1 week Ago By Radhika Seth
Netflix Christmas films needn’t always be a guilty pleasure. The proof? Alongside the cliche-filled, cloying treats we tend to label as “ so bad it’s good ”, there are several that are genuinely good – star-studded ensemble comedies, animated instant classics, moving family sagas and irresistible rom-coms that soar far above A Christmas Prince and The Princess Switch . Read more: What’s New On Netflix? As we approach the end of the year, we pick seven heartwarming hits guaranteed to get you in the holiday spirit.
A Very Murray Christmas (2015) Sofia Coppola amassed an impressive cast for this wistful and affecting Christmas special in which Bill Murray takes centre stage as a singer whose cabaret act is disrupted by a raging storm. Keen to make the best of it, he camps out at the bar of New York’s Carlyle Hotel and croons with the likes of Maya Rudolph and Rashida Jones. A goosebump-inducing rendition of The Pogues’ “Fairytale of New York” follows, along with a fantasy dance sequence featuring Miley Cyrus and George Clooney.
Let it Snow (2019) Set in a picturesque Illinois suburb on Christmas Eve, Luke Snellin’s effortlessly charming romance sees a jaded high-school senior (Isabela Merced) meet a young musician (Shameik Moore) who’s passing through town. As they fall in love, so do their friends and classmates, from two childhood pals (Kiernan Shipka and Mitchell Hope) who realise their feelings for each other to a queer teen (Liv Hewson) who boldly pursues a cheerleader (Anna Akana) who’s nervous about coming out. Klaus (2019) With painstakingly detailed hand-drawn animation, a tinkling score and witty script, Sergio Pablos’s Oscar-nominated gem is a Santa Claus origin story for the ages.
It tracks a sly postman (Jason Schwartzman) who is dispatched to the remote island of Smeerensburg. There he meets a grumpy woodsman (JK Simmons) with a workshop full of toys, who is eventually persuaded to spread good will by having them delivered to children. The result is a magical ode to selflessness and hope.
Dash & Lily (2020) An analogue version of You’ve Got Mail is the easiest way to describe Joe Tracz’s enchanting miniseries about two New Yorkers (Austin Abrams and Midori Francis) who correspond after the former finds the latter’s notebook in a bookshop. They dare each other to get out of their shells – one must dance at a Hanukkah punk show while the other is forced to sit on Santa’s lap at Macy’s – and then finally decide to meet. This is wish fulfilment at its starry-eyed, tinsel-strewn best.
Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey (2020) Forest Whitaker shines as an eccentric toymaker in David E Talbert’s exuberant, offbeat musical. Betrayed by an apprentice (Keegan-Michael Key) who stole his blueprints, and still reeling from the death of his wife (Sharon Rose), the inventor falls into despair until his resourceful granddaughter (Madalen Mills) pays him a visit, determined to set things right. Combining catchy tunes penned by John Legend with intricate costumes and lavish production design, it’s a candy-coloured treat.
Love Hard (2021) When a beleaguered Los Angeles-based dating columnist (Nina Dobrev) matches with a dreamboat from the East Coast ( Never Have I Ever’s Darren Barnet) on a dating app, she decides to travel 3,000 miles to surprise him for Christmas. To her chagrin, she discovers that she’s been catfished by his friend (Jimmy O Yang), who offers to set her up with her crush if she’ll pretend to be his girlfriend for the holidays. Hernán Jiménez’s cosy comedy hits all the familiar beats of a will-they-won’t-they love story, but it also delights with its barbed quips and magnetic leads.
Christmas With You (2022) Seeing ’90s heartthrob Freddie Prinze Jr’s transformation into a sweet-natured, piano-playing single parent is reason enough to indulge in Gabriela Tagliavini’s joyous festive offering. It follows his daughter (Deja Monique Cruz), who catches the eye of a pop star (Aimee Garcia) when she posts a cover of one of her songs on social media. After being tasked by her record label to write a Christmas hit that will revitalise her career, and finding herself in need of inspiration, the singer sets out to meet her fan – and, after a series of raucous dinners and adorable songwriting sessions, falls into the arms of her dashing father.
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