Gremlins  
by Luke Hinton
Gremlins, the 1984 comedy-horror executive produced by Steven Spielberg, may have all the hallmarks of a conventional Christmas movie ÔÇô presents, snowy landscapes and a soundtrack stuffed with holiday classics; but its style and message make it stand out within the genre. The premise is simple: Billy (Zach Galligan), a down-on-his-luck teen, receives a mogwai for Christmas ÔÇô an adorable hamster-like pet that comes with three simple rules: no water, no bright lights, and absolutely no food after midnight. Of course, these rules are inevitably broken, and the mogwai spawns evil Gremlins, who tear the fictional town apart.
This is exactly why Gremlins isnÔÇÖt like other Christmas movies: its antagonists smoke, drink, fight and spit, and as a child, this was one of those films that truly proved terrifying, and was particularly hard to sit through! The transition from cute mogwai to evil Gremlin is genuinely shocking, with the shrill soundtrack and gruesome death scenes helping to ramp up the tension, almost reaching demonic levels at points ÔÇô something you very rarely see from this subgenre. ItÔÇÖs a festive horror with one clear message: read the instructions before enjoying your Christmas presents!
The Greatest Showman
by Molly Allen
When some think of Christmas, you donÔÇÖt necessarily think of The Greatest Showman. Yet I associate this film with the holiday season, largely because it has become a recent tradition in my household to watch the film around this time. The film was released on the 26th of December 2017, and since then it has always appeared on TV at Christmas-time, meaning itÔÇÖs a hard film to avoid! It’s possibly one of my favourite film musicals, as the catchy music and star-studded cast never gets tiring to watch, meaning I can always look forward to spending time with my family and watching it as a Christmas film. I donÔÇÖt know if anyone else has the same experience with the film, but let’s all be honest; who doesnÔÇÖt want to see a catchy duet between Hugh Jackman and Zac Efron at Christmas?!
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone┬á
by Alice Friel
All you need to get in the Christmas spirit is a bit of nostalgia. ThatÔÇÖs why IÔÇÖd argue Harry Potter and the PhilosopherÔÇÖs Stone is the best Christmas film of all time! Hot take, I know, but thereÔÇÖs nothing I look forward to more every year than snuggling up with a mug of hot chocolate and a tub of Celebrations to watch this classic.
All I look for in a Christmas film is that warm, fuzzy feeling- and Harry Potter definitely delivers! The iconic scene featuring Harry and Ron on Christmas morning is the most magical part of the whole series. With a roaring common room fire, enchanted decorations and the cosiest knitted jumpers, the desperation I felt at age eleven whilst waiting for my HogwartsÔÇÖ letter to arrive comes right back to me. And can you think of a more Christmassy image than the Hogwarts castle in snow? Of course not.
Sure, the Christmas scenes only make up a fraction of the film. However, the excitement the trio feel as they enter into the wizarding world for the first time is akin to the excitement we all felt as children on Christmas morning, and thatÔÇÖs enough for me.┬á