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There’s something magical about Christmas and the movies. While the season is associated with many new releases, it is also synonymous with a certain genre of cinema that brings in a lot of holiday cheer, family emotions, and festive spirit. Iconic movies likeHome Alone,The Grinch that stole Christmas, The Polar Express, and many more, have been watched repeatedly in the warmth of living rooms, during the holidays.
While these above mentioned films embody the spirit of the holiday in every way, there are many movies that do not necessarily have themes of snow, sleigh and jingle bells, but are extremely popular choices to watch during the winter season. Here are a 5 Non-Christmas films that made the cut.
Also Read:Bruce Willis’ Legacy Gets Celebrated as Die Hard Returns To Theatres, Fans Get Hyped For the “Greatest Christmas movie of all time”
5Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
In 2005, Robert Downey Jr and Val Kilmer starred inKiss Kiss Bang Bang, a neo-noir comedic thriller directed by Shane Black. The story follows a thief pretending to be an actor, who gets involved in a murder investigation in Hollywood when he befriends a private detective. Apart from a brilliant filmmaking debut by Black, Downey Jr’s electric performance won him a lot of praise.
While the film did not have any specific references to Christmas except for a few scenes that took place during the season,Kiss Kiss Bang Bangwent on to become one of the most popular watches during the holidays, owing to its entertaining and fast-paced narrative that was perfectly suited to relaxed viewing on a winter’s evening.
4Batman Returns
DC’s most celebrated superhero Batman is not often associated with holiday cheer and joy. But 1992’sBatman ReturnsstarringMichael Keaton, is a film that is a significant part of Christmas viewing for many fans during the season. If one looks deeper, the running themes of good, evil, and greed in the film are also classic Christmas themes modified into a superhero template.
For example, the ruthless and corrupt business tycoon Max Shreck can be equated to a Scrooge-like figure, except for the fact that he never quite turns over a new leaf. Even through the grey shades of Catwoman and Batman himself, a lot of the underlying nuances and emotions in the film fit into the Christmas aesthetic perfectly.
3Iron Man 3
Why doesIron Man 3make audiences get cosy and comfortable in their living rooms with a warm beverage in hand on cold Christmas evenings? For starters, the film is completely set during the winter season, with visuals of Christmas trees, bright lights, and snow, along with the sound of carols that echo through the scenes.
In addition, the themes of Christmas movies almost always center around a central protagonist who needs to reform his life to ultimately understand the importance and value of love and family. Tony Stark aka Iron Man, the cynical hero who goes through a redemptive arc with the help of little kid in America’s heartland, perfectly defines the essence of a holiday movie.
Also Read:The Top 5 Best Christmas Games to Play This Holiday Season
2Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban
Magic is literally what drives theHarry Potterfilms. With Christmas being one of the most magical times of the year, watching aHarry Pottermovie during the holiday season is a double dose of delight. These films have every theme from mystery to crime, adventure to romance, along with classic Christmas references in every film.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkabangave audiences a cosy feel of Christmas, with snowy visuals in Hosgmeade involving snowball fights between Harry and his friends. The film also had a scene in which the twins Fred and George build a snow wizard outside Hogwarts.
One can argue thatBruce Willis’sblockbuster filmDie Hardis hardly one that keeps the Christmas spirit alive. Considered to be one of the iconic action movies and franchises of its time, the cult hit is actually one of the top choices for fans to watch during the Christmas season and with good reason too.
To begin with, the obvious references in the film come from the narrative itself, which follows a holiday party gone awry. In addition, the soundtrack is filled with Christmas tunes which includes Bruce Willis whistlingJingle Bells,while the background score keeps the seasonal vibes going. The story also follows a father desperate to be reunited with his family on Christmas Eve.
Possibly the most iconic reference in the film occurs when Willis stages a gag with a dead terrorist and utters the famous line,‘Now I have a machine gun ho ho ho’. The climax involves Christmas wrapping tape that is very crucial to the scene and its culmination. This, and many more references makeDie Hardthe most popular movie to watch during the holidays.
Also Read:“I thought she was perfect”: Keira Knightley Playing Marvel Star’s Love Interest at Just 18 for $246M Christmas Movie Gets Perfect Response from Director
Sharanya Sankar
Senior Writer
Articles Published :1230
Sharanya Sankar, Writer for FandomwireHaving completed her Masters degree in Journalism and Mass Communication, Sharanya has a solid foundation in writing which is also one of her passions. She has worked previously with Book My show for a couple of years where she gained experience reviewing films and writing feature articles. Sharanya’s articles on film and pop culture have also been published on Film Companion, a popular film-based website. Apart from movies and pop culture, her interests include music and sports. She has contributed over 650 articles to Fandomwire so far.
