It's nearly the season to be jolly, unless you're involved in bringing Best. Christmas. Ever! to the screen. With just 33% on Rotten Tomatoes, it looks like Netflix's festive feel-good film is a frosty flop.
The Guardian used phrases including "shoddy seasonal slop", "lackadaisical and low-rent" and "deranged" – tell us what you really think, Guardian reviewer! Meanwhile, Russ Simmons, KKFI-FM, wrote on Rotten Tomatoes that while it isn't the worst movie ever "it's close".
Not all the reviews are quite so damning, but we're going to give this one a steer and suffice to say it won't be making our best Netflix Christmas movies list. Here's what we're watching instead on the best streaming service.
Last Call for Istanbul
Don't get me wrong. I love a good holiday movie, but this Turkish treat looks much more like my kind of thing. Streaming on Netflix from November 24, it's a typical rom-com setup. Two travelers cross paths after an unfortunate mix-up and discover they're very attracted to one another – with an extra level of sharpness due to the fact that those travelers are both married. Advance word on this one is pretty great and it's definitely on our to-view list.
Scrooge: A Christmas Carol
This animated adaptation of the Charles Dickens classic is a lot of family-friendly fun. Featuring Luke Evans as the curmudgeonly protagonist and Olivia Coleman as the ghost of Christmas past, it's a nice retelling of a familiar story. It's no The Muppets Christmas Carol – you'll need Disney Plus for that and for other masterpieces such as talking-dog Christmas movie Santa Buddies – it's still warm-hearted fun, showing that even the most cold heart can be warmed up.
White Christmas
Of course, you know the song. But do you remember the film? This 1954 epic is from Hollywood's golden age, featuring a stellar cast including Bing Crosby (of course), Danny Kaye and Rosemary Clooney. It's dated, of course, but it's still spectacular and the soundtrack is wonderful. I'm with Empire's Emma Cochrane, who writes that it delivers "great songs, gentle humour and a dose of syrup which is not to everyone's tastes, but worth buying to keep that Christmas spirit going until next year". Those not based in the US or UK, can stream this on Binge in Australia.
The Christmas Chronicles
After accidentally crashing Santa's sleigh, a brother and sister pull an all-nighter to save Christmas with a savvy, straight-talking St. Nick. Santa here is Snake Plissken from Escape LA himself, Kurt Russell, and that alone makes this a must-watch. But the film itself is pretty great: it deals in tried and trusted festive tropes but it's warm, witty and surprisingly great fun for when you're full of Christmas dinner and want some undemanding entertainment for viewers of all ages.
How The Grinch Stole Christmas
Sadly this one isn't currently in the US Netflix catalog (although it is on DIRECTV), but viewers in the UK and Australia can have a lot of fun with this darkly funny take on the Dr Seuss tale. Jim Carrey is, well, Jim Carrey in the titular role, Pharrell Williams narrates and it's nice to see a live action take when so many family Christmas movies are CGI. It's had pretty mixed reviews but my kids and I loved the misanthropy of the lead character and there are some fun slapstick moments. The Midwest Film Journal said on Rotten Tomatoes it resembles "what the bloodcurdling onset of a mescaline bender might feel like," as if that's a bad thing.
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