Ho ho ho! The holiday season is finally here and it boasts over 100 new movies. As is tradition, TV networks and streaming sites ( such as Netflix, Hallmark, Disney Plus, etc.) are jam-packed with holiday releases.
Jennifer Garner, Eddie Murphy, Brandy Norwood, Lacey Chabert, Phylicia Rashad and Leighton Meester are just a few of the stars who will be the faces of the 2023 holiday season. You can expect a wide variety of stories ranging from classic movies of redemption and forgiveness to unexpected romances in wondrous and faraway places.
Of course, we’ll also have our share of light-hearted comedies, kitchen action, body swaps and tales centered on the lives of royalty.
Don’t waste time reading the TV guides! Here’s our pick of the must-see Christmas movies of 2023, including when and where to see them.
Best. Christmas. Ever!
Available on Netflix on Thursday, November 15
Starring: Heather Graham, Brandy Norwood, Matt Cedeno and Jason Biggs.
Best. Christmas. Ever! is a romantic comedy directed by Mary Lambert from a script co-written by Charles Shyer and Todd Calgi Gallicano. A nice surprise is that popular singer Brandy Norwood will show off her Christmas spirit in this production.
According to Netflix’s synopsis, the story begins with a college rivalry between Jackie (Brandy Norwood) and Charlotte (Heather Graham). Each year, Jackie sends out a boastful Christmas newsletter that makes Charlotte boil with jealousy over her friend’s supposedly perfect life.
The feature takes place the week of Christmas and follows Charlotte and her family as they unexpectedly end up at Jackie’s house. Once there, Charlotte takes the opportunity to prove that her old friend’s “wonderful” life is a sham. But, as expected, her plan is quickly derailed.
EXmas
Available on Amazon Freevee on Friday, November 17
Starring: Leighton Meester, Robbie Amell, Michael Hitchcock, Kathryn Greenwood, Veronika Slowikowska and Steven Huy.
Produced by BuzzFeed Studios, EXmas is written by Dan Steele and directed by Jonah Feingold. Richard Alan Reid, Michael Philip and Jason Moring serve as producers.
EXmas stars Leighton Meester (Gossip Girl) and Robbie Amell (Upload) as former fiancés: Ali and Graham. The film follows the unexpected reunion of the former lovers over Christmas. Ali shows up at Graham’s family’s house to spend the holidays together, thinking her ex-boyfriend wouldn’t make the trip.
The official logline is as follows:
“When Graham decides to surprise his family by traveling home for Christmas, he is shocked to discover them already celebrating with an unexpected guest of honor – Ali, who also happens to be his ex-fiancée. The two exes battle it out to see who the family will pick to stay through Christmas Day, and who must go.”
EXmas will be available for streaming on Freevee in the U.S., U.K., Germany and Austria. This holiday production is BuzzFeed Studios’ second original romantic comedy following the release of “Puppy Love.”
Dashing Through the Snow
Available on Disney + on Friday, November 17
Starring: Lil Rel Howery, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Teyonah Parris, Oscar Nunez, Madison Skye Validum, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Ravi V. Patel, Gina Brillon, Kevin Connolly and Zulay Henao
Dashing Through the Snow is a Christmas fantasy comedy directed by Tim Story, written by Scott Rosenberg. The film’s plot revolves around Eddie Garrick (Chris “Ludacris” Bridges), a social worker who rediscovers the magic of Christmas.
In Disney+’s Dashing Through the Snow, Eddie brings his daughter Charlotte (Madison Skye) to work with him on Christmas Eve. Father and daughter embark on an unexpected adventure when their paths cross with an unusual man named Nick (Lil Rel Howery), dressed in an impeccable Santa suit.
“Eddie Garrick is a good-hearted man who has turned his back on Christmas due to a traumatic childhood experience,” reads the official synopsis of the film. “At the request of his wife Allison Garrick (Teyonah Parris), from whom he is separated, Eddie takes his 9-year-old daughter Charlotte (Madison Skye Validum) to work with him on Christmas Eve, where they meet a mysterious man in a red suit named Nick (Lil Rel Howery). Eddie, who is a social worker, thinks the man is delusional and needs professional help, but when he evokes the wrath of a local politician (Oscar Nunez), he and his daughter are taken on a magical adventure that just might restore his faith in Christmas.”
In this Christmas story Eddie Garrick recalls the magic of the season, so even though it’s presented as a comedy, we suspect we’ll need tissues.
A Merry Scottish Christmas
Available on Hallmark Channel on Saturday, November 18
Starring: Lacey Chabert, Scott Wolf, James Robinson, Fiona Bell, Kellie Blaise, Gerry O’Brien, Janet Grene
The Party of Five siblings reunite in a new Hallmark Channel movie!
It’s been nearly three decades since the show Party of Five debuted on Fox. The family drama ran for six seasons and followed five siblings after the death of their parents in a car accident; two of the beloved series’ lead actors, Scott Wolf and Lacey Chabert, will reunite for the first time in the production A Merry Scottish Christmas.
Written by Andrea Canning and Audrey Schulman, A Merry Scottish Christmas tells the story of siblings Lindsay (Chabert) and Brad (Wolf), who travel to Scotland for Christmas to reunite with their mother Jo (Fiona Bell). There, a big family secret is revealed.
The Naughty Nine
Available on Disney Channel on Wednesday, November 22
Starring: Danny Glover, Winslow Fegley, Camila Rodriguez, Anthony Joo, Imogen Cohen, Clara Stack, Ayden Elijah, Madilyn Kellam and Derek Theler
Disney describes this film as “Ocean’s 11 at the North Pole”. The plot follows a group of rebellious children who seek revenge on Santa Claus because they didn’t get the gift they thought they deserved. However, their plan takes a turn when they break into Santa’s village and are openly outed.
According to the official synopsis: “Fifth grader Andy has been a bit of a troublemaker this year. When Christmas morning rolls around and Andy gets stiffed by Santa, he realizes he’s on the Naughty List. Feeling unfairly maligned, Andy pulls together a crack team of fellow naughty listers to pull off an elaborate heist in the North Pole to get the presents that Andy and the others feel they deserve. In the process of finding their gifts, the gang discovers that the spirit of Christmas is more about giving than taking, and decide to face Santa and do the right thing”.
The feature film, directed by Alberto Belli, will premiere on Disney Channel on November 22 and will be available for streaming on Disney+ the following day.
Family Switch
Available on Netflix on Thursday, November 30
Starring: Jennifer Garner, Ed Helms, Rita Moreno, Emma Myers and Brady Noon
Family Switch will premiere on Netflix on November 30, just in time for the holiday season. Based on the novel Bedtime for Mommy by Amy Krouse-Rosenthal, the film tells the story of a family growing apart as the children grow up.
The film follows the Walkers on one of the most important days of their collective lives. Just when they all have to fulfill commitments that are critical to their future, they discover that they have swapped bodies.
Family Switch follows the classic body-swap formula found in classics like 13 Going on 30, Freaky Friday, Big and 17 Again, and adds an extra layer: this time, it’s not just two characters who switch places, but the whole family, including the baby and the dog!
Filmmaker McG, responsible for such titles as Charlie’s Angels, The Babysitter and Rim Of The World, directs this feature.
Candy Cane Lane
Available on Amazon Prime Video on Friday, December 01
Starring: Eddie Murphy, Jillian Bell, Tracee Ellis Ross, Ken Marino and Nick Offerman.
Eddie Murphy releases his first Christmas movie. In Candy Cane Lane, Murphy plays Chris, a Christmas enthusiast who makes a deal with a mischievous elf.
The official plot synopsis for Candy Cane Lane reads as follows:
“Eddie Murphy stars in this holiday comedy adventure about a man on a mission to win his neighborhood’s annual Christmas home decoration contest. After Chris (Eddie Murphy) inadvertently makes a deal with a mischievous elf named Pepper (Jillian Bell) to better his chances of winning, she casts a magic spell that brings the 12 Days of Christmas to life and wreaks havoc on the whole town. At the risk of ruining the holidays for his family, Chris, his wife Carol (Tracee Ellis Ross), and their three children must race against the clock to break Pepper’s spell, battle deviously magical characters and save Christmas for everyone.”
Candy Cane Lane reunites director Reginald Hudlin, Murphy and producer Brian Grazer for the first time since their 1992 hit Boomerang. The film is written by Kelly Younger, who was inspired by her own holiday experiences at Candy Cane Lane, in El Segundo, California.
Your Christmas or Mine 2
Available on Amazon Prime Video on Friday, December 08
Starring: Cora Kirk, Asa Butterfield, Daniel Mays, Angela Griffin, David Bradley, Jane Krakowski
Amazon has greenlit a sequel to the British Christmas movie Your Christmas or Mine? with the return of stars Asa Butterfield (Sex Education) and Cora Kirk (Prey for the Devil).
In Your Christmas or Mine 2, we catch up with James (Asa Butterfield) and Hayley (Cora Kirk) as they prepare to spend their second Christmas together. This time, James’ father, Lord Humphrey (Alex Jennings), has invited the Taylors to spend Christmas at a luxury ski resort in the Austrian Alps.
Here’s the sequel’s synopsis:
“It’s the most wonderful time of the year, but will it be for James and Hayley? James’ father has invited the Taylors to spend Christmas in a luxury ski resort in the Austrian Alps so they can meet his new American girlfriend (played by Jane Krakowski). However, Hayley’s dad Geoff insisted on handling his family’s side of the booking, and something got lost in translation. After a mix-up with transport at the airport, the two tribes end up at each other’s accommodations on different sides of a valley and opposite ends of the Tripadvisor rating scale. Can Hayley and James’ relationship survive another turbulent family Christmas, or has their future together gone off-piste?”
Your Christmas or Mine 2 is produced by Mighty Pebble Pictures and The Story Collective, and directed by Jim O’Hanlon (Trying), who was responsible for the first film.
So now the Christmas lovers have these recommendations for the brand-new festive films to check out this year, all that’s left is to prepare the hot chocolate, curl up on the couch and enjoy hopeful and fun seasonal movies.
Image: Photo by Samira Rahi