The Holdovers (2023): I’ll stay in the Christmas spirit, with one of the best new(er) additions to the list. My impressions after the first viewing remain all valid, and there’s just this warmth and gentle dynamic that makes The Holdovers a classic. It sure is helped by being set in the 1970s, which gives it a timeless feel. I also love Paul Giamatti in general and am very glad that he has a movie like this one in his filmography. Fraught relationships between children and their parents can be mined in many ways, but they are rarely explored in absentia, the way it happens here. It leaves room for a strong emotional core to build, which basically creates a makeshift family out of three people who couldn’t be more different. Witty and wholesome and honest to itself, The Holdovers sure is a Christmas treat. 8
Game Night (2018): I was thinking of movies that might have Christmas-y feelings, even if they are not obviously set around Christmas. GN is a candidate, because it brings family and friends together and it’s both joyous and teetering on disaster. I wrote about this one on release, gushing in a way that’s hard to follow up on rewatch. That’s a common issue with comedies. But I still think GN is one of the better fun movies of the last decade, which makes it odd that it hasn’t seen a sequel yet – and probably never will. The test of time has ensured that Jesse Plemons steals this one, and not only thanks to the legendary Frito-Lay line. 8
Love, Actually (2003): Have I never reviewed this one? Crazy. But it’s not like LA is one of my go-to Christmas movies. It does seem to be on the list for many other people, and I don’t judge that. There is enough criticism going around for all the silly, false or plain crass notes that Richard Curtis’s movie manages to hit, but I don’t think it would be a Christmas staple if it didn’t include some soggy, heart-warming stories. Watching it in 2025, it’s definitely a joy to see someone stand up to an abusive US president, especially if that is Hugh Grant. There are two stories that always stick with me – the one between the husband and the wife, with Alan Rickman and, especially, Emma Thompson hitting really hard; and the one between the aging rocker and his manager, played by Billy Nighy and Gregor Fisher. The other stories are hit and miss, but even as such, there are moments of levity that fit well in the Christmas mould. Ultimately, Love, Actually is in many ways what Christmas is about – making things that should go together, stick together. 7
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993): I didn’t love TNBC when I first saw it many years ago and I can’t say it has grown on me much since. Sure, it’s a cute Christmas staple, with distinctive visuals and a few catchy songs, but I never connected to it. We follow Jack Skellington, aka the Pumpkin King, struggling with the prospect of waiting a whole year until the action unfolds again on Halloween. As he stumbles across a portal to Christmas Town, the allure of becoming Santa enlivens him. The only problem is that his concept of fun doesn’t quite vibe with the Christmas spirit, and so we embark on an adventure to save Christmas. It’s all very PG, which is probably why I couldn’t love it. But I assume that’s a flaw within me, more than a flaw in the movie. 7
The Great Escaper (2023): Michael Caine and Glenda Jackson’s last movie is this little drama, wherein they play an aging couple. As D-Day anniversaries come around, Caine’s character, a vet, is spurned on to elope and make his way to France by himself. He meets some troubled fellows along the way, but it is all a very wholesome and understated affair. What I didn’t particularly care for were the D-Day flashbacks, the guilt loading for fallen comrades, the pain of years gone by. But all in all, this slots very well into its niche and is a worthy send off for both its leads. 6
tributary stu 
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