It can be hard to keep up with all the films being added to Netflix and Stan every week. So, to help you navigate your viewing material for the festive season, we’ve examined the schedule and picked ten highlights.
Some of these classic movies are very much festive season, Christmas type films. Others are very much…not. Whatever your tastes, we’ve got your covered.
The Dark Knight (December 1, Netflix)
Why so serious? Heath Ledger’s performance in The Dark Knight (for which he won a posthumous Academy Award) became the stuff of legend. Flicks’ Andrew Hedley gave the film a five star review, writing “Christopher Nolan’s rich and engrossing adventure rip-roars across the cinema screen, bullying blockbusters into new territory.”
Jingle All the Way (December 1 Netflix)
Just in time for the festive season, this rambunctious Arnold Schwarzenegger comedy encapsulates the horror of shopping for Christmas presents. Flicks’ Liam Maguren might have been a bit sarcastic in his five star review, comparing the film to the work of David Lynch and Michael Haneke. But hey, five stars is five stars!
Red Dog: True Blue (December 7, Stan)
This critically-acclaimed sequel to the beloved Australian film about an irresistible pooch was a big hit at the box office. Stephen Romei from The Australian perhaps put it best: “If you don’t have a dog, and you take kids to see it, you may come under a lot of pressure to acquire one.”
Scrooged (December 8, Netflix)
A darkly comic adaptation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, starring Bill Murray as the meanest and most depraved man on earth. What’s not to like?
Chasing Asylum (December 9, Stan)
This confronting documentary from Oscar-winning Australian filmmaker Eva Orner explores the debate about asylum seekers coming to Australia. Leigh Paatsch from The Herald Sun wrote: “In Chasing Asylum, we have one of the most important documentaries ever made in this country, addressing one of the most important issues to ever face this country.”
Infernal Affair I, II and III (December 12, Stan)
Martin Scorsese’s crime drama The Departed (starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon and Jack Nicholson) was a remake of the Hong Kong crime-thriller Infernal Affairs. Bunker down to watch all three of the original Infernal Affairs movies.
The Green Inferno (December 13, Stan)
Not for the fainthearted. This cannibalistic horror film from Eli Roth (Hostel) was filmed on location in the rainforest of Peru, where the native tribe had never been filmed before. Maybe don’t watch this one on Christmas Eve.
My Girl (December 15, Netflix)
Vintage Macaulay Culkin! We’re guessing it’s been a few years since you’ve seen this heart-warming coming-of-age drama from 1991. Get your tissue box ready.
Anaconda (December 15, Netflix)
Anaconda may not have won any Academy Awards but hey – who doesn’t enjoy a trashy creature feature from time to time? This horror-adventure has an excellent cast including Jon Voight, Jennifer Lopez, Ice Cube, Eric Stoltz, Danny Trejo and Owen Wilson.
Snakes on a Plane (December 31, Stan)
Let’s continue the snake theme. When he heard that this film was into production, Samuel L Jackson reportedly rang the filmmakers and asked if the title was a euphemism. No was he answer, just snakes on a plane. So Samuel L. said “sign this motherf**ker up.”
