Classics like It’s A Wonderful Life will always find their way back to being seen by thousands when Christmas comes around. Films associated with this part of the year inevitably make for warm and cozy moments in the chilliest part of the year. As Christmas is a religious holiday, many films incorporate religious themes and undertones into such movies, which might be of little interest to some.
There are also a number of films which are excellent companions to the year’s end that aren't holiday movies at all. These films encompass the specific feeling of the winter season, through diverse forms of storytelling. From epic tales of survival and romance to joyful comedies, these movies portray different sides of winter and Christmas.
15 8 Women — (2002)
8 Women is a French dark comedy musical which follows an eccentric upper-class family gathering in a snowy cottage for Christmas in the 1950s. After the family patriarch is found dead, eight women find themselves trapped, suspecting one another as the possible murderer.
What Makes It a Great Non-religious Holiday Movie
8 Women becomes something beyond a standard Christmas movie or a whodunit mystery, as the talents of its leads take it to another level. The film is a melodramatic musical which brings along the very dark brand of humor characteristic of director François Ozon’s films. Paired with the sheer talent of some of the best actresses to ever grace a screen — Catherine Deneuve, Isabelle Hupert and Danielle Darrieux — the material is exalted to new heights as the movie seamlessly shifts between tragedy, comedy, farce, and drama.
14 Frozen (2013)
Frozen
- Release Date
- November 20, 2013
- Director
- Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee
- Cast
- Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, Jonathan Groff, Josh Gad, Santino Fontana, Alan Tudyk
- Rating
- PG
- Main Genre
- Animation
- Runtime
- 108
This modern Disney classic brings to life a tale of love and self-acceptance. Frozen follows two royal sisters, Elsa and Anna, as they deal with the complexities of their bond and Elsa’s magical powers. When Elsa accidentally plunges their land into eternal winter, Anna embarks on a journey to find her sister and restore summer. Along the way, they encounter an ice harvester named Kristoff, his reindeer Sven, and the affable snowman Olaf.
What Makes It a Great Non-religious Holiday Movie
Frozeneludes the preconceptions of what a Christmas family film should be. Instead of following a dogmatic or moral approach, the film prioritizes self-love over notions of romance or attachment. The sisters’ journey, more than towards each other or to someone else, is one done within themselves, to come to terms with who they are.
13 Trading Places (1983)
Trading Places
- Release Date
- June 7, 1983
- Director
- John Landis
- Cast
- Denholm Elliott, Dan Aykroyd, Maurice Woods, Richard D. Fisher Jr., Jim Gallagher, Anthony DiSabatino
- Rating
- R
- Main Genre
- Comedy
- Runtime
- 118
Originally planned to star Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor, it’s hard to imagine the John Landis classic Trading Places now with anyone other than Dan Aykroyd and Eddie Murphy. The plot follows an upper-class commodities broker and a poor street hustler whose lives intertwine when they become the subject of an elaborate social test by two wealthy brothers. As the men navigate their new circumstances, they uncover the plot and decide to turn the tables on the rich brothers.
What Makes It a Great Non-religious Holiday Movie
The film is a perfect mix of sheer irreverence and feel-good moments. Both Murphy and Aykroyd were both at a great moment in their respective careers, and this is translated into a film that prioritizes humor, pacing and smart usage of their talents over the elements of class and morality built into the story. It feels classic yet not dated, highly entertaining and certainly very different from traditional Christmas films.
12 Cold Mountain (2003)
Cold Mountain
- Release Date
- December 24, 2003
- Director
- Anthony Minghella
- Cast
- Jude Law, Nicole Kidman, Renee Zellweger, Eileen Atkins, Brendan Gleeson, Philip Seymour Hoffman
- Rating
- R
- Main Genre
- Drama
- Runtime
- 153
If there is one movie with the perfect title for winter, it’s certainly Cold Mountain. This epic period drama, set against the backdrop of the American Civil War, follows the journey of a wounded Confederate soldier as he attempts to make his way back to his beloved Ada in the town of Cold Mountain. Meanwhile, Ada struggles to maintain her father's farm with the help of an experienced farmer named Ruby.
What Makes It a Great Non-religious Holiday Movie
Director Anthony Minghella crafted epic romances which focused on love and resilience over the passing of time. Cold Mountain works as a film in which there is no greater belief than the one people have in each other, while facing the other side of the coin in which people are capable of horrible acts. It’s also about survival against harsh conditions, including winter, which delivers a great scenario for the film’s final act.
11 Edward Scissorhands (1990)
Edward Scissorhands
- Release Date
- December 5, 1990
- Director
- Tim Burton
- Cast
- Johnny Depp, Winona Ryder, Dianne Wiest, Anthony Michael Hall, Kathy Baker, Robert Oliveri
- Rating
- PG-13
- Genres
- Drama, Documentary, Fantasy, Romance
- Runtime
- 105
The Tim Burton classic Edward Scissorhands tells the story of Edward, an unfinished experiment by a late inventor who left the humanoid creation with scissors for hands. He is discovered by a kind sales representative, and brought into her suburban neighborhood. Initially embraced by the community for his unique skills, Edward's life becomes complicated when he falls in love with Peg's daughter, Kim.
What Makes It a Great Non-religious Holiday Movie
Tim Burton creates unique worlds of his own, and has often made films which incorporate Christmas in a darker way without ever going to certain fringes that would turn spookiness into horror. Edward Scissorhands is fondly remembered and rewatched all through the year, but especially at Christmas thanks to the unique presence of the snow in California, Danny Elfman's hauntingly beautiful score, and the iconic duo of Winona Ryder and Johnny Depp.
10 Mr Poppers Penguins (2011)
Mr. Popper's Penguins
- Release Date
- June 17, 2011
- Director
- Mark Waters
- Cast
- Jim Carrey, Carla Gugino, Angela Lansbury, Ophelia Lovibond, Madeline Carroll, Clark Gregg
- Rating
- PG
- Main Genre
- Comedy
- Runtime
- 95
Based on the classic children's book, Mr. Popper's Penguins follows a successful business executive with little space in his life for anything other than work. His existence takes a U-turn when he inherits a group of penguins from his late father. As he struggles to adapt to the presence of his new companions, he learns a lesson or two about life.
What Makes It a Great Non-religious Holiday Movie
It’s frosty, it’s fun, and it’s one of those rare children's movies which manage to appeal beyond their genre. Jim Carrey brings on his usual brand of comedy into an absurd scenario in which the penguins wreak havoc all over his apartment. It’s one of those moral fairy tales with a twist of madness which makes for a wildly entertaining ride.
9 Fargo (1996)
Fargo
- Release Date
- March 8, 1996
- Director
- Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
- Cast
- William H. Macy, Steve Buscemi, Frances McDormand, Peter Stormare, Kristin Rudrüd, Harve Presnell
- Rating
- R
- Main Genre
- Crime
- Runtime
- 98
Fargo is a classic and unique comedic crime thriller, and one of the earliest successes of Joel and Ethan Coen. In a small rural town in snowy Minnesota, a debt-ridden car sales agent hires two criminals to kidnap his wife for ransom. After things go sideways and people start dying, police chief Marge Gunderson, who is extremely pregnant, begins to follow the criminals' trail in her very own way.
What Makes It a Great Non-religious Holiday Movie
Fargo has to be one of the snowiest films ever made. The characters' fortunes seem to be as cold as the desolate settings wrapped with a very strange brand of humor courtesy of the Coen brothers. This unique mix of elements, which should not work together, is executed perfectly, and makes up for an absurd and fascinating experience, especially in winter.
8 Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987)
Planes, Trains and Automobiles
- Release Date
- November 26, 1987
- Director
- John Hughes
- Cast
- Steve Martin, John Candy, Laila Robins, Michael McKean, Kevin Bacon, Dylan Baker
- Rating
- R
- Main Genre
- Comedy
- Runtime
- 93
Planes, Trains and Automobiles is part of John Hughes’ outstanding run of films in the 80s. The plot follows an uptight business executive and a good-natured yet exasperating curtain ring sales agent who end up having to spend three days traveling together, as their flights are diverted. What ensues is a series of misadventures as they try to get to Chicago on time for Thanksgiving.
What Makes It a Great Non-religious Holiday Movie
Yes, it's technically a Thanksgiving movie, but Planes, Trains and Automobiles works well as a Christmas and winter film too. As long as there have been holidays, there has been traveling, and as long as there has been traveling, there has been mayhem. That mess brings about hilarious situations which come hand-in-hand with more sensitive moments, as Hughes develops the world of each character in a compassionate and compelling way.
7 Groundhog Day (1993)
Groundhog Day
- Release Date
- February 11, 1993
- Director
- Harold Ramis
- Cast
- Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell, Chris Elliott, Stephen Tobolowsky, Brian Doyle-Murray, Marita Geraghty
- Rating
- PG
- Main Genre
- Comedy
- Runtime
- 101
Groundhog Day has to be one of the most beloved films in history. This fantasy classic is a highly referenced piece of fiction which finds Bill Murray as a cynical weather forecaster who finds himself trapped in a time loop, being forced to relive the titular Groundhog Day in February over and over again. Thirty years after its premiere, this movie has become a solid comedy classic, as well as a surprising vehicle for philosophy.
What Makes It a Great Non-religious Holiday Movie
The film is set on February 2nd, a bit removed from Christmas but still very deep in winter. The excellent aspects of the movie, like being able to bring together comedy and drama seamlessly, and becoming a breakthrough role for Bill Murray (who would begin to be perceived as more than a comedian), and the wholesome themes of redemption and renewal, help make this movie a perfect fit for a holiday movie all winter.
6 Hot Tub Time Machine (2010)
Hot Tub Time Machine
- Release Date
- March 26, 2010
- Director
- Steve Pink
- Cast
- John Cusack, Clark Duke, Craig Robinson, Rob Corddry, Sebastian Stan, Lyndsy Fonseca
- Rating
- R
- Main Genre
- Adventure
- Runtime
- 93
Hot Tub Time Machine follows a group of friends who accidentally travel back in time to the 1980s after a night of debauchery in a malfunctioning hot tub at a ski resort. Trapped in the '80s, they indulge in a series of absurd situations after finding out they are their younger selves, and try and alter the course of their lives.
What Makes It a Great Non-religious Holiday Movie
This time-traveling adventure relies on absurdist and irreverent humor to carry along the maddening story. The main characters' attempt to change their lives doesn’t go the way they expect, and so does basically everything they attempt to do in the past. The nostalgic undertones are stumped over by non-stop joking and brutal amorality. It’s a ridiculous premise which never shies away from being consistently that through and through.
5 A Tale of Winter (1992)
In Eric Rohmer’s A Tale of Winter, Felicie and Charles share a holiday romance, which ends up being cut short due to a mix-up when exchanging addresses. Five years later, Felicie lives with her mother while she raises her and Charles' daughter. Despite her time spent between two men, she is unable to commit to them as the memory of Charles still looms over her.
What Makes It a Great Non-religious Holiday Movie
Rohmer is one of the greatest narrators of the human condition, and the little things that make us tick. In this film, he accentuates the quiet moments as the ones where audiences can more clearly see the conflict in Felicie without having to state a word about it. The film is a great winter companion as it deals with adaptation and solitude in a cold and complicated time.
4 The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)
The Grand Budapest Hotel
- Release Date
- February 26, 2014
- Director
- Wes Anderson
- Cast
- Ralph Fiennes, F. Murray Abraham, Mathieu Amalric, Adrien Brody, Willem Dafoe, Jeff Goldblum
- Rating
- R
- Main Genre
- Comedy
- Runtime
- 100
In one of Wes Anderson's most profound movies, the plot follows the charismatic concierge of the Grand Budapest Hotel along with his protégé. Against the backdrop of winter time and a rising militarization in the fictional Republic of Zubrowka where the story is set, the duo find themselves entangled in a wild caper involving murder and theft.
What Makes It a Great Non-religious Holiday Movie
As with all of Wes Anderson's films, a fast-paced plot, quirky characters and magical atmospheres fill up the screen, making for a highly entertaining watch. That being said, The Grand Budapest Hotel stands out in his filmography, with the vibrant hotel huddled among snowy and gloomy surroundings, echoing undertones present in the narrative, which is predominantly about the rise of fascism as the film is set in a 1930s fictional European country which is on the verge of being controlled by authoritarian military men.
3 Love Actually (2003)
Love Actually
- Release Date
- September 7, 2003
- Director
- Richard Curtis
- Cast
- Bill Nighy, Gregor Fisher, Rory MacGregor, Colin Firth, Sienna Guillory, Liam Neeson
- Rating
- R
- Main Genre
- Comedy
- Runtime
- 135
Twenty years after its release, Love Actually remains one of the most beloved modern Christmas movies. This British romantic comedy weaves together multiple love stories, all interconnected in the weeks leading up to Christmas in London. From the Prime Minister falling for his staff member to a writer's unrequited love, the film explores various aspects of romance, both heartwarming and heartbreaking.
What Makes It a Great Non-religious Holiday Movie
This film excels at many things. It’s light when it's supposed to be, and can make you laugh that way, but it can also make your heart ache too. The magic of Richard Curtis is his ability to genuinely capture people’s longing for love and connection, as well as all the comedy and tragedy in between. With its interweaving narratives set against the backdrop of a very English holiday season, it is a great pick for this final season of the year.
2 Die Hard (1988)
Die Hard
- Release Date
- July 15, 1988
- Director
- John McTiernan
- Cast
- Bruce Willis, Bonnie Bedelia, Reginald VelJohnson, Paul Gleason, William Atherton, Hart Bochner
- Rating
- R
- Main Genre
- Action
- Runtime
- 131
There’s a great chance that in the last few years you have read something along the likes of “Is Die Hard a true Christmas movie?” Well it surely is. This action-packed classic follows John McClane, a NYPD officer who arrives in Los Angeles hoping to reconcile with his estranged wife over Christmas. As he arrives at the building where she works, the entire place is taken over by terrorists, and McClane becomes a one-man show out to frustrate their plans.
What Makes It a Great Non-religious Holiday Movie
Die Hard is one of the films that have mostly stirred up the conversation of what makes up a Christmas film. Despite the action, violence, and explosions, it could be argued that the key behind all the events unfolding is Christmas itself, since it's the reason McClane is there. This is then exemplified in the sharp contrasts between the holiday decorations and Bruce Willis beating up terrorists and saving the day. It’s a very bizarre mix, but one that has some magic to it, as to this day it's one of the first mentioned films when talking about Christmas.
1 Carol (2015)
Carol
- Release Date
- November 20, 2015
- Director
- Todd Haynes
- Cast
- Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara, Kyle Chandler, Sarah Paulson, Jake Lacy, John Magaro
- Rating
- R
- Main Genre
- Drama
- Runtime
- 118
Ever since its premiere at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival, Carol has established itself as one of the most beloved movies of the last ten years. Set in 1952 New York during Christmas, the film chronicles the romance between a young photographer and a sophisticated upper-class woman. As their bond is tested, so is their perception of their own lives, causing them to reassess who they are.
What Makes It a Great Non-religious Holiday Movie
The delicate love story at the heart of the movie is a warm pocket of solace from a cold yet beautiful world. The cinematography and set design brings to life the public spaces in which Rooney Mara and Cate Blanchett have to balance their inner worlds. Through the falling snow, they look at one another with a tenderness they can’t seem to find anywhere else. It’s a beautiful and optimistic movie to have around for every winter holiday season to come.
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