All year long, we look forward to the holidays and the togetherness they bring. The kids usually get a pretty decent school break, and parents often find time to take a few days off, too. And while it’s tempting to try to fit every single seasonal bucket-list thing on your list, the truth is you’re also tired — moms are the makers of magic, the keepers of the holiday spirit. We’re so busy making sure everything is festive and fun for everyone else that the real gift for us is finding something to do with your family that feels like quality time but also gives us a little break. Enter holiday movie nights. Or days. Really, no one is going to blame you for cueing up one of these at any point over the next three weeks.
Of course, you’ll always have the holiday classics you watch every year — the Christmas movies from the ‘80s and the ‘90s, the funny holiday films, and that one underrated Disney gem you keep trying to get everyone else to love as much as you do. But there are some really great new family movies that have come out in this final stretch of the year that just beg to be watched while drinking peppermint hot cocoa and eating candy canes.
Most are holiday-themed, and some just have the kind of heartwarming vibes you look for in a great family film. But they’re all sure to make you feel warm and fuzzy and, yes, a little less festively frantic for a few minutes.
Red One
Dear moms, trust me when I say this movie was actually made for us. Let me count the ways: Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson, J.K. Simmons, Chris Evans, Lucy Liu, that giant weirdly hot polar bear destined for a “hear me out cake,” did I already say J.K. Simmons? The latter thirst trap plays jolly old St. Nick, only ripped and fooooine. He gets kidnapped, and the North Pole’s Head of Security (Johnson) must team up with the world’s most infamous bounty hunter (Chris Evans) to get him back. By the end of the movie, you’ll be considering kidnapping Simmons, too, though.
Run Time: 2 hours 2 minutes. Rating: PG-13. Where to Watch: Stream on Prime Video.
The Nutcrackers
Don’t let some of the negative reviews out there deter you from giving this super-cute film a try. Yes, the brothers who star in The Nutcrackers have long hair; no, that’s not a problem — unless, of course, you’re a big doofus ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. So, assuming you aren’t, you’ll likely get a kick out of Ben Stiller’s first starring role in seven years, in which he plays a workaholic named Michael who must become a doting uncle overnight when his estranged sister unexpectedly dies. His nephews are played by four real-life siblings, and they are genuinely such scene-stealers.
Run Time: 1 hour 44 minutes. Rating: TV-14. Where to Watch: Stream on Hulu.
The Wild Robot
OK, this one came out in September, but it’s now streaming on digital and is so precious. Unlike some of the other films on the list that are better suited for tweens or teens to watch, The Wild Robot is the kind of movie even the littles can watch. Adapted from Peter Brown’s beloved bestselling children’s book of the same name, this epic adventure follows ROZZUM unit 7134 (aka “Roz”), a robot that gets shipwrecked on an uninhabited island and must learn to adapt to its harsh surroundings. Along the way, Roz becomes the adoptive parent of an orphaned gosling and, gah, my heart!
Run Time: 1 hour 42 minutes. Rating: PG. Where to Watch: Buy or rent on Prime Video.
An Almost Christmas Story
If your kid is in an endless sugar spiral from sneaking candy canes off the tree or dismantling and eating the gingerbread houses, you might not be able to get them to sit through a full-length feature. This animated short film has your back. It centers on the journey of a young owl named Moon (ADORABLE), who winds up alone in Rockefeller Plaza during the holidays. Moon befriends a young girl who’s also far away from home and, well, prepare to have your heartstrings tugged… if only for 21 minutes. Hey, a breather’s a breather, right?
Run Time: 21 minutes. Rating: PG. Where to Watch: Stream on Disney+.
That Christmas
If you love Brian Cox as an actor but need a mental palate cleanser after getting used to watching his character in Succession, try That Christmas with Cox voicing Santa Claus. Based on three kids’ books by Richard Curtis, who wrote and directed the perpetually popular grown-up Christmas movie Love Actually, this animated flick explores what happens when the worst snowstorm in history alters everyone’s plans… including the Man in Red’s.
Run Time: 1 hour 31 minutes. Rating: PG. Where to Watch: Stream on Netflix.
Dear Santa
When a young boy mails his Christmas wish list to Santa Claus, it contains a crucial spelling error — just do some simple rearranging of the letters to figure it out — that leads to a devilish Jack Black showing up instead. First of all, Black is a funny, frumpled king, and we love him. But the star-studded cast also includes the always-hilarious Keegan-Michael Key and Post Malone, so yes, absolutely, add this one to your list.
Run Time: 1 hour 47 minutes. Rating: PG-13. Where to Watch: Stream on Paramount+.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3
Is this is holiday-themed movie? Obviously not. But it is a movie that any Sonic-loving kid would freaking love to go see. Sonic, Knuckles, Tails, Tom and Maddie (James Marsden and Tika Sumpter, respectively) — the gang’s all here! In the third installment of this beloved franchise, everything feels leveled up, including the fact that Keanu Reeves joins the voice cast. Not surprisingly, Jim Carrey remains hilarious in his return as Dr. Robotnik, aka Eggman.
Run Time: 1 hour 50 minutes. Rating: PG. Where to Watch: In theaters starting Dec. 20.
The Night Before Christmas in Wonderland
If you need a film gentle enough for the little littles, look no further than this charming pick. Gerard Butler voices St. Nick, who sets off to Wonderland with his team of reindeer when he receives a delayed letter on Christmas Eve from the Princess of Hearts. There, he encounters a very cranky Queen of Hearts, voiced by Emilia Clarke, who hates Christmas and everything it entails. However, there may be hope for her yet in this animated musical film based on the book of the same name by Carys Bexington. It’s not going to get your older kids overly excited, but the preschool and kindergarten crowd will love it.
Run Time: 1 hour 20 minutes. Rating: TV-Y. Where to Watch: Stream on Hulu and Prime Video.
Moana 2
If everyone’s tired of being cooped up in the house and even more tired of the frosty winter temps, load everyone up and head to the movie theater to watch the Moana sequel. Mentally, we all want to be in Hawaii with Moana, Maui, Pua, Hei-Hei, and the rest of our wayfaring friends.
Run Time: 1 hour 40 minutes. Rating: PG. Where to Watch: In theaters.
A Sudden Case of Christmas
Danny DeVito and Andie MacDowell? Yes, please! While this isn’t your typical kids’ Christmas movie fare (it’s set during the summer), it’s a fun little shakeup. Lawrence Armanetti (DeVito) runs a hotel in the Dolomite Mountain region of Italy, and every winter, he hosts his extended family for Christmas. But when his 10-year-old granddaughter Claire discovers her parents are on the brink of divorce, the little girl pushes up the timeline by insisting on one last Christmas together in the Dolomites… in the middle of summer. Think Parent Trap meets All I Want for Christmas.
Run Time: 1 hour 31 minutes. Rating: G. Where to Watch: Stream on Hulu and Prime Video.
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
For those of us who grew up reading The Best Christmas Pageant Ever annually, the anticipation we’ve felt for this adaptation has been palpable. Now it’s finally here, and we couldn’t love it more. I mean, Judy Greer and Lauren Graham as costars — brilliant. You know the story: The Herdmans are six unruly siblings who take over a local church pageant during the holidays. Will it be a disaster? Or will they teach everyone the true meaning of Christmas?
Run Time: 1 hour 39 minutes. Rating: PG. Where to Watch: Rent or buy on Apple TV+ and Prime Video.
