Unlikely Festivities: Six movies you forgot are actually holiday movies | THE BAINBRIDGE BLAB

Published 11:54 am Thursday, December 3, 2015

The days leading up to Thanksgiving are, undeniably, the start of the holiday season.

Yes, even the most Grinch-esque among us can’t put it off anymore. And maybe you shouldn’t try. That being said, there are ways to ease into the spirit of the season if you’re one of those hapless folks who STILL just can’t believe it’s that time of year again already.

Relax. There will be plenty of time for “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “A Charlie Brown Christmas” later. In the meantime, here are six cinematic classics worth a watch, regardless of what time of year it is, but which also just happen to take place during the holidays.

Think of them as diet Christmas movies.

1. “The Long Kiss Goodnight” (1996)

This Renny Harlin action flick, starring Geena Davis and Samuel L. Jackson, relates the heartwarming tale of a suburban mommy suffering from amnesia who, after getting in a car accident while driving an intoxicated friend home from a Christmas party, suffers a blow to the head and begins to recover her memories. They are not nice. Holiday lights make a wonderful aesthetic counterpoint to car chases, gunfire and explosions in this too-often-forgotten comedy/action hybrid.

2. “Batman Returns” (1992)

“Oh, yeah…” You’re probably thinking. “That was a Christmas movie!” The sequel to Tim Burton’s initial visionary big screen Batman does, in fact, depict a yuletide Gotham City (still depressing) in this seasonal sequel, which features Danny DeVito as Penguin, Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman and, of course, Michael Keaton as Batman.

This one gets bonus cool points for featuring Christopher “Cowbell” Walken as the egomaniacal industrialist Max Shreck.

3. “Planes, Trains & Automobiles” (1987)

Of course you remember the hilarious hijinks that ensue as Steve Martin and John Candy hit the road in this vintage John Hughes classic (“Those aren’t pillows!”), but do you remember why Martin is in such a hurry to get home?

Thanksgiving, of course! He’s headed from his office in New York to his home in the posh ’80s Chicago suburbs when he hooks up with Candy and merry misfortunes follow all along the way.

A truly touching film, a gem in the already-impressive crown that is Hughes’ filmography, and perhaps the greatest Thanksgiving movie ever made (sorry, Charlie Brown).

4. “Lethal Weapon” (1987)

It can be real easy to forget about the holiday decorations, lost as they are between the awesome ’80s saxophone noir soundtrack, near constant car chases and gun fights and, most importantly, the awe-inspiring psychotic glory of young Mel Gibson as the titular loose cannon cop in this cinematic staple.

But, Christmastime it is, as Roger “I’m too old for this” Murtaugh (Danny Glover) meets his neurotic new partner and sets out to solve the murder of an old Army buddy’s daughter.

5. “Die Hard” (1988) & “Die Hard 2” (1990)

This one’s a twofer of tinsel-adorned Christmastime carnage.

The holidays can be miserable, especially for John McClane (Bruce Willis), the tough guy cop who just can’t stop being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Whether it’s his wife’s office Christmas party getting taken over by terrorists in the first one, or the Dulles International Airport in Washington, D.C., hectic with holiday travelers, getting taken over by terrorists in the sequel, both of these classics will leave you feeling much better about your own holiday plans, whatever they are. After all, it obviously could be worse. Yippee ki-yay!

6. “First Blood” (1982)

Forget all the fanciful sequels that would have you believe John Rambo (Sylvester Stallone) is some kind of heroic one-man GI Joe unit.

In his big screen debut, the former special ops commando is unhinged and inhuman as he finds himself bullied and harassed by some brutal small town cops (led by a perfectly vicious Brian Dennehy). The destruction Rambo brings down on their picturesque mountain town looks all the more devastating set off against Christmas lights and holiday decorations.

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