Christmas is a time for family, gift-giving, and watching Vince Vaughn Christmas movies. There are a ton of classic Christmas movies, but watching White Christmas every year can become cumbersome. These are 10 of our favorite alternative Christmas movies for when you get burnt out on your ninth viewing of Elf.
Gremlins: The Worst Christmas Gift
Gremlins is a classic Christmas story with a horror movie twist. A workaholic father searches for the perfect gift for his often neglected teenage son. He finally finds the perfect gift, a cute little Mogwai. But the gift comes with some strict instructions. Keep him away from bright lights, never get him wet, and never feed him after midnight.
Of course, all three rules are broken, and the Mogwai multiplies into mischievous critters known as Gremlins. The Gremlins cause havoc throughout the small Pennsylvania town, and their antics make for one of the best alternative Christmas movies.
Eyes Wide Shut: An Adult Christmas Tale
Stanley Kubrick’s final film is also one of his most polarizing. Eyes Wide Shut was plagued by delays, on-set tension, and paparazzi following Holywood’s then “it” couple.
The film was finally released a few months after Kubrick’s death and was misunderstood by many moviegoers. The marketing made the film appear to be a standard 90’s thriller, but a deeper look revealed a poignant tale of marriage and excess.
Tom Cruise gives the best performance of his career outside of Magnolia, and he considers the film one of his finest accomplishments. If you are looking for a tantalizing layers-deep Christmas movie, this is the one.
Go: A Drug-Fueled Christmas Caper
Go tells three different stories, Pulp Fictions style, about drug users in California on Christmas. Each story is visually striking, and the acting in each is top-notch.
Go featured a lot of stars before they made it big, including Katie Holmes and Timothy Olyphant. The film is now more of a cult classic, but the pulsing soundtrack and non-linear storytelling make it a great re-watch, especially during the holidays.
Batman Returns: Jingle Bells, Batman Smells
Tim Burton’s Batman sequel takes place in Gotham City at Christmas time. Danny Devito and Michelle Pfeifer both star as the villains of this film and Michael Keaton returns as the Caped Crusader.
The reason Batman Returns is one of our favorite alternative Christmas movies is the over-the-top performances and beautiful Christmas aesthetic. One year before Tim Burton perfected his Christmas style with The Nightmare Before Christmas, he delivered this gem. Few filmmakers have nailed a style like Burton, and Batman Returns is one of his most visually striking films.
Trading Places: Dan Akroyd And Eddie Murphey At Their Best
Trading Places, an 80’s comedy starring two SNL alumni, tells one of the most poignant tales of nature vs nurture ever put on screen. The film tells the story of two men, one rich and one poor, as they switch lives over the holidays.
Trading Places revitalized the screwball and helped launch the career of Eddie Murphey. The film has left a lasting impression on fans, becoming a much beloved 80’s comedy and alternative Christmas movie.
Star Wars Holiday Special: Holiday Cheer In A Galaxy Far Far Away
The Star Wars Holiday Special only aired once on television in 1978 with extremely poor reviews. It has since seen a resurgence of interest due to its bonkers premise and availability on sites like YouTube.
The Star Wars Holiday Special is little more than a cash grab from CBS to capitalize on the Star Wars phenomenon. Even almost fifty years removed, it is still hard to understand how a project like this got greenlit, but it makes for a so bad it’s good viewing during the Christmas season.
Die Hard: Yippie Ki-Yay
Some would argue that Die Hard isn’t a Christmas movie. We would argue, though, that it contains all the essentials needed for a great Holiday film.
The film takes place during the Christmas season, has scenes filled with holiday decorations, and features Alan Rickman. If a movie brings you joy and takes place at Christmas, then it’s a Christmas movie. And there is nothing more joyful than seeing Hans Gruber fall to his demise from Nakatomi Plaza on Christmas Eve.
Reindeer Games: An Ex-Con And A Casino Heist
Reindeer Games tells the story of ex-con Rudy and his adventures getting dragged back into a world of crime. The film stars Ben Affleck and Charlize Theron, who both deliver stellar performances.
Reindeer Games never reached cult status the way some other alternative Christmas movies have, but it is a fantastic film for heist movie and Christmas movie lovers alike.
The Ref: How Dennis Leary Stole Christmas
The Ref stars a pre-Rescue Me Dennis Leary as a holiday thief who gets caught in a spatting couples’ marital dilemmas. Dennis delivers a stellar performance, bringing his famous angry Irish rants to the big screen.
The film plays as an adult How The Grinch Stole Christmas, but in this version, everyone is a villain. We finally get a reprieve from cynicism at the end of the film, but the laughs along the way make this a great alternative Christmas movie.
Lethal Weapon: The Ultimate Buddy Cop Film
This 1987 classic action comedy proves that you’re never too old for friends at Christmastime. Lethal Weapon stars Danny Glover and Mel Gibson as miss-matched partner cops during the holidays.
The film has gone on to become a classic and spawned several sequels and spinoffs, but it’s the original that is still the best. The sunny LA scenery takes away a bit from the festive aesthetic, but Lethal Weapon is still filled with charm and heart-pounding action.
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