Water Cooler: Alternative holiday movies
Tired of watching “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation,” “Elf” and “It’s a Wonderful Life” year after year for the holiday season? Even if you’re not, quarantine has made extra time for sitting at home on the couch this year, so here are a few movies with a bit of Christmas spirit in one sense or another to add to the December rotation. Find these films to rent, stream or purchase on Amazon, DirectTV, HBO, Fandango, Redbox, iTunes, Google Play, Youtube. VUDU and more.
“Die Hard” – This action blockbuster has always been surrounded by controversy as to whether or not it’s actually a Christmas movie. Well, it’s set during Christmas, an office Christmas party is a major part of the plot, and there are some iconic Santa hats and “Ho ho ho’s,” so it definitely does the trick if you need a side of Christmas spirit with your main course of explosions, high profile criminals and down-to-earth New York hero. Follow John McClane as he attempts to rescue his wife and her coworkers who have been taken hostage by German terrorists in Nakatomi Plaza. Directed by John McTiernan. 1988. R. 132 minutes.
“On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” – The first 007 film without Sean Connery and the only appearance of George Lazenby as Bond is set against the snowy slopes of the Swiss Alps and features Telly Savalas as Blofeld, stepping out from behind the Christmas tree in his secret mountain lair suavely saying, “Merry Christmas, 007.” Directed by Peter R. Hunt. 1969. PG. 142 minutes.
“Batman Returns” – Even Gotham has Christmas spirit, perhaps a bit more gaudy and edgy than usual, but it’s all in goth-pop fun with Tim Burton’s signature aesthetic. The all-star ’90s cast featuring Michael Keaton as Batman, Danny DeVito as the Penguin, Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman and Christopher Walken as business mogul Max Schreck makes for a great revisit, made complete with Danny Elfman’s sinister and playful score. Directed by Tim Burton. 1992. PG-13. 126 minutes.
“Gremlins” – A classic and zany entry into the crossover genre of holiday horror, oozing with all the ’80s aesthetic you could ask for, including great puppeteering, animatronics and all sorts of disastrously fun practical effects. If you don’t remember all the rules of the mogwai, it may be time for a rewatch. Directed by Joe Dante. 1984. PG. 106 minutes.
“Carol” – In this delicate drama set around the holiday season of 1950s New York, an unexpected love affair emerges between a young Manhattan department store clerk and an older woman trapped in a loveless marriage. This adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s novel, “The Price of Salt,” captures a textural nostalgia of the predigital age with 16 mm film, immaculate costuming and timeless performances from stars Cate Blanchette, Rooney Mara, Sarah Paulson and Kyle Chandler. Directed by Todd Haynes. 2015. R. 118 minutes.
“All That Heaven Allows” – What are the holidays without a little melodrama? Enjoy the holidays with lush technicolor, rigid and heartless social mores and all the romance-induced heart pangs you can stand in one picture. The “Walden” toting, red flannel donning, down-to-earth arborist, played by Rock Hudson, will become your new holiday icon. Directed by Douglas Sirk. 1955. 89 minutes. (Not widely available for streaming, but the whole film has been uploaded to YouTube.)
“Kiss Kiss Bang Bang” – Featuring comeback performances from both Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer, this buddy action movie is a classic Los Angeles caper, complete with a struggling actress, a private eye and thief masquerading as an actor. In usual L.A. style, there is no snow to be found, but it is set against a backdrop of high-class Christmas parties and holiday décor, and it opens with a toy store robbery. Directed by Shane Black. 2005. R. 103 minutes.