Not too long ago we compiled a list of our favorite Christmas films to watch this holiday season. Last Christmas aside all of the other titles were from years gone by. Whilst Last Christmas was moderately successful at the box office it doesn’t necessarily make it a great movie. In fact, critics absolutely panned Last Christmas right across the board. So we asked ourselves:
Where have all the great Christmas films gone?
Some of the brains over at Betway have put together this infographic highlighting our point here. Not only have they highlighted Christmas classics they have included box office earnings, favorite genres, and critics’ choices. Notice how absolutely none of these films were released after 2010 other than The Grinch remake. We don’t feel the remake should count because its drawing nostalgia from the original and it most certainly wasn’t that!
It’s safe to say it’s been a sucky decade for Christmas movies. Box office figures keep the studios happy but how many Christmas films in the last decade have kept the fans happy? Not many films today let alone just holiday movies will go down as cult classics. Film studios forcing remakes, reboots, and sequels galore and we just tend to lap it up. It’s very telling that none of the 10 highest-rated Christmas movies on IMDB were released after 2005.
Film critic Nicholas Barber – who wrote a scathing review of Last Christmas for the BBC – says the dearth of modern festive classics is the result of a change in the wider film industry.
“It’s about the budget. Hollywood just isn’t investing in this kind of film anymore,” Barber says.
“There aren’t that many low- or mid-budget British films these days. Everyone’s making Star Wars and superhero blockbusters. Then at the other extreme, you’ve got tiny little indie films, experimental arthouse films.
“There aren’t many films in the middle, and that’s where most Christmas films would have been.”
Whilst film studios seem to be shunning Christmas movies it seems as thou streaming platforms are embracing them with open arms. Netflix has released seven films in November and December of which five were romantic comedies. Netflix knows these films won’t be winning any awards anytime soon but it doesn’t matter. They’re filling a gap in the market!
Sponsored post in collaboration with Betway
