Comforting and predictable with a generous dollop of mush, Hallmark movies for long have been holiday staples. And, why not? After a challenging year full of hustle, one needs to unwind and what better way to do this than to plop on a cosy couch and laze your way through these cheesy, romantic comedies. After wading through the gruelling rigmarole of our daily lives, it is only natural to take a flight to fantasy once a year and enjoy the warm wholesomeness of these films. The Hallmark channel movies never disappoint but revel in their die-hard romanticism bordering on silliness, perhaps. But, who needs a dose of reality when you can easily slip into the sweet nothingness of fairy tales? And, before taking a look at the best Hallmark movies to watch on Netflix, let’s understand why they are so popular.
According to Forbes, the success of these movies depend on their surprisingly low production costs but high returns. Streaming giants like Netflix are making films inspired by the holiday fare on the Hallmark channel, ensuring global viewership and huge returns at a low price. It has been observed that despite the pandemic affecting the movie business adversely, the makers still managed to put out a new slate of Hallmark films for both 2020 and 2021. This proves that these romantic dramas with saccharine sweet plots set in La-La Land are still relevant and popular. And, will always be.
Why does the allure of Hallmark movies never fade?
It is interesting to note that the masses go back to watching these feel-good Hallmark-style movies every year around the holidays despite their candy floss premise with a corny dose of predictability. Romantic movies like A California Christmas (2020), A Christmas Prince (2017) and Cinderella Story (2019) are loved for the music, beautiful sets and awe-inspiring romantic moments that make up for a great viewing experience with a partner, family or even alone.
Like how it feels to spend time with family irrespective of differences, every year during the festivities, these movies offer similar comfort and a feeling of homecoming and belongingness too.
Here are some of the best Netflix original Hallmark movies to catch on Christmas eve
(Main and featured image: Courtesy of IMDb)
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- Holidate (2020)
- Christmas Inheritance (2017)
- A Christmas Prince (2017)
- Too Close For Christmas (2020)
- Holiday In The Wild (2019)
- A Boy Called Christmas (2021)
- The Princess Switch (2018)
- The Holiday Calendar (2018)
- Christmas Under Wraps (2014)
- Christmas With a View (2018)
- Christmas On a Square (2020)
- The Christmas Chronicles (2018)
- Single All The Way (2021)
- A Castle For Christmas (2021)
- The Knight Before Christmas (2019)
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Directed by: John Whitesell
Cast: Emma Roberts, Luke Brace and Kristin Chenoweth
Synopsis: Sloane (Roberts) and Jackson (Bracey) are cynical singles who are fed up with being unsuccessful in romantic relationships. They meet each other in a chance encounter and agree to be each other’s platonic dates during the holiday season only to fall for each other in reality.
Image: Courtesy IMDb
Directed by: Ernie Barbarash
Cast: Eliza Taylor, Jake Lacy and Andie MacDowell
Synopsis: This rom-com revolves around Ellen Langford (Taylor), a rich, spoiled heiress, who is sent out on a special mission by her father to the countryside. She is supposed to deliver a letter to her father’s business partner. She has only USD 100 (Rs.8,200 approximately) to sustain herself during the trip.
Image: Courtesy IMDb
Directed by: Alex Zamm
Cast: Rose McIver, Ben Lamb and Alice Krige
Synopsis: Amber (McIver), an ambitious reporter, goes undercover to get a scoop on Prince Richard (Lamb), but she is unprepared for a romantic complication with the royal known for his playboy tendencies.
Image: Courtesy IMDb
Directed by: Ernie Barbarash
Cast: Chad Michael Murray, Jessica Lowndes and Vanessa Sears
Synopsis: Hayley Parker (Lowndes) is all set to spend Christmas with her sister-in-law but fate has other plans as a man named Paul Bernett (Murray), with whom she has had a complicated relationship in the past, suddenly shows up at her doorstep.
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Directed by: Ernie Barbarash
Cast: Rob Lowe, Kristin Davis and Fezile Mpela
Synopsis: Kate (Davis) is left on her own to visit Africa after her husband suddenly abandons her. There, she meets an elephant conversationalist named Derek (Lowe) and an unlikely romance brews.
Image: Courtesy IMDb
Directed by: Gil Kenan
Cast: Maggie Smith, Henry Lawfull and Joel Fry
Synopsis: An ordinary boy named Nikolas (Lawfull) ventures on a magical journey in search of his father in this tale revolving around Christmas and hope.
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Directed by: Mike Rohl
Cast: Vanessa Hudgens, Sam Palladio and Nick Sagar
Synopsis: Stacy De Novo (Hudgens) bumps into her lookalike who is engaged to the Prince of Belgravia. They exchange places in the wake of a royal wedding and usher in a lot of confusion and surprise in the royal family.
About the film: The film has two more sequels The Princess Switch (2020) (Switched Again) and The Princess Switch 3 (2021) (Romancing the Star).
Image: Courtesy IMDb
Directed by: Bradley Walsh
Cast: Kat Graham, Quincy Brown and Ethan Peck
Synopsis: Abby Sutton (Graham) is a struggling photographer. She inherits a calendar which seems to have magical properties of predicting her future, especially her love life.
Image: Courtesy IMDb
Directed by: Peter Sullivan
Cast: Candace Cameron Bure, David O’Donnell and Robert Pine
Synopsis: Dr Lauren Brunell (Bure) practises medicine in a remote Alaskan town after a few career plans don’t go her way. She harbours an intriguing Christmas-related secret. Will things go her way now?
Image: Courtesy IMDb
10 /15
Directed by: Justin G. Dyck
Cast: Kaitlyn Leeb, Scott Cavalheiro and Mark Ghanimé
Synopsis: Clara Garrison (Leeb) is a restaurant manager of a ski resort who falls for a new chef. Both have secret aspirations which create complications in their love life.
Image: Courtesy IMDb
11 /15
Directed by: Debbie Allen
Cast: Dolly Parton, Jenifer Lewis, Josh Segarra and Christine Baranski
Synopsis: Regina (Baranski) is a cold-hearted woman who tries to sell her hometown land only to cause distress to the citizens during the holiday season. An angel (Parton) arrives to change her mind.
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Directed by: Clay Kaytis
Cast: Kurt Russell, Darby Camp and Judah Lewis
Synopsis: Siblings Kate (Camp) and Teddy (Lewis) plan to catch Santa on camera. This leads to a memorable adventure with them facing the father of Christmas himself.
About the film: The sequel Christmas Chronicles 2 (2020) traces the journey of Kate who is a teenager now. She lands in the North Pole and is in for a rude surprise in this flick.
Image: Courtesy IMDb
13 /15
Directed by: Michael Mayer
Cast: Michael Urie, Philemon Chambers and Luke Macfarlane
Synopsis: Peter (Urie) and Nick (Chambers) are best friends but agree to pose as boyfriends to appease Peter’s family during the holidays. Will they end up falling for each other?
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Directed by: Mary Lambert
Cast: Brooke Shields, Cary Elwes and Lee Ross
Synopsis: Sophie (Shields) is a famous author but is stuck amid a scandal. To escape that, she travels to Scotland and is completely taken in by a beautiful castle but has to bear with a Duke named Myles (Elwes) who owns the place, but is extremely annoying.
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Directed by: Monika Mitchell
Cast: Vanessa Hudgens, Josh Whitehouse and Emmanuelle Chriqui
Synopsis: Sir Cole (Whitehouse) is a mediaeval knight who gets magically transported to the present day. He meets a disillusioned teacher, Brooke (Hudgens), and falls in love with her.
Image: Courtesy IMDb
Preeti Kulkarni
After completing her PG in New Media from the Asian College of Journalism, Preeti has worked in a daily and a magazine before finding her calling in digital journalism. A lover of single malts and an avid pop culture junkie, you can catch her at the movies on weekends or binge-watching the latest shows on OTT when she is not busy preparing her toddler for his Hogwarts letter.
