It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas! It’s also the perfect time to watch holiday films with your family and friends. There are the usual holiday classics like HowThe Grinch Stole Christmas and Home Alone, but we wanted to gift you with a special ‘What To Watch’ list with new and exciting Christmas movies.
There are countless movies that have become holiday staples over the years. When you think of Christmas time, you may watch a rebellious Macaulay Culkin, who portrayed a bratty 8-year-old who acted out before his family’s big winter trip to Paris. The 1990’s Home Alone franchise is always a reminder that cozy weather and hot cocoa are underway.
Some may choose the 2000’s family and fantasy film, How the Grinch Stole Christmas starring Jim Carrey. In the live-action adaptation of the beloved children’s tale by Dr. Seuss, the reclusive green Grinch (Carrey) decides to ruin Christmas for the cheery citizens of Whoville.
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Both classics are joined by other notable holiday films like Elf, Preacher’s Wife and A Charlie Brown Christmas. These are all great films and while we encourage fans to dive into the classics, we also recommend exploring some new films this holiday season.
Every movie you binge throughout the holiday break does not have to be a Christmas film, so we have included some that just happen to come out over the break. There is something for everyone from the fantastical world of Avatar to romantic drama like Own’s The Holiday Fumble.
Check out a specially curated ‘What To Watch’ list for the holidays below:
1. All I Didn't Want For Christmas
‘All I Didn’t Want For Christmas’ stars Academy Award-nominated actress Gabourey Sidibe, Emmy-winning screen legend Loretta Devine and comedy all-star Kel Mitchell. The film is available to watch via VH1.
2. Avatar: The Way of Water
Set more than a decade after the events of the first film, “Avatar: The Way of Water” begins to tell the story of the Sully family (Jake, Neytiri, and their kids), the trouble that follows them, the lengths they go to keep each other safe, the battles they fight to stay alive, and the tragedies they endure. It debuts in theaters Dec. 16th.
3. Who Killed Santa? A Murderville Murder Mystery
Detective Terry Seattle is on the case. The film starring Will Arnett, Jason Bateman and Maya Rudolph will debut December 15th only on Netflix.
4. Falling for Christmas
A young, newly engaged heiress has a skiing accident in the days before Christmas. After she (Lindsay Lohan) is diagnosed with amnesia, she finds herself in the care of the handsome cabin owner and his daughter. The film is available to watch on Netflix.
5. Spirited
A musical version of Charles Dickens’ story of a miserly misanthrope who’s taken on a magical journey, starring Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds. The film is available to watch on Apple TV+.
6. The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special
The Guardians are on a mission to make Christmas unforgettable for Quill and head to Earth in search of the perfect present. Stream now on Disney+.
7. Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical
A 5-year-old uses her powers of telekinesis to help herself and benefit others in this fresh musical spin on a classic film. Available to stream on Netflix Dec. 9.
8. I Wanna Dance With Somebody
Discovered by record executive Clive Davis, Whitney Houston rises from obscurity to international fame in the 1980s to become one of the greatest singers of her generation. The film debuts in theaters Dec. 23.
9. It's A Wonderful Binge
All drugs and alcohol are illegal except on the day of the Binge. Several years after their first Binge, best friends Hags, Andrew, Sarah, and Kimi face the realities of young adulthood as the annual Binge Day is moved to Christmas Eve. Will they survive this holiday season? Available to watch on Hulu.
10. Something From Tiffany's
Nothing compares to the magic and excitement of the holidays in New York City, where the streets blaze with lights, windows dazzle and a special box from Tiffany could change the course of a person’s life. Or several lives. Rachel and Gary (Zoey Deutch, Ray Nicholson) are happy enough but not quite ready for that big commitment. Ethan and Vanessa (Kendrick Smith Sampson, Shay Mitchell), the perfect picture, are just about to make it official. When a simple mix-up of gifts causes all of their paths to cross, it sets off a series of twists and unexpected discoveries that lead them where they’re truly meant to be. Available to watch on Amazon Prime Video.
11. Guillermo Del Toro's Pinocchio
People are sometimes afraid of what they don’t know… From the mind of Academy Award-winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro and award-winning stop-motion legend Mark Gustafson, the story you think you may know, but you don’t. In select theaters and streaming on Netflix.
12. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
Daniel Craig, Edward Norton, Janelle Monáe, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr., Jessica Henwick, Madelyn Cline, with Kate Hudson, and Dave Bautista in Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery on Netflix December 23rd.
13. Fantasy Football
When Callie discovers she can control her NFL star dad through EA SPORTS Madden NFL 23, she finds that keeping their secret is harder than they think! Marsai Martin, Omari Hardwick and Kelly Rowland star in the new Paramount+ Original movie, Fantasy Football. Streaming exclusively on Paramount+ November 25th.
