As we get into the festive season, it’s more schooners and sandals than snowfall and sleighs in Australia – but that doesn’t mean we can’t all get into the Christmas spirit.
Discover the Best Christmas Movies Streaming in Australia: Top-Rated Christmas Movies This December
There’s no better way to feel Christmassy than settling down in front of the TV with a marathon of the best Christmas movies on repeat. From Netflix to Prime, Stan to Binge, at times it can feel like there’s too much to choose from when you’re looking for what to watch. After all, the best Christmas movies won’t be restricted to just one service, so how can we choose what to watch?
Don’t worry, in this Best Christmas Movies to Watch in Australia guide, we’ve gone through all the streaming services currently available and picked our favourite films to watch this festive season. Want the best movies to watch on Netflix? Classic Christmas movies? New Christmas movies this year? Grab the egg nog, maybe some chocolate and get your season’s streaming started here.
In this Best Christmas Movies Australia Guide
Now Streaming: Your Ultimate Guide to the Best Christmas Movies in Australia
Spirited
Streaming Service: Apple TV+
Starring: Will Ferrell, Ryan Reynolds
Genre: Christmas, Comedy, Family, Musical
Released: 2021
There appear to be new iterations of Charles Dickens’ 1843 novel, A Christmas Carol, every time the Christmas season rolls back around. This heartwarming tale of Bah Humbuggery follows Ebenezer Scrooge, a cold-hearted, Christmas-averse character, whose redemption arc has been adapted and retold for almost 200 years.
In Spirited, Apple TV+’s latest retelling of one of the season’s most celebrated stories is a hilarious approach starring two of comedy’s biggest names, Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool, Free Guy) and Will Ferrell (Elf, Step Brothers, The Campaign). If you’re looking for a funny Christmas movie, start streaming.
Also, there are huge musical numbers with Will Ferrell belting his holiday heart out. Give it a watch.
Die Hard
Streaming Service: Disney Plus
Starring: Bruce Willis, Alan Rickman
Genre: Christmas, Action, Thriller
Released: 1988
Undoubtedly, the holiday season’s most contentious title, Die Hard is a must-watch this holiday season.
Whatever side of the fence you fall on with this one (Bruce Willis himself vehemently refutes the claims that Die Hard is a Christmas movie), it’s still one of the season’s most popular flicks.
John McClane, an NYPD cop visiting his estranged wife in Los Angeles during the Christmas holidays, is forced into action when the Nakatomi Plaza unexpectedly becomes the stage of an unexpected terrorist hostage situation orchestrated by the ruthless German terrorist, Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman).
Barefoot and armed only with his experience as a cop on the streets of New York City, McClane initiates an epic cat-and-mouse game with Gruber and wages a one-man war with the many terrorists that occupy the different levels of the building.
Die Hard is a classic Christmas movie with an all-action twist, presenting a high-stakes hostage situation against the backdrop of the most wonderful time of the year.
RELATED: Bruce Willis Is Retiring From Acting: Here Are His 5 Best Movies
Elf
Streaming Service: Stan
Starring: Will Ferrell, James Caan, Zooey Deschanel
Genre: Christmas, Adventure, Comedy, Family
Released: 2003
It almost wouldn’t be Christmas without Will Ferrell jumping around our screens in stretchy green tights and a pointed hat as Buddy the Elf, a human raised by elves at the North Pole; Elf has become a modern Christmas classic.
In Will Ferrell’s first feature film role since leaving Saturday Night Live in 2002, Elf put the legendary comedy actor on the map, and, well, the rest is history.
With a clever blend of slapstick jokes and heartwarming moments, weaved in with the now iconic Will Ferrell comedic talents and director Jon Favreau’s signature lens, Elf is one of the best Christmas movies ever made, and everyone’s favourite Sunday flick during the festive season.
Love Actually
Streaming Service: Netflix
Starring: Hugh Grant, Emma Thompson, Liam Neeson, Bill Nighy, Keira Knightly, Alan Rickman
Genre: Christmas, Comedy, Drama, Romance
Released: 2003
With an ensemble cast of the biggest British acting talents of the time, Love Actually is a film that has become as synonymous with Christmas as jolly old Santa Claus himself… and is probably the best Christmas movie on Netflix right now.
From platonic relationships, loveless marriages and exciting new romances, the varying degrees of love explored in Love Actually speak to millions of avid cinephiles who turn to this cult classic year on year. It’s a fun, naughty and, twenty years on, still stands the test of time.
Love, actually, is all around.
Violent Night
Streaming Service: Binge
Starring: David Harbour
Genre: Christmas, Action, Comedy, Crime
Released: 2022
Completely irreverent, gory and filled with bloody action, Violent Night is not your typical Christmas movie. As an elite team of mercenaries breaks into a wealthy family compound and takes the family hostage, Santa Claus (David Harbour) steps in to save them… and Christmas.
The over-the-top plot of course shares similarities with Die Hard, and even shares a similar cult-like following among its loyal viewership, but Violent Night – as the name suggests – takes the violence to a whole new level.
You better watch out.
The Santa Clause
Streaming Service: Disney Plus
Starring: Tim Allen, Judge Reinhold
Genre: Christmas, Comedy, Drama, Family
Released: 1994
When divorced dad Scott Calvin, a successful executive of a toy company, accidentally kills Santa Claus in front of his young son on Christmas Eve, he unwittingly invokes The Santa Clause when he puts on Santa’s iconic red robe – mostly to protect his modesty.
The pair are transported to the North Pole where Scott, played by Tim Allen, is forced to believe in everything he thought he gave up on as a kid and adopt a role that he never wanted.
It’s a 1994 release, so it’s a little dated (don’t expect ground-breaking CGI as they fly around on Santa’s sleigh), but this Christmas classic has lots of great laughs throughout and still holds up for modern audiences.
Candy Candy Lane
Streaming Service: Prime Video
Starring: Eddie Murphy
Genre: Christmas, Comedy
Released: 2023
Eddie Murphy brings his classic comedic talents to his first-ever Christmas flick, Candy Candy Lane, this year’s best family Christmas movie, now streaming on Prime Video.
Chris Carver (Eddie Murphy) is obsessed with winning the local neighbourhood’s annual Christmas decorating contest and makes a pact with an elf to help him take first place. Pepper the elf (Jillian Bell) casts a magical spell to bring the original Christmas carol, The 12 Days of Christmas, to life.
After the town descends into chaos, Chris and his family must race against the clock to break the elf’s Christmas spell, battling mischievous magical characters to save Christmas for everyone… and a partridge in a pear tree.
Bad Santa
Streaming Service: Binge
Starring: Billy Bob Thornton, Bernie Mac, Tony Cox
Genre: Christmas, Comedy, Crime, Drama
Released: 2003
A down-on-his-luck, misanthropic conman hatches a cruel plan while working as a mall Santa, to rob department stores around Christmastime with his unassuming elf sidekick.
Starring Billy Bob Thornton in the titular role, Bad Santa‘s irreverent humour and unique take on the much-loved traditions of Christmas has consistently attracted audiences looking for something a little different. The script is hilarious and Billy Bob Thornton even earned a Golden Globe nod for his performance.
The Night Before
Streaming Service: Binge
Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, Anthony Mackie
Genre: Christmas, Comedy, Fantasy
Released: 2015
A classic Seth Rogen stoner movie enjoys a well-deserved Christmas bender in his hilarious Christmas comedy. Starring Seth Rogen, Anthony Mackie and Joseph Gordo-Levitt, The Night Before follows the traditions of three best friends who, every year, get together and embark on a drug-fuelled, R-rated evening of debauchery.
As they’re getting older, getting married and slowing down, this could be their final night of fun together, so what better way to bow out than take a load of drugs and embark on a quest to find the best Christmas parties in New York City?
Iron Man 3
Streaming Service: Disney Plus
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow
Genre: Action, Adventure, Science Fiction
Released: 2013
Bear with us on this one… Iron Man 3 is a Christmas movie. Of course, it’s not a traditional Christmas story like so many other feature films in this list; no Santa Claus is climbing down the chimney, no moral lessons to be learnt during a festive season; there’s not even a turkey. But that doesn’t mean this holiday movie doesn’t deserve its place on this list.
Set during the Christmas period, Tony Stark, played by Robert Downey Jr., is seeking revenge on the terrorist known as the Mandarin, after the world around him begins to suffer following the the events of the Battle of New York.
Director Shane Black often sets his films around the Christmas holidays and Iron Man 3 is no different. Whilst it’s not inherently tied to the convoluted plot of the third movie in the Iron Man saga, it’s clearly a deliberate choice to blend many of the traditional Christmas features into the plot, as Tony must go through hardships to save the ones he loves, against the unmistakable soundtrack that plays but once a year.
Rewatch it and make up your own mind.
Home Alone
Streaming Service: Disney Plus
Starring: Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern
Genre: Christmas, Comedy, Family
Released: 1990
You can’t beat the classics.
Home Alone, which for years, made every kid assume that your face would melt off if you put on aftershave, follows the misadventures of young Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) who is accidentally left behind by his negligent family as they go off on their family vacation at Christmas.
Kevin’s left to fend for himself for the first time, with villainous characters attempting to break in and rob the family home. Home Alone‘s many quotable lines, slapstick humour and convoluted booby traps has endeared audiences for more than three decades.
It’s no surprise this one’s always on at Christmas.