Shubhabrata Dutta
With the holidays knocking on the door, it is high time we start making the preparations. Planning plays a vital role as there are lots of things to consider, like the feast, the invites, the number of people, the decor, the Christmas trip that you have been planning, and many more. However, there is also a very important aspect of the holidays that we need to remember, i.e., Christmas movies. Christmas is a time of merriment, and with loved ones coming over, movies serve as a great way to celebrate the occasion and the togetherness that it brings. And what’s better than Disney to provide that wholesome entertainment?
16. Diary of a Wimpy Kid Christmas: Cabin Fever (2023)
Directed by Luke Cormican, this animated comedy is based on the 2011 award-winning children’s book ‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever’ by Jeff Kinney. It is the 7th installment of the ‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid’ movie series (four live-action movies and three animated movies) featuring middle-schooler Greg Heffley, who pens down his life’s experiences in a diary that he addresses as his journal.
Set during the holidays, ‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid Christmas: Cabin Fever’ follows Greg (voiced by Wesley Kimmel), who faces the potential loss of his Christmas gift, i.e., a video game console, because he and his best friend Rowley (voiced by Spencer Howell) have damaged the snowplow. Moreover, his family, including his mother Susan (voiced by Erica Cerra), father Frank (voiced by Chris Diamantopoulos), elder brother Greg (voiced by Hunter Dillon), and younger brother Manny (voiced by Gracen Newton), gets snowed in. His experiences and exploits during this holiday cabin fever are what we get to see in this Christmas drama. You can stream the movie here.
15. Godmothered (2020)
Who doesn’t want to have a fairy as a companion who has come to fulfill their heart’s desire!? But what if a full-size human-looking fairy enters your life and is around you 24 hours? This is what happens to Isla Fisher’s Mackenzie, whose wish, when she was ten years old, of having a Happily Ever After, which was lost in The Motherland, the kingdom of fairy godmothers, is finally found by Eleanor (Jillian Bell), the youngest fairy godmother in The Motherland. Eleanor is bent on spreading magic, which brings her to the real world and face-to-face with Mackenzie.
Unfortunately, Mackenzie is no longer the girl she was when she wished for a Happily Ever After. She has lost her husband, and her relationship with her two daughters is strained. With Christmastime as the backdrop, the movie chronicles how Eleanor tries to prove to Mackenzie that there is still happiness in the world and the latter’s life despite every bad thing. Directed by Sharon Maguire, ‘Godmothered’ uses the symbol of a fairy to try and remind us that things can always get better but only if we want them to, and our Happily Ever After is what we make of it. You can watch the movie here.
14. Mickey’s Christmas Carol (1983)
During the Holidays, there aren’t many things that can surpass celebrating Christmas with your loved ones by watching the iconic Disney characters do the same. Based on Charles Dickens’s novella ‘A Christmas Carol,’ ‘Mickey’s Christmas Carol’ is an animated movie that shows the money-minded and cold-hearted Ebenezer Scrooge (Scrooge McDuck), who is invulnerable to the idea of Christmas celebration. His wife Isabelle (Daisy Duck) left him because of this. He says no to his nephew Fred’s (Donald Duck) Christmas dinner invitation and even takes away half a day’s wage from his employee Bob Cratchit (Mickey Mouse) when he asks for a half day on Christmas Eve.
Then he is visited by the Ghost of Christmas Past (Jiminy Cricket), Ghost of Christmas Present (Willie the Giant), and Ghost of Christmas Future, who make him realize the wrongs he has done, the people he has hurt, and the consequences he will face if he doesn’t change himself. Directed by Burny Mattinson, the movie showcases the importance of selflessness and family, underscored by the spirit of Christmas. Feel free to check out the movie here.
13. Noelle (2019)
What if Santa had children? ‘Noelle’ explores this possibility hilariously. With Anna Kendrick and Bill Hader in the lead roles, the movie tells the story of Noelle (Kendrick) and Nick (Hader), Kris Kringle, aka Santa’s two kids. After Kringle passes away, Nick is next in line to take up the job. But Christmas is about to arrive, and Nick is under a lot of pressure and decides to go on a recreational trip and vanishes, sending the whole North Pole into a state of worry. Now, it is up to Noelle to find her brother, bring him back, and thus save Christmas.
Directed by Marc Lawrence, ‘Noelle’ serves as the perfect Christmas binge-watch filled with fun and laughter while addressing the importance of togetherness and family and the fact that the former two remain incomplete without the latter two. The cast also includes Shirley MacLaine as elf Polly, who accompanies Noelle in her search for her brother, along with Kingsley Ben-Adir, Julie Hagerty, and Billy Eichner. You can check out the film here.
12. Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas (2011)
‘Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas’ is a television special of the popular Ice-Age film franchise featuring the prehistoric trio of Sid the sloth (voiced by John Leguizamo), Manny the mammoth (voiced by Ray Romano), and Diego the sabretooth tiger (voiced by Denis Leary). Like the other movies, this too sends the trio on an adventure, only this time, it is Christmas, and they find themselves at the North Pole, home of Santa Claus. But how? Sid ruins Manny’s Christmas tradition and thus gets his name on Santa’s naughty list. So, Sid decides to meet Santa and set things right.
However, as expected, things only get worse, and the trio, along with the opossum brothers, Crash (voiced by Seann William Scott) and Eddie (voiced by Josh Peck), has to do whatever it takes to save the very occasion of Christmas. Directed by Karen Disher, ‘Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas’ makes it clear that even when things go wrong, being together helps cope with them because, at the end of it all, being surrounded by your loved ones is what matters the most. And Christmas only makes it better. You can watch ‘Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas’ here.
11. The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
‘The Muppet Christmas Carol,’ directed by Brian Henson, brings together the characters of the popular franchise created by Jim Henson in 1955 and Charles Dickens’s novella ‘A Christmas Carol’ that was published in 1843 in a most cherishable manner. The story is the same as we mentioned in ‘Mickey’s Christmas Carol,’ i.e., cold-hearted Ebenezer Scrooge being visited by the Ghost of Christmas Past, the Ghost of Christmas Present, and the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come who show him all that’s wrong with the way he carries himself. Only this time, all the characters are muppets except Scrooge, who is played by Sir Michael Caine. If your Christmas Eve involves spending quality time with your little kids, this movie is a great pick. You may watch it here.
10. A Christmas Carol (2009)
‘A Christmas Carol’ is an adaptation of Charles Dicken’s 1843 novella. And yet, it doesn’t get old, and it never will. This time, we have Robert Zemeckis as the director, the very guy who gave us ‘The Polar Express,’ ‘Forrest Gump,’ ‘Back to the Future,’ ‘Cast Away,’ ‘Flight,’ and ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit.’ ‘A Christmas Carol’ is a movie that uses motion capture technology for its animation. We have Jim Carrey as Ebenezer Scrooge. Needless to say, we can not only hear but almost recognize Carrey in the character, thanks to his facial and vocal expressions. As for the story, Zemeckis makes it even more magical, adding to the overall Christmas spirit. You can stream ‘A Christmas Carol’ here.
9. Jingle All the Way (1996)
One of the best things to have happened to cinephiles is Arnold Schwarzenegger in a Christmas movie. ‘Jingle All the Way’ is directed by Brian Levant and follows husband/father Howard Langston (Schwarzenegger) going out of his way to get his son Jamie (Jake Lloyd) the latest toy of the season, the Turbo Man. However, as easy as it sounds, he has competition from another father, Myron Larabee (Sinbad), who also wants the toy for his son. When stock runs out until only one toy is left, the two fathers get into a tussle that takes place right in the middle of the Holiday Wintertainment Parade that takes place in Twin Cities, Minnesota. You can watch the movie here.
8. Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
Directed by George Seaton, this classic Christmas drama brings Santa Claus/Kris Kringle to the court, where he has to prove that he is the real Santa Claus just as he claims to be. Since she hired him to play Santa at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City, Doris Walker has had a hard time with Kringle. Even Doris’s little daughter Susan claims that he is Santa. Subsequent events land him in a court of law, citing him as unstable. Will he be able to prove himself right? The more important question is: is he really Santa Claus? Winner of three Academy Awards, ‘Miracle on 34th Street’ stars Edmund Gwenn as Kris Kringle, Maureen O’Hara as Doris Walker, and Natalie Wood as Susan Walker. The cast also includes John Payne, Gene Lockhart, and Porter Hall. You can watch the film here.
7. Encanto (2021)
Directed by Jared Bush and Byron Howard, ‘Encanto’ is an animated musical that centers on the magical Madrigal family of Colombia, with a special focus on Mirabel, the only member without magic. Despite having no magical qualities, she has never complained. However, when the magic is jeopardized, and the Mirabel family stands to lose its charms, Mirabel decides to find out the cause of the mishap, uncovering a misunderstood family secret in the process. Visually stunning with beautiful songs and a strong message, ‘Encanto’ is one of the best musicals out there, custom-made for the Holidays. The voice cast includes Stephanie Beatriz, Jessica Darrow, Wilmer Valderrama, John Leguizamo, Diane Guerrero, and María Cecilia Botero. You can watch the movie here.
6. While You Were Sleeping (1995)
‘While You Were Sleeping’ is a classic Christmas rom-com starring Sandra Bullock, Bill Pullman, and Peter Gallagher. It centers around three people: transit worker Lucy Eleanor Moderatz, her crush Peter Callaghan, and his brother Jack. When Lucy lands in Peter’s household due to a misunderstanding after saving his life on Christmas Day, she finds herself in a complex situation as she has to pretend to be his fiancée in front of his welcoming family. What makes matters worse is when she starts falling for Jack. A feel-good story garnished with the charm that the leads bring to the screen, especially Bullock, ‘While You Were Sleeping’ is perfect for Christmas viewing with your beloved. It can be streamed here.
5. 101 Dalmatians (1996)
This world-famous dog movie is a holiday-themed live-action remake of the 1961 animated feature film ‘101 Dalmatians’ that itself is adapted from the 1956 novel ‘The Hundred and One Dalmatians’ written by Dodie Smith in 1956. Featuring real Dalmatians, a mother, Perdita, and a father, Pongo, and their 99 children, owned by married couple Anita (Joely Richardson) and Roger (Jeff Daniels (‘Dumb and Dumber‘)), the movie shows how the parents rescue their kids from the clutches of the evil Cruella De Vil (Glenn Close) who wants to use their fur for her new coat. In the endeavor, they are assisted by other dogs and animals in London.
The movie is a breakthrough for just being able to bring together so many puppies in front of the camera, and the fact is that while the title is ‘101 Dalmatians,’ the makers had to bring in 230 different puppies because each puppy could be used for only two weeks after which it got bigger. If you love dogs and want your kids to love them, too, this movie is perfect. And even if you don’t, after watching this movie, you will start loving them. You can stream it here.
4. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005)
Based on the 1950 novel ‘The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,’ which is the second in the novel series ‘The Chronicles of Narnia’ by C. S. Lewis, the movie is set against the backdrop of London during World War II. It shows the siblings Lucy (Georgie Henley), Peter (William Moseley), Edmund (Skandar Keynes), and Susan (Anna Popplewell) traveling to the magical world of Narnia via a wardrobe in their new shelter away from home.
Together, they join forces with the magical lion, Aslan (voiced by Liam Neeson), to fight the villainous Jadis the White Witch (Tilda Swinton), whose curse has brought forth an eternal winter in Narnia, defeat her, and restore peace. Directed by Andrew Adamson, what makes the movie worthy of a Christmas screening is the magic it offers. Also, Christmas is mentioned in the movie. Where? Well, for that you have to watch it. But we assure you, you will love it. You can watch the movie here.
3. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Directed by Henry Selick based on a script co-written by Tim Burton (‘Batman’ (1989), ‘Batman Returns’ (1992), ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ (2005)) and Michael McDowell, ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ is a stop-motion animated musical movie headlined by Jack Skellington (speaking voice by Chris Sarandon, singing voice by Danny Elfman), the pumpkin king of Halloween Town. Jack is bored with his job and ventures into the woods with his dog one day and finds a door that sucks the two in and brings them to Christmastown.
Excited to all things new and colorful, he desperately wants to be a part of it. But is it even possible for the king of Halloween to share the joy of Christmas? Wouldn’t it be a conflict of interest? We are not kidding when we say that this movie is one of the best Christmas movies ever, and thanks to the stop-motion technique, the movie feels real while our suspension of disbelief watches in awe. You may watch it here.
2. Frozen (2013)
The final Christmas movie on our list is the animated musical ‘Frozen,’ directed by Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck. It is inspired by the 1844 Danish fairy tale ‘The Snow Queen’ written by Danish author Hans Christian Andersen in his collection ‘New Fairy Tales. First Volume. Second Collection.’ It tells the story of how a woman named Anna (voiced by Kristen Bell) and a mountain man named Kristoff (voiced by Jonathan Groff) set out to find the former’s elder sister, Queen Elsa (voiced by Idina Menzel), whose power to turn things into ice almost got Elsa killed. This is why she went into isolation. However, her volatile emotions have triggered a curse that has covered the kingdom of Arendelle in eternal winter.
Thus, it is up to Elsa to find her sister and help her. The movie is full of elements that make it a true-to-form Christmas movie, including elves (trolls), a snowman (Olaf, voiced by Josh Gad), and, of course, the Ice Kingdom. The song ‘Let It Go,’ sung by Idina Menzel and written by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, won the Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 2014 Academy Awards, while the movie itself won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. You can check out the movie here.
1. Home Alone (1990)
Undoubtedly the greatest Christmas film of all time, ‘Home Alone’ follows 8-year-old Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin), who is left all alone at home in Chicago after his family (mother, father, and four siblings) leaves for Paris for Christmas but forgets him. Not only is Kevin alone, but he finds himself targeted by a couple of thieves (played by Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern) who want to rob the house. It is up to Kevin to protect his home while his mom, Kate (Catherine O’Hara), desperately searches for a way to get back to her son. A cult classic directed by Chris Columbus, ‘Home Alone’ can be watched right here.
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