Movies

5 Unorthodox Christmas Movies For Those Sick of Binging Classics

5 Unorthodox Christmas Movies For Those Sick of Binging Classics
Image credit: Miramax Films

While classic family Christmas movies are absolutely charming, you might want to watch something with a different take on the holiday.

Christmas is a great time to enjoy classic holiday movies with your family and loved ones, but what if you are sick of watching the same classic Christmas stories for who knows how many times?

Well, if you are tired of binging the classics and want to watch something different, but still related to Christmas, we suggest you take a look at these five movies from different genres.

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005)

Thanks to its warm Los Angeles setting, you might not even realize that this 2005 black comedy crime film starring Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer actually takes place during Christmas.

It follows thief Harry Lockhart, who accidentally joins the cast of a movie after his emotional confession of a burglary impresses the casting director and he is then brought to LA for further screen tests.

However, after meeting a private investigator who is supposed to prepare him for the role, a series of spontaneous events lead the two to become involved in criminal activities once again.

Batman Returns (1992)

If you are in the mood for a superhero movie with a touch of Christmas cheer, Tim Burton's second Batman film, starring Michael Keaton as the Caped Crusader, is a perfect choice.

The plot revolves around Batman's attempt to prevent Oswald Cobblepot, best known as the Penguin, played by Danny DeVito, from becoming mayor of Gotham City, as he quickly becomes a member of the city's elite through blackmail, murder and other horrific tactics.

Bad Santa (2003)

In this black comedy, Billy Bob Thornton portrays Willie T. Soke, a foul-mouthed professional thief who, along with his dwarf accomplice Marcus, played by Tony Cox, takes on the job of impersonating Santa Claus and an elf each year in order to rob the stores on Christmas Eve.

However, the plan that has worked flawlessly several times before doesn't seem to go as smoothly this time thanks to Willie's reckless behavior, so he decides to use a naive young boy in their plan, which only brings more complications.

Although this movie may not be suitable to watch with children due to some strong language and adult jokes, it's still a pretty hilarious story that would be perfect for those who are tired of sugary family Christmas movies.

The Lodge (2019)

To be fair, the only thing that connects this psychological horror to the holidays is that it's set during Christmas, as you won't find any festivities here, and on the contrary, the story at its center is pretty dark and bleak.

The movie follows Richard Hall, who takes his children to a remote lodge to spend time with his new love, Grace, played by Riley Keough, whom he met while investigating an extremist cult.

But despite Grace's best efforts to leave her horrific past behind and bond with the children, played by Jaeden Martell and Lia McHugh, they remain quite hostile to her, as Grace was the reason their mother took her own life.

Unfortunately, as soon as Richard returns to the city for work, things immediately take a drastic turn for the worse, leading to some tragic consequences.

Violent Night (2022)

A fairly recent addition to our list, this action comedy presents an entirely new take on Santa Claus, portrayed by David Harbour.

When a family is taken hostage during Santa's visit to their home, Claus must take matters into his own hands and prove that he is more than capable of punishing the naughty, and it won't be pretty.