Infrastructure cools off, apps soarYoung people can feel pressured to keep up with every fashion trend they see on social media. pixdeluxe/Getty Images Jai Das, president and partner at Sapphire Ventures: "A larger number of 'application layer' companies will have a breakout year with several crossing $100 million in revenues. I predict 50 companies will cross $50 million ARR while still growing 60%+, and at least 10 will hit $100 million ARR. A lot of these companies will be prosumer companies, but there will be several business application companies as well."Ben Lerer, managing partner at Lerer Hippeau: "When you get the cost of compute going down as quickly as it has, and the number of options in terms of foundational models growing as it has, you end up with a really interesting time for the application layer to thrive. If you're a startup, you can go with the flavor of the month not just a ChatGPT wrapper, or a Claude wrapper, or a Gemini wrapper, or you name it but some combination of all of them to optimize functionality, results, and the cost of those results." Lower rates kick the IPO market into gear Uwe Krejci/Getty Images Sofia Dolfe, partner at Index Ventures: "2025 is the year we will see the IPO market opening back up. There are already signs that this is on the horizon: we're seeing gradual recovery, rates have started to come down, and there are many later-stage companies with the financial profiles to go public."Michael Yang, senior managing partner at Omers: "Two kinds of companies will go public as the IPO window opens back up next year. First, the truly great businesses that are really scaled and have forecastable growth and would've gone public earlier if the IPO market was more favorable, and second, companies that entered into structured financings with dirtier terms that need to go public for timing reasons."Nima Wedlake, managing director at Thomvest Ventures: "The IPO market will remain closed for most tech companies, with a high bar for entry $300 million-plus ARR, fast growth, and cash-flow breakeven or better." As crypto prices surge, founders return to the drawing tableCoinbase CEO Brian Armstrong. Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images Nihal Mehta, general partner at Eniac: "Guidance on what the regulations could be for crypto and AI would encourage founders to build productively within those areas."Jai Das, president and partner at Sapphire Ventures: "The new administration is crypto-friendly, bringing with it an expected acceleration of crypto-based business models (especially those using stablecoins). I predict we'll have another crypto mania in 2025."Some venture funds go belly-upA woman walks on a beach blanketed with dead sardines in Tolten, Temuco, Chile. AP Photo/Felix Marquez Wesley Chan, cofounder and managing partner at FPV Ventures: "In 2025, I predict a lot of contraction for VCs, except for top funds. We're still in a downturn. Some firms shut down, a lot of firms are not doing new deals, and you will see a lot of junior-mid level employees leave." The great funding bifurcation continues iStock, BI Molly Alter, partner at Northzone: "The 'sexiest' deals will continue to raise at sky-high valuations, but for the rest of the pack, companies will need to show very specific metrics to command a strong valuation. There will be a great bifurcation into the 'haves' and the 'have-nots.'"Don Butler, managing director at Thomvest Ventures: "Startup shutdowns will increase, particularly at the seed stage, as companies run out of cash. This will influence valuations, with investors likely focusing on startups that have shown resilience or achieved meaningful milestones."Matt Murphy, partner at Menlo Ventures: "Valuations will rise as growth rates and market multiples recover, but many companies still might not grow back into their ZIRP valuations. People are over that and won't let it get in the way of pursuing opportunity. Valuations for GenAI companies will continue to be outliers based on any historical metrics." Robotaxis cover new terrain Mario Tama/Getty Images Brian Walsh, head of Wind Ventures: "2025 will be the year that we enter the age of 'robo taxis' with, first, Waymo now well along its adoption S-curve in San Francisco and expanding quickly, and, second, Tesla favorably positioned with quickly maturing best-in-class autonomy technology (no human in the loop) and an existing large fleet to scale it."Kasper Sage, managing partner at BMW i Ventures: "Autonomous fleet deployments will gain traction in controlled, high-density environments such as for applications like campus environments and logistics for heavy industries." Trump policy heralds return of megadealsMark Zuckerberg. David Zalubowski/ AP Images Aaron Jacobson, partner at NEA: "With the change of administration, I expect the return of mega M&A deals. We are going to see a 'WhatsApp' like $20 billion-plus M&A outcome for a leading AI company."Michael Yang, senior managing partner at Omers: "Big Tech will be back at the M&A table with a new administration and regulatory regime in place. They've been quieter in recent times but should be chomping at the bit to capitalize on what is still a buyer's market."Funding rounds become even more fluid Catherine Falls Commercial/Getty Images Sasha McKenzie and Van Jones, both deal leads at Wellington Access Ventures at Wellington Management: "The concept of letter rounds in VC is becoming more amorphous. We're seeing $30 million and $100 million seed rounds, raising questions about what seed even means anymore. The model is shifting towards evaluating how quickly founders can run and how disciplined they are with results, rather than hitting historically stated milestones (e.g., $1 million in revenue to raise a Series A). There will be more nuance in how VCs evaluate progress, focusing more on the operator and their ability to balance vision with execution, based on the capital they have." Multi-agent systems take center stage iStock; Rebecca Zisser/BI Aaron Jacobson, partner at NEA: "Chatbots are overhyped. Agents are under-hyped. Enterprises will move beyond the low-hanging fruit of 'GPT-wrappers' to deploy digital workers that can reason and take action to make a real business impact."Praveen Akkiraju, managing director at Insight Partners: "If 2024 was the year of LLMs, we believe 2025 will be the year of agentic AI where highly capable state-of-the-art reasoning LLMs are combined with orchestration frameworks like memory, tool calling, and user-in-the-loop processes to build AI agents that can address progressively complex business workflows."Seema Amble, partner at Andreessen Horowitz: "In the short term, human workers will be the reviewer in the loop; in the future, as trust is established over time, I expect many data-derived actions will shift toward being entirely a set of narrowly defined task-driven agents."S. Somasegar, managing director at Madrona: "The world where we each have a digital assistant that works with a collection of AI agents is probably five to ten years out. But having AI agents that can do specific tasks really, really well is happening sooner and I think we will see a ton of progress on this in 2025." Tender offers grow for a selective group of companiesElon Musk SpaceX Saul Martinez/Getty Images Ravi Viswanathan, founder and managing partner at NewView Capital: "The venture secondaries market will continue to be an important source of liquidity a trend we think is here to stay due to structural dynamics of the venture asset class."Simon Wu, partner at Cathay Innovation: "The size of tender offers has grown from millions to billions as the desire to own top-performing names by mutual funds and VCs increases, thus allowing some of the best names to stay private longer. Tenders are likely to get bigger to a selective group of companies in tandem with a more active IPO market next year." Industry-specific software takes overMark Bordo works alongside his dog Riley at Vetster, an online platform to connect people with vets. Paige Taylor White/Toronto Star via Getty Images Molly Alter, partner at Northzone: "Vertical SaaS will become more highly valued than ever, due to the increasing difficulty of differentiating a product in horizontal categories."Cathy Gao, partner at Sapphire Ventures: "Vertical software will evolve rapidly as AI moves to the agentic phase, enabling end-to-end automation of complex, industry-specific workflows that were once beyond the reach of software. By pairing deep domain expertise with intelligent automation, vertical AI will unlock new use cases, deliver outsized ROI, and become table stakes for staying competitive." Fintech roars back blackred/Getty, PM Images/Getty, Tyler Le/BI Alexa von Tobel, managing partner at Inspired Capital:"Given the new political climate, we, of course, expect to see less regulation across the board. I think we'll see acceleration in a few core categories, including fintech."Marlon Nichols, managing partner at MaC Venture Capital: "Fintech is an area I'm excited to invest in, particularly fintech startups leveraging AI to create transformative personal finance tools."Sydney Thomas, general partner at Symphonic Capital: "We are watching the regulatory environment towards fintech ease which has enabled massive speculation on what asset class will win. This also means, many startups will be required to regulate themselves, which isn't always an easy thing to do." Robots join societyOptimus, also known as Tesla Bot. Tesla Claire Yun, investor at Piva Capital: "Generative AI will continue to accelerate and supercharge robotics; simultaneously, we will see a choke point in human labor as an aging domestic workforce and protectionist policies create a sharp supply and demand imbalance. The result will be a colorful Cambrian explosion of robots as they step in to fill this gap."Bob Ma, partner at Wind Ventures: "Urban areas will have fleets of robots on sidewalks, while drones will manage suburban and rural deliveries. Enhanced speed, cost-efficiency, and sustainability will redefine retail and e-commerce, with regulations supporting wider adoption and innovation."Yuri Lee, partner at IVP: "As AI advances enable robots to move from structured, repetitive tasks to more complex and dynamic real-world applications, we'll see rapid progress in robotic perception, manipulation, and decision-making capabilities." Small language models rise in popularityMicrosoft CEO Satya Nadella. Microsoft Tasneem Dohadwala, partner at Excelestar Ventures: "Small language domain-specific models are starting to show more value. Instead of using vast swaths of the internet to train large models, these smaller models can be trained on specific datasets, such as medical journals, newspapers, or email collections. As a result, they are highly tailored and more accurate in reflecting a user's particular constraints and voice.Michael Yang, senior managing partner at Omers: "If 2024 was the year of the LLMs, 2025 will be the year of small language models (SLMs) and proprietary data sets spawning the next generation of enterprise SaaS applications. Companies have realized that data in their midst can be harnessed in new and better ways than the 'structured workflow apps' of old and by leveraging targeted SLMs, they can do work differently, more efficiently." Founders flock to private equityThoma Bravo founder and managing partner Orlando Bravo. Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images Brad Bernstein, managing partner at FTB Capital: "Despite the IPO market showing better performance in Q3'24 with proceeds already surpassing 2023 totals, structural issues like regulatory burdens and governance challenges still pose obstacles for small and mid-cap companies. Private equity markets are stepping in to fill the gap, with growth equity deals comprising a larger share of activity and providing opportunities for startups in high-growth sectors like insurtech and healthcare tech."Jai Das, president and partner at Sapphire Partners: "With the new administration, I predict we will see an uptick in exits, and much more tech M&A activity. We'll also see PE firms buying up a lot of companies once boards and management teams realize these businesses won't be able to grow at 30% at scale and ultimately, IPO." Open-source foundation models come for OpenAI and xAI's lunchElon Musk and Sam Altman Michael M. Santiago/Getty, Nordin Catic/Getty, Tyler Le/BI Aaron Jacobson, partner at NEA: "Open-source foundation models will close the gap with the leading proprietary models. On top of this we will see a significant shift away from pre-training models from scratch to fine tuning OSS models and distilling them to smaller models for faster performance."Mo Jomaa, partner at CapitalG: "I predict that in 2025 we will continue to see open source technologies consume the infrastructure layer in software. We have seen this trend play out in several categories already, including data and analytics (which led to our investment in Databricks) and observability (which drove our investment in Grafana). Enterprises will continue to adopt open source because it helps them save money, avoid vendor lock-in, and shape the product roadmaps of the technologies that they procure." Record deals and dollars flow to cyber and national securityWiz cofounder and CEO Assaf Rappaport. Kimberly White/Getty Images for TechCrunch Andrew Schoen, partner at NEA: "We will see a surge of investment into technologies critical to restarting the US industrial base and enhancing national security. A record number of deals and dollars will go into AI, automation, cybersecurity, and frontier technology serving manufacturing, supply chain, and defense markets."Jake Seid, general partner at Ballistic Ventures: "Over the next 18 months, we're going to see a lot more cybersecurity exits. While this may include an uptick in M&A activity, I expect we'll see cybersecurity companies go public in 2025 and in the first half of 2026 given how large the market for cyber products has become." Trump's tech advisors bend his earTrump's AI and crypto Czar David Sacks. Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images Samir Kumar, general partner at Touring Capital: "We should expect a lot less regulatory headwinds in 2025 for AI given David Sacks will be the AI and crypto czar for the new administration. This is likely to even result in the repeal of President Biden's executive order on AI."Francesco Ricciuti, associate at Runa Capital: "In the US, Trump is bringing prominent people from the startup and VC world in the government, and I wouldn't be surprised if the regulatory landscape will evolve towards entrepreneurship and technology."

Superman has never been done justice in video games (Warner Bros.)Enthused by the new movie trailer, a reader hopes for a Superman video game that can use the character and his villains to their full potential.As a big fan of DC Comics I was overjoyed to see the new Superman teaser trailer this week. Not only was it really good but it seems to have been very popular, with lots of views that suggest the film will be a big hit. This pleases me, as people have been saying for years that an optimistic, happy Superman would never be successful anymore, but hopefully this new film will be proof that is not true.With the terrible state of the world at the moment, we need a film that celebrates hope and goodness and while the film might not end up doing everything I want it to, it sure seems a major improvement on the awful Zack Snyder films.Naturally though, Im not here to talk about Superman films, but games. This is another thing that people like to tell you can never work, because Superman is too powerful, but most video game characters are invulnerable and grossly overpowered compared to their opponents. Theres no reason a game couldnt work, and I really hope Warner Bros. is going to give it another go.Superman has stared in dozens of games over the years, going all the way back to the Atari 2600 in the 70s. None of them have been very good, in fact the one on the N64 is famously one of the worst video games ever made. But just because nobody has made it work so far doesnt mean the ideas no good.The most recent big budget attempt (if you dont count the fun Lego Batman games) was a Superman Returns game from EA in 2006. This one was frustrating because it did a lot of things right, with a big open world to fly around and the very clever idea that while you dont take damage the city does, and if it takes too much you lose.Unfortunately, the game was pretty boring, with bad combat and samey enemies. But the damage idea is definitely something that could be used in a better game, as making sure other people arent hurt is Supermans whole thing and would be a great thing to focus on and make the gameplay feel different.Another complaint about Superman is that people say he has no good enemies, but this is nonsense. In my opinion he has one of the best rogues galleries in all comics. Because Superman is very powerful so too are his enemies, so youve got A-listers like Darkseid, Brainiac, Doomsday, Zod, Ultraman, Mongul, and Bizarro.Not only are all of them as powerful, or more so, than Superman (without needing kryptonite or magic) but two of them are so iconic their names are regular words in the dictionary, as is kryptonite. People might not realise it, but thats where the phrases brainiac and bizarro world come from.Then youve got Lex Luthor one of the most well known supervillains of all time and painfully relevant in todays world, where billionaires have more power than governments. Then theres lesser but still powerful villains like Cyborg Superman, Metallo, Parasite, Toyman, and Atomic Skull. Oh, and Mister Mxyzptlk, who is a reality-bending fifth dimensional imp that Superman has to beat by using his brains, not his fists.Some of these guys are just good at punching but others have weird gimmicks and abilities that would offer a lot more variety than the average supervillain line-up. We see in the teaser trailer that Superman is bleeding and any of the seven characters I first mentioned couldve done that to him, and probably others beside.A Superman action game absolutely could work but it shouldnt just be about fighting, it should be just as much focused on saving people, with things like runaway trains, broken dams, sinking ships cliched superhero stuff but things weve never seen in a game before, not even good ones like the Spider-Man ones.More TrendingI would love to find out that Rocksteady, or someone else, has been secretly working on a game for years but I think thats probably not likely. The problem with games today is that even if they started tomorrow, we wouldnt see it for six years or more. Thats a shame but all the more reason to start now and prove that Superman can fly as a video game as well as a movie.By reader PhantomZTo view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a webbrowser thatsupports HTML5videoUp NextThe readers features do not necessarily represent the views of GameCentral or Metro.You can submit your own 500 to 600-word reader feature at any time, which if used will be published in the next appropriate weekend slot. Just contact us at gamecentral@metro.co.uk or use our Submit Stuff page and you wont need to send an email.GameCentralExclusive analysis, latest releases, and bonus community content.This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Your information will be used in line with our Privacy Policy

Project Files: https://www.patreon.com/posts/118404399 . This is the 152nd episode of the new tutorial series on Action RPG game using Gameplay Ability System. Today we are going to add a charging effect to the sword before performing the AOE ground slam radial attack. Here we will attach a Niagara effect to the sword which attract energy from the surrounding before releasing the energy through the attack. This will be handled through a gameplay cue. But here we cannot simply use a gameplay cue and define which particle to use. We will have to override OnBurst event and add a Niagara component to the weapon. Then only the Niagara effect will be able to sample the static mesh surface locations of the sword. Animations are sponsored by: https://www.ramsterzanimations.com/ https://www2.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/greatsword-anims Full Playlist : Action RPG series with gameplay ability system: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNTm9yU0zou7XnRx5MfBbZnfMZJqC6ixz // ! https://www.patreon.com/codelikeme Patrons will have access to project files of all the stuff I do in the channel and other extra benefitsJoin this channel to get access to perks:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClb6Jh9EBV7a_Nm52Ipll_Q/join Like my facebook page for more content : https://www.facebook.com/gamedevelopersclub/ Follow me on twitter : https://twitter.com/CodeLikeMe2 Follow me on reddit : https://www.reddit.com/user/codelikeme #CodeLikeMe #unrealengine #ue5 #ue4 #indiegamedev

Baldur's Gate 3 has many customization options when it comes to building an intimidating character that can slice, smash, lockpick, freeze, or burn through any enemy or obstacle in their way. Creative or ambitious players can take advantage of these possibilities and create characters that are stronger than the average adventurer.

Fans of The Elder Scrolls have been waiting for years for more news on The Elder Scrolls 6 since Bethesda dropped its initial teaser trailer in 2018. In the years since then, the studio has released a new IP, Starfield, and continues working on The Elder Scrolls 6, which is likely the studio's focus until the game's launch. With Bethesda's focus on The Elder Scrolls 6, many players are anticipating news on it at some point in the near future, although it's unclear when that might be.

Temtem is a prime candidate for fans looking through good games in the monster-taming sub-genre. Temtem throws out 2 Temtem at a time, and these creatures moves can actually change depending on their teammates. This comes in the form of synergies. Players will want the best early team for the first few Dojos, and they can get all the Temtem they need right on the first island.

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.You've probably seen or heard about Sony's headphone WH-1000X series. The series has been around since 2016, with a new version of the series released every year or two. The WH-1000XM4 headphones are the fourth in the series, and they're currently $198 (originally $348), matching the record-low price on Amazon, according to price-checking tools. And if you order the black or silver color, you can get them delivered before Christmas. Sony WH-1000XM4 Headphones Premium Noise Canceling Overhead Headphones with Mic for Phone-Call and Alexa Voice Control. $198.00 at Amazon $348.00 Save $150.00 Get Deal Get Deal $198.00 at Amazon $348.00 Save $150.00 The WH-1000XM4 headphones came out in 2020 to an "outstanding" review from PCMag and were eclipsed by the WH-1000XM5 (which are also hitting their lowest price right now) in 2022. Although the WH-1000XM4 are four years old already, they are still one of the best value wireless headphones for audio quality you can get today. Unlike phones, headphones don't need security or software updates to stay relevant as time goes by. Excellent audio stays excellent no matter how many years go by.If you like to have conversations but don't like to take your headphones off, the WH-1000XM4's automatic conversation feature will pause your audio and turn on an ambient mic when you talk, letting sound from outside pierce through the headphones. They also have that fancy AirPod feature that resumes playing or powers off when taking them on or off.Although these headphones are renowned for their audio quality, their active noise-canceling feature is also top-notch. The app lets you customize and adjust the ANC to your liking. You can also find the right EQ so you can listen to your music how you please. These headphones will give you about 30 hours of battery life with a full charge. For the price, you won't find a better combination of audio and ANC quality than the WH-1000XM4. If you're looking for the best ANC headphones, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra are currently at Prime Day prices and are considered one of the best headphones of 2024.

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.This holiday season, give the gift of relaxationbut do not just pick up some lotion for someone and call it a day. Not to be ungrateful, but is there anything more boring than receiving another gift basket with a lotion and a loofah in it? There really isnt. There are better ways to give relaxing, self-care-focused gifts that are actually useful and cool. Please consider the following.The best gifts for skincareIn the parlance of social media, self care and skincare are nearly interchangeable a lot of the time. The good news is there are all kinds of little tools and doodads that can be used for skincare, and these make superb gifts. Depuffing gifts are nice stocking stuffers, and theyre not very pricey. I've been on a wild depuffing kick in my own life lately and use these three things consistently: Try these globes that you freeze and rub on your face ($12.98), a gua sha tool ($7.99), and a gel mask that can be frozen ($8.59). The NuFace MINI+ ($175) remains a covetable, popular present. It uses microcurrents to smooth and lift the skin, plus it's fun and high-tech.However, I've had better results with a competitor, which is even $5 cheaper: The MyoLift QT Plus ($170). It also uses microcurrent technology, but has some added perks: It uses a phone app to analyze your face and give you guidance during microcurrent sessions and comes with pads you can plug into the device and stick on your face so you don't even have to do the work of delivering the currents to yourself. I've noticed slight tightening and a little extra glowiness in my skin with consistent use.Getting someone actual chemical skincare products is difficult, since you might imply you see some kind of flaw in their face they should fix. Avoid this drama with a variety pack of sheet masks, like the Tony Moly All You Need set ($25). I have been a Tony Moly loyalist for 10 years and find their masks and other products to work much better than competitors, for what it's worth. I am especially fond of the caffeinated one foryou guessed itdepuffing.Sheet masks are simple to use, but you know whats simpler? Under-eye patches. In the last year, I switched to the Peauamie multipack, which gives you 30 pairs for $12.99. The pack comes with different varieties that address different concerns, and I use them religiously. A slam-dunk gift. Like I said, getting someone actual chemical skincare products can get dicy. But one kind is always appreciated: Products that provide hydration and improve skin texture and glowiness. I always have a COSRX Favorites set ($36) on hand. It's cleanser, toner, snail mucin (gross but effective!), and moisturizer. Nothing offensive there. Also, a tip: I usually see this set at Marshalls for about $16, so it's definitely possible to get it cheaper if you're going shopping in-store. The best gifts for relaxingWhen its time to relax, you need no less than four products to make it perfect. These are just the rules. We live in a very materialistic society and unwinding from the capitalist grind often paradoxically requires stuff.Shower steamers are cool because they serve no purpose other than to relax you. Theyre like bath bombs, but they release scents in the shower. Its pretty straightforward and they make a nice stocking stuffer. You can get seven for $9.99 at Target.I run through these quickly.A random candle from that gimmicky aisle at the checkout of TJMaxx only shows you put no thought into your gift. But a trendy candle? Thats different. Homesick candles ($28.50 and up) are big, as are birthdate candles ($48.99) and the ever-popular Maison Margiela Replica candles ($70). Win the holidays outright with a Diptyque candle ($45 or $74, depending on size).Everyone loves the Comfy ($49.99), a truly gigantic oversized sweatshirt made of blanket material that is ideal for shuffling around the house in a relaxed daze.One tried-and-true option here is a massage gun, but you should go big or go home: Homedics has a heated one available for $49.99.

We may earn a commission from links on this page.The holidays are a time for big emotions. The weather can get extreme, theres too much to do, and family gatherings offer up wild swings of intense feeling: joy, excitement, apprehension, annoyance, exhaustion. The movies (and life) teach us that any holiday meal with a sufficient number of guests must involve drama of some sort: Somebodys pregnant, somebodys getting married or divorced, someones coming out of the closet, someones dying. The season truly has it all.Movies offer us the opportunity to escape from all that by watching other people deal with their dramaand were not so much interested in subtlety and nuance, because thats not whats in the air. Is it even a Christmas movie if youre not bawling into your eggnog? Many of the saddest Christmas movies share very similar plot beats (its Dickens world; were just living in it), but its in the execution that they rise or fall. The most successful of them take big swings and hit us right where we live.Its a Wonderful Life (1946) Obviously. Its easy to dismiss Its a Wonderful Life as over-played holiday schmaltz; constant public-domain airings resurrected it from near-obscurity, but also turned it into seasonal wallpaper. Its always playing in the background, but nobodys paying all that much attentionwhich is too bad, given that its a much weirder and more nuanced film than the bit about angels and bell-ringing would suggest. We can only watch as George Bailey compromise his dreams over and over again, only to find that what little he has built rests on a house of cards. America, amirite? Theres real emotion in Georges breakdown, and a (mostly) satisfying catharsis in the ending, which is harder won than in many other gentler, cozier Christmas classics. You can stream It's a Wonderful Life on Prime Video and The Roku Channel. Its a Wonderful Life (1946) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Carol (2015) The chemistry between Rooney Maras Therese and Cate Blanchetts Carol is palpable from the moment their eyes meet across a crowded department storebut its the 1950s, and theirs is a love that dare not speak its name, even to one another. Queerphobia was, as we all know, entirely eradicated decades ago, so it might seem odd that a gay romance would raise eyebrows, but thats just how things were back then. The women suffer for their love, but the tears come less when things are going bad as when it starts to feel like they might just possibly start to go a little right. You can stream Carol on Paramount+ and Netflix or rent it from Prime Video. Carol (2015) at Paramount+ Learn More Learn More at Paramount+ The Best Man Holiday (2013) The sequel to 2013's The Best Man, this one quickly updates us on the fallout from that earlier film before moving into new territory (its not strictly necessary to have seen the original if youre looking to dive straight into the holiday festivities). Morris Chestnut, Taye Diggs, Regina Hall, Terrence Howard, and Sanaa Lathan lead the sequel, which offers a bold blend of off-color humor, hot shirtless guys, sincere religious themes, and shamelessly heartbreaking plot twists. It all somehow mostly holds together. Its a well-acted soap opera with over-the-top moments of comedy, family drama, and tragedy, hitting every emotional beat youd want from a holiday movie. You can stream The Best Man Holiday on Prime Video. The Best Man Holiday (2013) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Joyeux Nol (2005) A fictionalized version of a true story, this Academy Award nominee deals with an unusual moment during the first year of World War I, when, at several points along the front lines, French, German, and British soldiers called a series of informal truces, often mingling to celebrate Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The German Crown Prince even sent the lead singer of the Berlin opera to perform along the front lines, entertaining both sides. In dramatizing the event, the filmmakers understand that the truce was both glorious and absurd. Those complicated feelings, and the knowledge that what were seeing represents a momentary lull in a war that would continue for years, make for powerful emotional moments. You can stream Joyeux Nol on Paramount+ or rent it from Prime Video. Joyeux Nol (2005) at Paramount+ Learn More Learn More at Paramount+ A Midnight Clear (1992) A different war, and a different Christmas truce (after a fashion) feature in Keith Gordon's A Midnight Clear, set during the Battle of the Bulge near the end of World War II. A small, inexperienced intelligence squad is sent to occupy an abandoned chateau to gather information on German movements. The Germans quickly have them dead to rights, but step away and, instead, begin to send signals (Christmas carols; a snowball fight) that they're not interested in fighting anymore. They realize that the war is coming to an end, and they hope to make a deal with the Americans: a mock fight and a quick surrender to avoid bloodshed. Of course, what sounds reasonable to soldiers on the frontline is completely anathema to the ones giving the orders. You can stream A Midnight Clear on Prime Video, Peacock, and Tubi. A Midnight Clear (1992) at Peacock Learn More Learn More at Peacock Stepmom (1998) The ingredients for a fairly typical seasonal comedy (or dramedy, anyway) are all here: Chris Columbus (Home Alone, Mrs. Doubtfire) directs Susan Sarandon as Jackie, a woman forced to spend the holidays with her ex-husband's girlfriend (played by Julia Roberts). The reason for this meeting, however, is less the stuff of rom-coms: Jackie has lymphoma, and neither she nor we are given any false optimism. She's dying, and this younger woman will likely become a stepmother to her children. Both the relationship between the two, and Jackie's illness, come to a head at Christmas time.You can rent Stepmom from Prime Video. Stepmom (1998) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video The Christmas Tree (1969) Terence Young, best known for his early James Bond films, directs William Holden as Laurent Sgur, a wealthy Frenchman on the verge of a new romance who learns that his 10-year-old son Pascal is dying following exposure to radiation. Determined to make his son's last days as special as possible, the three embark on a series of small adventures. The tone isn't overtly tearjerking, but there's no escaping the poignance of the central message about appreciating what you while you have it. You can stream The Christmas Tree on Tubi. The Christmas Tree (1969) at Tubi Learn More Learn More at Tubi Meet Me in St. Louis (1944) For a musical thats perhaps best known for Judy Garlands epic ode to old-timey streetcars, theres a surprising bit of emotional depth here. Following the upper-class Smith family for a year starting in the summer of 1903, the movie tracks changing times and changing circumstancesnothing excessively dramatic, unless youre Margaret OBriens joyfully morbid Tootie, who suddenly finds that the things that she expected never to change are more precarious than she thought possible. The key moment is Judy Garlands heartbreaking performance of Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, a song that was later brightened up for radio but that, here, implores us to enjoy what we have while we have itbecause the future is uncertain. You can stream Meet Me in St. Louis on Max and Tubi. Meet Me in St. Louis (1944) at Max Learn More Learn More at Max Full-Court Miracle (2003) Blending inspirational sports-movie stuff with a bit of holiday magic, this seasonal staple finds the young teens at Philadelphia Hebrew Academy struggling build up their basketball team in spite of their truly awful coach. A struggling outsider enters the picture, and might be the one who can put them on the right trackif only the students and faculty will put their trust in him. The moment when the local rabbi relates the story of Hanukkah in relation to the kids basketball game is honestly pretty darned effective. You can stream Full-Court Miracle on Disney+. Full-Court Miracle (2003) at Disney+ Learn More Learn More at Disney+ In the Bleak Midwinter (1995) Writer/director Kenneth Branaghs indie isnt nearly as dour (or bleak) as its title might suggest, being more of a black comedy about a depressed, out-of-work actor who gets talked into staging a Christmas production of Hamlet (very Branagh, that) in an effort to save his sisters church from greedy land developers (arent they always). The lets-put-on-a-show-to-save-whatever premise has been done, but sharp performances and the directors clear affection for Shakespeare lend the film added emotional resonance, even if youre not a sucker for stories about finding the true spirit of the season in connecting with othersbut who isnt, really? You can stream In the Bleak Midwinter (a.k.a. A Midwinter's Tale) on Hoopla. In the Bleak Midwinter (1995) at Hoopla Learn More Learn More at Hoopla One Magic Christmas (1985) The Grainger family could be forgiven for giving up on the holiday spirit entirely: Jack is out of work, and Ginnies job at the grocery store isnt enough to save the family homewhich doesnt matter much, as shes about to lose that gig too. Thats all before a botched bank robbery leaves their two kids with only one parent. Fortunately, theres an angel waiting in the wings, but hes played by Harry Dean Stanton, so definitely not the cheerful sort. Daughter Abbie winds up being the familys only hope for something resembling a happy ending, but there are a lot of reasons to shed tears before the final act. You can stream One Magic Christmas on Disney+ or rent it from Prime Video. One Magic Christmas (1985) at Disney+ Learn More Learn More at Disney+ The Family Man (2000) We cant get enough of alternate timelines and glimpses into roads not taken, and Family Man represents a slightly more modern, fully Nicolas Cage-ized, and therefore more extreme, version of the trope. Here, a boring (but successful) corporate drudge gets sucked into an alternate timeline where he married Tea Leoni (the one who got away in his native timeline) but is also jobless and stressed by his inability to provide for his family. No life is ever perfect, I guess. When returned to his own timeline, he takes the opportunity to reconnect with the old girlfriend who might have become his wifeexcept that, even with lessons learned, theres no way to get back the time they lost or the children they had in the other timeline. (Its all very that-one-episode-of-Star Trek: The Next Generation.) You can stream The Family Man on Netflix and Peacock. The Family Man (2000) at Peacock Learn More Learn More at Peacock Remember the Night (1940) With a bit of the ol Christmas spirit, otherwise tough New York District Attorney John Sargent (Fred MacMurray) agrees to let shoplifter Lee Leander (Barbara Stanwyck) out on bail, and even offers her a ride to her mothers house in Indiana on the way to his own family gathering. The trip naturally includes moments of comedy and hints of romance, but its the ambiguous, not entirely happy ending that really packs a punchsuggesting that the manipulative Lee might have been genuinely moved by her time with John. You can stream Remember the Night on Plex. Remember the Night (1940) at Plex Learn More Learn More at Plex Last Christmas (2019) Emilia Clarke and Americas sweetheart Henry Golding have tremendous chemistry as a down-on-her-luck aspiring singer and the slightly mysterious man with whom she shares a lovely and inspiring holiday season. The twist ending here will either work for you, or it really wont (either way, its hilarious on paper). I was prepared to chuckle, but it still got me in the end. You can stream Last Christmas on Max or rent it from Prime Video. Last Christmas (2019) at Max Learn More Learn More at Max The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992) I have yet to find a Muppet movie that wont leave me in a puddle, so this ones an easy addition. Its more true now than ever, thoughDisney+ has finally made available a musical segment that was cut shortly after release and that, while sporadically available in various home releases, hasnt been part of the movie for quite some time. Its a moment between Scrooge (both present and past), and Belle, whose love he cast aside before giving in to a life focused on money. The Muppet goofiness stops for just a few moments that make the emotional stakes for Scrooge clear, and gives Sir Michael Caine an opportunity to warble a tune. You can stream The Muppet Christmas Carol on Disney+. The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992) at Disney+ Learn More Learn More at Disney+ A Christmas Tale (2008) A Christmas Tale plays with some of the same ideas as does The Family Stone, even to the point of casting a legendary lead actressin this case, Catherine Deneuve as the matriarch recently diagnosed with leukemia. This French comedy-drama goes a bit deeper and darker in its exploration of family dynamics around the holidays, but also approaches its central family with more empathy, acknowledging that, as we change, so do even our most stable relationships. You can stream A Christmas Tale on AMC+. A Christmas Tale (2008) at AMC+ Learn More Learn More at AMC+ Christmas, Again (2014) A face familiar (and welcome) to American indie movie fans, Kentucker Audley stars as a Christmas-tree salesman returning home to New York, an act which only exacerbates the downward spiral of depression and a sense of failure hes been mired in for years. Hes living in a trailer and just barely getting by before a mysterious woman enters his life, alongside some weird and eclectic customers who help him fight his self-destructive impulses. There are familiar beats here, but filmed with more realism and restraint (writer-director Charles Poekel partially financed the film with money from his own depressing Christmas-tree salesman job), so the darker moments hit a bit harder, while the moments of light feel very well earned. You can stream Christmas, Again on The Roku Channel. Christmas, Again (2014) at The Roku Channel Get Deal Get Deal at The Roku Channel Klaus (2019) A charming, bespoke Santa origin story based on nothing in particular, Klaus finds the lazy son of a postmaster general in 19th-century Norway forced to a distant island town where hes tasked with delivering 6,000 letters within a year, otherwise hell be cut off from the family fortune. Arriving there, he discovers the two primary feuding families cant be bothered to send letters for him to deliver, but that an elderly widower might be able to help him in a scheme hes concocted to convince the towns children to write letters in the hopes of receiving toys in returntoys crafted by old Klaus in hope of a family that never materialized. Its all beautifully hand-animated, and the genuine emotion wrings tears with Pixar-like efficiency. I defy you not to cry during the final act. You can stream Klaus on Netflix. Klaus (2019) at Netflix Learn More Learn More at Netflix Collateral Beauty (2018) Will Smith plays an advertising executive who retreats from life following the death of his daughter. His friends and loved ones arent able to connect, and he tries to cope by writing letters to his conceptions of Love, Time, and Deathall of whom respond. Its all a bit silly, but Smith leads a fabulous cast who very nearly sell the fantastical premise, and offer some genuinely weepy moments. You can rent Collateral Beauty from Apple TV. Collateral Beauty (2018) at Apple TV Learn More Learn More at Apple TV Mon Oncle Antoine (1971) Less an outright tearjerker than a quietly emotional coming-of-age story, this Qubec-set story sees young Benot helping his undertaker uncle on the day before Christmas in their rural town. The two bond, and fall out, while transporting the body of a teenager whod died unexpectedly. Once Benots hero, Antoine reveals, over the course of the day, that he hates his job and his life, and that drink has become his only escape. As a picture of growing up during troubling times, its an all-around great movie. You can stream Mon Oncle Antoine (a.k.a. My Uncle Antoine) on The Criterion Channel. Mon Oncle Antoine (1971) at The Criterion Channel Learn More Learn More at The Criterion Channel Jack Frost (1998) Though, at moments, it looks a bit like a horror movie, the Michael Keaton-starring Jack Frost is surprisingly affecting, especially for a generation of kids who saw it at just the right age. A year after the Christmas-day death of his often-absent father, his young son Charlie finds that hes been magically restored to life as a snowman on the lawn. On paper, the idea of a snowman possessed by the ghost of your dead dad mustve been a tough sell, but as a story about the deep-rooted desire for just one more day with a lost loved one, it works. You can stream Jack Frost on Hulu. Jack Frost (1998) at Hulu Learn More Learn More at Hulu Prancer (1989) This grim seasonal drama is already depressing on its facethe plot follows a young girl who determinedly maintains her holiday spirit despite the recent death of her mother, her fathers depression, and the failure of the family businessbut is somehow made all the worse for the stark realism with which director John Hancock treats the material; the movie is slowly paced, nearlu colorless, and nakedly unsentimental even when the girl rescues a wounded reindeer she is convinced fell off of Santas sleigh. The ending refuses to be too happy; the most it can offer is a reconciliation between the girl and her depressed dad, who offers that even if their whole lives continue going to shit, at least theyll still have each other. Merry Christmas! You can stream Prancer on AMC+ and MGM+. Prancer (1989) at AMC+ Learn More Learn More at AMC+ The Snowman (1982) The beautiful Oscar-nominated short film finds a young boy having a series of adventures with an especially well-crafted snowman. Suffice it to say that snow-people have all too short a season, and the lesson here winds up being a deeply poignant one about the bittersweet beauty of impermanence and change. You can stream The Snowman on Vudu and Pluto TV or watch it on YouTube, above. The Snowman (1982) at Pluto TV Learn More Learn More at Pluto TV