credit: Santa Clause
November is finally here; the spooky season has ended. And while most of us detest the gloomy month before shiny and festive December, there are ways to sweeten the waiting time and increase the anticipation for the jollities and Christmas euphoria.
To help you choose between all the films cut out for the Christmastime suspense, I put together a list of older and newer movies that are great for cozy evenings, snuggled up in a blanket with tea, chips, hot cacao, and gingerbread with loved ones or by yourself.
5. Love Actually (2003)
Let’s start with a classic. When I started this list, I knew “Love Actually” had to be on here, and while you may say that everyone already knows it, it is probably true it is still one of the best older movies to prepare and prepare for Christmas. Simply a staple.
To summarize the plot, it follows an ensemble cast and nine intertwined stories around London, juggling the difficulties of love in the festive season. It’s star-packed, starring Hugh Grant, Keira Knightley, Alan Rickman, Emma Thompson, and many more.
4. A Castle for Christmas (2021)
The movie “A Castle for Christmas” from last year is star-studded by Brooke Shields, Cary Elwes, and Drew Barrymore. A bestselling author (Brooke Shields) escapes a scandal by traveling to Scotland, where she falls in love with a castle. However, she is troubled by its owner- a grumpy duke (Cary Elwes).
This enjoyable new rom-com focuses on Scottish culture and perfectly encapsulates the constant search for oneself even at an older age (both main characters are recent divorcees and in their 50s).
The movie is topped off with a gorgeous setting and thick Scottish accents.
credit: The Santa Clauses
3. The Holiday (2006)
“The Holiday” has got to be my favorite. The plot revolves around two women needing a change in their lives due to love troubles and exchanging homes for two weeks to forget about men for a while. Iris (Kate Winslet) goes to L.A. while Amanda ( Cameron Diaz) moves into Iris’s cottage in England. Both of them happen to fall in love with a local guy. The movie is also beautifully enhanced by the two settings, the Winter Wonderland scenery (England) and Hollywood vibes (L.A.). Let me tell you; this is THE reflective film to fall in love with love stories and life all over again.
2. Ghosts of Girlfriend’s Past (2009)
The romantic comedy “Ghosts of Girlfriend’s Past” famously stars Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Garner, and Emma Stone and is loosely based on Charles Dickens’s “A Christmas Carol,” offering a modern twist to the original classic.
Connor Mead ( McConaughey) is a notorious womanizer. When he attends the wedding of his brother Paul, he becomes re-acquainted with Jenny Perotti, his old friend from school, who never fell for his charm. After delivering an awful, drunken speech at the rehearsal dinner on the eve before the wedding day, the ghost of Connor’s playboy, uncle Wayne. Wayne tells him that three ghosts (his exes) will guide him through his romantic past, present, and future to figure out where he went wrong and how he can fix his character so that he won’t become a lone player like his uncle.
In that way, it follows the original descriptions and the plot of “A Christmas Carol.”
It is a comfort movie that makes you reflect on your romantic choices once you dig more profound than the surface level. Moreover, the actors have great chemistry with each other.
credit: Santa Clause
1. Santa Clause (1994)
I remember watching “Santa Clause” and being completely fascinated. The magic, the real-life story, the romanticism of winter, and Christmas itself, I was in awe of the sheer combination of this iconic Christmas comedy.
The protagonist, toy salesman Scott Calvin (played by Tim Allen), is magically recruited to replace Santa after accidentally knocking him off his roof on Christmas Eve; with this newfound responsibility, challenges arise. The movie is filled with helping elves, funny moments (Scott grows a white beard and a belly), and wintery wholesomeness, thus a film for the entire film, no matter how young or old. If you got hooked, it is a franchise, so you’re in for more laughs and chuckles with your family.
P.S.: The newest “Santa Clauses” continuation is on Disney+, the comedy series “The Santa Clauses” starring Tim Allen.
Check out some of these movies and enjoy the cozy atmosphere as we get closer to Christmas.