Non Christmas Movies That Have A Christmas Vibe

December is probably my favourite month. I'm fairly obsessed with Christmas vibes and today is the third most Christmasy day of the year. At least it is here in Ireland. Yes coming in just behind Christmas Day and Christmas Eve, the day of the Late Late Toy Show is a pretty big deal here. So when I sat down earlier with my girlfriend to make a list of Christmas movies and struggled to get in many Christmas movies we really wanted to watch, we were a bit surprised. Perhaps we're just a little burned out on watching certain films back to back each year. This is when I decided to do up a list of movies that give off that warm, fuzzy feeling you get from Christmas films despite these films at least not directly being linked to Christmas. So... Here is that list.

Stardust

This fun fantasy has no tie to Christmas but there's something about it that really reminds me of going to see a pantomime as a kid in December. Most of these films are really theatrical in style and I think it's a big contributor to the vibe of the film. Being adapted from a Neil Gaiman book is a great place to start for any fairytale, and it's backed up by a great cast who all understand the assignment. It's also great to see Charlie Cox leading in a feature, especially back in 2007. This magical adventure is topped off by the great song that plays as the end credits roll.

Paddington

One of the absolute best family movies this century, Paddington nails the delivery of that adorable character. Every line lands perfectly and you can't help but root for the fuzzy little guy. I can't imagine anyone not falling in love with Paddington immediately. Everything from the brilliant CGI and how good the cast are at acting around it, the delightful humour, and Nicole Kidman's delightfully devious shenanigans make for a film that many have struggled to articulate why it's just so good. You could probably throw on the sequel as well for a double feature.

Any Muppets film really

Well I guess not A Christmas Carol because it's specifically a Christmas film. Though I will still be watching it this year. Most other Muppet films are quite suited to this list. They have such a wonderful charm to them, I do find that some of the newer films aren't written quite as well but do retain that classic Muppet feeling at least. My recommendation is probably The Great Muppet Caper in particular, it's so funny and a perfect tribute to classic capers, even featuring a cameo from Peter Ustinov, and Oscar The Grouch of course.

The Hunt For Red October

This list wouldn't be complete without a proper dad movie and is there a truer dad movie than this? While it probably isn't the obvious choice from director John McTiernan's film catalogue for this list  there is something about the tense claustrophobic atmosphere that I find weirdly soothing, it's perfect for a living room watch by the fire. One aspect of the film that might play into the Christmas spirit is how it believes in the good of humanity and allowing truth and friendship to prevail. Also, I gotta root out my DVD of this because I just know there has to be some great special features on this film.

Wall-E

I've decide to only include one Pixar film even though most of their films could make an argument for a spot here. I will admit that this is probably my favourite Pixar film in general which probably biases my decision but, isn't that the point? This is probably the cutest robot film out there, if not the cutest movie ever. Little Wall-E is the kind of character who makes you want to dream, and the fact that it's mostly done through visual storytelling is incredible and a massive credit to the team who worked on it. It also features one of the most beautiful romances in any work of art. Our hapless little old tin can falling head over heels for Eve, a modern lean killing machine with one goal, and somehow charming his way into her heart is beautiful to watch. Plus, I think that fire extinguisher scene is one of the most beautiful things in cinematic history. Wall-E is an amazing film at any time of year, but it also strongly values all of those important Christmas themes.

Titanic

I'll admit that I don't really love this film, despite my respect for James Cameron's body of work. In fact, I'm always surprised that he hasn't directed more films. While I'd thought about putting The Abyss here instead, I realise that's just me being difficult. Titanic does that brilliant James Cameron thing of making it's setting feel massive and very important. Even though I don't think the story is special there is just some kind of undeniable weight to this film and there's something about watching it near the end of the year that just feels so right.

Harry Potter and Probably The First Film, Although It Could Be The Second, Or Maybe Even The Fourth One

Alright I like most of the Harry Potter films, despite ALL of the things that have happened since Deathly Hallows Part 2 released, both on and off screen, but I do think there's a massive dip in quality after the fifth film. Sure the last three have some charm but to me it's nothing compared to what came before. Honestly even the fifth film is noticeably not as good as the four before it imo. There's such a warm glowy feeling about these first four films that I really associate with Christmas for some reason, I guess it's something to do with nostalgia and watching the characters grow. But, I will say, even though it's probably my favourite of the series, I wouldn't recommend the third film for Christmas. I refuse to elaborate further I'm just going on vibes here and it has a different vibe. Although if you are watching any of them at this time of year you probably will just watch them all anyway.

Curse of The Black Pearl

The first Pirates of The Caribbean film is one I feel like I remember people always saying was clear of the rest of the trilogy. While I don't think this is true, I think it's one of the most well balanced trilogies in film, I do think that it's story is more round and complete than the other two. It's a brilliant standalone film that also serves as a perfect introduction to most of our characters for the rest of the trilogy, the next two films are also brilliant but I can't see myself just watching either on their own. The quirky romp with memorable characters, distinctive set design, and a super fun score make it such an enjoyable delight even with the spooky skeletons.

Blowout

This is a really cool movie even though it really shows it's age. It's held up by great sound design and cinematography with entertaining performances, and it's shall we say balanced out by a very strange relationship between our main characters and the tension feeling quite low for the most part. I think that's what makes it such a cosy film, it's a bit of a slow treat for the eyes that probably won't cause you much stress and is a really easy watch with an interesting conspiracy.

Spider-Man

Okay, okay, maybe it's more of an autumn movie than a winter movie but over here those seasons can kinda blend together. This hits so hard this time of year due to a mix of the the hard moral battles and how good Tobey Maguire is as a milk drinking, baby faced good guy. I'm sure there's something about the character and set design that makes it feel so homey and at this stage it's already an iconic movie with just so many memorable moments and infinitely quotable lines. Throw in the earned learning of a good lesson and sacrifice, you've got a movie that still feels at home beside the Christmas tree.

Honourable mentions to Shrek, The Thing, National Treasure, and Lord of The Rings.

It took me way longer to write this than I thought it would. I thought I'd do it in an hour but somehow I've spent most of the day intermittently tipping away at it instead so I really appreciate you if you've read all of this ~Ian