The best new Christmas movies and where to watch them this 2023

Apart from the hearty Yuletide feasts and gift wrappings, there is another festive tradition that everyone looks forward to: Christmas movies! There’s something about them that just hits the spot. Every year, streaming platforms put out a roster of magical festive films to look forward to and this year is no different. With over 100 new Christmas films just in 2023, you can bet there is something for everyone to get you into the holiday spirit.

To help you out, we’ve gleaned 10 of the most exciting festive films to cosy up with your loved ones over a hot cocoa. From heart-fluttering rom-coms and fun family adventures to action-packed thrillers, these are the best recently released Christmas movies that capture the magic of the holiday.

 

Candy Cane Lane

Eddie Murphy brings us festive cheer in this feel-good comedy just released on 1 December. Every year, the residents of a neighbourhood compete against each other to win the title of the best-decorated house on the block. When Chris Carver takes this a little too seriously and unknowingly makes a deal with a mischievous elf who casts a spell to bring the 12 Days of Christmas to life, the Carver family must stop her and restore the magic of Christmas to the town before it’s too late.

Stream it here.

 

Family Switch

It’s Freaky Friday meets 13 Going on 30 (peep those Jennifer Garner references!). The holidays are all about bringing family together and what better way to do that than with some body-switching shenanigans thrown in? A pair of overwhelmed parents wake up to realise that they have switched bodies with their rebellious teenage children due to the doings of a mysterious lady. Can the Walker family unite to help each other ace a job interview, football tryout, college interview and record deal before the spell becomes permanent?

Stream it here.

 

Wonka

Chocolates, musical sequences and the power of friendship. The upcoming Wonka movie certainly has the makings of being the perfect Christmas movie to tune in to this December! Following the early life of the enigmatic and eccentric Willy Wonka, you will get to witness how he became the most famous chocolate connoisseur and his budding friendship with the Oompa Loompas. The movie will premiere on 8 December, so hurry and get your tickets now for a fun-filled trip to the cinema with your loved ones!

Purchase tickets on GSC here.

 

Merry Little Batman

If you’re looking for a Christmas film that your little ones can enjoy, this animation will do the trick! Known as a butt-kicking vigilante, this holiday movie will show a side to the superhero never seen before: Batman as a dad. Follow Bruce Wayne as he navigates the throes of parenthood and Damian Wayne AKA Little Batman who tries to prove that he has what it takes to be a superhero as well when Joker sets out to steal Christmas. 

Stream it here.

 

Dashing Through the Snow

Whether you can believe it or not, some people actually don’t enjoy Christmas! Eddie Garrick (Chris ‘Ludacris’ Bridges) is one such person who has turned his back on the holiday after a traumatic childhood experience. At the request of his ex-wife, he decides to take his daughter out on Christmas Eve and encounters a mysterious man named Nick who works for the Santa! Soon enough, the father-daughter duo are whisked away on a magical adventure full of elves and reindeers. Will Garrick be able to turn his ‘Claustrophobic’ ways around?

Stream it here.

 

Violent Night 

Who says Santa Claus is a saint? David Harbour stars as the bare-knuckle Father Christmas in this holiday-comedy that turns the iconic figure on its head. When a team of mercenaries break into the home of a wealthy family on Christmas Eve, they don’t expect Saint Nicholas himself to show up for his regular duties. Armed with a foul mouth and a list of way too many houses to get to before the clock strikes, he’s going to show why Santa Claus—and Christmas, for that matter—are not to be messed with.

Stream it here.

 

Best. Christmas. Ever!

Released on 16 November, this comedy flick follows two estranged college friends who can’t be more different from each other. Judging from her yearly holiday newsletter, Jackie seems to have the perfect life. Charlotte, finds that hard to believe (because no one can possibly be that happy, right?). When a twist of fate brings the friends and their families together just days before Christmas, Charlotte seizes the opportunity to prove that her old collegemate’s life isn’t as wonderful as it seems. 

Stream it here.

 

The Noel Diary

Get your tissues ready! This heartwarming Christmas tale is going to hit you in the feels. When his mother passes away, a successful novelist returns to settle her estate and discovers a diary that sends him on an unexpected path with a young woman searching for her birth mother. Based on the novel by Richard Paul Evans, The Noel Diary follows two strangers who try to unlock their pasts and along the way, perhaps their hearts. 

Stream it here.

 

Silent Night 

A father out for revenge is not exactly the storyline of a typical Christmas movie but Silent Night does take place during the holiday so it still counts. If you’re looking to watch something other than the usual comedies, this film might be up your alley with its thrilling action sequences. Directed by the legendary John Woo (Mission: Impossible 2, A Better Tomorrow), Silent Night is a gritty tale of a father who sets out to avenge the death of his son after he was killed in a gang crossfire on Christmas Eve. The title of the movie refers to both the famous Christmas hymn and the fact that there is no dialogue in the film.

Purchase tickets on GSC here.

 

Godmothered

Released in 2020, this is one Christmas film that might have flown under your radar. Ever wondered how fairy godmothers came to be? Turns out, they are trained at an elite magical school. When a well-meaning fairy godmother, Eleanor Fay Bloomingbottom learns that said school is about to be shut down, she discovers a letter from a 10-year-old named Mackenzie and sets out to grant her wishes…only to find out that she is now a jaded 40-year-old who no longer believes in Christmas or magic. In the hopes of restoring her faith once again, Mackenzie finds herself godmothered against her will.

Stream it here.

 

For more Christmas reads, head here.