Best Lesser Known Christmas Movies

Fun for all the Family!

Let's begin with some fun family films that we can enjoy all together. There is no time like the Christmas holidays to snuggle up on the sofa with all your loved ones and enjoy some fun-filled festive movies.

Fred Claus

Fred Claus starring the incomparable Paul Giamatti as Father Christmas himself and Vince Vaughn as Santa's estranged younger brother, this movie offers up many slapstick laughs and an alternative perspective on the main man. Through the eyes of Fred Claus we see just how hard it is to grow up in the shadow of Santa. There are so many laugh out loud moments and it's a refreshing alternative telling of Santa's life.

Christmas with the Kranks

Christmas with the Kranks is a hilarious comedy that tells the story of a married couple - starring Hollywood heavy-weights Jamie Lee Curtis and Tim Allen, trying to slip away on a cruise and avoid Christmas completely due to their daughter not coming home for the Holidays. At the last minute, she decides to come home and they must make a mad dash to arrange all their festive family traditions in time. This movie is full of crazy fun and laughter.

Jingle All The Way

Arnold Schwarzenegger's foray into Christmas and he does not disappoint. The kids will all love this film that has the most iconic Dad bust-up ever! Workaholic Arnie has left it 'til Christmas Eve to try and buy the must-have toy of the year, Turbo Man, and he gets into so much mischief trying to fulfill his promise to his son. It all ends happily with lessons learned all around!

Romantic Christmas Movies

The Holiday

Everyone loves some mushy romance at Christmas and you can't get more romantic than The Holiday. Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet are two successful women that are unlucky in love. On a whim, they decide to house swap for the Christmas holidays. Little did they know that love would be found so far from their respective homes. Expect lots of feel-good romance, beautiful English countryside and a great cast, all in all, a very watchable feel-good movie

Holidate

Holidate is a new Netflix movie starring the very lovable Emma Roberts, niece of Julia for those unaware, and Luke Brassey. Both are sick and tired of friends and relatives' relentless questions about marriage and partners so decide to be one and other's dates to parade out for their families on Festive Holidays. What starts out as a friendship soon develops into something deeper...

The Best Man Holiday

A sequel to Best Man, The Best Man Holiday is another reunion of the group of friends and all the drama that comes with them all getting together. A plethora of Hollywood luminaries presides in this film such as Taye Diggs, Morris Chestnut, Terrance Howard, Nia Long, Regina Hall and Sanaa Latham. This movie does have sad moments, tissues out, but overall is an uplifting film about friendship and being there for the people you love and need you, especially at Christmas.

Adults Only Christmas Movies

These movies are definitely ones to wait for the kids to go to bed before you get stuck in but you will be so happy that did!

Trading Places

Trading Places starring, Eddie Murphy, Dan Ackroyd, and Jamie Lee Curtis (again) has to be one the all-time greats and I'm pushing the boundaries somewhat by including it in the lesser-known category but I think it deserves a mention as it is not essentially viewed as a Christmas movie. However, much of the film takes place over the festive period and it is such a classic that you should give it a re-watch over the holidays. Such a classic telling of the story of two men that trade lives and the effects it has on them.

Bad Santa

Bad Santa sees Billy Bob Thornton as a crooked very BAD Santa and sidekick Elf, Tony Cox, target small town department stores to rob them over Christmas. This is a real anything goes comedy and not for the easily offended as nothing is off-limits to this very naughty Santa Claus.

A Bad Moms Christmas

A Bad Moms Christmas is the sequel to hit comedy Bad Moms. The lead -Bad Mom- is Mila Kunis and she is supported by Kristen Bell, Kathryn Hahn, Cheryl Hines as well as Christine Baranski, and Susan Sarandon featuring as the grandmothers. The story follows the group of overburdened Mums as they rebel against the impossibly high standards of the festive season. Cue lots of bad behaviour and debacles. Really funny and light-hearted movie with a stellar cast to boot.

Office Christmas Party

Office Christmas Party is a hilarious film that offers up laughs aplenty in the annual Office Christmas Party. Jason Bateman and his crew of oddball co-workers are the employees of a company that is trying to avoid having their department shut down. Their idea is to throw the wildest Christmas party ever to impress a big client, played by Courtney B Vance. Jennifer Aniston is on point as the sister of the feckless boss that is itching to shut everything down. Lots of silliness ensues with Bateman offering up the angsty dry wit that he is so good at. Two hours of mindless fun, just what is needed when you're tummy is full of Turkey and pots!

Horror Christmas Films

Gremlins

Cult classic Gremlins, made in 1984, is a brilliant light-hearted horror that has been digitally remastered into 4K Ultra HD. Chances are anyone under the age of 35 will not have had the pleasure of this mad-cap movie. This is such a funny yet scary film, a father brings home an unusual pet for his teenage son. The Mogwai has a simple set of instructions, keep out of the light, away from water and NEVER feed him after midnight. Of course, nothing goes to plan and what follows is a horrific yet funny rollercoaster of mayhem. Gremlins was considered pretty cutting edge in its day for special effects and there is a lot of nostalgia to be had from watching it.

Why not gift the Gremlins Box Set to someone this year?

Krampus

Krampus is a funny horror about a boy that has lost his faith in Christmas and inadvertently summons Krampus a Christmas Demon that sets about to terrorise their small town! Described as Gremlins meets National Lampoons this movie will give you laughs and gasps simultaneously. Toni Collete stars as the mother and she always puts in a top-quality performance.

Christmas Classics of the Future?

Noelle

Disney+ Streaming service has been a major hit this year and they have a wonderful Christmas gift for their subscribers in the form of Noelle. Starring Anna Kendrick, from the Pitch Perfect franchise. Kendrick is Santa's daughter that has to step up and take over the family business after her brother Nick can't cut the mustard and disappears. Noelle must go and find him in time for Christmas. Kids and adults will enjoy this family movie that explores the meaning of Christmas, family, and responsibility. This could well be one of the future Christmas classics as it is sooo Christmassy and full of great characters.

Last Christmas

Another one for the hopeless romantics, Last Christmas is a film shot in London at Christmas. With all the wonderful decorations and lights as its backdrop, we see the story of Kate, Emilia Clarke from Game of Thrones, that has had a run of bad luck. She is an aspiring singer that is stuck in a dead end job as a Christmas Elf. Then she meets Tom, Henry Golding, and her life takes an upward trajectory. This movie was written by Emma Thompson who was inspired by the legendary Christmas song of the same name by Wham. The film is set against the wonderful songs of Wham and Mr. George Michael himself, so if the plots falls flat for you at least you can singalong.

Let it Snow

Netflix has made this Christmas-ish tale of teens coming to terms with growing up and managing love and friendship. A small town endures a violent snowstorm on Christmas Eve that buries most of the town, in a quest for help they are challenged with various situations which bonds them together and changes their lives forever. Adapted from the novels by bestselling authors Maureen Johnson, John Green, and Lauren Marycle who collaborated to write three romantic stories that have been interlinked. Fans of the book will not be disappointed. The movie has great scenery and was filmed in Canada.