Movies

5 Unbearably Sugar Sweet Rom-Coms You Should Only Watch at Christmas

5 Unbearably Sugar Sweet Rom-Coms You Should Only Watch at Christmas
Image credit: Netflix

It’s that time of the year when we don't judge people for loving all things cringeworthy.

There are countless New Year's and Christmas movies, but perhaps the most popular are the sentimental tales of love at first sight. At Christmas time, more than ever, we want to believe in miracles, fate and a prince on a white horse.

These five movies are literally impossible to watch at any other time of the year, they are too naive and predictable, but at New Year's and Christmas there is nothing better than them.

1. Holidate

Scream queen Emma Roberts has suddenly changed course and become the newfound princess of the modern romance.

In 2020, Roberts teamed up with Tiffany Paulsen to present a quintessential rom-com heroine – a heartbroken loner whose problems can be solved with the arrival of the right man. And while Holidate promotes the idea that you shouldn't be single at New Year's and Christmas (or any other holiday, for that matter), it's at least fun to watch the avalanche of awkward emotions and situations.

2. Love Hard

After meeting the perfect guy on a dating app, a Los Angeles writer flies across the country to surprise him for Christmas, only to find out she's been scammed.

In this rom-com, the portraits of the main characters do not fit into the traditions of the genre, and that’s a good thing. Natalie doesn't trust fate, and searches for her soul mate on an online dating app. In an era where this kind of dating has become part of everyday life, it's still not that common to see Tinder and its ilk in the movies.

3. Falling for Christmas

Falling for Christmas is another Netflix holiday movie you've probably heard of, thanks to the reboot of Lindsay Lohan 's career. The holiday rom-com marks a resounding comeback for the '00s icon.

Janeen Damian's movie isn't much different from other December releases, but a run-of-the-mill rom-com with scenery looks better than a run-of-the-mill romance without scenery looks. And seeing an actress whose films a whole generation grew up with on the big screen is a pleasure in itself.

4. The Knight Before Christmas

Christmas movies starring Vanessa Hudgens have become almost an annual tradition. It seems that Hudgens has found her thing, starring in movies that can give viewers a little holiday cheer.

The Knight Before Christmas will appeal to fans of time travel and the movie Kate & Leopold. This flick pulls off the same trick as its 2000s predecessor, pairing a heartbroken woman with a true knight in shining armor.

5. The Holiday Calendar

A talented photographer inherits an old advent calendar that can predict the future.

The Holiday Calendar, like Love Hard, challenges the usual archetype of the perfect young man who wins the heart of the main character. Despite lack of originality, the movie perfectly fulfills the function of a predictable movie.

Perhaps that is why the popularity of rom-coms that all look the same has not waned, and directors continue to make them as if the plots were generated by AI. After all, we all have to plunge into the world of holiday chaos, where magic, fate, and love at first sight reign supreme.