As the 25th looms nearer, it’s time to crack out the aul Christmas movie collection. There really is nothing better than sipping hot chocolate with the fire lit and your favourite festive flick, but perhaps this year you don’t want to witness Alan Rickman’s pathetic apology to Emma Thompson for the millionth time. Tradition is great, and it’s all part of the Christmas spirit, but if you’re looking to spice things up this Winter, I’ve compiled a list of my favourite unconventional Christmas movies:
Santa Claus (1959 film):
Extremely disturbing and straight out bizarre, Santa Claus is a fantasy film made by Mexican director Rene Cardona. Featuring appearances from Satan and children of “The Orient”, there’s not much else they could have crammed in to make it more racially insensitive or odd. Santa himself is extremely frightening and has a maniacal laugh that appears to be the backing track for nearly the entire film. Maybe too uncomfortable to make it through the full 97 minutes, but a good laugh nonetheless. The dubbed English version is available to watch on YouTube.
Happy Christmas (2014):
To be perfectly honest, the only Christmassy thing about this movie apart from its title is the Christmas tree in the living room of the Swanberg’s house. However, like most Christmas movies, it shows that generally, life’s problems can be solved by the giving of gifts. Starring Anna Kendrick and Lena Dunham, Happy Christmas does a good job in its honest depiction of women and the difficulty of compromising in a relationship. It doesn’t deliver in cheesiness factor, but the fact that it hits close to home makes it more realistic than most films of the Christmas genre.
Angels Sing (2013):
If you’re anything like me and want to continue your obsession with Connie Britton after finishing Friday Night Lights, then this is the movie for you. Every bit as lovely and southern as she is in the show, Angels Sing is no exception. While the storyline is extremely cheesy – man who hates Christmas rediscovers his love for the holidays after experiencing the kindness of strangers – sometimes we need a heartwarming story to fully get into the spirit. If you need anymore convincing it also stars the legendary Willie Nelson. What more could you want in a movie.
My Angel (2011):
Perhaps this movie doesn’t have the greatest storyline, but it is very British and endearing, which is fun to watch at this time of year. My Angel follows fifteen year old Eddie as he tries to save his mother who is in a coma, all in time for Christmas. Corny and badly directed at times, maybe – but it does star Timothy Spall and Brenda Blethyn: two British greats.
Scout Mitchell
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