Thankfully, there are a surprising amount of movies across a variety of genres that take place during the winter holiday season without focusing hard on the event itself. They can be a great choice for those needing to scratch a particular movie itch or simply want to put on a movie with the family that “totally counts” as a Christmas movie so they don’t have to watch Rudolph for the millionth time.
10 Rambo: First Blood
With so many video games including Rambo crossovers these days it’s a perfect time to remember how the first movie in the franchise took place over the holidays. Besides, what says Merry Christmas quite like explosive gunfights and PTDS flashbacks of a Vietnam Veteran?
In all seriousness, the film is an action classic for a reason and it’s the perfect starting off point for creating a new tradition of marathoning the entire franchise each year.
9 Blast Of Silence
Blast of Silence proves that classic movies can still pack a punch in the modern era. The 1961 film follows a professional hitman named Frankie Bono as he attempts to take down a mobster over the holidays. With one of the scenes filmed during the middle of a real-life hurricane as well a blacklisted writer and narrator working on the film, there is a lot to catch the eye in this oldie but goodie. Just don’t expect anything remotely holly or jolly here as the film is quite dark and grim.
8 Batman Returns
It was exciting news hearing that Danny DeVito was willing to bring back his version of Penguin in future projects and there’s no better way to celebrate that than by watching its first appearance. It’s dark, violent, and the story of Gotham’s Santa Claus Matt Shreck played by Christopher Walken makes it a must-watch for any serious DC fans out there. It made the most money at the box office in 1992 for a reason after all!
7 The Long Kiss Goodnight
Geena Davis and Samuel L. Jackson teamed up for an interesting holiday-adjacent tale about an amnesiac teacher and a hidden conspiracy. While it was sadly overlooked upon its original release due to Davis being a part of Cutthroat Island which was one of the largest box-office flops of the 90s. While its rumored sequel The Kiss After Lightning still has fans waiting, there’s no better time to go back and watch the underappreciated original than now.
6 The Apartment
Any fans of classic Hollywood and those who would like to become one should make sure to give The Apartment a watch. Written and directed by the legendary Billy Wilder, it was selected for inclusion in the United States Library of Congress National Film Registry and has been declared one of the best films of all time by the American Film Institute.
If that isn’t enough to spark some interest, the story of Jack Lemmon trying to climb the corporate ladder by letting higher-ups in his company use his apartment to have elicits affairs. With an attempted suicide at a Christmas party, this movie isn’t for the faint of heart but will surely keep viewers on the edge of their seats even after all these years.
5 L.A. Confidential
Many police departments have taken questionable actions over the years. L.A. Confidential is based on a real Christmas Eve police riot and the real events surrounding a 1950s tabloid magazine. This fictionalized version of events was nominated for nine Academy Awards of which it won two, only losing in all of its other categories to another massive classic — Titanic. There’s police corruption, action, and quite a few homicide cases to be solved throughout the movie. What more could viewers ask for?
4 Doctor Zhivago
It’s sad that Doctor Zhivago was nominated for and won countless awards but is rarely remembered today. The historical romance that takes place during the Russian Revolution and the civil war that took place after was sadly overshadowed by another famous film that came out at the time — The Sound Of Music.
With so many accolades it’s still worth watching today. The first part of the movie features an intense scene at a Christmas party, but there are no strict holiday themes to be found in the film. It truly makes the majority of its focus on the romance and intrigue that take place.
3 Tangerine
What says Christmas quite like an escort trying to find the pimp that broke her heart on Christmas Eve? The movie is utterly hilarious and somehow was filmed with only a single iPhone 5S which makes it all the more impressive. Don’t expect it to come without a few emotional punches to the gut however, director Sean Baker never holds back with his stories.
2 Who Killed Santa Claus?
It may be hard to believe but one of the best French murder mystery dramas was created in 1941 and features a snowed-in town trying to track down who murdered a beloved man that played Santa Claus every year in the town as no one can reach the small village where the crime takes place. It may be extremely old, but it’s worth tracking down to watch and could be an extremely niche hit
1 Die Hard
Countless jokes have been made about Die Hard being the best Christmas movie of all time. The Academy Award nominated film has so much action and violence as Bruce Willis tries to take down heavily armed terrorists on Nakatomi Plaza that it’s great to watch no matter what the season. The scenario found in the film endures to this day as an action movie staple for good reason and is absolutely a must-watch for fans of the genre.
Next: Best Movies Set On Christmas Day
