It’s that time of year when it seems our evenings are best spent wrapped up in blankets with a warm drink in our hands, sitting in front of the TV to watch all the new holiday shows and movies. You might even have a fireplace to light to make the room even warmer. Sometimes, however, instead of picking up something new, we settle into the coziness of a classic Christmas movie, or simply one of our favorites.
Though the 2010s are still too recent to consider anything that came out then a classic, there’s no doubt that many influential movies were released in this decade. Many of these recent Christmas movies were quick to win over their audiences, bringing their own unique twists to the holiday in many ways, from variations to the typical heartwarming stories all the way into the Christmas horror genre. There’s no doubt several of these movies are now considered favorites to people all over.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
8 Noelle
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
In an interesting twist to usual Christmas stories, Noelle gives Santa and Mrs. Claus children, who are the heart of the story. After their father’s death, Nick Kringle (played by Bill Hader) is set to take over as Santa, but is stressed and finding it difficult to finish his training.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
Knowing that there is a lot of pressure on his shoulders, his sister Noelle (an ebullient Anna Kendrick) suggests he take a weekend off to relax, but when he doesn’t return, it’s up to her to find him and bring him home before Christmas is ruined. The whimsical movie has a lot of charm between its upbeat characters and bright colors, bringing this new story to life in an enjoyable way.
7 The Grinch
Universal Pictures
There’s no doubt The Grinch is a classic Christmas movie, but this one in particular is a new, updated version of the tale we all know. This time it’s animated in today’s popular 3D animation style, and less creepy than the Jim Carrey version. The Grinch and his dog, Max, live their usual solitary life in a cave far from Whoville, where their Christmas celebrations are once again beginning to aggravate the Grinch.
To try and get peace and quiet, the Grinch decides to try to pretend to be Santa to steal the Whos’ Christmas, but he isn’t expecting to fall into a trap laid by little Cindy Lou Who, who touches his heart in a way no one ever had before. A much longer version than the original animation, the movie expands on the Dr. Seuss story and brings the town to life in a way that only makes the story more believable.
6 Krampus
Krampus isn’t a Christmas movie for everyone, as this story is actually a horror one rooted in folklore. In Europe, people are warned of Krampus, the mythical horned beast who punishes children for being naughty. Max Engel, the youngest in a dysfunctional family, wants to send Santa a letter, as he still believes in him. With tension high among the gathered family members and his cousins finding his letter and making fun of him for it, an argument ensues as he claims to hate his family and Christmas.
This unleashes the wrath of Krampus upon the Engel home, where everyone has to band together and function properly in order to save themselves from this demon. With classic horror tropes also twisted into some classic Christmas ones, it makes for an interesting watch if you’re a fan of both genres.
5 The Night Before
Sony Pictures Releasing
Make sure there are no kids around if you intend to watch The Night Before, as this Christmas comedy is rated R. It’s a tradition for friends Ethan, Isaac, and Chris to gather together on Christmas Eve and celebrate the holidays together ever since Ethan’s parents died so that he wouldn’t be alone. However, Chris and Isaac believe they should soon end this tradition as they have careers and families to take care of now, while Ethan is still struggling to find his way in life.
For their last Christmas Eve together, they want to do something special, sending them running around New York City as they not only enjoy themselves but hope to get into one of the biggest Christmas parties in the city, the Nutcracker Ball. Full of highs and lows, the friends learn how to be themselves, confide in each other like they haven’t before, and maybe even grow closer than they ever had been in all those years together.
4 The Christmas Chronicles
Netflix
The Christmas Chronicles is another comedy focused around saving Christmas. When siblings Kate and Teddy Pierce notice Santa in their home, they set up a trap to try to catch him both physically and on camera. The plan fails and Santa manages to get in without getting caught, but Kate still wakes up to find him in their house. Curious, the pair sneak into Santa’s sled and fly across the world with him until they reveal their presence and startle him.
Losing control of the sleigh and crashing, the reindeer break free and the presents are lost. Threatened with a permanent place on the naughty list, the kids must now help him recover everything quickly in order to save Christmas. Though it might not be what you expect from Santa, the movie was popular enough to gain a sequel, and there are even rumors of a possible third film.
3 The Man Who Invented Christmas
Elevation Pictures
The biographical comedy-drama The Man Who Invented Christmas follows author Charles Dickens who has found himself in some financial difficulties after the failure of his last three books. Intending to write another success even if he has to publish it himself, Dickens seeks inspiration around London, running across a mostly unattended rich man’s funeral and a mean-spirited old man, both who turn into the inspiration for Ebenezer Scrooge.
With only six weeks to write it if he hopes to publish for Christmas, he faces many struggles both with his work and in his personal life, including many people’s belief that the book still won’t succeed as few at the time celebrated Christmas. While definitely not a traditional Christmas movie, telling the story of the creation of A Christmas Carol and how it influenced Christmas was an interesting and fresh addition to the many renditions of the story out there.
2 Arthur Christmas
Arthur Christmas is an animated sci-fi comedy centered on Arthur Claus, the son of Santa. While everyone knows that Santa delivers presents to every single child, there’s never been a set explanation as to why or how he does this, especially in only one night. This movie says he accomplishes this with a high-tech operation at the North Pole. Unfortunately, not every piece of technology is without its flaws, and Santa misses a single child one Christmas night, which Arthur discovers.
Accompanied by his grandfather, an elf, and a team of reindeer, Arthur sets out to deliver the present personally and make sure she still gets to enjoy her Christmas. It’s a whimsical, fun story that also features some sci-fi, a genre not often touched when it comes to Christmas movies, giving it just another thing to make this surprisingly hilarious film more unique.
1 Klaus
Klaus is a unique animated movie in this day and age, as it was animated traditionally with the intent to see what movies made like this would look like now if they hadn’t been dropped for 3D computer models. It’s an alternate origin story for Santa Claus, set in a fictional world in the fictional town of Smeerensburg, a town full of families constantly at odds with each other. Jesper, the son of the Royal Postmaster General, is a spoiled rich kid who is sent to the town as a lesson, given a year to set up a post office in the inhospitable town and deliver 6000 letters.
Though this seems to be an impossible task at first, when he meets Klaus, and old woodsman and a toymaker, they make an unlikely alliance and start delivering toys to the kids, changing their ways in the process. The movie quickly became critically acclaimed and went on to receive many awards and nominations, including a best animated feature nomination at the Oscars, and a best animated film award at the BAFTAs.
