6 Heartwarming Movies to Binge-Watch This Holiday Season
6 Heartwarming Movies to Binge-Watch This Holiday Season
Gifts are wrapped, the menu is set, and the workweek is finally over. You’ve got plenty of time to unwind and bid farewell to the year. Grab your favorite snacks and dive into our curated list of holiday films that will leave you feeling warm and fuzzy inside.
The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
When Charles Dickens penned “A Christmas Carol” in 1843, he was filled with euphoria from his nighttime strolls through London and the anticipation of releasing a masterpiece. It’s delightful to imagine that a spirit might have swept him up one of those nights, offering a glimpse into the future. The story revolves around Ebenezer Scrooge, a miserly moneylender who torments his nephew and denies his employees a Christmas holiday. Of course, a series of ghostly encounters forces him to reconsider his ways.
Directed by Brian Henson, son of the Muppets’ creator, this adaptation remains the best rendition of Dickens’ novel, packed with humor and unforgettable songs.
Love the Coopers (2015)
Diane Keaton and John Goodman play a couple hosting a Christmas Eve family dinner, planning to announce their divorce afterward. They delay the news to give their children, grandchildren, and aunts one last “perfect Christmas.” Chaos ensues, as is typical for the genre, but the family’s positivity and love for one another never waver.
This film is a must-watch, if only for its stellar cast, which includes Olivia Wilde, Amanda Seyfried, and Alex Borstein.
Getting Santa (2014)
If you’re not in the mood for overly sentimental holiday films, this one’s for you. Set in modern-day London, the story follows Santa Claus as he falls from the sky, unnoticed, and his reindeer scatter. In a series of events, Santa ends up in jail, and a father-son duo steps in to save Christmas. This film is filled with a sense of wonder, from a trip to Lapland to a chase through the city. Even the coldest heart will melt.
Happy Christmas (2014)
Anna Kendrick plays Jenny, a young woman who moves in with her filmmaker brother and his writer wife, disrupting their cozy routine. Ultimately, Jenny and her best friend, played by Lena Dunham, inspire the writer to make significant changes in her life and career for her own happiness. Despite the controversial plot and questionable behavior of the main character—such as returning home drunk in the middle of the night and smoking weed in the basement—the family finds themselves and their happiness by simply voicing their desires.
A Very Murray Christmas (2015)
An atypical film for director Sofia Coppola, known for her complex dramas. This hour-long movie is more of a musical, featuring Bill Murray, George Clooney, Chris Rock, and even Miley Cyrus. Mr. Murray puts on a show for everyone stranded in a mysterious hotel due to bad weather, enlisting the help of waiters and chefs. The warm and heartfelt atmosphere will have you humming along to the songs in no time.
Deck the Halls (2006)
A classic comedy starring Danny DeVito. Two neighbors in a cozy suburb compete to have the most decorated house in the world—visible from space. What starts as simple pranks escalates into a serious rivalry, with broken cars, a burned Christmas tree, and illegal fireworks. Fortunately, in the end, both remember how wonderful their families are and that they will be loved, no matter what.
For more holiday inspiration, check out this list of family-friendly films to watch on New Year’s Eve.
