The left-out Christmas films you may not have considered but SHOULD

Not sure about you, but watching the same films year after year to the point where you can literally recite the dialogue has become a tad boring… But fear not, we are here to spice up those cold winter evenings with some Christmas films you hopefully have not seen a thousand times.

But please, please can we stay away from those Netflix romcoms?

We’ll admit, we aren’t film critics, but here are 10 films we found pleasantly surprising.

10. The Man Who Invented Christmas (2017)

Yes, there are many many films which draw inspiration from A Christmas Carol but trust us on this one. The film unleashes holiday magic, putting a sweet revisionist spin on the story behind a classic yuletide tale.

Rotten Tomatoes – 79%

9. Klaus (2019)

Its humorous and heart-warming narrative makes Klaus an instant candidate for holiday classic status. Also, it can be found on Netflix! A perfect feel-good movie.

Rotten Tomatoes – 94%

8. 12 Dates of Christmas (2011)

Once you bypass the fairly cringe-worthy title, the film is actually very sweet. It possesses a Groundhog Day sort of vibe, as she lives Christmas Eve over and over again.

This film can be found on Amazon.

Rotten Tomatoes – 52% audience score

7. The Family Stone (2005)

For those who like a heart-warming comedy, this is your film. It’s a messy, convoluted family comedy that gets lost in itself. The story follows Everett Stone as he brings his girlfriend home for Christmas to meet his family and let’s just say the Stones don’t initially warm to the outsider.

You can watch it on Prime Video.

Rotten Tomatoes – 63%

6. Pride, Prejudice and Mistletoe (2018)

Ultimate Christmas romance but ONLY suitable to those who can tolerate a bit of cringe. We did warn you. The film places a Christmas-themed spin on Jane Austen’s classic novel Pride and Prejudice but with some interesting gender-swaps.

“Absolutely ridiculous that despite having a giant house and buying several new dresses in the next scene, Darcy still can’t afford to pay her caterer,” Tash Cope, Warwick Film Studies Society.

Okay, maybe don’t analyse it too much…

Rotten Tomatoes – 22% audience score

5. Office Christmas Party (2016)

When we finally get our ‘one hell of a party’ we can only hope for it to be as great as the Office Christmas Party. 

The utter chaos was of a sort that could only be found in a Rootes Kitchen.

The film can be found on Netflix.

Rotten Tomatoes – 41%

4. Just Friends (2005)

Possibly one of the most underrated movies ever which is also a Christmas movie. Its premise seems familiar, perhaps even relatable, but the film is unexpectantly entertaining.

Who doesn’t love an actual funny romcom? …Probably quite a few people to be honest.

Watch this film on Netflix.

Rotten Tomatoes – 71% audience score 

3. Joyeux Nöel (2005)

If you’re missing the internationality of the learning grid, this film is sure to give you all the French you’ve been missing…

But on a more serious note, this is a mandatory watch.

This fantastically emotional French film about the famous Christmas Truce of WWI will be sure to ignite the sensation of goodwill inside all of us. Be sure to have the tissues handy.

Rotten Tomatoes – 74%

2. The Holiday (2006)

This is actually so beautiful and the cast is absolutely fantastic.

10 out of 10.

We have nothing more to say.

Watch now on Netflix.

Rotten Tomatoes – 80% audience score 

1. It’s a Wonderful Life (1947)

A classic. But a film that we believe has lost its popularity and fame amongst our generation. Don’t be put off by the year, this masterpiece actually didn’t find its fame until several decades later. Today it remains one of the most fascinating films in American cinema. This film injects the positivity we all need right now.

Rotten Tomatoes – 94%

Related stories recommended by this writer:

• Build a Christmas dinner and we’ll tell you what uni you should’ve gone to

• Every single Love Actually storyline, ranked by how badly it’s aged

• There are 30 iconic Christmas songs and I bet you can’t name half of them