It’s supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year, but the pressure to fill the holidays with good, clean, family fun can become exhausting. So why not kick back and put your feet up with some grown-up Christmas movies?
To reward yourself for enduring weeks of cute commercials, kid-friendly reruns, sacrilegious specials, and the season’s general rose-tinted glasses mentality, curl up with a bottle of wine (or a few) and enjoy these movies that aren’t afraid to take on the holiday spirit from a grown-up point of view.
Bad Santa Claus
A penchant for bawdy humor is a must in this 2003 dark comedy directed by Billy Bob Thornton about an alcoholic con artist named Willie who poses as Santa Claus and plans to rob stores on Christmas Eve with his sidekick Marcus (Tony Cox). However, Willie’s plans are thwarted when he runs into Sue (Lauren Graham) and “The Kid” (Brett Kelly) with an advent calendar. It’s the perfect refresher when your inner cynic has had enough of artificial holiday cheer. After enjoying Willie’s first adventure, you’ll definitely want to catch him again in the 2016 sequel.
To watch Bad Santa Claus on Paramount+
Black Christmas
Miss Halloween? Relive the bloody days with this slasher flick that still fits the season. The 1974 fear-inducing horror classic follows a group of sorority girls who become the victims of gruesome murders during the Christmas holidays after receiving a series of disturbing phone calls. The original has a special place in our black hearts, but its remakes have just as much jump scares. So for more Christmas carnage, check out the 2006 adaptation and the 2019 version.
To watch Black Christmas on the Peacock
A real Harold and Kumar Christmas
Everyone’s favorite friends, Harold (John Cho) and Kumar (Kal Penn), try to mitigate the holiday disaster in their third big-screen adventure, reuniting after years of estrangement. The cult Christmas movie from 2011 is filled with the outrageous, tongue-in-cheek humor that fans have come to expect from the duo – alongside a side of heartwarming friendship moments. (If you want to enjoy other wacky bud adventures, you’re in luck: Harold and Kumar go to the White Castle (2004) is available to rent or buy on Amazon Prime Video and Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay (2008) is available to stream on Max.
To watch A real Harold and Kumar Christmas to Max
Gremlins
Watch with joy as a herd of little monsters ravage an idyllic town at Christmas time. Gremlins (1984) subverts the holiday clichés you’re tired of repeating every year and includes possibly the most disturbing story of all time, “How I Found Out Santa Claus Wasn’t Real.”
To watch Gremlins to Max
The night before
Seth Rogen, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Anthony Mackie star as a trio of lifelong friends looking for an epic last night of debauchery before committing to grown-up holiday traditions. Hilarious cameos by everyone from Miley Cyrus to Ilana Glazer will keep you on your toes during the shenanigans in this 2015 apocalyptic comedy.
Rent or buy The night before on Amazon Prime Video
die Hard
John McClane’s (Bruce Willis) heroism in the face of a terrorist threat takes place on Christmas Eve, and so – despite what skeptics would have you believe – die Hard (1988) is an honorary addition here. And one that requires annual viewing.
Rent or buy die Hard on Amazon Prime Video
Office Christmas party
A host of powerhouse comedians, including Kate McKinnon, Jennifer Aniston and Jason Bateman, join forces in this 2016 workplace comedy. Clay (TJ Miller) and his co-workers at a computer technology company embark on a more naughty than nice quest to throw an unforgettable office Christmas party to impress a potentially job-saving client.
Rent or buy Office Christmas party on Amazon Prime Video
Trading places
When cocky CEO Louis Winthorpe III (Dan Aykroyd) and shrewd street hustler Billy Ray Valentine (Eddie Murphy) find their lives upended in a high-priced bet, mischief ensues—though not without a dash of controversial humor. It’s Murphy, Aykroyd and the holiday shifter in this 1983 classic that’s definitely worth putting the kids to bed early.
Rent or buy Trading places on Amazon Prime Video
Bad Moms Christmas
Mila Kunis, Kathryn Hahn and Kristen Bell reprise their roles as the rebellious trio of moms who get a not-so-exciting surprise visit from their mothers for Christmas. Packed with laugh-out-loud one-liners and quips, Susan Sarandon, Christine Baranski and Cheryl Hines also join the fun in the boisterous 2017 sequel.
Rent or buy Bad Moms Christmas on Amazon Prime Video
A violent night
A group of mercenaries will probably rue the day they decided to take a wealthy family hostage on Christmas Eve. In 2022 A violent nightlanding on the naughty list this way has deadly consequences as Santa Claus (David Harbour) arrives to save the holidays with ass-kicking action and not-so-holy hilarity like you’ve never seen before.
To watch A violent night on Amazon Prime Video
Krampus
You better not lose your Christmas spirit – or else! Sarah (Toni Collette) and Tom (Adam Scott) learn this lesson the hard way when their Christmastime conflict summons the folklore demon Krampus into their dysfunctional household, bringing doom and destruction in its fury in the 2015 horror film.
To watch Krampus on the Peacock
The Lodge
Merry holidays turn cold when two children are snowed in at a remote winter cabin during Christmas with their stepmother-to-be (Riley Keough), whose visions of her cultist past drive the trio’s terrifying behavior in this 2019 horror thriller. Worse, their father’s return home seems less likely with each sleepless night.
To watch The Lodge to Max
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education