that christmas netflix – Trekking with Dennis

Let’s Have A 21st Century Christmas!

Spoiler Warning: There are minor spoilers for several of the titles discussed below.

Have you ever noticed that *most* of the films and TV specials that we like to watch at this time of year are… kinda old? Even if you don’t go for a real old-school classic like It’s A Wonderful Life or Miracle on 34th Street, most of the festive entertainment that I see being talked about – at least among my peers and folks of a similar age to me – originated before the turn of the millennium.

Think about it: Die Hard came out in 1988. Home Alone is from 1990. A Christmas Story was 1983. The Santa Clause was released in 1994. The Nightmare Before Christmas? That was 1993. The Muppet Christmas Carol came out in 1992.

So where’s the 21st Century in our holiday traditions? That’s a wrong we’re going to right today!

Still frame from Miracle on 34th Street (1947) showing Santa Claus. — Many of our “Christmas classics” are from the 20th Century, like *Miracle on 34th Street*.

I have really fond memories of this time of year, including watching the likes of 1982’s The Snowman, Mickey’s Christmas Carol from 1983, and the 1996 so-bad-it’s-good classic Jingle All The Way! But there are some wonderful films and TV specials which premiered in the first quarter of the 21st Century that I think some of us can occasionally overlook. And look, I get it: some of these still feel brand-new, even if they’re approaching their 20th or even 25th anniversaries! But Christmas, while a time of tradition and returning to things we’ve enjoyed in the past, still has room for newer and more modern touches.

If you’re British (or if you remember an earlier edition of my annual festive playlist), you might associate the term “21st Century Christmas” with the song of the same name by Cliff Richard! That’s where I got the title of this piece from. And the song itself is well worth a listen, even if Cliff’s idea of “the 21st Century” seems dated already, with lyrics talking of DVDs and faxes! But I think we’ve drifted off-topic…

The cover of Cliff Richard's 2006 CD single "21st Century Christmas". — In the immortal words of Cliff Richard, let’s have a 21st Century Christmas!

What I’ve done today is put together a short list of five films and TV specials from the 21st Century that I think are well worth checking out at this time of year. If you missed them when they were new, or haven’t seen them since they premiered… maybe check them out in 2025. We’re almost a quarter of the way through the century, if you can believe that. And I’m still trying to adjust to writing dates where the year begins with a “2!”

My usual caveats apply: everything we’re going to talk about is the entirely subjective, not objective, opinion of one person only. If I highlight something you hate or miss out something you thought would be a shoo-in for a list like this… *that’s okay!* There are loads of fun Christmas specials and films, and I’ve only picked out a handful this time. They’re listed below in the order they were originally released, and I included any Christmassy or Christmas-adjacent film or TV special released after the 1st of January 2001 on my long list of titles under consideration!

With all of that out of the way… let’s have a 21st Century Christmas!

Number One:
The Polar Express
(2004)

Still frame from The Polar Express (2004) showing the titular train on an icy lake. — The titular Polar Express.

Can you believe that The Polar Express is more than 20 years old already? The film has – in my view – aged remarkably well, shaking off a somewhat controversial start to become a true festive classic. When The Polar Express was released, I can clearly remember a colleague of mine telling me that their young children were frightened of the film and its “creepy” CGI. But as we’ve gotten more used to computer animation in the two decades since, I think that particular criticism of The Polar Express has well and truly fallen away.

This is a fun twist on the classic “does Santa really exist” dilemma that many kids face. And it’s a bold choice for a Christmas film to tackle that question head-on, not simply hand-waving away the young boy’s doubts. Instead, The Polar Express leans into this idea of doubt to tell a really engaging and just plain *fun* narrative that I’m sure continues to resonate really strongly with kids today.

Still frame from The Polar Express (2004) showing the conductor, the kids, and a crowd of elves at the North Pole. — The conductor with some of the kids.

I love a good steam train, and The Polar Express brought a wonderful engine to life with its CGI. Trains are kind of related to Christmas – especially toy trains – so that’s on theme. And there’s a wonderful musical sequence as well as a great score. The theme from The Polar Express has become a classic Christmas track in its own right!

I wrote up a longer piece on The Polar Express last year to mark the film’s twentieth anniversary, and you can find it by clicking or tapping here. I’d be really curious to know what kids who’ve grown up since 2004 – and thus remember The Polar Express as just another old Christmas film – make of it nowadays!

Number Two:
Phineas and Ferb: Christmas Vacation
(2009)

Still frame from Phineas and Ferb: Christmas Vacation showing Phineas and Ferb aboard a Christmassy steam train. — The boys on a train.

I’m a big fan of Phineas and Ferb, so I was pleased to see the series resurrected this year for a fifth season! The show’s big Christmas special, from back in 2009, is one of the absolute best episodes for me, and it puts a distinctively “Phineas and Ferb” spin on a classic holiday premise. When Christmas is endangered (by the nefarious Dr Doofenshmirtz, naturally), someone has to step up and save the day – and that task falls to Phineas, Ferb, Candace, and their friends.

Christmas Vacation also has an incredible soundtrack. Phineas and Ferb is well-known for its songs and musical numbers, but Christmas Vacation packed several great festive tracks into its runtime. Big Bad Voodoo Daddy’s song Christmas is Starting Now, which plays at the climax of the story, might be the pick of the pops, but really, all of the songs are just fantastic. Several of them are on my festive playlist!

Still frame from Phineas and Ferb: Christmas Vacation showing Perry the Platypus and a magic, sentient snowman. — Perry and a magic snowman.

I’m an absolute sucker for the whole “Christmas is in danger, so someone has to fix it” story trope, and Phineas and Ferb executes it so well. We get some fantastic buildup, with the kids excitedly decorating the entire town as part of their “thank-you letter” to Santa Claus, Doofenshmirtz gets a cute conflicted backstory about his ambivalence towards the holidays, and it all culminates on Christmas Eve with the kids having to do what they do best… with a little help from the North Pole.

Phineas and Ferb: Christmas Vacation is the only Christmas special or movie that I watch, without fail, at least once every festive season. I have done since I first saw it, I think, and it’s become a tradition that I plan to continue for as many Christmases as I’ve got left! Last year, to mark the special’s fifteenth anniversary, I wrote a longer piece about it, which you can find by clicking or tapping here.

Number Three:
Family Guy: Road to the North Pole
(2010)

Still frame from Family Guy: Road to the North Pole showing the Griffin family and their house. — The song at the beginning of the special.

Family Guy had a good thing going for a few years with its “Road To…” special episodes, and the format was perfect for this Christmas special. Stewie and Brian take off on a wild adventure to find Santa after a run-in with a fake Santa at the local shopping mall. This kicks off a ridiculous quest that takes several dark turns… but one that has a surprisingly poignant message about consumerism and overconsumption.

Road to the North Pole kicks off with one of Family Guy’s best-ever songs, too: All I Really Want For Christmas, which sees most of the show’s main and secondary characters sharing their silly Christmas wants and wishes. The musical number is fantastic, well-animated, and pretty darn funny, too. I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that Family Guy – like The Simpsons before it – has declined in quality over the years, so maybe Road to the North Pole is one of the last truly good stories.

Still frame from Family Guy: Road to the North Pole showing Brian and Stewie piloting the sleigh. — Brian and Stewie on Santa’s sleigh.

Aside from the song – which is hilarious – I think what people remember the most about Road to the North Pole is its depiction of a weak Santa Claus, wasting away, beaten down by the incessant demands of consumerism. And that’s the core message of the special: that people are asking for (or demanding) too much at Christmas instead of being satisfied with smaller gifts, spending time with family, or just what they already have. Though presented in a weird, grotesque, and typically “Family Guy” way, that message is a good one – and a timeless one, too.

What I enjoy most, though, about Road to the North Pole is the road trip itself. Starting at their New England home, Brian and Stewie trek through the United States and Canada, under the Northern Lights, before making it to Santa’s workshop. Though not the biggest part of the special, there’s something about this kind of adventure that’s always captured my imagination.

Number Four:
Doctor Who: The Time of the Doctor
(2013)

Still frame from Doctor Who showing the planet Trenzalore. — The village of Christmas.

Speaking as we were of a show’s “last hurrah” before descending into mediocrity… here’s Doctor Who! Joking aside, The Time of the Doctor, which came along just after the show’s wonderful fiftieth anniversary special earlier in 2013, is probably the final genuinely good episode of the revival. As much as I adore Peter Capaldi and his take on the ancient time-traveller, his tenure in the Tardis marked a decline in quality from which the show has simply not recovered.

But that’s not what we’re here to talk about!

The Time of the Doctor sees Matt Smith’s Eleventh Doctor battling alone, for decades, against the Daleks and a variety of other enemies, all in defence of a town named Christmas. There’s some snow, some cute Christmas imagery, and a pretty fun and emotional story as this incarnation of the Doctor reaches the end of his life.

Still frame from Doctor Who showing the 11th Doctor in the snow. — Matt Smith as the Eleventh Doctor.

Doctor Who has done a number of Christmas specials since its revival – and not all of them feel as “Christmassy” as The Time of the Doctor. While it’s still very much the culmination of a multi-story arc, and some of that context *does* add a lot to the final act in particular, I still think it’s something that can be watched and enjoyed on its own merit. I haven’t seen Season 7 of the revived Doctor Who since it was on the air back in 2012/13, but The Time of the Doctor is still fun to return to.

I’ve always found stories about doomed last stands to be intense and emotional, and I think that’s a big part of what makes The Time of the Doctor work so well. It’s a tale of a man caught between two impossible extremes – and his only friend trying to reach him. The stakes are high… but also very personal. It’s a great special – and maybe, in hindsight, it should’ve brought the revived series to an end.

Number Five:
That Christmas
(2024)

Still frame from That Christmas showing the Beccles' house. — Waking up to a snowy Christmas.

Richard Curtis, who also penned the festive favourite Love Actually, wrote this charming and distinctly British animated Christmas flick for Netflix just last year. And you know what? It’s fantastic. There are definitely echoes of Love Actually, with the film’s cast of characters spread out into different groups, whose stories are all connected in some way. And there’s plenty of the awe and wonder that Christmas time inspires thanks to Santa Claus, a blizzard, and the magic of Christmas Eve.

When you’ve got so many characters, it can be difficult to find enough time to give all of them personalities and motivations, but That Christmas never feels like it has that issue. With the caveat that a few of the adults seem particularly incompetent, everyone involved feels well-rounded and real, and given that the film’s only got a nintey-minute runtime, that’s pretty special.

Still frame from That Christmas (2024) showing the lighthouse. — The town’s lighthouse on Christmas Eve.

The main song from That Christmas – Ed Sheeran’s Under The Tree – wasn’t my favourite at first, but the slow, almost haunting track has grown on me a lot since I first heard it, and it’s now a mainstay on my festive playlist. It’s the perfect melancholic track for one part of the film – but don’t worry, there’s bound to be a happy ending! After all, it’s Christmas.

That Christmas hadn’t been on my radar last year, but I’m really glad I checked it out. If you liked Love Actually, I think there’s a lot to love here, as the same kind of style is on show. Maybe it’s a bit early to hail That Christmas as a “classic,” but having seen it just last year, it’s already on my “watch again” list. If you missed it in 2024, definitely check it out. And if you want to read my full review, which I wrote last December, you can find it by clicking or tapping here.

So that’s it… for now!

A stock photo of a London street with Christmas lights, a Routemaster bus, and a black cab. — London’s Christmas lights.

I’ve already thought of *at least* five more 21st Century Christmas films and TV specials, so maybe this is an idea I’ll revisit next December. I don’t wanna play all of my cards at once, after all! But I hope this has been a bit of fun, and maybe I’ve highlighted a modern Christmas film or special that you missed or haven’t seen since it was new. If I’ve helped even one person find one thing to watch this festive season, I reckon I’ve done a good job!

A few days ago, I updated my annual festive playlist with twelve Christmassy songs – click or tap here to check that out, if you haven’t already! And between now and the big day, I have a few other pieces in my writing pile that I hope to get to. And coming up at the end of the month will be my End-of-Year Awards, so I hope you’ll join me as I hand out some imaginary trophies and statuettes to some of my favourite productions of 2025.

Until then… I hope you’re having a fantastic December!

All titles discussed above are the copyright of their respective studio, publisher, broadcaster, distributor, etc. This article contains the thoughts and opinions of one person only and is not intended to cause any offence.

A Festive Review: That Christmas

Sun 22.12.24Dennis

The first part of this review is free from major plot spoilers. The end of the spoiler-free section is clearly indicated.

With Christmas approaching, I like to enjoy a festive film or two! And after That Christmas had been recommended to be by a family member, I thought it would be worth re-subscribing to Netflix for a month or two in order to check it out. And you know what? I’m glad I did – That Christmas is one of the sweetest and most fun Christmas films that I’ve seen in years!

That Christmas is a film with heart, populated by a really great cast of characters. A story that brings different groups of characters together for one big Christmas mission always hits me right in the feels – and that’s what That Christmas delivers. It’s a film for kids, sure – but there’s a lot for adults to enjoy, too.

Still frame from That Christmas showing Santa dangling upside down from a rooftop. — Santa Claus in *That Christmas*.

There’s some fantastic animation work present in That Christmas. I’ve talked before about how snow can be difficult to get right in animation, but That Christmas really nails the look and feel of both snowfall and deep snow lying on the ground. Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without snow – and as both a playground for some of the younger characters and an obstacle for the adults, the snow serves both a narrative function and manages to look fantastic, setting the tone of the film.

Voice acting is stellar across the board – even for younger characters. That Christmas features some well-known names – Doctor Who’s Jodie Whittaker, Brian Cox, and Bill Nighy all play big roles. But there are also some newer performers and younger voice actors with whom I wasn’t familiar, and they all did a fantastic job of bringing their characters to life.

Still frame from That Christmas showing kids in a mini-bus. — Several of the film’s younger characters.

That Christmas also has a great soundtrack. There are a couple of familiar festive hits in there, and one brand-new song: Under The Tree by Ed Sheeran. Earlier in the year, Under The Tree was being talked up as a potential Christmas number one; it didn’t get there, peaking at a lowly number 92 in the charts a couple of weeks ago. But for my money it’s a sweet song – and it plays at a particularly emotional moment in the film. To land a songwriter of Ed Sheeran’s calibre is a coup for That Christmas, even if the song didn’t storm the charts on its own!

That Christmas was based on a book: That Christmas and Other Stories by Richard Curtis, which released earlier in 2024. Curtis is a great writer and scriptwriter, being known for co-writing the likes of Mr Bean, Blackadder, and perennial festive favourite Love Actually. I actually felt echoes of the latter in That Christmas, particularly in the way the film started off with different character pairs and groups, but gradually weaved their stories together. That Christmas is much more overtly about the holiday than Love Actually, though!

Photo of Richard Curtis and Simon Otto at an animation festival in front of a Netflix-branded banner. — Writer Richard Curtis (left) with director Simon Otto at an animation festival earlier in 2024.
*Photo Credit: Netflix*

So I think I’ve said as much as I can without getting into story spoilers. If you just want to know whether or not I recommend That Christmas, the answer is an emphatic “yes!” It’s a fantastic holiday film, one that will almost certainly be hailed in the years to come as a classic. I know that I’ll be returning to it next Christmas – and every Christmas thereafter for as long as I’m still alive and kicking!

Now we’re going to talk in a bit more detail about a few of the storylines. Nothing in That Christmas is earth-shattering, but if you want to watch the film completely un-spoiled, this is your opportunity to jump ship. If you want to come back after you’ve seen it to get my full thoughts, that would be great, too!

Still frame from That Christmas showing Santa on his sleigh at the end of the film.

A spoiler warning graphic (featuring Santa Claus, of course!)

This is the end of the spoiler-free section of the review. Expect story spoilers for That Christmas from here on out!

I absolutely love a story about Santa Claus. I’ve talked about this before, but for me, Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without Santa and that mysterious magical quality that he brings. In That Christmas, Santa’s role is really interesting, as he gives other characters in the story a bit of a push in the right direction – through the medium of gift-giving.

Santa’s defining trait in every story are the presents he delivers on Christmas Eve. But in That Christmas, these presents become integral to the plot, with all of the children receiving gifts that help some other part of the story. Using Santa Claus in this way – instead of just delivering generic toys to the good children – was really creative and fun. It presents Santa as being a kind of omniscient observer, and someone who wants to do good, but who doesn’t get actively involved. We don’t see Santa join in the search for the missing Evie at the climax of the story, but the gifts he provided to some of the kids gave them the boost they needed to aid in the search on their own terms.

Still frame from That Christmas showing the search party from above. — The search party setting out to look for Evie.

I also liked the visual presentation of Santa, Dasher, and particularly the sack full of presents! Something that can be hard to depict in Christmas stories is Santa’s sack – how could he possibly fit presents for all of the world’s children in one sack? Some films simply show an incredibly large sack on an oversized sleigh, but That Christmas kept things smaller and much more in line with visual depictions of Santa in popular culture. The answer to this apparent contradiction was simple: a blue-tinted magical glow inside Santa’s sack.

We didn’t ever get to see inside the sack, but it was implied through this neat little visual effect that there’s bona fide Christmas magic at work – and that’s how Santa is able to carry the sack and deliver all of the gifts. I really liked this idea, and I think it added to the magical feel of the character.

Still frame from That Christmas showing Santa Claus reaching into his sack. — Santa’s magical sack.

As to the reindeer, though… I suspect the reason only one reindeer was included was to make the sequences easier to animate, as well as perhaps to limit the number of speaking roles. I’m not sure I would’ve chosen Dasher as the only reindeer – Rudolph is surely much more associated with Christmas! But I really liked Dasher’s personality, which was brought to life thanks to a wonderful vocal performance from Guz Khan.

That Christmas found many ways to tug at the heartstrings, but no more so than with the aloof, strict, and apparently very lonely school teacher Ms Trapper. I think many of us can remember having a teacher that we found to be unpleasant or overly strict; it’s an almost universal childhood memory! Ms Trapper reminded me, at first, of Miss Trunchbull – from Roald Dahl’s Matilda. I certainly felt echoes of that character in Fiona Shaw’s performance. But it soon turned out that Ms Trapper – while being strict – was an ultimately caring character with a tragic side.

Still frame from That Christmas showing Danny and Ms Trapper building an igloo. — Danny with Ms Trapper.

Pairing her up with the young Danny Williams made for one of That Christmas’s most emotional and sweet stories. The lonely teacher and the boy feeling abandoned made great foils for one another, both during the town’s snow day and later, as they teamed up to make Danny’s mum’s Christmas special and then setting out to aid in the rescue of the stranded adults in the mini-bus. There were some adorable moments between the two as Danny came to appreciate his teacher and Ms Trapper’s strict facade started to show some cracks.

Also on the Williams side of the story was a relatable conversation about healthcare – and Britain’s overworked NHS in particular. Mrs Williams was a nurse, and was called into action repeatedly at Christmas time, sacrificing time with her family in order to be there for her patients. During the pandemic, we celebrated NHS workers. But with the service under increasing pressure, it’s worth drawing our attention to the real heroes who continue to work there and continue to provide care for people who need it the most.

Still frame from That Christmas showing Mrs Williams looking at her phone in the snow. — There was a surprisingly realistic portrayal of life as an NHS nurse.

I’m always gonna love a sweet story about a “bad” but ultimately reformable character – and we got that with the Beccles twins. After realising her misbehaviour had caught up to her, Charlie made the ultimate sacrifice to give the Christmas presents back to her sister after Santa – deliberately, surely! – put them on her side of the room. This led to the revelation that Charlie’s actions were all intended to make Sam smile, further adding to the adorableness of this storyline!

The twins were great characters, and their contrasting personalities made for entertaining viewing. Unlike in some stories, I always got the sense that the sisters really enjoyed each other’s company – even though they had wildly different perspectives on practically everything. This set up Charlie’s big act of kindness and the later revelation perfectly; it would have been harder to pull off if we’d seen the twins fighting or arguing with one another.

Still frame from That Christmas showing the Beccles twins with their gifts. — The twins on Christmas morning.

The blended family – The McNutts, Forrests, and Muljis – were an interesting bunch. I felt the adults here were a little too incompetent, perhaps… getting stranded very easily and being unable to get themselves out of the situation by, y’know, walking a few metres. But that can be a trope of kids’ fiction, and it kept the adults out of the way so that the kids could have their version of a “perfect Christmas,” free from the oppressive traditions forced upon them by their parents. As the setup for a fun story, I think it worked well enough.

The standout character here was Bernadette – the eldest of the children and the designated babysitter for her siblings and cousins. There was a duality to her characterisation: she both took a lead role in caring for the kids and giving them a wonderful and memorable Christmas – all the while keeping them distracted while their parents were missing – and then later realised her own limitations when Evie went missing. There’s a story here about growing up too fast, and how even the most mature kids are still just kids, at the end of the day.

Still frame from That Christmas showing Bernadette, Evie, and their mother. — Bernadette with Evie and her mother.

The climactic search effort to save Evie was fantastic. It brought everyone together and gave the kids a starring role, while still including all of the adult characters, too. A toddler lost in the snow was a plotline that had genuine stakes – and seemed to put into context all of the other conflicts, arguments, and problems that the characters had been facing. The threat to little Evie, as she wandered off into the cold night, led everyone to put their issues aside and step up to help. It was brilliantly done, well-written, and a wonderfully engaging storyline.

Evie’s disappearance had a huge impact on Bernadette, as she blamed herself for what happened. But no-one else blamed her – even her parents – and the way everyone in the community came together to help was fantastic. I also really liked the visual effect of text messages being sent across Wellington-on-Sea, represented by little text boxes above everyone’s homes. It was a very creative way to show the community spreading the word and leaping into action.

Still frame from That Christmas showing text messages about Evie going missing. — This was a very creative and powerful visual effect.

With every story in That Christmas being connected and serving a purpose, the escaped turkeys ultimately led to Evie being found – and the planning that went into every aspect of the film’s narrative was on full display. As the characters came together to celebrate finding the lost girl, I really felt how well-scripted and well-planned the entire story had been. Even aspects that seemed less interesting at first – like the over-the-top presentation of the unpleasant farmer – had all been in service of a cleverly-woven narrative, and it really was fantastic to see it all come together.

So if you’ve watched your usual festive favourites too many times this December, and you need something new… give That Christmas a chance. I really think it’s one of the best, most creative, and just plain fun Christmas films that I’ve seen in a while! And if I’m still here next Christmas – which, touch wood, I will be – I’ll definitely be firing it up again.

Still frame from That Christmas showing Danny and Ms Trapper on a quad bike. — Merry Christmas!

I really had a great time with That Christmas. It’s clever, funny, and dramatic in different places, with a great cast of young and older characters who all feel real and whose motivations seem genuine. It’s also distinctly British in its tone and setting, reminding me in more ways than one of Christmases when I was younger, as well as harkening back to perennial festive favourites like 1991’s Father Chrismas as well as Richard Curtis’ own Love Actually. If you enjoyed either of those, I daresay you’ll find a lot to love in That Christmas, too.

I’m glad this was recommended to me – and now, in turn, I pass the recommendation on to you and yours this Christmas! With a couple of days left to go before the big day, there’s still time to jump in and give That Christmas a watch. With so little on TV this Christmas, it could even be your big Christmas Day film; I think That Christmas would be fantastic in that role.

Until next time – and Merry Christmas!

That Christmas is available to stream now on Netflix. That Christmas is the copyright of Netflix and/or Locksmith Animation. This review contains the thoughts and opinions of one person only and is not intended to cause any offence.