Looking for Christmas movies to watch? Check this out!

By Grace Abraham

I love Christmas movies. I watch all the new ones that are released on Netflix every year. I mean sure they all start off with 2 characters that end up in love, but it’s what happens in between that really matters. There are super cute moments, hilarious plot points, and really awkward scenes that top everything thing off perfectly. Here’s a list of 5 Netflix Original movies that came out this year. 

Holiday Rush (1h34m)

Rated: Tv-PG

Actors: Romany Malco, Sonequa Martin-Green, Darlene Love, Deon Cole

Plot: After getting fired from his job, a well-known DJ, Rush Williams, moves into his aunt’s house with his 4 kids. Going from a luxury life to one that counts pennies is something that none of them are used to. Spoiled, bratty, and completely arrogant are just a few words to describe Rush and his kids. But moving to his aunt’s house starts to get Rush to see through a new perspective. Will this new Rush be able to get a new and better job? Will he also be able to finally catch Roxy Richardson? Find out by watching this movie! 

My thoughts: You can tell that they are trying to show you the true meaning of Christmas here: that it’s not always about the money or the actual presents, but about spending time with the ones you love. I really did enjoy this movie. There were some goofy parts that had me giggling and some parts that I found to be straight-up awkward. But all of that combined turned out to make a nice movie. 

A Christmas Prince: The Royal Baby (1h25m)

Rated: PG-13

Actors: Rose McIver, Ben Lamb, Alice Krige

Plot: Queen Amber, who is now expecting, and her husband, King Richard are about to sign a treaty with Penglia. But this 600-year-old tradition is stopped when someone steals the treaty from the ancient box. Not only is that really bad, but there’s a catch: if the treaty isn’t signed by midnight Christmas eve, then the firstborn child will be cursed forever. So now Queen Amber has to solve this mystery...before it’s too late. 

My thoughts: First came love, then came marriage, and now there’s a baby in the baby carriage. But literally, that’s how this movie series goes. This is the third movie in this series, and honestly not that bad. I didn’t really enjoy it because of the overly accentuated “mystery”. The whole mystery was pretty big, but the way that they went about solving it was kind of boring. But at least they had the romance in it. It was very light because these people have been with each other for a while and are expecting a child. So there wasn’t anything too heavy. But other than that, it was okay. Don’t let this review stop you, because I’m just one person. So go check it out and see if you like it yourself!

Holiday in the Wild (1h26m)

Rated: Tv-PG

Actors: Rob Lowe, Kristin Davis, Fezile Mpela

Plot: Days before Kate’s second honeymoon, her husband divorces her. Heartbroken and desperate to leave her past, Kate packs her bags and head to Africa to make sure that this honeymoon is the best she’ll ever have, even though she’s on her own. But that’s where things change. When poachers kill an elephant mother and badly hurt the baby, Kate teams up with a dashing pilot, Derek, to try and save it. Saving the elephant slowly turns into Kate and Derek moments. But will she be able to love and trust somebody again? Will Derek tell her about his past and why he refuses to get attached? Watch this wonderful movie to find out!

My thoughts: I really loved this movie. First off, Rob Lowe is an awesome human being. Second off, this movie had moments that were cute, quirky, and really awkward. But it had me entertained and I loved every moment of it. Definitely expect cheesy flirting scenes and moments of almost-kisses. Hope you check it out!

A Cinderella Story: Christmas Wish (1h26m)

Rated: PG

Actors: Laura Marano, Gregg Sulkin, Isabella Gomez

Plot: Kat Decker has always had one dream: to become a musician. Just like her father, she holds stubbornly to her dreams, refusing to lose hope. So when a job position opens up at Santaland for her to be a Santaland singer, Kat sees that it’s just what she expected. But one thing that she definitely did not see coming was the cute Santa Claus. Gone are the old age and big belly, replaced by a young fit guy, Dominic Wintergarden. There’s an instant attraction and Dominic invites her to the Wintergarden Gala, the biggest attraction of the year. But just like any classic Cinderella, Kat’s mom and stepsisters take away her invite, her dress, and her freedom. Leaving her alone in the house, will Kat be able to make it back to Dominic before the night is over? Will she be able to finally live up to the highest of her dreams? If you’re interested so far, definitely check it out.

My thoughts: I love any spin-off to princess stories. This one was definitely good. I loved how, of all things, Kat fell in love with Santa. SANTA! Normally Santa is an old man with a belly that’s about to burst through his belt. But they put a whole new look to Santa. I found this movie to be hilarious, full of cheesy flirting and full-on second-hand embarrassment moments. But it definitely was a good one.  Even though it’s PG, I wouldn’t recommend watching it with younger siblings because there are some gestures and subtle hints that are definitely not appropriate. I don’t know whether or not they will be able to catch on to that, but consider yourself warned. 

Let it Snow (1h33m)

Rated: TV-PG

Actors: Kiernan Shipka, Mitchell Hope, Jacob Batalon

Plot: One snowstorm. Eight friends. It’s Christmas Eve when a snowstorm keeps a group of high school students in a little midwestern town. This movie is in three different perspectives for the three couples’ romantic journeys:

• Tobin and Angie have been friends since they were born. But Tobin is starting to realize that maybe he doesn’t just want to be friends with Angie anymore. He’s about to tell her when Angie’s friend, an attractive college student named JP, comes to town. Tobin instantly feels left out and jealous. But that doesn’t mean he’ll quit. Will he be able to tell Angie what he feels, or will JP beat him to it?
• Next, it’s Dorrie and Tegan. They hooked up once but Dorrie feels as if there’s still an attraction between them. But Tegan doesn’t want to spend time with Dorrie and keeps avoiding her. Dorrie decides to confront Tegan about it, but will Tegan reciprocate or will it be super awkward?
• Last on this romance journey are Julie and Stuart. Julie is a smart girl, who just got accepted into Columbia University. But her mom is very sick, and she doesn’t have the heart to leave her mother alone on what seems like her last year. So one day, out on a walk, Julie runs into Stuart who is a famous musician. Stuart was just passing through the town, but due to the snowstorm, he couldn’t leave. The two end up hitting it off greatly. But how will Juile handle a sick mother, a faraway school, and a relationship with a well-known legend?

My thoughts: I didn’t like this movie, but I also didn’t hate it. Let’s start off with the good. I liked the character’s personas. They were all teenagers so they were funny, a little awkward, and really cute. But I started to lose interest in the plot after a while. Aside from a snowstorm and taking place around Christmas time, this movie didn’t really have anything to do with Christmas. It was all about these teens having a relationship before Christmas. And that just wasn’t enough for me. I was really expecting it to contain something like the “true meaning of Christmas” or even a Santa Claus somewhere. But none of that came. But, hey, don’t let me discourage you. If you’re all about the love story side, then definitely check this movie out. You not only get one but three different love stories all in one. That’s a deal! So go watch it!