What’s on my Disney+ Christmas Watchlist?

December is halfway over already! But there is still plenty of time to cozy up and watch Christmas movies. Below is a list of the movies I want to watch this holiday season and all of them can be found on Disney+.  The ones I’ve already watched have been checked off.

Mickey’s Christmas Carol

Released December 16, 1983

This movie was definitely a childhood favourite of mine, and I love to rewatch it every year. Mickey’s Christmas Carol, one of many adaptations of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, was released in North America with a theatrical reissue of The Rescuers. In the UK, the short film was paired with a reissue of The Jungle Book on October 20, 1983, and in other countries such as France and Germany, it was released with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Mickey’s Christmas Carol was Mickey Mouse’s first theatrical appearance in over 30 years. It includes a lot of Disney extras in addition to the Sensational Six including Mr. Toad and his friends, characters from Robin Hood, and the Three Little Pigs and the Big Bad Wolf. This was the last time Clarence Nash voiced Donald Duck, who had been Donald’s original voice since 1934. Mickey’s Christmas Carol was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film, and this was the first nomination a Mickey short had received since 1948’s Mickey and the Seal. Film critics have said Mickey’s Christmas Carol shows the similarities between storytellers Walt Disney and Charles Dickens.

Godmothered ✔

Released December 4, 2020

Godmothered is the newest film to make this list, only having been released earlier this month. This movie is not necessarily so much a Christmas film, but more of a film that happens to take place around Christmas time. No saving Santa or discovering the true meaning of Christmas, but the story did include added scenes such as putting up decorations. It was filmed and set in Boston. I wasn’t too sure what to expect from this movie, but Godmothered is actually really funny with lots of laugh-out-loud moments. I don’t think I’ve seen Jillian Bell in anything before, but I thought she was hilarious with some great one-liners. Godmothered was composed by Rachel Portman who also wrote the music to Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas.

Noelle ✔

Released November 12, 2019

Noelle debuted with the launch of Disney+ last November and instantly became a favorite Christmas classic of mine. I love the magical North Pole scenes and all the holiday puns. Producer Suzanne Todd calls the last scene the Girl Boss scene and it was a late addition to the film. Keep an eye out for Hidden Mickeys throughout the film!

The Lego Star Wars Holiday Special ✔

Released November 17, 2020

The Lego Star Wars Holiday Special is hilarious! It takes place after The Rise of Skywalker, though it features characters from the entire Star Wars saga, even multiple versions of the same character. Speaking of which, I loved that they added a “Han Shot First” reference in there. There were many jokes like this, making the movie basically one giant Easter egg. Overall, I think my favourite part was how ridiculous Palpatine was made to be. The Lego Star Wars Holiday Special included some of the original actors from the films such as Billy Dee Williams and Kelly Marie Tran, and also some actors who voiced the characters in The Clone Wars like Matt Lanter and James Arnold Taylor. Similar to the original Star Wars Holiday Special, which was also released on November 17 though in 1978, the characters are celebrating Life Day.

Good Luck Charlie, It’s Christmas!

Released December 2, 2011

This movie is filled with the classic Disney Channel Original Movie cheesiness. It’s not necessarily a movie I’m recommending, just one that is a fun, silly escape to watch while decorating the Christmas tree or icing cookies. The last Christmas themed DCOM, ‘Twas the Night, had been released ten years before. In the UK, the movie is known as Good Luck Charlie: The Road Trip Movie. It takes place between seasons two and three of the show Good Luck Charlie.

The Santa Clause

Released November 11, 1994

The original title for The Santa Clause was Such A Clatter. When it was pitched to Disney, the story had a much darker storyline where Scott Calvin shot Santa Claus with a gun. Yikes! It was changed to be an accidental death to be more family friendly. This was Tim Allen’s first lead film role. Director John Pasquin has a cameo in the film as Santa #6 in the police lineup—the Santa who turns the wrong way from the rest of the lineup.

Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas

Released November 11, 1997

Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas was released as direct to video. It was one of the only Disney films to be animated at Disney Animation Canada. It was released digitally for the first time on Disney+ when the streaming service was launched last year. I actually haven’t seen this movie since I was a kid, so I’m hoping it’s as good as I remember. We’ll see! The majority of the original cast from the 1992 film returned for the sequel. Forte, the pipe organ, was entirely computer animated while the rest of the characters were hand drawn.

The Muppet Christmas Carol ✔

Released December 11, 1992

This was the first Muppet movie to be produced by Walt Disney Pictures, although Disney did not acquire the franchise until 2004. This was also the first Muppet feature film to be made after Jim Henson’s death and the first to be directed by his son, Brian. In the film, Kermit looks up at a shooting star, which is a tribute to Jim Henson, and shooting stars were added to future Muppet movies as well. Gonzo and Rizzo are the narrators of the story, and they include the original dialogue from Charles Dicken’s novel. Recently a lost song from the original version that had been cut was found and is to be reinserted into the film. Currently “When Love Is Gone” is available to watch under the Extras tab on Disney+.

 

So those are the movies on my Disney+ Watchlist for this Christmas season. Which movies do you traditionally watch around Christmas? Are you adding any new ones to the list this year?