By Justin Pomerville (@justin.pomerville @2bgpod)
Tis’ the season!
We all have our holiday traditions. One of those traditions may be having a favorite holiday film that is a must watch every year. Most people will have classic holiday features like How The Grinch Stole Christmas, A Christmas Carol, and The Santa Claus. Others will choose films like Die Hard and Gremlins that you can argue whether or not they are actually Christmas films (but we are not going to open that can of worms).
There are so many films that surround Christmas to some extent; from the classics, the Rankin/Bass specials, and the huge bin of Hallmark originals. Beyond that, there are also some interesting gems that are Christmas themed that I believe you should know about. One of them might even become your new Christmas tradition film.
Because this is a ME list, the majority of these will be horror films, because….why not?
Of course, this is just a small portion of the plethora of choices.
I would love to hear your thoughts on what other holiday films are a must during the Christmas season.
BETTER WATCH OUT
STARRING: Olivia DeJonge, Levi Miller, Ed Oxenbould, Aleks Mikic, Dacre Montgomery, Patrick Warburton, Virginia Madsen
RELEASE DATE: October 6th, 2017
WHERE TO WATCH: VOD (Peacock, Amazon Prime, Shudder)
A psychological thriller about a babysitter defending a 12 year old from a home invasion that gets weirder and weirder by the second.
Levi Miller as Luke in Better Watch Out
ANNA AND THE APOCALYPSE
STARRING: Ella Hunt, Malcolm Cumming, Sara Swire, Christopher Leveaux, Marli Siu
RELEASE DATE: November 30th, 2018
WHERE TO WATCH: VOD ( Vudu, Pluto TV, Amazon Prime, AppleTV)
A horror/comedy that is basically a musical Shaun of the Dead. A zombie infestation threatens the little town of New Haven during Christmas. Anna and her friends are forced to fight for survival.
Anna (played by Ella Hunt) and John (played by Malcom Cumming) encounter a monster snowman in Anna and the Apocalypse.
FATMAN
STARRING: Mel Gibson, Walton Goggins, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Chance Hurstfield
RELEASE DATE: November 13th, 2020
WHERE TO WATCH: VOD (Peacock, Amazon Prime, AppleTV)
A very different Santa Claus (played by Mel Gibson) fights to save his failing business. At the same time, a naughty child hires a hitman (played by Walton Goggins) to take the jolly man out for giving him a lump of coal.
Mel Gibson as Santa Claus in Fatman
RARE EXPORTS: A CHRISTMAS TALE
STARRING: Jorma Tommila, Onni Tommila, Peeter Jakobi, Tommi Korpela, Rauno Juvonen, Per Christian Ellefsen
RELEASE DATE: December 3rd, 2010
WHERE TO WATCH: VOD (Hulu, Amazon Prime, Shudder, AppleTV)
A secret drilling expedition in northern Finland has caused children to go missing, reindeer being slaughtered, and the appearance of an old feral man. Two boys believe that Santa Clause’s tomb has been unearthed.
Onni Tommila as Pietari Kontio in Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale
SANTA’S SLAY
STARRING: Bill Goldberg, Douglas Smith, Emilie de Ravin, Robert Culp, Dave Thomas
RELEASE DATE: January 1st, 2004
WHERE TO WATCH: VOD (Peacock, Amazon Prime, Vudo, AppleTV)
Santa (played by wrestler Bill Goldberg) is actually a demon that lost a bet with an angel and is forced to bring Christmas cheer around the world. When the bet is off, Santa goes back to his evil ways and spreads Christmas fear.
Bill Goldberg as Santa Claus in Santa’s Slay
SANTA CLAUS CONQUERS THE MARTIANS
STARRING: John Call, Leonard Hicks, Vincent Beck, Bill McCutcheon
RELEASE DATE: November 14th, 1964
WHERE TO WATCH: VOD (Amazon Prime, Youtube, Tubi)
Martian Fuler Kimar is unhappy that the children of Mars have become lazy and under the influence of too much pop culture from Earth. In order to hopefully get the children all peppy again, Kimar orders the kidnapping of Santa Claus, in hopes he can help out.
Santa Claus (played by John Call) in Santa Claus Conquers the Martians