LIST: Unlikely and underrated Christmas movies

MANILA, Philippines — Tradition plays a big part in our Christmas celebrations. And while it’s great to uphold certain traditions, it couldn’t hurt to overturn a few of them. Case in point: Christmas movies.

Every family has a go-to list of movies during the holidays. To make things more interesting, why not shake-up your holiday viewing? Here’s a list of unlikely and underrated Christmas movies.

Some of the movies on this list aren’t strictly Christmas films. But they do touch on themes, or feature prominent scenes, that make for good viewing this holiday season.

Terry Pratchett’s Hogfather

 

Hogfather is required viewing for anyone tired of the usual cheesy Christmas fare. The two-part movie is based on Pratchett’s novel of the same name. Set in the ludicrous Discworld universe, Hogfather tells the story of how Death is forced to fill-in for the missing Hogfather (the Discworld equivalent of Santa Claus).

As to be expected from a Terry Pratchett piece, Hogfather is full of oddball characters and shenanigans.

 

Home Alone 2: Lost in New York

 

While the first Home Alone movie is a Christmas staple, Home Alone 2 also deserves some holiday love. Sure, Home Alone 2 recycles some of the concepts from the first movie, albeit with bigger sets and a Donald Trump cameo, but the movie stars Tim Curry as Kevin McAllister’s foil. Tim Curry is an absolute gem in this movie (no offense to Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern, who are also awesome). Home Alone 2 is a must-see during the holidays.

 

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

This is the first move on the list that isn’t exactly a Christmas film. But the Harry Potter film series has given us so many great Christmas moments — from the snowfall inside the Great Hall in Chamber of Secrets, to the entire Godric’s Hollow sequence in Deathly Hallows — that I just had to include a movie from the series on the list.

While the Yuletide motifs in succeeding movies got bigger, grander (see: the Yule Ball in Goblet of Fire), Sorcerer’s Stone deserves a spot on this list. This movie gave us so many classic moments, such as Hagrid dragging that giant pinetree through the snow and the Christmas at Hogwarts carol. This is also where Harry receives the invisibility cloak as a gift, which will later prove to be one of the most important artifacts in Potter lore.

 

Die Hard

Yeah, Die Hard’s status as a Christmas movie is pretty much a meme at this point. But ignore the doubters; Die Hard absolutely is a Christmas movie. The fact that people are still debating about it 30 years after the movie’s release has only bolstered Die Hard’s place in the Christmas movie canon.

You can even look at Die Hard as a sort of allegory for Christmas family gatherings. Spending too many hours with obnoxious or overbearing relatives feels like being trapped in the Nakatomi Plaza. And after hearing the nth comment about one’s weight and marital status, hiding in an air duct suddenly sounds like a good idea.

 

Nativity!

It’s impossible not to love Martin Freeman. He was one of the few pleasant characters in Love Actually (another Christmas movie worth watching — if only for the debates it’s sure to start). But if you’re looking for something more wholesome, Nativity! is a great option.

In it, Freeman plays a school teacher who produces a nativity play… with a bunch of untalented kids.

 

Jingle all the Way

 

Arnold Schwarzenegger is still one of the most famous celebrities around, but back in the 1990s, the big guy was at the peak of his cinematic powers. His 1996 Christmas movie Jingle all the Way is a bit of an outlier from the rest of his filmography — and critics at the time weren’t sure about what to make of this strange movie that combined family comedy with action and a bit of scifi.

But the movie’s social commentary and portrayal of consumer culture is still as relevant in 2018 as it ever was.

 

Edward Scissorhands

 

When people think of Tim Burton and Christmas, the first movie that probably comes to mind is, of course, The Nightmare Before Christmas. But Edward Scissorhands contains some of the most beautiful holiday scenes Burton has ever put to film, the most memorable one being the scene where Edward carves an ice statue for Kim, Winona Ryder’s character.

Edward’s work creates artificial snowfall, which Kim dances under. Edward Scissorhands is also a pick-me-up for anyone who’s felt isolated or melancholy during the holiday season. The movie tackles alienation and acceptance with great care and respect.

 

Iron Man 3

 

Iron Man 3 is a great Christmas movie — if only because the entire movie literally takes place around the holidays. The movie starts festive enough. A shabby Christmas tree gives Tony Stark’s workshop a nice holiday vibe, and Tony gyrates his hips to a funkified version of Jingle Bells while testing his Mark 42 armor.

But the movie quickly takes Tony down a spiral of self-doubt and paranoia. In the end, everything works out, and we’re treated to themes of rebirth and redemption. – Rappler.com