December Holidays: 24 Christmas films from the last 20 years for the Christmas period

WITHAt the start of Advent, which Google is currently celebrating with a scribble called “December Holidays”, the famous Christmas music is played in many places, Christmas decorations are removed, Christmas stories are read, and from now on movies Christmas are obviously not to be missed.

There are many films that promote the holiday spirit and increase the anticipation of the holidays: the classics include “Isn’t Life Beautiful?” From 1946 with James Stewart, “White Christmas” (1954) with Bing Crosby, “Kevin – Alone zu Haus” (1990), “Santa Claus – A nice present” (1994) or “A promise is a promise” (1996) with Arnold Schwarzenegger.

For many Germans it also includes “Three hazelnuts for Cinderella” (1973) and “The little gentleman” (1980). But many of these Christmas movies are either very old or look out of date. For those who like it more colorful and contemporary, we recommend streaming 24 movies from the past 20 years for the 2020 Advent season:

01 “Holidate” (2020):

People aren’t meant to be alone on holidays – that’s the basic premise of this Netflix romantic comedy starring Emma Roberts and Luke Bracey. The film crosses all major holidays from Christmas to Christmas every year. The main characters hang out as singles so as not to be asked stupid questions about loneliness. And then – who would have thought – love comes into play. Turbulent and fun.

02 “Christmas in the square by Dolly Parton” (2020):

In keeping with her Christmas album “A Holly Dolly Christmas” with the song “Christmas on the Square”, country legend Dolly Parton appears in this new film as an angel who must educate people for charity, because an owner from the cold heart (Christine Baranski) prefers one Building a shopping mall to protect tenants.

03 “The Christmas Chronicles”, Teil 1 (2018):

In the first of these Netflix movies, brothers Kate (Darby Camp) and Teddy Pierce (Judah Lewis) – sons of a widowed and hardworking nurse – save Christmas with the help of Santa Claus (Kurt Russell).

04 “The Christmas Chronicles”, Teil 2 (2020):

In the second part, Kate meets the evil wizard Belsnickel, who wants to destroy the North Pole and Christmas. In the second part, directed by “Kevin Home Alone” producer Chris Columbus, Russell’s wife, Goldie Hawn, plays a bigger role as Mrs. Claus than in the first part.

05 “Jingle Jangle Journey: Adventurous Christmas!” (2020):

A Netflix family-friendly Christmas musical based on toy producer Jeronicus Jangle (Forest Whitaker) and his granddaughter with music by John Legend, Philip Lawrence, Usher and Kiana Ledé.

06 “The knight before Christmas” (2019):

Fairytale movie about a knight who ends up in the present and meets a teacher who wants to help him. Comedy of love with Vanessa Hudgens, an almost inevitable part of Netflix’s Christmas movies.

07 “Exchange of Princesses” Part 1 (2018):

In the first of these Netflix movies starring Vanessa Hudgens in a double role, a baker from Chicago and a future princess from the fictional European state of Belgravia swap roles.

08 “Exchange of Princesses” Part 2 (2020):

In the second part (“Princess Swap: Swap Again”), Stacy and Margaret swap again, but now they are dealing with a third part – a triple role for Vanessa Hudgens. It is expected to continue in 2021.

09 “A Christmas Carol” (2019):

Not quite a movie, but a three-part BBC miniseries (nearly three hours at a time). Guy Pearce plays the grumpy Ebenezer Scrooge in the remake of Charles Dickens’ famous ghost story. BBC One showed it on 22, 23 and 24 December 2019. In Germany it will air from 9 December. to Sky.

10 “Last Christmas” (2019):

The heartbreak comedy with Emilia Clarke and Henry Golding takes place in pre-Christmas London and is enriched by the music of George Michael. Over the course of the film, the phrase “I gave you my heart” from the hit “Last Christmas” takes on a special meaning. The film can be seen on Sky.

11 “About Christmas” (2020):

The three-part Netflix miniseries (together for about 135 minutes) starring Luke Mockridge in the lead role is loosely based on Christian Huber’s bestseller “7 Kilos in 3 Days”. Suffice, who is returning home on holidays, goes to his family in the Eifel during the holidays. His brother is now in a relationship with Basti’s ex-girlfriend, and otherwise not everything is perfect.

12 “Dear Santa Claus” (2014):

Franco-Belgian comedy about a Parisian boy who mistakes a thief for Santa Claus (“Le père Noël”) and climbs with him on the rooftops of Paris. Available via Sky.

13 “Bad Santa” (2003):

Among other things, the American comedy available via Joyn about a thief (Billy Bob Thornton) who disguises himself as Ho-Ho-Ho-Santa Claus and steals people in a department store, but this time gets a lesson from a child.

14 “Klaus” (2019):

This Spanish animated film on Netflix is ​​a real gem – in the German version with the voices of celebrities such as Ralf Schmitz, Rufus Beck, Josefine Preuss and Uschi Glas. This is the postman Jesper, moved to the hostile Zwietrachtingen (Smeerensburg) north of the Arctic Circle where he meets the melancholy toy manufacturer Klaus, finds his true destiny and virtually invents Christmas. Enchanting.

15 “Every year again – Christmas with the coopers” (2015):

Family comedy available on Joyn Plus about keeping problems a secret during the holiday season. The film lives mainly on strong actors like Diane Keaton, Ed Helms, Olivia Wilde and Amanda Seyfried and is told from the point of view of the family dog ​​Rags.

16 “Everything is love” (2014):

Five couples make their way into the pre-Christmas madness in Frankfurt and find themselves in an unusual way at the festival. The “Actually … Love” style episode film unites German movie stars such as Nora Tschirner, Heike Makatsch, Tom Beck, Wotan Wilke Möhring, Katharina Schüttler, Fahri Yardim and Christian Ulmen. The Schnulze is available from Joyn.

17 “The Guardians of Light” (2012):

In this imaginative animated film, the villain Pitch gives people nightmares and wants to take over. The Guardians of the Light – a quartet of Santa, Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy and Sandman – want to defeat him. Jack Frost (German voice Florian David Fitz) should help, but first he has to learn to believe in yourself. Lots of fun to believe in the wonderful, not just for kids. Available as a flat rate on Joyn + and Netflix, among others.

18 “When Santa Claus Fell from the Sky” (2011):

This German children’s film, available on Netflix for a fixed fee and other paid streaming services, is based on the book of the same name by Cornelia Funke. Alexander Scheer plays a cheeky Santa Claus, other roles include Noah Joel Kraus, Mercedes Jadea Diaz, Jessica Schwarz, and Volker Lechtenbrink.

19 “Disney’s A Christmas Story” (2009):

Charles Dickens’ classic (“A Christmas Carol”) as a Disney digital adventure – see it on the Disney + streaming service. In 19th century London, miser Ebenezer Scrooge is haunted by the late comrade Marley and then by three Christmas ghosts to become a better person. “The Muppets Christmas Story” of 1992 (also on Disney +) seems to have more success, because with the dolls.

20 “Merry Christmas” (2005):

This film with Diane Kruger, Benno Fürmann, Dany Boon and Daniel Brühl is about Christmas 1914 at the front in Flanders. German, Scottish and French troops try to celebrate the holiday in the trenches of the First World War. When they realize their enemies are celebrating too, they decide on a three-day truce. The municipality Natale alarms the army command. The film, which is based on a true story, was nominated for an Oscar and a Golden Globe and can be seen on Amazon Prime’s Sony Channel, for example.

21 “The Polar Express” (2004):

Director Robert Zemeckis’s computer-animated children’s film (“Back to the Future”, “Forrest Gump”) tells the story of a boy who doesn’t believe in Santa Claus and who is better educated with a trip to the North Pole. The children’s book adaptation offers a lot of Tom Hanks in different roles, but for some eyes it’s probably too overloaded. The film is available at an additional cost from almost any streaming service.

22 “Der Grinch” (2000):

There are two well-known film versions of this children’s book story by Dr. Seuss (Theodor Seuss Geisel) from the 1950s. Even though everything looks sweet as sugar, the Green Grinch has reasons for wanting to ruin Christmas. For comedian Jim Carrey, the hairy Grinch is one of his most famous roles. The film is available on Netflix, Sky and Amazon Prime at a flat rate.

23 “Der Grinch” (2018):

Two years ago, this variant of the comic appeared with Otto Waalkes as the speaker (in the original Benedict Cumberbatch). The Grinch animated film is available on Amazon.

24 “Indeed … Love” (2003):

This British ensemble film – original title “Love Actually” – tells several stories from London in the run-up to Christmas. Hugh Grant dances around the house as Prime Minister, Bill Nighy plays a drunken musician. Heike Makatsch plays a secondary role. Also present are Keira Knightley, Billy Bob Thornton, Liam Neeson, Colin Firth, Emma Thompson, Claudia Schiffer and Rowan Atkinson, known as Mr. Bean. The film is a hit and is available on Amazon Prime, Joyn, Netflix, TVnow and Sky, among others.