Kermode Uncut: The Top Ten Alternative Christmas Movies

[ventricity]

bad santa is by far the best christmas movie.

[SuperMediachannel]

How can you forget gremlins!

[SuperMediachannel]

Gremlins

[SROCeallaigh]

I got Brazil for Xmas and watched it on Boxing Day...Glad we think alike :)

[brucegray666]

YES!!! DIE HARD!!!

[dante0440]

wat no lethal weapon

[CraigSips]

The Silent Partner 1978

[666BIKERJOE]

ahhh critics ... mostly useless always vocular

[NorthSea0il]

Edward Scissorhands!

[skinwalkerxxx]

no idea what #3 is

[amazingbollweevil]

Wow, calling some of these a "Christmas movie" is quite a stretch. It's like calling "The Longest Day" a beach movie.

[sulijoo]

Alternative Christmas movie: The Fountain.

[TheHappydead]

The City of Lost Children......... people you need this in your Christmas

[sainuudotcom]

Brazil da da da da raaa....

[SPeacock]

I'm a bit surprised that "Scrooged" starring Bill Murray wasn't on the list... but oh, well - each to his own. :)

[thegoldensimatar]

Santa's Slay

[ec123456789able]

I am glad Die Hard was included.

I personally think it is the best Christmas movie of all time.

[Fatpie42]

I know a great many of you love Gremlins, but I'm going to include Jingle All The Way instead because just three people recommended it......

WHAT????

[PACEUK22]

Planes, trains and automobiles:)

[Kropog]

No Gremlins? O.o

[wataki2]

Did he really not even mention Bad Santa? Good God man, thats an outrage Kermode.. I cant even find his review for it.

[monolith94]

Brazil! Eff yeah!

[MrBronzefonz]

In the Godfather Tom Hagen is kidnapped when is Christmas shopping 

[MrBronzefonz]

Was Uncle Buck set during Christmas time? I remember a lot of hats and scarfs

[w111090]

PUT THAT COOKIE DOWN, NOW!!!!!!!!!

[TheHappydead]

woh! rare exports looks amazing, ... Jean Pierre Juenet and Marc Caro's The City of Lost Children is the finest alternative christmas movie ever made, its opening creepy multiple Santa nightmare scene alone should secure a spot at the top. If you havent seen it, SEE IT!!!

THE CITY OF LOST CHILDREN

THE CITY OF LOST CHILDREN

THE CITY OF LOST CHILDREN

[danstrummer]

Batman Returns

[frogtastic1000]

wht but superman 2?

[Rowandamyooze]

About to go and watch Die Hard. Glad it got a mention \m/

[Tiswaser]

What about Silent Night Deadly Night?

[senorfatso]

Since you're stretching what constitutes a Christmas film so much, how about Rosemary's Baby? There are some  very poignant Christmas and New Year scenes in it that are as about as subversive as you can get.

[shawndimery]

L.A Confidential!

[ToBePhair]

Jingle All The Way is definitely a guilty Christmas pleasure... He punches a reindeer!

[Reilavac]

The finale of The Proposition takes place on Christmas Day. Would that count?

[danstrummer]

@Reilavac Damn! I thought of that, then saw your comment. Beat me.

[DucksandDynamite]

Jingle all the Way is a classic 90's film!.

[Gadget3440]

Tokyo Godfathers. Anime about three homeless people finding a baby.

[RoyalBlue43]

@Gadget3440 Haha, yes, awesome Christmas movie.

[nmoravec1]

No Silent Night Deadly Night? I'm shocked.

[RichieG]

Bit surprised The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo didn't make this list.

[TheTruth006]

If I was going to see Brazil for the first time should I see the directors cut, the theatrical cut, or that third cut I forgot what it was but it was a special edit.

[tais114]

@TheTruth006 Yes, watch the Directors cut. And no do not watch the "Love Conquers All" cut, made by the Studio

[Robkinggozer]

@veronica9956: glad to! :)

[deminstius]

SCROOGED?

[BrotherJosephus]

Mean Girls. Three words: Jingle Bell Rocks.

[Melvinwacko]

Nice list, but it needs Batman Returns

[dogarmyrecords]

@Ravefox what is christmassy about Eternal Sunshine? Most of it is set around Valentines Day, last time I checked, that's in February

[dogarmyrecords]

Oh, and trading places

[dogarmyrecords]

What about millions!? and Mark hates eyes wide shut btw

[Ravefox]

Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind

[multipleman78]

Lethal Weapon and Bad Santa are great suggestions. Die Hard at number 2 is definitely something i can agree with.

[brettredmayne]

open minded?

[DavidTheApache]

Catch me if you can and L.A. Confidential are my favourite alternative christmas films.

[Robkinggozer]

If we're really gonna stretch it, i'd like to mention Jacob's Ladder, one of my favourite movies of all time. There's a scene where Tim Robbins falls out of a moving car, unconscious. There's this guy dressed as Santa, ringing a bell, 'ho ho ho, merry christmas'. He sees the guy laying there, looks around, walks over and steals his wallet, then walks away.

[veronica9956]

@Robkinggozer Thank you for mentioning Jacob's Ladder! :)

[MrBronzefonz]

Ronin



[criterion10]

Eyes Wide Shut?!

[cklambo]

I watched its a wonderful life. Right up to the last scene i was not getting why its so loved. Then i cried. Oh thats why.

[WeebleWarbler]

Trading Places.

[DannyBoy777]

I always thought it was quite obviously that.

[KevClynes]

What happened to the film reviews?

[theKarst]

i don't know if anyone's interested, but here's a blog: zombieswatchingmovies. blogspot. com where me and another nerd-girl review movies (mostly films from the 20th century and film festivals but also newer films we see in the cinema) mark kermode is one of our biggest idols and he is one of the reasons i suggested we do this blog with my friend. :) if you could please, it'd be great if you could check us out. laura

[mayer8356]

How dare you deride Jingle All The Way :P

[PompamooseMagique]

Best Christmas film... In Bruges. 

[KajiCarson]

@PompamooseMagique Totally forgot about that one.... classic flick!

[YourVertigoso]

@PompamooseMagique total agreement

[frogtastic1000]

it's a wonderful life is wondefully overated

[StabStabStabStabby]

No bad santa? :(

[lehnrik]

@StabStabStabStabby Not an alternative x-mas movie.

[MrBronzefonz]

I think Young Sherlock Holmes was set around Christmas time

[petertyson2]

Would have been nice to see the Dutch comedy horror film "Sint" (Saint) mentioned.

[RockBottomRiser21]

Tokyo Godfathers!

[NorthSea0il]

trains planes and automobiles

[othyization]

@NorthSea0il that's Thanxgiving, not Xmas.

[Skamoni]

@NorthSea0il Too mainstream

[Rowandamyooze]

@NorthSea0il Thanksgiving.

[tomstewarteatshoe]

@NorthSea0il ...was set during Thanksgiving. Not Xmas.

[Skamoni]

@NorthSea0il Its about Thanksgiving, not Christmas.

[TwwIX]

@NorthSea0il I agree but that movie is about Thanksgiving, not Christmas.

[MrBronzefonz]

Home alone 

[jctrewin]

jingle all the way should have been way higher but glad to see it in!

[simonh505]

I really like Terry Gilliam but unlike something like 12 Monkeys I don't love Brazil. It looks great but it's too long, it's structure and narrative are muddled and as much as I try to love it I just can't. I'm with Roger Ebert on this one. Still a far more interesting film than 90% of the stuff Hollywood makes today though.

[MrBronzefonz]

@simonh505 Im a massive fan of Terry Gilliam but the biggest problem I have with his films is sometimes they are too long which does effect the narrative.

[simonh505]

@MrBronzefonz I'd love to see Brazil re cut and perhaps rewritten a bit. The De Niro but wasn't needed in the slightest and if it were under 2 hours I think I would have enjoyed it a lot more.

[gibboanx]

No Bad Santa, no?

[zaftra]

There is only one - Bad Santa!

[alsybroth]

Child's Play

A young boy gets a good guy doll as a Christmas present from his mum during the snowy season. Only his present just so happens to be possessed by a voodoo-worshipping serial killer. Ho ho ho indeed. :P

[sabalos]

It's very considerate of you to avoid giving away the ending of Brazil, but surely there's a statute of limitations or something on spoilers?

Good list anyway, thanks - and merry Christmas \o/

[themenaceanish]

commode is a faggot

[ChristopherDone]

@themenaceanish And you're an interesting person.

[themenaceanish]

@ChristopherDone You're welcome.

[RickBush]

No Lethal Weapon??? Riggs buying coke and getting a free Christmas tree? Jingle Bell Rock? "What day is it boy?" "It's god damn Christmas!!!" Come on!

[killiankillbot1]

Great list Mark, and a happy Christmas to you! Edward Scissorhands? Or is that too mainstream?

[KajiCarson]

The Godfather takes place during Christmas at the beginning....

[weareskaters]

What about the french horror Inside (À l'intérieur). Set on Christmas Eve, pregnant lady and lots of red!

[BuNgLelove69]

Wait...who mentioned Ray Winstone...GGGRRRRrrrr

[TheBlackFandango]

No On Her Majesty's Secret Service? I am disappointed.

[dinolast]

Lethal Weapon is a good Christmas film too

[nathstreeter]

I really do have to get round to seeing Brazil, I panicked when he almost spoiled it.

[Rockstarsean]

Oh Mark, you've missed a trick there. The real alternative (and least 'Christmasy') Christmas film is The Proposition. Ray Winstone gives Guy Pearce until Christmas Day to turn his brother in. And [SPOILER] there's a rape, what could be more Christamasy than that?

[dinolast]

Jingle all the way is awesome

[harizotoh7]

I was going to declare you insane if you didn't include Die Hard.

[woodsy1234567890]

Die Hard :)

[GCmediacourse]

Good Job Mark

[Posthuman2003]

Happy Christmas!