Christmas Movies Reviews

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What films should you watch this festive season?

Christmas movies and Christmas movie reviews can be so subjective. Everyone has their own favourites and ‘must watches’ for the festive season. Here are a selection of mine!

There are so many Christmas movies out there it can be hard to know which ones to watch and which to skip.

If you are lost for what Christmas film to watch this holiday season be sure to check out my list of top must watch films. If you are a Disney Plus subscriber I have a whole post dedicated to their Christmas content too.

Favourites you can’t go wrong with

• Love Actually
• Klaus
• The Christmas Chronicles 1 and 2
• The Grinch (2018)
• Arthur Christmas

Christmas Movie Reviews

Nutcracker the Untold story

My star rating 3/5

Magic rating  4/5 star studded cast, lots of magic 

Motion Sickness Rating 0/5

Grossness rating 0/5

This film could have been good but just wasn’t. Something wasn’t right but I can’t put my finger on it. It had a star-studded cast and a classic Nutcracker vs King Rat story.

Christmas Eve

My star rating 3.5/5 it’s a good movie but not one I need to watch again.

Magic rating 3/5

Motion Sickness Rating 0/5 

Grossness rating 0/5

Bunch of people get stuck in various elevators. It is full of connections which is really interesting. Some great castings but Patrick Stewart is totally underutilised and his whole story could be left out as it is unfinished by the end. This is very annoying. You end up putting in more connections than there actually are. But it is still worth a watch and it is very clever to explore how different people react in difficult situations

Jingle Jangle 

My star rating 3/5

Magic rating  5/5

Motion Sickness Rating 0/5

Grossness rating 0/5

Highly recommended by others but I found this film disappointing and difficult to follow. There is an interesting range of filming techniques. The costumes are bright and colourful, the songs are great and the dance scenes amazing but so full and intense you don’t know what to focus on! However the storyline is obvious, repetitive and annoying. 

Love Hard 

My star rating 4/5

Magic rating  2/5

Motion Sickness Rating 0/5

Grossness rating 1/5

Very good. A film set at Christmas rather than a Christmas film as such but it makes several funny references to Love Actually and Die Hard. A writer suffers from serial dating failures when she finally connects with the man of her dreams…who happens to be in Lake Placid whilst she is based in LA. A quick flight and what could go wrong? A catfish you say? Prepare to both squee in awkarwardness but also have your heart warmed as Jess shows us that everyone deserves a little love but everyone is also a massive hypocrite. Perfect family Christmas viewing! The film is a little over cringey in the middle. But sit through it and it’s worth it! 

A Boy Named Christmas 

My star rating 3/5

Magic rating  4/5

Motion Sickness Rating 0/5

Grossness rating 0/5

A different origin story of how Christmas came to be, set in Finland. This film features lots of almost cameos from a wide range of actors, many of which are English. Quite a predictable storyline with some odd, for me, irritating animal moments. The film has lots of magical moments and few twists. Oh and the festive classic-dead mothers!

Spirited

My star rating 5/5

Magic rating  5/5  

Motion Sickness Rating 1/5

Grossness rating 0/5

This 2022 Christmas film, released by Apple TV, is a very clever take on the Christmas Carol Story. An unsuspecting musical with big cast breaks out of Christmas movie to movie movie level. Very enjoyable, funny watch but probably not for young children. You will find yourself singing the songs for days after!

Your Christmas or Mine? 

My star rating 5/5

Magic rating  0/5  

Motion Sickness Rating 0/5

Grossness rating 0/5

This British Amazon Christmas treat felt more like a ‘film’-film with rom-com elements than a cringey Christmas film. It’s different and very clever. Two young lovers make a romantic gesture and get the train to spend Christmas together. Only they don’t. Each takes the train to the other’s home. Will they bond with their new families? Or it will be all over before it started? 

New for 2023 Your Christmas or Mine 2 

Whilst we meet the same funny, relatable and loveable characters this film leans far more heavily on the cringe comedy of Christmas films. There are still some very funny moments but it doesn’t capture the magic of the first film. 

New for 2023 Candy Cane Lane

My star rating 4/5

Magic rating  5/5  

Motion Sickness Rating 0/5

Grossness rating 0/5

New for 2023 this Amazon Prime film is nowhere near as bad as the articles/reviews online say. 

An elf tricks a dad into signing his life away for a wish. A wish to help him win a decoration contest and a cool $100000. Which considering he just got fired days before Christmas would definitely be welcome. But are the elf’s decorations all they seem? And what will happen if he loses the contest? I think you can guess the answers but still worth a watch! 

New for 2024 Red One

My star rating 5/5

Magic rating  5/5  

Motion Sickness Rating 0/5

Grossness rating 0/5

My new favourite Christmas movie. This film is everything I want in a movie. A proper movie movie, more than just a Christmas film. It has comedy, action and a central heart. If only we could all see the child within, maybe the world would be a better place. 

New for 2024 Dear Santa

My star rating 4/5

Magic rating  5/5  

Motion Sickness Rating 0/5

Grossness rating 0/5

A new for 2024 film that broaches the relm of film film rather than just Christmas movie. A bit of a Jack Black vehicle but it works. What happens when a dyslexic young boy sends a letter to ‘santa’… he’s looking a little like a devil? Well this santa can grant 3 wishes in exchange for a soul. What would an 11 year old wish for? 

There is awkwardness and misunderstandings but it never goes over that uncomfortable line. A good watch, funny and a tear jerker at points. I’m not sure I agree with the ending though as it does go back on the rules of the wishes and could be upsetting for viewers who’ve wished for something similar.