Baby, It’s Cold Outside
Amidst the chaos and time stress of Christmas, many of us enjoy unwinding with a romantic movie. Most aren’t technically great films, but they deliver laughter, relaxation, and feel-good vibes. If you’re looking for a fun way to unwind in front of the TV, we’ve compiled some streaming options for you.
After her husband dumps her, Kate heads off on her own for a previously planned second honeymoon in Africa. In Holiday in the Wild (TV-PG, Grade: B+), she falls in love with elephants – and a handsome bush pilot – while rediscovering her own interests and goals. At the top end of Yuletide movies, this film stands on its own, even without tinsel. Netflix
Crown for Christmas (TV-G, Grade: A-)is one of the best examples of a royal romance. Unsuccessful artist Kate is working as a chambermaid for a posh hotel when an encounter with the handsome king of Winshire lands her a job as a governess in his castle. A charming cast, sincere performances, and plenty of chemistry make this a great option for rom-com fans. Netflix
More royal romance occurs in A Christmas Prince (TV-PG, Grade: B-). Amber is an intrepid reporter who manages to sneak into Aldovia’s castle, only to be mistaken for the princess’s new governess. She meets the King-to-be and an attraction turns into something more. There’s just the small problem of her deception…The happily ever after comes in A Christmas Prince: The Royal Wedding (TV-PG, Grade: B), but the couple are challenged by Richard’s governance worries and Amber’s frustrations with an unhinged wedding planner. Netflix
High-wattage star power shines in The Holiday (PG-13, Grade: C+). Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet play women with cheating partners who impulsively decide to switch houses for the holidays: one in the English countryside, and the other in Los Angeles. This puts the women in the orbit of Jude Law and Jack Black and romance results. Lovely sets and good comic moments will attract rom-com viewers, but there is some negative content that brings the movie’s grade down. Amazon Prime
Now for something a little different – Godmothered (PG, Grade: B+)doesn’t follow genre tropes; it challenges them. Desperate to prove that godmothers are still relevant, Eleanor comes to the rescue of Mackenzie – twenty years too late. Will Mackenzie find the right man? Will she even want to? And will Eleanor rethink her requirements for happily ever after? Disney+
An accident and mixed up shopping bags lead to mixed up gifts in Something from Tiffany’s (PG, Grade: B-). When Ethan tries to track down the engagement ring he meant to give to his girlfriend, he meets Rachel, the girl who wound up receiving it for Christmas. Smarter than the average Yuletide rom-com, this is a touching, believable tale. Amazon Prime
The Noel Diary (TV-PG, Grade: B+) unites a successful author scarred by his family’s past and a young woman trying to find her birth mother. More than just a fluffy romance, this movie is a hopeful story about forgiveness and second chances. Netflix
When a brain scan shows a lethal tumor, retail employee Georgia Byrd quits her thankless job and decides to blow her savings on her Last Holiday (PG-13, Grade: B). At a luxury hotel in Czechia, Georgia finds herself changing the lives of those around her. Cheerful and uplifting, this is a hopeful seasonal offering. Amazon Prime
A burned out author (played by Brooke Shields) heads to Scotland in search of family roots and a new interest in life in A Castle for Christmas (TV-G, Grade: B). She impulsively decides to buy the decrepit Dun Dunbar Castle, only to find a complication – the handsome and crotchety 12th Duke of Dunbar. Netflix
With plenty of music and an overabundance of seasonal décor, Christmas with You (TV-PG, Grade: B), delivers a feel-good story about a stressed-out recording artist who winds up composing a new song with an amateur musician. With a story grounded in Hispanic culture, this isn’t just sweet, it offers viewers something a little different. Netflix
Determined to cheer the life of her widowed father, Jules creates a profile for him on a dating app -without telling him first. My Dad’s Christmas Date (TV-MA, Grade: B-) is unpredictable, which is not the norm for seasonal rom-coms. It’s also warmhearted and genuine, which is some compensation for the profanity. Amazon Prime
Another British rom-com with a twist is Your Christmas or Mine? (PG-13, Grade: B) Hayley and James have spent a few months falling in love and now both make the same impulsive decision: switching trains to arrive at each other’s family home for the holidays. It’s a bold move to separate the lovebirds for most of a rom-com’s runtime but good writing and some character development make it work. You can also check out the sequel, Your Christmas or Mine 2 (PG-13, Grade: B). Set in a luxury ski resort with both families and plenty of chaos, this is slightly less charming than the original, but it still offers viewers a good time. Amazon Prime
When radio co-hosts Maggie and Jack get dumped by their partners right before Christmas, they come up with a plan: they’re going to pretend to be a couple to drive up their ratings. In Midnight at the Magnolia (TV-G, Grade: B+), they learn that playing a part can have unexpected consequences. Sweet and sincere, this movie is better than its familiar plotline. Netflix
Standard Christmas rom-com tropes adapt easily to gay characters in Single All the Way (TV-PG, Grade: B-). Desperate to avoid his family’s pity for his single state, Peter persuades his best friend, Nick, to come home for Christmas and pretend to be his partner. But we all know what happens when people pretend…Netflix
Natalie has a cursed love life, until she falls in love over a dating app. Spontaneously deciding to surprise her new love, Josh, she hops on a plane – only to discover that she’s been catfished. In Love Hard (TV-14, Grade: B-), she strikes a deal with the real Josh: she’ll pretend to be his girlfriend while he teaches her how to attract the guy she thought she was chatting with online. There’s some humor here but also way more profanity and alcohol consumption than you might want. Netflix
Deceit is a major plot point in A California Christmas (PG-13, Grade: C). Tasked with persuading a rancher to sell her land, Joseph pretends to be a ranch hand – only to find himself falling in love with the owner and reconsidering his life and goals. Joseph and Callie have a return appearance on screen in the sequel, A California Christmas: City Lights(PG-13, Grade: C-) Netflix
You’re either going to love or hate Last Christmas (PG-13, Grade: B-), a quirky rom-com with an weird plot twist. When a messed up young woman meets a handsome stranger who treats her with empathy, she turns her life around – only to discover that her new love isn’t who she thinks he is. Amazon Prime
It’s a mediocre romance, but Operation Christmas Drop (TV-G, Grade: B) provides a touching story about the joy of giving. When a congressional aide is sent to investigate the closure of a USAF base in the Pacific, she finds herself charmed by a handsome Captain and the base’s Christmas donations to nearby Pacific Islanders. Netflix
Riddled with plot holes, Falling for Christmas (TV-PG, Grade: B-) sees Lindsey Lohan throwing herself into a silly but still fun story of an amnesiac heiress who winds up falling in love with a widowed hotel owner. Netflix
If you love Lindsey Lohan rom-coms, you can check her out in Our Little Secret (TV-14, Grade: C+). In this film, she goes home for Christmas with her boyfriend, only to discover that his sister is dating her ex. The two agree to pretend that they don’t know each other, but expected problems ensue. An extended scene of inadvertent marijuana use will deter some rom-com viewers. Netflix
With barely a trace of a plot, Christmas in Washington (TV-PG, Grade: B)is based on the less-than-riveting question: Will the Belmarian ambassador let the lovely American interior decorator go over the top in glitzing up his embassy’s Christmas fundraiser? With minimal tension and plenty of overdone seasonal décor, this is the cinematic equivalent of valium-laced candy canes. That’s not necessarily a bad thing – it’s very relaxing and is completely devoid of stress. (Note: This was also released as (A Match Made in Mistletoe.) Amazon Prime
Christmas doesn’t always boost romances – sometimes it can put them under strain. When Thea brings her boyfriend home to Norway for Christmas as Usual (TV-14, Grade: C+), the weak spots in their relationship are exacerbated by their cultural differences. This film’s romance is weak but the seasonal traditions are fun. Netflix
On the very goofy end of the spectrum, Christmas with a Prince (TV-PG, Grade: B)sees a pediatric oncologist persuaded to provide medical care for Prince Alexander, who has broken his leg and doesn’t want any publicity. Of course, the two have an awkward past, and, of course, they learn to move past it. It’s harmless but it isn’t clever. Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hoopla, Fubo
Even goofier is Hot Frosty (TV-PG, Grade: C). This loony plot features a snowman-with-pecs who comes to life, devoted to the woman whose scarf worked the magic. The story is silly but the characters are sweet (if brainless), so this qualifies as a mental vacation. Netflix
So bad it’s fun is our critic’s verdict on The Merry Gentlemen (TV-PG, Grade: C+). In this twerky tale, Ashley decides to save her parents’ business by engaging some men to perform a shirtless, seasonal dance performance. Handsome guys and a predictable plot come together in a film that will either make viewers laugh or click to something else. Netflix.
Meet Me Next Christmas (TV-PG, Grade: C+) looks great, but its plot about a woman desperate to obtain Pentatonix tickets so she can reunite with a man she met a year ago, feels like an ad for the a cappella singing group. It’s harmless but there are better options out there. Netflix.
Coal in the Stocking
We absolutely do not recommend Holidate (TV-MA, Grade: D), a movie about a pretend romance that is so packed with profanity, crude sexual content, and drug and alcohol use that it’s not suitable for anyone who is concerned about negative content – or even good filmmaking. We’re also not fans of A New York Christmas Wedding (TV-MA, Grade: C-). This lesbian makeover of It’s a Wonderful Life isn’t a whole lot of fun and features a relationship with some troubling control and communication issues. Christmas Is Canceled (R, Grade: C-)is also a profoundly unpleasant Christmas film. When Emma learns that her dad is dating her high school frenemy and wants her around for the holidays, Emma goes nuclear and vows to destroy the relationship. There’s no peace on Earth here, and not a whole lot of entertainment either.