• Russia sent a ship to evacuate soldiers from its bases in Syria, per Ukrainian intelligence.
• But it broke down en route in the open sea near Portugal, Ukraine said.
• Russia is trying to secure a deal with Syria's new leadership to keep the bases, per reports.

A ship sent to evacuate Russian troops and equipment from Syria broke down while in the open sea off Portugal, according to Ukrainian intelligence.

In a Telegram post on Monday, Ukraine's main intelligence directorate said that the Sparta cargo ship's engine failed and that the crew was trying to fix the problem while the ship was drifting in the high seas.

Since the fall of Bashar Assad, Syria's longtime ruler, earlier this month, the fate of Russia's two military bases in the country — the Hmeimim air base and the Tartus naval base — has been under threat.

Russia struck a 49-year lease with Assad's government for the bases, which it has used since 2017 to project power in the Mediterranean and into Africa.

But Syrian rebels, led by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, overthrew Assad earlier this month, after a rapid two-week campaign.

Last week, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said there were "no final decisions" about Russia's bases in Syria but that Moscow is in contact with "representatives of the forces that currently control the situation" in the country.

Earlier this month, Ukraine said the Russian Sparta and Sparta II cargo ships had left Russia and were heading to Tartus to transport military equipment from the Russian base on Syria's Mediterranean coast.

The journeys required the ships to sail along stretches of European coastline to access the Mediterranean.

Russian state media said earlier this month that Syrian rebel forces now controlled Latakia province, where the Russian bases are located.

Images taken in mid-December by Maxar Technologies showed Russian aircraft still present at the base in Hmeimim, but warships no longer stationed at the nearby naval facility in Tartus.

Last week, analysts from the Institute for the Study of War said Russia was probably taking this "tentative" stance and removing some assets in case HTS decided to deny Russia a sustained military presence in Syria.

Obeida Arnaout, the spokesman for Syria's new transitional government, told the Associated Press last week that Russia should reconsider its presence and interests in Syria.

"Their interests were linked to the criminal Assad regime," he said.

"They can reconsider and take the initiatives to reach out to the new administration to show that they have no animosity with the Syrian people, and that the era of Assad regime is finally over," he added.

• Last summer, journalist Kjersti Flaa shared a video of what she called a "nightmare" interview with Blake Lively.
• Lively has accused "It Ends With Us" co-star Justin Baldoni of orchestrating a smear campaign against her.
• Flaa was mentioned in a legal complaint, but denied being part of the alleged smear campaign.

Kjersti Flaa, a Norwegian journalist who helped fuel a backlash against Blake Lively in the summer, denies being part of an alleged smear campaign against the actor.

In August, Lively was promoting her latest movie "It Ends With Us," which was overshadowed by rumors that she and her co-star and the film's director Justin Baldoni had fallen out. It culminated in a widespread backlash against Lively.

Lively alleged in a legal complaint filed Friday Baldoni, his publicists, and production company orchestrated a smear campaign against her. She accused his team of enacting a "multi-tiered" plan to "destroy" her reputation to stop complaints she made about Baldoni's behavior on the film's set from being made public.

The lawsuit also briefly mentions a video Flaa shared on YouTube at the height of the backlash, titled "The Blake Lively interview that made me want to quit my job." The video, which went viral in August, shows Lively giving a hostile response after Flaa congratulates her on her "little bump" in a 2016 interview.

On Saturday, Flaa denied claims she worked with the team Lively alleged carried out the smear campaign, after the lawsuit and a New York Times article connected her to it.

"This is what I do for a living. I would never accept money to jeopardize my integrity as a journalist," Flaa said in a YouTube video.

Flaa said she wasn't aware of the backlash against Lively and posted the video because she didn't like "It Ends With Us," had a bad experience with Lively, and "had enough of Hollywood."

"I know nothing about Justin Baldoni. I know nothing about his PR team, and I definitely would never work with a PR team under any circumstances to put hate out there on the internet against someone or to smear someone. I would never ever do that," Flaa said, adding that she thought the messages sent by members of Baldoni's team used in the lawsuit were "disgusting."

Flaa said Lively should take accountability for her "tone-deaf" promotion of "It Ends With Us," such as not talking about the domestic violence element of the story, which fueled the backlash over the summer. The film is about a florist who ends up in an abusive relationship.

In Lively's lawsuit, she said that the cast was contractually obligated to follow a marketing plan created by Sony Pictures Entertainment, the distributor of the film, to avoid talking in a way that made the movie appear "sad."

Flaa ended the video by inviting Lively on her show. However, she changed her tune on Monday when she posted another video in which she accused Lively's team of trying to undermine her credibility to rebuild the actor's reputation.

Flaa said she has received hate mail and accusations that she was being paid to "smear other women."

"I just don't want to be a part of this whole mess. U never asked to be a part of it," she said. "So please stop spreading lies about me." ← was this a written comment? Checking why we have 'U'

• "Squid Game" season one premiered on Netflix three years ago.
• The Korean-language series is one of Netflix's biggest shows ever and was renewed for a second season.
• Here's a recap of everything important you need to remember from season one.

Back in 2021, "Squid Game" premiered, and the buzzy show quickly turned into a global sensation.

The Korean-language Netflix series, created by Hwang Dong-hyuk and starring Lee Jung-jae, is broadly about how adverse financial situations drive people to desperation. In the show, which is set in South Korea, people in heavy debt are invited to participate in a shady game with the promise of a monetary reward. What they don't realize upon joining, however, is that they'll be killed if they lose.

"Squid Game" is one of Netflix's biggest hits ever, to the extent that the streamer even spun it off into a reality series called "Squid Game: The Challenge." Despite the fact that it's endured as a pop culture phenomenon, it's been three years since the first season was released on Netflix.

Ahead of "Squid Game" season two's premiere on December 26, here's everything you need to remember about what happened in season one.

Seong Gi-hun decided to join the games after falling into debt

At the beginning of "Squid Game," Seong Gi-hun is a down-on-his-luck man who, following his divorce, lives with his mother. Hounded by loan sharks and unable to take his daughter Ga-yeong out for her birthday, Gi-hun encounters a recruiter who invites him to participate in a game with a monetary reward.

Gi-hun agrees, and is taken with 455 other players to a mysterious facility. There, he's assigned the player number 456 and encounters his old friend Cho Sang-woo (player 218) who has also fallen into deep debt. Gi-hun also befriends player 001, an old man named Oh Il-nam, and recognizes player 067, Kang Sae-byeok, as a woman who pickpocketed him outside of the games.

Sae-byeok is a North Korean defector attempting to bring her mother to South Korea and provide for her younger brother. Other relevant players include Ali (Player 199), a Pakistani immigrant attempting to provide for his wife and child; Han Mi-nyeo (player 212), a woman who relies on allies to survive the games; and Deok-su (Player 101), a gangster whose comrades sold him out in the outside world.

Guards inform the players that should they win six games, they'll win billions of Korean won.

The first game, 'Red Light, Green Light,' is a bloodbath — but the players still return after.

Gi-hun and the other participants quickly realize that they're in mortal peril when players who fail the first game, "Red Light, Green Light," are immediately gunned down. However, for every player who dies in the games, 100 million won gets added to the prize pot.

Gi-hun and the above players all make it through the first game. The surviving players vote to leave the game without any of the winnings. When presented with the choice outside the game, however, they choose to return. Gi-hun chooses to play after realizing that he can't pay for his mother's diabetes treatment.

Detective Hwang Jun-ho investigates the games, believing they may be tied to his brother's disappearance.

While briefly back in the outside world, Gi-hun attempts to expose the games to the police but fails.

However, detective Hwang Jun-ho notices similarities between Gi-hun's story and the disappearance of his brother, and decides to follow Gi-hun back to the island when he returns to the game. Once there, he poses as a guard. While undercover, Jun-ho discovers a secret organ-harvesting ring led by the game's guards.

Jun-ho eventually finds the games' archives and records, which indicate that his brother was a previous player.

In episode seven, when a group of VIP guests arrive, Jun-ho goes undercover as a waiter to find out more about their identities. After separating one from the rest of the group, he threatens him with a gun and interrogates him about the games.

In episode eight, Jun-ho escapes to another island but is tracked down by the Front Man, the boss of the games, and a group of guards.

The Front Man takes off his mask and reveals he is In-ho, Jun-ho's lost brother, and asks Jun-ho to join him. When Jun-ho declines, In-ho shoots him and Jun-ho seemingly falls off a cliff to his death.

Players begin to form alliances over the next rounds of games.

Gi-hun, Ali, Sang-woo, and Il-nam form one group and are the main focus after the first game. Han Mi-nyeo tries to join Deok-su and begins a sexual relationship with him. Sae-byeok tries to get through the games alone.

The second round is Dalgona, in which players have to cut shapes out of a sugar honeycomb biscuit without breaking it. Sang-woo figures out the game before it starts but tricks his group into splitting up, leading to Gi-hun picking the hardest shape (umbrella). Gi-hun still makes it through after figuring out it is easier to break the shape out by licking the biscuit.

The third game is tug-of-war, in which two teams of 10 pull a rope across a high platform. The losing team's members are pulled over the edge to their death.

Gi-hun and his allies, now including Sae-byeok, split up to recruit five more people, leading to three men and a woman, Ji-yeong (player 240), joining the team. Deok-su betrays Mi-nyeo, kicking her out of his team of men, so she joins Gi-hun's team.

Using clever tactics, Gi-hun's team makes it through tug-of-war despite having weaker people.

There's a secret organ-harvesting sect within the organization.

In episode four, we learn that some of the guards are harvesting the body parts of the players killed in the games to sell on the black market.

They hire Byeong-gi (Player 111), a doctor, to perform the surgery to safely remove the organs. The guards buy his allegiance by giving him the secrets of the next game so he can stay alive, and he uses that information to ally with Deok-su and his group of strong men.

In episode five, the organ smuggling ring falls apart when the guards are unable to tell Byeong-gi what the next game is. He freaks out, kills a guard, and tries to escape. The Front Man tracks down Byeong-gi and the remaining guard and kills them both.

In episode four, the players riot.

After Deok-su accidentally kills another player during a confrontation over food, the players learn they can kill each other outside the games without any consequences and still increase the prize fund.

When the lights go out for bedtime, the players turn on each other. Amid the chaos, Gi-hun and his allies protect Sae-byeok from Deok-su and his cronies. Before there is more bloodshed, Il-nam cries out that everyone should "stop this madness," and the guards intervene and end the riot.

While the guards check the bodies, Jun-ho, still disguised as a guard, approaches Gi-hun and asks him if he has seen his brother, Hwang In-ho. Gi-hun says players don't use names inside the games, so he doesn't know.

Gi-hun bonds with Il-nam.

One night between the games, Gi-hun and his team form a barricade to stop themselves from getting attacked.

While Gi-hun and Il-nam are on watch duty, Gi-hun daydreams about the time he went on strike with his fellow employees at a motor company and was mercilessly attacked by the police.

He then talks about the experience with Il-nam, explaining that they went on strike and barricaded themselves in the company building after the company laid off Gi-hun and a group of employees who had been working there for over a decade.

Then Il-nam falls ill, and Gi-hun looks after him.

Players turn against each other in the Marbles game.

In this game, everyone pairs up. The twist, however, is that their partner will be their opponent: They will play games against each other until one person is the winner and the loser is killed.

Ali and Sang-woo pair up and play a game where you have to guess if there's an even or odd number of marbles in a hidden hand. Ali, who has never played the game before, has a streak of wins, so Sang-woo begs for his life and then tricks Ali into believing they both can win by sticking together. Sang-Woo then steals Ali's marbles and progresses, leaving Ali to die.

Gi-hun and Il-nam play a similar game, but Il-nam begins to lose his memory and focus and wanders off. When they finally play the game, Il-nam is winning until Gi-hun starts to use Il-nam's poor memory to his advantage, lying about the guesses they make. As Gi-hun is about to win, Il-nam reveals that he knew Gi-hun was deceiving him but gives him the final marble anyway. Gi-hun progresses, and Il-nam is seemingly shot off-screen.

Ji-yeong and Sae-byeok pair up, but instead of playing, they open up about their lives. Ji-yeong reveals that she went to prison after killing her abusive father, who killed her mother. At the last moment, the pair play a game where they have to throw a marble nearest to the wall to win all the marbles. After Sae-byeok throws her marble, Ji-yeong deliberately fails her throw. She tells Sae-byeok she has nothing to live for, so she wants her to win and live life to the fullest.

Deok-su makes it through. Mi-nyeo could not find someone to pair with, so makes it through automatically.

Only three characters make it past game five.

Game five is Glass Bridge, where players have to make it across a bridge made of glass platforms. Half of the glass is tempered glass, which could survive the weight of two players, and the other half will break on impact, letting the players fall to their deaths.

The contestants must choose which path is the safe one. They're given an order and Gi-hun, Sae-byeok, and Sang-woo end up near the back of the line.

During the game, Mi-nyeo uses the opportunity to get her revenge, throwing herself and Deok-su onto one of the brittle glass platforms and to their deaths.

After Sang-woo pushes the final player in front of them to his death, Sang-woo, Gi-hun, and Sae-byeok make it across just in time before the remaining glass blows up, but shards of glass stab all three of them.

Sang-woo kills Sae-byeok but dies during the last game.

When they return from the glass bridge, Gi-hun and Sang-woo get into a fight over Sang-woo killing the other player during the glass bridge game. Sang-woo, Gi-hun, and Sae-byeok are given a feast — and at the end, each of them are left with a knife.

Sae-byeok was gravely wounded by a glass shard during the bridge game, so Gi-hun tries to protect her during the night. They promise to look after each other's family members if one of them dies in the next round.

Gi-hun attempts to kill Sang-woo in his sleep, but Sae-byeok stops him and says that he is not a killer. She passes out, and Gi-hun tries to get her medical help. Sang-woo uses this as a distraction to stab Sae-byeok in the neck, killing her.

The final game is Squid Game, where an attacker has to get to a safe area behind a defender. Gi-hun is the attacker, and Sang-woo is the defender. Sang-woo says that he killed Sae-byeok out of mercy — and to prevent Gi-hun and Sae-byeok from voting to end the game.

The game devolves into a bloody fight in the rain, with both men attempting to stab each other. Gi-hun overpowers Sang-woo but doesn't kill him. He moves toward the safe area, but attempts to convince Sang-woo to stop the game with him and leave with their lives.

Sang-woo chooses instead to stab himself, and asks Gi-hun to look after his mother. Gi-hun sees her after he is released from the game, but returns home to learn that his own mother has died.

Gi-hun discovers Il-nam is alive — and not who he appeared to be.

Gi-hun has barely touched his winnings a year after the games. One day, he receives a mysterious card with an address on it.

There he finds Il-nam (Player 001), who reveals he created the games and entered the competition to have fun because he was dying from a tumor. Il-nam also makes a wager with Gi-hun that no one will help an unconscious drunk man lying on the pavement across the street from them. Gi-hun accepts, but Il-nam dies before discovering that he was wrong.

Gi-hun is revived from this encounter, gets a haircut, and changes his hair color. He picks up Sae-byeok's brother, Kang Cheol, and takes him — and a suitcase full of money — to live with Sang-woo's mother.

Gi-hun almost leaves Korea but changes his mind.

Gi-hun prepares to fly to the United States to visit his daughter, but spots the game recruiter at the airport inviting someone else to the game.

Gi-hun chases him down, but the recruiter escapes. Gi-hun steals the invitation card from the new candidate and calls the number on the way to his plane. In-ho answers, and urges Gi-hun to get on the plane.

Gi-hun says that he can't forgive him, and turns back.

"Squid Game" season two premieres Thursday, December 26 on Netflix.

• Netflix is known for its original Christmas movies, but some are more worth your time than others.
• "The Holiday Calendar" and "A Christmas Prince: The Royal Baby" are the lowest-rated originals.
• On the other hand, animated films "Alien Xmas" and "Klaus" received top marks from reviewers. 

At this point, Netflix is known for the (sometimes cringey) holiday movies it releases every year, and this Christmas was no different. 

From "A Christmas Prince" to "Hot Frosty," here are all the Netflix original Christmas movies, ranked from worst to best. 

"The Holiday Calendar" (2018) is a sweet, if a little predictable, Christmas movie.

Critic score: 33%

Synopsis: "The Holiday Calendar" follows Abby Sutton (Kat Graham), a photographer who doesn't quite know what she wants out of life and is afraid to go after her dreams.

However, when her grandfather (Ron Cephas Jones) gives her a magical advent calendar, it helps her gain the confidence she needs to be herself.

"Kat Graham (of 'The Vampire Diaries') brings almost too many acting chops for a good holiday rom-com, but the film is still cheerily nonsensical," Lea Palmieri wrote for Decider.

"A Christmas Prince: The Royal Baby" (2019) is the lowest-rated movie in the film series.

Critic score: 36%

Synopsis: The third installment in the "Christmas Prince" series returns to Aldovia as the kingdom prepares for the holiday season, and Amber (Rose McIver) and Richard (Ben Lamb) prepare to welcome a royal baby.

However, before they can relax for their parental leave, they must restore a 600-year-old treaty between Aldovia and Penglia. 

"The weakest entry in the series feels like it's running on autopilot and introduces some problematic new elements of the mythos," Evan Dossey wrote for The Midwest Film Journal.

Lindsay Lohan and Ian Harding are bickering exes in "Our Little Secret" (2024).

Critic score: 38%

Synopsis: Ten years after an ill-timed proposal ended in heartbreak, exes Avery (Lohan) and Logan (Harding) unexpectedly reconnect when they discover their respective partners are siblings. 

In an effort to impress her new boyfriend's mother (Kristin Chenoweth) over the holidays, Avery begs Logan to keep their past relationship a secret. 

"A typically formulaic seasonal sugar rush that's only blandly mediocre, rather than so-bad-it's-good," John Nugent wrote for Empire magazine. "But Lindsay Lohan's romcom-dominance cannot be denied."

"Best. Christmas. Ever!" (2023) is a funny holiday romance.

Critic score: 40%

Synopsis: In "Best. Christmas. Ever!" Charlotte (Heather Graham) sets out to prove that her old college friend Jackie (Brandy Norwood) doesn't actually have the perfect life she brags about in her annual Christmas newsletter. 

"'Best. Christmas. Ever!' is not the most splendiferous Christmas movie ever, but it will satisfy those hungry for new sentimental holiday movies," Ferdosa Abdi wrote for Screen Rant. 

"Scrooge: A Christmas Carol" (2022) is a musical retelling of the classic tale.

Critic score: 40%

Synopsis: In the animated, musical retelling of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol," Ebenezer Scrooge (voiced by Luke Evans) is visited by three ghosts on Christmas Eve who help he see the error of his ways. 

The star-studded cast also features the voices of Olivia Colman, Jonathan Pryce, and Johnny Flynn. 

"'Scrooge: A Christmas Carol' isn't the best addition to the collection of adaptations, not by a long shot. But it's surely the glitziest," Bill Goodykoontz wrote for the Arizona Republic. 

"Holiday in the Wild" (2019) is a cheesy, light-hearted Christmas romance.

Critic score: 43%

Synopsis: "Holiday in the Wild," previously called "Christmas in the Wild," follows Kate Conrad (Kristin Davis) as she goes on her "second honeymoon" alone after her husband suddenly ends their relationship.

Throughout the African safari, Kate rediscovers herself and falls for Derek Holliston (Rob Lowe). 

"It's cheesy, it's stupid, but it's also really quite charming," wrote Stuart Heritage for The Guardian.

"Christmas Inheritance" (2017) is a romantic holiday drama.

Critic score: 43%

Synopsis: In "Christmas Inheritance," Ellen Langford (Eliza Taylor) has to travel to her father's hometown and hand-deliver an important Christmas letter in order to become the CEO of her family's gift business.

Along the way, she's surprisingly charmed by the small town's friendliness and the handsome, down-to-earth inn manager (Jake Lacy).

Dana Schwartz wrote for Entertainment Weekly, "Unlike 'A Christmas Prince,' my favorite movie of 2017, it seems to have a self-satisfied earnestness that makes you want to sit it down and go, 'Hey 'Christmas Inheritance.' What exactly do you think you're doing here?'"

Britt Robertson casts Chad Michael Murray in her all-male stage show in "The Merry Gentleman" (2024).

Critic score: 44%

Synopsis: To save her parent's small-town performance venue, Broadway dancer Ashley (Robertson) produces an all-male dance revue to bring money in.

As the Christmas-themed show comes together, Ashley finds herself falling for local handyman-turned-dancer Luke (Murray). 

"There's nothing distractingly bad about this one and there are perhaps enough boxes ticked for undemanding Christmas movie completists but because of the overcrowded space, there's also nothing here that's worth a click," Benjamin Lee wrote for The Guardian.

Emma Roberts lent her star power to "Holidate" (2020).

Critic score: 46%

Synopsis: In "Holidate," strangers Sloane (Emma Roberts) and Jackson (Luke Bracey) agree to be each other's plus-ones for every gathering in the coming year to avoid the constant judgment of their families.

But things get more complicated when it starts to become more than just a platonic agreement. 

Lisa Kennedy wrote for Variety, "'Holidate' won't change your mind about the tread-worn challenges of romantic comedies, but its leads leverage their charms nicely." 

Critics were entertained, but not wowed, by "Operation Christmas Drop" (2020).

Critic score: 50%

Synopsis: "Operation Christmas Drop" follows Erica (Graham), a congressional aid who gets sent to an Air Force base with a festive pet-project to assess whether it should remain open.

She's set on crunching numbers and cutting budgets until the base's self-proclaimed Christmas expert, Captain Andrew Jantz (Alexander Ludwig), helps her find a little holiday cheer.

Kyle Turner wrote for The New York Times, "Everything in 'Operation Christmas Drop' falls predictably into place like children nestled all snug in their beds. Each plot point and character dynamic appears predetermined, and not in a seasonally charming way."

"A Christmas Prince: The Royal Wedding" (2018) didn't hold up to the original.

Critic score: 50%

Synopsis: In the sequel to "A Christmas Prince," Prince Richard (Lamb) and Amber (McIver) prepare for their royal wedding. But scandal rocks the kingdom when money disappears and the citizens of Aldovia grow increasingly angry with their royals.

"It's cheesy, it's cringey, but most importantly, it's harmless — and worth a watch if you're in the mood for some mindless holiday cheer," Libby Torres wrote for The Daily Beast.

Nina Dobrev and Jimmy O. Yang came together for "Love Hard" (2021).

Critic score: 53%

Synopsis: At the beginning of "Love Hard," Josh (Jimmy O. Yang) catfishes Natalie (Nina Dobrev) from across the country. But when she surprises him for Christmas everything blows up in his face. 

In order to try to right his wrong, Josh helps Natalie get together with Tag (Darren Barnet) while keeping up the ruse of their relationship for his family. 

Courtney Howard wrote for Variety, "The ensuing shenanigans not only do our heroine a massive disservice by letting men manipulate her agency — they also cause us to question what exactly we're rooting for."

"The Princess Switch: Switched Again" (2020) introduced a third look-alike to the story.

Critic score: 56%

Synopsis: In the sequel to "The Princess Switch," Duchess Margaret (Vanessa Hudgens) and Kevin (Nick Sagar) are going through a rough patch, so Stacy (also Hudgens) swoops in to help. But things take a turn when another look-alike, party girl Fiona (also Hudgens), screws with their plans.

Dennis Harvey wrote for Variety, "Though inevitably the formula wears a little thinner in spots this time, it's a frothy fantasy that should satisfy viewers' itch for confectionary-looking Christmas fluff."

Vanessa Hudgens returned to her leading roles in "The Princess Switch 3: Romancing the Star" (2021).

Critic score: 57%

Synopsis: In the third installment of the "Princess Switch" franchise, Queen Margaret (Hudgens) and Princess Stacy (also Hudgens) have to team up with Margaret's scheming cousin Fiona (also Hudgens) to save the stolen Christmas star on loan from the Vatican. 

"Anyone who has seen one of these movies can just take over for the characters and guess their lines as easily as the three cousins can swap clothes and accents to impersonate one another," Helen T. Verongos wrote for The New York Times. 

"Falling for Christmas" (2022) marked Lohan's return to film.

Critic score: 62%

Synopsis: In "Falling for Christmas," heiress Sierra (Lohan) gets in a skiing accident after her influencer boyfriend (George Young) proposes to her, and it leaves her with no memory of her life — not even her name. 

Luckily, local inn owner Jake (Chord Overstreet) nurses her back to health throughout the week before Christmas. 

Noel Murray wrote for the Los Angeles Times, "The overall mood is warm and cheery, and Lohan brings a spontaneous sincerity to even the corniest scenes. The movie's wrapping is shiny and plastic, but its star quality is genuine."

Critics were surprisingly charmed by "The Princess Switch" (2018).

Critic score: 63%

Synopsis: In "The Princess Switch," Chicago-based baker Stacy (Hudgens) travels to Belgravia for the Royal Christmas Baking Contest.

But when she meets Duchess Margaret (also Hudgens), who could be her twin, Stacy agrees to switch places with her so the princess can see what "normal" life is like before she takes the throne. 

"'The Princess Switch' is a delight. If you told me last year that I would thoroughly enjoy — nay, crave — another 'Parent Trap'–like movie but starring Vanessa Hudgens ... I would have told you exactly what to do with your Christmas pastries," Emily Tannenbaum wrote for Cosmopolitan.

Reviewers called "Dolly Parton's Christmas on the Square" (2020) a fun and campy holiday flick.

Critic score: 64%

Synopsis: "Dolly Parton's Christmas on the Square" centers on a small town on the brink of extinction.

Scrooge-like town owner Regina (Christine Baranski) is planning on selling the town without a spare thought for its residents — until an angel (Dolly Parton) steps in to try and change her mind.

"'Christmas on the Square' lets the viewer kick back and indulge in all things Parton," Sarah Boesveld wrote for The Globe and Mail.

"Christmas With You" (2022) is full of music and holiday romance.

Critic score: 65%

Synopsis: In "Christmas With You," pop star Angelina (Aimee Garcia) feels like she's getting pushed out by younger singers at her record label. In order to get her name trending again and connect with her fans, she decides to grant Cristina's (Deja Monique Cruz) Christmas wish to meet her in person. 

After spending time with Cristina and her family, Angelina gets wrapped up in writing a new song with Cristina's father, Miguel (Freddie Prinze Jr.).

Courtney Howard wrote for Variety, "It's a holiday trifle for sure, but there's enough to feel satiated — if just temporarily — by the festivities on display."

"That Christmas" (2024) hits all the right spots for a festive family film.

Critic score: 66%

Synopsis: Narrated by Santa (Brian Cox) and based on a trio of children's books by "Love Actually" director Richard Curtis, the animated holiday film centers on residents of a small seaside town as a blizzard hits on Christmas Eve. 

"'That Christmas' may not be the most revolutionary holiday film, but there's enough heart, silliness, and prime messaging in this animated film to give it its wings," Sarah Musnicky wrote for But Why Tho? A Geek Community.

"The Christmas Chronicles 2" (2020) brought back the cast of loveable characters.

Critic score: 66%

Synopsis: In the second installment of the "Christmas Chronicles" series, Kate (Darby Camp) is reunited with Santa (Kurt Russell) as a cynical teenager. But she ends up helping to save Christmas (again) when a mysterious troublemaker threatens to steal it. 

Owen Gleiberman wrote for Variety, "At a harmless piece of hokum like this one, you giggle and grin a few times, you see the ruptures healed by Christmas, and you get to hang out with a Santa who's traditional but nearly cool." 

Kurt Russell delivered as Santa Claus in "The Christmas Chronicles" (2018).

Critic score: 67%

Synopsis: In "The Christmas Chronicles," after two kids try to trap Santa (Russell) and end up losing his precious bag of gifts, the hunt is on to save Christmas — and Santa is charmingly sarcastic all along the way.

Melanie McFarland wrote for Salon, "The film's no great shakes, but Russell's star power in 'The Christmas Chronicles' is a gift anyone should be happy to claim."

Most critics found "A Very Murray Christmas" (2015) to be a surprisingly poignant holiday special.

Critic score: 68%

Synopsis: In "A Very Murray Christmas," Bill Murray's (playing himself) Christmas special gets canceled because of a snowstorm. Instead, he seeks shelter in a bar where the fellow patrons are more than willing to sing a few holiday songs with him.

Jeff Jensen wrote for Entertainment Weekly, "Murray has surprising resonance. It may not be the yuletide cheer you want in a season darkened by terrorism and fear, but it does have a message that meets the moment."

Critics were charmed by the leads in "Meet Me Next Christmas" (2024).

Critic score: 69%

Synopsis: When Layla (Christina Milian) has a meet-cute at the airport with James (Kofi Siriboe), they promise to attend next year's Pentatonix Christmas concert together if they're both single.

A year later, Layla rushes to find tickets to the concert with the help of Teddy (Devale Ellis) — who soon develops feelings for her. 

"This movie was a fun ride, with countless jokes, great characters, a compelling story, and overall, a feel-good time," Brandon Avery wrote for Just My Opinion Reviews. "Don't sleep on this one because you'll be missing out on something good."

"Single All the Way" (2021) follows a best friends-to-lovers arc.

Critic score: 70%

Synopsis: In "Single All the Way," Peter (Michael Urie) convinces his best friend Nick (Philemon Chambers) to come home with him for Christmas to trick his family into thinking he's in a relationship. 

But thanks to his family's constant meddling, before long, Peter is stuck in a real and unexpected love triangle with Nick and townie James (Luke MacFarlane).

"Veteran TV writer Chad Hodge's self-aware script acknowledges all the tropes — gay and holiday — while continuing to employ them effectively," Carla Meyer wrote for the San Francisco Chronicle. 

"The Knight Before Christmas" (2019) is a holiday romance with a fantasy twist.

Critic score: 71%

Synopsis: In "The Knight Before Christmas," small-town teacher Brooke (Hudgens) helps a time-traveling, medieval knight (Josh Whitehouse) fulfill his quest.

But the more time they spend together, the more Sir Cole wonders if he really wants to succeed and return home. 

Ian Sandwell wrote for Digital Spy, "'The Knight Before Christmas' has every possible festive ingredient you could want, even a puppy in a stocking. Cynics need not apply, there's nothing here for you."

"The Noel Diary" (2022) is a touching holiday homecoming story.

Critic score: 73%

Synopsis: Based on the novel by Richard Paul Evans, "The Noel Diary" follows successful author Jake Turner (Justin Hartley) as he returns to his hometown for the holidays to settle his mother's estate. 

But after finding an intriguing diary, he teams up with Rachel (Barrett Doss), who's on her own investigative journey to uncover her family's past. 

Noel Murray wrote for the Los Angeles Times, "Ditch the mistletoe and holly and it would still be a well-crafted, well-balanced character sketch, following two lost souls as they discover what they've been missing."

"A Christmas Prince" (2017) kicked Netflix's holiday film series off with a bang.

Critic score: 73%

Synopsis: "A Christmas Prince" centers on Amber (McIver), a journalist gunning for her big break, as she goes undercover to write about the royal family of Aldovia.

Along the way, she ends up discovering a huge secret that could throw a wrench in the whole Aldovian line of succession, while also falling for the prince (Lamb). 

"It's everything you want a holiday film to be: cheesy, hopeful, a little bit ridiculous, and overall as warm and toasty as the fireplace you're watching it next to," Lea Palmieri wrote for Decider.

"A Castle for Christmas" (2021) earned winning reviews.

Critic score: 75%

Synopsis: In "A Castle for Christmas," an American writer named Sophie (Brooke Shields) sets off on a holiday vacation to Scotland in search of the castle her grandfather told her stories about as a child.

After falling in love with the property and putting an offer in on it, the only thing standing in her way is the grumpy duke (Cary Elwes) who owns it. 

"Its sincere, aspirational sentiments about it never being too late to write your own second chapter feel genuinely meaningful," Courtney Howard wrote for Variety. 

Despite its silly premise, "Hot Frosty" (2024) was a sweet surprise for many critics.

Critic score: 76%

Synopsis: Kathy Barrett (Lacey Chabert), a recently widowed café owner, is shocked when she magically brings a snowman (Dustin Milligan) to life with a simple scarf. 

As they evade questions from small-town cops, Kathy and Jack (the snowman) begin to bond as she opens herself up to the magic of the holiday season. 

"There's a sincere pleasure in slipping down the ludicrous slide that is 'Hot Frosty''s premise, in which a hot, naive, but very sweet man is the perfect Christmas wish — for Kathy and for any of us who may need a bit of comfort from a cold, cold world," Kristy Puchko wrote for Mashable.

"A Boy Called Christmas" (2021) is a fantasy holiday film full of adventure and heart.

Critic score: 83%

Synopsis: In "A Boy Called Christmas," Nikolas (Henry Lawfull) sets off on an adventure to try to find his father — who's on his own journey searching for a mystical village of elves. 

But along the way, Nikolas discovers much more than what he set out for. 

Natalia Winkleman wrote for The New York Times, "Magic abounds in 'A Boy Called Christmas,' Netflix's first prestige holiday movie of the season, but pulsing through this winning adventure tale is something even stronger: the immersive power of storytelling."

The interweaving stories in "Let It Snow" (2019) won many critics over.

Critic score: 85%

Synopsis: Based on the short stories by John Green, Lauren Myracle, and Maureen Johnson, "Let It Snow" follows a group of teenagers living in a small, Midwestern town during the holiday season. All of their stories lead to a Christmas Eve party at the local Waffle Town. 

Molly Freeman wrote for Screen Rant, "In 'Let It Snow,' Netflix delivers a cute young adult holiday romance that's comforting in its cheesiness, even if it doesn't break new ground."

Critics called "Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey" (2020) a new holiday staple.

Critic score: 91%

Synopsis: The musical holiday film centers on inventor/toymaker Jeronicus Jangle (Forest Whitaker) decades after his apprentice (Keegan-Michael Key) betrayed him by stealing his prized creation.

It's up to his granddaughter Journey (Madalen Mills) to reignite the magic in his shop and heal the wounds of his past.

"The many pleasures of this overflowing Christmas stocking of a film are sure to make it a family favorite, and most likely a family tradition," Nell Minow wrote for RogerEbert.com.

"Klaus" (2019) is an animated flick filled with Christmas myth.

Critic score: 95%

Synopsis: In "Klaus," after struggling mail carrier Jesper (voiced by Jason Schwartzman) gets reassigned to an island above the Arctic Circle, he meets mysterious carpenter Klaus (voiced by J.K. Simmons).

Their unlikely friendship melts a years-old feud in their cold town of Smeerensberg and sparks a new holiday tradition. 

"It's awkward and weird, and yet all that awkwardness and weirdness give it personality and charm and a freewheeling, nonsensical quality that feels refreshing," Bilge Ebiri wrote for Vulture.

"Alien Xmas" (2020) is the highest-rated Netflix-original holiday film.

Critic score: 100%

Synopsis: In "Alien Xmas," when a group of extraterrestrials comes to Earth to try and steal its gravity — and then everything else on the planet — the only things that can save the world are the gift-giving spirit of Christmas and a small alien named X. 

"It's a bit of a sloppy plot, but also kind of endearing in its loosey-gooseyness," John Serba wrote for Decider.

Note: All scores were current on the date of publication and are subject to change. Films without critical ratings were not included. Netflix's originals generally consist of both content created by the streaming service and content exclusive to the platform.

This story was originally published in December 2018, and most recently updated on December 23, 2024. 

Read More:

• 54 of Netflix's original romantic films, ranked from worst to best
• 15 of the best and 15 of the worst holiday movies of all time
• All of the hidden details in Netflix's original holiday movies, which are set in the same universe
• 10 actors who have played Santa Claus in movies

• A US recession in 2025 is unlikely, says Apollo's chief economist Torsten Sløk.
• The economy grew faster than expected in 2024, driven by strong consumer spending.
• Key risks for 2025 include tariffs, Nvidia earnings, and a potential inflation rebound driving rates higher.

The probability of a US recession materializing in 2025 is 0%, according to a Monday note from Torsten Sløk, the chief economist at Apollo.

He released his top 12 risks to watch for global markets in 2025, and a significant economic downturn is not one of them.

The call comes after 2024 delivered yet another year of strong economic gains, building on the gains realized in 2023. US GDP is on track to grow nearly 3% in 2024, and the economy has added about 2 million jobs.

Overall, most economists were taken by surprise. Many expected a slowdown in the economy heading into 2024. Instead, it accelerated.

"The US economy grew much faster than expected this year, supported by solid growth in consumer spending," Jan Hatzius, the top economist at Goldman Sachs, said in a note over the weekend.

So, with no recession on the horizon, what should investors be worried about?

A lot of things, according to Sløk.

At the top of his list are tariffs, which he puts at a 90% probability of being implemented by the incoming Trump administration.

Trump threatened tariffs countless times during his campaign, and he ramped up those threats after winning the election in November, even lobbing them at some of the US's closest allies, Canada and Mexico.

Another top risk for the stock market next year is Nvidia reporting earnings that disappoint investors' "inflated expectations," Sløk said, ascribing a 90% probability of that occurring.

Such an earnings miss would be a big deal for markets, which count Nvidia as the second-largest company in the world by market cap. Investors got a small taste of what that could look like after Nvidia reported its third-quarter results in late November.

While the AI chip company beat earnings estimates, its guidance failed to meet Wall Street's most lofty expectations, resulting in a 10% sell-off in the company's stock price over the next week.

Upside risks Sløk has on his radar, like a further acceleration in the US economy, the unleashing of bullish animal spirits among investors, and a boom in mergers and IPO activity. Such scenarios have between a 75% and 85% chance of occurring, according to Sløk.

But perhaps the biggest downside risk to the stock market in 2025 is Sløk's concern that a rebound in inflation will spark the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates.

That would shock investors, as the market is pricing two interest rate cuts in 2025.

"US inflation accelerates in Q1, driven higher by a strong economy, tariffs, restrictions on immigration, and seasonal factors," Sløk said, assigning a 40% probability to that scenario.

He offered the same 40% probability to the knock-on effects of that scenario, the Fed raising interest rates, and the 10-year US Treasury yield jumping above 5% before the middle of the year.

Whether the economy will be resilient in 2025 remains to be seen, but investors can closely monitor Sløk's list of risks to gauge where the market might be headed next year.