When discussing Christmas adjacent films, the classic go-to is Die Hard, of course. Now, I’m all for a bare-footed John McClane saving LA in an under-tank so iconic, I’m inclined to duck for cover whenever I see one of a similar style, but that is no reason to ignore all the other options a broad holiday mind has to offer. So, for anyone in need of a traditional-holiday-movie break, and for all the Scrooges who’ve yet to be visited by their own personal reformative spirits, here is a list of alternative Christmas movies that are definitely worth a watch.
10. Rocky IV (1985)
“Going in one more round when you don’t think you can—that’s what makes all the difference in your life.”
Honestly, it is my unshakeable belief that everyone should binge the Rocky series at least once per month, but if you’re not ready to join me in this ritual, then you should at least give Rocky a try this Christmas. Granted, several of the Rocky films have a Christmas scene, and Polly’s Christmas tantrum from the first film is pure holiday gold, but Rocky IV is without a doubt the most Christmas-like Rocky of them all. In this film, all it takes for underdog boxing champion Rocky Balboa to single-handedly save Christmas and end the Cold War is a quick jog through the Soviet tundra. So, strap in for yet another underdog sports movie, but this time with a Christmas twist.
9. Serendipity (2001)
“It’s 5 days before Christmas and I’m in the middle of a New York department store and he’s asking me to calm down?”
More than any other season, winter is the perfect time to snuggle into a rom-com. In Serendipity, two strangers meet at the Bloomingdales glove counter just before Christmas and sparks fly. Unfortunately, they’re both otherwise romantically entangled and their perfect night ends with a poignant farewell. Believing that if it’s meant to be, fate will bring them back together, they write their numbers in a copy of Love in the Time of Cholera and a 5-dollar bill before going their own separate ways. Several years later, they find themselves affianced to others, but the thought of what could have been prompts them to give fate a nudge. So, if you’re looking to cuddle up with a charming romance with just a hint of holiday cheer, then it just might be your destiny to watch this film.
8. Batman Returns (1992)
“A kiss under the mistletoe. You know, mistletoe can be deadly if you eat it.”
Before Christopher Nolan, Batman was more of a campy action slew of terrible one-liners but set around Christmas, this particular Batman film is perfect for superhero fans around the holidays. Floating in the sewers of Gotham, Oswald Cobblepot (the Penguin) plans a devious conquering of the city that discarded him. On the surface, Selina Kyle haunts the city as a mousy assistant turned femme fatale (Catwoman). With Penguin and Catwoman both loose in Gotham, Bruce Wayne must once again dawn his mask and cape to save the city. This silly Tim Burton action comedy can get a bit ridiculous, but the over-the-top Christmas scenery is sure to jump-start your holiday mood. Plus, it has Michelle Pfeiffer as the absolute best-ever Catwoman.
7. Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001)
“Perhaps this is the mysterious Mr. Right I have been waiting my whole life to meet. [sees reindeer sweater] Maybe not.”
The millennium had just turned when Renée Zellweger brought Bridget Jones, the quirky British woman who forced the world to decide between Colin Firth and Hugh Grant, to life. In this delightful romantic-comedy, an endearing everywoman takes you along on her hilarious inner (and outer) struggle with weight, relationships,
6. Gremlins (1984)
“You say you hate Washington’s Birthday or Thanksgiving, and nobody cares, but you say you hate Christmas and people treat you like you’re a leper.”
Few things say Christmas quite as well as good, old-fashioned consumer-criticism. This sci-fi hor-com certainly takes that route as an unwitting father brings home a holiday pet his son certainly wasn’t prepared for. There are exactly three rules to owning an adorable, furry, little mogwai: don’t expose him to light, don’t get him wet, and never, ever feed him after midnight; these rules, of course, fly right out the window. As a consequence, sleepy Kingston Falls finds itself suddenly overrun by goblin-like gremlins. This cult-classic isn’t exactly horror, but if you lean towards creature-features, then give these Christmas ghouls chance.
5. Carol (2015)
“My angel. Flung out of space.”
This dramatic LGBTQ romance is a definite must-see in my book. While completing her Christmas shopping, the glamorous and mysterious Carol meets a young and aspiring photographer, Therese. Set in the 1950s, the film centers on the growing bond and intimate relationship between these two women. When Carol finally gathers the courage to leave her husband, he threatens to invoke a “morality clause” and permanently separate her from their daughter. This forces Carol to choose between her love for Therese and her love for her child. A stunning and sentimental period romance about love and finding oneself, this is the perfect film for anyone who prefers a shot of melancholy in their holiday cup.
4. In Bruges (2008)
“There’s a Christmas tree somewhere in London with a bunch of presents underneath it that’ll never be opened. And I thought, if I survive all of this, I’d go to that house, apologize to the mother there, and accept whatever punishment she chose for me. Prison, death—didn’t matter. Because at least in prison and at least in death, you know, I wouldn’t be in fuckin’ Bruges.”
If everyone seems to be sinking into the holiday spirit without you, then you just might relate with Colin Farrell’s sulky grump from In Bruges. This dark crime drama follows two hitmen hiding out in the medieval Belgian city of Bruges after a pre-Christmas hit gone wrong. Guilt-stricken by the death of an innocent bystander, rookie-hitman Ray finds it impossible to join his companion, Ken, in falling for the charms of this fairytale location. Just as Ray begins to warm up to the city, however, a brutal struggle to survive ensues. So, if you’re more of a crime fan, but you still want to pretend you’re watching a holiday classic, then this award-winning dark comedy was made specifically for you.
3. First Blood (1982)
“I don’t think you understand. I didn’t come to rescue Rambo from you. I came here to rescue you from him.”
I suppose now is as a good a time as any to let you know that I’m a huge Sylvester Stallone fan and First Blood is definitely one of my favorite Sly films. As a Christmas film, watching the Vietnam war veteran, John Rambo, battle it out against a small-town police department seems like a bit of a stretch, but if you look closely, you’ll see that Christmas is all about. So, if you really don’t want to watch a Christmas movie, give this action-drama about brutal intolerance and PTSD a shot.
2. Edward Scissorhands (1990)
“Sweetheart, you can’t buy the necessities of life with cookies.”
The second Tim Burton film on this particular list, Edward Scissorhands is a magical tale about love and the darker corners of human nature. In a castle on the hill, a lonesome inventor has created a man, or more accurately, nearly created a man. With only the hands left to construct, the inventor dies, leaving his incomplete invention with scissors for fingers and no one to turn to. Years later, a kindly woman discovers him in the dark, abandoned mansion and takes him back to suburbia. Things seem to be going well, until love sprouts between him and a local girl. As the town starts turning against him, the residents’ intolerance and fear culminate in the harsh exile of our tragic Frankensteinian hero. So, if you’re looking for a gothic fairytale, this is the perfect holiday pick for you.
1. Catch Me If You Can (2002)
“Carl? Carl! Merry Christmas! How is it we’re always talking on Christmas, Carl? Every Christmas, I’m talking to you!”
Every year on Christmas, the young master-forger and con-artist, Frank Abagnale Jr. calls his FBI pursuant, Carl Hanratty, for a friendly chat. In this biographical crime-drama, a teenage Frank runs away from home when his parents file for divorce and start new lives as a lawyer, doctor and airline pilot. Aiming to get his parents back together by redeeming his father’s financial losses, Frank’s forgeries catch the attention of Carl, a divorced federal agent. So, if you’re all about family dramas that lead to unlikely friendships, then sink into the subtle holiday melancholy of this biographical crime film.
Did I miss your favorite alternative Christmas movie? Let me know what you’re watching this holiday season. Personally, I’m working my way through every movie that even thinks of taking place around December.
As a side note, I know the blog has been a bit movie heavy this month, and it’s quite likely to remain in this vein for just a bit longer. It just seems to me, that cold weather practically begs to be relegated into the land of hot chocolate and movies. Agreed?
