It was a big week for streaming releases, including a pair of new holiday releases. My thoughts on the films of the week are below! As always, you can keep up with what I’m watching by following me on Letterboxd @knighthawk7734.

Candy Cane Lane (Prime Video)
Starring: Eddie Murphy, Tracee Ellis Ross, and Jillian Bell
Synopsis: We get into the full swing of the Holiday Season with the latest release from Prime Video. This one focuses on a husband and father, Chris Carver (Murphy), who is having a rough time. He’s laid off just before the holiday and latches on to a neighborhood decorating contest with a $100,000 prize as a way out. He finds a small Christmas shop run by Pepper (Bell) and buys a lot of things he thinks will help him win. But he doesn’t read all the fine print. Turns out Pepper is an Elf, and her store is a means of getting people to make agreements they can’t possibly achieve so she can imprison them for life as characters in her Christmas village scene. Can Chris, his wife Carol (Ross) and their kids achieve the mission in time to prevent Chris from becoming a glass figure? That’s only part of the challenge here. We get all the trappings of Christmas, and we get a fun family tale. The Carver family has some learning and growing to do if they hope to come together and achieve their goal. Christmas films all have a similar feel no matter the varied plot. It’s about family, the real meaning of the season and having fun along the way. Murphy and Ross are great as the leads here and I enjoyed Bell in a wild role as Pepper. We get other fun actors, including Nick Offerman, Timothy Simons, Ken Marino, Robin Thede, Chris Redd and David Alan Grier as Santa that make the film hum. This was a clever concept, a good watch and a fun ride. I enjoyed it a lot. It’s a great addition to the holiday landscape.
Rating: Rated PG for language throughout and some suggestive references.

Family Switch (Netflix)
Starring: Ed Helms, Jennifer Garner, Emma Myers, Brady Noon, and Rita Moreno
Synopsis: Another holiday film, this one a family tale that follows a familiar narrative. The Walker family is busy and approaching the holiday season, they don’t always see and appreciate each other’s talents. During a pre-holiday event, with the planets perfectly aligned and a special helper (Moreno) guiding the process, the family undergoes a swap. Mother (Garner) and daughter (Myers) swap bodies. So, too, do father (Helms) and son (Noon). Soon, it becomes a race to set things right. Along the way, that means they have to learn to appreciate each other’s struggles and perspective. We’ve seen body switch comedies before. This has some fun moments. Garner, Helms, Myers and Noon all seem to have a lot of fun with the concept and lean into the narrative. There’s also some holiday cheer and a fun cameo from Moreno. It’s a fine watch that doesn’t feel particularly compelling or original. But if you’re looking for a light family watch for the holidays, this works well.
Rating: Rated PG for suggestive material, language, teen partying and some thematic elements.

Matthew Fox is a graduate of the Radio, Television and Film program at Biola University, and a giant nerd. He spends his free time watching movies, TV, and obsessing about football. He is a member of the FSWA. You can find him @knighthawk7734 on Twitter and as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast.