As the festive season approaches, you might be readying to put another log on the fire and settle down with a Christmas film this winter.
“Best Christmas film ever” lists are packed with classics: It’s a Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th Street and Santa Claus: The Movie.
And yet, there exist another set of quirkier – occasionally darker films – that might grace your screens over the next month or so. These films might feature seasonal settings or a knowing nod to Noel, and while you can watch them all year round, they really come into their own at this time of year.
Keep reading for your rundown of five of the best.
1. Die Hard (1988)
Die Hard is arguably the archetypal “alternative” festive film, sure to spark family debates about whether or not it counts as a Christmas film at all.
Based on the 1979 book Nothing Lasts for Ever by Roderick Thorp, the film begins on Christmas Eve 1988.
NYPD officer John McClane (Bruce Willis in his most iconic screen role) is in Los Angeles. In a bid to save his failing marriage, he intends to join his wife, Holly, at her office Christmas party, on the upper floors of Nakatomi Plaza.
Before the festivities can begin, however, the high rise is taken over by a group of armed terrorists led by Alan Rickman’s Hans Gruber.
Escaping from the initial takeover, McClane must work out how to evade the terrorists long enough to get word to the ground and save Holly, along with the rest of Gruber’s hostages.
This action film classic spawned four sequels (with rumours of a sixth, prequel instalment recently quashed), the second of which, Die Hard 2: Die Harder, retains the original’s Christmas Eve setting.
2. Gremlins (1984)
Written by Chris Columbus and executive produced by Steven Spielberg, Gremlins, a classic of comedy horror, begins when unsuspecting Billy Peltzer (Zach Gilligan) receives an early Christmas present from his father Randall.
A cute creature, known as a “mogwai”, and named “Gizmo”, the animal comes with just three rules for looking after it: don’t expose it to light, don’t get it wet, and never feed it after midnight.
While Billy begins with good intentions, after a friend spills water on Gizmo, the mogwai begins to multiply. It isn’t long before the other rules are broken too, unleashing the far more mischievous and dangerous Gremlins, led by the aggressive Stripe.
3. A. Confidential (1997)
Based on the book by James Ellroy (book three of his original L.A. Quartet), Curtis Hanson directs an ensemble cast that includes Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce, Danny DeVito, Kim Basinger, and Kevin Spacey.
The real-life “Bloody Christmas” case – in which drunk LAPD offices severely beat seven inmates on Christmas Day 1951 – is the fictionalised spark for this crime drama.
When ambitious Sergeant Exley agrees to testify against the officers involved, he makes enemies within the department and begins to suspect a wider conspiracy.
Nominated for nine Oscars, including Best Picture, the film eventually won two. The Best Supporting Actress award went to Kim Basinger for her portrayal of Veronica Lake lookalike, Lynn Bracken. The film’s second Academy Award was for “best adapted screenplay”.
4. Jason and the Argonauts (1963)
A Christmas film thanks only to its ubiquity in the festive TV schedules, this sword-and-sandals epic of Greek mythology is the perfect antidote to the dark nights and grey skies of winter.
Directed by the British filmmaker Don Chaffey, the film is arguably best known for the stop-animation work of special effects designer Ray Harryhausen.
The plot follows Jason as he sets off on a quest to find the Golden Fleece.
Men from all over Greece compete to be a part of the crew of Jason’s ship, the Argo – hence her sailors becoming Argonauts – including Hercules and his faithful companion, Hylas. Also set to join the crew is Acastus, sent by his father Pelias, to sabotage the quest.
The work of Harryhausen – who was awarded a “lifetime achievement Oscar” in 1992 – captivates as soon as the quest gets underway. First, when the giant statue Talos attacks the Argonauts, and later during a sword fight with seven skeletons, before the final showdown with the nine-headed Hydra.
Featuring performances from Honor Blackman and Patrick Troughton, as well as a score by Bernard Herrmann, the film is rightly considered a classic. It’s also a festive treat for the whole family.
5. Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001)
Bridget Jones’s Diary, starring Rene Zellweger in the lead role, takes place during the course of a year, beginning and ending over the festive period.
From Mark Darcy’s Christmas jumper, albeit at a New Year’s Eve party, to the climactic moments on a snowy London street, this very British comedy (with its 15 certificate) is seasonal fun for most of the family.
It also has a “who’s who” of British comedy acting talent. Alongside Colin Firth and Hugh Grant, Jim Broadbent, Celia Imrie, and Sally Phillips also star, plus a few unexpected cameos.
