The 5 Best Christmas Movies You’ve Never Seen
We’ve all seen the usual suspects; “It’s a Wonderful Life”, “Elf”, “Home Alone”, “Love Actually”, “The Holiday”, “A Christmas Story”, “Miracle on 34th Street”…blah blah blah. I mean hey, they’re GREAT movies and our family definitely watches ALLLL of them. BUT…
Every once in awhile you just kinda feel like…over it. Just me? Not trying to be a Grinch, but sometimes I want a new Christmas movie that’s truly heartwarming and gives me all the cozy feels without it being one of the 7 million trite “cookie cutter” movies Hallmark churns out every year. (Sorry, Hallmark fans) or something I’ve seen a bajillion times.
These 5 movies are TRUE CHRISTMAS MIRACLES. First and foremost- they’re ACTUALLY GOOD MOVIES in their own right. Like, I’d watch them even if it wasn’t Christmas. Second, I’m always shocked how few people have ever heard of them! These are- by far and away- the 5 best Christmas movies you’ve probably never seen…
You’re welcome. And, MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Klaus (2019, Netflix)
My absolute FAVORITE “new” animated Christmas movie of the past decade. Released on Netflix in 2019, this is one of the few animated movies that has ever made me cry. It’s funny, it’s got a heartfelt message, it’s beautifully illustrated, the script is amazing, the voiceover actors are all incredible. Start to finish, this movie is absolute Christmas MAGIC. Great one to watch with the whole family, no matter their age!
2. Scrooge (1970, Amazon Prime)
This 1970’s musical version of Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” starring Albert Finney is truly one of the most well-done Christmas Classics in existence. My grandma took my mom to see it when it came out in theaters back in 1970, and my mom showed it to me when I was a little girl. Since then I’ve made a point to watch this movie every year, still singing along with all the songs, still crying when Scrooge decides to “begin again” later in life. A true treasure- don’t discount it just because it’s “vintage”!
3. The Man Who Invented Christmas (2018, Hulu)
If you’re a fan of “A Christmas Carol” you will absolutely love this different take on the go-to yuletide tale. Instead of just being another re-telling of the same story, “The Man Who Invented Christmas” follows Dan Stevens (Downton Abbey) as Charles Dickens as he scrambles to write a story that will get him and his family out of debt in time for Christmas. It’s a surprisingly poignant story about how we treat our families and how we think about charitable giving and gratitude during the holidays. If you like how “Finding Neverland” gave us a new perspective on Peter Pan, you’ll love how “The Man Who Invented Christmas” breathes new life into “A Christmas Carol”! Bonus points: Christopher Plummer (The Sound of Music) gives a MARVELOUS performance as Ebeneezer Scrooge.
4. Prancer (1989, Hulu)
This 80’s cult classic Christmas movie stars Rebecca Harrell as a little girl who finds a wounded Reindeer in the woods behind her house and is convinced he’s one of Santa’s – Prancer, to be exact. While of course the Christmas magic is fun to watch (they use a real reindeer and I must say, he’s an excellent actor!), the real magic lies in Rebecca learning to overcome school bullies and the delicate relationship between her and her stoic father, played by Sam Elliot. This movie feels like ET-80’s glory with a sprinkle of Christmas fairy dust.
5. Little Women (1949)
While it’s not technically a “Christmas Movie”, there are so many beautiful Christmas scenes in this Classic Film version of “Little Women” follows the March sisters -- Meg (Janet Leigh), Jo (June Allyson), Beth (Margaret O'Brien) and Amy (Elizabeth Taylor) -- as they struggle to make ends meet in their New England household while their father is away fighting in the Civil War. Despite harsh times, they cling to optimism, often with neighbor Laurie (Peter Lawford) as a companion. As they grow up, they face challenges to their ambitions and relationships, all the while maintaining their unbreakable bond.