Films you can watch at Christmas - that aren't actually Christmas films...

Okay, whether you're a Scrooge or a Kris Kringle, you can't avoid it - it's that time of year, and whether you step foot outside or stay in and switch on your TV, Christmas is going to hit you about the face until you submit to the time of year.  I've always enjoyed Christmas as a time of year to get together with family, enjoy some nice food, and have a bit of time off work - though I find the weeks-long advertising bombardment (usually starting early November) hugely annoying.  There are several movies that, especially if you have kids, are great to watch in the run up to Christmas if you're looking to get in a festive mood - depending what generation you are, there are highly regarded favourites such as 'It's a Wonderful Life', 'A Christmas Story', 'Scrooged', or 'Elf'.  But is it still possible to watch a film to get in to the Festive mood, without getting overwhelmed by heart-warming happy endings or (occasionally) saccharine over-sentimentality?

Fortunately, the answer is yes; yes you can.  For there are several great movies that are as far from being Christmas Movies as it it's possible - but because of being set at this time of year, they are completely acceptable to watch in the run up to Christmas.  We're talking Action thrillers, Superheroes and pitch-black humoured Dramas - yet each one of them are almost guaranteed to put you in a Festive mood!  Here are just some of my favourites, and nary a Reindeer or 'real' Santa in sight!

Filth: depicting a corrupt Police Detective's sex, drink, and drug fuelled mental decline, this film has a subject matter that's as far from your usual heart-warming Christmas fayre as possible.  But the fact that much of the film is set during the Festive Season - with trimmings around many of the sets, and Christmas parties being part of the shenanigans - it makes it perfectly acceptable to watch at this time of the year.  Besides, if there ever was a reason to re-watch James McAvoy's superb performance as Bruce Robertson, then Christmas is a good excuse!

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang: Christmas parties, trimmings and Christmas displays in Toy Stores give this sharply scripted and witty modern-noir a distinctly festive setting.  Shane Black directs form his script, and Robert Downey Jr gives a great performance which arguably put him on the come-back trail, contributing to his rise to super-stardom as Iron Man!  Speaking of which...

Iron Man 3: Shane Black scripts and directs again, and the guy clearly has a thing for the festive season - not only do Christmas presents (over-sized stuff rabbit?!), and Christmas a fireworks display (as his suits self-destruct), but the film starts at a New Year's Party - and the biggest one in recent memory, as it was the Millennium Eve!  For me, personally, there is never a reason NOT to watch any of the Marvel Studios movies, but this one is tailor-made for this time of year...

Die Hard: for me, this is THE perennial Christmas Movie.  In my household it's not Christmas until John McClaine has shot some terrorists and written 'NOW I HAVE A MACHINE GUN. HO HO HO' on the sweatshirt of one of their corpses..! Not only is it one of the greatest action movies ever, it's also a legitimate Christmas movies due to it being set on Christmas Eve, and many scenes having Christmas trees and trimmings in the background.  It also uses a classic festive song to unforgettable effect: altogether now - 'Oh, the weather outside is frightful...'


I'm sure there are others - I've kept away from horrors like 'Black Christmas' as, even though they're not uplifting Seasonal fayre, they're still OBVIOUSLY Christmas films...  If you can think of any other movies that are perfect Christmas viewing - despite not being Christmas films! - then please leave a comment below.

And it goes without saying, have a great Holiday Season, whether you're celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah, or just the prospect of time off with family and friends - and a good film (or two)...

Sadly, the very brief cameo by this psychotic santa (on a day off from directing in Middle-earth) means 'Hot Fuzz' can't feature...