this post was submitted on 19 Dec 2025
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We all know the big ones... what's a less famous one worth watching?

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[–] Zedd00@lemmy.dbzer0.com 37 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

Terry Pratchett's Hogfather is my favorite Xmas movie. It's technically 2 90 minute episodes.

Red One was stupid and fun.

DreamWorks' the Grinch is actually a fun watch.

[–] anon6789@lemmy.world 6 points 3 weeks ago

I had been debating getting into Discworld forever and someone here recommended checking out the Hogfather movie as it was up on Youtube anyway, so I checked it out. Without having any context, I still really enjoyed it and the style of humor. Felt like a fun take on Nightmare Before Christmas, but perhaps even weirder.

A few months later I read Guards, Guards and loved that. Had to do some longer road trips this fall so I listened to audiobooks of Mort and Equal Rites and loved those, so at that point I decided I mat as well start from the beginning and just today started Witches Abroad. I've been hooked!

[–] CannonFodder@lemmy.world 4 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

I didn't know there was a hogfather movie . Thank you - I'm so excited to watch it now. I'm even going to wait for my daughter who's visiting over Xmas as she and I read a lot of the TP books together.

[–] Pencilnoob@lemmy.world 6 points 3 weeks ago

As a huge fan of the books, they translate very oddly to film, so keep that in mind. Low expectations is a good thing, and you'll have a good time

[–] ohulancutash@feddit.uk 3 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Bear in mind this is late 2000s British satellite TV movie, but Pterry was involved and satisfied enough to let them do two more adaptations, and it has a strong cast.

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[–] renegadespork@lemmy.jelliefrontier.net 28 points 3 weeks ago (4 children)

Maybe this isn’t that obscure, but Klaus (2019) is an excellent Christmas movie. It’s become a yearly staple since the first time we watched it.

[–] njm1314@lemmy.world 4 points 2 weeks ago

Lovely film.

[–] Zedd00@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 2 weeks ago

Forgot this on my list. Absolutely fantastic.

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[–] skvlp@lemmy.wtf 22 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)
[–] StreetKid@reddthat.com 5 points 3 weeks ago
[–] Mycatiskai@lemmy.ca 3 points 2 weeks ago

I was scrolling to see if anyone put this up. Great movie, I haven't seen it in some years so it is time to watch it again.

[–] HootinNHollerin@lemmy.dbzer0.com 19 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)
[–] dmention7@midwest.social 5 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Dang I had forgotten about the Ernest movies. I used to love them as a kid. Nice pull!

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[–] Steve@communick.news 17 points 3 weeks ago

The Holdovers (2023) is very good

[–] IronBird@lemmy.world 16 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)
[–] superduperpirate@lemmy.world 5 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Bad Santa is my favorite Christmas movie. Bad Santa 2, however, was kinda meh.

[–] IronBird@lemmy.world 4 points 3 weeks ago

definitely gratuitous sequels

[–] DagwoodIII@piefed.social 16 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

The Long Kiss Goodnight.

Peak form Geena Davis as an amnesiac housewife who slowly remembers that she's actually a government assassin. Samuel Jackson is the comic releif.

[–] GraniteM@lemmy.world 4 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

"I am on the PTA!"

"Then quit!"

[–] DagwoodIII@piefed.social 5 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)
[–] klu9@piefed.social 4 points 2 weeks ago

Shane Black & Renny Harlin bringing the business!

It's the #FridayThrillerClub watch party movie on Mastodon tonight, starting at US Eastern 19.30.

https://eggplant.place/collection/0GucpByyRr4oSccNXROVYr

[–] GraniteM@lemmy.world 14 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang: Shane Black in high form writing Christmas comedy/action/noir. Pre-Iron Man Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer absolutely crushing it. All around great movie.

Santa Claus: The Movie: Santa gets the Superman: The Movie treatment. Possibly made inside of a bag of cocaine. John Lithgow devouring large sections of scenery.

The Lion in Winter: Set during Christmas. Basically a Shakespearean drama/comedy, but written in modern English. Peter O'Toole, Katherine Hepburn, Timothy Dalton, and Anthony Hopkins in his first film role, just an incredibly talented cast working with an amazing script. Bunch of royals all plotting and scheming each others' downfall during a big Christmas get-together. Strong contender for my favorite movie of all time.

[–] obsoleteacct@lemmy.zip 8 points 3 weeks ago

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is an underappreciated gem. It's minimally christmassy, but its a perfect distillation of Shane Black's style of buddy cop story telling and humor. Almost a reflection on how everyone else directed his screenplays.

I'm adding The Lion in Winter to my list. Thanks.

[–] tuff_wizard@aussie.zone 12 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)
[–] usernamefactory@lemmy.ca 14 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

It may seem like I’m playing two sides here, but I’m of the opinion that Die Hard is definitely a Christmas movie, but Die Hard 2 is just a movie that takes place at Christmas.

The OG gives Christmas vibes, has lots of musical cues and small choices that play into that. I’m just not feeling it with the sequel.

[–] Nollij@sopuli.xyz 7 points 2 weeks ago

Fully agreed.

Christmas is a central and recurring theme throughout Die Hard 1. From events happening at a Christmas party, to minimal staffing due to the holidays, to McClane's presence in the city at all, to "Now I have a machine gun Ho-ho-ho"

[–] PoscoBumbleroot@lemmy.world 11 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas

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[–] essell@lemmy.world 11 points 2 weeks ago

There's a ton of versions of "a Christmas Carol" but Scrooged is absolutely worth a watch despite the age.

The ghosts are all fantastic and you can't go wrong with Bill Murray

[–] tmyakal@infosec.pub 7 points 2 weeks ago

Anna and the Apocalypse has become one of my family's traditions. Coming-of-age teen comedy set in the days before Christmas break, but also a zombie horror movie, and also a musical.

Kind of low-budget and some of the cast is shaky, but it's incredibly ambitious and very fun.

[–] Quexotic@infosec.pub 6 points 3 weeks ago

Being set during Christmas, eyes wide shut is technically a Christmas movie.

Not the best for the kids.

[–] WandowsVista@lemmy.world 6 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)
[–] Tigeroovy@lemmy.ca 6 points 2 weeks ago

Oh shit, I just grabbed that one from the thrift store since I haven’t seen it before, perfect timing to check it out then!

[–] itsathursday@lemmy.world 6 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Holiday Mismatch came out on Hallmark last year and was pretty good for a Hallmark movie. Reuniting the actresses from Sabrina the Teenage witch was the main draw for me.

Not sure on everyone’s definition of big, but lesser known and not obviously Christmas themed would include:

  • Mean Girls (the original obviously)
  • Grumpy Old Men
  • Trading Places
[–] Onomatopoeia@lemmy.cafe 5 points 3 weeks ago

Trading Places! I'd forgotten it's a Christmas movie!

[–] webkitten@piefed.social 6 points 2 weeks ago

I don't know if it's considered lesser known but I don't hear enough about it so I think it is; While You Were Sleeping from 1995. It's my absolute favourite movie.

[–] khannie@lemmy.world 6 points 3 weeks ago
[–] rozodru@pie.andmc.ca 6 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

three of my favourite go to Christmas movies:

Brazil
Blast of Silence
Batman Returns (all B's, weird)

Brazil you wouldn't think is a christmas movie but it is and it's easily my favourite Terry Gilliam movies.

Blast of Silence is an old movie but it's a unique one about a lonely hitman whose returned to New York City for christmas and how the city itself as kinda left him behind.

Batman Returns IS a christmas movie and easily my favourite Batman flick. watch it every year.

[–] usernamefactory@lemmy.ca 10 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Batman Returns isn't just a Christmas movie, it's a Batman spin on A Christmas Carol. Penguin represents Bruce's past, Catwoman his present, and Schreck his future.

[–] immobile7801@piefed.social 4 points 3 weeks ago

interesting take. I haven't watched this movie in probably decades..but this will make me rewatch it. Thanks!

[–] happydoors@lemmy.world 5 points 3 weeks ago

These are relatively popular but a bit untypical: The Holdovers, The Snowman, The Family Stone, The Shop Around the Corner, Prancer, Eyes Wide Shut (nsfw), The Green Knight, Christmas Eve in Miller’s Point, The End of the Tour.

[–] adhocfungus@midwest.social 5 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

This may be too big: Arthur Christmas. It was made by Aardman (Wallace and Gromit, Shawn the Sheep) but using CG instead of claymation. I honestly don't like the animation as much as their claymation, but they did a good job with it.

It's the best representation of the "Christmas spirit" in my opinion. The story is great and the character arcs bring a tear to my eye.

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[–] 1hitsong@lemmy.ml 5 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (2 children)
  • Lethal Weapon
  • Gremlins
  • Go
  • Trapped In Paradise
  • Less Than Zero
  • Better Watch Out
  • Dial Code Santa Claus
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[–] SynAcker@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 points 2 weeks ago

8bit Christmas was great for a child of the 80s like me. Violent Night is a guilty pleasure.

[–] SpruceBringsteen@lemmy.world 4 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)
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[–] bridgeenjoyer@sh.itjust.works 4 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Jack Frost.

No, not that one...

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[–] JakenVeina@midwest.social 4 points 3 weeks ago

2018's Christmas Chronicles was an instant staple for us.

[–] melsaskca@lemmy.ca 4 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Went to a Christmas movie when I was a kid in the late 60's or early 70's. It was some low key film about a father living alone with his son. I don't remember hardly anything else about it but his son died at the end. I was bummed out and though that was a stupid Christmas movie. What did my parents send me to?

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[–] ClanOfTheOcho@lemmy.world 3 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

Not sure if it counts as a movie, but I've loved Rich Little's Christmas Carol for decades. Rich Little was/is a master impersonator and he plays all the major roles in A Christmas Carol with characters that would have been well known back in the 1970s. W. C. Fields as Scrooge. Richard Nixon as Marley. Johnny Carson as Freddie. You get the idea. It was my favorite version of that story until The Muppets, and still ranks as my second favorite.

Edit: you can find it on YouTube

[–] SnarkoPolo@lemmy.world 3 points 3 weeks ago

Ebbie

Just for its sheer badosity, a 1950s movie made in Mexico, just called Santa Claus. Santa vs. the devil, I shit you not.

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