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Netflix’s Christmas movie collection is about to get smaller.
This will be the last weekend for Netflix subscribers to watch the popular holiday films “Christmas with the Kranks” and “Tangerine.”
Each film has been marked with a notice that reads: “Last day to watch on Netflix: November 30.”
“Christmas with the Kranks,” a Christmas comedy released in 2004, boasts a star-studded cast, including Tim Allen, Jamie Lee Curtis, Dan Aykroyd, Erik Per Sullivan, Cheech Marin, Jake Busey, and M. Emmet Walsh.
Based on the 2001 novel “Skipping Christmas” by John Grisham, the PG film follows Luther (Allen) and Nora Krank (Curtis), who decide to skip their Christmas celebration after their daughter, Blair (Julie Gonzalo) leaves for the Peace Corps following Thanksgiving. Instead, they opt to spend the money they would have used for decorations and presents on a 10-day Caribbean cruise. Their undecorated lawn and absent Christmas spirit do not sit well with their neighbors.
However, when their daughter calls on Christmas Eve morning to announce her unexpected return with her new fiancé, Luther and Nora must scramble to prepare a festive celebration stat.
Receiving only a 5% score on Rotten Tomatoes, the film has been met with widespread criticism. One viewer called, “One of the worst movies ever made” on IMDb. However, another argued that it was “better than average.” While a third said it “goes against the grain for all the right reasons,” adding, “perhaps ‘Christmas with the Kranks’ is simply a misunderstood film.
On the other hand, the R-rated indie film “Tangerine,” released in 2015, is not your typical holiday flick. In fact, many might not even consider it a Christmas movie, although Entertainment Weekly published a piece in 2021 titled “Why ‘Tangerine’ Is the Best Christmas Movie That’s Not Really About Christmas.”
Directed by Sean Baker, this low-budget film was shot entirely on iPhones. It features first-time actress Kitana Kiki Rodriguez, Mya Taylor, and James Ransone. While the story takes place on Christmas Eve, it doesn’t focus on the holiday as much as it does on the characters.
“Tangerine” follows two transgender sex workers — Sin-Dee Rella (Rodriguez), who is fresh out of a 28-day prison stint, and Alexandra (Taylor), an aspiring singer preparing for a performance later that evening.
The workers meet up on Dec. 24, where Alexandra informs Sin-Dee that her boyfriend and pimp, Chester (Ransone), was unfaithful while she was in the slammer. The film chronicles Sin-Dee’s desperate search through Hollywood that night to confront him and his new lover.
Receiving a 96% score on Rotten Tomatoes, “Tangerine” has garnered praise for its authentic portrayal of transgender sex workers, empathetic look at its characters’ lives, and central themes of friendship and love amidst challenging circumstances. The film was nominated for 42 awards at numerous film festivals worldwide and won 24.
Although Netflix will be nixing these two titles soon, there are still other ways to watch.
“Christmas with the Kranks” is available to rent on Prime Video or Apple TV. Meanwhile, “Tangerine” can be streamed on Peacock, or on Pluto TV for free.