Fed up with watching Love Actually and Elf on a loop during the festive period? These films are not ‘about’ Christmas per say but they are perfect to watch with your family or friends in the run up to Christmas or the strange period leading up to New Year. They give you the same life affirming glow as It’s a Wonderful Life and fill you with the teary eyed happiness of Nativity! These films will have you wiping away a tear as you reach for the Quality Streets…
Pride (2014)
This BAFTA winning film is one of my family’s favourites! Set in 1980s London and the Welsh valleys, this moving film depicts the true story of ‘LGSM’ or Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners. 21-year-old ‘Bromley’ (George MacKay) finds himself on a pride march, before he has come out to his family, and discovers his own found family in LGSM. This film has an amazing dance scene but also traces the hilarious and sometimes sad moments when a group from London’s gay and lesbian communities find themselves in a Welsh mining village. This is truly life affirming and the ending always has me in floods!
Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
Little Miss Sunshine won two Oscars in 2007 and was nominated for two more but it is still uncompromising with its quirky style – it is one of my personal favourites. It follows a family as they try to get their unconventional daughter into a pageant across the country. Despite being set in hot California and featuring moments of both darkness and bizarreness, this film still has that heart-warming Christmas feeling. It follows a family spending time together who, up until now, have felt very distant from each other. The family have lots of disagreements but ultimately, no matter how seemingly different they are, they can put this aside when Olive (Abigail Breslin) needs support.
Paddington (2014)
I am sure if you haven’t seen the Paddington films yet you have been living under a rock. Paddington is partly animated and perfect if you have younger family visiting at Christmas – it really is enjoyable for everyone. Paddington, a bear from Peru, is taken in by the quirky Brown family (not without hesitation and speculation from neighbours) but encounters Nicole Kidman as a bear-hating villain. Again, this is a film about a family coming together. It has cute, funny and exciting moments. If you liked it, you could always follow it up with Paddington 2 straight after.
About Time (2013)
If you love Love Actually, this Richard Curtis romcom would be perfect. Starring Rachel McAdams and Domhnall Gleeson, this film celebrates everyday love and appreciating the beauty in what you have. While seemingly very ordinary, Tim (Domhnall Gleeson) has inherited the gift of time travel! Again, this is another film with moving moments. About Time has the same romantic English feel of Love Actually but with fewer annoying subplots – even my dad likes this one.
The Commitments (1991)
Following a soul band in Ireland as they find their feet in the scene, this musical-comedy is perhaps less emotional than the others on this list. But, set in the late 1980s, this film will probably have your parents feeling nostalgic and you playing Mustang Sally on repeat. This film is a crowd pleaser – it is funny, exciting and the music is great. It fulfils my Christmas criteria of being entertaining and fun with a touch of nostalgia.