Christmas is less than two weeks away, and while there are plenty of fabulous films to see in theaters, there are also many you can stream from the comfort of your living room - particularly if you want to see something that will make you merry and bright. So gear up the tablets, laptops, Apple TVs, Rokus, and game consoles with movies that are sure to appeal to even the Grinchiest of viewers.
All of our recommendations have to be available to stream, so you won't find certain classics like "A Christmas Story," "A Charlie Brown Christmas," "It's a Wonderful Life," or "A Christmas Carol," but we still managed to curate seven holiday themed features for families with everything from preschoolers to preteens tp high-schoolers.
"Charlie Brown's Christmas Tales" (2002)
TV-G, 17 minutes
This isn't "A Charlie Brown Christmas," but the Peanuts gang is all here in this TV special of little vignettes about how each of the characters deal with the holiday: Snoopy tries to prove his skating is worthy of a pairs competition; Sally may or may not have stolen a tree to decorate; Linus has a crush and writes selfless letters to Santa; and Lucy (tries) to turn a new leaf in honor of the season. This is a short and sweet story, so it's ideal for even the youngest Snoopy fans.
Available On:
Netflix
Amazon
iTunes
"The Polar Express" (2004)
Rated G, 99 minutes
If you can bear to watch the early motion-capture animated humans, the actual story, action and landscapes are all remarkable. This adaptation of Chris Van Allsburg's picture book is a beautiful reminder of what it means to believe in the Christmas spirit. It offers kids a thrilling journey to meet Santa in the North Pole via a magical train called The Polar Express. As heart-warming and feel-good as you'd expect in a holiday movie, "The Polar Express" is a great "read it and see it" choice every December.
Available On:
Netflix
Amazon
iTunes
"The Nightmare Before Christmas" (1993)
Rated PG, 76 minutes
The stop-motion animated Christmas-meets-Halloween musical is irresistible to kids who will get a kick out of Jack Skellington's home of Halloween Town, all of Danny Elfman's catchy songs, and the sweet romance between Jack and Sally. There are hundreds of reasons to adore this animated masterpiece, and everyone from primary schoolers to parents should love it. It's sophisticated and witty enough to please parents but accessible and funny enough to make kids die-hard fans. After you stream it, you'll want to make it a permanent addition to your DVD collection.
Available On:
Netflix
Amazon
iTunes
Disney's "Santa Buddies" (2009)
Rated G, 88 minutes
Normally I wouldn't recommend direct-to-DVD movies, but many holiday videos are straight-to-video specials of kid-friendly shows or movies. This is my three children's favorite of all the Disney "Buddies" movies and follows Puppy Paws, son of "Santa Paws," and his pals as they travel to the North Pole to save Christmas. If you've seen one of these you know that they're all about teamwork and friendship - plus the puppies are cute. But be prepared for little kids to ask to see all of the series once you give in to one!
Available On:
Netflix
Amazon
iTunes
"National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" (1989)
Rated PG-13, 97 minutes
It's one of those quotable holiday comedies that makes you laugh long after the credits roll. Clark Griswold is determined to have the biggest and best Christmas ever. But from the moment he forgets the saw to cut down his ginormous pine tree, anything and everything goes wrong. Before he knows it, cousin Randy has dumped his dilapidated RV's septic tank, an electrical fire burns down the tree and electrocutes a relative's cat, and Clark's much-needed Christmas bonus turns out to be the biggest disappointment of all.
Available On:
Netflix
Amazon
iTunes
"White Christmas" (1954)
Rated NR, 121 minutes
One of the most beloved movie musicals of all time is this holiday classic starring the inimitable Bing Crosby, Danny Kay, Vera-Ellen and Rosemary Clooney (yes, George's aunt). The titular song is of course the most famous single, but any family with two or more girls will love Clooney and Vera-Ellen's "Sisters," which includes the oft-quoted line "Lord help the mister who comes between me and my sister, And Lord help the sister, who comes between me and my man!" I promise the girls'll sing along every year!
Available On:
Netflix
Amazon
iTunes
"Love Actually" (2003)
Rated R, 134 minutes
Do you have teens? If so, this is a memorable holiday themed romantic comedy (or relationship dramedy) to watch with mature teens. There has been a lot of chatter recently about whether the movie's messages are sexist or immoral or downright depressing (many of the characters, particularly Emma Thompson's have sad storylines), but it's still worth watching for being the quintessential example of interconnected story arcs, a fabulous English ensemble, and a wonderful, hits-filled soundtrack.
Available On:
Netflix
Amazon
iTunes
from The Moviefone Blog http://news.moviefone.com/2013/12/16/streaming-holiday-movies/
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