Bad Santa (2013) – Billy Bob Thornton plays the incredibly dodgy mall Santa who tends to indulge in some of the things on the “real” Santa’s naughty list. While he ticks casual sex and constant cursing off the list, one adorable kid refuses to stop believing in the good of Father Christmas. (Photo: Instagram, @maxblackstore)
Happy Christmas (2014) – Ever wished someone could give you a script of what to say to distant relatives at Christmas? The actors in this one did too, but director Joe Swanberg chose to keep it fresh (or awkward depending on your tastes) by forcing his cast of Anna Kendrick, Melanie Lynskey, Mark Webber and Lena Dunham to act out his story arc through improvisation. And just like your plan to break awkward silences at the Christmas dinner table with your in-laws, they do this through playful interactions filled with penis euphemisms. (Photo: Instagram, @razor_sharp_emtions)
Love Actually (2003) – This one is sweeter than your aunt’s almost-unbearable pudding pie. But just like you can’t help pigging out and finishing the pie, you can’t look away as all of 10 diverse Christmas love stories
unfold. The weaving storylines are tied together in a cheesy bow of festive sap at the end as the all-star cast including Hugh Grant, Emma Thompson, Colin Firth, Liam Neeson, Keira Knightley and Rowan Atkinson all find some form of joy at a Christmas concert. (Photo: Instagram, @annlindanderson)
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) – Tim Burton’s jaw-dropping stop-motion animation has become a stylish and dark antidote to some of the more fluffy Christmas films. The story revolves around Jack Skellington quest to convince his town’s people to have less dreary and spooky holiday after coming across a portal to Christmas Town. Lucky for all the emo kids who tend to enjoy this one, his plan doesn’t quite work. (Photo: Instagram, @flutterbugblue)
Serendipity (2001) – This one starts off pretty standard. Two strangers reach for the same Christmas present for a loved one, they argue over the last item on the rack and then their fight turns into a dreamy date before the lovers are separated by circumstances and brought together by fate. The premise might be a little tired, but throw John Cusack and some fittingly romantic, snowy New York scenes in there and you have your warm and fuzzy Christmas feeling. (Photo: Instagram, @thejohncusack)
Christmas can be a time of boundless joy and peaceful rest, but it can also be an endless, boring buffet with distant aunts telling you how they prepared the pie crust. If yours is set to be the latter, you’ll need some movies to tune out to this festive season. Here are five of the best you can stream from Netflix, according to JETSS.
