The 9 best new Christmas movies of 2023 - and where to see them

The 9 best new Christmas movies of 2023 - and where to see them

Nothing gets me in the Christmas spirit like a marathon of Christmas movies. Elf, Love Actually, Home Alone, Die Hard (yes, this is a Christmas movie, and yes, it's a Christmas movie.

Fortunately, the best streaming services have a new Christmas movie every year, and 2023 is no exception. While some of these new attempts to create enduring Christmas classics will probably not be remembered before Boxing Day, some may have a shot at a spot on the best Christmas movie list years from now.

This year, you can enjoy new Christmas movies from Netflix, Prime Video, Disney Plus, and Peacock, as well as an Apple TV Plus Christmas special starring Ted Lasso's Hannah Waddingham. In addition, an action-packed movie directed by John Woo will be released this December.

So, for those of you who can't bear to watch "It's a Wonderful Life" six Christmases in a row on Christmas Eve or need an alternative when your relatives insist on watching "The Polar Express" again, here are the best new Christmas movies of 2023 and where you can watch them and where you can see them.

Charlotte (Heather Graham) and Jackie (Brandy Norwood) are former childhood friends, but now they only keep in touch through a holiday newsletter that Jackie proudly sends to a disgruntled Charlotte every year. After fate reunites the two and they spend the festive season together, Charlotte becomes obsessed with proving that her friend's life is not as perfect as she portrays it.

With an unwilling husband (Jason Biggs) in tow, Charlotte's mission threatens to derail Christmas for everyone, with predictably comedic results. This glossy holiday film is perfect for the whole family to enjoy this Christmas.

Stream Best: Christmas.Dashing Through the Snow is a new original family holiday comedy starring Lil Rel Howery, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, and Teyonah Parris. Eddie Garrick (Bridges), a kind-hearted social worker, has an aversion to Christmas due to negative childhood experiences. Planning to work during the holidays, his ex-wife Alison (Paris) asks him to bring their young daughter to work on Christmas Eve, where they meet a mysterious man in a red suit (Howery). Eddie then embarks on a mysterious adventure that may restore his faith in Christmas.

Stream "Dashing Through the Snow" on Disney Plus now

Celebrate Christmas in style with Emmy Award-winning "Ted Lasso" star Hannah Wadham. Filmed at the London Coliseum, "Home for Christmas" is a musical epic in which the actor performs various Christmas classics in front of a live audience.

Waddingham is accompanied by a stellar band and many special guests, including Ted Russo co-stars Nick Mohamed, Phil Dunster, Luke Evans, Leslie Odom Jr. and Sam Ryder. It's sure to be a magical musical event that will have you jumping off the couch, singing and dancing to the show-stopping tunes.

Stream "Hannah Waddingham: Home for Christmas" on Apple TV Plus starting November 22

If you think your family is dysfunctional, wait until you meet the Walker family. Overworked Jess (Jennifer Garner) and Bill (Ed Helms) are doing their best to keep the family together as their two children, CC (Emma Myers) and Wyatt (Brady Noon), grow older and become more distant. But a chance encounter with an astrologer leads to the entire family switching bodies, and the Walker family is about to become closer than ever. And it just so happened to be the most important day of each family member's life: a job promotion, a college interview, a record contract, and soccer tryouts.

"Family Switch" will be available on Netflix beginning in November. 30

Chris Carver (Eddie Murphy) is desperate to win the annual contest for the best decorated house of the holiday season. Chris is so determined to make his house a winner that he signs up a charismatic shopkeeper named Pepper (Jillian Bell) to make his display really shine with festive magic.

But the deal comes at a high price when it is revealed that Pepper is actually a sinister fairy, plotting to turn Chris and his family into miniature plastic dolls. It's up to this ordinary suburban father to find a way to break the contract before it's too late.

"Candy Cane Lane" will be available on Prime Video starting November 30

This family comedy from "Love Actually" and "Notting Hill" screenwriter Richard Curtis is a tale of a young boy who is forced to make a decision that will change his life. In this fairy tale story, Bernard (Paapa Eseidu) is a workaholic who is given one last chance to turn his life around with the help of a magical genie named Flora (Melissa McCarthy).

Bernard has many wishes to fulfill (don't worry, there are more than three), but regaining the love of his disillusioned family and giving them a perfect Christmas is at the top of his list.

Stream Genie on Peacock starting November 22

Silent Night follows a vengeful man (Joel Kinnaman) who gets caught between warring gangs and witnesses the death of his young son on Christmas Eve. Losing his voice due to his wounds, the man embarks on a bloody vendetta to punish those responsible. This is John Woo's first American-produced feature since 2003, and as the name implies, it is a film without dialogue.

While this is not a holiday movie for the whole family, "A Good Night" is sure to be an adrenaline rush for adults as well.

"Silent Night" opens in theaters on December 1.

In "Merry Little Batman," which changes the Batman mythos a bit, Bruce Wayne's (Luke Wilson) young son Damian (Jonas Kiblab), when the Justice League calls his father, He is left alone at the Wayne mansion. As supervillains such as the Joker (David Hornsby), Mr. Freeze (Dolph Adomian), the Penguin (Brian Geroge), and Poison Ivy threaten to ruin Christmas in Gotham City, Damian is desperate to prove his worth to his superhero parents. He becomes and transforms into "Little Batman." The animated film is perfect for young superhero fans, and a spin-off TV series based on the film is already in development.

Streaming on Prime Video starting December 8

Looking for a holiday movie with a Christmas-themed nightmare? Then horror streaming service Shudder has a gift for you. Sacrifice Game is set in the 1970s and follows Samantha (Madison Baines) and Clara (Georgia Acken), two boarding students who choose to remain for the vacation season. What should be a joyous Christmas is transformed into something far more sinister by the intrusion of a murderous cult that plans to summon evil spirits. Samantha and Clara, held captive by the murderous cult, must fight for their lives if they want to have another Christmas morning. This film will turn the night of Kiyoshi's death into a scream of terror.

Available on Shudder December 8

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