The best holiday movies to watch right now on Prime Video

Eddie Murphy's new Candy Cane Lane joins the Prime library of seasonal selections, along with classics like Miracle On 34th Street and It's A Wonderful Life

By Jack Smart  |  November 19, 2022 | 2:00pm
Film Lists Victor/Victoria
The best holiday movies to watch right now on Prime Video
Clockwise from bottom left: A Very Harold And Kumar Christmas, Miracle On 34th Street, An American Christmas Carol, It’s A Wonderful Life Graphic: The A.V. Club

Happy holidays from The A.V. Club to you! If you’re anything like us, the winter season is for curling up in front of your screen—and watching the best films for the occasion. Starting with Amazon Prime Video, we’re rounding up the best holiday movies to watch on each streaming platform. Minimize the searching and scrolling and read on for our recommendations for the best cinema for Christmas, Hanukkah, and New Year’s, which in this case includes classics like Miracle On 34th Street and It’s A Wonderful Life, plus new options like Candy Cane Lane, and even a horror movie. Continue to watch this space for more handy streaming guides throughout the season.

This list was updated on December 2, 2023.

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ARTHUR CHRISTMAS - Trailer

For some reason, Arthur Christmas flies its Santa sled under the radar, even though it’s a charming holiday film. It’s produced by Aardman, the same geniuses who brought us the canon, so it has that same dry sense of humor enjoyable for any age. Coming from a world similar to the specials, in Arthur Christmas, the delivery of gifts is also a high-tech operation. Three generations of Clauses are behind it: a retired, doddering old Santa; the current beloved figurehead; Steve, the heir who runs the operation behind the scenes; and his brother Arthur, who reads the Christmas letters. Arthur seems like the most ineffectual one of the bunch until a single present fails to get delivered, and he and his grandpa have to go old school to make sure no child gets forgotten at Christmas. Their caper is thrilling and delightful, helped along by a furiously gift-wrapping elf and some eye-rolling reindeer. And the message that sometimes traditional is better than technological is a great one for your screen-addicted offspring. Whether you’ve heard of it or not, Arthur Christmas would make for a welcome addition to your family holiday canon. []

9 Comments

  • tdod-av says:
    November 19, 2022 at 6:11 pm

    [nvm]

    Reply
  • recognitions-av says:
    November 19, 2022 at 8:35 pm

    The Bishop’s Wife is so bad lol

    Reply
  • grandmoffackbar-av says:
    November 19, 2022 at 10:21 pm

    Planes, Trains & Automobiles is one of my favorite movies and my family watches it yearly, but please don’t steal one of the only Thanksgiving films there is away from the least represented of the big 3 holidays. Steve Martin’s character is trying to get home for Thanksgiving not Christmas. This and A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving should be required viewing for everyone on the last Thursday of November.

    Reply
    • icepicktrotsky-av says:
      November 22, 2022 at 4:05 am

      Came here to say this. Don’t steal this movie from Thanksgiving.

      Also, Fantastic Mr. Fox is a pretty great, albeit covert, Thanksgiving flick.

      Reply
      • grandmoffackbar-av says:
        November 22, 2022 at 8:21 pm

        Fantastic Mr. Fox definitely has that Thanksgiving vibe. Will be adding it to the rotation.

        Reply
        • icepicktrotsky-av says:
          November 22, 2022 at 9:15 pm

          It’s also a movie entirely about eating poultry. They even host a large dinner party at one point where long simmering resentments boil over and arguments ensue.

          Reply
  • terranigma-av says:
    November 20, 2022 at 12:15 pm

    These movies promote traditional marriage and family life. How dare you recommend these?? Are you nuts??

    Reply

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