The most wonderful time of the year also has some of the most wonderful Christmas movies for people to celebrate the holidays. The best thing about Christmas movies is that they often cover several different genres, with the only connecting device being the holiday season playing a significant role in the film’s story.

These include movies about Santa Claus, as well as films about families getting together to celebrate the holiday season. However, there are also some non-traditional Christmas movies people love to watch every year, including crime comedies and even one of the best action flicks of all time, although that is one people love to argue about.

Key Takeaways

• Christmas Movies: They encompass various genres, from traditional family stories to crime comedies.
• The Ref: A unique crime comedy that subverts typical Christmas movie themes.
• The Santa Clause: A box office hit that explores family dynamics during Christmas.
• Die Hard: A debated classic that combines action with a Christmas setting.

The Ref (1994)

The Ref is a non-traditional Christmas movie that is one of the best crime comedies of the 1990s. In one of Dennis Leary’s earliest movie roles, the comedian plays a burglar named Gus, who is stealing jewelry from a mansion when an alarm gets set off, and he ends up breaking into a family’s home and holding them hostage.

The problem is that he picked the most dysfunctional family, all of whom hate each other, and the Christmas holiday only makes their bickering worse. Not only does Gus want to escape as quickly as possible from these terrible people, but their son also wants to come with him for a “better life.”

The cast is fantastic from top to bottom, and Leary proved his skills as he tries to deal with a terrible couple while trying to figure out what he is going to do next. The Ref received mainly positive reviews for subverting most Christmas movie themes, and it is one of Ted Demme’s most underrated films.

The Santa Clause (1994)

Released in 1994, <em>The Santa Clause</em> was a considerable Christmas movie box office hit when released, and it went on to spawn a franchise with sequels and even a television series that hit Disney+ in 2022. Tim Curry stars as Scott Calvin, a marketing director who is divorced and struggles to keep a relationship with his son.

However, when Scott startles Santa Claus on Christmas Eve, and he falls off the roof and dies, Santa’s power goes into the struggling father, and he realizes he has to keep Christmas alive, even as the people in his life decide that he is losing his sanity. The movie received positive reviews, and it remains a holiday favorite.

The film is a solid tale of family, and it is a fun story about a father and son trying to connect when the least likely thing happens in their lives.

How The Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)

The original How the Grinch Stole Christmas was an animated film from 1966 that remains one of the most beloved Christmas movies of all time. Based on Dr. Seuss’ book, that original film was only 24 minutes long and released as a TV special. However, in 2000, Ron Howard directed the feature-length version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

Jim Carrey stars as the Grinch in this movie, as he sets out to ruin Christmas in Whoville after the people of that town ostracized him and made him feel unwanted when he was a child. However, when he meets young Cindy Lou Who, she teaches him the true meaning of Christmas, and his heart grows three sizes.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas received mixed reviews, at best, but it was one of Jim Carrey’s better roles, and it remains a fan favorite 25 years after its release. It also won an Oscar for Best Makeup, with Carrey earning a Golden Globe nomination for his performance.

Scrooged (1988)

In 1988, Bill Murray starred in a loose retelling of the classic Charles Dickens tale, A Christmas Carol. The movie, directed by Richard Donner (Superman, The Goonies), stars Murray as Frank Cross, a cynical TV network executive who forces his employees to work on Christmas Eve to broadcast a live adaptation of A Christmas Carol.

He ends up being visited by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future, as they show him the error of his ways. These ghosts were spectacular, with David Johansen and Carol Kane stealing their scenes. Bobcat Goldthwait was also incredible as an unhinged employee who decides to take matters into his own hands.

Scrooged was a box office success, and critics praised the film’s dark humor with a 93% Rotten Tomatoes score. Roger Ebert called it one of the most “unsettling” films he had seen in a while. The film earned one Oscar nomination and has gone on to become a cult classic.

Die Hard (1988)

Is Die Hard a Christmas movie? Yes, it most definitely is a Christmas movie, even if many people argue that it isn’t. Bruce Willis stars as John McClane, a New York City police detective who goes to see his estranged wife at her company’s Christmas party on Christmas Eve. However, what he finds is a terrorist attack.

Alan Rickman proved to be a massive star in his role as Hans Gruber, the leader of the terrorists who took over Nakatomi Plaza, demanding $640 million in untraceable bearer bonds. It is up to McClane to stop the terrorists, save his estranged wife, and save Christmas for all the hostages in the building.

The music even hints at Christmas with songs like “Ode to Joy,” “Winter Wonderland,” “Let it Snow,” and Run-DMC’s classic “Christmas in Hollis.” Die Hard is considered one of the best action movies ever made and remains one of the best non-traditional Christmas films of all time.

Elf (2003)

In 2003, Will Ferrell brought his unhinged man-child persona to an instant Christmas classic. Directed by Jon Favreau,<strong Elf stars Farrell as Buddy, who believes he was raised as an elf after sneaking into Santa’s bag one Christmas Eve.

This leads him on an adventure to find his real family while spreading joy despite being pursued by police.