The streaming war between Netflix and Disney+ has officially begun with the releases of Let It Snow and Noelle. The latter was included on Disney+'s launch list of titles on November 12, while Netflix tried to get a head start on their new competition by dropping Let It Snow on November 8. Both titles are considered Christmas movies, meaning that it's the first direct head-to-head competition between streaming services on the level of singular titles.
Netflix's Let It Snow is an original film based on the 2008 John Green novel, Let It Snow: Three Holiday Romances. It follows a group of teens as their lives are forever changed during a snowstorm on Christmas Eve. Let It Snow takes a page out of Love Actually's playbook by presenting multiple storylines that eventually come together in the end. The movie primarily centers on friendship and romance while the Christmas holiday serves as a backdrop. The movie also features rising stars like Kiernan Shipka, Shameik Moore, and Isabela Merced.
Noelle, on the other hand, dives deep into the fantasy that comes along with the Christmas holiday. The Disney+ original movie follows the Kringle family, most specifically, Noelle and Nick Kringle. After Nick takes over the role of Santa from his father Kris, he becomes extremely overwhelmed by the pressure. Noelle encourages her brother to take the weekend off before the big day but he ends up leaving the job permanently. Noelle is then faced with leaving the North Pole to find her brother before Christmas is ruined. With both Noelle and Let It Snow readily available on Disney+ and Netflix respectively, which title gets the win?
Why Noelle Is Better Than Let It Snow
In terms of a categorized Christmas movie, Noelle is far superior when compared to Let It Snow. Disney+'s new holiday film lacks some originality since it relies heavily on aspects already presented in films like Elf and The Santa Clause, but it serves as a pure holiday movie. Noelle also features bigger names with Anna Kendrick, Bill Hader, and Shirley McLaine in the lead roles. The fact that Noelle was developed with a theatrical release attached to the project's original plan helps, as the movie clearly had a step up on the competition from the beginning.
Noelle's focus on the lore surrounding the Christmas holiday makes it a better option to watch during the holiday season. The film carries a G-rating so it's a viable option for Disney+ viewers of all ages. As Noelle centers on the role of Santa, Noelle Kringle and the rest of the North Pole get a lesson on the true meaning of Christmas. This message has been used in various other movies but Noelle also serves up an important discussion regarding gender roles. Add those deeper themes to a tight-knit family, elves, and a team of flying reindeer and Noelle hits all the boxes on a Christmas movie checklist.
Although Noelle might win in a head-to-head matchup, Let It Snow isn't a bad movie in any regard. Noelle is the better Christmas movie option but viewers who are looking for a winter romantic comedy would be advised to stick to Netflix. Let It Snow happens to occur on Christmas Even but the relationships between the characters are the driving force behind the movie. Noelle's stakes are much higher when it comes to the holiday since it focuses more on mythology rather than reality. Often during the stressful holiday season, viewers look to escape reality which Disney+ seems to understand.