First of all, I wish you a Merry Christmas 2022! I hope you give gifts to family, friends, co-workers and acquaintances or whoever, get rich gifts and have some wonderful holidays. Of course, this also applies if you do without gifts at all and just have a nice day. One or the other reader will surely find the peace and quiet to look into some Christmas films, possibly together with loved ones. In this article I have five tips for you on Netflix.
Netflix has thinned out a bit in recent years, as studios such as Warner Bros., Paramount, Disney and Co. now prefer to operate their own streaming services. However, there is still some suitable material to be found for the holidays. As always with lists like this, the obligatory reminder: don’t stone me if I forgot your favorite or you find my selection unreadable. It is simply a subjective list. In addition, I can only recommend what is actually available on Netflix. Otherwise there would be other titles like “The Spirits I Called” and many more.
You are welcome to give your own tips in the comments – that can not only provide me with suggestions, but also other readers. Incidentally, this time I have dispensed with a ranking list with numbers – it is sometimes possible without a rating. With this in mind: Happy Christmas Eve everyone!
Klaus
The in-house production “Klaus” was also on my list in 2020 and 2021 and has stayed with me for a long time. This loving and incredibly charming film was released in 2019, which reopens the origins of Christmas and Santa Claus. In the original English language, JK Simmons and Jason Schwartzman, both of whom I admire, speak the two main roles. What I like about “Klaus” is that humor and heart mesh perfectly without getting lost in clichés.
The Story: The lazy postman Jesper is sent to a small town to take his job more seriously. His parents expect him to deliver 6,000 letters in a year. Easier said than done, though, as none of the villagers seem to be the big scribes. But in the rough hermit Klaus, Jesper finds an idiosyncratic friend who hoards all kinds of homemade wooden toys in his hut. The two come up with a business idea that is supposed to have a bigger impact than they initially suspect.
Arthur Santa Claus
Universal’s Arthur Santa Clause is another animated film that falls into the category of Christmas films of the unusual kind. This is also about a young man who is overshadowed by his parents. In this case, however, the parents are Santa Claus and his wife himself. With his business acumen, his brother Steve seems to be the better successor for the Christmas of the future. But Arthur shows heart and courage after realizing that a child could, through a mistake, go without presents at Christmas.
I still find the subliminal criticism of consumerism beautifully integrated into “Arthur Santa Claus”. With Arthur and Steve, there are two completely different points of view that we also experience in reality. But children don’t have to think about it too much if they don’t want to and can simply be entertained by the funny story told with all sorts of mishaps.
The Grinch
The original by Dr. Seuss is a Christmas classic, particularly in the United States, and the 1960s short How the Grinch Stole Christmas! A few new starts followed, most recently a CGI animated film from 2018 that was too sugary for me. The live-action adaptation with Jim Carrey adds quite a lot to the children’s book template, but it also develops its own over-the-top charm.
So the main character has been treated to a sprawling background story, which I don’t think would have been absolutely necessary, but thanks to Carrey it works. At Christmas, “The Grinch” is therefore still one of the films that also offers a lot of entertainment value for adults.
The keepers of the light
“The Guardians of Light” have repeatedly recommended in previous years. I think DreamWorks Animation actually planned to create a franchise out of the ground here, but unfortunately the film flopped in cinemas, which buried this idea directly. Illustrious characters such as Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy and the Sandman come together here to form a kind of “Avengers” for children. Together they must stop the black man who wants to terrify the children of the world.
The English-speaking cast is very successful and audibly upgrades the film: For example, you can hear Chris Pine as Jack Frost or, amusingly enough, Hugh Jackman as the Easter Bunny. Fast-paced CGI film with lots of action, but also a successful story, which fortunately can stand for itself.
Shaun the Sheep: Woolly Mess
Shaun the Sheep always goes, although my favorite character Pidsley the Cat was sadly relegated after season 2 due to not being well received by viewers. On Netflix you will find the 30-minute Christmas special “Shaun the Sheep: Woolly Mess”. Released in 2021, I feel like the short flew under the radar of many. The plot? When the sheep Shaun has problems chasing a bigger stocking, his whole farm ends up having a wild Christmas adventure.
In general, there are all sorts of adventures worth seeing in the form of further series seasons and short films from “Shaun the Sheep” on Netflix. I really like the underlying stop-motion technique, which unfortunately is rarely used anymore due to the high costs. For example, feel free to check out seasons 4 and 5 of the series on Netflix. In my opinion, the humor works for all ages and is suitable for all generations.
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