Skip the Standards: 13 Underrated Christmas Movies To Shake Up Your Holiday Watchlist

I’ll be the first to admit I’m a total sucker for the holiday classics. I can watch “Home Alone” and “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” on an endless loop until January. Still, even a creature of habit like me needs to switch it up every once in a while, which is why I love exploring underrated Christmas movies.

To help you shake up your 25 days of viewing, I created a list of my favorite unconventional holiday films that deserve more appreciation. Some were overlooked when they came out. Others simply got lost in the holiday shuffle. I’ve arranged each pick chronologically from oldest to newest, so top off your cocoa and let’s dig in.

Our underrated Christmas movie quick picks

• Best classic: “Remember the Night”
• Best thriller: “The Silent Partner”
• Best animated movie: “Tokyo Godfathers”
• Best family pick: “Millions”
• Best unconventional pick: “Brazil”

“Remember the Night” (1940)

Classic movie buffs might not consider this a hidden gem. But “Remember the Night” is one of several great 1940s Christmas films often overshadowed by “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “Miracle on 34th Street.”

Written by the legendary Preston Sturges, this road-trip romance follows an assistant district attorney who takes the shoplifter he’s prosecuting home for the holidays. Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray make their first on-screen pairing here, bringing plenty of chemistry to a story that’s far sweeter than their later noir classic “Double Indemnity.” If you want vintage charm with a little less melodrama, this is the one.

“We’re No Angels” (1955)

A Humphrey Bogart Christmas movie? It sounds improbable, but it’s the perfect antidote to overly sugary holiday fare. From prolific filmmaker Michael Curtiz, who directed “White Christmas” just a year earlier, this dark comedy offers a very different kind of holiday spirit.

The story follows three convicts (Bogart, Peter Ustinov, and Aldo Ray) who escape Devil’s Island and plan to rob a struggling family on Christmas Eve. Instead, they end up fixing the family’s roof and, in a way, their lives. It’s a funny and heartwarming tale that proves even Bogie can thaw for Christmas.

“The Silent Partner” (1978)

The 1970s don’t dominate the Christmas-movie canon the way the ’80s or ’90s do. That’s why “The Silent Partner” feels like such a major discovery.

Written by the great Curtis Hanson (of “L.A. Confidential” and “8 Mile” fame), this Hitchcockian thriller features Elliott Gould as a bank teller locked in a deadly battle of wits with a sadistic mall Santa (Christopher Plummer). It’s a tense, clever caper that’s definitely less well known than it should be.

“Fanny and Alexander” (1982)

I don’t often get to put an Ingmar Bergman film on a holiday listicle, so I’m happily embracing the chance. “Fanny and Alexander” opens with one of the most lavish Christmas celebrations in cinema history. It perfectly captures that cozy, overwhelming feeling of seeing the holidays through a child’s eyes.

While the story eventually takes a darker turn, the overall film is a masterclass in atmosphere. It feels less like a movie and more like a vivid childhood memory brought to life, which makes sense because it draws heavily on Bergman’s own childhood. And if you want the full experience, The Criterion Channel carries both the three-hour theatrical version and Bergman’s original five-hour television version.

“Brazil” (1985)

I’ll admit this isn’t a full-on Christmas movie. It’s set during the holiday season, but the vibe is much closer to George Orwell’s “Nineteen Eighty-Four” than anything written by Charles Dickens. While it often appears on lists of non-traditional Christmas movies alongside “Die Hard” and “Batman Returns,” Terry Gilliam’s sci-fi masterpiece offers a unique, satirical flavor.

The film uses the holidays as an ironic backdrop for its bureaucratic nightmare, contrasting forced festive cheer with dystopian gloom. Packed with fantastical imagery and dream sequences, “Brazil” is an off-kilter trip for anyone looking to escape the usual sentimental slush.

“Wings of Hope” (1998)

This is easily the deepest cut on the list, but hear me out. “Wings of Hope” is a fascinating documentary about Juliane Koepcke, the sole survivor of a plane crash that occurred on Christmas Eve in 1971. Director Werner Herzog revisits the crash site with her, driven by the fact that he nearly took the same flight while working in Peru on “Aguirre, the Wrath of God.”

I’m a massive fan of Herzog’s “Aguirre,” and learning his connection to the LANSA Flight 508 crash adds a unique layer to this haunting survival story. It’s not your typical holiday watch, but it’s an unforgettable story of resilience.

“Go” (1999)

Directed and shot by Doug Liman, “Go” is a high-energy time capsule of late ’90s cool. With its intertwining storylines and dark comedic crime elements, it definitely has that post-“Pulp Fiction” vibe, but it moves with a rhythm all its own.

The cast is a total who’s who of Gen X talent, including Sarah Polley, Timothy Olyphant, Katie Holmes, and Scott Wolf, all orbiting a chaotic Christmas Eve drug deal and its fallout. It’s fast, flashy, and the perfect choice if you want to swap silent nights for rave lights.

“Tokyo Godfathers” (2003)

There aren’t exactly a ton of anime Christmas movies out there, but “Tokyo Godfathers” is my easy favorite of the subgenre. Directed by the brilliant Satoshi Kon, this animated gem is actually inspired by the 1948 John Wayne western “3 Godfathers” (another solid holiday flick worth checking out if you dig classics).

The setting shifts from the Wild West to modern-day Tokyo, where three companions living on the streets discover an abandoned baby on Christmas Eve. It’s a visually dazzling, deeply human adventure that perfectly balances slapstick comedy with tear-jerking emotional beats.

“Millions” (2004)

I absolutely love this movie. “Millions” pulses with director Danny Boyle’s signature, almost techno-like style. There’s rapid-fire editing, vibrant cinematography, and a driving soundtrack. It still feels incredibly fresh and energetic all these years later.

Most of this list isn’t exactly kid-friendly. But “Millions” is the exception. It’s an electrifying family movie set around the Christmas season, following two brothers who find a bag of cash. With a massive heart and a genuinely good message, it’s a modern fable that deserves way more attention.

“Kiss Kiss Bang Bang” (2005)

By law, I’m only allowed to include one Shane Black movie on this list. After all, the writer/director just loves a Christmas setting (see “Lethal Weapon,” “The Long Kiss Goodnight,” and “Iron Man 3”). While several worthy contenders exist, “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang” is a satirical neo-noir that’s the perfect alternative to your standard Christmas classics.

Robert Downey Jr. stars as a petty thief turned accidental actor who teams up with a private eye (Val Kilmer) to solve a Hollywood murder mystery. With razor-sharp dialogue and electric chemistry, it’s a beautifully sleazy L.A. Christmas story that feels cynical and festive in equal measure.

“Joyeux Noël” (2005)

If “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang” was too cynical for your taste and you’re still after pure sentimentality, this is the one for you. Inspired by the Christmas truces of 1914, “Joyeux Noël” dramatizes the informal ceasefires that broke out along parts of the Western Front during World War I.

French, Scottish, and German soldiers lay down their arms to share chocolate, songs, and a fleeting moment of peace in No Man’s Land. It’s a grounded reminder of our shared humanity, offering a moving look at the spirit of the season amid the horrors of war.

“White Reindeer” (2013)

For those looking for something truly off the beaten path, this underseen dark comedy is the answer. “White Reindeer” follows a real estate agent whose life is upended when her husband dies unexpectedly just before Christmas.

Anna Margaret Hollyman absolutely carries the indie film, delivering a magnetic performance as she navigates grief, shocking secrets, and a messy journey of self-discovery. It captures the weird, manic side of the holiday season, making it a must-watch for anyone who likes their holiday cheer served with a heavy dose of reality.

“The Green Knight” (2021)

To wrap up this list, we have a surreal dive into Arthurian legend. David Lowery’s adaptation of the 14th-century poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight honors the source material’s deep roots in the Christmas season.

Dev Patel stars as Gawain, who accepts a deadly challenge from a mysterious stranger during a holiday feast. The story is bookended by Christmas, tracking his journey to fulfill that oath exactly one year later. It’s a hypnotic tale that reminds us that the holidays have always been ripe for ancient myths and monsters.

More holiday fare to add to your watchlist