Scots Taffer on 10/12/2008 at 12:14
So at this time of year a lot of people love to gather around the tube and watch A Christmas Carol or Miracle on 34th Street, or just perhaps the up-lifting Christmas-themed fluff such as National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation and It's a Wonderful Life. But what about those movies that feature the Christmas spirit in the background and aren't really about it? Those are the movies I love and want more of.
Favourite Non-Traditional Christmas Movie: Die Hard
Close Runner-Up: Gremlins
Honourable mentions: Bad Santa, Edward Scissorhands, Batman Returns
As a post-script, I now associate the festive season with LOTR as well - seeing as they were released year-on-year at that time and I got the Extended Edition boxset for Christmas and watched them all around that time.
What about your favourites?
And of course, no Christmas period is complete without the requisite viewing of Jaws while your belly slowly gurgles on a few pounds of meat - if it ain't on TV (and it is, you're just on the wrong channel), then put on the dvd.
Thirith on 10/12/2008 at 12:17
I love Batman Returns as a Christmas movie, but it's very much a love-it-or-hate-it film, it seems. I'd add Nightmare before Christmas, which puts me in a more festive mood than any number of Miracles or Carols.
Matthew on 10/12/2008 at 12:21
The Great Escape, obv.
Scots Taffer on 10/12/2008 at 12:58
Quote Posted by Thirith
I'd add
Nightmare before Christmas, which puts me in a more festive mood than any number of
Miracles or
Carols.
I guess I consider that almost a "straight" Christmas movie, but that doesn't mean it's not absolutely brilliant and one of my favourites. Duly noted and seconded.
Ridiculously, I've never seen that movie, Matthew. Come to think of it, I've not seen a SINGLE Steve McQueen movie.
van HellSing on 10/12/2008 at 13:07
Hardware?
Thirith on 10/12/2008 at 13:07
Quote Posted by Scots Taffer
Ridiculously, I've never seen that movie, Matthew. Come to think of it, I've not seen a SINGLE Steve McQueen movie.
It holds up very well as a film and is definitely worth checking out. It's probably the lad's sort of movie, but not in an embarrassing "I've got a subscription to
Maxim!" sort of way. And the Germans are presented in a surprisingly non-clichéd way. Added to which it's got pretty good performances all round.
R Soul on 10/12/2008 at 15:09
Does The Wrong Trousers count, or is that far too short to be considered a movie?
Thirith on 10/12/2008 at 15:20
(Talking of which, there'll be a new Wallace & Gromit short on BBC this Christmas - A Matter of Loaf and Death (groan... :D).)
heretic on 10/12/2008 at 16:46
In no particular order:
The Long Kiss Goodnight
Eastern Promises
Ravenous
La Buche
Sheitan
quinch on 10/12/2008 at 17:40
Any Bond movie.
Ghost Busters.
Trading Places.
Lawrence of Arabia.
The Black Hole.
Flash Gordon.
