Brooke Shields joins Cary Ewles in “A Castle for Christmas,” one of the many holiday films available on Netflix. (photo courtesy of Netflix)

On Netflix, you can watch a film or TV series at a faster pace, up to 150% faster. The idea of speeding through an emotional moment for the sake of binging the next thing is troubling. But some mediocre content has it coming. And the outcome can actually create a different experience altogether.

Suddenly, bad writing enjoys the same pacing as a clever “Gilmore Girls” episode. But that’s a modest reprieve from Netflix’s oft insufferable contributions to the holidays. Much holds up about them, but at least experiencing a few in quick time makes for laughable, accidental moments, though a couple need not require such coping mechanisms.

‘A Castle for Christmas’

From the director of “Pet Cemetery” comes a new chapter in holiday horror featuring “Saw’s” Cary Elwes and “The Midnight Meat Train’s” Brooke Shields. All joking aside, “A Castle for Christmas” doesn’t really have any horror in it, however novelist Sophie (Shields) recently killed off a beloved character in her latest book series, a decision loosely based on an ended marriage. Even “Scream’s” Drew Barrymore, as herself, sees through the charade. So, Sophie leaves the press tour behind, visiting a castle in Scotland overseen by a curmudgeonly, and quite broke, duke (Elwes). Then the real terror sets in as locals join the “Blue Lagoon” star in some pitchy a cappella Christmas carols, while a farm boy shows off his philanthropic side by planting two trees to replace the one he cuts to decorate.

‘Father Christmas is Back’

The greatest sin of cinema is how melodrama removes logic. In “The Devil Wears Prada,” Andy cheats on her boyfriend without recourse because the story needs a happy ending. This seasonal Brit flick pushes logic to the extremes, presenting a family so vile, so heinous, that any conclusion in their favor rings flat.

Tedious and unfunny, “Father Christmas is Back” deserves no clemency. It’s painful to experience even at 1.5 speed, which at least hurries any perilous viewers through contrived shenanigans. Why are Elizabeth Hurley, Kelsey Grammer and John Cleese here? Scholars might never know the truth.

‘Single All the Way’

I know what concerned you over the past decade: where did Marc St. James, (Michael Urie) everyone’s favorite frenemy from “Ugly Betty,” land after those charming four seasons? Only IMDb holds the answers, but he most recently rears his head in “Single All the Way,” a prime schmaltz romp.

Peter (Urie) tires of the L.A. influencer scene, especially for its limiting romantic options. Luckily, visiting home in small-town America (the actual town matters not) reminds him of what’s most important: his BFF – or maybe more – Nick (Philemon Chambers), and a family that meddles way too much. Kathy Najimy as “Christmas Carol”and Jennifer Coolige as her wacky sister provide most of the laughs in this giddy holiday flick.

‘The Princess Switch 3: Romancing the Star’

Breaking news: “The Princess Switch” is now a trilogy, joining the ranks of “Back to the Future,” “The Lord of the Rings” and Kieślowski’s “Three Colors.” To Netflix’s credit, I was wrong in my previous prediction that each new entry would require Vanessa Hudgens to portray more identical-looking characters. Three is her max.

In lieu of another Hudgens doppelgänger, we must suffer through a heist mystery. In preparation for a major Christmas event, the Vatican loans the small nation of Montenaro (Christmas films and their fictional kingdoms) a relic that goes missing. (Hold on. We saw this plot before in another trilogy, “A Christmas Prince.”)

Now Queen Margaret (Hudgens), antagonistic cousin Fiona (Hudgens) and distant relative Princess Stacy (Hudgens) join forces to uncover the truth in a film so poorly acted it might just sour your love of the season.

‘Love Hard’

OK, I can’t complain too much about this easy viewing. “Love Hard” checks a lot of trope-boxes: big city girl Natalie (Nina Dobrev from “The Vampire Diaries”) can’t find love. She complains about her loveless days in a column, she takes a chance and surprises an online match, and her love story encounters a slight hiccup prior to happily ever after.

Several softball topics throughout the film enjoy a peculiar spot between endearing and pandering, like references to both “Die Hard” and “Love Actually.” But a couple things help the story modestly succeed. Jimmy O. Yang, as Josh, makes an enjoyable counterpoint to Dobrev’s Natalie. And a few uncomfortable sequences work well for viewers who can stand that kind of humor.

‘A Boy Called Christmas’

This is why I do this Netflix experiment each year. Five out of six entries give art, taste and intelligence the bird, but there’s still that singular victory. To a degree, “A Boy Called Christmas” is this year’s “Jingle Jangle,” sans music and flashy costumes. The similarities reside in each film’s soul and charm.

This is an emotional fantasy ride through an elvish kingdom and a boy’s complicated relationship with his father. Young Nikolas (Henry Lawfull) endures heartaches that match the great joys on display here.

To say more isn’t necessary: it’s fun, occasionally sad, safely thrilling for the whole family and features some surprising names: Maggie Smith as a mysterious narrator, Kristen Wiig as an evil aunt and Oscar-nom Sally Hawkins sporting some elf ears to accompany her disdain for humans. This is the clear winner, worthy of viewing at a normal rate. That’s high praise for this genre.