The most wonderful time of the year to Netflix & chill
Thanks to Netflix, there are now many Christmas films to watch over the holidays. And thanks to us, here' are the five must-watch shows.
by Rohaizatul Azhar
image from Netflix
Quite honestly, this is my favourite time of the year.
Not because of the presents and festive parties (I don’t actually celebrate Christmas), but because I get to laze in front of my flat screen TV, turn on Netflix, and just veg out while watching the many Christmas films one after another.
Trust me, I watch all of them.
Don’t get me wrong, most of them are cheesy - especially the Christmas RomComs - but there’s just something heartwarming at the end of the entire film. Perhaps, it is the falling snow, and the idea of a white Christmas, and falling in love. Perhaps, also, it is just that I’m really a sucker for cheesy shows.
This past month alone (and it’s only been like three weeks in December?) I’ve watched 10 Christmas or Christmas-centric films on Netflix. And I still have more on “My List” to watch. I’ve downloaded many of them so that I can watch offline on the plane when I leave for my holidays.
Anyway, out of what I’ve watched thus far, I’m highlighting five films I think all of you might enjoy as well. I’ve also done a rating system so you can decide if you really want to watch or not. They are:
Ok so here goes!
Klaus
If you’ve ever wondered why Santa Claus rides a sleigh with reindeers, or how the “elves” came about to assist him in making the toys, then this film is for you (and the kids). The animated feature film tells the story of the spoilt privilege son of a “postal service tycoon” who gets sent to a far-flung place called Smeerensburg to work in order to not get cut from the family fortune. Basically, Jesper (the spoiled postman) must process 6,000 letters by Christmas, or he is forever cuts off.
There, he finds himself in a dysfunctional town inhabited by two warring clans, and in a bid to get letters, accidentally delivers a child’s drawing to a loner woodsman named Klaus ), who then recruits Jesper to help him bring the boy a hand-crafted toy from Klaus’ large collection.
What’s great about this story is that it is not preachy and there isn’t a religious aspect to Christmas. It’s just a fun somewhat “realistic” take on how the myth of Santa Claus came to be.
Should you watch it? Yes, definitely. And get the kids to watch, too. While some bits are predictable (as with most Christmas movies), it is a film that can be watched again and again.
The Knight before Christmas
Vanessa Hudgens has graced us with another Christmas film this year. I’m not sure what is happening but I’m starting to think that she wants to be the Mariah Carey of Christmas films. #NotHappening
In 2018, the former High School Musical star, who, let’s face it, is more famous as Zac Efron’s ex girlfriend than her acting chops, starred in The Princess Switch. Basically, the story is about a Chicago baker who, Stacy, "won" a spot to compete in a televised Christmas baking competition in a make-believe place called Belgravia. Here, she bumps into the crown prince's fiancée, Lady Margaret Delacourt, Duchess of Montenaro.
And, get this, Lady Margaret looks just like her! *quelle surprise!*
Lady Margaret is desperate for time out of the spotlight, so she suggests that the two twin strangers switch places for two days, then switch back in time for Stacy's competition and Lady Margaret's wedding to Prince Edward of Belgravia. You guys just have to watch it. It’s so good, there’s even a sequel coming up for 2020.
This year, however, Hudgens stars in a new Netflix Original Christmas film called A Knight Before Christmas. Cute play on words. OK, so the story goes like this: A 14th century knight named Cole is zapped to 2019 Ohio so that he can fulfil the special quest that will make him a “true” knight. He then meets (well, technically, she bumps her car into him) a high school teacher named Brooke, who’s been burned so badly by her cheating ex that she feels comfortable telling one of her students that fairytales about love are bogus. Assuming he has some sort of amnesia, because he tells her that he is a knight, she takes him into her home and cares for him (because that's basically what you do to strangers), and they inevitably fall in love with one another in the week leading up to Christmas.
There’s time-travelling, there’s crazy snow blizzard, there’s the nosy neighbour, there is also a gratuitous scene of Cole clad in nothing but a towel (but, of course!). The premise is quite absurd but, in the overall, it is rather a fun watch. Why? Because the movie does not pretend to be anything else but a rather cheesy Christmas film. It’s the kind of film that’s bad-good, you know what I mean? You know it’s bad but you can’t stop watching because it is good. Am I making sense?
Should you watch it? Perhaps. Maybe after you’ve watched other Christmas films. But it is a fun show to watch with your tween daughters.
A Christmas Prince 3: Royal Baby
Ok, I waited a very long time for this. I must confess that I’m actually a big fan of this franchise. If you have never watched the first two “A Christmas Prince” films, you need to. They are VERY cheesy. But they are also VERY good. And they’re all on Netflix; you can binge watch them.
The premise of the film revolves around an aspiring young American magazine journalist, Amber Moore, who is sent to the foreign nation of Aldovia to cover a press conference given by Crown Prince Richard, who is set to take the throne following his father's recent death. Now, Richard has been portrayed in the press as an irresponsible playboy and he is also rumoured to be planning to abdicate. Amber hopes her work in Aldovia will lead to a big break in her career and she heads to the royal family's palace for the press conference but disguises herself and hides her identity as a journalist. Cut to the many days spent in the palace, they fell in love, someone else in the family staked a claim to the thrown, the real story that Amber is a journalist trying to expose the royal family is revealed, they fought, fell out, she returns home, he appears in a snow covered street regretting his decision to let her go and proposes.
So, the first “A Christmas Prince” film centres around how the two of them met and fell in love. The second one is all about the wedding, and the days leading up to the big Royal Wedding. And, now, comes the royal baby! The title really says it all. And there is a plot twist somewhere at the end, which honestly made me go “HUH? WHAT!?”. I’m not going to spoil it, though.
Quite honestly, I’m disappointed with this third instalment. I was already expecting a cheesy, b-grade show based on the first two, but at least I was rather entertained then. This one left me dissatisfied. Basically, the family has to sign a Treaty of Truce between to feuding nations, otherwise they will go back to being warring neighbours, and there’s a curse that will befall unto the unborn child. ‘Nuff said.
Should you watch it? Only if you’ve watched the first two films and must watch the third.
A Cinderella Story: Christmas Wish
I don’t really need to recount the plot, do I?
Ok, but according to Rotten Tomatoes, The film tells the story of an aspiring singer-songwriter working as an elf at a local billionaire's Christmas Tree lot. Then, she fell in love with the lot's new Santa. After an embarrassing first meeting with Nick Wintergarden (edit: LOL at the name!), the pair grows closer while working together as a singing elf and Santa. This budding romance happens without the pair recognising each other from their first meeting. Everything leads up to a Christmas Gala, thrown by Nick’s family, and her efforts to attend this gala with Nick are thwarted by her stepfamily.
There is a "musical" aspect to the film and, quite honestly, I did enjoy the songs. They were more like the songs you would expect in a musical, and the chemistry between the two leads during their duets is not too bad. In general, what I enjoyed the most was watching the romance unfold, but I still felt like something was missing. I can't put my finger to it. Maybe you guys can tell me after you've watched the show.
Should you watch it? You can if you want. And that says alot.
Family Reunion Christmas
Ok, this is not exactly a film but I can’t help but include this Christmas special. I love the original Sitcom (also available on Netflix - search for A Family Reunion) so much because it is filled with clever, sassy lines, good “teachable moments” for the kids (and us adults), and it is just a good funny sitcom to watch in the overall.
This one is a Christmas special, and it is only 30 minutes.
The premise for this Christmas special revolves around a sisterly feud which started 40 years ago. M’Dear, Dot and Maybelle were the fabulous singing Williams Sisters, poised for the big time. It didn’t work out, because Dot went on to enjoy a successful (ish) singing career with Smokey Robinson. M’Dear, who was pregnant at that time, was terribly upset that Dot "left" the sisters behind, while M’Dear settled into a traditional life of raising a family.
The merry banter between the sisters about who the "Beyoncé" of the group really was is ace! I laughed so hard at the pop-culture references and the sassy clapbacks.
There are lessons to be learned in this special episode - and they are obvious. But I always think it’s good to be reminded of these things, even though they are expected. And presented in a funny, comedic setting makes them more enjoyable and memorable.
Should you watch it? I think so. But be sure to also watch the full sitcom so that you get updated on the family dynamics. And if you’re very well-versed with your pop-culture and black-culture references as I am… this is definitely a must-watch.
What are some of your favourite Christmas films you’ve watched this year? They don’t have to be streamed on Netflix because it’s nice to share these films so that we all can enjoy them! Let me know in the comments below! I need some new shows to watch while I laze by the pool next week.