We wait for it every year: that time where we can warm up the hot chocolate (with marshmallows), find the softest spot on the couch, and settle in for a marathon of holiday film realness. They are the blueprint for seasonal joy, with tinsel-tinged love stories, chaotic family reunions, and miracle-of-the-season endings. Holiday movies bring us a strong dose of warmth, joy and merriment, even when it’s packaged in a truly terrible Christmas sweater. The time has arrived, and no, it’s not a moment too soon. The magic of holiday cinema this year starts on November 5 with a whole new batch of movies that are sure to make our favorites list.
Tyler Perry’s Finding Joy, November 5 (Prime Video)
Shannon Thornton is Joy, a New York-based fashion designer who’s been unlucky in work and love. She follows her crush to snowy Colorado only to have a major snowstorm veer her in the direction of another man who’s truly in the spirit of love.
Unexpected Christmas, November 7 (In Theaters)
It’s supposed to be a merry family reunion, but when Marissa (DomiNque Perry) learns that her ex-boyfriend Richard (Lil Rel Howery) is now with her estranged stepsister, Kerry, she gets creative and claims a “boyfriend” of her own. Be careful around this family’s mistletoe! Check out the film’s soundtrack, featuring Tamar Braxton, Kevin Ross, Melanie Fiona, K-Ci-Hailey, Koryn Hawthorne and more.
Dog Patrol: Operation Santa Paws, November 20 (TVOD)
Oscar winner Cuba Gooding Jr. is Sheriff Jacobs, who joins forces with a teen boy and his loyal dog Athena to track down a cunning mob boss who’s trying to take down Christmas. Bah humbug!
The Christmas Campaign, November 29 (Lifetime)
Christmas queen Vivica A. Fox is up to some holiday mischief. She plays Monique, a boss who puts together two employees with different work approaches to work on a holiday sales pitch for their top digital ad client. Of course, sparks fly even though baby, it’s cold outside.
Fake Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, November 29 (OWN Network)
Maya tells one little white lie about being involved with an unconscious stranger and finds herself caught up in his family’s holiday plan. Then there’s the matter that her fake boyfriend’s doctor is her ex. Gonna need a lot of eggnog to get through this! Kiki Layne and Etienne Maurice star.
Christmas Everyday, November 29 (Lifetime)
Fancy (Brandy Norwood) has been more determined than ever to uphold her father’s cherished Christmas traditions after her father’s death and her mother’s worsening sight. It’s a hard order as she’s also planning a wedding for her sister, who’s been channeling the worst bridezilla. But in this Xmas miracle, a handsome contractor arrives to fix a broken pipe in Fancy’s family home, and maybe her heart.
Very Merry Mystery, December 13 (OWN):
Asleigh Murray stars as Bea, a beloved beauty shop owner in Goldfern, Georgia. She attends a Christmas murder mystery party, where the businesswoman owner goes missing and a ransom note is found. With the help of her detective boyfriend, Troy (Mack Wilds), Bea goes from curls to clues to solve this holiday mystery.