Winter Watchlist

Blood, Sweat and Tears go into Andrew Neiman’s (Miles teller) perfection of his instrument. Image via Filmgrab.com, Director of Photography Sharone Meir, Production Design Melanie Jones ©  All rights belong to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended. 

Once Halloween wraps up, it feels like you cannot move for Christmas advertisements and media. Though this gets those who love the holiday in the mood, for those who don’t celebrate or who just aren’t that geeked, it can be hard to get that cosy-up-in-the-winter feeling without resigning yourself to the C-word. Here’s a list of wintery movies made for hot drinks and nights in, with as little hint of Christmas as possible!

• Happy Feet

If you’re looking for a feel-good family movie, look no further than 2006’s Happy Feet. Happy Feet follows the story of Mumble, a young penguin who finds his place in the flock through tap dance even though he’s in a society that sings. The cast list is stacked with the likes of Brittany Murphy, Elijah Wood, Nicole Kidman, and Hugh Jackman, has catchy songs and an increasingly relevant plotline about the impact of human intervention and themes of found family. It’s an easy watch with a natural level of camp making pair well with juice boxes and wine glasses alike! You can stream Happy Feet on NowTV, and purchase it on PrimeVideo, AppleTV, and Sky Store.

• The Addams Family

Perhaps a controversial pick, but the first Addams Family movie is a perfect watch all winter long. Its dark color grading contrasts perfectly with its bright characters to make you feel warm and fuzzy inside by the end; the love that moves within the Addams clan fits perfectly in the season of togetherness. Featuring the young Christina Ricci along with Christopher Lloyd and Elizabeth Wilson giving joyfully creepy performances throughout, the standout scene from the first of the Addams films is of course Wednesday and Pugsley delivering their Hamlet inspired scene at their school talent show. Though it has more summer energy than the first, there is nothing stopping you from moving straight on to Addams Family Values too - Joan Cusack’s Debbie Jellinsky was a formative character for messy girls everywhere, and every spooky girl remembers where she was they saw their first Joel Glicker. All in all, the Addams family is a perfect pick for your non-festive movie with a built-in double bill if you get bitten by their bug. You can stream The Addams Family on Netflix, Paramount+, NowTV, and Amazon Prime.

• Whiplash

If you’re looking for something more serious for your winter movie night, Whiplash might be up your alley. A psychological drama starring Miles Teller and J.K. Simmons, Whiplash follows a 19-year-old jazz drummer's obsession with the perfection of his craft egged on by his abusive instructor. This movie keeps you holding your breath just a little bit while you wait for it all to come crashing down, lit by its dark and brassy color palette and accompanied by beautiful visuals and a jazz band soundtrack to alleviate your dark evening in front of the television. Whiplash also comes armed with a spread of Academy, Golden Globe, and Screen Actors Guild awards just in case you’re watching with buddies or family members that need acclaim for their enjoyment. You can stream Whiplash on Netflix, or purchase it from Amazon Prime, Apple TV, or the Google Play Store.

Whiplash, © Sony Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection. © All rights belong to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended.

• Immaculate

The origins of Christmas are that of the birth of Christ, making Catholic horror a topical pick for a non-Christmas movie to scratch the itch of the end-of-year season. Immaculate, which came out in 2024 and stars Sydney Sweeney, is a great horror pick to this end, with the inherent mystery of the convent and desolation of its setting paired with the twisting of the innocence of Sweeney’s character that can feel like the illusion of the festive season shattering when watching this film under dim light. However, this movie covers themes of forced impregnation which may be unsuitable for some viewers. You can stream Immaculate on Amazon Prime, or buy it on Google Play, AppleTV, and Sky Store.

• Bottoms

Finally, you cannot have the festive season without a romcom! To that end, give the raunchy 2023 romcom Bottoms a try. Starring Ayo Edebiri and Rachel Sennott, this movie follows two lesbian seniors in high school who decide to start a self-defense class in the hopes of losing their virginity before they graduate. An underdog story about beating the jocks and getting the cheerleaders, this movie is Teenage Dirtbag by Wheatus made into a (gay) movie, paired with some physical comedy and messy high school politics. Bottoms is perfect for some grown-up yet childish fun that will let you unwind after a long day of trying to navigate the shopping center while playing Whameggedon. You can stream Bottoms on Amazon Prime.

Honourable mentions

There are a couple of films that didn’t quite make the cut for this article, but you might still be interested in: Tex Montana Will Survive is a comedy horror where disgraced survival show host Tex Montanna decides to prove his skill by surviving in the forest for 30 days. What follows is his descent into madness and commentary on the fragility of the masks that we wear as Tex tries to navigate the elements. A nice casual watch, it is free on YouTube if you search for ‘Tex Montanna Will Survive’. D.E.B.S is a so-bad-it's-good lesbian spy satire from 2004 based on the short film of the same name from 2003. D.E.B.S parodies '90s and '00s spy movies, from the sexy schoolgirl outfits, the dumb character outsmarting the evil villain when no one else can, and even a hero/villain lesbian romance that makes the cringe feel just about worth it. D.E.B.S can be streamed on Apple TV.