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https://blackgirlnerds.com/bgns-picks-for-the-worst-films-of-2023/
There’s always some bad apples in a bunch, and this year there are some movies that were pretty awful. While we appreciate the time and effort it takes to craft and make a film production, sadly these films creatively just didn’t hit the mark. From big budget studio films to independent flicks, our select group of esteemed film critics provides a short list of movies that were pretty bad this year.
Jamie Broadnax’s Worst of 2023
Five Nights at Freddy’s
Sorry FNAF fans, but I had high hopes and expectations for this film since it’s inspired by the popular video game of the same name. Based on a game known for its horror and jump scares, the film completely erased the components of what made it appealing to gamers when adapting it for the big screen. Rather than focusing on the animatronic killers, the plot centered on its protagonist Mike (Josh Hutcherson) and his missing brother, which played out more like a melodrama than an actual horror flick.
The build up to ultimately finding out who the villain is felt rushed, and the pacing was all over the place. This movie had so much potential. But my opinion doesn’t matter here because it made a ton of money at the box office, in spite of it being released on streaming the same day. It’s likely there will be a sequel or maybe even a prequel in the works due to its financial success.
The Flash
Where do I begin? The Flash was in development hell for years and went through a bunch of directors before it fell into Andrés Muschietti’s hands. The writing was on the wall with this one.
Let’s start with the fact that this movie should have never been released. With bad PR swirling around its lead actor Ezra Miller and his many run-ins with law enforcement, the film already had some negative publicity around it.
Aside from that, some of the worst CGI I’ve ever seen is in this movie. And while the film’s director Andrés Muschietti had an excuse for this, it still doesn’t make sense that a film with a $300 million dollar budget has CGI that is comparable to a CW TV show.
There’s also so many plot holes in The Flash that I lost count. What is the motive for what happened to Barry’s mom? What purpose did Batman serve in this story? Why was Iris West even in this movie? She’s barely there and it’s pretty clear a lot of her narrative ended up on the cutting room floor. Unlike FNAF, this movie bombed and it bombed hard.
Cassondra Feltus’ Worst of 2023
The Exorcist: Believer
I went in with low expectations so I wasn’t terribly disappointed. It’s a shame that it didn’t work because there are some impressive performances, particularly the two leading ladies who clearly gave it their all. It’s a serviceable horror film but as a legacy sequel, it just doesn’t hold up.
Wayne Broadway’s Worst of 2023
Fast X
Ugh. If I could just write “ugh” and present that as my review, I would. But I think I’d get in trouble with my boss, so let’s quickly go through why this “movie” is the worst of 2023.
- It’s not a full film.
- It’s vaguely homophobic
- Do I really need a third reason? This movie is clearly terrible.
As far as Point 1 is concerned, this movie fails to be a movie in any meaningful sense by ending midway. It’s not even a matter of not liking cliffhangers. Across the Spider-Verse had a cliffhanger ending, and I loved it because that movie also resolved most of its own internal arcs. Despite it being part of a larger series, it still understood that it had to tell a complete story.
What Fast X does, on the other hand, is waste precious hours of audiences’ lives without providing any sort of resolution to walk away with. This movie is a book that ends mid-sentence in the second act and resents you for expecting more. “We gave you a car race, didn’t we?” it asks. “You didn’t think the eight-year-old boy blowing people up with a missile was cool?!” it says, shocked at our ingratitude. This non-film is idiotic dreck that would hardly even merit discussion, but then it went and decided to make its villain queer-coded like it’s still 1992, so it was impossible not to aim my contempt at it.
Look, like what you like. The thing (I refuse to say “movie”) made nearly three-quarters of a billion dollars worldwide, so what do I know? Well, that question wasn’t rhetorical, because what I know is that this movie was perhaps the worst thing I had the displeasure of watching either this year or several others.
The Equalizer 3
I admit that I might regret putting this movie here, because, in truth, there certainly were worse 2023 films. The Meg 2 probably stunk (I didn’t watch it because I have a finite amount of time on this earth, and I refuse to spend it that annoyed). Saw X was good only in the sense that it wasn’t as bad as other Saw films. Beau Is Afraid might have made a better entry if only because its polarizing nature would have sparked discussion from anyone happy or upset with my choice to include it.
But The Equalizer 3 makes this list because it’s symbolic of wasted talent. How do you put Antoine Fuqua, Denzel Washington, and Dakota Fanning together and still leave me feeling apathetic? How do you do this especially after you show the promise of what the movie could have been based on its opening five minutes?
What could have been this year’s Black-led response to the John Wick franchise instead fizzles out to be a run-of-the-mill action film that sees Denzel Washington seem almost bored with the role. Maybe it’s best that this was likely his final outing as Robert McCall. Leave the work of making lackluster Bourne ripoffs to Fanning, another artist that could be off making something that mattered for longer than it took to sit down and watch the movie. “Worst” might be too harsh, but no one gave me the option for “Most Depressingly Below-Average Use of Otherwise Great Actors” list, so this will have to suffice.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania
Okay, Scorsese might have been onto something. For every Across the Spider-Verse that makes it easy to scoff at old-head talk of “back in my day we had real films,” there’s a Quantumania that ruins that rebuttal completely. In fact, there are way more Quantumania–type films by ratio than there are works of art like Across the Spider-Verse. This matters specifically because this movie is everything you hoped the MCU would not become: completely without a coherent purpose.
Is it setting up Kang? Because if so, this Big Bad got beat up by Ant-Man of all people, so imagine how he’d fare against someone like Captain Marvel in the inevitable team-up film. Is it to establish the rules of how time travel works in the Quantum Realm and the MCU in general? Because, if so, I’m pretty sure Season 2 of Loki has different rules entirely. Is it to get us excited about the rest of Marvel’s Phase 5 and the upcoming Phase 6? Because, if recent box office receipts are any indication, no one is excited about much of anything to do with the MCU anymore.
Since every franchise everywhere is all at once obsessed with multiverses, I am envisioning one right now. In this one, the MCU films ended with that wonderful scene of Steve and Peggy dancing, their love realized and the important parts of the story told. Sure, there would be some loose ends, but those could be tied up in one or two limited series that would work to tell that story rather than simply sell merch or build excitement for a new themed addition to Disneyland. I would like this universe, and the only multi-verse project I’d like to see at this point is one about getting there.
The rest of it? Meh. If this review doesn’t seem specific enough to Quantumania, that’s because this film’s issues are mirrored across much of what’s problematic in the MCU now. If you liked Quantumania, fine. Pretend I put The Marvels or any one of the lackluster miniseries that came and went instead. It’s honestly all the dreary same, or, as Scorsese put it, all “market-researched, audience-tested, vetted, modified, revetted and remodified until they’re ready for consumption.”
Jeanine T. Abraham’s Worst of 2023
Best. Christmas. Ever!
Best. Christmas. Ever! is the perfect example of why many romantic comedy films get on my last nerves. Charlotte (Heather Graham, Boogie Nights) is a driven wife and mother of two whose life is less than perfect. Her husband, Rob (Jason Biggs, American Pie), has a business that isn’t going well. Every Christmas, Charlotte receives family newsletters from Rob’s ex-girlfriend from college, Jackie (Brandy Norwood, Moesha) who lives a perfect life in a mini-mansion with her incredibly hot husband Valentino (Matt Cedeno, Devious Maids), and their genius daughter Beatrix (Madison Skye Validum, Dashing Through the Snow). Charlotte’s life is a mess, hence, she’s jealous of Jackie and her perfect family. Charlotte, her husband, and her kids inadvertently end up at Jackie’s house on Christmas Eve, and the hijinks begin.
This movie is predictable; the writing is abysmal; most of the actors seem like they are on autopilot; the kids are annoying; Brandy looks like she’s reading all of her lines off of a teleprompter; and Heather Graham looks like she’s a deer caught in headlights throughout most of the film. This movie could have been fun if the writers of this screenplay weren’t stuck in 1997. While I was watching this film, I was rewriting it in my mind, casting Charlotte as a “Christmas Karen” showing up at Brandy’s house with all of her envy and somehow making a journey of discovery to be less of a “Karen.”
But no, this film places Black, white ,and Brown actors into roles that ignore cultural identity and the authentic conflicts that happen when Americans of different skin colors are in friendships with one another. Brandy is a pop star; her singing talent is wasted in this film. Why not use more of Brandy singing? Her song at the end was great.
The worst part of this film was that I didn’t like or care about anyone in this film. Even the kids. That’s not good for a feel-good Christmas film. At the end of the day, a holiday film should leave the audience feeling hopeful about the holidays; I just wanted to throw my Christmas stocking at the screen.
Best. Christmas. Ever! Streaming on Netflix.
Killers of the Flower Moon
Goodfellas is one of my favorite movies because Martin Scorsese writes what he knows and creates these layered, complex characters. We can feel the why behind the actions of almost everyone we see on screen because Scorsese comes from a place of human connection. He knows these wise guys and can humanize men who do the most deplorable things for money and power.
In Killers of the Flower Moon, Martin Scorsese gets the era’s costumes, set design, props, accents, and tone spot on, but as he takes on the vile nature of whiteness, he paints with a crayon.
The film is about white men murdering many people in the wealthy Osage Nation for the mineral rights to their oil-rich land. The movie clearly shows that even though the Nation amassed great wealth, they had no power. The Indigenous people in this film are one-dimensional, defined only by their wealth and pain. We see all of the Osage people suffering at the hands of white men, but we don’t ever get to see the why behind all that pain. Scorsese scratches the surface of white dominance with Ernest (Leonardo DiCaprio, Titanic), who says the lines, “I love money,” at several key moments in the film. We see how conniving and precise his uncle William Hale (Robert De Niro, Taxi Driver) is as he blatantly organizes the murders of prominent Osage men, then creates the worst interracial matchmaking service ever, where the women of color end up dead.
The film is over three hours long, and for all of that fine acting, I still don’t know for sure why Mollie (Lily Gladstone, Reservation Dogs) and all of those Osage women married those white men even though they knew the white men were marrying them for their money. Mollie has a few lines where she ruminates about Ernest pursuing her only because she’s rich.
There are some scenes of intimacy; is Scorsese saying these women married these white men because of the sex? It’s not clear. The audience never gets a sense of the Osage men beyond the broad stereotypes that filmmakers had made about Native Americans for the past one hundred years. We know the Osage men are being killed. Still, we don’t see any loving relationships between Osage men and women that humanize the plight of the Osage beyond being victimized and brutally killed onscreen.
The movie was way too long. I’m glad I watched Killers of the Flower Moon at home on pay-per-stream because I kept falling asleep and had to rewind and rewatch. It ended up taking me several hours to complete this film. I left this movie not knowing much about the Osage people other than how white men victimized them.
This wasn’t a story meant for me. This kind of trauma porn was hard on my nervous system. I hated seeing Brown people destroyed yet again. It was a story by a white man for white people to show white folks how greedy their ancestors were whilst convincing themselves they aren’t as evil as their forefathers were.
Is this film worth watching? Sure. If you have the bandwidth, I encourage you to do so. There’s a ton of great acting and the technical filmmaking aspects are incredible. But I made this one of the worst films I saw this year because Martin Scorsese could have done this story better. For all of his good intentions, he didn’t write this script with a Native American screenwriter, who could have added more texture and layers to the Native characters, the actors brought to life so brilliantly. Couldn’t his team have reached out to the writer’s room of FX’s Reservation Dogs for writers? They got some actors from that show. Speaking of television, TV shows like Blue Eye Samurai on Netflix and The Cure on Prime Video are telling stories about white dominance with authenticity and complexity while humanizing everyone on screen. So, yes, it is possible to do so.
Scorsese missed a huge opportunity to tell this American story with a level of sophistication that could have made this a truly incredible film instead of just virtue signaling.
Killers of the Flower Moon is now available on pay-per-streaming on AppleTV+.
Don’t forget to check out our Best Picks in case you missed it!
There’s always some bad apples in a bunch, and this year there are some movies that were pretty awful. While we appreciate the time and effort it takes to craft and make a film production, sadly these films creatively just didn’t hit the mark. From big budget studio films to independent flicks, our select group of esteemed film critics provides a short list of movies that were pretty bad this year.
Jamie Broadnax’s Worst of 2023
Five Nights at Freddy’s
Sorry FNAF fans, but I had high hopes and expectations for this film since it’s inspired by the popular video game of the same name. Based on a game known for its horror and jump scares, the film completely erased the components of what made it appealing to gamers when adapting it for the big screen. Rather than focusing on the animatronic killers, the plot centered on its protagonist Mike (Josh Hutcherson) and his missing brother, which played out more like a melodrama than an actual horror flick.
The build up to ultimately finding out who the villain is felt rushed, and the pacing was all over the place. This movie had so much potential. But my opinion doesn’t matter here because it made a ton of money at the box office, in spite of it being released on streaming the same day. It’s likely there will be a sequel or maybe even a prequel in the works due to its financial success.
The Flash
Where do I begin? The Flash was in development hell for years and went through a bunch of directors before it fell into Andrés Muschietti’s hands. The writing was on the wall with this one.
Let’s start with the fact that this movie should have never been released. With bad PR swirling around its lead actor Ezra Miller and his many run-ins with law enforcement, the film already had some negative publicity around it.
Aside from that, some of the worst CGI I’ve ever seen is in this movie. And while the film’s director Andrés Muschietti had an excuse for this, it still doesn’t make sense that a film with a $300 million dollar budget has CGI that is comparable to a CW TV show.
There’s also so many plot holes in The Flash that I lost count. What is the motive for what happened to Barry’s mom? What purpose did Batman serve in this story? Why was Iris West even in this movie? She’s barely there and it’s pretty clear a lot of her narrative ended up on the cutting room floor. Unlike FNAF, this movie bombed and it bombed hard.
Cassondra Feltus’ Worst of 2023
The Exorcist: Believer
I went in with low expectations so I wasn’t terribly disappointed. It’s a shame that it didn’t work because there are some impressive performances, particularly the two leading ladies who clearly gave it their all. It’s a serviceable horror film but as a legacy sequel, it just doesn’t hold up.
Wayne Broadway’s Worst of 2023
Fast X
Ugh. If I could just write “ugh” and present that as my review, I would. But I think I’d get in trouble with my boss, so let’s quickly go through why this “movie” is the worst of 2023.
- It’s not a full film.
- It’s vaguely homophobic
- Do I really need a third reason? This movie is clearly terrible.
As far as Point 1 is concerned, this movie fails to be a movie in any meaningful sense by ending midway. It’s not even a matter of not liking cliffhangers. Across the Spider-Verse had a cliffhanger ending, and I loved it because that movie also resolved most of its own internal arcs. Despite it being part of a larger series, it still understood that it had to tell a complete story.
What Fast X does, on the other hand, is waste precious hours of audiences’ lives without providing any sort of resolution to walk away with. This movie is a book that ends mid-sentence in the second act and resents you for expecting more. “We gave you a car race, didn’t we?” it asks. “You didn’t think the eight-year-old boy blowing people up with a missile was cool?!” it says, shocked at our ingratitude. This non-film is idiotic dreck that would hardly even merit discussion, but then it went and decided to make its villain queer-coded like it’s still 1992, so it was impossible not to aim my contempt at it.
Look, like what you like. The thing (I refuse to say “movie”) made nearly three-quarters of a billion dollars worldwide, so what do I know? Well, that question wasn’t rhetorical, because what I know is that this movie was perhaps the worst thing I had the displeasure of watching either this year or several others.
The Equalizer 3
I admit that I might regret putting this movie here, because, in truth, there certainly were worse 2023 films. The Meg 2 probably stunk (I didn’t watch it because I have a finite amount of time on this earth, and I refuse to spend it that annoyed). Saw X was good only in the sense that it wasn’t as bad as other Saw films. Beau Is Afraid might have made a better entry if only because its polarizing nature would have sparked discussion from anyone happy or upset with my choice to include it.
But The Equalizer 3 makes this list because it’s symbolic of wasted talent. How do you put Antoine Fuqua, Denzel Washington, and Dakota Fanning together and still leave me feeling apathetic? How do you do this especially after you show the promise of what the movie could have been based on its opening five minutes?
What could have been this year’s Black-led response to the John Wick franchise instead fizzles out to be a run-of-the-mill action film that sees Denzel Washington seem almost bored with the role. Maybe it’s best that this was likely his final outing as Robert McCall. Leave the work of making lackluster Bourne ripoffs to Fanning, another artist that could be off making something that mattered for longer than it took to sit down and watch the movie. “Worst” might be too harsh, but no one gave me the option for “Most Depressingly Below-Average Use of Otherwise Great Actors” list, so this will have to suffice.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania
Okay, Scorsese might have been onto something. For every Across the Spider-Verse that makes it easy to scoff at old-head talk of “back in my day we had real films,” there’s a Quantumania that ruins that rebuttal completely. In fact, there are way more Quantumania–type films by ratio than there are works of art like Across the Spider-Verse. This matters specifically because this movie is everything you hoped the MCU would not become: completely without a coherent purpose.
Is it setting up Kang? Because if so, this Big Bad got beat up by Ant-Man of all people, so imagine how he’d fare against someone like Captain Marvel in the inevitable team-up film. Is it to establish the rules of how time travel works in the Quantum Realm and the MCU in general? Because, if so, I’m pretty sure Season 2 of Loki has different rules entirely. Is it to get us excited about the rest of Marvel’s Phase 5 and the upcoming Phase 6? Because, if recent box office receipts are any indication, no one is excited about much of anything to do with the MCU anymore.
Since every franchise everywhere is all at once obsessed with multiverses, I am envisioning one right now. In this one, the MCU films ended with that wonderful scene of Steve and Peggy dancing, their love realized and the important parts of the story told. Sure, there would be some loose ends, but those could be tied up in one or two limited series that would work to tell that story rather than simply sell merch or build excitement for a new themed addition to Disneyland. I would like this universe, and the only multi-verse project I’d like to see at this point is one about getting there.
The rest of it? Meh. If this review doesn’t seem specific enough to Quantumania, that’s because this film’s issues are mirrored across much of what’s problematic in the MCU now. If you liked Quantumania, fine. Pretend I put The Marvels or any one of the lackluster miniseries that came and went instead. It’s honestly all the dreary same, or, as Scorsese put it, all “market-researched, audience-tested, vetted, modified, revetted and remodified until they’re ready for consumption.”
Jeanine T. Abraham’s Worst of 2023
Best. Christmas. Ever!
Best. Christmas. Ever! is the perfect example of why many romantic comedy films get on my last nerves. Charlotte (Heather Graham, Boogie Nights) is a driven wife and mother of two whose life is less than perfect. Her husband, Rob (Jason Biggs, American Pie), has a business that isn’t going well. Every Christmas, Charlotte receives family newsletters from Rob’s ex-girlfriend from college, Jackie (Brandy Norwood, Moesha) who lives a perfect life in a mini-mansion with her incredibly hot husband Valentino (Matt Cedeno, Devious Maids), and their genius daughter Beatrix (Madison Skye Validum, Dashing Through the Snow). Charlotte’s life is a mess, hence, she’s jealous of Jackie and her perfect family. Charlotte, her husband, and her kids inadvertently end up at Jackie’s house on Christmas Eve, and the hijinks begin.
This movie is predictable; the writing is abysmal; most of the actors seem like they are on autopilot; the kids are annoying; Brandy looks like she’s reading all of her lines off of a teleprompter; and Heather Graham looks like she’s a deer caught in headlights throughout most of the film. This movie could have been fun if the writers of this screenplay weren’t stuck in 1997. While I was watching this film, I was rewriting it in my mind, casting Charlotte as a “Christmas Karen” showing up at Brandy’s house with all of her envy and somehow making a journey of discovery to be less of a “Karen.”
But no, this film places Black, white ,and Brown actors into roles that ignore cultural identity and the authentic conflicts that happen when Americans of different skin colors are in friendships with one another. Brandy is a pop star; her singing talent is wasted in this film. Why not use more of Brandy singing? Her song at the end was great.
The worst part of this film was that I didn’t like or care about anyone in this film. Even the kids. That’s not good for a feel-good Christmas film. At the end of the day, a holiday film should leave the audience feeling hopeful about the holidays; I just wanted to throw my Christmas stocking at the screen.
Best. Christmas. Ever! Streaming on Netflix.
Killers of the Flower Moon
Goodfellas is one of my favorite movies because Martin Scorsese writes what he knows and creates these layered, complex characters. We can feel the why behind the actions of almost everyone we see on screen because Scorsese comes from a place of human connection. He knows these wise guys and can humanize men who do the most deplorable things for money and power.
In Killers of the Flower Moon, Martin Scorsese gets the era’s costumes, set design, props, accents, and tone spot on, but as he takes on the vile nature of whiteness, he paints with a crayon.
The film is about white men murdering many people in the wealthy Osage Nation for the mineral rights to their oil-rich land. The movie clearly shows that even though the Nation amassed great wealth, they had no power. The Indigenous people in this film are one-dimensional, defined only by their wealth and pain. We see all of the Osage people suffering at the hands of white men, but we don’t ever get to see the why behind all that pain. Scorsese scratches the surface of white dominance with Ernest (Leonardo DiCaprio, Titanic), who says the lines, “I love money,” at several key moments in the film. We see how conniving and precise his uncle William Hale (Robert De Niro, Taxi Driver) is as he blatantly organizes the murders of prominent Osage men, then creates the worst interracial matchmaking service ever, where the women of color end up dead.
The film is over three hours long, and for all of that fine acting, I still don’t know for sure why Mollie (Lily Gladstone, Reservation Dogs) and all of those Osage women married those white men even though they knew the white men were marrying them for their money. Mollie has a few lines where she ruminates about Ernest pursuing her only because she’s rich.
There are some scenes of intimacy; is Scorsese saying these women married these white men because of the sex? It’s not clear. The audience never gets a sense of the Osage men beyond the broad stereotypes that filmmakers had made about Native Americans for the past one hundred years. We know the Osage men are being killed. Still, we don’t see any loving relationships between Osage men and women that humanize the plight of the Osage beyond being victimized and brutally killed onscreen.
The movie was way too long. I’m glad I watched Killers of the Flower Moon at home on pay-per-stream because I kept falling asleep and had to rewind and rewatch. It ended up taking me several hours to complete this film. I left this movie not knowing much about the Osage people other than how white men victimized them.
This wasn’t a story meant for me. This kind of trauma porn was hard on my nervous system. I hated seeing Brown people destroyed yet again. It was a story by a white man for white people to show white folks how greedy their ancestors were whilst convincing themselves they aren’t as evil as their forefathers were.
Is this film worth watching? Sure. If you have the bandwidth, I encourage you to do so. There’s a ton of great acting and the technical filmmaking aspects are incredible. But I made this one of the worst films I saw this year because Martin Scorsese could have done this story better. For all of his good intentions, he didn’t write this script with a Native American screenwriter, who could have added more texture and layers to the Native characters, the actors brought to life so brilliantly. Couldn’t his team have reached out to the writer’s room of FX’s Reservation Dogs for writers? They got some actors from that show. Speaking of television, TV shows like Blue Eye Samurai on Netflix and The Cure on Prime Video are telling stories about white dominance with authenticity and complexity while humanizing everyone on screen. So, yes, it is possible to do so.
Scorsese missed a huge opportunity to tell this American story with a level of sophistication that could have made this a truly incredible film instead of just virtue signaling.
Killers of the Flower Moon is now available on pay-per-streaming on AppleTV+.
Don’t forget to check out our Best Picks in case you missed it!
Originally published Dec. 3, 2021
The best part of the holidays is gathering with people you love for parties of any kind. If you plan to host any events or gatherings this month, Amazon has just what you need to get the party started! Take a gander at these products to make your next function a true house party!
Buffet Organizer
This item is awesome in so many ways! It neatly organizes your plates, napkins, and utensils, keeping your food table nice and elegant. This item is compact and will not take up too much space, allowing your guests to grab what they need without fuss.
Black Card Revoked: Party Pack
Looking for games rooted in Black culture and humor for a Christmas social, couples night, or random gathering? Then look no further than this product of four different card games created by a Black-owned company with a larger number of women employees.
Spirits Stemless Wineglasses
No shade intended, but you work hard throughout the year and deserve to sip cocktails in something a bit more luxurious than a red cup! These wineglasses are something to toast with and will set the tone for a fun-filled party with your favorite drinks.
Christmas Headbands
What’s a party without a little costuming? These headbands come in a pack of 12 designs and are one-size-fits-all. Pair one with your ugliest Christmas sweater, and you’re ready to hit the scene and have a funky good time.
Holiday Photo Booth Props Kit
Create memorable pictures by incorporating these props into your party pics. Items will arrive cut out and ready to assemble with wooden dowel sticks and adhesives included. It comes with 20 props in a pack. Even the shyest person in the room will enjoy these!
Inflatable Reindeer Antlers Ring Toss Game Set
Let the reindeer games begin! This product comes with four inflatable reindeer antlers and 24 pieces of red and green rings. This game will allow guests to show their competitiveness and keep the laughter flowing, especially if the eggnog has a little “kick” to it!
RELATED CONTENT: You Are Appreciated: Holiday Gifts For Your Fave Teacher
Besides the excitement of opening presents on Christmas morning, there is another part of the holiday that is rewarding and satisfying. It’s that moment when you’re curled up on the couch with hot chocolate and about to watch a Christmas movie.
This carefully crafted list has suggestions for movies that will stir up your nostalgia, make you laugh, and encourage you to appreciate the holidays more.
Although new Christmas movies come out yearly, rewatching classic films makes the holiday season more memorable. If you’re contemplating which Christmas movie you should stream, here are the top ones to rewatch.
1. This Christmas
Watching the Whitfield family reunite in This Christmas is a reminder that life and families are complicated. Yet, you can achieve harmony through love and perseverance. It is a great movie to laugh with, and it might help you feel better about your family drama.
Available on Peacock
2. Last Holiday
What better rom-com to re-watch than the budding romance between salesperson Georgia, played by Queen Latifah, and her coworker Sean, played by LL Cool J? A movie that led Queen Latifah to receive a NAACP nomination for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture is worth revisiting every year.
Last Holiday is the perfect movie to help you feel all the emotions and be hopeful for the coming year.
Stream on Paramount+ and Prime Video
3. The Preacher’s Wife
You probably already have Whitney Houston’s holiday album playing in the background, so you might as well throw on a movie where she has a leading role. The Preacher’s Wife is a romantic classic that makes the holidays feel extra special.
Besides featuring superstars like Houston and Denzel Washington, the storyline is sentimental, funny, and heartfelt.
Stream on Disney+
4. Home Alone
Is any Christmas complete without watching Home Alone? This cinematic adventure never gets old. Whether you’ve seen this movie once, twice, or more than ten times, it’s easy to get caught up in how an eight-year-old boy is able to create advanced contraptions and outsmart two grown adults.
Stream on Disney+
5. Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey
Jingle Jangle is a beautiful family movie. It is a fun and cheerful musical that stars Forest Whitaker, Madalen Mills, and Keegan-Michael Key. It’s a movie that cousins, parents, grandparents, and children will all enjoy.
Consisting of the same vibes as The Greatest Showman and The Wiz, it’ll have you singing and dancing along.
Stream on Netflix
6. Almost Christmas
Almost Christmas is a great movie to bring out if you need a good laugh or when someone is on the verge of a fight and a distraction is necessary. It is a relatable film about relatives coming together, bickering siblings, and the importance of family. Almost Christmas is a seasonal classic.
Currently streaming on Peacock and available to rent or buy on Prime Video
7. A Madea Christmas
Whether you’re a fan of the Madea movies or have never seen one, A Madea Christmas will surely bring you non-stop laughs. Yet another movie that captivates the craziness of the holiday season, this movie is a comical break from reality.
Available on Prime Video
8. How the Grinch Stole Christmas
A classic in the Christmas movie genre is the infamous How the Grinch Stole Christmas, starring the genius comedic Jim Carrey. This is a great film to rewatch with the family or by yourself. It will surely put you in the Christmas spirit if you’ve been in a Grinch-like mood.
Available on Netflix
9. The Night Before
While The Night Before isn’t the pinnacle of Christmas movies, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t deserve a second or third viewing. A hilarious comedy about friendships mixed in with Christmas celebrations, it is also a great movie to watch while sipping on some spiked eggnog. It’ll remind any middle-aged man that trying to relive your twenties will only lead to disaster.
Available to rent or buy on Prime Video
10. The Nightmare Before Christmas
There is some debate about whether The Nightmare Before Christmas is a Christmas or Halloween movie. Since the main character, Jack Skellington, uses most of the movie to recreate Christmas, it deserves a holiday viewing.
Stream on Disney+ or rent or purchase on Prime Video
11. The Best Man Holiday
If you need an excuse to shamelessly watch attractive men such as Morris Chestnut and Taye Diggs, then streaming The Best Man Holiday is the perfect movie to rewatch with your girlfriends. It is a movie filled with laughter, sentiment, and a very attractive cast.
Stream it on Peacock or rent or buy it on Prime Video
12. A Charlie Brown Christmas
Let your heart melt as you rewatch Charlie Brown and the Peanuts gang come together to celebrate one of the most memorable holidays of the year.
While the graphics may be old and outdated, the storyline is timeless.
Stream it on Apple TV
13. Elf
Elf is another Christmas classic that is guaranteed to make you laugh repeatedly. It is a great movie to rewatch with the family.
Available on Hulu and Prime Video