Christmas 2024: New films to check out

David Ho looks at the listings to find new films to watch this Christmas

Moana 2

The sequel to this 2016 Disney animation sees the return of the spirited titular character with her beloved animal sidekicks, Pua the pet pig and Heihei the rooster. Of course, her shapeshifting demigod friend Maui (voiced by none other than Dwayne Johnson) also joins in as Moana seeks to break the curse on the sunken island of Motufetu. Originally intended as a Disney+ release, the sequel was elevated to a theatrical release during production. The result is a beautifully animated film with lots of action and music to keep things going. However, we can’t help but feel that Disney is keeping the real action for the next installment, which this movie sets things up for. 

Wicked Part I

We are all holding space for the lyrics of "Defying Gravity" and the first of this two-part musical film. Even with a runtime of two-hour forty-minutes, Wicked is still a strong contender for one of the best musical-to-movie adaptions in a long time. Read our review here. 

The Merry Gentlemen

This holiday-tinged Netflix film is great if you need some eye candy in the form of Chad Michael Murray. After losing her regular Christmas gig, Broadway dancer Ashley (Britt Robertson) returns home to find her parents in danger of losing their bar as they have fallen behind the rent. After an encounter with Luke, the resident carpenter-handyman, she comes up with the bright idea to stage an all-male, Christmas-themed revue to raise funds. Expect romance and Magic Mike-esque dances.  

Hot Frosty

Another Netflix film for the holidays, Hot Frosty is about a widow (Lacey Chabert of Mean Girls fame) who overcomes her loneliness with a magical snowman brought to life. This rom-com does the job if you can get over the goofy premise. 

Our Little Secret

Lindsay Lohan has been making headlines for looking great as she promoted this festive film, which she stars in and executive produced. Lohan and Ian Harding star as two exes who find out that their significant others are siblings and they have to spend Christmas under one roof while keeping their romantic history under wraps.

Red One

Red One is this year’s most star-studded Christmas movie entry. Chris Evans stars as a hacker who is forced to team up with the head of North Pole security (Dwayne Johnson) and the director of Mythological Oversight and Restoration Authority (Lucy Liu) to find a kidnapped Santa Claus. Heavy on the cheese, this action-comedy film is fine if you need some family-friendly fare.

Also see: #review: Is The Queen of Villains on Netflix a stream or a skip?