18 Underrated Christmas Movies That Deserve A Spot Under The Tree

Though he established his post-Disney career as a tough-guy action star, Kurt Russell has, in later years, shown a willingness to return to softer fare, most notably The Christmas Chronicles, in which he plays Santa Claus. In this film, as in so many others depicting the most famous Christmas figure, the viewer learns a bit more about how he goes about his seemingly impossible journey, particularly once a pair of children cause him to crash his sleigh, putting the whole season in danger.

The true heart of the story, however, is the family story. Though the plot is quite predictable, this ends up being the film’s greatest strengths. What’s more, it’s quite charming to see the extent to which Russell commits to his role as Santa Claus.

Though he often gets the lion’s share of the attention, Santa Claus isn’t the only mythological being associated with Christmas. On the flip side there is Krampus, a beast from European folklore who comes to life after a young boy loses his Christmas spirit. The result is a film which manages to be both horrifying and very funny in equal measure.

The film walks the fine line between horror and comedy, and it manages to do so without falling into the perils of being straight-up camp. What’s more, it is at times surprisingly touching, as the family at the center of the horror has to slowly band together in order to fight off this fearsome monster and his legions of holiday-themed monstrosities.  And, in true horror fashion, it has a lovely twist at the end, leaving the faint bitter taste one associates with the genre.

There is something uniquely magical about animated films, and many of them capture something of the utopian dreams associated with childhood innocence. As a result, the form is uniquely able to convey the spirit of Christmas, and this is certainly the case with Arthur Christmas, which focuses on the son of Santa Claus as he attempts to get a lost present to a little girl.

The film is quite inventive, and its central conceit revolves around the idea of Santa Claus being an inherited title (Arthur is the younger son of the present office-holder). At the same time, it also has the unique mix that's always key to a successful animated film, with vibrant imagination and clever jokes for both children and adults. And, as with the most successful and meaningful of holiday films, it also has a great deal of heart and emotional resonance.

Rise of the Guardians is notable for taking the traditional Christmas stories focusing on Santa and giving them an epic dimension. In this film’s imagination, Santa Claus is one of a group of warriors known as the Guardians – whose numbers include such entities as the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy – who are joined by Jack Frost as they battle against a malicious entity known as Pitch Black.

Though some of the film’s plot elements are familiar and a bit generic, this doesn’t take away from the fundamental wonder it manages to capture. This stems not only from the beautifully rendered animation, but also from the voice cast, which includes the likes of Chris Pine, Alec Baldwin, and Jude Law. There is, then, something truly magical about the way the film takes the familiar elements of the season and gives them new life.

The Family Man is one of those Christmas films that manages to be both implausible and infectious at one and the same time. It seems to share some cinematic DNA with It’s A Wonderful Life, in that it focuses on a man who awakens one day to find himself in a totally different life, one he might have led had he stayed with his sweetheart of years earlier. Most of the film follows his efforts to connect to this new family.

It is, to be sure, a strange film, but there is something endearing about it, particularly since both Nicolas Cage and Téa Leoni deliver their usual strong performances. It is, moreover, the kind of holiday film which, if one just surrenders to the impossibility of it all, it becomes not just a very enjoyable holiday film but also one which has a powerful message about the necessity of love.

There seems to be an intrinsic relationship between comedy and the Christmas season. What makes The Night Before refreshing, however, is its irreverent attitude, focusing as it does on a group of friends who annually reunite and try to find the best Christmas party. While its humor might not always be subtle, it still features some strong performances from heavy hitters like Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, and Anthony Mackie.

Ultimately, what makes this film worth watching is, quite simply, the charisma on offer. There is something intrinsically likable about the main characters who, for all of their drug-incited antics, still come across as fundamentally decent guys. More to the point, while it can at times be a bit uneven with its comedic moments, when the jokes land, they do so with spectacular force, and there are enough of them to keep even the most jaded holiday viewer entertained.