‘Tis the season to be….streaming? Christmas movies can be cheesy, but let’s be honest, that’s their appeal to many people. That being said, they don’t have to be disgusting and romantic, they can also be nerdy, action-packed, gore galore and even sci-fi. Instead of a standard list of Christmas movies to stream on Netflix, Prime Video, Stan, whatever, this holiday season that appear on every website in existence, we’ve decided to bring you one with some Gizmodo Australia flare.
25 Christmas movies for the pop culture fiend. One a day leading up to Santa’s arrival, an advent calendar of Christmas streaming if you will. All building up to the absolute best Christmas movie of all time.
25 Christmas movies you can stream
1. Batman Returns
Batman Returns was Tim Burton’s second (and final) Dark Knight adventure. It takes place during Christmas, giving it the first slot on our Christmas movies list. Batman Returns is streaming on Binge, Paramount+, Stan and Foxtel Now.
2. Scrooged
Bill Murray in his prime, say less. Scrooged is streaming on Amazon Prime Video, Binge and Foxtel Now.
3. Jumanji
The penultimate scene of Jumanji is set at a Christmas party. Jumanji is streaming on Binge, Paramount+, Stan and Foxtel Now.
4. The Muppet Christmas Carol
This one is in the name. The Muppet Christmas Carol is streaming on Disney+.
5. Krampus
Krampus is a horned, anthropomorphic figure in Central and Eastern Alpine folklore who, during the Christmas season, scares children who have misbehaved. This 2015 horror by the same name is the comedy we all need this Christmas. Unfortunately, Krampus is no longer available on Aussie streaming services (you can rent for $3.99 on YouTube), but Krampus: The Reckoning is streaming on Amazon Prime Video and Tubi and Krampus: The Devil Returns is also available on Tubi.
6. The Shining
While Stanley Kubrick’s Stephen King adaptation is widely recognised as a horror classic, we’ve got agree with ScreenRant: it is rarely seen for its secondary genre. That secondary genre? Christmas movie. The Shining is streaming on Binge, Stan and Foxtel Now.
7. Gremlins
Quite literally nothing else screams Christmas without screaming Christmas like the Gremlins. Gremlins is streaming on Binge, Foxtel Now and Stan.
8. The Nightmare Before Christmas
Magical, extraordinary, beautiful, amazing and every other synonym for ‘Tim Burton is a genius’ can be used to describe this gem. The Nightmare Before Christmas is streaming on Disney+.
9. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
Themes of magic, witches and wizards are more prevalent than having good-feeling moments during the holiday season, but, they exist in this one, so it’s on our Christmas movies list. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone is streaming on Binge and Foxtel Now.
10. Small Soldiers
Small Soldiers is a 1998 American action comedy film that has nothing at all to do with Christmas, rather it feels like Christmas. It’s about toys, and figurines are often given as gifts, and there’s something in there about corporate greed and whatnot. Small Soldiers, probably the most non-Christmas Christmas movie on our list, is streaming on Netflix and Tubi.
11. Home Alone
It’s probably the OG Christmas movie you all remember from being a kid, this one is a no-brainer. Home Alone is streaming on Disney+.
12. The Bourne Identity
The Bourne Identity is set at Christmastime. The Bourne Identity is streaming on Stan, Binge and Foxtel Now.
13. Iron Man 3
Iron Man 3 is the ideal Christmas movie. Sure, Iron Man 3 could take place any other time of the year besides Christmas, and it would still make sense, but the sole fact that Christmas is involved gives it an automatic spot on this list. Iron Man 3 is streaming on Disney+.
14. Klaus
Telling a bit of an origin story to the mythos of Santa Claus through the eyes of a mailman, it’s an animated movie that’s at times funny but it’s just really quite charming. It’s hard to not like this one. Klaus is streaming on Netflix.
15. 8-Bit Christmas
In 1980s Chicago, a 10-year-old sets out on a quest to get the Christmas gift of his generation: the latest and greatest videogame console. We’ve all been this kid. 8-Bit Christmas is streaming on Binge and Foxtel Now.
16. Christmas With The Kranks
Christmas With The Kranks is actually based on a John Grisholm novel. It’s on our list because of the whole bitterness over Christmas thing, which fits with the vibe here. The Christmas With The Kranks movie is streaming on Netflix and Binge.
17. Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey
Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey is the Christmas movie for people who like funny little robots. No further questions. Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey is streaming on Netflix.
18. Star Wars Holiday Special
Need someone to leave your house? We’ve got the perfect movie. The Star Wars Holiday Special is streaming on YouTube. You can also watch eight hours of Darth Vader burning, after all, it fits the brief of Christmas movies available for streaming.
19. The Advent Calendar
The Advent Calendar follows a former ballerina who was paralysed from the waist down after an accident. When her best friend gives her an antique advent calendar, it soon reveals its peculiar Twilight Zone quality. The Advent Calendar is streaming on Shudder.
20. In Bruges
We never thought it’d be possible to make Colin Farrel likeable, but here we are. This one is on the cusp of not being a Christmas movie, given it is set at Christmas, but otherwise irrelevant to the plot, but yet again, here we are. It’s a cult classic. In Bruges is definitely, absolutely, a Christmas movie streaming on Netflix, Binge and Foxtel Now.
21. Catch Me If You Can
Catch Me If You Can being on this list might seem like we’re just trying to get a Leo movie in, but it’s set at Christmas and therefore qualifies. Catch Me If You Can is streaming on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Stan.
22. The Polar Express
Well, The Polar Express is so uncanny valley it feels sci-fi, so this otherwise cute and wholesome 2004 animated children’s movie about a boy getting on a train makes our list. The Polar Express is streaming on Binge, Netflix and Stan.
23. Edward Scissorhands
The film doesn’t centre or revolve around Christmas at all until the last third of the movie. There are a lot of Christmas references though, like Edward carving an ice sculpture whilst creating the illusion of it snowing. Edward Scissorhands is streaming on Disney+ and Foxtel Now.
24. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
You can argue the Christmas elements in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang feel unnatural and forced, but the ENTIRE THING takes place over Christmas. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is the dark comedy worthy of a spot on our list of Christmas movies. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is streaming on Stan.
25. Die Hard
Obviously. Yippee-ki-yay, motherfucker. Die Hard, one of the best Christmas movies of all time, is streaming on Disney+.
Merry Christmas, all.
This article has been updated since it was first published.