Feel Good Holiday Movies To Watch This Weekend

If the Hallmark channel isn’t quite your thing, you’re in luck. We’ve rounded up our fave holiday movies for every personality and mood. Whether you want to Netflix and chill (out) or watch a classic, there’s something here for you. So grab your cosiest blanket, warmest socks and dig in.

For The Rom-Com Fanatic: Love Actually

This film is Romantic-Comedy perfection. Based in London, England, the movie tells nine different but intertwined stories of love, which of course tie into Christmas festivities. Not only does it include an all-star cast (Hugh Grant, Colin Firth AND Keira Knightley, to name a few), but it incorporates all the essential Rom-Com elements: lovers torn apart and brought back together again, emotional reconnections and a very intense (but cute) airport scene. Get the tissues ready.

For The Nostalgia-Nut: Home Alone

Who didn’t watch this 90s fave on repeat when it came out? Back in 1990, Macaulay Culkin was causing trouble in a bit of a different way, starring as Kevin McCallister in Home Alone. Forgotten by his large family as they depart on a vacation, he takes advantage of being the only one in his home for once, in ways that only an 8-year-old boy can. It’s worth a watch just for the nostalgia-factor alone — everything from the cheesy outfits to the classic bad guy robbers scene will bring you right back to watching it on VHS.

For The Emotion-Seeker: Collateral Beauty

This movie will serve up a big gut punch of emotional material (and maybe even an ugly cry) but it’s worth it. The movie explores grief and death with an amazing cast (Will Smith, Helen Mirren, Kate Winslet, Keira Knightly and Edward Norton) and complex plot. It’s heavy although thought-provoking and reveals that even in the darkest times, beauty and meaning can shine through.

For The Whole Fam: Elf

Will Ferrell and Zooey Deschanel co-star in what has become a Christmas classic despite only being released in 2004. If you somehow haven’t watched this one yet, here’s a little breakdown: Buddy (Ferrell), an accidental North Pole-native who was raised by elves, goes to New York City in search of his real father. He finds him but the two can’t be more different, his father being a disillusioned businessman. Hilarity ensues. This movie is a great option for families — the humour is age-appropriate and universally appealing, so everyone from your 6-year-old son to your mother-in-law will likely enjoy it.
And just because it’s a classic, we’re veering off the Netflix script and also recommending this…

Holiday Classic: It’s A Wonderful Life

If you’ve already seen the typical Christmas movie replays and want something a little less modern, or you’re an absolute film fanatic, then It’s A Wonderful Life is the way to go. Released in 1946, this charming black-and-white film starts off quite bleak with a depressed George Bailey (James Stewart) reconsidering his life’s meaning. In true Christmas spirit, an angel shows George all the beauty and value in life — it’s heartwarming and pairs perfectly with some hot cocoa.

By Hannah Ziegler