Rahi, Samira. “Person Sitting in Front of Opened MacBook Pro.” / Unsplash

By Ananiya Narmathan & Jocelyn Wong

In this article, we writers will be recommending five holiday movies for our St. Augustine Titans to watch! There will be no big spoilers, but do expect plot introductions here and there.

  1. Elf – Ananiya Narmathan

Starting off strong, we have the classic movie Elf. Starring John William Ferrell who’s been a star actor in numerous movies and shows such as Step-Brothers and The Office, it’s no surprise that it’s rated a solid 85% on Rotten Tomatoes. The plot of Elf features Buddy (played by John William Ferrell) who was transported to the North Pole as a child and was raised among elves — watch as he tries to integrate himself back into society  with a child-like mentality as he looks for his birth-father. Since this movie was released almost two decades ago, it has always been a family favorite with a touch of comedy and a sprinkle of holiday spirit. So if you’re looking for something to heighten your spirits,  this movie is just right for you.

2. Love Hard –  Jocelyn Wong

From director Hernán Jiménez, comes the ‘new-ish’ Netflix film– Love Hard! This rom-com stars The Vampire Diaries’ Nina Dobrev, Crazy Rich Asians’ Jimmy O. Yang and the Netflix series Never Have I Ever’s Darren Barnet and was released on November 5, 2021. If you’re a sucker for contract-relationship romance tropes like I am, this is definitely a movie to put on your list! Rotten Tomatoes displays an audience score of 93%, but I would personally give this movie a generous 7.8/10. 

  1. Home Alone/Home Sweet Home Alone – Ananiya Narmathan

Home Alone —  a series of classic movies that you can watch numerous times and never get sick of. A new addition to this series was just released last month on November 12, 2021 and this home alone remake is rated a solid 35% on Metacritic. Introducing Home Sweet Home Alone, stars In this new version of home alone, a married couple tries to steal back a valuable heirloom from a troublesome kid. Starring Ellie Kemper from The Office, Devin D. Ratray from the original Home Alone movies, and Archie Yates, this movie is like no other in this series. 

4. The Nutcracker and the Four Realms – Jocelyn Wong

If you haven’t watched the Nutcracker and the Four Realms yet, make a beeline for Disney+ because this is one of the best Christmas movies to come out of 2018! It guest-stars ballet legend, Misty Copeland, as “the Ballerina” and Morgan Freeman as Drosselmeyer, Clara’s godfather and the gifter of the nutcracker. This family-friendly movie caught my eye through Jenny Beavan’s excellent costuming. Based on the well-known ballet, this movie came from very high standards, both plot-wise and visual-wise. If I do say so myself, it did not disappoint; I would give it a solid 8.9/10. 

  1. Silent Night – Jocelyn Wong

Looking for something a little darker for Christmas? Watch out for Silent Night, a doom-filled movie that starts off ordinarily, but as time goes on, it is revealed that something is lurking in the seemingly dark calmness. There is a ton of symbolism, even some related to our current-day pandemic (fun!) Set in what looks like a present-day England, their accents are an excellent flourish to their existing humor. Beware of blood and death! If you are sensitive or have any triggers related, please avoid this movie.

Works Cited

https://www.laughingplace.com/w/author/alex_reif. “Costumes of the Realms: An Interview with Jenny Beavan on ‘the Nutcracker and the Four Realms.’” LaughingPlace.com, 24 Jan. 2019, www.laughingplace.com/w/articles/2019/01/23/costumes-of-the-realms-an-interview-with-jenny-beavan-on-the-nutcracker-and-the-four-realms/.

NA, and NA. “Love Hard.” Rotten Tomatoes, 5 Nov. 2021, www.rottentomatoes.com/m/love_hard. 

Rahi, Samira. “Person Sitting in Front of Opened MacBook Pro.” Unsplash.com, Unsplash, 13 Dec. 2019, unsplash.com/photos/kD9RgDke_Yw.