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This holiday season, Arnold Schwarzenegger plays a very buff Santa Claus, while Nicolas Cage is John Madden, who might as well be the Santa of Thanksgiving. And both arrive larger than life on your favorite streaming services.
Netflix, Amazon's Prime Video, Disney+ and their ilk are getting in on the yuletide cheer with some fresh fare you can watch at home with loved ones, from Oscar contenders to Christmas rom-coms. And there really is something for everyone, with Jessica Chastain solving mysteries in Music City, Chris Pratt teaching a kid how to handle young punks, and Cameron
Diaz embroiled in all sorts of action-comedy shenanigans.
Here's an exclusive peek at 15 new movies you can soon stream:
'Heartland' (Nov. 13)
Rocking a cowboy hat and a ton of attitude, Jessica Chastain stars in the Southern-fried mystery thriller as a troubled country music icon turned accidental detective. She returns to Nashville when her rising star niece goes missing, and when the police aren't any help, she takes it into her own hands to investigate.
Where to watch: Netflix
'Gentle Monster' (Nov. 18)
In the Austrian drama, Lucy (Léa Seydoux) is a concert pianist who moves to the countryside with her family. Her world is shattered when the police show up one morning with a search warrant looking for her husband, Philip (Laurence Rupp), and Lucy has to confront his dark secrets.
Where to watch: Netflix
'Guarding Stars' (Nov. 18)
The Christmas romantic comedy stars Leighton Meester as a bodyguard hired to protect an A-list Hollywood action star (Jared Padalecki). When he goes home to Montana for the holidays, she's tasked with playing his "pretend girlfriend" – so as not to freak out his parents – and they begin to develop real feelings for each other.
Where to watch: Netflix
'Madden' (Nov. 18)
One of pro football's biggest personalities gets a biopic, with Nicolas Cage playing Pro Football Hall of Famer John Madden. David O. Russell's dramedy tracks the NFL legend from Oakland Raiders coach to over-the-top color commentator to video-game pioneer while also digging into his relationship with best friend (and boss) Al Davis (Christian Bale).
Where to watch: Prime Video
'Steps' (Nov. 20)
In the animated comedy, Cinderella's stepsister Lilith (voiced by Ali Wong) accidentally messes up the familiar fairy tale. Lilith has to team up with Cinderella (Amanda Seyfried) – and get to know her better – in order to save the day and keep a mean girl with a magic wand (Nikki Glaser) from taking over the kingdom.
Where to watch: Netflix
'The Mosquito Bowl' (Nov. 25)
In director Pete Berg's true-life World War II drama, Nicholas Galitzine, Ray Nicholson, Bill Skarsgård and Tom Francis play college football standouts who are sent to the Pacific Theater to fight Japanese forces. They get one last joyful moment to play, in a morale-boosting game, before venturing off to a deadly battle in Okinawa.
Where to watch: Netflix
'Way of the Warrior Kid' (Nov. 25)
Chris Pratt gets his own "Karate Kid" with this coming-of-age drama. After being injured in the line of duty, a decorated Navy SEAL (Pratt) spends the summer with his middle-school nephew (Jude Hill), teaching him how to defend himself from assorted bullies as well as the art of self-respect.
Where to watch: Apple TV
'The Holy Boy' (Nov. 27)
Scary movies don't take holidays, not even during Christmas. In the folk horror flick, P.E. teacher Sergio (Michele Riondino) is new to a small Italian village where the locals ritualistically hug one of his students, teenage Matteo (Giulio Feltri). Matteo's embrace seems to mysteriously heal, but Sergio discovers dark forces at work.
Where to watch: Shudder
'La Bola Negra' (Dec. 2)
The sprawling and emotional Spanish drama tells a trio of queer stories over three time periods. A young man (Milo Quifes) in 1932 is blackballed because of his sexuality, a reluctant soldier (Guitarricadelafuente) in 1937 falls for an enemy combatant, and a historian (Carlos González) in 2017 connects the dots between them.
Where to watch: Netflix
'The Man With the Bag' (Dec. 2)
In the holiday action comedy, a disgruntled elf (Awkwafina) with a grudge and an obsession with shiny things has stolen the magical bag of one Kris Kringle (Arnold Schwarzenegger). Because Santa can't steal it himself – since that would be naughty! – he enlists the help of a thief (Alan Ritchson) to save Christmas.
Where to watch: Prime Video
'Diary of a Wimpy Kid Christmas: The Getaway' (Dec. 4)
The latest animated outing based on Jeff Kinney's beloved "Wimpy Kid" book series finds the Heffley family embarking on a holiday escape to an all-inclusive island resort. Greg Heffley (Jacob Isaac Peterson) doesn't love the idea, and naturally the trip turns sideways with pesky critters, nasty sunburns and brushes with the law.
Where to watch: Disney+
'Bad Day' (Dec. 11)
The action comedy stars Cameron Diaz as a single mom who makes a pinky promise to her daughter to attend an important soccer game. She, of course, has to weather the worst day of her life to get there, from taking her dad (Ed O'Neill) to dialysis and getting her car towed to being pursued by the cops as a wanted bank robber.
Where to watch: Netflix
'Give Me Some Sugah' (Dec. 16)
Produced by Tyler Perry, the inspirational true-life drama tells the story of Lenore Lindsey, played by Taraji P. Henson. When she doesn't get a much-deserved promotion, the Chicago woman sets out to open her own bakery – a dream she's had for 30 years – and in the process makes a life-changing discovery.
Where to watch: Netflix
'Ray Gunn' (Dec. 18)
Sam Rockwell voices the title private eye in Brad Bird's retro-futuristic animated sci-fi noir. Ray is a gumshoe hurting for clients and cash when he's hired to keep an eye on Venus Nova (Scarlett Johansson), a diva pop singer with secrets who gets Ray embroiled in a conspiracy of celebrity, aliens and murder.
Where to watch: Netflix
'Ink' (Jan. 8)
Director Danny Boyle brings a punk-rock edge to this period journalism drama. Australian businessman Rupert Murdoch (Guy Pearce) taps editor Larry Lamb (Jack O’Connell) to run The Sun, aiming to turn the laughingstock of London’s newspapers into the biggest in all of England, though these power players butt heads even as sales soar.
Where to watch: Netflix
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 15 new movies to stream before the holidays are over
