I have a Christmas confession.
And no, it’s not that I started decorating for Christmas on Nov. 1 (though I did). It’s that every year when the holiday season rolls around, I watch an unhealthy amount of Christmas romantic comedies. And I’m not talking about classics like “Elf” or “Love Actually.”
I’m talking about the cheesiest, cringiest, trope-filled, overly Christmas-y movies that you can find on the Hallmark channel or Lifetime. They’re so goofy and can be very formulaic and predictable, but there’s just something comforting about watching a cute holiday romance unfold, no matter how unrealistic it may really be. There’s a reason “A Christmas Prince” and “The Princess Switch” have so many sequels.
I’ve watched enough of these movies that I even have my favorite staple Christmas movie actresses (you really can’t go wrong with anything starring Lacey Chabert or Danica McKellar). But there are definitely some bad, bad, bad movies out there (a lot of the new ones on Netflix this year are missing that special something), so here are five that I think have just the right level of cheese and are actually worth watching.
“A Cinderella Story: Christmas Wish”: If you grew up loving 2004′s “A Cinderella Story” with Hilary Duff and Chad Michael Murray, check out the fifth film in the series (did you know there was a whole series?!). It follows the basic storyline of the classic fairy tale but throws in an aspiring songwriter, a few singing and dancing elves, a best friend with some seriously impressive sewing skills, and a cute dog named Bruno, who does a lot to move the plot forward. Just be warned that there are a handful of original songs and dance numbers in this one, so if that’s not your thing, this movie won’t be for you. Streaming on Netflix.
“Christmas in Rome”: This may be one of the least absurd Christmas movies I’ve seen. Angela (Chabert, of “Mean Girls” fame) is an American tour guide living in Rome who bumps into businessman Oliver (Sam Page), who is a little out of his element with how business is conducted in Italy. Angela agrees to be his tour guide for the week and gives him tips on how to approach the owner of an Italian business that Oliver’s company hopes to acquire. The movie is filled with gorgeous shots of Rome (though it was also partially filmed in Bucharest) and the inevitable last-minute complication in the couple’s relationship actually makes sense, which is just so fetch. Streaming on Philo and Fubo.
“Midnight at the Magnolia”: This is just one of the many holiday movies set in Chicago (though the filming actually took place in Canada and there are only a few establishing shots of the skyline and the Merch Mart sprinkled throughout). The premise is simple: longtime best friends Maggie (Natalie Hall) and Jack (Evan Williams) are perfect for each other and everyone knows it but them. But a scheme where they hope to get their radio show syndicated and save their dads’ jazz club in the process leads to the two pretending to be in a relationship .. and well, I’m sure you can figure out the rest. The overall plot is wacky, but the chemistry is cute. Streaming on Netflix.
“Christmas Perfection”: This is kind of like “Groundhog Day,” but make it Christmas Day. Darcy (Caitlin Thompson) is obsessed with the idea of having a perfect Christmas. After breaking one of the buildings in her perfect miniature Christmas village, she stumbles upon a shop that’s mysteriously open at 2 a.m. (and absolutely doesn’t question why). She buys a replacement building, as well as a little figurine that looks suspiciously just like her. She puts the mini-me into her display and then ― bam ― the next morning Darcy wakes up having been magically transported into her perfect little Irish Christmas village where it’s Christmas every day, her divorced parents are still together and her work crush is her boyfriend. Perfect right? But things get complicated when her childhood best friend Brandon (James Henri-Thomas) gets stuck in the village too and tries to show Darcy that perfection isn’t as great as it may sound. Streaming on Hulu.
“Crown for Christmas”: This wouldn’t be a complete list of cheesy Christmas rom-coms without at least one entry featuring some kind of royal plotline. Much like “A Christmas Prince,” this movie has an American who suddenly finds herself as a governess to the princess of a fictional country. (The story was written by Michael Damian, who is also behind other royalty-themed Christmas movies like “A Princess for Christmas” and “A Royal Christmas.”) Allie (McKellar) befriends the mischievous Princess Theodora (Ellie Botterill) and, of course, starts winning the affection of King Maximillian (Rupert Penry-Jones), but his royal obligations get in the way. Streaming on Philo and Fubo.
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