Christmas is upon us with the crushing weight that only winter festivities can conjure – we are here for every second. Why?
Because Christmas is the only time of year it is acceptable to watch the addictive schlock that is the Christmas film! Hallmark films have gained a reputation across the developed world for their paper-thin premises and pithy catharses, and Netflix has taken note with their blown-budget iterations of the same. But which of these saccharine-sweet seasonal cinemagraphs should you watch this Christmas?
Falling for Christmas
Falling for Christmas is a quintessential example of a modern festive classic, purely on account of its bonkers premise and payoff. Indeed, all films mentioned here belong to this (non-)selective club, taking chintzy cues from forgettable rom-com past and juicing them up with gay abandon.
This one is lucky enough to star Lindsay Lohan, as the swoony socialite doomed to amnesia by a bad fall on a ski slope. She is treated for her injuries by resident Jake (played handily by man-you-will-never-see-in-a-film-again Chord Overstreet) and allowed to rediscover her joie-de-vivre while blissfully unaware of her gilded life (and fiancée) on the other side of the mountain…
This is a suitably cosy Christmas flick, with its ski resort setting leaning into the quaintness of the season. This is certainly a film to watch with Christmas jumpers on, and the perfect primer for a jaunt outside to observe the beauty of the North Star with your own eyes.
The Princess Switch
Next up, we have The Princess Switch – another suitably silly film that revels in its unlikelihood. Despite its lowest-common-denominator appearance, it is a film rich in tradition; after all, it borrows heavily from powerful cultural totems past, from mark Twain’s The Prince And The Pauper to Nancy Meyers’ The Parent Trap.
Yes, this is a twin-switching comedy with a Christmas twist, and it does not waste any time hand-wringing its way through its magical story. Vanessa Hudgens plays a dual-lead role here, as Stacy and Margaret – Chicagoan baker-in-making and royal Princess respectively. A chance encounter allows them to switch lives for two days – with hijinks and love alike in tow.
The film is naturally a glamorous one, with its regal setting and princess ending. Setting the stage for such a royal debacle is simple enough, too! You could line your pathway with stylish decorations fit for a princess, and settle in with friends on a red carpet (or indeed, under a red blanket!).
Single All the Way
The final film in our Christmas rom-com hitlist is, of course, Single All The Way. What else?! This is a refreshingly reflective iteration of that same old rom-com formula, matching will-they-won’t-they intrigue with a powerhouse cast. Social media executive Peter is forced to bring his pal Nick home for Christmas under the pretence they are dating, after discovering he is the ‘other man’ in a clandestine relationship just before the festive season. A love triangle is introduced via Peter’s mother; Jennifer Coolidge is also there. If Jennifer Coolidge is all you receive this Christmas… be grateful!
