It’s no secret that Christmas is one of the top universally celebrated holidays. Though some may argue that it does not officially start until after Thanksgiving, it starts on November 1st. I guess we can thank Mariah Carey for that! If you’re anything like me, then you’ve probably already started celebrating the day after Halloween by streaming feel-good holiday movies, including the classics like Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, Home Alone, or Die Hard…or wait is that actually a Christmas movie? Has society made that a thing yet?
Every year we are greeted with a new holiday romcom or dramedy and every year we catch ourselves watching some of our favorites that we just can’t get enough of, like the Polar Express. If you’re looking for some movies to put you in the holiday spirit keep on reading because we are going to take you on a Christmas movie spree like you’ve never been!
Candy Cane Lane
A magical mystery and dark comedy all in one, Candy Cane Lane stars comedian Eddie Murphy as Chris and Tracie Ellis Ross as Carol. In a new trailer released by Prime Video, this holiday movie reveals Murphy playing the father of three who enters a neighborhood Christmas decoration contest. Desperate to be this year’s winner of the contest, Chris Carver (Eddie Murphy) goes the extra mile to make a deal with a mischievous and charismatic stranger named Pepper, who Carver later learns is an evil elf with a dark and manipulative past.
After discovering that all her victims were transformed into plastic dolls, Chris rallies to save himself and his family from the mischievous little creature by trying to break the deal before it’s too late. The film reunites director Reginald Hudlin, Murphy, and producer Brian Grazer since their 1992 hit, Boomerang. Candy Cane Lane also stars comedian DC Young Fly, Danielle, Pinnock, and Timothy Simons. You can stream this dark magical comedy today on Prime Video.
Best. Christmas. Ever!
Celebrate the holidays with Mary Lambert’s newest Christmas movie, Best. Christmas. Ever! set to premiere on Netflix on Thursday, Nov. 16. Lambert has previously brought a holiday love story to our subscription with A Castle for Christmas, which starred Brooke Shields and centered on a best-selling author who takes a Christmas journey to Scotland. However, this time Lambert is keeping us U.S.-based with this film and this time having her characters stir the pot this season.
Written by Charles Shyer (Father of the Bride) and Todd Calgi Gallicano (Sam London Adventure book series), Best. Christmas. Ever! centers on Jackie (Brandy Norwood), who every Christmas somehow makes it seem like her life is as perfect as can be. We all know that ONE friend or family member always sends out a holiday greeting card every year on the first of December. While it comes off as a kind and warm gesture, it may also scream annoying because to us….everything just seems so perfect! Yeah, that’s Jackie (Norwood). She is THAT friend. Every year Jackie sends a boastful seasonal newsletter that makes her old college friend, Charlotte (Heather Graham), feel…well…unaccomplished.
Avoiding her college bestie for many years, Charlotte’s holiday takes a turn when she somehow finds herself on Jackie’s front doorstep just a few days before Christmas. Jackie insists that Charlotte and her husband, Rob (Jason Biggs), and their kids spend Christmas with her family. As if things could not get any more awkward with this Christmas vacation, Rob and Jackie spend the holiday taking a trip down memory lane reminiscing on their dating years. Yeah, you read that right. Rob and Jackie are college exes! Now Charlotte is on a mission to expose her bestie and seizes the opportunity to prove that her “perfect” life is not so “perfect.” The question is, will she do this out of jealousy of the relationship that she has with Rob, or out of spite because of the wonderful life she has?
You’ll have to find out yourself by watching this dramedy streaming now on Netflix. The movie also stars Devious Maids, Matt Cedeño, and Disney actress, Madison Skye Validum.
Dashing Through the Snow
Some of us can lose the holiday spirit especially if we’ve had bad memories to ruin it. However, all it takes is one good experience to remind us of how grateful we should be around this time of the year. That’s the story of Eddie Garrick played by Ludacris in Dashing Through the Snow. After the traumatic experience of his parents separating on Christmas Day, Garrick no longer believes in the magic of Christmas. But when his estranged wife, Allison (Teyonah Parris) suggests that he bring his daughter Charlotte (Madison Skye Validum) to work for some daddy-daughter time that’s when the magical adventure begins.
A social worker and nonbeliever of Ol’ St. Nick, Eddie stumbles across a man in his neighbor’s home while caring for their cat during vacation. This man claiming to be Santa Claus who goes by the name of Nic (Lil Rel) will later be the reason he finds the Christmas magic again. You can stream Dashing Through the Snow on Disney Plus now.
The Family Plan
Starring Mark Wahlberg and Michelle Monaghan, Dan Morgan (Wahlberg) is a devoted husband and father of three who enjoys his simple and suburban life as a car salesman. So his family thinks that’s what he does. Before meeting his wife, Jessica (Monaghan), Dan was an employee of an elite government assassin who was ordered to eliminate some of the world’s deadliest threats. When his dark past of enemies tracks him down, Dan is forced to go the extra mile to save and protect his family at all costs by packing up and taking his family on an impromptu cross-country road trip to Las Vegas. While treating his wife, teenage daughter son, and 10-month-old baby to a vacation of a lifetime he must also put his long-dormant skills into action, without revealing his true identity. A Skydance Media film The Family Plan, will be available to stream on Apple Plus TV on December 15th.
Other Holiday Movie Suggestions
If you find yourself streaming all of these movies in one week and you need more Christmas-spirited films to add to your watchlist, here are some of my favorites and suggestions:
Netflix
Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey
Prime Video
Hulu
Peacock
Happy streaming and Merry Christmas!
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