Christmas gets all the hype (just click around our site for proof), but what about the other fall and winter holidays? Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and the rest are sorely underrepresented in movie land, but we’ve found a few festive flicks you can enjoy if—OK, when—you need a break from The Big C.
The 8 best non-Christmas holiday movies
8. Friendsgiving (2020)
After a rough year of personal struggles (divorce, single motherhood, late-stage lesbianism), L.A. housemates Molly (Malin Akerman) and Abby (Kat Dennings) just want a quiet Thanksgiving to themselves. But soon, their home is overflowing with friends (Aisha Tyler, Chelsea Peretti, Ryan Hansen, and an MVP cast of comedy folk) and even Molly’s mom (Jane Seymour). Friendsgiving is big, dumb fun.
Where to watch Friendsgiving
7. Pieces of April (2003)
Though she’s estranged from her dysfunctional family, April (Katie Holmes) invites them to her cramped New York City apartment for Thanksgiving dinner because she believes it will be the last for her cancer-stricken mother, Joy (Patricia Clarkson). BTW, this is a comedy. Despite the heavy undertones, Pieces of April is a sweet and intimate holiday movie that’s won critical raves for Holmes and Clarkson.
Where to watch Pieces of April
6. Black Friday (2021)
If you have to ask if Black Friday is a holiday, you obviously don’t believe in the miracle of Capitalism. When parasitic aliens infest an All-Mart superstore during a gate-crashing post-Thanksgiving sale, it’s up to manager Jonathan (Bruce Campbell, subtly referencing his classic Evil Dead role) and his motley crew of employees (including Michael Jai White and Devon Sawa) to exterminate them. B-movie mayhem!
Where to watch Black Friday
5. The Hebrew Hammer (2003)
Santa Claus’ evil son, Damian (Andy Dick), plans to destroy Hanukkah and Kwanzaa and claim December for Christmas alone. Enter Jewish crimefighter The Hebrew Hammer (Adam Goldberg), who recruits the Jewish Justice League and the Kwanzaa Liberation Front to stop Damian Claus, culminating in a final battle at the North Pole. The Hebrew Hammer is a uniter: Jews and Christians alike have taken offense.
Where to watch The Hebrew Hammer
4. Holiday Heritage (2022)
Kwanzaa-focused movies are few and far between. Hallmark finally got around to producing one in 2022: Holiday Heritage. Ella (Lyndie Greenwood) visits her Pennsylvania hometown for the holidays, only to find that her mother (Holly Robinson Peete) and grandmother (Darlene Cooke) are bitterly feuding. If Ella can rally her family to celebrate the seven days of Kwanzaa, will they reconcile? Get those hankies out!
Where to watch Holiday Heritage
3. “The Futurama Holiday Spectacular” (2010)
Not a movie but an episode from Futurama’s seventh season that’s both holiday-themed and environmentally conscious—it’s even narrated by Al Gore (well, Al’s head in a jar). “The Futurama Holiday Spectacular” celebrates three holidays: Xmas, the 31st-century Christmas where pine trees are extinct; Robanukah, fabricated by Bender; and Kwanzaa, ruled by Kwanazaabot. Spectacular, indeed.
Where to watch “The Futurama Holiday Spectacular”
2. The Night Before (2015)
Lifelong friends Ethan (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), Isaac (Seth Rogen), and Chris (Anthony Mackie) are out to celebrate their annual Christmas Eve tradition of searching for the best party in New York City one last time. Even though each of them struggles with adult problems, their wild journey into the night leads them to the epic Nutcracker Ball (and Miley Cyrus) and a reinforcement of their friendship (aww).
Where to watch The Night Before
1. New Year’s Evil (1980)
While hosting a New Year’s Eve punk-rock TV special, DJ “Blaze” Sullivan (Roz Kelly) receives creepy phone calls from “Evil,” who says he’s going to murder one “naughty girl” as the clock hits midnight in each time zone across the country. New Year’s Evil is a cult-favorite slasher flick known not only for its bloody kills, but also for its hilarious punk crowds, over-the-top bands, and absolutely bangin’ theme song.
Where to watch New Year’s Evil
Bill Frost has been a journalist and TV reviewer since the 4:3-aspect-ratio ’90s. His pulse-pounding prose has been featured in The Salt Lake Tribune, Inlander, Coachella Valley Independent, Las Vegas Weekly, and many other dead-tree publications (see BillFrost.tv). In addition to being a Senior Staff Writer at CableTV.com, Bill is a syndicated streaming TV columnist forSalt Lake City Weekly and other alternative weeklies, and host/producer of TV Tan Podcast. By night, Bill cranks a Flying V with his band at the bar.
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