If you’re sick of Christmas carols and holiday decor already, then chances are you’re not planning a screening of Miracle on 34th Street or The Santa Claus anytime soon. That doesn’t mean you have to miss out on all the festive films though.
This year, forget the Christmas classics; ‘tis the season to try something a little different. Here are 12 movies related (however distantly) to the holiday season to sit back and enjoy with a cup of ‘nog or cocoa.
1. The Nightmare Before Christmas
For those of you who prefer Halloween to Christmas, and hate to see skeletons swapped out for reindeer Nov. 1, The Nightmare Before Christmas is the movie for you. In this animated Tim Burton film, the king of Halloween Town discovers Christmas and tries to share it with his world. Chaos ensues. Oh, and it’s a musical!
2. Rent
Another holiday-ish musical worth checking out is the 2005 musical Rent. A talented cast brings this story about life in New York City’s East Village from the stage to the screen, addressing love in the early days of the HIV pandemic. The film starts on Christmas Eve, and one of the highlights is the stellar solo by the character Angel, decked out in a Christmassy red dress with white trim.
3. Edward Scissorhands
The second Tim Burton movie on this list already, Edward Scissorhands is the story an elderly woman tells to her grandchild about where the first snow comes from each year. It’s a whimsical tale of a gothic experiment gone wrong, who’s found by a young woman, and tries to make a life for himself in pastel-perfect suburbia. There’s jello salad, Avon ladies, and a dark creepy mansion to boot.
4. Trading Places
A classic ’80s comedy featuring Dan Aykroyd and Eddie Murphy, in Trading Places, two people from completely different walks of life unwittingly swap roles as part of a bet. It takes place around the holidays, so expect lots of Christmas carols on the soundtrack and a hilarious holiday office party scene. Fun fact: In Italy, Trading Places is broadcast every year, and it’s considered a Christmas classic there.
5. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
There’s nothing like a little mystery to bring people together for the holidays. In this 2005 neo-noir dark comedy, Robert Downey Jr. (as a failing thief trying to steal Christmas toys) and Val Kilmer (as a private eye) partner up with Michelle Monaghan (as a struggling actress) to try and solve a murder. This one is gut-wrenchingly funny, if a little violent.
6. 2046
If you’re looking for romance over the holidays, you can find it in 2046. This Hong Kong drama features four vignettes about one man’s relationships after losing the love of his life. There are science-fiction elements, a non-chronological and dream-like plot, and what makes it a holiday-ish film are the plentiful references to Christmas Eve throughout.
7. Gremlins
There are plenty of alternative holiday movies for kids too, and one the whole family is sure to enjoy and/or be horrified by is Gremlins. A young boy receives a mysterious fuzzy creature for Christmas, with a warning not to feed it after midnight. When he fails to heed the caution, a wave of adorably fuzzy terror is unleashed throughout the town. Think twice about showing this to really young kids, it can get a little violent.
8. An American Tail
An American Tail starts off with a young mouse named Fievel Mousekewitz celebrating Hannukah with his family in imperial Russia. It follows his adventure to America to escape to freedom. This musical is an adorable, if sometimes sad, “tail” for the whole family this holiday season.
9. The Black Candle
Whether you celebrate Kwanzaa or not, The Black Candle is a documentary worth seeing to learn more about the holiday’s history. Narrated by Maya Angelou, it looks at the seven principles of Kwanzaa, and how it grew from the Black Power movement in the 1960s into a global celebration.
10. Black Christmas
For those who prefer a scary Christmas over a merry one, Black Christmas is a classic in its own right. The 1974 horror film sees a group of sorority girls stalked over the Christmas holidays, receiving horrifying phone calls that come from closer than they can imagine. It gets bonus points for being Canadian!
11. Krampus
A second horror option, because you can never have too many, Krampus is less psychological and more fantastical than Black Christmas. A prosperous family is hunted by a creature from eastern European folklore after their son accidentally summons it after being teased for his love of the holidays. Gory, but also refreshingly funny.
12. Die Hard
Last but not least, the alternative Christmas movie so commonly associated with Christmas it almost didn’t make this list: Die Hard. Since all the action takes place on Christmas Eve, it’s quite clearly perfect for the holidays. Bruce Willis (its star) has officially gone on the record saying it is not a Christmas movie, but as we all know, he is wrong.
Ella Jane Myers is a freelance writer in Greater Sudbury. She's fueled by good grub, old sci-fi and long walks with the dog. Visit her at EllaJaneMyers.com.
