10 Holiday Films That’ll Fill You with Despair
Andrew Ward
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The December holiday season is full of saccharine sweet films centered around holiday cheer. But what about those who prefer Krampus to Santa Claus and cold and gloom instead of warm holiday cheer? You may think the natural answer is turning to horror, which is undoubtedly true. There are many Christmas, December, and other holiday-centric horror films to choose from. But limiting yourself to just horror negates a world of opportunity to find holiday doom and gloom across the spectrum of genres.
Once you start to explore the theme, you’ll quickly find a range of unfriendly themes around late December. Consider the ten choices below as part of the top layer of the iceberg before diving on your own into a deep, dark, unfriendly world of holiday films to watch this year.
Trading Places (1983)
Not traditionally considered a dark comedy, Trading Places fits the mold of a bleak holiday film due to its many unsettling plot actions and themes. The film finds Louis (Dan Aykroyd), a wealthy New York businessman, and Billy Ray (Eddie Murphy), a not-so-well-off street hustler. The two swap lives through the manipulation of ultra-wealthy brokers to see if they can make it in each other’s shoes.
Set during the Christmas season, Trading Places is a comedy classic, but under its surface is a look at the power of money and its impact on society, namely the ability to manipulate others for your enjoyment. Rich with commentary on economics, social class, and privilege, Trading Places will have you laughing and questioning why these themes seem more pronounced today.
Brazil (1985)
Terry Gilliam’s dystopian entry adds sci-fi to the mix of unfriendly holiday films. Brazil is a cult classic set during the holiday season, featuring little to no holiday cheer. Instead, it’s chock full of commentary on the effects of work, consumption, identity, and the longing for something we can’t have.
Brazil focuses on low-level bureaucrat Sam (Jonathan Pryce), who struggles to live and work in a world of bureaucracy, oppression, and the loss of any semblance of who you are beyond being a cog in the machine. Consider coupling Brazil with others on this list, like Jingle All the Way and Bad Santa, to get a wide-ranging take on the effects of hyperconsumerism in our society.
Die Hard (1988)
Die Hard is a Christmas classic that centers around New York police officer John McClane (Bruce Willis), who, along with the employees working at Los Angeles’ Nakatomi Plaza, are trapped by Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) and his team of terrorists. With intense violence, action, and tons of dark themes throughout, Die Hard is about as atypical of a Christmas movie you can find, which is why it is now a beloved piece of many people’s annual holiday viewing.
I could go on and on about the bleak holiday connections in Die Hard, but most, if not all of you reading this probably expected to see this one on the list. So let’s keep unpacking some others you may not be aware of.
Scrooged (1988)
1988 was a harsh year for major holiday releases, with the dark comedy Scrooged joining the action of Die Hard to make you wonder what was going on in the late 80s. Frank Cross, played by Bill Murray, joins John McClane in the one-two punch of uncomfortable holiday cheer.
Scrooged is one of the more memorable takes on Charles Dickens’s classic A Christmas Carol, with Cross as the central villain, this time portrayed as a cynical TV network boss producing a live showing of the Dickens’ production. As the Dickens classic goes, the story is filled with much negativity in the form of Frank’s past mistakes and their impact on him and those around him. But for anyone looking for a positive end to a dark holiday story, consider Scrooged, as it follows the heartwarming conclusion of the original story.
Batman Returns (1992)
There is nearly as much debate about Batman Returns being a Christmas film as there was surrounding die-hards a few years ago. Like the Bruce Willis classic, Tim Burton’s 1992 take on the caped crusader is undoubtedly a Christmas movie.
With Christmas settings throughout, it’s hard to argue that the film is holiday-centric. But, those themes may be drowned out by the bleak world created by Gotham’s architecture and many of its citizens. More so, the nefarious actions of the feature’s villains provide a perfect contrast to typical seasonal good tidings. This point is best exemplified by Danny DeVito’s portrayal of The Penguin, whose life of neglect and revenge is about as sad, harsh, and hypocritical of the holiday spirit as they come.
The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996)
Samantha Caine (Geena Davis) has her holiday season ruined by amnesia and the mystery surrounding her past. With the support of private investigator Mitch Hennessy, played by Samuel L. Jackson, the two embark on a violent, action-packed December to solve the mystery and reclaim Samantha’s memory. Featuring numerous fight scenes, gun battles, and action overall, The Long Kiss Good Night is much more of a spy thriller than it would be considered a Christmas movie. Still, while the entry is ripe with action and violence, a significant degree of dark comedy helps move the film along while adding layers.
Jingle All the Way (1996)
I argue that Jingle All The Way is one of the darker holiday films of all time. This 1996 family comedy finds Howard (Arnold Schwarzenegger) and Myron (Sinbad) beating the absolute hell out of each other as they embark on a last-minute bid to earn their kids’ love by buying the hottest toy this holiday season, the Turboman doll. While framed as family fun, Jingle All The Way packs negativity and violence into every corner, often masked as comedy, including attempted adultery and a full-on terrorist bombing at a radio station—all in the name of Turboman.
Not only is Jingle All the Way packed with about as much violence as you could fit into a 90s family movie, but it is also one of the most outstanding examples of what consumerism has done to ourselves and the holiday season. Making matters worse, it highlights the consequences of being an absentee father, with Howard struggling to satisfy his wife or understand his child’s needs. Adding one additional layer to the darkness is that Howard’s son, Jamie, is played by Jake Lloyd, whose Hollywood career would take a turn for the worse after his portrayal as Anakin Skywalker in Star Wars Episode 1.
Eyes Wide Shut (1999)
Stanley Kubrick’s last film is an erotic drama featuring then real-life married couple Tom Cruise (Bill) and Nicole Kidman (Alice) as they delve deeper into their world of sexual fantasies and the adverse impact it has on their relationship. The feature, released several months after Kubrick’s passing, initially received an NC-17 rating before edits earned an R.
A good deal of the movie centers around the holiday season while juxtaposing the traditional sentiments with themes of spousal jealousy and an orgy scene that is hard to shake from your mind. Be sure to check out Eyes Wide Shut if your type of holiday unfriendliness seeks out the taboo and the erotic.
Reindeer Games (2000)
This turn-of-the-millennium action thriller has just about everything people find unpleasant, including identity theft, murder, deception, and Ben Affleck. The John Frankenheimer-directed Ben Affleck and Charlize Theron starring vehicle is backed by many famous faces as Affleck’s character Rudy becomes further entangled in a group’s plot to rob a Michigan casino. Facing the crisis of participating or being killed, Reindeer Games finds Rudy and the others involved embarking on several double-crosses heists, and violence that cements its status as a bonafide dark holiday watch.
Bad Santa (2003)
Bad Santa is a quintessentially crass early 90s dark comedy, with Billy Bob Thornton and a cast of comedic talents showcasing the funniest and grimmest components of the holiday season. From consumerism and inner workplace conflict to sex, scams, alcohol, and violence, Bad Santa stands out as one of the funnier takes on the season by flipping the script entirely on its head until just the final moments play out. Reality also adds to the dark tone. Along with Clifford’s Really Big Movie, Bad Santa marks the last film in the storied career of actor John Ritter before his passing in 2003.
A 2016 sequel was released to much less fanfare but is worth checking out if you want a less polished version of the original.
Many More to Consider
Remember that these are just a few more familiar entries from the past few decades that you can choose to enjoy the darker side of December. Consider looking beyond American and Western movies for more takes on other holidays during the season, as most Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and other December holiday films focus on positive themes.
And as hard as it was not to include Citizen Kane and its painful connections to the holiday season, the Orson Welles classic serves as an example of many other flicks not mainly focused on the December season but feature at least one or more scenes where the unpleasantness of the season shines through.
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