8 Non-Christmas movies to watch this holiday season
By Andrei Miguel Hermosa
One of the best Christmas traditions is cozying up on the couch and having a Christmas movie marathon. Nothing beats the comforting feeling of watching feel-good and heartwarming movies during such a chilly season.
But this tradition can also get old. With the same lineup of movies every year, the tradition’s magic slowly loses its spark. For sure, watching Elf or How the Grinch Stole Christmas for the tenth time doesn’t hit as hard as much as it does the first time. A good solution to this problem is watching non-Christmas movies instead. Rather than offering the same old stories about Santa Claus, elves, and grinches, these non-Christmas movies will breathe new life into your holiday season.
Tired of the same old lineup of Christmas movies? Check out this list of binge-worthy non-Christmas movies that can still make you feel the holiday season. They’re able to give off festive vibes and capture the essence of Christmas just as much as traditional Christmas movies do.
1. ‘Mean Girls’ (2004)
Starting off this list is the iconic classic, Mean Girls. There is no bad time to watch Mean Girls, but Christmas is definitely one of the best times to watch it. It doesn’t revolve around the holidays at all, but it has a few scenes that may give viewers a good dash of holiday cheer.
Mean Girls follows the story of homeschooled girl Cady Heron (Lindsay Lohan), who enters public high school for the first time and navigates her way amid a culture of cliques, gossip, and laws of popularity. As she tries to find her place among the cliques of jocks, nerds, cheerleaders, and the like, she unwittingly ends up in the group of the most popular students dubbed “The Plastics.” During her stay in the group, Cady’s high school life suddenly becomes complicated. And in the middle of all this crazy high school mess, Christmas happens.
The segment taking place at Christmas is pretty short, but it’s where the film’s standout scenes happen. Watching the iconic Jingle Bell Rock scene, as well as the hilarious Santa Claus scene, is enough to give you a dose of the holiday spirit. After all, maybe we just need some good laughs and some nostalgia feels this holiday season.
2. ‘When Harry Met Sally…’ (1989)
Everyone loves a good rom-com over the holidays. And what’s a better choice than one of the greatest rom-coms of all time?
When Harry Met Sally… revolves around the love story of Harry Burns (Billy Crystal) and Sally Albright (Meg Ryan), who have been platonic friends for several years. From time to time, they would argue about whether a man and woman can strictly be platonic friends. And in the end, they decide that they will remain platonic friends without falling in love with each other. However, everything changes when they suddenly catch feelings for one another.
This classic is truly the perfect rom-com to make your holiday season heartwarming. Watching Harry and Sally slowly realize their feelings for one another is like sipping a warm cup of tea on a chilly Christmas night. It reminds you of just how beautiful and miraculous love can be. Like how Harry and Sally are destined for one another, perhaps true love is destined for each of us.
3. ‘Little Women’ (2019)
Set during the Christmas season and brimming with wholesome themes of family and sisterhood, Greta Gerwig’s 2019 adaptation of Little Women is the perfect non-Christmas family film to watch during the holidays.
Among the several screen adaptations of Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women, Gerwig’s adaptation is the one that resonates most with modern audiences. Through a unique, non-linear style of storytelling, Gerwig is able to craft a raw and compelling take on the beloved story of the March sisters. She remains faithful to the historical backdrop of the original novel, but brings a modern feel to the narrative — which is evident in the costumes and the dialogues.
As with every Little Women adaptation, the March sisters are the heart of the story. With their steadfast personalities and their determination to pursue their ambitions, they are able to capture the true spirit of powerful women. But apart from that, they also show us the beauty of sisterhood. Through their story, we get to see a realistic and touching depiction of the complex but intimate relationship between sisters. Seeing the March sisters overcome difficulties together and have each other’s backs throughout the film is absolutely heartwarming — it truly feels like getting a sweet hug from a sister whom you love very much.
If you have sisters or friends whom you treat like sisters, watch this masterpiece with them.
4. ‘American Psycho’ (2000)
If you prefer something dark and gory, you might want to try American Psycho.
American Psycho tells the story of Patrick Bateman (Christian Bale), a sociopathic investment banker who moonlights as a serial killer by night. The movie is set at Christmas, but obviously, it is far from cozy.
Bateman celebrates the holiday season with immense bloodshed, as he gives into his violent urges and goes on an unhinged killing spree. He kills dozens of people, including those whom he personally dislikes and those whom he thinks are unworthy of living. But amidst all the gruesome killings, there’s also room for unexpected laughter. From Bateman’s quotable monologues to the way he kills his victims, you may find yourself laughing out loud just as much as you’re trembling in fear. It may not seem like it at first glance but ironically, lots of cinephiles think it’s a critique of incels and fragile masculinity.
Be warned, though — this movie pulls no punches when it comes to violence. It shows a lot of brutal death scenes with gallons of blood on full display.
5. ‘Knives Out’ (2019)
Another dark comedy you may like is Knives Out, a cleverly-crafted murder mystery movie with a star-studded cast, featuring the likes of Daniel Craig, Jamie Lee Curtis, Chris Evans, and the late Christopher Plummer. The movie explores the mystery behind the sudden murder of renowned crime novelist, Harlan Thrombey (Plummer). To solve this mystery, master detective Benoit Blanc (Craig) tries to untangle the circumstances surrounding Harlan’s murder and analyzes every clue he can get. The clues point to several suspects, all coming from Harlan’s highly dysfunctional family. As Detective Blanc gathers and investigates the Thrombey family, he has to sit through a chain of lies, red herrings, and surprising twists.
What makes this suitable for the holidays, you might ask? It feels like a fun family movie. Despite the fact that the Thrombey family is completely dysfunctional, watching them try to get along while they are being investigated is oddly entertaining. Their situation is comparable to an awkward family reunion during the holidays, where everyone is forced to get along due to the occasion, despite the discomfort and tension between some of the members. Not everyone knows each other that well, and not everyone is on good terms with one another.
And aside from the family vibes, the atmosphere of this movie just feels so cozy for some reason. Perhaps, it’s because of the fall aesthetic. The autumn breeze, falling leaves, and autumnal color palette shown throughout the movie make the viewing experience feel very warm and fuzzy.
6. ‘Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone’ (2001)
You may be wondering why a Harry Potter film is on this list. How is a film about a boy learning about his wizard heritage and fighting a superpowered villain even suitable for the holidays?
Well, in case you forgot, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone features a very memorable Christmas scene. It lasts for about three minutes only, but it’s filled with a lot of holiday vibes. It’s enough to make a film about a boy learning about his wizard heritage and fighting a superpowered villain feel like a holiday film.
Who can forget that wholesome moment when Harry and Ron wished each other a “Happy Christmas?” Or the joy that Harry felt when he realized he also got a gift from Mrs. Weasley? The whole Christmas scene is just so wholesome — it makes the film even more magical than it already is. After witnessing Harry’s difficult journey throughout the film, it’s very rewarding to see him feel loved and genuinely happy. After all, that’s what Christmas is about, right?
7. ‘Silver Linings Playbook’ (2012)
Heartwarming, romantic, and humorous at times, Silver Linings Playbook will make you smile, laugh, cry, and fall in love all in one movie.
Based on Matthew Quick’s novel of the same name, it follows the story of Pat Solitano (Bradley Cooper), a man with bipolar disorder who spent eight months in a psychiatric facility for treatment. After completing his treatment, he now wants to rebuild his life and reconcile with his wife, who had filed a restraining order against him and moved away elsewhere. He tries desperately to find his wife, but in the process, he finds someone else — Tiffany Maxwell (Jennifer Lawrence), a mysterious girl who, like him, suffers from a mental illness. The two immediately form a friendship, helping each other achieve their personal goals and rebuild their lives. And, as their relationship develops, they fall in love and begin to see silver linings in their despondent lives.
Throughout the movie, you’d find yourself rooting for both Pat and Tiffany, as they both undergo the difficult process of healing amidst their fragile mental states. And thanks to Cooper and Lawrence’s incredible chemistry, Pat and Tiffany’s romantic moments become delightful to watch. Hence, even if the movie has only a few Christmas elements, it already feels festive enough.
8. ‘Kiss Kiss Bang Bang’ (2005)
Last but not least, capping off this list is one of Shane Black’s most popular films, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. After all, what’s a list of Christmassy films without a Shane Black film in it? For some reason, most of his films are set on Christmas and incorporate Christmas elements, even though they aren’t even about Christmas.
The plot of Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is bizarrely hilarious. It starts off with small-time crook Harry Lockhart (Robert Downey Jr.) robbing a toy store and immediately getting chased by the cops right after. While on the run, he gets mistaken for an actor and finds himself auditioning for the role of a detective in a mystery movie. As crazy as it sounds, he ends up nailing the audition and getting the part. But things get even crazier when he gets entangled in a complex murder mystery with his high school crush Harmony Lane (Michelle Monaghan), who happens to be a struggling actress, and cynical detective Perry van Shrike (Val Kilmer), who is in charge of training him for his upcoming detective role.
With all its bizarreness and comedic brilliance, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is a film full of good vibes — perfect for keeping Christmas cheery. From Harry’s unreliable narrations, Perry’s sarcastic quips, and simply the hilarious sight of RDJ and Val Kilmer constantly insulting each other, this film will surely make your stomach ache from too much laughter.
Oh, and in case you’re worried that this film may be too Christmassy for your liking, don’t worry! The Christmas elements here serve merely as a garnish rather than integral parts of the story. Sure, there’s Harry robbing a Christmas store right in the beginning, and Harmony wearing a Santa Claus dress throughout the whole film, but they don’t really serve a narrative purpose other than providing viewers with major holiday vibes.
