I adore the holidays! The magic, the bonding, the wonder. How the media crafts new ideas to inspire and entertain using classics and traditions that are beloved and known. While I work on writing or prep for the Christmas season, I like to watch a handful of new and new-t0-me movies or series every year mixed in with my yearly musts.
So, I wanted to share them with you. Here are the 10 New/New-to-Me Holiday Films from this and last Christmas, ranked, one being the best.
Top 10 Holiday Movies New To Me Movies, Ranked:
10. “It’s a Wonderful Life:”
Okay! DON’T HIT ME! *Ducks* I missed this film somehow in my life. Not sure how. It is on HULU now and I finally gave it a shot. I did understand it was not meant to be a Christmas movie when it first aired. It was nothing like I expected for the first 2/3rds of it. Not that it was bad by any means. And I liked getting to know our lead. The direction in the beginning was interesting. The part where the angel shows him what the world would be like without his birth (sorry I did not do the spoiler warning, but I think everyone knows this point of the story) was my favorite and well done. I agree it is a classic and deserves its spot, but it is not one I have to watch every December.
#9. “White Christmas:”
I KNOW! I am awful! >.< Another classic. It was definitely watchable and the songs are iconic for a reason; it was nice to see where they originated from. from. The story was fun and the characters engaging (I cannot get over the amazing dance skills of this cast,) but like the previous entry, it is not one I feel I need to watch annually.
#8. “Miracle on 34th Street (90’s version:)
This film is charming and I adore the story. The cast was great, but there was it was lacking a little something to make it soar to the top. Still, it is magical, and, well…a miracle.
#7. “A Timeless Christmas:”
This is a Hal-mark film. Hahaha! There is something comforting about these cookie-cutter stories. But, one of my favorite actresses is in this, Erin Cahill (the pink time force power ranger) is our leading lady and this one is a time-traveling romance involving a Christmas Moon (two full moons during the month of December, rare.) It is a sappy romance, but the plot is entertaining, sweet, and has some unique to this genre elements.
#6. “Anna and The Apocalypse:”
This was an exceedingly different type of film for me and the holidays! I watched this because it was on a Watchmojo List for being underrated and recommended. This is a British quirky with angst musical set in a high school. The school is doing a Christmas talent show. Great concept. Then, people turn into zombies. I was aware of this fact and I figured it would have some bloody moments (FYI: I really do not like zombies.) But, it was a lot more zombies than I expected. It is fresh and the songs are bangers, but if you do not like zombies, be warned. I rented this on Amazon Prime.
#5. “The Man Who Invented Christmas:”
A story about Charles Dickens after his successful tour in America for ‘Oliver Twist,’ he struggles to find the inspiration for his next smash hit novel. Then he is struck with the needed ideas to craft ‘A Christmas Carol.’ This historical fiction film shows how as a creative he collects ideas and how they are formed, the struggle to get it finished and ready for publication in such a short amount of time, the influence his real tragic childhood and rapport had on his tale, and how this main unbeknown to him makes how we now perceive Christmas today. All-star cast! I watched this on Amazon Prime.
#4. “Candy Cane Lane:”
This is an Amazon Prime original movie starring Eddie Murphey. A dad who loves Christmas and makes homemade lawn decor each year has the stakes to win the annual neighborhood Christmas decorating contest when he suddenly gets laid off from his job. Determined and needed, he and his youngest child find a quaint Christmas shop with a unique tree that celebrates the 12 days of Christmas in glorious splendor. All he has to do is wish on the partridge in a pear tree. What could go wrong? It’s not like he forgot to read the fine print in the receipt from the odd shop owner Pepper…Oh wait… This is a cute family film.
#3. “A Christmas Story Christmas:”
This is an HBO (MAX) exclusive with most of the original cast from the classic 1983 ‘A Christmas Story,’ but years later, set in the 1970’s, with Ralphie, our young lead in the original, now all grown up with a loving family of his own as he tries to get his 2,000 paged epic sci-fi fantasy published. He is forced to go back home at Christmas to his hometown and old house to take care of his mother, his family in tow. If you like the staple holiday movie, this is a great way to honor it. And I know many who are obsessed with that movie! But on its own, it is so good! Engaging, whimsical, and well-paced.
#2. “Dashing through the Snow:”
This is a Disney+ original. They have been advertising this one in November and once I sat down to watch it, it drew me in with its fresh world-building, witty and delightfully portrayed Santa, and likable cast. This will definitely become a must-watch for me in years to come.
#1. “Miracle on 34th Street (original:)”
I buckled down and watched both last year and after that, my first sentence was… ‘Why have I never watched this before?!’ It was brilliant! The cast was perfection, the story engaging and heartwarming, with spunk, whimsy, and humor to make a creation that has captured audiences for generations and deserves the right to do so forevermore. Highly loved, highly recommend.
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Snuggle up to some holiday magic! Stay geeky! 🙂
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Educator of young minds by day, super nerdy savior of justice, and cute things by night, Morgan Straughan Comnick has a love for turning the normal into something special without losing its essence. Morgan draws from real-life experiences and her ongoing imagination to spark her writing. In her spare time, she enjoys doing goofy voices, traveling to new worlds by turning pages, humming child-like songs, and forcing people to smile with her “bubbliness.” It is Morgan’s mission in life to spread the amazement of otaku/Japanese culture to the world and to stop bullying; she knows everyone shines brightly.
For more information about Morgan and her works, check out her website, which also has links to all her social medias: http://morganscomnick.com
