10 Best Recent Christmas Movies

Classics are classics for a reason: they are great movies. Some people watch the same classics every year without fail. I tend to cycle through them, watching them every 2-3 years. In between, I am always trying out the new Christmas movies to find another gem that can be added to the rotation. Of the new Christmas movies every year, 95% are fillers that are great to have on while wrapping presents or making cookies. Every once in a while, however, there is a movie good enough to be re-watched.

That is the main criteria I use when determining a good Christmas movie. After a year passes, do I want to watch that movie again? Below are ten recent movies that I have watched and re-watched. They are, for now, at least, in a rotation to watch during Christmas time.

10. Holiday Rush

This is a nice, Hallmark-style movie with all of the classic tropes. It focuses on the importance of family and intangible blessings over material blessings. It has a widower finding new love. It has a Potter-style villain trying to ruin the protagonist’s goals. But what this movie does best is the family relationships and dynamics. Too many of these movies focus solely on romance, and the kids are an afterthought of the people involved. This movie depicts the relationships between the father and the children very well, and the characters all have rewarding arcs where they all grow and are different by the end of the movie. If you like the Hallmark-style Christmas movies, try this one out.

https://www.netflix.com/title/81033086

9. Last Christmas

This is a very different style of Christmas movie. What I enjoy about this movie is the main character going from a woman making abysmal decisions and destroying every relationship around her to a healthy woman being kind and generous to those around her. It shows how love and understanding can heal wounds. But the best part is the depiction of healthy masculinity. There is even a throw-away line where the woman complains about the man’s healthy masculine energy. There is an unnecessary homosexual couple in it that was tacked on to check the box, and there is talk of sex and drinking throughout, so not one to watch with little kids.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07ZL565X1

8. The Star

This is a great children’s movie for the Christmas season. It follows Mary and Joseph’s donkey that they used on their journey to Bethlehem. Fun characters, good villains, and even the side characters are enjoyable. Plus, it tells the story of Jesus’ birth in a unique way and perspective. This is a fantastic family movie, especially for those with younger kids.

https://www.amazon.com/Star-Anthony-Anderson/dp/B077H51TGQ

Honorable Mention: Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch by Illumination. It’s another great kids movie. This is actually my favorite version of The Grinch. It is also great for families to watch with small children.

7. Santa Jaws

This is an excellent movie for a very specific person. It is a very well-done Sci-Fi channel-style made-for-TV movie. It takes itself seriously and has total commitment from everybody involved. If you like B-movies, shark movies, and Christmas movies, this is right up your alley. If you do not enjoy B-movies or shark movies, avoid this one. Plus, this has the standard character arc of a good Christmas movie. The protagonist does not enjoy his family and is not thankful for them. Throughout the film, as he loses them to the man-eating, Christmas-themed shark, he comes to love and appreciate them. There are a few bloody scenes that I could have done without, but it is a monster movie, after all. This is definitely not one to be watched with kids.

https://www.amazon.com/Santa-Jaws-Reid-Miller/dp/B08GQ13S6T

6. The Christmas Chronicles

Despite not having the most superb acting from the younger sister, this movie is delightful. Kurt Russell is my favorite version of Santa Claus. He carries this movie on his back, and his music scene in the jailhouse is one of the best Christmas movie scenes ever. It is a typical “Help Santa Save Christmas” style movie, but it does not feel like a copy of any other film. Plus, it has a heart-warming moment at the movie’s end that makes it shine. There is a sequel that my kids like, but it is skippable, missing the charm and warmth of the first.

https://www.netflix.com/title/80199682

5. Klaus

This is my favorite animated Christmas movie. It is a version of the origin of Santa Claus. It has a bristly man, a selfish man, and a town dedicated to violence above everything else. Throughout the movie, these three things start to shift, and there is a distinct difference in all of the parties at the film’s end. It is enjoyable and can be watched with the whole family.

https://www.netflix.com/title/80183187

4. 8-Bit Christmas

This feels closer to A Christmas Story than any other movie in recent memory. It has the bully, the kid’s desire for a specific Christmas gift, and the child’s trials and travails to get that gift. It has some genuinely funny moments, friendship, nostalgia, and a final Christmas message that fits well with the movie. Plus, it is re-watchable and family-friendly.

https://www.max.com/movies/8-bit-christmas/01d3fe24-a0ec-432f-bdd5-4c513472b528

3. Fatman

This is another adult Christmas movie with language and violence throughout. For some reason, this one did not get great reviews, but I really enjoy it. There is a hitman hired to kill Santa, but this conflict does not rear its head until the climax. Throughout the movie, Santa is on his own journey to regain the Christmas spirit. This movie has the best depiction of the relationship between Santa and Mrs. Claus, and she is the catalyst that reignites his passion for giving. There are a couple of moments that feel as though they are about to cross a cruelty/violence line that would make the movie unwatchable for me, but each time it backs off of the line. This is a great slow-burn Christmas movie that has a satisfying conclusion with storylines that all lead to the ending.

https://www.peacocktv.com/watch/asset/movies/action/fatman/363f9153-b767-373a-8da8-82662804496e

Honorable Mention: Violent Night. It’s Die Hard with Santa. Enough said.

2. The Man who Invented Christmas

A Christmas movie list would never be complete without a Scrooge variant. This movie follows Charles Dickens who puts himself in a financial bind with the promise of the Christmas book. It is an excellent film about the man who wrote the story, providing insight into a little of the author’s history. All of the main points about his life is accurate, and this movie fills out the details in a very entertaining way. Anybody who enjoys a good Scrooge adaptation will enjoy the bits and pieces of the classic story littered throughout this film.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077MFZMB3

1. Daddy’s Home 2

This pushes all of the buttons for me for a great Christmas movie. It is funny throughout. There are great characters and supporting characters. It has good music, and a touching finale. What makes it even better is that there is no need to have seen Daddy’s Home to enjoy this one. It is in the style of Christmas Vacation, and I actually like it better. It is rated PG-13, I think because of sexual innuendo, but nothing explicit. It is a favorite of ours to enjoy every Christmas season.

https://www.paramountplus.com/movies/video/P75JzjumeZ610cRyQrnskZT_npCinjgi/