Middle Coast’s Favorite ‘Holiday-ish’ Films
It’s been 18 days since Thanksgiving, so if you’ve left your home or turned on TV you’re aware: Christmas spirit has been unleashed.
And unlike Christmas music, which can get a little stagnant, the amount of movies set around the holidays is almost ENDLESS.
So we’ve created a list of some of our favorites. We’re pretty loose with our definition of ‘holiday’ movie, and tried to avoid most of the classics because we know you’ll catch at least a few minutes of A Christmas Story during its 24 hour loop Christmas Day. We’re also not including It’s a Wonderful Life or any claymation flicks because that’s just too obvious. It might just be a movie we love that has a great holiday scene.
The criteria is a little atypical, but so is a film festival held in a small Indiana town that uses a flamingo for its logo.
So, in no particular order, the Middle Coast staff’s favorite holiday…ish films:
Die Hard
Merry Christmas, our gift to you is BRUCE WILLIS IN AN UNDERSHIRT SINGLE HANDEDLY FENDING OFF 12 TERRORISTS THAT KIDNAPPED HIS WIFE WHO ROCKS PERFECTION 1980s HAIR.
Tangerine
We LOVE the 2015 Middle Coast audience favorite award winner, Tangerine, for so many reasons. It was shot on an iPhone, stars transgender women and is getting tons of awards and, fingers crossed, Oscars buzz. It’s the story of Sin-Dee, a working girl who gets out of jail on Christmas Eve and spends the day looking for the woman her boyfriend Chester is cheating on her with. Netflix just released it, so if you missed it at the fest you should watch it there.
Diner
The holiday connection: takes place between Christmas and New Year’s. Why we love it? It’s a fun movie about childhood friends convening in their hometown for a wedding, and reflecting on growing up. Huge bonuses, Kevin Bacon, Mickey Rourke and Steve Guttenberg in their younger years.
Every Harry Potter Movie
Because Christmas looks MAJESTIC AS ALL GET OUT when portrayed in a magical universe on a multi-million dollar budget. Also, this scene taught us so much about British culture.
Jingle All The Way
Arnold Schwarzenegger could play the main character in a movie about Flag Day and it would be hilarious and make every holiday movie list ever.
Blast of Silence
This 1960s film noir classic about a hitman on assignment in NYC is film PRECISION.
The Godfather: Part II
YEA WE KNOW WE’RE WAY TO INTO VIOLENCE AND CHRISTMAS. But you know this is one of the finest films out there, and there’s a Christmas tree in this scene so of course it’s on the list.
Serendipity
Ok, we admit, this movie is a tad cheesy (but at least we didn’t put Love Actually on here). But I figured we could use a break from people shooting each other during the happiest time of the year and maybe two people finding love over a book and leather gloves is exactly what we needed.But admit it, everyone had a crush on Kate Beckinsale (duh) or John Cusack (if you were into alternative dudes in the 80s/90s).
The Apartment
This office Christmas party is bananas! Our inspiration for next year’s festival after parties.
Mixed Nuts
The story of the employees of a crisis hotline at Christmas? The best plot line ever and then you add Steve Martin, so PUT IT ON THE LIST.
Bad Santa
The movie that exactly epitomizes what we think mall Santas are like.
Elf
I mean, this film is the new Christmas classic and on TV all the time, but think back to the first time you watched Will Ferrell demand to meet the real Santa and experience the “best cup of coffee” in the world. It was hilarious.