Christmas is coming soon. Surely, the movie marathons have begun–maybe earlier. Streaming service Netflix never runs out of entertainment options to keep us entertained, including their original content.
On that note, here are Keeta team’s Christmas-themed picks you should add to your list. Happy Holidays!

Holidate (2020)

“What is it about Christmas that makes our relatives want to pry into our love lives? This is the all too realistic premise we fall into in The Holidate, where two pretty people decide to be each others’ respective dates to family gatherings. It goes without saying this isn’t the perfect movie—sometimes the jokes try a little bit too hard, and them inevitably catching real feelings is nothing new. But for some reason, we all have a higher tolerance for the sappy during the holidays, and this was the cheesy popcorn flick I enjoyed the most when it came out last year.” – Shari Quimbo-Ybañez, Editor-in-Chief

A Boy Called Christmas (2021)

“Like last year’s runaway, Klaus, A Boy Called Christmas is a delightful take on the Santa Claus origin story proving especially refreshing after this current slew of saccharine seasonal slop. Set in Santa’s more historically recognized inception, Finland, it is chock full of easter eggs referencing the universal Santa Claus concept, scarlet stocking cap, for example, and many Christmas traditions. More than the rather imaginative, beautifully integrated animated sequences, the lush imagery and the magic of its storytelling, the movie is also an allegory on loss, grief, the deprivations of the lockdowns, even, and finding hope, joy and the holiday spirit making it a treat for both kids and adults alike.” – Michael Karlo Lim, Editor-at-Large

Let It Snow (2019)

“I’m too set in my ways, especially around the holidays, so my go-to Christmas movies are all set that I don’t really give it that much thought. Let It Snow isn’t your typical Christmas movie. Basically, it’s about a group of high school students making the most out of a snowstorm the day before Christmas. If it didn’t happen around that time, it’s simply a Romantic Comedy. I didn’t think I would like it, but I did. Its soundtrack is pretty good too.” – Monica R. Lopez, Managing Editor

El Camino Christmas (2017)

“Looking for something different from the typical holiday movie? El Camino Christmas is a campy Christmas film that could be considered antichristmas. Although it is a comedy, it’s got a grim story that doesn’t really give you the warm fuzzies that you can usually expect from Christmas films.

Set in a lonely small town, a young man sets out to find his estranged father, only to end up getting on the wrong side of the law on Christmas Eve.

Like Gremlins, Die Hard or Edward Scissorhands, this is less of a Christmas movie, and more a movie that happens to be set at Christmas. It’s also pretty funny to find Tim Allen, the quintessential and lovable movie Santa, portraying the complete opposite of his earlier role, while still starring in a holiday film.” – Geraldine Sy, Art Director

Love Hard (2021)

“Love Hard is a great, light-hearted Christmas movie. It’s perfect for a late night coffee date to warm you up in these cold December nights. You get to learn about the risks (and even dangers) of online dating, and the beauty of love all while enjoying the lovely sights of a small Christmas town. I like how it is written, adding modern tweaks to an old “big city girl meets small town boy.” But the best thing about this is that it teaches you to be true to yourself. I’ve always been the “chubster” and, well, let’s just say from now on, I’ll show more of my true self rather than hide perfect imperfections.” – Kong de Guzman, Technical Director

A Castle For Christmas (2021)

“A Castle for Christmas is one of those Netflix movies I would never watch: it’s formulaic, campy (and often not in a good way) and cheesy. Still, Brooke Shields and Cary Elwes, and the townsfolk, were likeable enough to make me soldier on past the overly theatrical bits that one could always expect from a Netflix Christmas movie.

Cary Elwes’ expressions are still funny, and despite swapping the English accent for a Scottish one, manages to emanate the same charm as his previous roles as Westley and Robin of Loxley. Brooke Shields’ struggle to write throughout the whole movie is probably the most realistic thing about her character, who has fled to a castle in Scotland her father had grown up in after fans of her book series literally…take to the streets in protest because she killed off a character?

It’s not a movie I would watch again, what with its slightly excessive reminders that, “hey, this is set in Scotland, by the way!” with tartan everywhere and some exaggerated accents, but it is sweet and charming enough to give a try and get into the Christmas spirit. A little suspension of disbelief is necessary for a movie like this, but that’s something I feel like we all could use for the holidays anyway.” – Bernice Quimbo, Editorial Assistant

Klaus (2019)

“While I only enjoy a small selection of animated series (of course, Avatar: The Last Airbender) and films, Christmas time always takes me back to when I was little. Christmas movies bring about a lot of nostalgia. Klaus (2019) takes a spin on Santa’s origin story. It tackles loss, growth, and how one good deed can inspire another. Of course, watching animated films at this age makes you ponder on its deeper meaning, but you finish watching the movie with a feeling of hope for the holidays. This is why I think it’s important to go through life with a little child-like faith. Sometimes, you don’t have to question things so much and simply trust the process.” – Janna Rei Yuvallos, Editorial Assistant