All the Christmas movies and series (good and not so good) that we will see this year

BarcelonaWhat do Michelle Pfeiffer, the Jonas Brothers, Alicia Silverstone, and Zooey Deschanel have in common? They're all starring in Christmas movies this year. Following the American television model, streaming platforms have long embraced the trend of releasing Christmas-themed films and series as the holidays approach. The quality of these offerings varies, but they typically fall into the category of made-for-TV movies. Let's take a look at this year's Christmas lineup on streaming services.

The film tasked with kicking off the holiday season stars Alicia Silverstone, a 90s icon thanks to Out of touchHere she plays Kate, who is about to spend her first Christmas as a soon-to-be divorcee. Although the spark of love seems to have died, she and Everett, her soon-to-be ex-husband, intend to celebrate the holidays as a family and maintain all the little traditions they built during their marriage. These good intentions begin to waver when Everett invites his new girlfriend, who couldn't be more different from Kate. The film fulfills all the clichés of Christmas movies and tries to add a touch of spice with a hunky suitor who takes his shirt off at the slightest opportunity. And last year, the streaming platforms... They've already made it clear that Christmas movies also want to be sexy..

The festive nature of Christmas movies can be a great showcase for singers and bands. In this one, the Jonas Brothers finish their tour in London and are eager to get home to spend Christmas with their families. However, they encounter all sorts of obstacles along the way, and the three brothers begin to question their roles within the group. Besides the singers' real families, the film also features actors like Jesse Tyler Ferguson, from Modern Family, who takes on the role of Santa Claus.

One of the great tropes of Christmas movies is the female protagonist who has forgotten the joy of living because of her dedication to work and, often, family trauma. Sydney, played by Minka Kelly (known for Friday Night Lights), fits this pattern. An executive at a large American trading company travels to a Christmas-themed Paris to finalize the purchase of a winery. By chance, and thanks to the city's romantic spirit, she meets an attractive Frenchman the night before the big meeting and falls completely in love. But alas, her love interest turns out to be involved in the winery purchase. Despite being an entirely predictable film, it would fall into the category of decent Christmas offerings by Netflix's standards of recent years.

Christmastime Paris is also the backdrop for this family comedy starring Mark Wahlberg and Michelle Monaghan. This time, Dan, a former assassin turned family man, has planned a Christmas vacation with his wife and kids in Europe. Their plans go awry when a figure from Dan's past, played by Kit Harington (Game of Thunder), reappears, determined to settle a score. Thus, the family vacation devolves into a cat-and-mouse game across Europe.

Action, comedy, and Christmas are also the cocktail offered by this English film, featuring one of the protagonists of Sex educationConnor Swindells. Sophia and Nick, two down-on-their-luck workers fed up with precarious employment, team up for a heist that should change their lives: robbing the cash register of a large London department store on Christmas Eve. Along the way, the bond between them grows stronger. A very Christmassy robbery It escapes the typical sugary Netflix movies of this time of year and is closer to the adventures of Home Alone, For example.

Thanks to A place to dreamAlexandra Breckenridge is one of Netflix's stars. The actress, who has extensive experience in Christmas TV movies, stars in this film which has a touch of... Mrs. Doubtfire Christmas version: After losing her job, single mother Taylor disguises herself as a venerable old man so a ski resort will hire her to play Santa Claus. The coveted job is meant to help her pay for her daughter's ski lessons. Things start to get complicated when the resort owner's son, for whom she feels a strong attraction, enters the picture.

Michelle Pfeiffer has been in the background for a few years, but it seems she's beginning to plan her acting comeback with several projects in the pipeline. In this Christmas release, she plays Claire, a devoted mother tired of her family not recognizing or appreciating all her efforts. It's like an adult version of... Home AloneAmid the Christmas chaos, Claire discovers her family has forgotten her and left her alone. It's the last straw. Claire decides to run away and enter a contest to find the best Christmas hostess. Pfeiffer isn't the only familiar face in the film. Eva Longoria, Felicity Jones, and Chloë Grace Moretz also appear.

Actress Zooey Deschanel is one of those people who truly embodies the Christmas spirit. Besides having co-starred in a quintessentially Christmas movie like... ElfShe has released two Christmas albums with She&Him, the musical group she has with M. Ward. In this Amazon production, Deschanel plays Anna, recently separated from Russ (Charlie Cox). The breakup has deeply depressed their shared dog, Merv. Determined to cheer up his pet, Russ takes Merv on a trip to Florida, leaving behind frozen Minnesota, and Anna can't help but try to be part of the getaway.

With Mr. Bean Rowan Atkinson created true Christmas television classics. Now, the British actor is once again exploring the comedic side of the holidays. If a Man versus bee, Released in 2022, Trevor Bingley faced an insect that hindered his mission to take care of a mansion, in Man versus baby It will be a creature that drives the protagonist crazy. This time, Bingley is tasked with watching over a luxury apartment that has a hidden surprise: a baby that someone has left behind.

If you're looking to break away from the Anglo-Saxon mold, now's the time to give this Norwegian series, now in its third season, a try. The protagonist is Johanne, a nurse who, tired of family pressure, announces she'll be bringing her (nonexistent) boyfriend to Christmas dinner. To her parents' delight, Johanne embarks on a race against time to find love. In the third season, premiering this December, another Christmas is approaching, and the protagonist is completely disheartened about her romantic prospects. The series also has an Italian adaptation, available on Netflix, which runs for two seasons.

Hallmark is the great factory of Christmas television productions in the United States and the miniseries Twelve Dates Before Christmas It's one of this year's biggest new shows. The series, which can be seen on Movistar Plus+, follows Kate (Mae Whitman), a print designer from Savile Row, who lives in a small English village and ends up participating in a television program that offers romantic experiences to find a partner before the holidays. While trying to embrace the spirit of love, she must also deal with the return of her mother, with whom she hasn't been in contact for years.