Perhaps you’re in the mood for a little Christmas spirit outside of the classics, or maybe your roommates won’t watch anything other than a Christmas movie. When it comes to the holidays, I often find myself growing bored with the usual lineup of jolly films. Whether it’s because you want to find a loophole with your roommates or a new go-to holiday movie, here are a few non-traditional Christmas movies that are equally unique and festive:
Daddy’s Home 2
This movie has a sort of “Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” vibe to it; the film depicts a very relatable Christmas where everything just seems to go wrong when housing grandparents during the holiday season. Although this movie isn’t exactly non-traditional, I feel that it often gets overlooked in the grand scheme of holiday films. It’s definitely a good watch if you’re looking for something lighthearted and humorous.
Police Academy
This is one of the more obscure Christmas films I’ve heard about. Up until a couple of weeks ago, I hadn’t even heard of this 80’s film. The plot revolves around a crime-ridden city in need of more police officers. As a consequence, the bar for enrollment is severely lowered. This movie is perfect if you’re looking for a good laugh.
Bad Santa
If you’re not one for heartwarming Hallmark movies, this might be the movie for you. It’s a raunchy comedy film where an alcoholic con man steals from businesses where he works as Santa. This is definitely more of a dark and obscene humor genre, which explains the ‘R’ rating.
Die Hard
Taking a more serious tone, “Die Hard” is a film about an off-duty police officer getting his wife out of a hostage situation when her office Christmas party gets caught up in a terrorism scheme. Full of action and tense scenes, this movie is great for anyone who’s seeking a thrill while staying festive!
Gremlins
Lucky for you, Halloween isn’t the only season for getting in a good scare. This film follows a man who fails to follow the rules when caring for an alien-like pet that he received for Christmas. This Christmas horror film is a great classic, filled to the brim with its effective jump scares and a unique plot. The movie’s biology class scene still makes me sit on the edge of my seat (if you know, you know). Besides the horror aspect, the character design for the Mogwai species is really cool!
The Shining
Another classic horror film! While there is some debate about whether or not it’s a “Christmas movie,” the setting of the movie takes place during a record blizzard. I suppose the psychological horror could reflect how someone might feel when cabin fever starts to hit during these winter months. Regardless, it’s a great choice if you’re in a spooky mood during the holidays.
Krampus
Ever wonder what happens when kids lose their Christmas spirit? In “Krampus,” the German folklore-based demon comes to capture these non-believers in a chilling fashion. The film came out in 2015, so it’s still relatively new and lesser-known. However, it’s still a great watch!
These are just a few of the many alternative Christmas films for the winter season, though these ones have my stamp of approval. They’re super entertaining and have a unique factor to them that I just love! Who knows- maybe one of these films will become your new favorite Christmas movie that nobody’s heard about!