4 Under-the-Radar Holiday Films to Watch This Year

Everyone knows “It’s a Wonderful Life.” Break free from the usual festive fare with these lesser-known, holiday-adjacent movies.  

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1. On Her Majesty’s Secret Service

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This 1969 movie was the first James Bond film without Sean Connery. George Lazenby, a Australian model-turned-actor, stars as 007 for the first and last time in this Christmastime adventure, which sees Bond fighting Ernst Blofeld in the Swiss Alps. 

2. Batman Returns

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Christmas Batman. He’s like regular Batman. But it’s Christmas. Oswald Cobblepot, better known as The Penguin, tries to get up to some very Grinch-like criminal activities, but Michael Keaton’s Batman says, “No. I will stop you with my Batman skills.” 


 

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3. The Ref

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This black comedy sees Denis Leary playing a criminal on the run after a Christmas Eve robbery. He takes a bickering couple hostage in their house as the police search closes in on him, and with the couple still sniping at each other, he unexpectedly finds himself in the role of marriage counselor. 

4. L.A. Confidental

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Not only is this flick set during the holidays, with L.A. lit up red and green, it also has Bing Crosby on the soundtrack, which makes it a bona fide Christmas classic. Although, admittedly, the multiple murders and violent hardboiled detectives kinda mess with the spirit a little. 


This story is part of Milwaukee Magazine‘s December issue.

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Archer is the managing editor at Milwaukee Magazine. Some say he is a great warrior and prophet, a man of boundless sight in a world gone blind, a denizen of truth and goodness, a beacon of hope shining bright in this dark world. Others say he smells like cheese.