Blogmas (Day 13) | Underrated Christmas Films You HAVE To See
We've all seen Elf, The Grinch, A Christmas Carol, Love Actually and Home Alone. But there are rather a few, less popular, underrated films which are just as festive, just as fun and just as entertaining. So get your blankets out, light that candle, snuggle up on the sofa with a hot choc and give these films a cheeky watch this Christmas.
Arthur Christmas, 2011
Out of all the films I'm going to talk about in this post, this is probably one you've most likely seen already. Made by Aardman Animations, Arthur Christmas has a very modern take on the traditional Father Christmas cruising around the world in a sleigh pulled by eight tiny reindeer. With a slightly mad, very old Grand-Santa, THE Santa, a wannabe Santa who can't wait to take over from the main man and a young, cheesy-xmas-jumper-wearing lad who has an innocent, yet loving view of the world around the festive season, you won't be short for witty humour and hilarious antics.
Without spoiling things, let me explain the plot! So Christmas Eve night has come to an end, Santa and his elves are back in the North Pole, fast asleep and every single child in the world has a Christmas present...well, nearly every child. Turns out, a bike got caught up in their sorting system, meaning somewhere, a child won't have a present to open come Christmas morning. Arthur notices a child has been missed and so, with the help of a wrapping Elf, Grand-Santa, an old sleigh and bunch of very old reindeer he can't even remember the names of, they set about ensuring the present is delivered on time. But their trip doesn't go quite as smoothly as they'd planned.
You can actually watch this film on Netflix if you have a subscription. If not, you'll be able to pick up the DVD for less than a fiver for endless, festive entertainment this Christmas. If you've seen this already, let me know what you think, if not, I hope you enjoy it.
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, 1989
This film is perfect for those who love slapstick comedy. Despite the hilarity, it's surprisingly very festive. It always makes me feel very Christmassy, like I want to go and pick up a glass of Eggnog and sing carols or something. It just really puts me in that mood. Not only is it funny, it's also relatable.
The film consists of your typical nuclear family who are awaiting the hustle and bustle of a hectic, full house for Christmas. Think about it, your two teenage children, your parents and your in-laws, all staying in the same house during the festive period? Sounds wonderful right? Wrong! Everything starts going tits up for the Griswold family, pretty much from the offset. From getting their Christmas tree, to Christmas shopping and putting the Christmas lights up all over their house, nothing goes smoothly for this unlucky family. To top it all off, they receive unexpected, somewhat unwanted, visitors which adds fuel to the already glowing fire. It's festive, comical and so relatable to families come the Christmas season. It's the perfect family film for all ages.
Christmas With The Coopers, 2015
This film is one of the most recent Christmas movies to come out. I had seen trailers for it when it first came out in cinemas, but I just never got around to seeing it, and I think that was the same for rather a few people. But I bought it on DVD a couple of years ago, for a good price, and I thought I'd give it a watch and I LOVED IT! It's a beautiful film. It's set in modern day America, obviously during the festive period, and a hole family is on a journey to get together for Christmas, but each member is going through their own, personal turmoils before the family, festive fun begins.
A husband and wife who are on the brink of divorce, trying to keep it from their grown-up children, are so carried caught up in their own worries that they don't notice the rest of the family are drowning in their own, personal problems. With a daughter who feels as though she'll never be loved, a son who's a broke, single father of two children, a sister who's a serial shoplifter, an elderly Aunt with Dementia and a lonely father who misses his recently deceased wife, it's enough to pull at anyone's heart strings. Oh and not to mention the dog! The entire story is told through the perspective of the family dog, who seems to be a silent fly-on-the-wall, it's such an interesting concept.
A brilliant film, with fantastic, well known actors and actresses, I highly recommend it. It might even be the film to replace my love for the ever-so-popular 'Love Actually' (2003).
The Man Who Invented Christmas, 2018
This film is about the main man himself, the legend that is Charles Dickens. He brought us many epic stories, one of those being 'A Christmas Carol'. You can see where I'm going with this one can't you? Well this film is all about the struggles Dickens came across whilst writing the world renowned tale of scroogery.
It also made me feel better, as a writer, knowing that one of the most successful ones in the world also hit the dreaded obstacle that is writer's block. Dickens had a limited amount of time to write 'A Christmas Carol', feeling uninspired, he went out into the world, sucking up public opinions on the poor, workhouses, money and sick children. He used that as inspiration to write 'A Christmas Carol'. All will be revealed in this film.
I can't really explain it very well, other than, if you're a fan of the book, you'll have moments of realisation as quotes from the book seep in here and there through Dicken's writing adventure. You'll come to understand that there is a very important message in 'A Christmas Carol' and Dickens wanted the word to spread. You also learn a lot more about his very turbulent, rocky and unhappy childhood, as well as a criminal father and a wife who's on the brink of despair having not seen her husband for days, it really does tug at the heartstrings.
This is most definitely a film for the literature lovers out there, especially if you're a fan of Dickens. You can watch it on Netflix, if you have a subscription.
Krampus, 2015
This one is very different to any of the other Christmas films you've probably ever seen. It mixes Christmas with horror for those who don't always enjoy the bright lights or Christmas sparkle of a typical festive movie. It can also be considered to be a comedy, as elements in it aren't meant for the serious viewer.
If you aren't aware of what Krampus is, he's basically an evil Father Christmas. He's a legend which has been circulating around the world for many years, this film is a digitised take on the creepy, devil-like creature which comes in the dead of a Christmas Eve night to take those who denounce the benevolent spirit of St Nick. After watching this film, you'll want to hug your family a little tighter this festive season, and ensure your belief in Santa and your Christmas spirit lives on. This is definitely a film to look out for if you're wanting a change from your typical, happy clappy festive favourites.
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I hope you enjoyed this post, let me know if watch any of them or if you've already seen them. What did you think? I will see you tomorrow with another post!
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