What movie to watch with my teens on Christmas eve?

[Sighohbarn]

In an ideal world, we would watch a brilliant new BBCish adaptation of an Agatha Christie set in a Christmassy mansion... that would be perfect.

We have had a terrible year and tbh I have no idea what's come out this year or what we've missed. I would appreciate a suggestion for a movie to watch with my kids on Christmas eve. They are teens ages 14 - 19.

• Doesn't have to be new.
• We like murder mysteries, as long as they're the cosy sort.
• We like action movies but not too violent. Nothing too grim.
• Funny is okay.
• We liked the new Knives Out.
• We liked the Jumanji movies.
• We sometimes watch Marvel stuff.
• A few years ago we enjoyed Christmas Chronicles.
• We hated Red Dead last year.

And National lampoons

We watch National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation and Home Alone every Christmas Eve
We enjoy Klaus on Netflix
Scrooged is quite funny and a bit different.
It's a series but Only Murders in the Building on Disney Plus is quite cosy and fun.
I'd also recommend Thursday Murder Club on Netflix

I've been trying to watch new Christmas things this year rather than rely on the normal Muppets, home alone, vicar of Dibley.
Honestly wish I hadn't bothered I've watched
MErry exmas
That Christmas
The family stone
Deck the halls
Oh what fun

All rubbish - it's back to Scrooged and the office Xmas special later

How about Clue (with Tim Curry)? Not new by any means but seems to have the sort of theme you'd like

What about Gosford Park?

How about The Thursday Murder Club with Helen Mirren and Pierce Brosnan?

I enjoy - black Christmas, krampus, gremlins, muppets Christmas carol, violent night and Scrooged,
on Christmas Eve we watch Elf and Die Hard

Teen ds and I watched National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation recently, it went down very well.

My teens always want to watch something they know and love on Christmas eve, not something new. Home Alone, Nativity, Arthur Christmas and the Polar Express are some of their favourites.

Was coming on to suggest Thursday Murder Club, as PP suggested.

Also agree Gosford Park.

The new Agatha Christie Kenneth Branagh film haunting in Venice? It's on Disney plus

Family Plan and Family Plan 2 - these may suit you

Champagne Romance is this year’s hallmark-type big film.

‘Murder Mystery’ starring Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler is a lot of fun, has a murder mystery element, and is set in the beautiful Lake Como area.

Miracle on 34th street - any version

Christmas Chronicles

Home alone , red one is really good. Santa gets kidnapped by a horrible witch. National lampoon Christmas vacation. Wishing you a better 2026 💐🙏❤️

Another vote for Die Hard or National Lampoon's Vacation

For an action movie, I suggest The Long Kiss Goodnight with Geena Davies and Samuel L Jackson. Don’t know where you’d find it but it’s a really good action film (with a modicum of violence) and is set at Christmas too.

Failing that, what about Gremlins? Daddy’s HomeTwo? Both Christmassy and very entertaining.

I also like Jingle All the Way and National Lampoon’s Vacation.

There are so many good Christmas films to watch!

My daughter loves Knives out and would recommend The Residence on Netflix. I think it fills your brief other than the fact it’s a series. So maybe not one for Christmas Eve but for watching another time.

Another vote for Die Hard - it’s annual in our family. Also you get to do Die Hard 2 the year after which is almost as good (don’t bother with the rest)
Elf is a runner up.

Twisters (2024) was great fun last Christmas here

If your best option would be an Agatha Christie, there are 7 or 8 on iplayer, you may not have seen/have forgotten them by now?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/search?q=agatha

Several of the Joan Hickson Marples are also available on youtube if you haven't seen those recently.

Underrated Christmas films

These might help. Love Bad Moms. Relatable!

My list:
Theres something in the barn - hilarious if a little violent all about elves good and bad
Man vs baby
Trolls/Troll 2
Tinsel town - it’s terrible but fun
Roofman

we also watch Die Hard and Muppet Christmas Carol which frankly is the greatest Christmas film ever made.

See How They Run - a murder mystery with the production of The Mousetrap as a backdrop. It’s funny and has a great cast. A great film.

Uncle Buck is our absolute favourite.
Also
Christmas Cronicles
Arthur Christmas
Polar Express
We like the Narnia films
Harry Potter (the first one for me!)
Die Hard
Paddington
Peter Rabbit
Not all these are 'christmassy' but my teens and YP love them..

We watched Conclave the other day, excellent

Die Hard
Arthur Christmas
The Polar Express
Muppets Christmas Carol
The Holdovers
Penguin Lessons