The best Christmas movies on Peacock
Everyone is traveling for the holidays — but some of us won't make it any further than the living room couch. And if you're looking for something festive to keep you occupied while you're relaxing, take a gander at the offerings available on Peacock.
It may be a new(ish) streaming service, but the platform boasts a serious library of films, including one category devoted solely to seasonal fare. You might not get everything you want on your wish list this year, but if what you want is to be entertained by Old Hollywood Christmas classics and new-to-you narratives, then Peacock is here for you this holiday season.
<i>How the Grinch Stole Christmas!<i> (1966)
Clocking in at only 26 minutes long, this old-school animated version of Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas was technically released as a CBS television special, but the story is such a classic, we're including it here anyway. Premiering a mere nine years after Seuss' book was first published, the story of the Grinch who tried to destroy Christmas for the good people of Whoville — only to be undone by the spirit of the holiday — was so beloved, it became part of CBS' annual Christmas programming, replaying every year until 1988.
Featuring the voice of Boris Karloff as the ill-intentioned Grinch, How the Grinch Stole Christmas has carved out a spot on the Christmas content Mount Rushmore, alongside such animated specials as A Charlie Brown Christmas and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
If you liked How the Grinch Stole Christmas, you might also enjoy: Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol (1962), streaming on Peacock.
<i>Love, Actually<i> (2003)
A holiday rom-com for the ages, Love, Actually's assets include an all-star ensemble of (almost) all Brits, a killer soundtrack, and the best use of paperboard ever to be recorded on film. Constructed using intersecting romantic plot lines featuring the likes of Liam Neeson, Alan Rickman, Keira Knightley, Emma Thompson, Laura Linney, Hugh Grant, Colin Firth, and Andrew Lincoln, Love, Actually is a feel good movie — or at least as feel good as its self-deprecating script and British humor will allow.
Are there moments where the convenience of some of the plot lines and the abject cheese of the film will take you aback? Absolutely, and choosing to acknowledge this is part of the viewing experience. Like most holiday traditions, a Love, Actually viewing is a return to something comforting and nostalgic; a simpler time when children could duck security and run through airports in search of love without suffering consequences — just because it's Christmas.
If you liked Love, Actually, you might also enjoy: The Family Stone (2005), streaming on Starz.
<i>Miracle on 34th Street<i> (1947)
The Christmas spirit gets put on trial in Miracle on 34th Street, an Old Hollywood classic that will have you questioning everything you think you know about Santa Claus. Kris Kringle (Edmund Gwenn) is hired by Doris (Maureen O'Hara) to play Santa in the Macy's store and at the Thanksgiving Day Parade, but after Kris repeatedly asserts that he's the real Santa Claus, aspersions are made about his mental state. Confined to a psychiatric institution, the only thing that can save Kris is the support of his lawyer Fred Gailey (John Payne) and Doris' daughter Susan (an adorable 8 year old Natalie Wood).
With portions of the film shot live during the 1946 Macy's Day parade, Miracle on 34th Street perfectly captures the feeling of the season. Heartwarming at times and depressing at others, it's a beautifully shot, acted, and written movie well worth adding to your holiday repertoire.
If you liked Miracle on 34th Street, you might also enjoy: It's a Wonderful Life (1946), streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
<i>Just Friends<i> (2005)
The power of the friend zone is tested in Just Friends, a holiday movie about love and the one that got away. After years of living the high life in Los Angeles as a successful record producer and executive, Chris Brander (Ryan Reynolds) unexpectedly returns to his childhood home in New Jersey before Christmas with a deranged pop star (Anna Faris) in tow. There, he finds himself reconnecting with his high school best friend and crush (Amy Smart).
One of two films released in 2005 in which Faris and Reynolds co-star, Just Friends is a Christmas comedy that understands the awkwardness inherent in retracing your life steps to re-meet the people who knew you before you knew yourself. There are a few bits that don't stand the test of time or culture, but if you're in the mood for seasonal pratfalls, holiday hijinks, or exploring the power of young love, then Just Friends is the film for you.
If you liked Just Friends, you might also enjoy: The Holiday (2006), streaming on Hulu.
<i>Krampus<i> (2015)
Home Alone gets a folkloric spin in Krampus, a horror-comedy about a dysfunctional family who, after one child tears up his letter to Santa in a fit of familial-induced rage, are hunted by an ancient spirit more intent on ruining Christmas than the family is themselves. A shadow of Saint Nicholas, the Krampus is known for capturing recalcitrant children and dragging them to the underworld — which is pretty much his plan when he shows up on Christmas Eve to terrorize the Engel family.
Featuring an all-star cast including Adam Scott, Toni Collette, and David Koechner, Krampus is a great option for people who understand that spending time with family during the holidays doesn't come without trepidation, and the best thing to unite a bickering unit is a common enemy. One of the few options in the holiday horror comedy cannon, Krampus is here to help you have yourself a scary little Christmas.
If you liked Krampus, you might also enjoy: Fatman (2020), streaming on Peacock.
<i>Better Watch Out<i> (2017)
Don't let the song lyrics in the film's title confuse you — Better Watch Out is no Christmas carol. Like Krampus, this movie decks the halls with cheers and fears as a 12 year old and the babysitter he's trying to woo are gifted the experience of a home invasion for the holidays.
With more twists and turns than a pole wrapped with Christmas lights, Better Watch Out is playfully adorned with misdirection and holiday genre tropes, and what it lacks in big name actors, it makes up for in mind games and gore aplenty. Critically acclaimed and boasting impressive performances across its cast of young actors, Better Watch Out won't give you the warm fuzzies this holiday season, but it's guaranteed to send shivers down your spine.
If you liked Better Watch Out, you might also enjoy: Holidays (2016), available to rent on AppleTV.
<i>The Waltons' Homecoming<i> (2021)
If you don't want to spend Christmas with your own family, cuddle up with the Waltons instead. In 1971, CBS aired The Homecoming: A Christmas Story, which introduced the world to the Walton family. A series following their antics began broadcasting in 1972, and after nine seasons of family time, The Waltons went off the air in 1981. 40 plus years later, they're back in a remade for TV movie that aired on the CW in 2021.
Richard Thomas, who played Young John Boy in the CBS series, reprises his role, this time returning as adult John-Boy and the narrator of the story. At just 79 minutes, the viewing experience is on the speedier side, but the movie still manages to maintain the essence of the original film and characters while updating storylines to include relevant social and cultural issues. There's no place like home for the holidays, but if you don't want to go home, there's always room at the Waltons' house.
If you liked The Waltons' Homecoming, you might also enjoy: Christmas for a Dollar (2013), streaming on Peacock.
<i>November Christmas<i> (2010)
A classic Hallmark tear-jerker, November Christmas tells the story of a small town uniting to support a young girl named Vanessa, whose battle with cancer makes it unlikely that she'll live to see the holiday season. John Corbett and Sarah Paulson star as Vanessa's parents, and Sam Elliott appears as her neighbor and the chief conspirator behind the plan to celebrate Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas early so Vanessa can join in on the fun.
Almost guaranteed to deliver at least a few tears, November Christmas is elevated by the collective strength of its three stars — and the purity of its message. A great seasonal offering for those looking to cultivate a reflective, gracious energy going into the holiday season, November Christmas reminds us of the transience of life and the essentiality of family and community.
If you liked November Christmas, you might also enjoy: The Christmas Heart (2012), streaming on Peacock.
<i>Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale<i> (2010)
He sees you when you're sleeping, he knows when you're awake — and he doesn't give a f***. So states the trailer for Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale, a Finnish fantasy/action/horror comedy about a group of locals in the region of Lapland who kidnap Santa Claus after he's unearthed during an archaeological dig on Christmas Eve. The locals intend to ransom Santa to the Americans, but after children start disappearing and elves start attacking, the locals realize that subduing Father Christmas will take more force and creativity than expected.
With the leads played by two actors who are father and son in real life, the movie offers an unexpected level of naturalism — at least for a film involving reindeer ghosts. A critical darling with a tone that can only be described as a genre salad, Rare Exports is the rare holiday movie that dares to get weird.
If you liked Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale, you might also enjoy: Violent Night (2022), available to rent on Prime Video.
<i>Saving Santa<i> (2013)
Everyone wants to know how Santa travels around the world delivering all the presents in one night, but nobody wants that information more than Neville Baddington (Tim Curry) and his mother (Joan Collins), who kidnap Santa (Tim Conway) with the intention of forcing the secret out of him.
But when a creative stable elf named Bernard (Martin Freeman) learns of the abduction, he is determined to use his knowledge of Santa's secret time traveling device to prevent Santa from ever being kidnapped, and to save Christmas for everyone. A 2013 British computer animated comedy also featuring Pam Ferris and Ashley Tisdale, Saving Santa is a goofy romp for kids (or at least for the child in you).
If you liked Saving Santa, you might also enjoy: Arthur Christmas (2011), streaming on Hulu.
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