The holidaze are upon us, and we’re in a lockdown. So what better way to make it through the Christmas season this year than by watching some holiday flicks. Ya, there’s all the classic traditional ones dating back to the 1930s, but there’s also a slew of new productions worthy of a watch. See below for a selection you might want to check out.

Holidate

Meet Sloane (Emma Roberts) and Jackson (Luke Bracey): a pair of happily single Chicagoans who are nevertheless tired of being alone on the holidays. After a chance encounter at a department store, the pair agree to be each other’s plus-one for every major holiday, from New Year’s Eve to St. Patrick’s Day to Thanksgiving. Their platonic arrangement goes on without a hitch for a year, but when Christmas rolls around, the two realize they may just fallen for one another for real. Unabashedly silly and surprisingly endearing, Holidate is buoyed by the winning chemistry between its two leads.

Operation Christmas Drop

Congressional aide Erica Miller (Kat Graham) is forced to skip Christmas with her family and travel to Guam for intel on Operation Christmas Drop, a U.S. Air Force humanitarian mission whereby gifts are dropped to residents of Guam’s remote neighbouring islands. Her assignment? Provide her boss with enough reasons to defund the project. But when her guide, the dashing Captain Andrew (Alexander Ludwig), begins showing her around the area, Erica is reminded of the communal spirit of Christmas—12,000 kilometres from home.

A New York Christmas Wedding

On the eve of her wedding, Jennifer (Nia Fairweather) is visited by an angel who shows her what life could’ve been like if she came out of the closet and followed her secret feelings for her best friend, Gabriella (Adriana DeMeo). Chris Noth (Sex and the City and The Good Wife) co-stars as a local priest fighting against the Church’s stance on same-sex marriage. A New York Christmas Wedding brings refreshing insight and timeliness to the holiday rom-com.

Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey

In the magical land of Cobbleton, toymaker Jeronicus Jangle (Academy Award winner Forest Whitaker) brings happiness and wonder to all through his whimsical inventions. But when his apprentice (Keegan-Michael Key) steals his most prized creation, it’s up to his equally inventive granddaughter (Madalen Mills) to help him recapture the holiday spirit that first inspired him long ago. Featuring original tunes by John Legend and Usher, as well as cameos by Ricky Martin and Downton Abbey‘s Hugh Bonneville, Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey is a hugely entertaining musical that might just be a future holiday classic.

The Princess Switch: Switched Again

In the sequel to the original 2018 film, Vanessa Hudgens once again plays the dual roles of lookalikes Duchess Margaret Delacourt and her double, Stacy DeNovo. When Margaret unexpectedly inherits the throne right after hitting a rough patch with her boyfriend, it’s up to Stacy to get the star-crossed lovers back together. Complicating matters is the sudden arrival of Fiona, Margaret’s flamboyant party girl cousin with ambitions of her own—also played by Hudgens! N

Alien Xmas

Executive produced by Jon Favreau (Elf), this 40-minute stop-motion animated holiday special follows a race of kleptomaniac aliens and their plan to steal the Earth’s gravity. Standing between them and total catastrophe is a small alien named X—and the gift-giving spirit of Christmas.

Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square

The wealthy Regina Fuller (The Good Fight‘s Christine Baranski) returns to her hometown after her father’s death to evict its residents and sell the land to a mall developer—on the eve of Christmas, no less. But after meeting local townsfolk, reconnecting with an old flame and being visited by an angel (Dolly Parton), this modern-day Scrooge just might learn the true meaning of Christmas. Filled with heart and humour, Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square also boasts 14 new tunes by the legendary songstress!

The Christmas Chronicles: Part Two

It’s been two years since siblings Kate (Darby Camp) and Teddy (Judah Lewis) saved Christmas, and much to their dismay, the pair’s widowed mom has found a new beau. But when a powerful force threatens to destroy the North Pole and end Christmas once again, Kate and Jack are pulled into an action-packed adventure with Mr. and Mrs. Claus (Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn). Written and directed by Chris Columbus (Home Alone), The Christmas Chronicles: Part Two is essential holiday viewing for the entire family.

Angela’s Christmas Wish

The follow-up to 2017’s acclaimed holiday special, which saw the title character (Lucy O’Connell) take the baby Jesus from a church crib to keep him warm, the upcoming Angela’s Christmas Wish revolves around Angela’s quest to reunite her family in time for the holidays. Based on characters created by Pulitzer Prize-winning Irish author Frank McCourt.

Just Another Christmas

Set in Brazil, Just Another Christmas follows cranky family man Jorge, who suffers a serious fall on Christmas Eve and wakes up one year later with no memory of what happened over the previous 364 days. Jorge eventually discovers he’s trapped in a time loop—and must relive the same experience again and again until he can finally make peace with a lifetime of regrets.

Click here for a list of all holiday movies on Netflix, and here for our BUZZ Pick list of queer-themed flicks streaming across all platforms.

About the Author

Bryen Dunn is a freelance journalist with a focus on travel, lifestyle, entertainment and hospitality. He has an extensive portfolio of celebrity interviews with musicians, actors and other public personalities. He enjoys discovering delicious eats, tasting spirited treats, and being mesmerized by musical beats.