Every year, on the eve of the Christmas and New Year holidays, cinemas and streaming services offer a lot of seasonal movies and cartoons designed to help viewers immerse themselves in the festive atmosphere. But it often happens that their quantity does not necessarily translate into quality. This film selection is dedicated to relatively new Christmas projects that were released no earlier than five years ago, and, in our opinion, will allow you to have a good time watching the screen on winter pre-holiday evenings. So, meet different kinds of Christmas – from bloody to 8-bit – here and now.
The Christmas Chronicles (2018)
One day, teenager Teddy Pierce and his younger sister Kate discover the real Santa, get on his sleigh, and cause an accident that puts the embarrassed old man at risk of not delivering all the presents on time. Now the young mischievous children have to help Santa fix the situation before a real disaster occurs.
“The Christmas Chronicles” is a cute movie for the whole family, based on the good old “save Christmas” trope. We also note that Kurt Russell made a very charismatic Santa Claus, who does not particularly fit the archetypal image of a gray-haired old man with a beer belly who constantly shouts “ho-ho-ho.” In 2020, a sequel appeared, but, given the ratings, viewers liked it less.
The Grinch (2018)
The Grinch, a gloomy hermit, hates Christmas and everything about it: the merriment, the festivities, the bright decorations, etc. One day, the continuous pre-holiday joy of everyone around him irritates the Grinch so much that he decides to implement a cunning plan and put an end to the happy moments of the residents of the town of Htovska.
This 2018 animated film is the second adaptation of Dr. Seuss’ children’s book How the Grinch Stole Christmas. The first time Jim Carrey tried on the image of the green hater of Christmas was in 2000. Interestingly, The Grinch became the highest-grossing Christmas project in history, overtaking even such a titan as Home Alone, which held the lead for 28 years.
Last Christmas (2019)
A young girl Kate works as an elf in a Christmas shop in central London, but dreams of a career as a singer. The turning point in the heroine’s somewhat chaotic existence is her meeting with a handsome boyfriend, Tom. Gradually, they become closer, but Kate could not even imagine how important Tom’s role in her life would be.
“Last Christmas” successfully pretends to be a light-hearted holiday rom-com up to a certain point, but in reality it is a full-fledged, touching drama that simply deprives the audience of the chance to remain indifferent. The plot of the film is inspired by George Michael’s global hit Last Christmas, which will decorate any movie, and the snowy London adds authentic atmosphere.
Klaus (2019)
A young man named Jesper has no goals in life. In order to teach his clumsy son a lesson, the boy’s father, who is involved in the postal business, sends him to work as a postman in the remote town of Smerensburg above the Arctic Circle. The hero has to send out at least 6000 letters, because only if he fulfills this requirement will he be able to leave the godforsaken place. But how can he do this if in such a remote place people use the post office a little more often than ever?
“Klaus” offers the viewer an alternative story of Santa Claus’ origin and is not an ordinary Christmas fairy tale, but something much more significant. It is a magical, emotional and quite profound film made in traditional hand-drawn animation that will be interesting for both adults and children. It has rightly received universal acclaim from audiences and critics and a number of prestigious awards to boot. You should definitely watch this cartoon if you haven’t already.
A Boy Called Christmas (2021)
Once upon a time, an ordinary teenager Nicholas set out on a dangerous journey to find his father, who was searching for the legendary elven village of Alfheim. Together with his new friends, the faithful deer Blitzen and the mouse Mika, the hero will learn firsthand that magic is very real.
The plot of the fantasy film A Boy Called Christmas is based on the book of the same name by Matt Haig, which was published in 2015. Along with Klaus, this touching and funny fairy tale presents another variation on the theme of Santa Claus’s rise. It is highly recommended for viewing in a warm family environment.
8-Bit Christmas (2021)
It was the late ’80s, and kids of the time were having as much fun as they could. More than anything else, 10-year-old Jake Doyle, like thousands of other kids, dreamed of a Nintendo game console. It so happened that only one boy from a wealthy family had one, so children from all over the neighborhood lined up to discover the magical world of video games. But Jake wants his own console, so he’s ready to do anything to get his hands on the 8-bit wonder of technology.
“8-Bit Christmas” stands out from the dozens of modern Christmas comedies that are almost impossible to distinguish from each other. The fascination with retro gaming and a pleasant 80s vibe coexist here with a good sense of humor and the glorification of family values, of course. However, the latter do not fill the entire film space, but become only a necessary addition to the main narrative, which is absolutely impossible to tear yourself away from.
Christmas Bloody Christmas (2022)
One Christmas Eve in a small town, two friends, Tori and Robbie, decide to have a drink together. The young people are having a great time and have no idea that this night might be their last. The trouble is that the local toy store has a technical malfunction with a robot Santa, and now this deadly android is walking around with an axe to grind, looking for new victims.
Judging by the ratings, the audience did not like the movie very much, but critics were more favorable to it. Yes, at first glance, “Christmas Bloody Christmas” is just a cheap slasher without much imagination. However, the authors confidently offset the low budget with an expressive (neon) style and enthusiasm. In fact, it’s a combination of the cult slasher Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984) and Cameron’s Terminator, and this nostalgic cinephilia is very much in keeping with this modest but cute project.
Violent Night (2022)
One day, a disillusioned Santa Claus, who prefers to drown his existential crisis in alcohol, witnesses a real robbery in the house of a wealthy family. He steps on the path of war with dangerous criminals, so obviously not everyone will survive this fierce night.
This comedy action movie doesn’t pull stars out of the sky, and while watching it, it’s hard to escape the idea that its authors didn’t use all the potential they had. The local humor is often surprising, to put it mildly, and there is nothing to see in terms of plot and characters other than the main character.
But it’s a great alternative for those who like it tougher. It doesn’t skimp on gory scenes or pleasant references to Christmas classics. It’s good that along with warm holiday movies for the whole family, there are such uncompromising projects as Christmas Bloody Christmas and Violent Night.
Spirited (2022)
When the otherworldly Spirits of Christmas decide to take on the task of “re-educating” the malignant PR consultant Clint Briggs, they face a number of insurmountable challenges. But the Spirit of the present Christmas is too determined to back down from his plan.
“Spirited” is billed as a modern retelling of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol in prose. It is a light and pleasant movie in every sense, with a great comedy duet and optional songs and dances in the frame. You can’t expect any revelations, but the movie copes with its function of putting you in a good mood brilliantly.
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special (2022)
Peter Quill has lost Gamora, so the other members of the Guardians are trying to comfort their friend. In particular, Drax and Mantis plan to go to Earth and present the Star-Lord with his childhood idol, Kevin Bacon. But the latter will definitely not be happy with this course of events.
Before James Gunn finally said goodbye to the Marvel Cinematic Universe with the third installment of The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, the most successful Marvel movie and comic book in 2023, the director managed to please the audience with a holiday special. This is a fun local adventure of Drax and Mantis, which looks like an optional but very nice gift for all fans of the crazy superhero team.
