Netflix adds EDEN, The Incredible True Story of the first inhabitants on Floreana Island in The Galapagos Islands. Directed by Ron Howard and starring Jude Law, Ana De Armas, Vanessa Kirby and Sydney Sweeney, it is highly recommended!
Netflix also adds a New Christmas Movie Goodbye June directed by Kate Winslet and starring Helen Mirren December 24.
Prime Video brings us 2025’s A Minecraft Movieand Sinners.
If you are looking for a Southern Gothic Supernatural Thriller full of Blues Music, Blues Folklore, Vampires, Action and Drama set in 1932 Clarksdale, Mississippi…….Sinners is your movie!
The shocking true story of a group of disillusioned outsiders who abandon civilization, settling on a remote, uninhabited island only to discover that the greatest threat isn’t the brutal climate but each other.
Jude Law Ana de Armas Vanessa Kirby
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Downton Abbey: A New Era December 24
2022 PG
The Crawleys go on a grand journey to the south of France to uncover the mystery of the Dowager Countess’ newly inherited villa.
Hugh Bonneville Jim Carter Michelle Dockery
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Goodbye June (New Movie) December 24
2025 R
Follows a group of fractured siblings who must come together under sudden and trying circumstances.
Helen Mirren Timothy Spall Johnny Flynn
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PRIME:
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A Minecraft Movie December 22
2025 PG
Four misfits are suddenly pulled through a mysterious portal into a bizarre cubic wonderland that thrives on imagination. To get back home they’ll have to master this world while embarking on a quest with an unexpected expert crafter.
Trying to leave their troubled lives behind, twin brothers return to their hometown to start again, only to discover that an even greater evil is waiting to welcome them back.
Netflix adds 4 TV Christmas Movies, Two New Documentaries and Two New Foreign Films this week. While Prime brings us Joker: Folie à Deux and The Creator. You can read our review of The Creator here: The Creator Movie Review.
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NETFLIX:
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PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie December 14
2023 PG
A magical meteor falls in Adventure City and gives the PAW Patrol superpowers, transforming them into the Mighty Pups. But they face their most powerful challenge when Humdinger teams up with a mad scientist to steal their powers.
Dan Duran Kristen Bell James Marsden
A Cowboy Christmas Romance December 15
2023 PG
When pro real estate ‘closer’ Lexie Crenshaw is sent to her hometown of Tubac, AZ to close on a big ranch before Christmas, she is forced to confront family drama as well as the sexy ranch owner who refuses to sell his home.
Jana Kramer Adam Senn Mary-Margaret Humes
Christmas at the Chalet December 15
2023 PG
Ex-TV host Lex finds herself spending Christmas in a chalet with her son, ex-husband, and his new girlfriend. To avoid things getting too close to home, she volunteers to work at the chalet, all while documenting it for her new followers.
Teri Hatcher William deVry Dan Payne
The Christmas Classic December 15
2023
Elizabeth works for the father of her fiancé’s real estate business. In order to keep Elizabeth employed, her soon-to-be father-in-law sends her back to her hometown to persuade an ex-boyfriend to sell his ski resort to the company.
Malin Akerman Ryan Hansen Amy Smart
Christmas on the Alpaca Farm December 15
2023 PG
Jess quits her job at a fashion label in NYC intent on winning a competition with her own line of sustainable luxury knits. She teams up with Andrew, a single dad and alpaca farmer, as they bring Christmas joy and love to the farm.
Kirsten Comerford Matt Wells Ai Barrett
Murder in Monaco December 17
2025 Documentary
Monaco, 1999: Billionaire banker Edmond Safra is found dead in his penthouse. The documentary examines the puzzling circumstances surrounding this wealthy financier’s murder.
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10 Dance December 18
2025 TV-MA
Two expert dancers, Shinya Sugiki and Shinya Suzuki, aim to master each other’s styles for a prestigious competition, but old rivalries and potential romance complicate their partnership.
Ryoma Takeuchi Keita Machida Shiori Doi
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Breakdown: 1975 December 19
2025 Documentary
An essay on the year 1975, looking at the classic movies all released in that year.
Jodie Foster Peter Bart Peter Biskind
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The Great Flood December 19
2025 TV-MA
A disastrous great flood sweeps the planet. On what may be the last day on Earth, a desperate fight ensues to save a child from a flooding apartment.
Kim Da-mi Park Hae-soo Kim Kyu-na
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PRIME:
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Joker: Folie à Deux December 16
2024 R
Struggling with his dual identity, failed comedian Arthur Fleck meets the love of his life, Harley Quinn, while incarcerated at Arkham State Hospital.
Against the backdrop of a war between humans and robots with artificial intelligence, a former soldier finds the robots’ secret weapon to end the conflict, an AI in the form of a child.
John David Washington Madeleine Yuna Voyles Gemma Chan
Claire Clauster (Michelle Pfeiffer) is the glue that holds her chaotic, lovable family together every holiday season. From perfectly frosted cookies to meticulously wrapped gifts, no one decks the halls quite like Claire. But this year, after planning a special outing for her family, they make a crucial mistake and leave her home alone. Fed up and feeling under appreciated, she sets off on an impromptu adventure of her own. As her family scrambles to find her, Claire discovers the unexpected magic of a Christmas gone off-script.
With a dazzling ensemble cast including Felicity Jones, Chloë Grace Moretz, Denis Leary, Dominic Sessa, Danielle Brooks, Devery Jacobs, Havana Rose Liu, Maude Apatow, Jason Schwartzman, Eva Longoria and Joan Chen, and directed by Michael Showalter, Oh. What. Fun. is a spirited holiday comedy that honors and celebrates every overworked holiday host.
THE MOVIE REVIEW:
Claire Clauster (Michelle Pfeiffer) has a Christmas problem, she feels under-appreciated. Year after year she goes all out, decorating, baking, shopping, planning, cooking, wrapping presents, getting the entire extended family together and keeping them happy and festive. Her husband Nick doesn’t help as much as she would like, but then he is a guy. There is a Best Holiday Mom Contest being held by her favorite TV Talk show hosted by Zazzy Tims. Claire would love nothing more than to be nominated by her children but they are so busy with their lives they forget to nominate her.
As Christmas Eve approaches there are festive fiascos around the house as the family piles in one after another, bringing their own personal dramas with them. Claire also has a long running animosity with the neighbor family next door, the two Mom’s always trying to one up each other during the holidays. The Final straw for Claire comes when the whole family is getting ready to go to a Christmas show in the city. As they are piling into different cars in the rush to go, Claire pops over to her rival neighbor to give her a homemade Christmas goodie bag. With the family all thinking that she is in one of the other cars, they leave Mom Claire behind.
When Claire realizes that her family has left her behind, it was the last straw. She packs a few things as well as some Christmas snacks and heads off in her car. She’s had enough, she is leaving the family. Depressed, frustrated and under-appreciated she hits the road not knowing where she is going. And that’s where the rest of this Festive fiasco takes us, following Claire’s new forlorn, underappreciated Christmas alone and her family’s stark realization that Claire has had enough, packed her bag and hit the road.
As I watched, I couldn’t help but think of Christmas Vacation. I don’t know if it was intentionally paying homage to, or trying to duplicate some of the humorous holiday scenes we all know and love in Christmas Vacation. It was no where near as funny as the classic Christmas Vacation. I feel like it was trying too hard. The names of the characters were a little out there, Eva Langoria as Zazzy Tims? Chloë Grace Moritz brought her girlfriend DJ Sweatpants? Claire’s arch nemesis neighbor Jeanne Wang-Wasserman? Sammy’s girlfriend is named Mae-Bell?
It was alright, a little campy and not as funny as I think they wanted it to be. I think if you are a guy, you are not gonna get it nor like it. If you are a gal, Mom or Grandmother, I think you are going to be right on top of the bandwagon. This Christmas Catastrophe is made for women about women being under-appreciated at the holidays.
Between Netflix and Prime, there are 5 New Movie Releases this week!
The Fakenapping (a Saudi Arabian comedy film, originally in Arabic), Lost in the Spotlight (an Indonesian comedy-drama film, originally in Indonesian) and Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery (the third installment in the Knives Out Movie Franchise) all debut on Netflix this week.
While Prime brings us Merv (a Holiday Rom-com starring Zooey Deschanel) and Tell Me Softly (a Spanish Romance Movie).
NETFLIX:
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Babylon December 7
2022 R
A tale of outsized ambition and outrageous excess, it traces the rise and fall of multiple characters during an era of unbridled decadence and depravity in early Hollywood.
Brad Pitt Margot Robbie Jean Smart
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Cast Away December 7
2000 PG-13
A FedEx executive undergoes a physical and emotional transformation after crash landing on a deserted island.
Tom Hanks Helen Hunt Paul Sanchez
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The Fakenapping December 10
2025 Unrated
Failed entrepreneur Sattam finds himself tangled in a madcap scheme when he decides to repay his debts by kidnapping his own father.
Abdullah AlDaris Mohammed Aldokhei Saeed Alewiran
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Lost in the Spotlight December 11
2025 Unrated
A narcissistic performer’s world crumbles when he mysteriously loses his talent right before the biggest opportunity of his career.
Vino G. Bastian Dea Panendra Agus Kuncoro
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Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery December 12
(New Movie)
2025 PG-13
Benoit Blanc returns for his most dangerous case yet.
Daniel Craig Josh O’Connor Glenn Close
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The Talented Mr. Ripley December 13
1999 R
In late 1950s New York, a young underachiever named Tom Ripley is sent to Italy to retrieve Dickie Greenleaf, a rich and spoiled millionaire playboy. But when the errand fails, Ripley takes extreme measures.
Matt Damon Gwyneth Paltrow Jude Law
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PRIME:
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Transformers: The Last Knight December 9
2017 PG-13
A deadly threat from Earth’s history reappears and a hunt for a lost artifact takes place between Autobots and Decepticons, while Optimus Prime encounters his creator in space.
Mark Wahlberg Anthony Hopkins Josh Duhamel
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Merv December 10
2025 PG
A recently separated couple take their shared dog on a holiday trip to cheer him up, but end up reconnecting romantically.
Zooey Deschanel Charlie Cox Ellyn Jameson
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Tell Me Softly December 12
2025 Unrated
Kamila’s life turns upside down when the Di Bianco brothers return after 7 years. Thiago gave her first kiss, Taylor was her protector. Now she’s changed, but they still have a way of getting through to her like no one else can.
Taylor Jacobson (Alexandra Breckenridge) is a struggling single Mom who has just been fired from her job at Clotz Cookie Company, right before Christmas. To top that she runs into her landlord who reminds her that she is four months behind on her rent. She then finds out her daughter has been accepted to an elite snowboarding camp at Sun Peaks ski resort which is very expensive. Desperate for cash, the next day she takes her vinyl record collection down to the record store. A customer in the store notices a record by a local band The Screaming Kittens in her collection. When the record store owner offers her a hundred dollars, he insists the local band record is worth a lot more. He then realizes that Taylor is on the cover and used to be the lead singer of The Screaming Kittens.
Matthew Layne (Ryan Eggold), the customer, follows her out of the store and offers to buy her a hot chocolate but Taylor turns him down. Taylor tells her brother about her situation and he discovers that employees of the resort get 50% off the snowboarding camp that her daughter has been accepted at. She goes down to the resort to apply for a job and finds out that the only job available is for a male Santa Claus that pays two thousand dollars a week. With her brother being a costume creator and makeup artist, she cooks up a scheme to impersonate a male who can get the Santa job at the resort. She goes down to the resort in the prosthetic costume and gets the job as Santa Claus, using the name Hugh Man. She is immediately surprised to meet Matthew Layne who is the General Manager of the resort and whose father owns the resort.
Christmas comedy ensues as Taylor tries to keep Matthew from recognizing the lead singer of The Screaming Kittens who turned down his offer of a date. As Taylor, ah-hum, Hugh Man, works with Matthew at the resort playing Santa, he keeps thinking that there is something familiar about “Hugh”. As they bond, he starts confiding in “Hugh” about the woman he met and is starting to have feelings for. Hilariously he asks “Hugh” for advice on how to better get to know Taylor, who is right in front of him. Things get more complex as the season rolls by, and Taylor tries to keep Hugh’s real identity a secret. Her daughter’s snowboarding aspirations and the rent are depending on it.
Alexandra and Ryan are good together in this, they pull off the Christmas Santa Chaos and hit it off with a rocking musical number on stage at the end. It is a little campy in it’s own cute way, but definitely worth a Holiday watch.
STREAMING MOVIE NIGHT 