Nothing screams the holidays like the scent of pine, sugar cookies and Kevin McCallister's aftershave in the air. Shopping, family gatherings and time off to binge TV also mark the arrival of festive times, and you're probably making a list of movies you'll watch. You can go with standard fare like Home Alone, Elf, The Grinch or anything in the Hallmark Channel lineup -- even the new Red One. But how about bucking tradition?
We've got a small batch of suggestions to get you inspired to go outside of the typical Christmas movie box, and they range from gangster films to horror flicks to the incredibly sad.
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A classic in any genre, Gremlins deserves to be on your holiday watchlist for its charm, chaos and educational service about Mogwai. Gizmo is cute, but Stripe and his ilk bring destruction and Christmas disaster to your TV screen.
Santa Claus may be the star of the season, but Krampus deserves his due. He gets it in this black comedy starring Adam Scott, Toni Collette and Allison Tolman. The film has holiday lights, snow, a family party and a monster. What more could you need?
Talk that sass! Released on Christmas Day back in 2015, Quentin Tarantino's The Hateful Eight features a blizzardy winter backdrop and a bunch of strangers trapped together at a haberdashery. Armed with guns, slick mouths and hidden agendas, there's no telling who will survive. Sounds like a good time, right? The movie includes Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Walton Goggins and Michael Madsen.
A weird phone call to a sorority house sets the stage for this holiday slasher film starring Olivia Hussey, Keir Dullea, Margot Kidder and John Saxon. College students turn up missing -- and worse -- during the holidays, and there seems to be no way to escape. Fire pokers and Christmas carolers are no help here, either. Watch the 1974 original or the 2006 remake on Tubi.
Johnny Depp and Winona Ryder feature in this eclectic Tim Burton classic that brings snow, holiday decorations and an isolated yet mild-natured man into the neighborhood. Depp's shear-handed Edward has a special moment with Ryder's Kim on Christmas, but the movie is filled with (somewhat) tender scenes and winter themes.
No unconventional holiday movie list would be complete without including Die Hard. That's it.
Marlon Brando won an Academy Award for his role as Vito Corleone in Francis Ford Coppola's gangster gem. This movie may not have your traditional Christmas vibe, but it has a theme of family togetherness along with that famous scene where Michael Corleone and Kay are out holiday shopping. Stream the first film, then follow up with The Godfather II.
If you're in the mood for a film with fellowship, love and good music, then The Best Man Holiday fits the bill. But there's tragedy in this story that will have you bawling your eyes out by the end. The star-studded cast stars Morris Chestnut, Monica Calhoun, Sanaa Lathan, Taye Diggs, Regina Hall, Terrence Howard, Nia Long, Harold Perrineau and Melissa De Sousa. Watch it this season if you can handle the sadness.
Before Kevin Hart and The Rock's version of Jumanji, there was 1995's original film with Robin Williams, Kirsten Dunst and Bonnie Hunt. A board game unleashes magical havoc on a family that's going through some challenges, but they have to work together to outsmart the game. The adventurous movie packs in action, laughs and some sentimental parts. Be sure to pay attention to the Christmas-themed timeline bit in the movie, too.
Adam Sandler has a track record when it comes to holiday-themed movies (that includes Hubie Halloween, folks), but Bedtime Stories may be one of his less popular releases. Still, if you like goofy fantasy movies with lessons about being grateful for who and what you have, this one is a family-friendly pick.
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