Five holiday movies to watch this Christmas season
Check out these worthwhile films for some laughs, crazy adventures, and holiday stories about family
Art by Meher Breja
In between shopping for presents and enjoying that mug of hot cocoa, your favourite Christmas movies populate your screens and streaming sites. The question is, what do you watch first? Macaulay Culkin’s Home Alone films? Jim Carrey’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas? These classics are worthy answers. However, I recommend these five movies for your Christmas celebrations.
8-Bit Christmas (2021)
This holiday caper follows Neil Patrick Harris narrating the story of how a boy and his childhood friends in the 1980s tried to get their hands on a newly released Nintendo gaming system. Seeing these kids work together to carry out their absurd plan turns the film into a fun heist-like adventure.
This movie earned a place on this list for subverting my expectations. Who knew a Christmas comedy told by Harris would be so enjoyable? The fast-paced humour and the iconic decade make 8-Bit Christmas a worthy holiday watch for families. The film can be accessed on Crave.
Elf (2003)
Will Ferrell’s comedy about an elf-raised human from the North Pole trying to reconnect with his father in New York City remains hilarious yet heartwarming for the holidays. Ferrell was surprised with how successful the film became, admitting he thought the now beloved movie would fail.
The film deserves a spot on this list through Ferrell’s adorable romance with Zooey Deschanel, who plays his love interest, and the comically-tense dynamic with James Caan, who plays his dad. The movie also pairs wacky Christmas satire about the holidays with its wholesome theme of understanding your family roots. The film can be accessed on Crave and Amazon Prime.
Jack Frost (1998)
This comedy-drama is a disarmingly poignant story about a busy father, played by Michael Keaton, who has a second chance to spend quality time with his son after turning into the titular snowman. The bond between Frost and his son has a moving sense of heart from its many laughs interwoven with moments that are unabashedly tearful.
The snowy holiday feature is a personal favourite on this list from instilling how important it is to always make time to be with family. Jack Frost also deals with remarkably mature themes from regrets felt in losing time with loved ones to the value of never taking things for granted. The film can be accessed on Tubi.
Christmas with the Kranks (2004)
This movie still holds up with Tim Allen and Jaime Lee Curtis playing parents who decide to skip Christmas, only to rush into making it perfect before their daughter’s arrival. The amusing tensions with their neighbours led by Dan Aykroyd shows the light-hearted craziness of the holidays.
Allen and Curtis are the ultimate comedy duo that make this movie worthy of having a place on this list. The story has jokes and antics that fall short at the beginning, but it picks up significantly when the parents start scrambling with comical abandon. The film can be accessed on Hoopla.
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (2005)
The fantasy adventure film adapted from C.S. Lewis’s famous book tells the story of the four Pevensie siblings discovering the titular realm in their wardrobe. This movie is fitting for Christmas with its snowy landscape and even a touching cameo from St. Nick himself.
While it’s the only item on this list that isn’t a comedy, Narnia still deserves a shout-out for its holiday-worthy family theme about how strong the bond between siblings can be. The mythical creatures, fierce action sequences, and angelic musical score are welcoming bonuses for families seeking an other-worldly journey during the winter season. The film can be accessed on Disney+.
