New Releases
Fresh Stories for Winter Evenings
The newest Christmas titles in our catalogue, dated and judged by the same standard we apply to the classics.
The problem with new Christmas films
Every year brings a flood of seasonal releases, and the economics are simple: a Christmas film can be watched every December for decades. That makes studios and streamers eager to produce them, and it means most are designed to be pleasant background rather than memorable foreground.
We do not hold that against them. But when we recommend a new release, we ask whether it adds something the season's canon lacks: a fresh perspective, a performance worth seeking out, an atmosphere that feels specific rather than borrowed. Novelty alone is not a reason to spend an evening.
The list below gives US premiere dates. Release dates in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Australia and elsewhere often differ, and streaming availability changes over time. We list only titles with confirmed release dates; we do not speculate about films that have not yet been dated.
| Date | Title | Where | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carry-On | Netflix | Worth a look | |
| That Christmas | Netflix | Family-first | |
| Our Little Secret | Netflix | Skip | |
| Red One | Cinemas | Skip | |
| Hot Frosty | Netflix | Guilty pleasure | |
| The Best Christmas Pageant Ever | Cinemas | Family-first | |
| Silent Night | Cinemas | Worth a look | |
| Candy Cane Lane | Prime Video | Family-first | |
| The Holdovers | Cinemas (limited) | Essential | |
| Violent Night | Cinemas | Worth a look | |
| Spirited | Cinemas; Apple TV+ from 18 November 2022 | Mixed |
Reviews in brief
- Essential
The Holdovers
The best new Christmas film in years and the one most likely to join the canon. A comedy of loneliness with three performances that deepen on every viewing.
- Worth a look
Carry-On
A young airport security officer is blackmailed into letting a dangerous package through on Christmas Eve. Lean and efficient in the Die Hard tradition; not deep, but tightly wound.
- Worth a look
Violent Night
A weary, beer-drinking Santa defends a wealthy family from mercenaries. Very bloody and very silly. Harbour's tired decency gives it more heart than the premise suggests. Strictly for adults.
- Worth a look
Silent Night
A grieving father seeks revenge, and the film contains almost no dialogue. A bold formal experiment from a master of action; bleak rather than festive.
- Mixed
Spirited
A musical reworking of A Christmas Carol from the ghosts' side. Energetic and occasionally clever, but too long and too pleased with itself.
- Skip
Red One
When Santa is kidnapped, a security chief and a bounty hunter must rescue him. Expensive and noisy, with little sense of what makes the season special.
Prefer something proven?
Our rankings collect the films that have already stood the test of many winters.