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Recommend Some Slightly Obscure Christmas Movies

  • 20-11-2014 12:15am
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 201 ✭✭


    Hi All,

    Long story short, doing a massive amount of air travel lately and have the big trip home (~24hrs) coming up in December. Through a mixture of already seeing most of the inflight movies and trying to save some new material for later in December I've started watching my own stuff.

    With the season that's nearly upon us I'd like to get into the festive spirit but not too much, so I'm looking for some decent films to watch with some obscure connection to Christmas. Or stuff that's based at Christmas but not the central theme of the movie.

    On my last flight I watched LA Confidential, initial scenes start at Christmas so I always think of it as a Christmas film. I'm thinking either Lethal Weapon or Die Hard for the next trip.

    Any other suggestions?


«1

Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,443 ✭✭✭Bipolar Joe


    Expendables. Statham's character is called Christmas :pac: :pac: .

    Screwed, starring Norm McDonald, is also set around Christmas. I want to say Funny Games was set during Christmas? The Ref, with Kevin Spacey.

    Almost forgot Stallone's Cobra!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 201 ✭✭gerardk55


    Cheers Bipolar Joe, not sure I could handle the Expendables a second time around though!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,999 ✭✭✭Nerdkiller1991


    Expendables. Statham's character is called Christmas :pac: :pac: .

    Screwed, starring Norm McDonald, is also set around Christmas. I want to say Funny Games was set during Christmas? The Ref, with Kevin Spacey.

    Almost forgot Stallone's Cobra!
    Might I also recommend The World is Not Enough? That also has a character named Christmas in it.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,066 ✭✭✭Firewalkwithme


    Not really obscure but I think it could forgotten that Trading Places was set in and around Christmas time.

    And you get to see Jamie Lee Curtis's tits!


  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    Black Christmas...the 74 original. Not much ho ho ho in it! A classic horror that works any time of year. Just better on Christmas Night.

    Gremlins.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,396 ✭✭✭whomitconcerns


    Die hard, all the way


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 201 ✭✭gerardk55


    Trading Places, classic! "They're a musical people."

    Looks like I have The Ref, Trading Places and Die Hard for the next few flights.

    Ghostbusters might make the cut too.

    Cheers all.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 195 ✭✭unjedilike


    Home Alone


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 195 ✭✭unjedilike


    Rocky IV
    In Bruges
    Santa Claus : The Movie


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,123 ✭✭✭the whole year inn


    unjedilike wrote: »
    Rocky IV
    In Bruges
    Santa Claus : The Movie

    Dumb and dumber (Lloyd Christmas)
    Elf
    Grinch (jim Carrey version)
    Scrooged (bill Murray)
    Bad Santa


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,396 ✭✭✭whomitconcerns




  • Closed Accounts Posts: 10,325 ✭✭✭✭Dozen Wicked Words


    Trapped in Paradise is very Christmasy. Nicholas Cage et al. It would actually be family friendly save for a few swear words. Not the greatest film by any means but festive and feel good.

    Might be too on the nose Christmasy got what you're after though.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,406 ✭✭✭PirateShampoo


    Gremlins.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 3,628 ✭✭✭darkdubh




  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,561 ✭✭✭Mizu_Ger


    The French Connection has Gene Hackman in a Santa suit!

    Rare Exports is a great film too.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 201 ✭✭gerardk55


    In Bruges makes the cut. Great suggestion. Gremlins, if I can find it.

    Sorry but The Grinch, Home Alone The Santa Claus are full blown Christmas movies IMO. Maybe for the flight home on the 18th of Dec, but not between here and then.

    Thanks for all the suggestions, have the next 4 flights sorted!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 195 ✭✭unjedilike


    Go


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 638 ✭✭✭shazzerman


    Eyes Wide Shut
    Psycho (the events happen in the lead up to Christmas, although I don't think there is any indication of this - except for the opening "December 11" caption - so it may not count).


  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    Alf xmas special not to be missed!



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,869 ✭✭✭thegreatiam


    lol, rare exports and trapped in paradise are my go to Christmas movies. (after star wars and Indiana jones)

    glad to see I'm not the only one who watches them.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,588 ✭✭✭2ndcoming


    A Christmas Story is considered an out-and-out Christmas classic in the States but for some reason has always gone under the radar here. It's well worth a watch if you've never seen it. It's old fashioned, festive and pretty funny.

    Gremlins, Die Hard and Home Alone have to be the three least obscure Christmas movies ever made!! All great of course though.

    National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation has its moments.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,999 ✭✭✭Nerdkiller1991


    Santa's Slay, with Bill Goldberg as Santa.



    Oh. And since someone else mentioned Santa Claus vs. The Devil, perhaps I should show you Santa Claus Conquers the Martians. The movie's public domain, so it's okay for you to watch the whole movie on YouTube.



    But I think you'd be better off if you saw this version.



  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,969 ✭✭✭Mesrine65


    Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,464 ✭✭✭e_e




  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,071 ✭✭✭✭wp_rathead


    Most been mentioned:
    Nightmare Before Xmas
    Muppet Christmas Carol
    Die Hard
    Gremlins
    Home Alone I & II


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 34,697 ✭✭✭✭NIMAN


    The Shining (set over a winter)

    and

    Stairway to Heaven with David Niven


  • Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 23,958 Mod ✭✭✭✭TICKLE_ME_ELMO


    Just Friends is pretty funny and set at Christmas time but not about Christmas.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,443 ✭✭✭Bipolar Joe


    Lads, it shouldn't have to be said, but if it has "Christmas" in the title, it's not a particularly tenuous link to the holiday, which is the idea of the thread.

    Good call on "Go" though.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,999 ✭✭✭Nerdkiller1991


    Lads, it shouldn't have to be said, but if it has "Christmas" in the title, it's not a particularly tenuous link to the holiday, which is the idea of the thread.

    Good call on "Go" though.
    I read that as Obscure Christmas movies and wondered why the hell are people posting popular ones. But whatever. We all have to diverge as a species.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 201 ✭✭gerardk55


    Thanks for getting us back on track Bipolar Joe.

    Just did some research on Go and can't remember seeing it ever, so that's just shot to the top of the list.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,071 ✭✭✭✭wp_rathead


    Polar Express is fun


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 882 ✭✭✭JohnFalstaff


    There is a relatively recent movie called All is Bright which fits the bill. It flew under the radar but I enjoyed it and it definitely has a Christmassy feel to it.
    It stars Paul Rudd and the always watchable Paul Giamatti as a pair of ex-con Christmas tree salesmen.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,070 ✭✭✭Tipsy McSwagger


    wprathead wrote: »
    Polar Express is fun

    and not in the slightest bit an obscure Christmas movie.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,228 ✭✭✭podgemonster


    Black Christmas (The Original)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,835 ✭✭✭✭DvB


    The family man, with Nicholas Cage & Teá Leoni starts out at Christmas, not a life changing film by any means but I like it for some reason.
    "I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year" - Charles Dickens




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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 264 ✭✭Squeedily Spooch


    Wouldn't call it obscure but Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is set at Christmas and even though it's fantastic most people I know have never seen it. Watch it immediately it's hilarious.

    Shane Black does have a thing for setting his films at Christmas though, Iron Man 3, Lethal Weapon, The Long Kiss Goodnight...


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,314 ✭✭✭jh79


    Silent Night Deadly Night & Don't Open till Christmas for some festive horror.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 195 ✭✭unjedilike


    The Empire Strikes Back was set around Christmas time.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 195 ✭✭unjedilike


    Actually all Star Wars and Superman films should be included as they were always only ever on tv around Christmas.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1 EireMaverick


    Check out these...

    The Ice Harvest (2005) and Mixed Nuts (1994) very unheard of and underated xmassy movies :)


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 333 ✭✭mick121


    bad santa gets my vote


  • Moderators, Arts Moderators, Regional Abroad Moderators Posts: 11,107 Mod ✭✭✭✭Fysh


    Brazil is both a fantastic film that should be watched at any opportunity and set around Christmas without being in any way Christmassy. It sits alongside In Bruges, Die Hard and Gremlins as part of my Daycent Christmas Films Lineup.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,012 ✭✭✭✭Alfred Borden


    Batman Returns


  • Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 16,287 Mod ✭✭✭✭quickbeam


    While You Were Sleeping is set around Christmas and is one of the few actually romantic and funny romantic comedies of the past few decades.

    Joyeux Noel is a WW1 film set around the first Christmas truce between Britain (actually Scotland), France and Germany. Very moving film.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 829 ✭✭✭OldeCinemaSoz


    Nothing obscure about my picks lads. Just to say that not a year goes by
    in the past few ones that SOME LIKES IT HOT is not viewed by POUR MOI.

    Whit always gets a JAWS viewing and Christmas always gets a SOME LIKE IT HOT
    viewing. Just my TUPPENCE WORTH.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,385 ✭✭✭Nerdlingr


    About a boy
    Crash
    Just Friends
    The Lady and the Tramp


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 897 ✭✭✭NyOmnishambles


    NIMAN wrote: »

    Stairway to Heaven with David Niven

    That is a great movie but I have always know it as A Matter of Life and Death and that is what the dvd I have of it is called, in case the OP is looking for it and can't find it
    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038733/?ref_=nm_knf_i4

    As for something different at Christmas, I randomly saw this in the cinema several years in december and it is based on a family trip at Christmas
    Dead End isn't a bad little movie
    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0308152/?ref_=nv_sr_1


  • Posts: 15,814 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Weirdsville is one that fits the bill, I revisit it every year around Christmas and adore everything about it. It's one of the more out there and fun tales of heroin addicts, Satan worshipers and sheer utter madness.



  • Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 17,137 Mod ✭✭✭✭cherryghost


    Joyeux Noel


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 991 ✭✭✭SuperGrover


    The Hudsucker Proxy

    I was nearly going to not post that because I'm not sure it qualifies as 'Christmas', even though to me it is.

    Then I googled 'is the hudsucker proxy a christmas film?'

    And this came up...

    http://badgerherald.com/artsetc/2011/12/04/hudsucker-proxy-chri/#.VJhI7cneA

    So, yeah, The Hudsucker Proxy


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