5 Winter Rom-Com Favorites
It wouldn’t be winter break without a bewilderingly large selection of holiday romantic comedies cranked out by the dozen from Hallmark, Lifetime, and Netflix. (Newcomer Hulu has also entered the fray this year!) If you don’t know where to start, Professor Rysavy’s Intro to Creative Writing class has some recommendations.
Any Holiday Movie on the Hallmark Channel: Says student Kianna Bulin, “I love all of the Hallmark movies! I would always sit down on the couch with my mom and binge watch literally all of the ones that would appear that day or weekend. Most of them have the same story in the end. They all find love, and I think that’s very inspiring. It’s basically showing that everyone and anyone can find love unexpectedly or on purpose. It’s pretty cool.”
A Royal Christmas: Emily Taylor, a sweet and humble Philadelphia seamstress, is thrilled when her incredible boyfriend Leo finally pops the question with the holidays right around the corner. But his proposal includes a tiny little detail he’d never mentioned before…he’s actually Prince Leopold, heir to the throne in a small European country! When Leo’s mother, Queen Isedora, finds out about the engagement, she’s furious that her son plans to marry a commoner without her blessing, so she invites the pair to spend Christmas in Cordinia and attempts to sabotage their relationship at every turn. Will the Queen succeed in driving Leo and Emily apart, or will true love be able to conquer all the challenges standing in the way of their happily ever after? A Royal Christmas is the perfect mixture of the stories of Cinderella, The Princess Diaries, and Prince William and Kate. Like all Hallmark rom-coms, it’s cliché and predictable and wholly unrealistic, but hey—that’s what makes them so freaking irresistible. If you’re like me, a total sucker for romantic Christmas movies (especially royal ones!), then this film is for you! Watch on Saturday, Dec. 26, on the Hallmark Channel, or buy it for $9.99 on Amazon. —Mallory Allen
Merry Kissmas: Kayla is engaged to Carlton, a conceited film and stage choreographer who treats her poorly. One day, she runs into Dustin, a gentleman who is a caterer, on an elevator ride, and the two share a magical kiss. While Kayla is instantly attracted and intrigued by Dustin, Carlton begins to treat Kayla well, and Dustin becomes distant. Kayla must sort out her feelings and decide who her heart is truly with. Who will she pick? Available on Amazon Prime. —Mara Allen
A Princess For Christmas: A classic “ordinary girl,” Jules, and her family try to fit in at an estranged, wealthy family member’s manor. She falls in love with a princely bachelor, all while trying to keep her family together and give them a nice Christmas. Little does she know there’s more to him than meets the eye. Available now on Netflix. —Jasmine Hanson
Sense, Sensibility, and Snowmen: Anyone who’s had me in a literature class knows I love Jane Austen. I was surprised to discover that I’d missed an Austen-inspired holiday rom-com that debuted last winter on the Hallmark Channel: Based off a similarly named Austen novel, Sense, Sensibility, and Snowmen “centers on Christmas enthusiast party planners Ella and her sister, Marianne, who clash with their client, Edward, a not-so-jolly toy company CEO.”
You’d think that I’d know better than to get anywhere near this movie, having been burned one too many times by Hallmark’s modern-day updates of Austen’s works. After the bewilderingly terrible Unleashing Mr. Darcy (a 2016 film that set Pride and Prejudice in the dog-show world); Christmas at Pemberley Manor (the movie version of a Lunesta pill, from 2018); and Pride, Prejudice, and Mistletoe (an equally sleep-inducing offering, also from 2018), I should be way too jaded to give this thing a try.
Am I going to watch it anyway? Yes. Yes, I will. Will I probably want to gouge my eyes out with a nutcracker’s tiny little fist if I do? Sigh. Probably. Fortunately, I know several more Austen fans whom I can drag down with me. (Looking at you, Bethany Welch….)
Available on YouTube Movies or to buy from Amazon and other streaming sites. —Professor Tracy Fernandez Rysavy
Dear Santa: When privileged big-city socialite Crystal Carruthers is given an ultimatum by her parents—either find a way to change her irresponsible ways or she’ll be cut off—she’s left with no idea how to be a part of something bigger than herself. Then, Crystal finds a letter written by a seven-year-old named Olivia asking Santa Claus to bring her widowed father a new wife. Fearing the little girl’s heart will be broken if her wish doesn’t come true, Crystal tracks this father-daughter pair down and begins volunteering at Derek’s struggling soup kitchen, making it her mission to win the duo over by Christmas and in turn, prove to everyone who believes she’s nothing but a rich party girl that there’s more to her than they all thought. Full of love, laughter, and tons of heartwarming cheer, Dear Santa is the perfect romantic comedy to remind us all of the true meaning of Christmas this holiday season! Available on PeacockTV (free version). —Mallory Allen
Deadpool: I’m not a huge rom-com person so I’m saying Deadpool because that is totally a Valentine’s romance movie and February is still winter. Wade Wilson has a very healthy and secure relationship with his girlfriend in the movie. He even killed lots of bad guys to save her. Sounds romantic to me. Available on Hulu and for rental on other sites. —Derek Jepson