If you are like me, Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without watching as many Christmas movies and TV specials as possible; so I thought I’d do some posts sharing some of my favourite Christmas picks available to watch on Disney Life (an app requiring a monthly subscription fee that gives you access to hundreds of Disney movies, TV shows, music and more). I will start with movies today, and do separate posts for mini movies and TV episodes. Also, I am only featuring my personal favourites so there may be other’s available on the app that I have not mentioned.
- A Christmas Carol
Though London awaits the joyful arrival of Christmas, miserly Ebenezer Scrooge (Jim Carrey) thinks it’s all humbug, berating his faithful clerk and cheerful nephew for their view. Later, Scrooge encounters the ghost of his late business partner, who warns that three spirits will visit him this night. The ghosts take Scrooge on a journey through his past, present and future in the hope of transforming his bitterness. This is a beautiful adaptation of the Charles Dickens story, but it is fairly dark in places so be mindful that some younger viewers could find it a little scary at times.
2. A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa
You can rarely go wrong with a Muppet movie and this one is a typically ridiculous but fun offering. On Christmas Eve, the muppets go to the post office in New York to deliver their letters to Santa Clause but due to a mishap, Gonzo accidentally discovers three letters from children to Santa, in his coat pocket, so he talks Kermit and co into delivering them personally to the North Pole instead of going on vacation as planned. Look out for various celebrity cameos and enjoy 4 fun musical offerings from the Muppet gang.
3. Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas
Mrs Potts tells us more of the story of how Beast and Belle fell in love via flashbacks, showing how Belle encourages Beast to get into the Christmas spirit and how their relationship was almost sabotaged by Forte the evil pipe organ! Of course, we all know there is a happy ending but its still a sweet tale and lovely to see more of Belle and Beast getting to know each other. The songs are all really lovely and festive too.
4. Mickey’s Christmas Carol
Another re-telling of the Charles Dickens story, but this time by Mickey Mouse and pals. Its actually only around 26 minutes long but I have included it in this list rather than the short movies post I will be doing soon as it feels more like a full movie and is longer than most the other short films. Again, it tells the tale of mean old Ebeneezer Scrooge, and how he is visited by three ghosts to help him see the error of his ways. This is probably a better version to show younger viewers than the 2009 3D animated version mentioned earlier.
5. Mickey’s Magical Christmas: Snowed In at the House of Mouse
Many well-loved Disney characters have enjoyed an evening at Mickey’s House of Mouse on Christmas Eve when they find that they have been snowed in; so Mickey decides to throw a Christmas party for them all there. However, his grumpy pal Donald is having trouble getting into the festive spirit, so Mickey plays some favourite old Christmas cartoons in a bid to cheer him up. One of my favourite cartoons featured shows the cheeky Chipmunks, Chip and Dale, teasing poor old Pluto when they hide inside his and Mickey’s Christmas tree!
6. Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas
This is a compilation of three festive stories, which include “Stuck on Christmas” in which Donald’s nephews wish that it could be Christmas every day, only to find that perhaps its not as appealing as they first thought; “A Very Goofy Christmas” in which Goofy tries to help his son Max keep believing in Santa when he begins to have doubts; and “Gift of the Magi” in which Mickey and Minnie learn that the best gifts are those that come from the heart and with love.
7. Mickey’s Twice Upon a Christmas
Much like Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas, this is a compilation of short Christmas stories (five this time) including “Belles of Ice” in which Minnie and Daisy’s friendship is tested during an ice skating competition; “Christmas Impossible” in which Huey, Dewey and Louie travel to the North Pole to try and remove their names from Santa’s naughty list; and my personal favourite, “Mickey’s Dog-Gone Christmas”, in which Pluto runs away from home when Mickey shouts at him after he accidentally ruined the Christmas decorations and finds himself at the North Pole.
8. The Search for Santa Paws
There are actually three Santa Paws films available on Disney Life but this one (the second in the series) is my favourite. When Santa is hit by a cab when visiting New York he not only loses his memory, but the crystal that keeps him eternal is also stolen! It is up to his new puppy, Paws, to save him, with the help of a young orphan girl Quinn; but will Paws be able to help Santa without sacrificing himself? It’s pretty cheesy and syrupy sweet but I really enjoy it, and who can resist a film with cute puppies? Especially talking ones!
9. The Muppet’s Christmas Carol
Yet another adaptation of the Charles Dickens story but I’m sure most of you will agree with me that this one is the best! Utterly ridiculous and yet at the same time, genuinely heartwarming; it really is a must see at Christmas time. The soundtrack is brilliant and despite having seen it so many times, I am still always tickled by Michael Caine being in such a silly film.
10. The Santa Clause
Another staple of most people’s Christmas film viewings has got to be The Santa Clause. There are now three films in the series and whilst I do enjoy all three of them, I’m sure most people will agree that the first one is the best. When divorced Dad Scott accidentally kills a man in a Santa suit in front of his son on Christmas Eve, they are magically transported to the North Pole where it is revealed that he in fact killed the real Santa and is now therefore the new one! Scott is in denial at first, thinking it was all a dream; but when strange things start to happen, such as his inexplicable weight gain and beard growth; he starts to realise that perhaps it wasn’t a dream after all…
11. The Nightmare Before Christmas
Probably my favourite film on this list, The Nightmare Before Christmas is pure brilliance because not only is it an awesome Halloween movie, it is an awesome Christmas movie too! The soundtrack and animation are just fantastic and although I’m sure pretty much everyone knows what it is about, for those that don’t, it tells the story of Jack Skellington, the pumpkin king of Halloweentown who has grown bored of scaring people in the “real world” year after year. When he accidentally stumbles upon Christmastown and falls in love with the bright lights, songs and warm spirit; he plots to take control of Christmas by kidnapping Santa Claus and taking over the role himself. However, he of course discovers that even the best plans can quickly go awry…
So those are my favourite Christmas movies currently available to stream on Disney Life. Keep an eye out for a post about my favourite mini movies and TV episodes soon.
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