There are so many great Christmas movies. There are plenty of not great Christmas movies too. But this week, we’re taking a look at 5 that never got the attention they deserve and that deserve to be on your list of holiday traditions.
Reese Witherspoon and Vince Vaughn star in FOUR CHRISTMASES — Courtesy of New Line Cinemas
“Four Christmases” (2008)
dir. Seth Gordon
Any child of divorce can tell you that the idea of two Christmases may sound cool and all, but it is, in fact, pretty stressful. Put two children of divorce together and double the Christmases? Yikes! But that’s just what happens in Seth Gordon’s Four Christmases in which Reese Witherspoon and Vince Vaughn star as a couple who tell a little white lie to their families so that they can ditch the stress and enjoy a tropical island holiday instead. But after their flight gets canceled and their plans are thwarted, they have to figure out how to reach four separate households in one day, all while learning a lot about themselves and their relationship in the process. It’s funny, it’s tender, and surprisingly relatable for us broken home kids.
Streaming on: HBO Max
Emilia Clarke stars in LAST CHRISTMAS — Universal Pictures
“Last Christmas” (2019)
dir. Paul Feig
When folks saw the trailer for Paul Feig’s London-set Christmas rom-com Last Christmas, they immediately guessed a major twist and then decided the movie itself would be a disaster. But the thing is, this movie isn’t a disaster. Emilia Clarke plays Kate, a dangerously depressed and lonely young woman who struggles to find her way a year after a life-saving heart transplant. She meets Henry Golding’s dashing Tom, and his enthusiastic embrace of life begins to awaken her sense of purpose and hope. Michelle Yeoh is also delightful as Kate’s boss, the owner of a year-round Christmas store who loves the holiday season like no one else. The twist is incidental to a plot that is so much more.
Watch it on: FX, FXM
Adam Sandler, Liev Schrieber, Rita Wilson, Steve Martin, Juliette Lewis, and Anthony LaPaglia star in MIXED NUTS — TriStar Pictures
“Mixed Nuts” (1994)
dir. Nora Ephron
Unappreciated in its day and panned by critics, Nora Ephron’s wacky, star-studded Christmas movie has recently found new life as an underrated gem. Mixed Nuts is as weird as its title promises, with Steve Martin and Rita Wilson playing two long-time friends who fight to keep their crisis hotline open while the property owner (played by the magnificent Madeline Kahn) is trying to evict them. The characters who flit in and out of the scene get progressively stranger and funnier, leading to a wild conclusion that manages to be both unexpected and inevitable.
Steaming on: Peacock
Whitney Houston and Denzel Washington star in THE PREACHER’S WIFE — Touchstone Pictures
“The Preacher’s Wife” (1996)
dir. Penny Marshall
A remake of The Bishop’s Wife, Penny Marshall’s 1996 Christmas movie was another underrated joy when it was released in 1996. The film stars Whitney Houston at the height of her popularity, alongside Denzel Washington, who steps into the role first played by Cary Grant. Perfect casting, honestly. The Preacher’s Wife does a beautiful job of bringing the 1947 film into the present day and moving the story from a cathedral under construction to a crumbling inner city church. With the charms of Whitney, Denzel, and Courtney B. Vance, this *should* be an annual tradition.
Streaming on: The Roku Channel, Freeform
Paul Feig’s UNACCOMPANIED MINORS — Warner Bros.
“Unaccompanied Minors” (2006)
dir. Paul Feig
Paul Feig has managed to direct not only one but two Christmas movies, and somehow both of them are underrated. The first was one of his earliest features, half a decade before Bridesmaids. In the charming family movie Unaccompanied Minors, a blizzard in the midwest grounds flights and leaves a bunch of travelers stuck at the airport on Christmas Eve. Among the stranded are a collection of unaccompanied kids who run amuck and cause chaos, while a grouchy manager tries to get control. It’s really funny and surprisingly sweet.
Streaming on: HBO Max