Grab your hot cocoa and cozy up for a sleigh ride through Netflix's winter wonderland! We're unwrapping our picks for the most heartwarming, cheesy, and magical holiday films the streaming giant has to offer. From royal romances to time-traveling knights, these movies are sure to fill you with Christmas cheer and maybe a few giggles too!
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00:00I think it's time for a new story.
00:03Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today, we're counting down our picks for the Netflix original movies that are sure to get you in the holiday spirit.
00:10Is that really how Christmas properly began?
00:14Oh, well, it must be. It must be. You see, I never lie.
00:19Number 20, Christmas Inheritance.
00:23Oh, thank you.
00:24In the past few years, Netflix has obviously realized what a strong market there is for Hallmark-style cheesy Christmas movies as saccharine as they come.
00:33Maybe our troubled and jaded generation just wants something fluffy every now and then, okay?
00:38One of the first they created was this one, which is essentially Sweet Home Alabama, but make it Christmas.
00:44The Smaltz-a-thon is no award winner, but it's got a cute and sappy plot that's perfect to watch while you sip hot chocolate and stuff yourself with Christmas cookies.
00:53Are you crying?
00:57A little bit.
00:58Number 19, Falling For Christmas.
01:01Lindsay Lohan's long-awaited return to movies does not disappoint.
01:06Netflix brought the Parent Trap star back with this twist on an old rom-com formula reminiscent of movies like Overboard.
01:12We have procedures to follow when we're dealing with a Jane Doe.
01:16A Jane Doe? I am not a Jane Doe.
01:19Well, I don't know what else to call you.
01:21You've got no identity, no money, and no place to go.
01:26I have a place.
01:27Wealthy and spoiled heiress Sierra Belmont loses her memory in a skiing accident.
01:32Glee star Cord Overstreet plays the hunky lodge owner who takes pity on her, and the two end up falling in love while trying to save his business.
01:40If a slow dance in front of a wall of Christmas lights doesn't do it for you, watching Lindsay Lohan try and fail to do normal things definitely will.
01:48Do I just put these here?
01:52Oh!
01:57Really?
01:58Number 18. Dolly Parton's Christmas on the Square.
02:02Mixing small-town charm and full-out musical numbers, this one is as joyous and warm as its star.
02:08Christine Baranski plays a heartless real estate developer looking to sell her hometown and evict all its citizens.
02:15And of course, she does this during Christmas.
02:18Dolly Parton, Jennifer Lewis, and Josh Segarra are on hand to set her straight.
02:23Through song, of course.
02:25Girlfriends are the salt of the earth.
02:28They tell you the truth, even if it kinda hurts.
02:32Girl, you better put your B.S. to an end.
02:36Or soon you won't even have imaginary friends.
02:39Unsurprisingly, it's a sheer delight.
02:42It's also campy, buoyant, and as deeply heartfelt as any good holiday movie should be.
02:47Christmas on the Square won the Emmy for Outstanding TV Movie and Outstanding Choreography for Scripted Programming.
02:54It's a must for any fan of Dolly, musicals, and old-fashioned fare.
02:59Fan the flames with all your might.
03:05Light your lamp and spread the light.
03:10Number 17. The Holiday Calendar.
03:13What is it?
03:15It's an antique advent calendar.
03:17There's been a lot of talk lately about Netflix's holiday originals.
03:21But one of the most underrated has to be The Holiday Calendar.
03:25The movie is about an advent calendar that predicts the future.
03:28But bear with us, because it's actually pretty good.
03:31Even if it may be in a so-bad-it's-good kinda way.
03:35Hey!
03:39Look out!
03:42Despite the far-out premise, the rest of the film is pretty well-grounded in reality.
03:48Featuring a believable lead and a diverse cast of characters who offer representation that was rarely historically seen in holiday films.
03:58Huh.
04:00Number 16. The Night Before Christmas.
04:04Vanessa Hudgens and Josh Whitehouse star in this fish-out-of-water rom-com that's totally absurd.
04:09And everyone involved seems to know it.
04:12A medieval knight is magically transported to the 21st century and immediately gets taken down by a car.
04:18His claim that he's a time-traveling knight lands about as well as you'd expect.
04:23Sir called Christopher Frederick Lyons of Norwich.
04:26At your service, Lady Brooke.
04:30Oh, boy.
04:34Great.
04:35He's taken in by the driver who accidentally struck him with her car.
04:38A high school teacher disenchanted with romance.
04:41And the sparks soon fly.
04:43Probably the biggest highlight of this film, besides all the holiday magic,
04:47is the time-traveling character's earnest wonder at modern technology.
04:51Hysterical.
04:52Lady Alexa, play.
04:54I want to fulfill my quest and return home for my brother's knighting ceremony.
04:58Here's O Holy Night.
05:00O Holy Night.
05:03The stars are brightly shining.
05:06Lady Alexa, play. Away with you.
05:07Here's away in a manger.
05:12Singer and actress Christina Milian stars in this 2024 rom-com
05:16about a woman searching high and low for a ticket to a sold-out Christmas Eve concert.
05:21Upping the stakes is the fact that a date with the man of her dreams hinges on whether or not she can get this ticket.
05:27Let fate decide.
05:28Fate?
05:29Yeah, fate.
05:30No last names.
05:32No social media.
05:34Fate.
05:35We either see each other at that concert or never again.
05:39Layla partners up with the concierge Teddy to help her out on this odyssey.
05:43And suddenly, we're not sure which guy to root for.
05:46Meet Me Next Christmas has everything.
05:49A snow-covered New York, best-selling a cappella group Pentatonix,
05:53and a classic love triangle that pulls us in every direction.
05:57A special someone is on the way to meet me here at half-past eight.
06:04Is it the twinkly lights or the stars in my eyes?
06:12Don't keep me waiting.
06:13Number 14. Christmas With You
06:16If you want your Christmas spirit with a heaping dose of nostalgia,
06:19look no further than Christmas With You,
06:22which features 90s heartthrob Freddie Prinze Jr. in a starring role.
06:26You know, I should be the one thanking you.
06:28You were a real hit today.
06:30You earned some diehard fans.
06:33Although, apparently I already had one diehard fan
06:37who has listened to my record a thousand times.
06:41You're just not gonna let me live that one down.
06:44He plays a high school music teacher who crosses paths with a singer trying to hang on to fame.
06:49The two are thrown together and then torn apart by the demands of her career.
06:53But the holidays wait for no one.
06:55Yes, it's predictable, but that's what makes these kinds of movies so comforting.
06:59Plus, it helps when you've got two leads who are so dang charming.
07:03I don't even know what to say.
07:05Just say yes.
07:08So easy.
07:09Number 13. Single All The Way
07:12This one's for all the people who have ever felt awkward
07:15about never bringing someone home to meet their family on Christmas.
07:19Okay, can we please stop clapping for the relationship you've decided I'm in
07:22with the person that I have not even met yet?
07:24Okay, you're all gonna jinx it!
07:27When Peter, played by Michael Urie, invites his best friend to his family's annual celebration,
07:33he soon finds himself caught in a love triangle with his friend
07:36and the local guy his mom has set him up with.
07:39If that weren't enticing enough, the movie also features iconic character actresses
07:44Jennifer Coolidge and Kathy Najimy as a pair of well-meaning relatives.
07:48Single All The Way is a new, modern-inclusive twist on an old formula.
07:53Thank you for this, for being so great with my family,
08:02for you.
08:06Number 12. The Noel Diary
08:08After his mother's death, a writer returns to the town where he grew up
08:12and meets a woman searching for her birth mother.
08:15While both undergo some painful reckoning with their past,
08:18they inevitably fall for each other.
08:20I guess life's all about the chase, huh, Turner?
08:28It's an unexpectedly heartbreaking movie, injecting a rather novel twist
08:33into the standard small-town romance.
08:35Even if Christmas movies aren't your thing,
08:38there's enough here for the viewer who wants something more.
08:41If you're browsing for a movie that'll give you a generous portion of real human drama
08:45mixed in with a holiday setting,
08:47The Noel Diary is a great choice.
08:49All I wanted my entire life was to be alone.
08:52And it's hard for people like us to trust, right, to let people in.
08:57It's hard, I understand that.
08:58But here I am, right here, right now,
09:00and I am standing here with the only friend I have in the entire world.
09:04I'm staring at the woman that I love,
09:06and I'm begging you to trust me.
09:10I'm telling you, you can trust me.
09:11Number 11. Alien X-Men
09:14Since its 2020 release, this stop-motion short has become something of a cult hit.
09:19The story is a yuletale with a science fiction bent.
09:22In it, an alien named X arrives on Earth to begin an extraterrestrial plot
09:27to steal the planet's gravity.
09:29Instead, he befriends a young elf and learns the true meaning of Christmas.
09:34X felt amazing, and he wanted, more than anything, to share this feeling.
09:40To show Holly that he cared about her just as much.
09:44X is a charming character,
09:46and his childlike confusion at the elves' way of life is hilarious to watch.
09:51Recalling the Grinch and the old Rankin-Bass cartoons,
09:54it finds a fun and fresh way to explore an old theme,
09:58the generosity of the season.
10:00X was the first Klepton in history to give a gift.
10:05And it felt even better than he had hoped.
10:08The little alien was imbued with the spirit of Christmas.
10:12Number 10. A Castle for Christmas
10:15Scottish castles are already stunning enough.
10:18Never mind seeing one decked out in garlands and strings of Christmas lights.
10:22That alone is enough to recommend a castle for Christmas.
10:26Brooke Shields and the Princess Bride star Carrie Elwes
10:29star in a love story set in the Scottish Highlands.
10:32What is he up here?
10:33Okay, the thing is, I have a little family history in this place.
10:36Oh, do you now?
10:37Yes.
10:38Don't tell me.
10:39You did a DNA test, and your ancestors married Queen of Scots.
10:43Shields plays an author reconnecting with her father's heritage.
10:47Through a series of events that only make sense in a romantic comedy,
10:50she is forced to share a castle with Elwes' curmudgeonly duke.
10:54Things thaw from there, and we're treated to a yuletide romance
10:58in a fairly unique and picturesque setting.
11:01We, uh, we shouldn't be doing this.
11:06No.
11:08No.
11:10We definitely should not be doing this.
11:159. Let It Snow
11:18A young adult novel co-written by John Green, Lauren Myrickle,
11:22and Maureen Johnson serves as the basis for this 2019 Netflix original.
11:27Let It Snow follows a sprawling group of teens
11:30living in a small Midwestern town on Christmas Eve.
11:33Awful town.
11:34Awful town.
11:36If you're a fan of coffee, do not order one here.
11:39Then maybe we should grab a waffle.
11:43The characters struggle with figuring out their future
11:46and the stress of parental expectations,
11:48but their stories all deal with the same thing, love.
11:52With Shades of Love, actually, it's often funny,
11:55but also has surprising depth.
11:57The charming young cast and some genuinely heartstring-pulling turns
12:01make this ensemble piece an unexpected
12:03and underrated addition to the holiday canon.
12:06See, didn't I tell you?
12:08Snow can make a difference, especially on Christmas Eve.
12:12And sometimes it's not just the eve of Christmas,
12:16it's the eve of everything, of the rest of your life.
12:21No.
12:228. A Very Merry Christmas
12:24Merry Christmas.
12:25I'm not here.
12:26Mr. Merry Sweet.
12:27I'm already dead.
12:28This musical extravaganza is certainly a star-studded affair,
12:32featuring the likes of George Clooney, Miley Cyrus, Amy Poehler,
12:36Chris Rock, Michael Cera, Jason Schwartzman,
12:39and of course, Bill Murray.
12:41Still, we have to admit, it's not for everyone.
12:44A Very Merry Christmas tells the story of the Ghostbusters star
12:48playing himself on a night when his live performance
12:51has basically been snowed out.
12:53The tone of the movie may be a little gloomy for some,
12:56but if you're a big Murray fan, you'll love it just the same.
13:00I am weeping.
13:01No. 7. The Christmas Chronicles
13:04Let's get this party started.
13:06One of Netflix's main holiday releases for 2018
13:09was The Christmas Chronicles,
13:11which defies expectations and offers up a movie
13:14that's totally outside the box.
13:16Though the promos make this seem like a classic family movie,
13:19the end result is actually quite a bit darker than one would expect.
13:23I mean, can't you just, like, wave your hand and Jedi mind trick the cops?
13:26I'm Santa Claus, Teddy, not Yoda.
13:28Kurt Russell's version of Santa Claus may charm you
13:31or may just make you a little bit uncomfortable.
13:34It's kind of a toss-up.
13:35Regardless, you'd be remiss to not add this to your holiday viewing schedule.
13:44Why must they keep drawing me like that?
13:48No. 6. A Boy Called Christmas
13:51While it was released in theaters in the UK and other countries,
13:54this British fantasy film premiered on Netflix in North America.
13:58Enchantingly whimsical and wickedly funny to boot,
14:01A Boy Called Christmas follows a young boy
14:04who travels far and wide to bring hope back to his kingdom.
14:07He comes across talking mice, fairies, and trolls along the way.
14:11What troll?
14:13The one right behind you.
14:16Hmm.
14:20Starring luminaries like Maggie Smith, Kristen Wiig, and Jim Broadbent,
14:24this is an origin story and period piece that boasts exceptional wit
14:28and incredible visual design.
14:31Full of fantasy and far-flung adventure,
14:33this is a Christmas movie for fans of Harry Potter and the Chronicles of Narnia.
14:37I hardly know you, but it seems to me that if anyone deserves
14:41the infinite joy of loving and being loved, it's you, my young friend.
14:46No. 5. Hot Frosty
14:48Dustin Milligan, who first won hearts as the handsome, good-natured veterinarian on Schitt's Creek,
14:53stars in this story of a muscle-bound snowman who comes to life.
14:57When he does, he sweeps a widow played by Mean Girls' Lacey Chabert right off her feet.
15:03You can hold me closer if you'd like.
15:06Oh, I don't want to melt.
15:09You're giving off a lot of heat right now.
15:11Oh, am I? I don't want to put you in danger.
15:16I think it's worth the risk.
15:18Hot Frosty more than delivers on its title.
15:21Can they find lasting love before he melts?
15:23This one's for the Netflix subscribers who want a side of eye candy with their Christmas cheer.
15:28Oh, you are definitely coming home with me.
15:31Okay, sure. I'm just going to put on a shirt.
15:33Oh, oh.
15:35Darn it.
15:36Milligan's talent for sweet guys continues here.
15:38His jack is an innocent, wide-eyed goofball who's hard not to love.
15:43The whole town loves me. No, but they haven't known me that long,
15:45and you said it takes a really long time to fall in love,
15:48so if the whole town loves me and you're in town...
15:53Stop. Stop right there.
15:54Number four, Jingle Jangle, A Christmas Journey.
15:58Forest Whitaker, Keegan-Michael Key, Ricky Martin, and Phylicia Rashad headline this musical
16:04about a toy maker and his granddaughter's attempts to bond over their shared love of invention.
16:09Never be afraid.
16:11When people can't see what you see,
16:15only be afraid if you no longer see it.
16:18Originally conceived as a stage musical,
16:21it's a madcap adventure story full of high-energy songs,
16:25spirited performances, and festive scenes.
16:28At the heart of it all is a man trying to win back his daughter's love.
16:32This makes for some pretty emotional Christmas viewing.
16:35Jingle Jangle captured hearts and won critics and fans alike
16:38with its exuberant cheer and heartwarming portrait of a family finding its way back together.
16:44And they laughed and sang and danced just like those flames.
16:51Number three, The Princess Switch.
16:53You were brilliant.
16:55I don't know about brilliant.
16:57It feels like a lot of different ideas all rolled into one,
17:00including a bake-off finale.
17:02But when it works, it works.
17:04The Princess Switch takes a time-honored formula honed by films like It Takes Two
17:09and the Lizzie McGuire movie and gives it a Christmas spin,
17:12offering up audiences everything they could possibly want from a festive viewing experience.
17:17Vanessa Hudgens plays both the princesses desperate to pull a Roman holiday
17:22and the commoner living it up in luxury.
17:25While this movie probably won't be taking home any awards,
17:28we love it either way.
17:29How smashing.
17:31Number two, Klaus.
17:33Leave it to Netflix to reinvent the story of Santa Claus.
17:36Set in Norway, Klaus follows a postman named Jesper who is sent to a faraway town
17:42where he is tasked with posting at least 6,000 letters before the year ends,
17:47lest he be cut off financially.
17:49Jesper meets an old reclusive toy maker and hatches a scheme
17:53that sees him delivering children's letters to the old man and receiving a toy in return.
17:58Tonight, same time.
18:01Great.
18:02Wait, same time? You mean dead of night?
18:05I can just take the toys now.
18:06No, I go with you.
18:07An alternate origin story for the Kris Kringle we know and love,
18:11it's a sweeping and epic narrative that feels genuinely innovative for the genre.
18:16Klaus, aside from being a hit with viewers,
18:18even scored an Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Feature,
18:22a category it won at the Annie Awards.
18:25I thought I'd never feel this again.
18:28And I have you to thank for it, my friend.
18:31So, thank you.
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18:49Number 1. A Christmas Prince
18:52So, what do you know about the royal family of Aldovia?
18:57Aldovia?
18:58Unless you were living under a rock during the holiday season of 2017,
19:02you've definitely heard of A Christmas Prince.
19:05The premise is that an up-and-coming journalist is sent to cover the royal family of a fictional country
19:10and ends up becoming more involved with the prince than she ever could have imagined.
19:14There's something that I need to tell you.
19:18It's hard to say whether Netflix was trying to make an intentionally bad holiday romance movie,
19:27but it almost doesn't matter because this movie is plenty of fun,
19:31whether you're watching it ironically or not.
19:33The sequels A Christmas Prince, The Royal Wedding and A Christmas Prince, The Royal Baby
19:38are just as delightful too.
19:40To quote your sister, I'm not a China doll.
19:43No, you're far more valuable.
19:45I want you both to have the best of everything, including sleigh ride.
19:48Did your favorite festive Netflix original make the list?
19:51Let us know in the comments.
19:53What say you and I binge watch together?
19:57Come here.
19:58Do you agree with our picks?
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20:15You