The Cinema Smackdown Holiday Movie Guide
Every year, the TV powers that be (we’re looking at you Hallmark) curate a selection of Christmas movies for families to enjoy over the holidays. The kind of flick you gather round the fireplace to watch while sipping eggnog.
And yet, there are a plethora of alt-Christmas movies out there. Films set in the Holiday universe… but decidedly contrary to the traditional warm and fuzzies we expect from festive cinema.
Thus, we’ve enlisted the services of the Cinema Smackdown crew to produce a list of Uncovered Xmas movies.
Spice up your holiday viewing with these (mostly sober) selections from Mike, Fraser and producer Stu. Have an idea for an alt-Christmas flick? Share it on Insta! Use #barrieuncovered or #cinemasmackdown hashtags to make sure we see it.
The Cinema Smackdown Holiday Movie Guide
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This one shares alot of parallels with the Brit rom-com Love, Actually, featuring a cross section of weaving subplots coalescing at a Christmas Eve play in London.
Doug Liman’s 1999 cult movie tells a similar set of intertwining plots and cross story characters. Although instead of a school play, GO culminates in an ecstasy-fueled Christmas rave gone awry.
Iron Man 3
This one is the superhero version of It’s A Wonderful life. Like George Bailey, in Iron Man 3 Tony Stark is forced to confront his past and recognize what’s important in life. Moreover, he is aided by a pseudo guardian angel (in the form of a smirking side kick kid).
And by the end of the movie he gets a literal renewed lease on life through an operation to repair his heart.
Reindeer Games
In this Christmas heist story, Ben Affleck follows a similar Grinch like path from hardened criminal to loved holiday bringer. Although in this case, he’s robbing casino owners instead of innocent townfolk. But you get the idea.
A Christmas Story
The name says it all! And this one doesn’t get enough widespread play as a festive family favourite.
Black Christmas
Nothing says festive like gathering around the tree…to get slashed to death. This 1974 cult classic horror show isn’t for the kids. But it’s definitely for the teenagers.
