1. The Search For Santa Paws (2010)
Technically, The Search for Santa Paws is part of the Air Buddies franchise. If you think that means this Disney movie was made purely for the entertainment of children, you’d be half right. Unfortunately, someone has a pretty twisted idea of what kids should be seeing in Christmas movies.
The film features a group of adorable orphans who are neglected and borderline abused by their carer. They meet a magical and mischievous Christmas puppy, who regularly transforms into an innocuous toy whenever adults are around. The puppy is also one of the dogs of the North Pole, leading Santa’s furry friends on a search to recover their wayward pal.
The Search for Santa Paws not only shows orphans being berated and exploited, but also has a scene in which the titular puppy is thrown in an incinerator (in toy form). To save him, the film’s young protagonist climbs into the lit incinerator, prompting one of the most horrifically tense moments ever to occur in a children’s movie. It may have been made with children in mind, but The Search for Santa Paws is yet another of those Christmas movies that isn’t as suitable for kids as it should be.
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