Tis’ the season for thinly veiled plot lines and (somewhat) mindless movie watching. Being the Christmas enthusiast and sucker for romantic comedies that I am, I used this article as an excuse to watch all the Netflix movies slowly accumulating in my queue. Aside from being on rom-com overload, I had a ton of fun watching all of them, and I’m here to tell you that some were definitely better than others. Before I begin, I’m well aware that some people will disagree with my rankings and that’s fine. You’re wrong, but it’s fine.
5. Christmas Inheritance
The “Party Heiress” of New York (shockingly) needs to learn the true spirit of Christmas and of her father’s company in order to prove to him she is responsible enough to take over the family business when he retires. To do so, she must return to the small town where it all started, and deliver a Christmas letter to her father’s business partner. Along the way, she meets a good-hearted Small Town Boy™ who changes her perspective.
Now, I will be the first to admit that I am a huge fan of bad movies. That being said, there’s a delicate balance involved in being a movie, “so bad it’s good” and this movie just did not have that factor. It wasn’t terrible but I couldn’t find myself getting truly engaged, and I couldn’t stop myself from getting super annoyed with the main character every time she did dumb things. That being said, all the token cute rom-com moments were there, so while it’s not my top choice, it’s still worth the watch if you need a rom-com to pass the time.
Rate: 6/10
4. The Holiday Calendar
A photographer struggling to find her identity and a way to take the pictures she wants and still actually make money has a serious lack of Christmas spirit. When her grandfather gifts her with an antique advent calendar that seems to be magical, she begins to open up to the holidays, and to the new guy she met who just seems to keep popping up. But is he really what she’s been looking for?
The answer, ladies and gentleman, is no, no he’s not. Because she actually has this super cute best friend who is also a photographer, who has always been there for her and yet she never noticed him? And instead falls for a saltine cracker of a man who dropped a Christmas tree on her car? I think not. Now I won’t lie, I still enjoyed this movie. It had a strong start, and a great ending, but the middle was where I lost interest a little. I’m always down for a love triangle, but I prefer a compelling one. The new guy never seemed like a real contender. Part of that might have been because the relationship with said new guy is pushed along pretty quickly and is never touched on in depth. It just seemed like it was there to move a played-out plot along. When she had her big realization, all I could think was: “Uhm. Duh.” But the cast? Adorable. Everything besides the saltine cracker? Great. So, all-in-all, still a pretty solid movie.
Rate: 7.5/10
3. A Christmas Prince
A quirky journalist who wears Converse with EVERYTHING (because I guess that’s what all the quirky, non-materialistic girls do) gets the opportunity of a lifetime when her boss offers her a story in ~Aldovia~ the fictional country that I’m assuming is next to Genovia and Belgravia, circa The Princess Diaries and The Princess Switch. When she reaches Aldovia, she finds herself incognito as the young princess’ new school tutor, and as she investigates the royal family, she finds herself falling for the prince.
Remember what I said about movies being so bad they’re good? This is how it’s done (I’m lookin’ at you, Christmas Inheritance!) Not to mention, you’ve got to love a handsome prince with an accent, I mean c’mon now. This movie was adorable, with plenty of cringe-y laughable moments dotted throughout. I was also a huge fan of the relationship between the protagonist and the prince’s little sister. One word, my dudes: wholesome.
Rate: 8/10
2. A Christmas Prince: The Royal Wedding
The quirky journalist and her handsome prince-turned-king plan their royal wedding, but find themselves pushed apart due to politics and crazy wedding planners. Our protagonist learns the pressures of royal life and has to cope with sacrificing her normal life for a life with the prince…all while sleuthing for the truth of a plot against the king’s latest initiative.
So, there was a LOT going on with this movie, yet as annoyed as I was getting with this wild wedding planner, and despite the fact that I called the “twist” ending from the start, I really enjoyed this movie. It was so fun to see the characters making new relationships, and furthering the ones that already existed. The writers also did a great job of incorporating parallels and callbacks to the first movie, which, if you watched them back to back like I did, were very funny. And the young princess and her school crush? PRECIOUS. Not to mention I give major bonus points for having a gag reel at the end.
Rate: 9/10
1. The Princess Switch
A Chicago baker crosses paths with a soon-to-be-wed Duchess, only to discover they look exactly alike. Eager for a chance at a normal life, the duchess convinces the baker to switch places for a couple days, and, unsurprisingly, adorable shenanigans ensue. The two soon discover the perks of leading different lives, perks including (but not limited to) falling in love with some handsome men. The only question is: how do they tell them the truth?
This movie is the perfect holiday rom-com. It’s got everything, from the awkward mistletoe kiss, to the secret handshake, all thrown in with some serious The Parent Trap vibes. It’s got the adorable best friend aspect of The Holiday Calendar and the commoner meets royal aspect of A Christmas Prince, AND (spoiler alert) the Christmas wedding aspect of A Christmas Prince: The Royal Wedding. Not to mention it’s hilarious. Cringe-y at times, of course, but in the best way, and I found myself laughing out loud on multiple occasions. AND Vanessa Hudgens. Tell me you don’t watch this and make her your new woman crush and I’ll tell you you’re lying. This movie really has everything. I 100% recommend it to anyone and everyone.
Rate: 11/10