It’s Christmas time, there’s no need to be afraid. Unless you’re in charge of trying to find something for everyone to watch. However, we’re here to help alleviate the stress with our easy-to-follow guide that will have you all relaxed and satisfied with the film choice, allowing you to make the most of the Christmas holidays with a perfectly festive choice of film that will surely get you in the holiday spirit. 

The Nice Guys

Buddy cop films don’t get better than this belter from the writer of Lethal Weapon (and many others) Shane Black. Featuring the genuinely hilarious, but odd pairing, of Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling, The Nice Guys is a Neo-noir, borrowing ideas from the classic detective genre of the 1950s, but set in the late 1970s where a missing teenage girl seems to somehow be mixed up in espionage and industrial conspiracies involving car and oil companies. Detective films about missing people and featuring giant bees, mermaids and invisible houses shouldn’t work, but here writer Shane Black nails the tone, with every scene equally dramatic yet hilarious. Fans have been calling for a sequel for years, and it’s the perfect example of a film that you know will be enjoyed after you recommend it. The last scene features a Christmas tree. 

LA Confidential

Talking of Neo-noir films, this adaptation of the James Ellroy novel wowed Hollywood when released in 1997, reviving the classic detective thriller genre with a pounding score, stacks of talent and a twisting narrative that shocks at every turn. Perhaps unfairly overlooked during awards season whilst going up against Titanic, but over time this has built up a reputation as a film of real old-school Hollywood glamour and drama. This is driven of course, by the film being partially about the film industry during the Golden Age of Hollywood. A classic, in every sense of the word. And a couple of scenes take place just before Christmas. 

Trading Places

If you’ve never seen Trading Places, please heed this warning: don’t attempt to understand the machinations of what actually happens in the stock exchange scenes in the last 20 minutes, even if the film tries to explain it several times. Instead, enjoy Eddie Murphy and Dan Ackroyd at their peak: all over-the-top accents, silly costumes and stereotypes dialed to 11. Consistently entertaining and for a film nominally about sociological philosophy and the idea of nurture vs nature, it’s remarkable just how enjoyable the film is, propelled by the frenetic energy of Murphy and the grounded Jamie Lee Curtis playing very much against type. An all-time classic. And one of the scenes takes place at a Christmas Party.

Prometheus 

Ridley Scott, legendary director of Alien, Blade Runner, Gladiator, Black Hawk Down and many more, has just directed his latest film Napoleon. With every release and revaluation of his filmography, a couple of films always stand out as being divisive, but perhaps as few as Prometheus, his return to the Alien universe in 2012, some 40 years after establishing it with the classic, Alien. Not everyone was keen however: whilst this reviewer thinks that the film was not harshly judged at the time, many viewers and critics alike rallied against the film. Over time though, it’s developed into a film of real substance, interesting characters and clever, if perhaps a touch misguided, links to the Alien franchise. It looks beautiful too, using the Isle of Skye and Iceland amongst other locations alongside some excellent and visceral CGI. If you like your sci-fi gory, a bit silly but ultimately enjoyable, this is worth a watch, especially if you saw it once and weren’t convinced. Plus, during one scene, Idris Elba’s character, the captain of the spaceship Prometheus, puts up a small Christmas tree.

Iron Man 3 

One of the most underrated Marvel Cinematic Universe films? Quite possibly. During the initial release many criticised a film about Iron Man for not having much of Iron Man in the Iron Man suit and for the outrageous twist with the villain of the film. Over time though, the absurdity of it all, the whip-smart one-liners, the huge set-pieces and the focus on smaller themes and relationships have seen the film become a firm fan favourite. Certainly worth a revisit if you’ve not seen in a while, this features snow, Christmas trees, presents AND Jingle Bells at one point. 

Gremlins

Before you see the title and instantly get it on the TV for all to watch, a reminder if you’ve not seen in a while: this is surprisingly violent and scary. It’s still great though, in part due to being written by Home Alone director Chris Columbus and produced by Steven Spielberg. You’d be forgiven though for perhaps misremembering what the film is actually about, seeing as though most of us saw this for the first time when we were probably too young to appreciate it: it’s nominally about a young Mogwai called Gizmo, but is in actual fact another 80s film that explores the evils of corporate culture, the drive to conquer and control nature and human acquisitiveness despite stark warnings. Having said that, it’s still fantastic fun and the kind of family film that Christmas calls for (if everyone is old enough to tolerate the scares and gore), especially given that the whole film is set at Christmas and begins because Gizmo is given as a Christmas present. 

Die Hard

There is nothing more tiresome than people arguing about whether Die Hard is a Christmas film or not. So, let’s settle this one here: it is. It takes place on Christmas Eve. It’s set during a Christmas Party. This is a Christmas film. If it’s not “Christmassy” enough, then try Die Hard 2, the vastly underappreciated sequel, because that one is not only set during Christmas but also features a LOT of snow. 

Ian Moreno-Melgar