So the first 11 months of the year didn’t go as expected. Luckily, the last couple weeks of the year are always good for falling back on tried-and-true traditions in everything from the people we visit to the food we eat to, yes, the movies we watch. Unfortunately, the list of quality holiday movies is pretty short, and everyone knows them all pretty well already. So rather than spend this column describing “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “A Christmas Story,” I’ve compiled a short list of movies that aren’t holiday-themed but which nevertheless go with the season. If you’re looking for some new movies to add to your list of regulars, here are a few ideas.
For the kids: ‘Shaun the Sheep Movie,’ ‘The Secret of Kells,’ ‘A Cat in Paris’
It’s hard to go wrong with cartoons at the holidays, but it’s easy to forget that animation studios exist outside of Disney/Pixar and DreamWorks. Frequently these independent studios make more peculiar movies than we’re used to, but they are charming, memorable, and enjoyable for both kids and adults. Last year’s “Shaun the Sheep Movie,” from the same animators responsible for the Wallace and Gromit series, isn’t just a silly movie about a sheep navigating his way through a city, although it is full of clever gags and goofy characters. At its core, the movie is about the importance of keeping one’s friends and family close, no matter where our experiences (or runaway trailers) take us. And, impressively, it accomplishes this without a single word of dialogue.
A scene from “A Cat in Paris.” (Courtesy photo)
If you want less traditional fare, I recommend “The Secret of Kells” and “A Cat in Paris,” both of which center on brave children facing intense danger to save their homes (in the former, a medieval monastery; in the latter, modern-day Paris). These are not your typical animated movies—both films broach darker territory than your standard cartoon—but they are intriguingly animated, exciting, and yes, they have happy endings.
Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert star in “It Happened One Night.” (Courtesy photo)
For the classics lover: ‘It Happened One Night’
If you prefer to spend your holiday reliving Hollywood’s golden age, you’ll appreciate the 1934 romantic comedy “It Happened One Night.” Made for cheap with stars who didn’t want to be there and low expectations for its reception, the movie was a runaway success and ended up winning five Oscars. Of course, Oscars are just statues; they don’t really mean anything. For instance, they don’t tell you that “It Happened One Night” kicked off the screwball comedy genre, or that Clark Gable eating carrots in the movie inspired the creators of a certain cartoon rabbit named Bugs. Maybe you’re familiar with the movie trope where a bride leaves the groom at the altar? One guess where that originated. “It Happened One Night” is remarkably ahead of its time, while always maintaining the feeling of glamorous old Hollywood.
Jim Carey and Jeff Daniels in “Dumb and Dumber.” (Courtesy photo)
For the jokester: ‘Dumb and Dumber’
The first hit by the Farrelly brothers, “Dumb and Dumber” stars Jeff Daniels and Jim Carrey as lovable idiots Harry Dunne and Lloyd Christmas (Hey, this is a Christmas movie!). Despite how much I love this movie, it’s hard to explain the appeal of a film that features such props as orange and blue tuxedos, a dog-shaped van, and a headless parakeet. And that’s to say nothing of the laxative prank, a nose-hair gag, and two grown men riding a small scooter. It’s not an intelligent movie. But two stars in their primes and a consistently over-the-top script make this comedy land its punches, one after another. Just be sure to skip the prequel and the sequel.
Jean-Louis Trintignant in “The Conformist.” (Courtesy photo)
For the contrarian: ‘The Conformist’
So you want something completely different, something that doesn’t fit the holidays at all, something that will drive everyone else out of the room so you can enjoy your movie in peace? If you’re such a nonconformist, you’ll love “The Conformist.” Following an Italian fascist ordered to assassinate his old professor, Bernardo Bertolucci’s 1970 masterpiece has some of the most striking visuals ever committed to film. And while the film builds slowly, it features one of the most thrilling climaxes ever, right up there with movies like “Chinatown” and “The Godfather.” Nothing will tell the rest of the family “I’ll take Christmas dinner in my room” quite like it. Happy watching!
Danny Eisenberg, a Bromfield graduate, lives and works in Denver, Colorado.
