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First Viewing Plot: Fed up with the materialism of Christmas, Santa runs away to New Zealand for a summer holiday. When two Kiwi kids figure out who he is, they have to find a way to get him back to the North Pole in time for Christmas.

I believe this is the first New Zealand Christmas movie which is a prospect that immediately intrigued me, especially since Australia is such a close neighbour. Despite the low IMDb rating, I'm glad I watched Kiwi Christmas and, although it's not perfect, I greatly enjoyed it for the most part. It's sweet and good-natured from the first frame, with an appealing cast and beautiful New Zealand locations. The story is slightly over-the-top by incorporating the real Santa Claus meeting everyday people, and the digital effects for the flying sleigh and the North Pole are admittedly flimsy as hell, with some shots looking like a second-rate computer game, but the movie is sincere about its oddball premise aside from the superfluous inclusion of border security agents who are paranoid about fruits and vegetables being moved into the area. There are a few too many cartoonish villainous archetypes, especially from another man camping nearby who has it out for the main characters. This is about the only major misstep, however. Even though it's aimed towards children, the movie will appeal to almost everybody seeking a fun Christmas movie. It's festive, it's easygoing, and it's distinctly Kiwi, which is all I wanted from this movie.

First Viewing Plot: After a break up, Jenny moves in with writer Kelly, her filmmaker husband, and their child. Despite a rocky start, Jenny's influence helps Kelly realize that an evolution in her life, career and relationship is necessary for her happiness.

Despite the implications of its title, Happy Christmas is not a happy movie, nor is it about Christmas. It does nothing to put you in the festive spirit, as the setting is largely incidental. Perhaps it was only set at Christmas to lure in poor schmucks like me who binge Yuletide films every December. A predominantly improvised movie which wasn't scripted, this little indie movie is lacking in substance, and, more importantly, a purpose for existing. The movie is pointless and aimless, with no major developments going on and the characters not undergoing any sort of distinctive arc. It reminds me of the screenwriting seminar scene from the movie Adaptation. This is director Joe Swanberg's third movie, and apparently his previous features were in a similar mould, making me want to actively avoid them. Swanberg is very much in love with the old indie aesthetic, shooting on 16mm film and giving this flick the look and feel of the early works of Kevin Smith or Richard Linklater. I'm surprised it wasn't filmed in black and white, to be honest. The problem is that whereas Linklater knows how to do slice of life, and Kevin Smith's hook is insightful, witty pop culture-infused dialogue, Happy Christmas is just all over the place, and the 16mm cinematography feels too self-conscious rather than giving the movie more personality. I didn't laugh, I didn't find much to enjoy, and I didn't become invested in the characters. This one is a bust.

First Viewing Plot: Jules Claus has embraced Christmas again and is getting ready for the busiest time of the year together with grandpa Noël. Everything seems to go according to plan, until Jules receives a very special letter with an intriguing question.

A quickie sequel which was initially released barely a year after the original movie hit Netflix, The Claus Family 2 is another enjoyable, family-friendly festive fantasy adventure which incorporates familial drama to supplement the magic. Even though I watched this mere hours after my viewing of the first movie, I felt comforted being in the presence of these characters again, and was interested in seeing what happens next. Luckily, this next installment doesn't feel contrived from a story perspective - the main thrust of the plot is Jules (the new Santa) wanting to address the type of wishes that his grandfather has ignored for years. It's motivated by his desire to do something good and not limit what Santa can do, which is an intriguing theme that deserves exploration. It's also something new in the arena of Santa movies. However, the movie doesn't work as well as its predecessor, with some rocky pacing despite its relatively short 98-minute running time. It's also lacking in substance at times, and doesn't have the same emotional impact. Nevertheless, the visuals remain eye-catching and I enjoyed seeing more of this world and of this interpretation of the Santa Claus lore. Another sequel has already been assembled and was recently released in a few European territories, but it's not due for release everywhere else until next Christmas. How bizarre. I'll be watching it whenever I can, anyway.

First Viewing Plot: After discovering his grandfather is Santa Claus, Jules has to help him deliver his presents all around the world. But Jules' hatred for Christmas might make that more difficult than Santa thought.

A Netflix Christmas movie produced by Belgium and the Netherlands, here we have yet another fantastical take on the Santa Claus mythology, with Saint Nicolas looking to appoint his replacement in the form of his grandson. The movie is also primarily about a mourning family, which provides some genuine heart and touching moments - indeed, I got a lump in my throat towards the end when a letter is read. Anybody who has lost a parent (like me) might find this to be especially poignant. Since Netflix was involved in this one, it's clear that some money was spent bringing it to life, with colorful set design and lavish cinematography, though some of the green-screen compositing does look unusually shonky and obvious. I grew to like the characters quite quickly and became invested in the story, which is a testament to the script and the actors. I did feel that it got a bit repetitive at times, and the pacing is sometimes hit-and-miss, but these are minor quibbles on the whole. A little bit more problematic is the clichéd narrative, but it is pulled off with encouraging sincerity. Even though The Claus Family is cheesy at times, it still works. Overall, this is a pleasing, family-friendly European Christmas offering that I enjoyed watching.

First Viewing Plot: In New York City, a woman's life gets upended when an engagement ring that was for someone else leads her to the person she's meant to be with.

The set-up for Something from Tiffany's is pure schmaltz, and it feels like the kind of story that Hallmark would produce - in fact, it wouldn't surprise me if Hallmark has already made a movie like this. However, despite being produced for Amazon Prime, there is more gravitas than the normal Hallmark rubbish, with more cinematic cinematography; it looks like a big-screen feature, not a made-for-TV movie. Although this isn't exactly my type of movie, I found myself enjoying this more than I thought I would, even though I might've mentally checked out a few times and not feel like I missed anything essential from a story perspective. There's a competent cast in this one (I mean, Zoey Deutch is fun in anything), though it's surprising that there's no quirky best friend character played by some big-name comedian as that's the typical formula for these romance movies. Speaking of, this is definitely more of a romance than a Christmas movie overall, so don't watch this if you're exclusively looking for Christmas-themed comedies like Ernest Saves Christmas or Get Santa. I won't make this one part of my annual line-up anytime soon, but I don't regret watching it. It's not great but not bad, either.

First Viewing Plot: Santa Claus flies to Orlando in search of his successor, and is helped by the bumbling Ernest.

Without rising to the heights of all the great festive flicks, Ernest Saves Christmas is a cute and inoffensive Christmas movie, and it's easy to comprehend why many people make this an annual holiday tradition in their households. This was actually my introduction to the Ernest character played by the late Jim Varney, and it makes me interested in tracking down some of the other movies in the series. The story here is nothing new, especially for somebody like me who binges Christmas films to a ridiculous extent every year, but it's still a charming affair from the very first frame, and there's something amusing about Santa traveling to freaking Florida to recruit his replacement. The hijinks which ensue are family-friendly and often amusing. Realism isn't exactly a strong suit, but Christmas movies aren't exactly the most realistic. While I didn't love Ernest Saves Christmas, I did have a fun time with it and I'd gladly watch it again during another December in the future.

First Viewing Plot: It's Christmas Eve and Tori just wants to get drunk and party, but when a robotic Santa Claus at a nearby toy store goes haywire and begins a rampant killing spree through her small town, she's forced into a desperate battle for survival.

Santa slasher movies set at Christmastime are nothing new, as we've seen serial killers dressed as jolly old Saint Nicolas in cult flicks like Silent Night, Deadly Night (plus its sequels) and Christmas Evil, among many others. The latest feature from wunderkind director Joe Begos (VFW, Bliss), Christmas Bloody Christmas essentially amounts to another Santa slasher movie...but with an unstoppable killer robot as opposed to a disgruntled psychopath who hates the festive season. In this sense, it's more like The Terminator than Silent Night, Deadly Night. Those familiar with Begos's work will know what to expect here, as his cinematic aesthetic remains unchanged: grainy 16mm cinematography, gory practical effects, neon lighting, an 80s-inspired visual style, and a moody synth score. The movie definitely earns its R rating, too, and it's even verging on NC-17 territory - there are plenty of creatively gory and vicious kill scenes throughout. Whereas most slashers meander from one victim to the next, there's more momentum to Christmas Bloody Christmas, which primarily stays with the character of Tori throughout the entire movie as the events happen around her. Consequently, there's more momentum and tension, particularly since Begos is a legitimately good filmmaker who doesn't simply rely on the gory special effects to see him through. Indeed, there is far more editorial and directorial skill throughout Christmas Bloody Christmas than all the other Santa slashers combined. It's relentlessly thrilling and fast-paced, but Begos also knows when to call it quits; the 87-minute running time feels perfect, and the movie doesn't outstay its welcome. The performance by Riley Dandy as Tori also deserves a mention; she truly throws herself into the character with spectacular results, handling the different emotions and sides to the role with confidence. Christmas Bloody Christmas is a gritty and grimy low-budget Christmas horror ride, and it's an immediate cult classic in my books. It's a Shudder Original but I hope it's one of their originals which gets a physical release on Blu-ray so I can watch it in superior quality every festive season.

First Viewing Plot: Somebody with very little Christmas spirit is killing anyone in a Santa suit one London holiday season, and Scotland Yard has to stop him before he makes his exploits an annual tradition.

Another change of pace in my eclectic selection of Christmas movies for this year, here we have a British slasher movie set around Christmastime which involves a serial killer murdering people in Santa suits. This is an often sleazy and grimy horror movie with gory kills and nudity, and it won't do much to get you into the Christmas spirit. As far as slasher movies go, the movie does have its charms, but there are a few sequences which feel too downright mean-spirited. There isn't much in the way of suspense or tension during the kill scenes, and the acting is pretty disappointing across the board with a few exceptions. It also seems unlikely that people would still walk around London at night wearing Santa outfits when the string of murders is still happening and the killer hasn't been caught - surely the police would issue some kind of ban to stem the killings. Admittedly, the insight into the killer's backstory towards the end of the film is interesting, though the lack of a conclusion is deeply disappointing. This one is a mixed bag all up.

First Viewing Plot: Nell, Simon, and their son Art are ready to welcome friends and family for what promises to be a perfect Christmas gathering. Perfect except for one thing: everyone is going to die.

I had no idea what to expect from this one, but I'm glad I gave it a shot. This is an apocalyptic British Christmas film, with the characters enjoying one last Christmas together before they commit suicide using government-manufacture pills which were issued in response to a poison gas that's killing everyone in its path. So, yes, don't expect much in the way of Christmas cheer in Silent Night, and the second half of the movie, in particular, is full of a pervasive and almost intoxicating sense of dread as the horrors begin to unfold. The actors are exceptional across the board and there is ample dark comedy scattered throughout, plus the British flavour makes the movie more interesting. However, there are major problems with the pacing, and the script also has an agenda to push about climate change which is conveyed with the subtlety of a shotgun. Having an apocalyptic event is fine, but it becomes text rather than subtext when the characters openly criticise the government and bemoan not voting for the greens. It left a bitter taste in my mouth.

First Viewing Plot: Rey leaves her friends to prepare for Life Day as she sets off on an adventure to gain a deeper knowledge of the Force. At a mysterious temple, she is hurled into a cross-timeline adventure. Will she make it back in time for Life Day?

It would almost be pointless for me to criticize various aspects of The Lego Star Wars Holiday Special, as its inherent shortcomings are totally by design. It's incredibly silly and goofy, and the plot is nothing more than an excuse to re-enact iconic Star Wars moments with a bit of added humour, plus it lacks the gravitas we come to expect from Star Wars. Indeed, this Disney+ special looks overly childish and inadequate after the release of The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special which genuinely feels like an extension of the movies, rather than a cheap made-for-TV distraction with cheaper actors doing their best impressions of more expensive actors. (Only Anthony Daniels and Billy Dee Williams reprise their roles from the movies in this special.) But I can't deny that I had some fun with this one; it still manages to stay afloat and it has its charms. The animation is impressive in every scene, and the mash-up of various characters from past and present is enjoyable. It's certainly a damn sight better than the infamous Holiday Special from the 1970s. This won't become an annual tradition, but I don't regret watching it.

First Viewing Plot: A Christmas-loving lawyer's obsession with bringing Christmas cheer to all sparks a conflict with the local Homeowners' Association who believe his planned holiday extravaganza violates their neighborhood rules.

It may be difficult for some to assess this documentary without bringing in their personal feelings on the matter. As a documentary film, 'Twas the Fight Before Christmas is extremely sound, as it's slickly presented, it doesn't appear to take sides, and it's well-edited, moving quickly through the interviews and keeping the pace agreeably brisk. The array of archival footage throughout the feature is also worthwhile, with the movie even delving back into the childhood of the man at the centre of all the controversy, and there are home videos of him decorating his family home at an early age. But the topic is going to be an extremely divisive one, and some people are going to have trouble watching the movie when the main character is essentially the villain. Personally, I found it difficult to take sides as I felt that both parties acted appallingly, and this behaviour is presented for us to see. (It makes me wonder if anything was excluded for being too extreme; surely there are more confrontations to see.) I wouldn't say that this movie is excellent festive viewing as it might not get you in the mood for Christmas, but it was a fun change of pace to watch a documentary like this as part of this year's Yuletide line-up. If the subject matter interests you, it's worth the watch.