FESTIVE: As Christmas draws nearer, throngs of heartwarming Hallmark and Netflix movies are coming to televisions across the country.
By Jennifer Hibbard, Staff Writer
Anyone who has ever seen a Hallmark movie, knows that their iconic cheesiness is unparalleled. They follow the same general structure: a couple meets during Christmastime and, after a little suspense, they end up falling in love and discovering the true meaning of Christmas. How cute! If you can’t get enough of the sappy sentimentality these movies have to offer, they air one after the next on the Hallmark channel from late October until New Year’s Day. Whether it’s the middle of July or Christmas Eve, a good Hallmark movie is enough to put anyone in the Christmas spirit.
So, even though these low-budget movies are formulaic and predictable, why is it that we still love them? Perhaps it’s because they’re predictable and they offer an hour and a half of mindless yuletide entertainment. Or, even more simply, it could be that people just love Christmas movies. If there’s any one channel that knows how much people enjoy laid-back, happy films where love (and snow, of course) is always in the air, it’s Hallmark.
Don’t have cable? Never fear, for there are always more ways to get your fix of Christmas movies. Hallmark Movies Now, an on-demand streaming service, is available for Amazon Prime subscribers. Here are some recommendations to add to your holiday viewing list this year:
- Christmas Under Wraps (2014)
Starring Candace Cameron Bure, Robert Pine and Brian Doyle-Murray, Christmas Under Wraps centers around Lauren Brunell, a doctor whose goal is to be admitted to a prestigious hospital fellowship. However, her plans must change abruptly when she breaks up with her boyfriend, gets put on a waitlist for the fellowship, and reluctantly accepts a job in a small town in Alaska. There, she meets Andy, a charming local who teaches her how to enjoy her life, even though things didn’t go as planned.
2. The Christmas Card (2006)
Cody Cullen (played by John Newton) is a career soldier stationed in Afghanistan. While he is away, he receives a heartwarming Christmas card from an anonymous author living in Nevada City, California. When he returns home, he tries to find the person who wrote this letter. He and the writer, Faith Spelman (Alice Evans), meet and fall in love. The only problem is, Faith’s boyfriend is still in the picture. This combination of the Christmas season and a juicy love triangle make for an entertaining plot for all audiences.
The enduring popularity of those Hallmark classics has caught the attention of Netflix, the most popular movie and television streaming service in the United States. While they’re not necessarily Hallmark originals, Netflix has a wide selection of Christmas movies that follow the same formula and are practically indistinguishable from their sources of inspiration.
3. Let it Snow (2019)
This Netflix original film, which is based on the novel of the same name by Maureen Johnson, John Green, and Lauren Myracle, is a romantic comedy starring Isabela Merced and Shameik Moore. The teenagers of a small town are stuck with each other as a giant snowstorm traps them indoors on Christmas Eve. Aimed at a high school audience, Let it Snow features a diverse cast of teenage characters all hoping to find love during the Christmas season.
4. Holiday in the Wild (2019)
Featuring Rob Lowe, Kristin Davis and Fezile Mpela, Holiday in the Wild follows Kate Conrad as she navigates her divorce with her husband. She goes on her anniversary trip to Africa by herself and discovers a passion for caring for elephants. There, she meets – and soon falls in love with – a handsome tour guide named Derek.
And there you have it – a day’s worth of holiday fun for your viewing pleasure. Just add some fake snow, make some hot chocolate, and it all comes together for a very merry Christmas.