Holiday movies to watch and the ones to avoid

Even though we don’t always recognize it, not all holiday movies are what they are cracked up to be. Movies, especially holiday ones, are becoming more predictable. The couple falls in love or the family Christmas gets saved. No matter if you like the family holiday movies or romantic holiday movies, here are some movies you should watch and some you should avoid.

Holiday movies to watch:

1. “Holidate”: Available on Netflix, this movie made my heart warm. Even though it is very predictable, there is a spin on this movie. The two main characters Sloane (Emma Roberts) and Jackson (Luke Bracey) are strangers who meet at a mall and become each other’s ‘holidate.’– someone who is with you on every holiday without actually being in a relationship with them. 
2. “The Christmas Chronicles”: Kate and Teddy Pierce plan to catch Santa on video this Christmas. They get the opportunity to jump into Santa’s sleigh before he notices, and they go on a crazy adventure. After crashing his sleigh, Santa has to go on an adventure himself, and Kate and Teddy end up having to get presents to all the kids around the world. 
3. “Bad Moms Christmas”: The sequel to “Bad Moms,” this is a hilarious and raunchy story about three moms coming to town for Christmas. Three generations try to reconcile what they think Christmas celebrations should be like. 
4. “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”: Based on the well-known Dr. Suess book, this movie adds a new depth to the Grinch that previous adaptations have not. The movie is funny for all ages, like many popular movies, where some jokes are meant for adults watching with their children. 
5. “Home Alone 1&2”: A young boy, Kevin, played by Macaulay Culkin, gets left at home during the holidays while his family is traveling. He has many adventures because his family never notices he is missing until they arrive at their destination. A great comedy for all ages! 

Holiday movies to avoid:

1. “Bad Santa”: Actor Billy Bob Thornton plays a vulgar, alcoholic Santa Claus in a local mall and plans a heist while doing so. If you like depressing comedy this might be the movie for you. 
2. “A Christmas Story 2”: There is just something bad about taking a holiday classic that can hold its own and making it worse. This story follows the main character Ralphie (Braeden Lemasters) who damages an old man’s car, then gets a job to try to pay to fix it. This is all happening, and the old man doesn’t even realize his car has been damaged.
3. “Fred Claus”: Santa Claus’ older brother Fred has to help him in the North Pole to get ready for the Christmas season. Fred is a self-centered person who is only helping his older brother because he needs money. 
4. “Home Alone 3”: Even though both “Home Alone 1 & 2” are very funny and popular, that just isn’t the case with the third. The new character Alex, played by Alex D. Linez, just doesn’t have the same spunk as actor Macaulay Culkin, who played Kevin in Home Alone 1 & 2. It follows the same storyline as the first two except Alex just gets left home alone because he is sick, not because the family accidentally left him while on vacation. 
5. “Christmas with the Kranks”: Even though hilariously stupid, this movie is the only one to watch if you don’t mind watching bad acting. Luther (Tim Allen) and Nora (Jamie Lee Curtis) decide to take a break from Christmas and not do anything for the holiday. They don’t put up their tree, their famous Frosty the Snowman decoration like the whole neighborhood does or buy anyone presents; they decide to go on a cruise instead. They are rattled by the sudden news that their daughter will be returning home for Christmas and have to rush to get things together for Christmas.