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The holidays can be stressful, which is why TV and streaming are there for you as always with the comfort of a cheesy original movie. From live action to animation to romance to horror, the season’s original movies are as emotionally draining as the actual holidays — but in a good way.
We’re not here to judge; on the contrary, we want to make it easier. Here are our top 10 picks for new, wacky movies to watch this holiday season.
Rob Lowe and Kristin Davis spice up the post-breakup self-discovery movie by moving it to Africa (no specific country is named in the trailer). The two white leads star as a woman whose marriage just ended, and her roguishly blandsome safari leader. We know they’re going to fall in love (with each other and with the entire continent of Africa). The story might not be much, but we’ll always have gorgeous scenery and token characters of color to build it out!
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Holiday in the Wild is now streaming on Netflix.
2. Klaus (Netflix)
A rumored contender for Best Animated Feature at next year’s Oscars, Klaus tells the story Jesper (Jason Schwartzman), the postal academy’s worst student. Stationed in a small town above the Arctic Circle, Jesper has trouble making the most of his new job until he meets a mysterious carpenter named Klaus (J.K. Simmons). Additional voice acting by Joan Cusack, Rashida Jones, and Norm MacDonald.
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Klaus is now streaming on Netflix.
A killer blizzard (that you’ll never see) has hit the Midwest, where we watch the blossoming holiday romances of three teen couples. Add in Jacob Batalon in search of the most epic high school party, a baby pig, and Joan Cusack covered in tin foil, and you’ve got the festive, frothy joy of Let It Snow.
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Let It Snow is now streaming on Netflix.
4. Noelle (Disney+)
Anna Kendrick shines as Santa’s sister in Disney+’s first original Christmas movie. Opposite a curmudgeonly Bill Hader as Nick Kringle (the reluctant heir to the Santa throne), Kendrick plays Noelle — the overly enthusiastic daughter of Ol’ Saint Nick, eager to get her brother ready before Christmas Eve. Noelle lands somewhere between Elf and Enchanted, but with the added joy of a baby reindeer named Snow Cone.
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Noelle is now streaming on Disney+.
Vanessa Hudgens and Josh Whitehouse star in this remake of Kate and Leopold royal holiday romance with a time travel twist. When Sir Cole bursts into Brooke’s life, he thinks he’s a medieval knight, but what does it matter, really, if he is or isn’t? What does anything matter when it’s Christmas and you’re in love?
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The Knight Before Christmas is now streaming on Netflix.
6. Christmas in Rome (Hallmark)
Roman tour guide Angela (Lacey Chabert) finds her peaceful interrupted by Oliver (Sam Page), who’s visiting Italy to acquire a high-end ceramics company (as one does). They have instant chemistry and Angela teaches him to appreciate the simple things in life, like dancing and roses and the proper method for kneading dough.
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Christmas in Rome premieres Nov. 30 on the Hallmark Channel.
The second sequel in the Christmas Prince franchise (movement? revolution?), The Royal Baby promises festive fun. Rose McIver and Ben Lamb reprise their roles as Queen Amber and King Richard with higher stakes than ever before. Not only is the royal heir to the Aldovia throne on the way, the King and Queen must renew an ancient peace treaty with foreign visitors — or risk the safety of their people. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll have a lot of questions about Aldovia’s national security plan.
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A Christmas Prince: The Royal Baby begins streaming Dec. 5 on Netflix.
8. Same Time Next Christmas (ABC)
When childhood sweethearts Jeff (Charles Michael Davis) and Olivia (Lea Michele) reunite for the holidays in Hawaii, old feelings resurface and sparks fly. Will they get back together? Will life keep them apart? Most importantly: Will Lea Michele sing?? (Yes.)
Same Time Next Christmas premieres Dec. 5 on ABC.
Nothing says Christmas like a dinner party from hell. In Hulu’s latest installment of Into the Dark, a horror anthology series made up of feature-length nightmares, a mid-level employee (Kyle Howard) is invited to the home of his boss (Julian Sands) for a night of cheery revelry. But when the employee and his date (Angela Sarafyan) arrive, a sadistic game begins. Unlike any other film on this list, A Nasty Piece of Work should make for a far from silent night.
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Into the Dark: A Nasty Piece of Work begins streaming Dec. 6 on Hulu.
10. A Cheerful Christmas (Hallmark)
‘Tis the season for overly enthusiastic interior decorating. In Hallmark’s A Cheerful Christmas, a far removed branch of the British royal family hires Lauren (Erica Deutschman) and Colleen (Tianna Nori), self-proclaimed “Christmas coaches,” to decorate their property. Soon, however, the passionate women are roping the handsome James Anderson (Chad Connell) into building snowmen, hanging tinsel, and probably some kissing? Definitely some kissing.
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A Cheerful Christmas premieres Dec. 15 .
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