Even lovers of action, horror and drama need to escape into the world of a wholesome, feel-good movie now and again — especially when temperatures start to drop.
“I think in the world we’re living in today, to be a part of a project that adds a little love and light and levity into the world is something I’m very proud of,” Lacey Chabert told Entertainment Tonight in 2018 of starring in Hallmark movies with happy endings. “People I run into on the street who talk about the movies — and fans who contact me on social media — that’s really the No. 1 thing people say: ‘Thanks for making something my whole family can watch that’s uplifting.’”
The real world gets a little too real sometimes, so here are 10 comforting movies to stream on Netflix right now:
‘Meet Me Next Christmas’
Christina Milian stars as Layla, a woman desperately trying to get her hands on a ticket to a sold-out Pentatonix Christmas Eve concert so she can reconnect with the handsome man (Kofi Siriboe) she met one year prior. Assisting her is Teddy the concierge (Devale Ellis), whom she gets to know better than anticipated as they embark on a wild goose chase across New York City. The lighthearted and romantic romp — which includes cameos from the real Pentatonix — is sure to get you in the holiday spirit.
‘Love at First Sight’
Hadley (Haley Lu Richardson) and Oliver (Ben Hardy) meet at a phone charging station at JFK and hit it off before they end up seated next to each other on their flight to London. Oliver gives Hadley his number after they land, but her phone dies before it can save, and their immediate connection seems like it might’ve slipped through their fingers. However, neither Hadley nor Oliver is willing to give up on love that easily, resulting in a charming two-sided quest to find each other again against all odds. I
‘Matilda’
The 1996 film based on Roald Dahl’s children’s novel of the same name is currently streaming on Netflix. The villains in Matilda are comfortingly campy, from the titular heroine’s neglectful parents (Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman) to the brutish headmistress Miss Trunchbull (Pam Ferris). As the smartest person in most rooms she enters, Matilda (Mara Wilson) rises above her circumstances with the help of her telekinetic powers and her kindhearted teacher Ms. Honey (Embeth Davidtz).
‘The Prom’
Based on the Broadway musical of the same name, The Prom got mixed reviews when it hit Netflix in 2020. The A.V. Club called it “feel-good, zazzy nonsense” and The Guardian dubbed it “so goofy that you just have to enjoy it.”
The film — which follows four Broadway stars who take it upon themselves to save an Indiana prom from being canceled over a lesbian couple’s wish to attend — is a bit all over the place; but like its eccentric protagonists, it has good intentions.
Temperatures are dropping at Netflix. As rom-coms continue to rule the holiday season, the streaming service has begun to rival staple networks like Hallmark and Lifetime in its seasonal content. For 2024, fans can expect a star-studded cast across a handful of films all guaranteed to put them in the mood for cocoa, caroling and […]
‘Love, Guaranteed’
The most comforting romantic comedies have love interests that meet under bizarre circumstances, and Love, Guaranteed is no exception. Rachel Leigh Cook plays attorney Susan Whitaker, who takes on Nick Evans’ (Damon Wayans Jr.) case against an online dating website. Nick takes issue with the site’s name — Love, Guaranteed — because he’s been on a whopping 986 dates and hasn’t found The One. As Nick and Susan set out to prove in a court of law that love can’t be promised, sparks begin to fly between them.
‘A Merry Scottish Christmas’
Chabert previously played a heroine who unearths a piece of her family’s Irish heritage in 2021’s Christmas at Castle Hart, so this 2023 film set in Scotland was a natural follow-up. The actress plays Lindsay, who travels to Scotland at Christmas time with her estranged brother Brad (Chabert’s former Party of Five costar Scott Wolf) to reunite with their mother Jo (Fiona Bell).
Between the beautiful castle decked out with holiday decor, a highland dancing scene and a royal plot twist, A Merry Scottish Christmas has all the ingredients for a cozy Hallmark movie.
‘Big Daddy’
This 1999 Adam Sandler movie hit Netflix in July 2024. Sandler plays part-time toll booth attendant and slacker Sonny, who adopts a 5-year-old boy named Julian (Dylan and Cole Sprouse) in an effort to convince his ex-girlfriend that he can be responsible. Through caring for somebody other than himself, Sonny learns to grow up and even confronts his own daddy issues in this surprisingly heartwarming comedy-drama.
‘Queen Bees’
Helen Wilson (Ellen Burstyn) learns that retirement communities can be as cliquey and catty as high school when she is placed in Pine Grove by her daughter Laura (Elizabeth Mitchell) against her wishes.
“They’re like Mean Girls, but with medical alert bracelets,” Helen says of the community’s Queen Bees, played by Jane Curtin, Loretta Devine and Ann-Margaret. Between the stacked cast and the senior citizens delivering savage one-liners, Queen Bees is perfect for a good laugh.
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Hallmark Media (4) Hallmark Channel’s 2024 “Countdown to Christmas” lineup is bigger than ever with 47 all-new original movies spanning across all its platforms. Beginning on Friday, October 18, fans will be treated to festive movies on Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Mystery and the network’s streaming service, Hallmark+. Additionally, there are four miniseries coming to Hallmark+ […]
‘Always Be My Maybe’
It always helps when a romantic comedy has a genuinely funny star, and comedian Ali Wong shines as celebrity chef Sasha Tran in Always Be My Maybe. She and Randall Park play childhood friends and onetime awkward teen lovers who reconnect as adults. It’s a perfect friends-to-lovers story that still manages to feel fresh. Plus, Keanu Reeves plays a pretentious and annoying version of himself.
‘Vivo’
A feel-good movie for the whole family, this animated musical comedy follows a kinkajou — which is a tropical rainforest mammal in the same family as raccoons — named Vivo (Lin-Manuel Miranda).
After the death of his owner Andrés (Juan de Marcos González), Vivo embarks on a journey to find Andrés’ old friend Marta (Gloria Estefan) and get her to hear the song Andrés wrote confessing his love for her. With songs written by Miranda, Vivo is a fun and sweet reminder not to put off telling people you love them.