallmark premiering new offerings every year and streamers like Netflix and Amazon working on their own Christmas films in an attempt to capture the market hungry for cheerful movies.
To help people sort through the many holiday movies out there, Stacker compiled Metacritic data on all Christmas movies and ranked them according to their Metascore (out of 100). Any ties are broken by IMDb user scores (out of 10). To qualify, each film had to be identified as a Christmas movie by critics at significant publications, with at least four reviews from those publications.
Christmas films like “Elf” are fun family comedies, while some films like the horror movie “Black Christmas” take a completely different approach and use Christmas imagery in a very different context. Some films are less sentimental and family-centric, focusing instead on authenticity in depicting the conflicts between family members. Other films are about an entirely different subject matter while taking advantage of Christmas as a backdrop for their distinct imagery and broad themes of family and unity.
Genre is meant to help describe and communicate the tone and style of a film, not to serve as a limiting factor on what films can and cannot be. There are no hard and fast lines that define Christmas movies, and we think leaning into more open interpretations of what fits into certain genres is best practice for getting a pool of films that represent all possible expressions of a particular genre.
Every film on the following list has been considered according to the cinematic history and development of Christmas movies. Keep reading to learn about the very best in the genre.
You may also like: Classic Christmas songs that are more than 100 years old
MGMSince well before Thanksgiving, streaming and cable networks have featured Christmas movies in anticipation of the season. Some are wholesome classics, like “Miracle on 34th Street” or “It's a Wonderful Life,” that have stood as holiday standards for generations. Others are forging new traditions, with prolific holiday production house Hallmark premiering new offerings every year and streamers like Netflix and Amazon working on their own Christmas films in an attempt to capture the market hungry for cheerful movies.
To help people sort through the many holiday movies out there, Stacker compiled Metacritic data on all Christmas movies and ranked them according to their Metascore (out of 100). Any ties are broken by IMDb user scores (out of 10). To qualify, each film had to be identified as a Christmas movie by critics at significant publications, with at least four reviews from those publications.
Christmas films like “Elf” are fun family comedies, while some films like the horror movie “Black Christmas” take a completely different approach and use Christmas imagery in a very different context. Some films are less sentimental and family-centric, focusing instead on authenticity in depicting the conflicts between family members. Other films are about an entirely different subject matter while taking advantage of Christmas as a backdrop for their distinct imagery and broad themes of family and unity.
Genre is meant to help describe and communicate the tone and style of a film, not to serve as a limiting factor on what films can and cannot be. There are no hard and fast lines that define Christmas movies, and we think leaning into more open interpretations of what fits into certain genres is best practice for getting a pool of films that represent all possible expressions of a particular genre.
Every film on the following list has been considered according to the cinematic history and development of Christmas movies. Keep reading to learn about the very best in the genre.
You may also like: Classic Christmas songs that are more than 100 years old
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2 stars of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ look back at a classicCinema Group Ventures
- Director: John Landis
- Metascore: 69
- IMDb user rating: 7.5
- Runtime: 116 minutes
During the peak of his “Saturday Night Live” career, Eddie Murphy starred in “Trading Places,” one of his many 1980s film hits. Murphy plays Billy Ray Valentine, a street hustler who is groomed into a stockbroker to replace the educated Louis Winthorpe (Dan Aykroyd) as part of a bet between two mogul brothers. Winthorpe reaches his lowest point at a Christmas office party, but he and Valentine team up to take down the brothers playing with their lives with an elaborate and crowd-pleasing scheme. Despite some heavy subject matter and a few complicated details on stocks and finances, the film carries a light-hearted tone, with one of its famous sequences involving a gorilla on a train, of all possible things.
Cinema Group Ventures- Director: John Landis
- Metascore: 69
- IMDb user rating: 7.5
- Runtime: 116 minutes
During the peak of his “Saturday Night Live” career, Eddie Murphy starred in “Trading Places,” one of his many 1980s film hits. Murphy plays Billy Ray Valentine, a street hustler who is groomed into a stockbroker to replace the educated Louis Winthorpe (Dan Aykroyd) as part of a bet between two mogul brothers. Winthorpe reaches his lowest point at a Christmas office party, but he and Valentine team up to take down the brothers playing with their lives with an elaborate and crowd-pleasing scheme. Despite some heavy subject matter and a few complicated details on stocks and finances, the film carries a light-hearted tone, with one of its famous sequences involving a gorilla on a train, of all possible things.
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2 stars of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ look back at a classicLucky Coffee Productions
- Director: Joe Swanberg
- Metascore: 70
- IMDb user rating: 5.5
- Runtime: 82 minutes
Mumblecore extraordinaire Joe Swanberg turned in another mostly improvised film with “Happy Christmas,” which stars Anna Kendrick as an irresponsible woman named Jenny moving in with her older brother (Swanberg) and his wife, Kelly (Melanie Lynskey). While Christmas mainly serves as a backdrop to the story, the film carries the themes of family and happiness, with Jenny ultimately being a positive influence on Kelly as she contemplates how to live a wholesome life.
Lucky Coffee Productions- Director: Joe Swanberg
- Metascore: 70
- IMDb user rating: 5.5
- Runtime: 82 minutes
Mumblecore extraordinaire Joe Swanberg turned in another mostly improvised film with “Happy Christmas,” which stars Anna Kendrick as an irresponsible woman named Jenny moving in with her older brother (Swanberg) and his wife, Kelly (Melanie Lynskey). While Christmas mainly serves as a backdrop to the story, the film carries the themes of family and happiness, with Jenny ultimately being a positive influence on Kelly as she contemplates how to live a wholesome life.
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2 stars of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ look back at a classicColumbia Pictures
- Director: Terry Zwigoff
- Metascore: 70
- IMDb user rating: 7.0
- Runtime: 91 minutes
It isn’t a particularly family-friendly Christmas movie, but “Bad Santa” is something of a classic in some circles. The film stars Billy Bob Thornton as a conman who uses an annual gig as Santa Claus at the mall to further his robbery agenda. As Thornton’s bad Santa continues to spiral down due to his alcoholism and sex addiction, doubts emerge about his abilities to sustain this lifestyle. Crude, vulgar, and unusual, this film gets laughs from audiences and critics alike, but it might be one to save for after the kids have hit the hay.
Columbia Pictures- Director: Terry Zwigoff
- Metascore: 70
- IMDb user rating: 7.0
- Runtime: 91 minutes
It isn’t a particularly family-friendly Christmas movie, but “Bad Santa” is something of a classic in some circles. The film stars Billy Bob Thornton as a conman who uses an annual gig as Santa Claus at the mall to further his robbery agenda. As Thornton’s bad Santa continues to spiral down due to his alcoholism and sex addiction, doubts emerge about his abilities to sustain this lifestyle. Crude, vulgar, and unusual, this film gets laughs from audiences and critics alike, but it might be one to save for after the kids have hit the hay.
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2 stars of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ look back at a classicWarner Bros.
- Director: Joe Dante
- Metascore: 70
- IMDb user rating: 7.3
- Runtime: 106 minutes
Part horror and part dark comedy, “Gremlins” is the cult classic with a storyline built on the premise of a father trying to find a Christmas present for his son. The gift he finds turns out to be a “mogwai,” a creature that spawns mischievous and dangerous little monsters. Grim and violent, the film upset many parents who brought their children to movie theaters. “Gremlins” did manage to leave behind a legacy of critical praise and today is remembered for the contrast between the bright Christmas setting and the dark humor.
Warner Bros.- Director: Joe Dante
- Metascore: 70
- IMDb user rating: 7.3
- Runtime: 106 minutes
Part horror and part dark comedy, “Gremlins” is the cult classic with a storyline built on the premise of a father trying to find a Christmas present for his son. The gift he finds turns out to be a “mogwai,” a creature that spawns mischievous and dangerous little monsters. Grim and violent, the film upset many parents who brought their children to movie theaters. “Gremlins” did manage to leave behind a legacy of critical praise and today is remembered for the contrast between the bright Christmas setting and the dark humor.
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2 stars of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ look back at a classicNord-Ouest Films
- Director: Christian Carion
- Metascore: 70
- IMDb user rating: 7.7
- Runtime: 116 minutes
Finding solace during one of the largest world conflicts in history is a rarity, but “Joyeux Noel” provides a fictional tale of just that. Taking place during World War I, this film depicts the Christmas Eve truce of December 1914 between French, Scottish, and German soldiers, with all of them singing festive songs together and sharing stories about each other’s lives. Against the intentions of their superiors, these soldiers stood in solidarity, if only for a short time.
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Nord-Ouest Films- Director: Christian Carion
- Metascore: 70
- IMDb user rating: 7.7
- Runtime: 116 minutes
Finding solace during one of the largest world conflicts in history is a rarity, but “Joyeux Noel” provides a fictional tale of just that. Taking place during World War I, this film depicts the Christmas Eve truce of December 1914 between French, Scottish, and German soldiers, with all of them singing festive songs together and sharing stories about each other’s lives. Against the intentions of their superiors, these soldiers stood in solidarity, if only for a short time.
You may also like: Biggest box office bombs of all time
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2 stars of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ look back at a classicCinet
- Director: Jalmari Helander
- Metascore: 71
- IMDb user rating: 6.7
- Runtime: 84 minutes
“Rare Exports” had an unusual take on the Christmas movie subgenre, as a bizarre fantasy meets horror meets comedy flick. The Finnish film depicts a group of people residing near a mountain as they trap different reindeer and attempt to capture Santa Claus himself. Featuring deadpan comedy and Christmas-themed horror, this film is nothing if not original.
Cinet- Director: Jalmari Helander
- Metascore: 71
- IMDb user rating: 6.7
- Runtime: 84 minutes
“Rare Exports” had an unusual take on the Christmas movie subgenre, as a bizarre fantasy meets horror meets comedy flick. The Finnish film depicts a group of people residing near a mountain as they trap different reindeer and attempt to capture Santa Claus himself. Featuring deadpan comedy and Christmas-themed horror, this film is nothing if not original.
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2 stars of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ look back at a classicWarner Bros.
- Director: Shane Black
- Metascore: 72
- IMDb user rating: 7.5
- Runtime: 103 minutes
Writer-director Shane Black is famous for setting nearly all of his films during Christmastime, and after writing a number of famous action movies in the 1980s, his 2005 directorial debut fully immersed itself in the Christmas spirit. Darkly comedic, complex, and a little bonkers, “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang” stars Robert Downey Jr. as a burglar-turned-accidental actor who finds himself in increasingly absurd situations with a private investigator (Val Kilmer). The film caught the attention of Marvel Studios, which hired Downey Jr. as Iron Man and brought on Black to co-write and direct “Iron Man 3,” another Christmas-set film with some frantic and absurd moments of its own.
Warner Bros.- Director: Shane Black
- Metascore: 72
- IMDb user rating: 7.5
- Runtime: 103 minutes
Writer-director Shane Black is famous for setting nearly all of his films during Christmastime, and after writing a number of famous action movies in the 1980s, his 2005 directorial debut fully immersed itself in the Christmas spirit. Darkly comedic, complex, and a little bonkers, “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang” stars Robert Downey Jr. as a burglar-turned-accidental actor who finds himself in increasingly absurd situations with a private investigator (Val Kilmer). The film caught the attention of Marvel Studios, which hired Downey Jr. as Iron Man and brought on Black to co-write and direct “Iron Man 3,” another Christmas-set film with some frantic and absurd moments of its own.
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2 stars of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ look back at a classicTwentieth Century Fox
- Director: John McTiernan
- Metascore: 72
- IMDb user rating: 8.2
- Runtime: 132 minutes
“Die Hard” is easily among the most influential action movie from the 1980s, yet much of contemporary conversation over the film is regarding its status as a Christmas movie. Featuring dark humor and bloody action, “Die Hard” has Bruce Willis starring as John McClane, who attends the office Christmas Eve party of his estranged wife on the same night that an apparent terrorist named Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) leads a team to violently take the entire office skyscraper. The film features several Christmas references, with twisted uses of Santa hats and Christmas-themed duct tape in pivotal scenes, but many could argue that the film is ultimately about a family reuniting.
Twentieth Century Fox- Director: John McTiernan
- Metascore: 72
- IMDb user rating: 8.2
- Runtime: 132 minutes
“Die Hard” is easily among the most influential action movie from the 1980s, yet much of contemporary conversation over the film is regarding its status as a Christmas movie. Featuring dark humor and bloody action, “Die Hard” has Bruce Willis starring as John McClane, who attends the office Christmas Eve party of his estranged wife on the same night that an apparent terrorist named Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) leads a team to violently take the entire office skyscraper. The film features several Christmas references, with twisted uses of Santa hats and Christmas-themed duct tape in pivotal scenes, but many could argue that the film is ultimately about a family reuniting.
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2 stars of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ look back at a classicMadhouse
- Directors: Satoshi Kon, Shôgo Furuya
- Metascore: 73
- IMDb user rating: 7.8
- Runtime: 92 minutes
The late Satoshi Kon, best known for “Paprika” and “Perfect Blue,” was one of the directors behind “Tokyo Godfathers,” an animated comedy film based on the novel “Three Godfathers.” Taking place on Christmas Eve, the film focuses on three homeless people who find a baby and go on a quest to find its parents. With an emphasis on family, this film inherited Christmas spirit and heart, even with its unusual setup.
Madhouse- Directors: Satoshi Kon, Shôgo Furuya
- Metascore: 73
- IMDb user rating: 7.8
- Runtime: 92 minutes
The late Satoshi Kon, best known for “Paprika” and “Perfect Blue,” was one of the directors behind “Tokyo Godfathers,” an animated comedy film based on the novel “Three Godfathers.” Taking place on Christmas Eve, the film focuses on three homeless people who find a baby and go on a quest to find its parents. With an emphasis on family, this film inherited Christmas spirit and heart, even with its unusual setup.
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2 stars of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ look back at a classicTwentieth Century Fox
- Director: Tim Burton
- Metascore: 74
- IMDb user rating: 7.9
- Runtime: 105 minutes
One of Tim Burton’s most iconic movies is “Edward Scissorhands,” which stars Johnny Depp in the eponymous role. As the name implies, Edward has blades as hands, which he got as a result of his being a product of a mad experiment. Though Christmas isn’t a major theme here, one of the essential scenes takes place during Christmas, where Edward creates joy from carving an ice sculpture with his hands and creating snow with the ice shavings. Even with the dark imagery, this Burton film is ultimately one with a heartwarming and hopeful message about finding belonging as an outcast.
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Twentieth Century Fox- Director: Tim Burton
- Metascore: 74
- IMDb user rating: 7.9
- Runtime: 105 minutes
One of Tim Burton’s most iconic movies is “Edward Scissorhands,” which stars Johnny Depp in the eponymous role. As the name implies, Edward has blades as hands, which he got as a result of his being a product of a mad experiment. Though Christmas isn’t a major theme here, one of the essential scenes takes place during Christmas, where Edward creates joy from carving an ice sculpture with his hands and creating snow with the ice shavings. Even with the dark imagery, this Burton film is ultimately one with a heartwarming and hopeful message about finding belonging as an outcast.
You may also like: 30 celebrities you might not know are LGBTQ
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2 stars of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ look back at a classicWesterly Films
- Director: Whit Stillman
- Metascore: 77
- IMDb user rating: 7.4
- Runtime: 98 minutes
Wealthy young socialites in Manhattan are the focus of “Metropolitan,” a film that takes place in an apartment during the debutante season. These characters form bonds, discuss their respective philosophies on life, and uncover secrets about each other. While the film itself isn’t strictly about Christmas, “Metropolitan” does attempt to capture the feeling of the time between Christmas and New Year’s in New York City.
Westerly Films- Director: Whit Stillman
- Metascore: 77
- IMDb user rating: 7.4
- Runtime: 98 minutes
Wealthy young socialites in Manhattan are the focus of “Metropolitan,” a film that takes place in an apartment during the debutante season. These characters form bonds, discuss their respective philosophies on life, and uncover secrets about each other. While the film itself isn’t strictly about Christmas, “Metropolitan” does attempt to capture the feeling of the time between Christmas and New Year’s in New York City.
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2 stars of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ look back at a classicMGM
- Director: Bob Clark
- Metascore: 77
- IMDb user rating: 8.0
- Runtime: 94 minutes
One of the more obvious seasonal classics is “A Christmas Story,” based on a book by Jean Shepherd—who also acted as the movie’s narrator. The film is told through a series of vignettes, with protagonist Ralphie retelling a story from his childhood where he obsessed about getting a BB gun as a Christmas gift. While not immediately popular or successful upon release, the film eventually became an iconic holiday classic thanks to its sense of humor.
MGM- Director: Bob Clark
- Metascore: 77
- IMDb user rating: 8.0
- Runtime: 94 minutes
One of the more obvious seasonal classics is “A Christmas Story,” based on a book by Jean Shepherd—who also acted as the movie’s narrator. The film is told through a series of vignettes, with protagonist Ralphie retelling a story from his childhood where he obsessed about getting a BB gun as a Christmas gift. While not immediately popular or successful upon release, the film eventually became an iconic holiday classic thanks to its sense of humor.
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2 stars of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ look back at a classicJet Tone Production
- Director: Wong Kar-Wai
- Metascore: 78
- IMDb user rating: 7.4
- Runtime: 129 minutes
Loosely following up on his film “In The Mood For Love,” Hong Kong director Wong Kar-Wai added some subtle science-fiction elements and constant references to Christmas Eve in “2046.” In this movie, Chow Mo-wan (Tony Leung Chiu-Wai) contemplates his unconsummated affair (which viewers saw in “In The Mood For Love”). The film shows subsequent relationships with other women that took place following the affair, with many key scenes taking place on Christmas Eve in different years.
Jet Tone Production- Director: Wong Kar-Wai
- Metascore: 78
- IMDb user rating: 7.4
- Runtime: 129 minutes
Loosely following up on his film “In The Mood For Love,” Hong Kong director Wong Kar-Wai added some subtle science-fiction elements and constant references to Christmas Eve in “2046.” In this movie, Chow Mo-wan (Tony Leung Chiu-Wai) contemplates his unconsummated affair (which viewers saw in “In The Mood For Love”). The film shows subsequent relationships with other women that took place following the affair, with many key scenes taking place on Christmas Eve in different years.
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2 stars of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ look back at a classicSwedish Magazine Productions
- Director: Charles Poekel
- Metascore: 79
- IMDb user rating: 6.6
- Runtime: 80 minutes
“Christmas, Again” made the rounds at several independent film festivals, including Sundance. The movie focuses on a Christmas tree salesman named Noel (Kentucker Audley) looking to move on from his past while a number of people—one being a romantic interest—help him out of a loop of self-destruction. As opposed to focusing on Christmas itself or showing a more cheery depiction of the holiday season, this film homed in on some of the less festive feelings that might overtake some during the time of year.
Swedish Magazine Productions- Director: Charles Poekel
- Metascore: 79
- IMDb user rating: 6.6
- Runtime: 80 minutes
“Christmas, Again” made the rounds at several independent film festivals, including Sundance. The movie focuses on a Christmas tree salesman named Noel (Kentucker Audley) looking to move on from his past while a number of people—one being a romantic interest—help him out of a loop of self-destruction. As opposed to focusing on Christmas itself or showing a more cheery depiction of the holiday season, this film homed in on some of the less festive feelings that might overtake some during the time of year.
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2 stars of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ look back at a classicBV McCann-Erickson
- Director: Radu Muntean
- Metascore: 81
- IMDb user rating: 7.0
- Runtime: 99 minutes
Romanian film “Tuesday, After Christmas” depicts a family in discord, as the patriarch (Mimi Branescu) of the family engages in an affair with a younger woman (Maria Popistasu)—who also happens to be the family’s dentist. In love with both women, the man realizes that he must make a decision between the two before Christmas, with an ultimate verdict held off until the Tuesday after. Many Christmas films have themes of warmth and unity, while this particular film took the opposite direction by focusing on conflict and heartbreak.
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BV McCann-Erickson- Director: Radu Muntean
- Metascore: 81
- IMDb user rating: 7.0
- Runtime: 99 minutes
Romanian film “Tuesday, After Christmas” depicts a family in discord, as the patriarch (Mimi Branescu) of the family engages in an affair with a younger woman (Maria Popistasu)—who also happens to be the family’s dentist. In love with both women, the man realizes that he must make a decision between the two before Christmas, with an ultimate verdict held off until the Tuesday after. Many Christmas films have themes of warmth and unity, while this particular film took the opposite direction by focusing on conflict and heartbreak.
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2 stars of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ look back at a classicTéléfilm Canada
- Director: Jean-Marc Vallée
- Metascore: 81
- IMDb user rating: 7.9
- Runtime: 127 minutes
Quebecois film “C.R.A.Z.Y.” tells the story of a young man (Marc-André Grondin) dealing with homophobia from his family and others, and takes place over the span of several years. The young man was born on Christmas, and the film skips around to different Christmases in depicting different points of his life. Even with the serious subject matter, the film manages to feel light-hearted enough to elicit laughs, while still remaining honest and authentic.
Téléfilm Canada- Director: Jean-Marc Vallée
- Metascore: 81
- IMDb user rating: 7.9
- Runtime: 127 minutes
Quebecois film “C.R.A.Z.Y.” tells the story of a young man (Marc-André Grondin) dealing with homophobia from his family and others, and takes place over the span of several years. The young man was born on Christmas, and the film skips around to different Christmases in depicting different points of his life. Even with the serious subject matter, the film manages to feel light-hearted enough to elicit laughs, while still remaining honest and authentic.
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2 stars of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ look back at a classicKudos Film and Television
- Director: David Cronenberg
- Metascore: 82
- IMDb user rating: 7.6
- Runtime: 100 minutes
A film focused on the Russian mob may not be what one thinks of as a Christmas film, but “Eastern Promises” carries plenty of Christmas-related themes involving gift-giving and family. Taking place before Christmas in snowy England, the film stars Naomi Watts as a woman seeking a lost baby girl and Viggo Mortensen as an FSB agent who has infiltrated a violent Russian gang—the gang being led by the father of the baby. Mortensen’s Oscar-nominated performance was a result of intense research and immersion into the role, which featured a bloody fight scene in a bathhouse.
Kudos Film and Television- Director: David Cronenberg
- Metascore: 82
- IMDb user rating: 7.6
- Runtime: 100 minutes
A film focused on the Russian mob may not be what one thinks of as a Christmas film, but “Eastern Promises” carries plenty of Christmas-related themes involving gift-giving and family. Taking place before Christmas in snowy England, the film stars Naomi Watts as a woman seeking a lost baby girl and Viggo Mortensen as an FSB agent who has infiltrated a violent Russian gang—the gang being led by the father of the baby. Mortensen’s Oscar-nominated performance was a result of intense research and immersion into the role, which featured a bloody fight scene in a bathhouse.
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2 stars of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ look back at a classicTouchstone Pictures
- Director: Henry Selick
- Metascore: 82
- IMDb user rating: 8.0
- Runtime: 76 minutes
On the line between Halloween film and Christmas film, “The Nightmare Before Christmas” is beloved by both those who adore the spooky October season and the festive, snowy December season. The film follows Jack Skellington (voiced by Chris Sarandon, though Danny Elfman, who wrote the film’s score, sang Jack’s songs), the pumpkin king of Halloweentown, a gothic fantasy world filled with spooky creatures. After wandering in the woods, Jack accidentally finds the door to Christmastown and becomes enamored with the concepts and imagery he witnesses. The Tim Burton-produced film is filled with musical numbers, ranging from thrilling and scary to fun and festive, to represent the different holidays it portrays.
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Touchstone Pictures- Director: Henry Selick
- Metascore: 82
- IMDb user rating: 8.0
- Runtime: 76 minutes
On the line between Halloween film and Christmas film, “The Nightmare Before Christmas” is beloved by both those who adore the spooky October season and the festive, snowy December season. The film follows Jack Skellington (voiced by Chris Sarandon, though Danny Elfman, who wrote the film’s score, sang Jack’s songs), the pumpkin king of Halloweentown, a gothic fantasy world filled with spooky creatures. After wandering in the woods, Jack accidentally finds the door to Christmastown and becomes enamored with the concepts and imagery he witnesses. The Tim Burton-produced film is filled with musical numbers, ranging from thrilling and scary to fun and festive, to represent the different holidays it portrays.
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2 stars of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ look back at a classicWhy Not Productions
- Director: Arnaud Desplechin
- Metascore: 84
- IMDb user rating: 7.1
- Runtime: 150 minutes
Not every family has the luxury of healthy familial relationships, as the French comedy “A Christmas Tale” reminds us. The film follows a family full of strained relationships and how that family is shaken upon the discovery that the family matriarch (Catherine Deneuve) has leukemia. The film is sharp and funny, successfully engaging critics and capturing the chaos that defines many family gatherings during the holiday season.
Why Not Productions- Director: Arnaud Desplechin
- Metascore: 84
- IMDb user rating: 7.1
- Runtime: 150 minutes
Not every family has the luxury of healthy familial relationships, as the French comedy “A Christmas Tale” reminds us. The film follows a family full of strained relationships and how that family is shaken upon the discovery that the family matriarch (Catherine Deneuve) has leukemia. The film is sharp and funny, successfully engaging critics and capturing the chaos that defines many family gatherings during the holiday season.
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2 stars of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ look back at a classicDuplass Brothers Productions
- Director: Sean Baker
- Metascore: 85
- IMDb user rating: 7.1
- Runtime: 88 minutes
Shot entirely on the iPhone and making its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, “Tangerine” is the epitome of an independent film. The movie follows a transgender sex worker who discovers that her pimp and boyfriend has cheated on her, with the story tracking her search for him during Christmas Eve. The film received marks for its unique attitude and for its depiction of an often overlooked subculture.
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Duplass Brothers Productions- Director: Sean Baker
- Metascore: 85
- IMDb user rating: 7.1
- Runtime: 88 minutes
Shot entirely on the iPhone and making its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, “Tangerine” is the epitome of an independent film. The movie follows a transgender sex worker who discovers that her pimp and boyfriend has cheated on her, with the story tracking her search for him during Christmas Eve. The film received marks for its unique attitude and for its depiction of an often overlooked subculture.
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2 stars of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ look back at a classicColumbia Pictures
- Director: Gillian Armstrong
- Metascore: 87
- IMDb user rating: 7.3
- Runtime: 115 minutes
One of the several adaptations of Louisa May Alcott’s classic novel “Little Women,” this film features Winona Ryder, Kirsten Dunst, Claire Danes, and Susan Sarandon as members of the March clan. As with all adaptations of the novel, this film focuses on the relationships between the March sisters and how those relationships evolve over the years. With wintry scenes sprinkled throughout the film, Christmas serves as the backdrop for one of the more important family gatherings depicted in the film.
Columbia Pictures- Director: Gillian Armstrong
- Metascore: 87
- IMDb user rating: 7.3
- Runtime: 115 minutes
One of the several adaptations of Louisa May Alcott’s classic novel “Little Women,” this film features Winona Ryder, Kirsten Dunst, Claire Danes, and Susan Sarandon as members of the March clan. As with all adaptations of the novel, this film focuses on the relationships between the March sisters and how those relationships evolve over the years. With wintry scenes sprinkled throughout the film, Christmas serves as the backdrop for one of the more important family gatherings depicted in the film.
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2 stars of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ look back at a classicTwentieth Century Fox
- Director: George Seaton
- Metascore: 88
- IMDb user rating: 7.9
- Runtime: 96 minutes
Possibly the oldest Christmas classic that remains a strong favorite to this day is “Miracle on 34th Street.” The film follows a department store Santa who claims to be the real deal. Though the cheery Kris Kringle (Edmund Gwenn) wins the hearts of children and adults alike, his claim that he’s the “real” Santa Claus ultimately leads to a high-profile court case to determine his mental state. From start to finish, the film carries a theme of joy in the face of cynicism and true holiday spirit. Even after attempts to remake the film, the original version still stands its ground as a must-watch, family-friendly seasonal staple.
Twentieth Century Fox- Director: George Seaton
- Metascore: 88
- IMDb user rating: 7.9
- Runtime: 96 minutes
Possibly the oldest Christmas classic that remains a strong favorite to this day is “Miracle on 34th Street.” The film follows a department store Santa who claims to be the real deal. Though the cheery Kris Kringle (Edmund Gwenn) wins the hearts of children and adults alike, his claim that he’s the “real” Santa Claus ultimately leads to a high-profile court case to determine his mental state. From start to finish, the film carries a theme of joy in the face of cynicism and true holiday spirit. Even after attempts to remake the film, the original version still stands its ground as a must-watch, family-friendly seasonal staple.
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2 stars of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ look back at a classicLiberty Films (II)
- Director: Frank Capra
- Metascore: 89
- IMDb user rating: 8.6
- Runtime: 130 minutes
Frank Capra co-wrote and directed “It’s a Wonderful Life,” which remains a largely influential Christmas film even today. An overwhelmed man (James Stewart) is close to committing suicide on Christmas Eve, but his guardian angel intervenes and guides him through points in his life to moments where he made a difference for other people. The film wasn't always the holiday classic it is today—the studio actually lost money at the time of its original release. In 1974 when the producer and original copyright owner (Republic Pictures) failed to renew the copyright, "It's a Wonderful Life" entered the public domain, meaning it was free for TV networks to show, until Republic Pictures found a way to regain control 1993.
Liberty Films (II)- Director: Frank Capra
- Metascore: 89
- IMDb user rating: 8.6
- Runtime: 130 minutes
Frank Capra co-wrote and directed “It’s a Wonderful Life,” which remains a largely influential Christmas film even today. An overwhelmed man (James Stewart) is close to committing suicide on Christmas Eve, but his guardian angel intervenes and guides him through points in his life to moments where he made a difference for other people. The film wasn't always the holiday classic it is today—the studio actually lost money at the time of its original release. In 1974 when the producer and original copyright owner (Republic Pictures) failed to renew the copyright, "It's a Wonderful Life" entered the public domain, meaning it was free for TV networks to show, until Republic Pictures found a way to regain control 1993.
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2 stars of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ look back at a classicColumbia Pictures
- Director: Greta Gerwig
- Metascore: 91
- IMDb user rating: 7.8
- Runtime: 135 minutes
In another remake of the literary classic, “Little Women,” the 2019 rendition directed by Greta Gerwig was lauded for its fresh take on a familiar story through unique cinematography and storytelling. Unlike versions in the past, the story was not scripted chronologically. Viewers get thrown back and forth in time to check in on the formative moments of the women’s lives. The film was nominated for a total of 188 awards around the world and won 72 of them—including an Oscar for Best Achievement in Costume Design.
Columbia Pictures- Director: Greta Gerwig
- Metascore: 91
- IMDb user rating: 7.8
- Runtime: 135 minutes
In another remake of the literary classic, “Little Women,” the 2019 rendition directed by Greta Gerwig was lauded for its fresh take on a familiar story through unique cinematography and storytelling. Unlike versions in the past, the story was not scripted chronologically. Viewers get thrown back and forth in time to check in on the formative moments of the women’s lives. The film was nominated for a total of 188 awards around the world and won 72 of them—including an Oscar for Best Achievement in Costume Design.
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2 stars of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ look back at a classicThe Mirisch Corporation
- Director: Billy Wilder
- Metascore: 94
- IMDb user rating: 8.3
- Runtime: 125 minutes
Legendary actors Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine star in “The Apartment,” a famous romantic comedy centering on extramarital affairs. The film has an important scene that takes place during a Christmas party, with some truths about affairs and entanglements coming to light in the height of drunken revelations. The film is gleeful while also focusing on adultery and less conventional family values.
The Mirisch Corporation- Director: Billy Wilder
- Metascore: 94
- IMDb user rating: 8.3
- Runtime: 125 minutes
Legendary actors Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine star in “The Apartment,” a famous romantic comedy centering on extramarital affairs. The film has an important scene that takes place during a Christmas party, with some truths about affairs and entanglements coming to light in the height of drunken revelations. The film is gleeful while also focusing on adultery and less conventional family values.
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2 stars of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ look back at a classicThe Weinstein Company
- Director: Todd Haynes
- Metascore: 95
- IMDb user rating: 7.2
- Runtime: 118 minutes
Based on a 1952 book titled “The Price of Salt,” “Carol” is a queer romance film starring Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara—and one of the top-rated films of 2015. Taking place during the Christmas season in the 1950s, the film follows Therese (Mara), an aspiring photographer, and Carol (Blanchett), who is undergoing a difficult divorce. The two women connect after a chance encounter and, before long, enter into a passionate, complicated romance. While essentially melodramatic and not necessarily focused on familial themes associated with Christmas, the film has been applauded by critics and audiences alike for its compelling and engaging storyline.
The Weinstein Company- Director: Todd Haynes
- Metascore: 95
- IMDb user rating: 7.2
- Runtime: 118 minutes
Based on a 1952 book titled “The Price of Salt,” “Carol” is a queer romance film starring Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara—and one of the top-rated films of 2015. Taking place during the Christmas season in the 1950s, the film follows Therese (Mara), an aspiring photographer, and Carol (Blanchett), who is undergoing a difficult divorce. The two women connect after a chance encounter and, before long, enter into a passionate, complicated romance. While essentially melodramatic and not necessarily focused on familial themes associated with Christmas, the film has been applauded by critics and audiences alike for its compelling and engaging storyline.
First up, a holiday comedy special from Matt Rogers, who brings his stage show, “Have You Heard of Christmas?” to Showtime, streaming Friday. Rogers, who co-starred in “Fire Island,” and “I Love That for You” this year, has been touring this holiday spectacular featuring original Christmas songs for the past several years. This “yuletide musical extravaganza” features Rogers performing his nine “future classic holiday hits” as he attempts to become the Prince of Christmas. And even though he’s not a pop star, Rogers can belt with the best, so tune in for this musical comedy special that straddles the line between naughty and nice.
After that, flip over to the Roku Channel for “The Great American Baking Show: Celebrity Holiday.” Hosted by Ellie Kemper and Zach Cherry, judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith set up their tent in Los Angeles and put a group of stars through the holiday baking paces, including Rogers’ “Fire Island” co-star Joel Kim Booster, Nat Faxon, Liza Koshy, D’Arcy Carden, Chloe Fineman and NFL star Marshawn Lynch (who ends up being the funniest of the bunch). It’s the “Great British Bake Off” format, with “Nailed It” results. That streams Friday on the Roku Channel.
Michael Tran/AFP/Getty Images North America/TNS
"A Hollywood Christmas" star Jessika Van attends the Warner Bros. and HBO Max holiday movies event at the Warner Bros. studio lot in Burbank, California, on Nov. 16, 2022. (Michael Tran/AFP via Getty Images/TNS)
On Thursday, the holiday movie goes meta with “A Hollywood Christmas,” on HBO Max. We all know the holiday movie tropes, and in this film, Jessika Van plays the director of holiday movies with Josh Swickard as the stern executive sent to oversee if these movies are worth the cost to the studio. Something tells me these two are going to fall in love …
The classic holiday movie formula jets to Brazil on Netflix with the Portuguese-language film “Christmas Full of Grace,” or “Um Natal Cheio de Graca,” in which the son of a wealthy family, Carlinhos, brings home the wacky Grace as his Christmas date, who sows chaotic cheer throughout the event. Didn’t they make this one with Mario Lopez and Melissa Joan Hart back in the day?
For the kids, an updated version of “A Christmas Carol,” the animated musical “Scrooge: A Christmas Carol” on Netflix streams Friday. Featuring the voices of Luke Evans, Olivia Colman and Jessie Buckley, this is a new take on the classic Charles Dickens tale.
And mark your calendars for next week: Zoey Deutch, Kendrick Sampson, Shay Mitchell and Ray Nicholson star in the Prime Video holiday movie “Something from Tiffany’s,” directed by Daryl Wein, a very O. Henry-inspired story about two men who accidentally swap their Tiffany’s gift bags and end up giving their partners unintended gifts laden with meaning, and upend their lives in the process. Stream it Dec. 9 on Prime Video.
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