Best Christmas New Movies to Watch

While the British game show is a favourite of the Christmas period, we thought settling down to a good movie might be more recuperative. Sitting and shouting answers at the screen might tip you over the edge in 2020.

And 2020 has definitely been a year to forget for many reasons. Added to this, the filming of major blockbusters has been postponed, there aren’t many major releases to celebrate this Christmas period. Instead of looking for traditional Christmas films, we are going to list some of the best movies from 2020 that capture the spirit of the season. You know, those films where you can cozy down together with some popcorn and enjoy each other’s company.

On the Rocks

Christmas should be about love and laughter and this is what On the Rocks offers.

Sophie Coppola reunites with Bill Murray and they go on a journey together. The collaboration is outstanding. While on the surface it is a fizzy romantic drama, there is a massive dose of pathos injected by the wonderful Bill Murray. The comedy set-up is genius, as Coppola suspects her husband of cheating and drags Murray into the plout to find out whether they are or not. It is fun and frivolous and there is a race through Manhatten in old sports cars that will leave you rolling off the sofa. This is what a Christmas movie should be  just without the snow and santa.

Bad Education

Hugh Jackman is in this film. We start here because this is the best Christmas gift we could offer. Not only is the gorgeous and talented actor present but he manages to give one of the best performances of his career. On the surface he is all cheery smile, but really he is a man with deep resentments, ambitions and a chunk of greed to add in. 

Why Bad Education? Well, he is the public school superintendent of Long Island and this is the account of a pretty spectacular embezzlement scandal. It is all pretty tense and dramatic stuff but nothing that doesn’t go down well with the curtains closed and the lights off.

The Assistant

The Assistant is a brilliant if not scathing film about the #metoo era. It looks at unfairness in the workplace. While you might not want to watch this with the kids, it could be a great way to finish your Christmas Day on the sofa. 

The film is not about Harvey Weinstein but it is clearly an exploration of what happens when a woman feels forced to act in a way to move up the ladder. It is also set in a film production company. While all the actions of the men in the film are implied and feel logical, there is something truly sinister about the film.

Nomadland

Any film with Frances McDormand is worth a look – she is an outstanding actress. Here she plays a middle-aged woman who has decided to go travelling around the American Plains. She has just lost her husband  and this film explores the depths of what it means to feel loss and sorrow and then to discover wonder and togetherness. 

This is a hopeful and beautiful film and what else could you hope for in a Christmas film? Sure, there are no elves, reindeers or Bruce Willis in a vest, but there is a powerhouse performance and such a wonderful narrative.

Martin Eden 

Martin Eden bails out a kid who has money but has got into trouble on the docks. As thanks, the boy’s family introduced him to the high life. However, Martin Eden is a man who aggressively wants to be himself and though he becomes a famous writer, he loses his connection to the working class. 

The film looks amazing and focuses on a character who we both love and hate. Yet, we recognise him.

Dick Johnson is Dead

This is a documentary movie about dementia. Kirsten Johnson’s father dick is unable to live alone and she moves him into her apartment. The two collaborate to shoot a film of the different ways Dick could die. Some of the ideas are slapstick and some are shocking. However, this is a Netflix film that is about the relationship between the two. 

Leave this one to a quiet day in the in between – that time when no one knows the die – before the new year arrives.

Bacurau

If you want to see 2020 captured in a film. There is a close-knit community that has been wiped off the map with its water supply cut off. The local politician is corrupt and paid by tourists who have come to enjoy some mass murder. However, the town of the title is a strangely wonderful place to live – what film critics call an apocalyptic utopianism – where the place is both queer and multiracial and born from the bloodshed. 

This film is funny and thrilling and not at all depressing. It is an optimistic film and perfect for the end of this difficult year.