Christmas Classic: How The Grinch Stole Christmas

If by chance this modern classic isn’t a fixture of your Bluray collection then you can catch it on Netflix. It isn’t the best adaptation of Dr. Suess’ story but this update of the Grinch still holds up today. With great commentary on consumerism, fantastic set design, and two great lead performances from Jim Carrey and Taylor Momsen.

Family: Paddington

Paddington is the perfect film to warm you up on these cold nights. Following the eponymous bear as he moves in with the Brown family and is hunted by Millicent (Nicole Kidman) this movie is some of the purest, good-natured fun to have been released in the last decade. There’s a lovable character at its centre (Ben Whishaw provides Paddington’s beautiful voice), pitch-perfect comedic timing, inventive set-pieces, and a heartwarming message about taking care of those in need no matter where they come from. Paddington is a good-natured pallet cleanser for all the cynicism of modern filmmaking. 

Drama: Boiling Point

No film captures the intensity of working in a restaurant during the Christmas run-up better than Boiling Point. Clashes with customers, interpersonal team drama, and personal issues intruding into work play out brilliantly and flowingly in this extraordinary drama shot entirely in one take. It will definitely give everyone a newfound appreciation for what hospitality workers have to put up with.

Animation: Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio

This hotly anticipated stop-motion reimagining of Carlo Collodi’s classic tale of a wooden puppet who wants to be a real boy from horror master Guillermo del Toro and stop-motion mainstay Mark Gustafson does not disappoint. The stop-motion is a marvel, the voice acting is outstanding and it takes the classic tale in interesting new directions. Plus its central exploration of family, faith, and how fascism perverts them makes for perfect viewing right now.

Romance: I Believe in Santa (14th December)

Sometimes we all want a bit of festive cheese. I Believe in Santa focuses on a woman (Christina Moore) who has to come to terms with the fact that her partner (John Ducey) is obsessed with her least favourite holiday, Christmas. And still believes in Santa. Undoubtedly the film will be sickeningly saccharin but hey, occasionally we all need a bit of Christmas schlock.

Mystery: Knives Out & Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (23rd December)

Finally, for those who love watching a mystery tale during the holidays, you’re in luck. Both Knives Out and its sequel Glass Onion will be arriving on Netflix just in time for Christmas. Both movies revolve around unconventional mysteries being investigated by Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc. Rian Johnson’s series (Netflix has ordered another sequel) revels in the genre’s trappings and not only subverts what’s expected but updates the genre in very satisfying ways. And both films feature great performances from absurdly talented casts. Please give them a watch so we can encourage Johnson and Craig to make as many sequels as they want.

That does it for our seasonal Netflix recommendations. We hope our suggestions provide some enjoyment for you. Please feel free to recommend anything we should add to our watchlist. And from our family to yours we hope you all have a Happy Christmas and a wonderful New Year.

Also Read: Best Christmas Movies of the Past Decade

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