Non-Traditional Christmas Movies - inb4 Die Hard

[Judge Dredd]

Recently I heard something I've not heard for a long time. "Die Hard is not a Christmas movie."

There are many Christmas films and specials out there such as It's a Wonderful Life, Christmas Carol (any of them), Snowman, and The Great Escape. Around 2008 or so, there was a debate online and in RL about if Die Hard was a Christmas movie. The winner seemed to be that yes, Die Hard was a Christmas movie.

Unfortunately, after seeing it every year for 15 years, I'm kind of burned out on it. I branched out into other movies, only to find myself right back to that debate.

So, list non-traditional Christmas movies, what you think of them, and if you think any of these films and shows do or don't count.


To start, I have a bunch.

• Home Alone. People seem to forget this is a Christmas movie until they think back to it. I'd avoid the second film if you have political people over because there's a cameo by Donald Trump.
• Batman Returns. Second only to Die Hard in the Christmas action move department. There's also some games based on it (I really like the SNES game) if you're into that. Though don't put this one on if you have comicbook consoomers over, because Batman murders a few people and that makes some people mad.
• Invasion USA. An action film where all the terrorists team up to attack America and it's Chuck Norris to stop them, even if it doesn't make sense how he keeps turning up just in time. Fun if you're into cheesy 80s action.

Some films that might be Christmas related, but your mileage may vary.

• Edward Scissorhands. I've not seen this in ages, but I'm told it's a Christmas movie. The only part I can remember like that might be when he makes ice sculptures?
• Cobra. A Stallone action movie that takes place at Christmas. However, it's mostly sunny, and the only Christmas stuff in it is blink-and-you-miss-it background stuff.

Finally, I want to quickly mention some YouTuber stuff since they don't get brought up in usual Christmas entertainment discussion. LGR Christmas and the AVGN Christmas specials are favourite of mine. They're basically retro game reviews, LGR plays it straight, and AVGN plays for laughs. For movie reviews, you can't go wrong with Red Letter Media, but the Cinema Snob Christmas movies and Christian movie reviews are also a good time.

 

[Bubble Ba'ath]

Not much of a Christmas movie person myself. That being said, if you want one not on the list above that you can watch as a Christmas movie or not and which I am personally quite fond of, its The Green Knight.

 

[HyperboreanRightsActivist]

Stalker is very Christmas-y

 

[MrTroll]

If I ever meet anyone who says Home Alone isn't a Christmas movie I'll punch them in the face.

 

[Sand Mega]

Not a movie, but Santa Inc. is pretty unconventional, it's not often you see a christmas series made by jews.

It's also not often that you see a christmas series that's so excruciating awful it makes you wish for Jihad instead

 

[BScCollateral]

The Lion in Winter is about a family getting together for the holidays and fighting over their inheritance.
Episode 28 of the Suchet Poirot series: Theft of the Royal Ruby.
Episode 42 of the Suchet Poirot series: Poirot's Christmas
Peace on Earth (1939), Cartoon short, where grandfather squirrel explains to his grandkids that all the humans killed one another, and that is why we have Peace on Earth.
Episode 7 of Nero Wolfe, Christmas Party.
The Thin Man, 1934.
Tokyo Godfathers (2003).
Season 2 Episode 13 of Miss Fischer's Murders, Murder Under the Mistletoe (Christmas in July)
Episode 12 of Men Into Space, Christmas on the Moon.

 

[Judge Dredd]

If I ever meet anyone who says Home Alone isn't a Christmas movie I'll punch them in the face.

Or smash them in the face with an iron.

The Lion in Winter is about a family getting together for the holidays and fighting over their inheritance.

One I forgot to mention. The Ref.

I've been trying to find this movie since a friend showed me it a few years ago. The gist is Dennis Leary is a criminal that has to lay low with a family until his get away driver gets there. Problem is the family is completely dysfunctional, the mom is cheating on the dad in the hope he'll initiate a divorce, the grandparent is a bitch, the kids are brats, etc.

 

[Tablet County]

Any WWI film that covers the christmas truce might count.

 

[Twilight Twill*^]

How about Olive, the other Reindeer? It's a movie about a dog that wants to help Santa by joining his flying reindeer. As she travels to the North Pole, she's accompanied by a Penguin salesman and a curmudgeon postman who wants to ruin Christmas. The movie has notable actors in the voice cast, such as Barry Moore playing Olive ( I think) and Homer Simpsons' VA playing the mailman. Finally, the movie has a 2.5 CGI look to it that matches the children's book it was based on. I got to say, it's pretty impressive considering the movie was released in the late 90s-early 2000s. I always remembered Olive being aired on Cartoon Network around Christmas time.

 

[AnsemSoD1]

1. You can go very wrong with Bugmen Media 2. The Nightmare Before Christmas

 

[Mnutu]

Toradora. It’s been years since I watched it, but theres actually a guide on when to start watching the series over so the Christmas episode plays on Christmas.

 

[Agamemnon Busmalis]

I always watch Brazil. Sam Lowry is basically who I'm like IRL.

Or smash them in the face with an iron.

And slap him right in the face with a paint can!

 

[BScCollateral]

Any WWI film that covers the christmas truce might count.

Or, any WWII film about the Battle of the Bulge.

 

[MrTroll]

Or smash them in the face with an iron.

No, ironic violence is too good for them.

 

[Coo Coo Bird]

The thing is, there are movies set during Christmas, and movies about Christmas. Die Hard could be set at another time of the year pretty easily, but Miracle on 34th Street could not. This is probably what gets the "But is it REALLY a Christmas movie" arguments started. But even classic movies like The Shop Around the Corner use Christmas as a setting, and it adds to the film, so I'd call it a Christmas movie.

Trading Places is set during Christmas, and so is the early slasher film Black Christmas, obviously. The remakes of Black Christmas are all pretty terrible, though, so get the original. And if you like westerns, Three Godfathers is pretty good, and even though it's also been remade multiple times, most of those remakes are solid.

 

[Constellationzero]

Turbulence with Ray Liotta.

 

[Your Starter for 10]

I always think Gremlins gets shafted in the Christmas movie lists, it's a damn good movie. It's only one Phoebe Cates nude scene from being perfect.

Also Bad Santa gets forgotten a lot, but it cracks me up every time. Does the retard kid perfectly and mercilessly, and is one of the few "raunchy" comedies that's actually raunchy and funny.

 

[The Man With No Name]

Hook is kind of a Christmas movie. General winter holiday season setting and feel, but also just captures a magical childlike sense of joy. Robin Williams and Dustin Hoffman are delightful.

 

[Grin Machine]

The original Lethal Weapon is set during December (I think) and ends with a heartwarming Christmas scene. American Psycho has a Christmas party scene and that's enough of a reason for me to watch it again

 

[Judge Dredd]

The thing is, there are movies set during Christmas, and movies about Christmas. Die Hard could be set at another time of the year pretty easily, but Miracle on 34th Street could not. This is probably what gets the "But is it REALLY a Christmas movie" arguments started. But even classic movies like The Shop Around the Corner use Christmas as a setting, and it adds to the film, so I'd call it a Christmas movie.

Agreed. But I think part of it is the plot/type of movie. That feel good dramas are the only option, maybe comedies like Elf and Jingle All The Way.

These aren't films people would watch any other time of year. It's easier to explain with food. No one, at any time of year, says "I could really go for some sprouts right now" but you're expected to eat them by the truck load during Christmas. Even if you like them, it can get a bit much.

Like you said, how Christmas-y a movie is matters as well. It's why I don't consider Cobra to be a Christmas movie, because a single extra dressed as santa diving out the way during a car chase isn't enough to qualify it as a Christmas movie to me. That said, how much editing you would need to remove Christmas from the movie is difficult. You could edit Die Hard to remove the Christmas stuff, but then you'd miss classic lines like "I have a machine gun! Ho ho ho!".