7 Christmas movies in 7 days

If you are looking for a breakdown of new holiday movies to watch this Christmas season, look no further. I took it upon myself to watch seven Christmas movies in seven days and have rated each one out of 10. I have given you the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

Every movie was released this year with the exception of one from 2020. Enjoy.

LOVE HARD (8/10)

A modern and funny twist on dating drama and classic Christmas traditions. Available on Netflix, the main character Natalie Bauer is a journalist regularly documenting her dating life in a popular magazine. When she flies across the country to meet her new match on a dating app, life takes an unexpected turn. I found the humor entertaining and refreshing. It was modern and catered to most ages —13 and up—. The characters challenged outdated Christmas traditions and general stereotypes, giving it more of a purpose than just romantic comedy. My favorite part, and perhaps a new Christmas favorite, was the character’s rewritten version of the song, “Baby It’s Cold Outside.” For those who agree that the classics aren’t so perfectly innocent, I highly recommend this movie. 

SINGLE ALL THE WAY (6/10)

Another happy ending and romantic comedy, this Netflix Christmas movie focuses on the love life of the main character, Peter. The classic hardworking, homebody, single, young man with a close best friend storyline is never forgotten, and this movie does it perfectly. Peter can’t seem to find the right person, so he goes home for the holidays with his best friend Nick. Peter’s caring mother just wants him to find love, so she tries her best to set Peter up during the Holidays. Peter’s family knows exactly who is right for him, but, as always, he is blind to it. Needless to say, everything works out as it should. There is no lack of cheesiness, but the humor is adequately entertaining. The obsession with finding a partner is a bit over the top and the idea that you aren’t happy until you find love is really pushed, which I don’t think is very realistic or healthy. However, I appreciated the representation this movie gives to LGBTQA+ couples, which is not often seen in Christmas movies. If you like classic romantic comedies, this is the movie for you. 

A BOY CALLED CHRISTMAS (9/10)

Extreme Christmas lovers and Maggie Smith fans, this is the movie for you. A perfect combination of make believe and real life, this Netflix movie is great for the whole family. Through their great aunt’s narration, three young children learn the story of how Christmas came to be. Among characters, humor and the general storyline, there is something for everybody to enjoy and relate to. There was no dull moment and it kept my family laughing the whole time. While there is a happy ending, the reality of hardship and loss is not left out and is addressed in a really positive way, especially for children. Considering the millions of people who have lost loved ones to COVID-19 over the past two years, this is an important movie that represents life afterwards and the pain that can come with it.

HOLIDATE (4/10)

Another classic romantic comedy, this Netflix movie stars Emma Roberts and Luke Bracey. I have seen this movie twice now, and it got worse the second time. Sloane, the main character, is constantly harassed by her family about not having a date to holiday get-togethers. Her mother obsesses over the fact that Sloane is getting older and has yet to be married. Her family assumes she is unhappy, unfulfilled and unsuccessful in life until she has a partner. I found this to be an unfair message, as it was not reciprocated to the male characters of equal age and circumstance. Sloane eventually meets Jackson, and they form a pact to be each other’s platonic dates to holiday events. The ending is highly predictable. Other than the constant hints of sexism and stereotypes, there is some good humor. The love story is enjoyable, but unfortunately does not exceed any expectations. Nothing rejects the negative stigma of being single, which I would have liked to see. The message this movie sends is old and outdated. I recommend this movie if you want no emotional stimulation and are in the mood to make fun of something. 

SILENT NIGHT (9/10)

Not a happy or upbeat Christmas movie. If you are prone to disaster related anxiety, I do not recommend it. If you feel like you have the responsibility to save the world, this will only make that worse. The extremely unexpected storyline left me completely heartbroken and anxious, but highly impressed. Available on Amazon Prime, this is a brilliant movie. Everything was portrayed so realistically, it was overwhelmingly uncomfortable. Due to the disastrous theme being so close to reality, you are left pondering life as we know it. Subtle comparisons to the current COVID-19 pandemic and global politics kept me engaged and made the movie terrifyingly personal. Family and friend dynamics were so normal and so human, which stirred up many different emotions. I love all of the actors and the humor they brought to the story, despite the humorless topic. Overall, this is a well acted, well filmed and well written movie with an extremely important and timely message that unfortunately, we cannot ignore even when it is Christmas time. 

T’WAS THE FIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS (7/10)

Most would not consider this documentary a Christmas movie by any means, but I enjoyed adding the variety to my list. Apple TV presents the story of Christmas obsessed, Jeremy Morris and his legal battle with his neighborhood’s HomeOwners Association over a massive Christmas event he wants to hold. All kinds of perspectives are shown with very in-depth and interesting story telling. Taking place in Northern Idaho, I enjoyed watching a true story taking place close to home. Surprisingly, this documentary is hilarious and never bored me. If you take any interest in odd legal battles or just very quirky people, this is the movie for you.

TED LASSO SEASON 2, EPISODE 4, “CAROL OF THE BELLS” (10/10)

Although Ted Lasso is a television series and not a movie, lovers of the show will agree that the Christmas episode of season two is a winner. From hearty laughter to true tears, this episode takes you through it all. Subtly referencing Christmas classics, Ted Lasso once again shows us the most important parts of life and how to make the most out of any situation. This has been my favorite Christmas themed “movie” in a long time. There is the perfect amount of cheesiness, romance, friendship, love, family, heartache, humor, charity, selflessness, healing, joy and inspiration. If you have not already started watching Ted Lasso on Apple TV, I highly recommend doing so. You will be a happier person for it.

-Maya.Mackinnon@usu.edu