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Alternative/Overlooked Christmas Movies


Yep. I have done the traditional Christmas movies list which are my personal favorites but also not every movie has the traditional feel-good story. Sometimes, the holiday can be contextual or be a background to everybody's spirit whether it is messed-up or not and believe me, a few of these movies are messed up.

So, if you want to go in a different route of movies to watch during the holiday season like action, comedy, drama or even a fantasy/horror flick: I think these overlooked or alternative Christmas films can wet your appetite to something unique. Some of these are not my favorite movies but these are different "Christmas-like" films you'd want to check out, a couple of them not with the family.


Die Hard 2: Die Harder

Yep, there's another sequel set on Christmas Eve at an airport this time because it's John McClane still kicking ass.


The Holiday

Underrated Christmas rom-com that is surely should be appreciated even if you live in the southern parts of the United States. By the way, this clip above is my personal favorite of the movie.


Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

Robert Downey Jr., Val Kilmer and Michelle Monaghan in a Christmas costume in this action comedy caper is sheer fun, full of action and laughs.


Trading Places

Do you want Wall Street? You got it. Do you want laughs? Check. Eddie Murphy and Dan Akyroyd in opposite personalities? You have Trading Places, a classic comedy that has some Christmas context onto this film since most of the movie takes place during the holidays.


The Family Man

It's another underrated take of "It's a Wonderful Life" from another angle in which Nicolas Cage explores his life as what it's like to be married to his college girlfriend played by Téa Leoni. It is a solid Christmas comedy/drama.


Eyes Wide Shut

Do you want a messed-up, cerebral flick that takes place during the Christmas season? You got it. Watch Stanley Kubrick's last film and try to comprehend what is going in both Tom Cruise's and Stanley Kubrick's mind as they go on an odyssey. It is not one of his best, but it's interesting the first watch.


Catch Me If You Can

This is a film that most of its important or highlighted moments takes place every Christmas in Frank Abagnale's youths so if you want to classify it as a Christmas flick. It is not a bad choice at least you will have fun with this light flick from Steven Spielberg.


Lethal Weapon

Yep, another action film and also action comedy classic that takes place during the holidays with Mel Gibson and Danny Glover. It is also based on the screenplay by Shane Black that also wrote and directed Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.


Edward Scissorhands

Yeah, this Tim Burton movie sums up into one word: magical. Even though, it has a bittersweet ending.


While You Were Sleeping

This is a sweet, solid romantic comedy that is set in the holidays when a woman lies to a comatose son's family saying that she is engaged to that same son. But, she comes to the realization that she has fallen in love with his brother. Uh-oh!


Sleepless in Seattle

I don't love this flick but the best half of the film takes place during the holidays in which Tom Hanks plays an architect who is now a widower. And, the architect's son gets on the radio to discuss about his father and his life in which every woman including a person portrayed by Meg Ryan is infatuated with his story. You can enjoy this on Christmas or on Valentine's Day where the movie ends.


The Apartment

Another golden film from the early 60s in which there is an office Christmas party that somehow reveals almost every bit of information regarding Shirley MacLaine's character but both Christmas and New Year's is a good background on what is good to come for both MacLaine's and Jack Lemmon's characters.


The Nightmare Before Christmas

Another film you can watch on both Halloween and Christmas in the case that the great skillful animation holds up today.



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