Four Netflix movies to watch if you loved ‘The Gospel of Christmas’
Netflix Christmas movies have spoilt you rotten with their perfect Christmas settings. Sure, we have chaotic Christmas commercials like The Holidate, but we still get a glimpse of families gathering by the fireplace and having the time of their lives, making it look like an absolute dream. However, Tyler Perry’s The Gospel of Christmas tells a different story.
Take Isaac, the struggling pastor at the heart of this Netflix film, who moves to New York with his wife Rebecca after inheriting his family’s neglected church. You’d think things would go smoothly afterwards, but the church is facing foreclosure, and he’s got until Christmas to save the place. One hell of a welcome!
And the problem doesn’t end with money, because Isaac’s faith takes a proper battering as temptations are hell-bent on derailing him from his mission, and that right there, you’ve got a Christmas drama where a miracle feels like the only way out.
Now, if watching Isaac fight tooth and nail for his church left you rooting for another Christmas miracle, you’re in luck, because these four Netflix films will keep you glued to the TV until Netflix brings you more of the Christmas chaos in December.
Four Netflix movies to watch if you loved The Gospel of Christmas
Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square (Debbie Allen, 2020)
Regina Fuller might just be the biggest Grinch this side of Christmas, and on top of that, this woman’s got some nerve! She has barely returned to her hometown after her father’s death before deciding to sell the land to a shopping centre developer, leaving an entire community facing eviction. Well done, Regina; that’s the spirit of Christmas. Honestly, love, read the bloody room.
Thankfully, the townspeople aren’t having any of it, and then Dolly Parton turns up as an actual angel. Regina’s icy heart is in for a reckoning. Much like The Gospel of Christmas, where Isaac fights hard to save his church, this festive musical follows a community desperate to protect what matters. Throw in some heartfelt songs and a Christmas miracle, and you’ve got yourself quite the emotional rollercoaster!
A Family Reunion Christmas (Robbie Countryman, 2019)
Folks, Christmas with the family is all fun and games until a grudge older than your oldest granny is brought up by someone and the whole gathering turns into a circus. And the McKellan family certainly knows how to put on a show, especially when M’Dear and her sisters reunite for a church Christmas pageant, only to find that keeping their singing act together might require divine intervention.
The Netflix holiday special follows the family’s festive celebrations as the sisters struggle to put their differences aside, while Grandpa takes it upon himself to teach the children a lesson. Oh, the drama! Between the squabbling and the preparations for the pageant, all you get is laughs and hearty moments.
The church setting should feel like home if you enjoyed The Gospel of Christmas, although this one trades Isaac’s financial troubles for a family comedy packed with music. You’ll get the same affection for church traditions, except these guys don’t have to save a church.
Holiday Rush (Leslie Small, 2019)
Christmas is all fun and games until the presents disappear and all the fancy plans go out the window. The biggest problem isn’t even getting the presents back but explaining to four spoilt children that money doesn’t grow on trees. The story starts with a man, Rush Williams, who has spent years giving his kids everything their hearts want, but when the popular radio DJ gets the sack just before Christmas, their lavish lifestyle comes crashing down. And naturally, the little darlings aren’t taking it particularly well.
But Rush has a trick up his sleeve. With help from producer Roxy and Aunt Jo, he’s determined to buy another radio station, even if it means tightening everyone’s belts. Much like Isaac in The Gospel of Christmas, he’s got a financial mess to sort out and a family counting on him. Throwing in the towel? Not on your nelly!
Blue Miracle (Julio Quintana, 2021)
Forget the Christmas decorations for this one, because Blue Miracle takes you out to sea for a true story that could make even the toughest viewer reach for the tissues. Set in Mexico, the film follows Omar, a caretaker fighting to keep the Casa Hogar orphanage from closing after financial troubles threaten the future of the boys under his care.
With their home hanging by a thread, Omar and the children join forces with Wade, a washed-up boat captain, to compete in a fishing tournament with a cash prize that could save the orphanage. There’s no festive backdrop here, but the connection to The Gospel of Christmas is hard to miss, as Omar finds himself in Isaac’s shoes, fighting to protect a place that means the world to his community.