Bored of the usual classics? Here are 11 alternative Christmas movies to watch this December

December is upon us, which means its time to start rewatching all your favourite festive films – if you haven't already started.

Of course, there are a handful of movies that some film fans consider it more or less mandatory to watch every year – with the likes of It's a Wonderful Life, The Snowman, Miracle on 34th Street, Love Actually and Elf all having become seasonal staples.

But what if you're in the mood for something different? Perhaps an underrated gem from years gone by that tends to get crowded out of the discussion, or maybe a film that is set over the Christmas period but otherwise does away with the usual trappings we've come to expect from the festive genre?

If you are looking for something a little different to add to your rotation this year, RadioTimes.com has put together a list of some alternative viewing suggestions to watch alongside those yearly rewatches.

Some of these films are explicitly about Christmas, others are just set during the festive period; some are under-seen gems from years gone by and others more recent takes on the festive flick; some of them are packed with festive cheer and others dispose of it entirely. But they all have one thing in common – they are all ideal films for chilly December evenings.

Read on for our full list.

Eileen (2023)

This bleak but alluring noir doesn't much go in for festive cheer, but its Yuletide setting makes it an excellent antidote if you're not in the mood for Christmas cheese. The film was adapted by author Ottessa Moshfegh (and her husband Luke Goebel) from her own 2015 novel, and the feel of the book translates impeccably to the screen.

Thomasin McKenzie stars as Eileen, a repressed young woman in 1960s Massachusetts who works as a secretary at a boy's prison, whose dull life is given an unexpected jolt by the arrival of new psychologist Rebecca (a superb Anne Hathaway), and Eileen finds herself immediately entranced.

Director William Oldroyd (Lady Macbeth) uses period stylings and Richard Reed Parry's terrific score to craft a richly atmospheric mood, resulting in a film that becomes something of a twisted delight – especially when an ingenious third-act rug-pull nudges the film into far darker territory. That late twist may divide audiences, but those who stay with it will be deeply rewarded.

Where to watch: Netflix

Spencer (2021)

Of all the many on-screen portrayals of the Royal Family over the years, this is one of the most unorthodox – and also one of the best. Directed by Chilean filmmaker Pablo Larraín – who had previously profiled Jackie Kennedy in his 2016 film Jackie – the film follows Princess Diana (played brilliantly by Kristen Stewart) over three days as she spends Christmas at Sandringham House in 1991.

The film is billed as "a fable based on a true tragedy", and is not intended as an entirely truthful account of that time, but rather an atmospheric look into Diana's mindset during a difficult time in her life, as she battles various demons while trying to keep things together.

Larraín ingeniously incorporates elements of the fairytale and the ghost story into the film while it's visuals are sumptuous throughout – and the Christmastime setting makes it an interesting festive offering if you're looking for something a little different.

Where to watch: Available to rent or buy on Amazon Prime Video, Google Play and YouTube from £2.49.

Small Things Like These (2024)

Small Things Like These is another film that might not automatically seem like a Christmas movie – but it definitely has a claim to belonging to the genre, and not just because of its festive setting. Based on Claire Keegan's novella of the same name, it's built around a superb performance from Cillian Murphy, while Emily Watson's supporting turn is also excellent.

Murphy plays Bill Furlong, a kind but taciturn coal merchant in County Wexford who is faced with a tough choice after he encounters a traumatised young girl locked in the coal shed at a local convent. Set in 1985 – while also including flashbacks to the lead character's childhood – the film reckons with Ireland's history of Magdalene landries, which had incarcerated so-called fallen women for decades.

The film has a Dickensian quality to it, while it's the focus on themes of redemption generosity and family which – combined with its wintery backdrop – make it undeniably worthy of Christmas film status. As director Tim Mielants put it to RadioTimes.com during an exclusive interview last year: "Christmas is family and society and religion. I think these three things come totally together during Christmas, and I think that's a really important element in the movie."

Where to watch: Prime Video

The Shop Around the Corner (1940)

When it comes to Christmas films starring James Stewart, there's no doubting the most famous: Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life, which continues to top many best-of lists almost 75 years after its release. But six years before playing George Bailey, Stewart had a leading role in another Christmas movie, starring alongside Margaret Sullavan in Ernst Lubitsch's delightful romantic comedy The Shop Around the Corner.

This film is far from unknown, of course – it was hugely successful upon its release in 1940, is listed in Time magazine's All-Time 100 Movies, and was ranked 58th in BBC's 2015 poll of the best American films. And yet compared to It's a Wonderful Life, it crops up far less regularly in Christmas watch lists today, despite its stellar reputation.

The plot centres on two pen pals in Budapest, who unwittingly fall in love with each other through their letters in the run-up to Christmas – not realising their true identity: they are bickering colleagues at the same store.

Where to watch: Available to rent or buy on Amazon Prime Video, Google Play and YouTube from £3.49.

Comfort and Joy (1984)

Bill Forsyth is the man behind some of Scotland's best-loved films, notably including Local Hero and Gregory's Girl, and this 1984 comedy starring Bill Paterson is every bit as good. The film follows Alan Bird, a radio DJ who is suddenly dumped by his long-term partner in the run-up to Christmas.

The lovelorn Alan – who is known as 'Dicky' to his listeners – attempts to take his mind off things by going for a walk, but after witnessing a bizarre incident, he accidentally finds himself involved in Glasgow's Ice Cream Wars (yes, that's a real thing!), acting as an envoy between two rival Ice Cream Van companies, Mr Bunny's and Mr McCool's.

Taking place across Christmas, there's no shortage of Yuletide decorations in sight, and the ultimate message of the film is also in keeping with the festive spirit, making this an excellent choice for a Christmas watch.

Where to watch: Available with StudioCanal Presents add-on on Prime Video and to rent or buy on Amazon Prime Video, Google Play and YouTube from £3.49.

8 Women (2002)

The murder mystery and the musical are two of cinema's most enduring genres, but it's not often you see a film that fits into both of those categories. François Ozon's 2002 film 8 Women (or 8 Femmes in the original French), however, does exactly that – in addition to being a Christmas movie.

The film is set in the 1950s and revolves around a wealthy and somewhat eccentric family who have gathered in a large house for Christmas, only for them to wake up one morning to discover that the only man in their number has been murdered in his room. All eight women in the house – including relatives and staff – are suspects in the case, and they each attempt to identify the culprit, occasionally bursting into song in the process.

It probably won't be for everyone, and the musical numbers can be occasionally jarring – but this wonderfully camp mash-up of genres is tremendous fun and well worth your time over the festive period, especially given that the cast reads like a who's who of French actresses, with Isabelle Huppert, Catherine Deneuve and Fanny Ardant among those to star.

Where to watch: Available to watch with StudioCanal Presents add-on on Prime Video and to rent or buy on Apple TV from £3.49.

Tangerine (2015)

You won't find any snow or Santa Claus in this excellent film from Anora and The Florida Project director Sean Baker, but its Christmas Eve setting undoubtedly qualifies it as a Christmas movie – and a very good one at that.

Around the time of its release, much of the coverage focused on the fact that it had been shot entirely on iPhone, and while that is an impressive feat, it's far from the only praise-worthy feature of the film. The story centres on transgender sex worker Sin-Dee Rella (Kitana Kiki Rodriguez), who has been released from a short prison sentence just before Christmas and soon learns that her boyfriend has been cheating on her while she's been in jail.

Sin-Dee then devotes her Christmas Eve to finding her boyfriend and teaching him a lesson, eventually leading to a memorable confrontation inside a donut shop. The film is both funny and stylish, with a brilliantly raw performance from Rodriguez at the centre.

Where to watch: Prime Video

Carol (2015)

One of the finest films released in the last decade, Carol probably isn't a Christmas film in the traditional sense, but enough of the plot is set around the festive period for it to earn a spot on this list.

Immaculately directed by Todd Haynes and based on Patricia Highsmith's novel The Price of Salt, the film follows the relationship between young shop clerk and aspiring photographer Therese (Rooney Mara) and glamorous soon-to-be-divorcee Carol (Cate Blanchett) after the pair meet at a department store while the latter is Christmas shopping.

This is an elegant and achingly romantic film that wondrously captures the world of 1950s New York, and it won universal acclaim on its release, with the performances of Mara and Blanchett especially singled out for praise.

Where to watch: Available to watch with StudioCanal Presents add-on on Prime Video and to rent or buy on Apple TV from £3.49.

Holiday Affair (1949)

Another gem from Hollywood's Golden Age – which is somewhat forgotten compared to the likes of It's a Wonderful Life – this 1949 film is well worth a watch, and happens to be streaming on BBC iPlayer.

Set in New York in the run up to Christmas, it stars acting icons Janet Leigh and Robert Mitchum, the latter of whom plays somewhat against type as a kind-hearted toy train salesman trying to charm his way into the affections of a widowed single-mother (Leigh).

It's an incredibly sweet, rater wholesome film, and one that shouldn't fail to put you in a Christmassy mood.

Where to watch: BBC iPlayer

Black Christmas (1974)

The slasher genre might be one you'd be more likely to associate with Halloween than Christmas, but believe it or not, the Christmas slasher is more common than you might think – and this 1974 film from Bob Clark (which was remade last year) remains the standout of the genre.

The film wasn't particularly well-received on its initial release but has since become a cult classic, praised for its atmosphere and its influence on the slasher genre in general – it's worth noting that this came out four years before John Carpenter's seminal Halloween.

In a classic slasher setup, the film follows a group of female college students who begin to receive anonymous, vulgar phone calls at the start of their winter break – before a number of young women go missing and are murdered. If you prefer your Christmas movies without the good cheer, this could well be the one for you!

Where to watch: Available to buy or rent on Amazon Prime Video from £2.49.

Eyes Wide Shut (1999)

Another film that perhaps isn't the first to spring to mind when you think of Christmas, Stanley Kubrick's final movie does take place entirely over the festive season – and so earns a place on the list.

Indeed Kubrick's decision to set the film at Christmas (the source novel was set at Mardi Gras) was very deliberate, with the legendary director explaining that the "rejuvenating symbolism of Christmas" was key to the themes of the movie.

Starring Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman (who were then a real-life couple) as a couple whose relationship begins to unravel when Cruise's character becomes involved with a bizarre sex cult, the film is mysterious, unsettling, and undoubtedly provocative – though certainly not one for the whole family!

Where to watch: Available to rent or buy on Amazon Prime Video, Google Play and YouTube from £1.99.

Looking for something else to watch? Check out our TV Guide or take a look at our guide to the best Christmas TV.