These days, the Internet is rife with catalogues of favourite Holiday movies, but one can only watch It’s a Wonderful Life so many times each year. Here at The Arts Guild, we decided to present something a little different. What follows is a list of our favourite non-traditional Christmas movies and moments in film, which are guaranteed to be enjoyed not only during this festive season, but also all year round.
In Bruges
This delightfully dark comedy is set in the picture-perfect town of Bruges, Belgium, during the Christmas season. After a botched murder leaves them struggling with guilt, hit men Ray (Colin Farrell) and Ken (Brendan Gleeson) are ordered by their ruthless boss (Ralph Fiennes) to lie low in the medieval town, and their Holiday visit results in some very off-beat and funny situations. The quaint setting juxtaposed against graphic violence and profanity cannot help but shock and simultaneously amuse. Definitely not a family Christmas movie, In Bruges is a wildly fun ride with a hidden heart of gold.
Die Hard
In the same vein lies the classic Die Hard, a Christmas action favourite. When German terrorists led by the iconic Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) attack a sky rise building during a Christmas office party, it is up to NYPD officer John McClane (Bruce Willis) to save the day. Holiday visuals flock amidst corny, bloody violence and memorable one-liners, as John fights to stay alive in order to spend this special day with the woman he loves. An undeniably entertaining watch, Die Hard promises laughs, even when it isn’t trying to be funny, and here that is not a bad thing at all.
Simon Birch
While this film may not classify as a Christmas movie, one of its funniest and most memorable scenes does centre on a nativity play. Young Simon (Ian Michael Smith) is a beloved member of his community despite his condition that resulted in extremely stunted growth. Although Simon faces the challenges of the every day head-on and with enthusiasm, he is not so eager to play the baby Jesus every year in his Sunday school nativity play. This year, he rebels on stage, and chaotic comedy ensues. Simon Birch is a sweet and wonderful film to watch with the whole family all year round. In addition, it serves as a gentle and effective introduction to the topic of death in film for the young ones.
Edward Scissorhands
Another family favourite, Tim Burton’s Edward Scissorhands, takes place during the Holiday season, albeit in California, and culminates with a failed Christmas party. Johnny Depp stars as Edward, a gentle and lonely young man who has been left with scissors for hands. After a kind family adopts him, Edward becomes much loved by his neighbours, but trouble inevitably ensues when he falls for the beautiful Kim (Winona Ryder). The film is framed by an aged Kim explaining to her granddaughter why it always snows at Christmas, and although the film is bittersweet, it remains a classic family choice at any time of the year.
Millions
A less known but equally deserving family film, Millions tells the story of young Damian (Alex Etel), a boy grieving the loss of his mother who discovers a bag of money and believes it to be a gift from God. Set during the Christmas season, the film is full of talking saints, Holiday shopping, and nativity pageants, and climaxes with a scene of frenzied shopping as Damian and his family frantically attempt to spend the money before the UK switches their currency from pounds to euros and time runs out. Millions is a beautiful, whimsical, and thought-provoking movie that is a must-see for any fan of film, and should definitely be added to your Christmas “watch list” this year.
