The likes of “Home Alone”, “Die Hard” and “A Muppet’s Christmas Carol” are all fantastic holiday movies, but much as these enduring classics demand to be rewatched every single festive season, at a certain point you might find yourself craving something a little different.
That’s a feeling I very much understand, my family insists on watching “Love Actually” every single year, and to be honest, I didn’t care for it all that much the first time around, by this point, just the opening musical jingle gives me a headache. So, if you’re also looking to avoid watching the same old Christmas movies this year, I’m rounding up my favorite alternatives down below.
From a horror twist on old Saint Nick to a Golden Age crowd-pleaser starring James Stewart to a very sweary comedy that isn’t so appropriate for the whole family, these are the best holiday movies you (probably) haven’t already seen…
'Krampus' (2015)
Most holiday movies are warm, jovial and overly saccharine, but not “Krampus”. Yes, this a Christmas movie about a magical being visiting a family over the festive period, but it’s not Santa Claus that has come to see the Engel clan. Instead it’s the Krampus. This demonic force punishes those who turn their back on Christmas, and when a young Max (Emjay Anthony) loses his holiday spirit, he inadvertently brings the Krampus right to his family’s doorstep.
One of the biggest strengths of “Krampus” is that it’s extremely self-aware. Director Michael Dougherty mixes in a whole heap of comedy along with spooky scares. Plus, the design of the eponymous villain is brilliant. It manages to feel sinister but also appropriately seasonal, which is a strange but fitting mixture. Also featuring Adam Scott, Toni Collette and David Koechner, there’s a little bit of star power sprinkled on this horror holiday pick too.
Watch "Krampus" on Prime Video w/ Cinemax now
'Arthur Christmas' (2011)
Aardman Animations is preparing to release the latest Wallace & Gromit movie this holiday season, which should make for perfect watching over the festivities. But back in 2011, the famous British animation house released an even more seasonally appropriate movie that warrants on spot on any Christmas watchlist. “Arthur Christmas” is a joyful animated comedy with a cast of memorable characters and a colorful art style that will keep little ones happy.
Set in a world where Santa’s traditional methods of delivering presents to every last child on Earth have been replaced with high-tech solutions, Arthur (voiced by James McAvoy) is the well-meaning but bumbling youngest son of the current Claus. However, when Santa accidentally skips a child on his list, it’s up to Arthur to save the day and ensure the holidays are saved.
Buy or rent "Arthur Christmas" on Amazon now
'The Shop Around the Corner' (1940)
“The Shop Around the Corner” is a proper seasonal classic. Released in the 1940s, it stars Margaret Sullavan, James Stewart and Frank Morgan, and left such an imprint on cinematic history that it was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress for its cultural significance. It also later inspired the Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan rom-com classic “You’ve Got Mail."
Alfred Kralik (Stewart) and Klara Novak (Sullavan) work at the same leather goods shop in Budapest, and to say they don’t get on would be an understatement. They can’t stand each other. But both are engaged in a passionate affair with an anonymous pen pal. Little do they know they’re actually corresponding with one other. Full of humor, romance and a general sense of whimsy, it’s a holiday classic that deserves to stand alongside Stewart’s other legendary genre pick, “It’s A Wonderful Life”.
Watch "The Shop Around the Corner" on Fubo now
'The Night Before' (2015)
“The Night Before” is definitely not a holiday movie to watch with your family. This stoner comedy is pretty crude, but like most festive flicks it does have genuine heart, and the leading trio of Joseph Godeon-Levitt, Seth Rogen and Anthony Mackie prove to have great comedic chemistry. Plus, it’s probably the only movie you’ll watch this year that features one of the main characters getting beaten up by two drunks dressed as Santa Claus!
Ethan (Gordon-Levitt), Isaac (Rogen) and Chris (Mackie) are three best friends with a special tradition of spending every single Christmas Eve together. But now adults with grown-up responsibilities (even if don’t always act their age), the buddies are forced to accept that their annual evening of debauchery is coming to an end. Determined to enjoy one final Christmas Eve with a bang they embark on a mission across New York to find the exclusive Nutcracker Ball.
Watch "The Night Before" on Prime Video w/ Starz now
'Anna and the Apocalypse' (2018)
There’s nothing particularly unique about a movie that blends a seasonal setting with musical numbers, but throw in a zombie apocalypse, and things start to feel more original. That’s the intriguing hook of “Anna and the Apocalypse." Set in a small Scottish town infested with the undead, and described as “‘Shaun of the Dead’ meets ‘La La Land,'" it’s a very different type of holiday flick, but it’s also fresh, funny and full of fake blood.
The eponymous Anna (Ella Hunt) is a high schooler dealing with typical teen drama when her usually sleepy town of Little Haven is overrun with zombies. Banding together with her friends, she must survive against waves of zombified townsfolk many of them dressed as traditional Christmas characters. Set to a toe-tapping musical soundtrack, “Anna and the Apocalypse” might seem like a truly bizarre idea on paper, but in practice, it's quite brilliant.
Watch on "Anna and the Apocalypse" on Prime Video w/ AMC Plus now
