Whereas some vacation movies give attention to easy tales of romance and household, others have taken issues to the following stage by including extra — extraordinary— components that lean into the magic of the season. Whether or not it’s a movie a couple of snowman with abs, Chad Michael Murray’s abs, or a time journey journey again in time to the ‘90s, the 2024 vacation film lineup guarantees to convey loads of enjoyable.
One among this yr’s most outlandish film plots comes within the type of Sizzling Frosty — a Netflix romantic comedy that follows a widow named Kathy (Lacey Chabert) who, after shedding her husband, by accident brings snowman Jack (who additionally occurs to be very jacked and is performed by Dustin Milligan) to life. Hijacks ensue.
“It’s refreshing — particularly round Christmastime — to expertise the magic and the marvel of that season by Jack,” Milligan defined to Netflix’s Tudum concerning the earnest optimism his character brings to Kathy’s world. “He’s seeing issues brand-new for the very first time and experiencing them with a really reliable information.”
Whereas the story focuses on a widow and a snowman falling in love (at the least, we assume that’s what occurs), there’s additionally a ton of coronary heart on the middle of the movie’s plot.
“We’re not going to spoil it, however … Kathy’s backstory is one thing that truly grounds Sizzling Frosty in a bit extra of a pleasant practical, dramatic tone,” Milligan mentioned. “Then, all of this kind of enjoyable, foolish stuff happens afterward.”
Chabert, for her half, echoed Milligan’s sentiments. “It’s actually humorous and lightweight and beautiful. However there’s additionally a throughline of lots of coronary heart, and all of those characters are sort of going by one thing — whether or not it’s one thing extra comedic or one thing extra deeply emotionally rooted,” she shared. “I believe this film has a really particular tone to it.”
Maintain scrolling for the highest 10 craziest vacation film plot strains of 2024:
‘The Christmas Charade’
The place and When to Watch: Hallmark Channel on Friday, November 1, at 10 p.m. ET. (Test Hallmark+ and native listings for repeats.)
What to Count on:
A cautious librarian and a particular agent stroll right into a charity ball … no, this isn’t the beginning of some wild joke, it’s the plot to The Christmas Charade starring Rachel Skarsten and Corey Sevier. Skarsten’s Whitney is a librarian who was raised by house safety specialists who finds herself working with Particular Agent Josh (Sevier) after a blind date mishap.
The twosome are compelled to pose as boyfriend and girlfriend for a Christmas Eve charity ball in hopes of taking down an artwork thief, which we’ve a sense they are going to efficiently obtain. In fact, there can be dancing, mischief and plenty of vacation decorations sprinkled in for good measure.
‘Sizzling Frosty’
When and The place to Watch: Netflix on Wednesday, November 13.
What to Count on:
Snowmen, abs … and a snowman with abs! Netflix critically leans into the magical components of the vacation season with Sizzling Frosty, which follows Kathy (Chabert), a grieving widow who brings a good-looking snowman (Milligan) — full with a six pack, shiny hair and sparkly smile — to life two years after her husband’s passing. Along with his naïveté and optimistic nature, the snowman slowly helps Kathy keep in mind the best way to chuckle and really feel alive once more, and perhaps even convinces her to offer love one other likelihood. Viewers will take pleasure in watching Chabert fall in love with a chiseled ball of snow, however one query stays: will issues take a flip when temperatures rise … and he melts?
‘The Merry Gentleman’
When and The place to Watch: Netflix on Wednesday November 20.
What to Count on:
Should you’re a fan of the Magic Mike movies and a vacation junkie — The Merry Gents is for you. CW alums Britt Robertson and (a really shirtless) Murray staff up for this hilarious romp that follows a former big-city dancer (Robertson), who is set to avoid wasting her dad and mom’ small city performing venue by launching an all male Christmas-theme revue. Searching for some half-dressed males decked out in outrageous costumes gyrating with the intention to maintain the vacation spirit alive? Right here you go!
‘Christmas within the Highlight’
When and The place to Watch: Lifetime Channel on Saturday, November 23, at 8 p.m. ET.
What to Count on:
So a world pop icon and NFL star falling in love isn’t too far fetched — the world already watched it occur with Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce. There isn’t a time journey, Alpaca farms or magic on this story — until you rely the magic of their love — however a vacation film based mostly on Swift and Kelce’s romance needed to be included on this checklist.
The movie follows Bowyn (Jessica Lord), a well-known singer who develops an sudden romance with Drew (Laith Wallschleger), knowledgeable soccer participant. As their emotions develop, they quickly face mounting stress from the press, the paparazzi, followers and even their households. Once more, if it’s all sounding a bit acquainted that’s as a result of it’s, and any Swift/Kelce followers will discover a couple of or two parallels between actual life and fiction in the event that they select to tune it. Don’t fear, although, as a result of Christmas within the Highlight is nothing if not a complete celebration of Swift and Kelce as a pair, and as people.
‘A Cinderella Christmas Ball’
The place and When to Watch: Nice American Household on Friday, November 29, at 8 p.m. ET.
What to Count on:
Cinderella-style romances are par for the course in vacation films — however what a couple of hunt on your organic father based mostly on a photograph with simply the person’s hand? In A Cinderella Christmas Ball, Danica McKellar’s Chelsea jumps on a airplane with the obscure photograph in hand in hopes of discovering her roots.
The movie takes an sudden flip when Chelsea seemingly sneaks right into a fort and teaches a prince (Oliver Rice) the best way to dance (as a result of, actually, why not?). If she doesn’t succeed earlier than the bells ring on Christmas Eve, she’ll by no means discover solutions. Whereas Chelsea is a dance teacher again in Chicago, we’re undecided how that can tie into her princess fairy story romance … to not point out finding her father in a overseas land!
‘A ‘90s Christmas’
When and The place to Watch: Hallmark Channel on Friday, November 29, at 6 p.m. ET.
What to Count on:
Skip a film that takes Christmas again to the nostalgia of the ‘90s? As if! Get able to journey again to the time of no smartphones — and a plethora of plaid — for A ‘90s Christmas. The Hallmark vacation flick transports workaholic lawyer Lucy Miller (Eva Bourne) again to 1999 to relive Christmas Eve together with her mother, sister, greatest pal and highschool crush for a second likelihood to grasp the place all her most notable relationships went fallacious. Taking an Uber won’t ever be the identical after watching this quirky vacation movie that begs the query: will Lucy’s magical journey assist her rewrite her future or go away her destined to be alone endlessly?
‘Personal Princess Christmas’
The place and When to Watch: Hallmark Channel on Friday, December 1, at 8 p.m. ET.
What to Count on:
Princess bootcamp at Christmastime? Signal Us up! Whereas royal vacation films are a staple on the Hallmark Channel, Personal Princess Christmas is outdoors the norm. When Princess Violet of Wingravia a.okay.a. Vi (Ali Skovbye) pushes her mother’s buttons one too many occasions, she is shipped to Colorado in addition camp — sure, critically! Vi should full the camp or danger shedding the throne to her uncle — no, not her uncle! — however there’s one factor standing in her method: the extraordinary Captain Ryan Douglas (Derek Klena). We may be going out on a limb right here, but when we needed to guess, Vi and Ryan’s reverse personalities might be the right recipe for love.
‘Sugarplummed’
When and The place to Watch: Hallmark Channel on Saturday, December 7, at 8 p.m. ET.
What to anticipate:
Maggie Lawson first discovered the danger of moving into another person’s footwear in 2000’s Mannequin Habits — and in Hallmark’s Sugarplummed, she’s getting one other reminder of why the grass isn’t all the time greener. Lawson stars as Emily, a girl who has all the time dreamed of the right Christmas however retains falling quick yr after yr. In hopes of bringing her household nearer collectively, she makes a want for a vacation as picture-perfect as those she sees on a made-for-TV film, inflicting Sugarplum (Janel Parrish), the movie’s relentlessly optimistic fundamental character, to step out of the display in hopes of serving to Emily make her dream come true.
As Sugarplum makes use of her movie-rules to convey Emily’s dream vacation season to life, issues begin to slowly backfire — leaving Emily questioning what an “excellent” Christmas actually seems like. Whereas a suspension of disbelief is required to take pleasure in this heartwarming story, who wouldn’t need to see Lawson and Parrish staff up for a whimsical fun-filled journey? (Though, we’re undecided we consider our issues wouldn’t be solved if we lived inside a Hallmark vacation film. Simply saying!)
‘Christmas on the Alpaca Farm’
The place and When to Watch: Lifetime Channel on Sunday, December 15, at 8 p.m. ET.
What to Count on:
What on earth do alpacas should do with the vacations? Nicely, we’re glad you requested! In Christmas on the Alpaca Farm, “Queen of Christmas Sweaters” — what a title … we are able to’t make this up! — Jess (Kirsten Comerford) quits her job in New York Metropolis to begin her personal line of luxurious knits. Whereas that sounds regular, her meet-cute with single dad and alpaca farmer Andrew (Matt Wells) wasn’t one thing on our vacation film bingo card. Alas, as all vacation romances go, Jess and Andrew’s love of alpacas (and their wool) is destined to convey them collectively simply in time for the vacation season.
‘A Carpenter Christmas Romance’
The place and When to Watch: Lifetime Channel on Saturday, December 21, at 8 p.m. ET.
What to Count on:
Sarah Drew promised one other attractive Lifetime vacation film after 2023’s A Cowboy Christmas Romance, and A Carpenter Christmas suits the invoice — regardless of the story line being a bit outlandish. Within the movie, novelist Andrea (Sasha Pieterse) should escape from her followers to a farmhouse to complete her guide after hinting that she needs to kill off the principle character. As soon as outdoors town, Andrea runs into her ex-crush, Seth (Mitchell Slaggert), who occurs to be a woodworker within the city.
OK, sure, this sounds precisely like previous Lifetime films we’ve beloved, however this tagline has us reeling: “It doesn’t take lengthy for sawdust and sparks of romance fill the air as soon as the 2 staff up and work collectively to reignite the city’s Christmas spirit.” Tacky doesn’t even start to explain how cliché this logline is, but it surely’s Andrea’s want to get to a haven due to her loopy followers that pushes this one over the sting for Us.
