Guide to Oddball Holiday Movies

As you might have noticed, we love a heartwarming holiday flick as much as the next literature-obsessed semi nerd. But sometimes all the good cheer and wholesomeness on display in these movies start to feel as stale as last year's candy cane.

Thankfully, over the years, several weirdo filmmakers have taken it upon themselves to craft Christmas movies for those with slightly off-kilter sensibilities. Here’s our list of favorite yuletide movies that add a welcome twist to the familiar, feel-good holiday fare.The Muppet Christmas Carol
The Muppets put their own spin on the Charles Dickens classic with Michael Caine as Ebenezer Scrooge, Gonzo as Dickens himself, and Rizzo the Rat as a rat. Kermit is Bob Cratchit and the two old guys who make fun of everyone are the ghosts of Jacob and Bob Marley (not that Bob Marley).
Why it stays fresh: The cheesy puns, the absurdist humor, the weird way their arms move—there’s something about a Muppet movie that never gets old.
Best scene: Miss Piggy ripping into Scrooge as the Cratchit family gives thanks for their meal.

Santa Claus Conquers the Martians
This low-budget 60s flick is often called one of the worst films ever made. The plot involves men in green face paint (those would be the Martians) who kidnap Santa Claus in order to cheer up their depressed Martian children. Two Earth kids stow away on their spaceship and attempt to save Christmas while the oblivious Kris Kringle makes jokes about "Martian-mellows" and says unintentionally hilarious things like, “Oh, no, I'm not tired. But my finger is.”
Why it stays fresh: The best way to watch this movie is to rent the Mystery Science Theater 3000 version. For the uninitiated, this early Comedy Central show featured a janitor stranded in space with his two robot sidekicks. They pass the time by cracking jokes at awful B-movies. Trust us, it's funny.
Best scene: The kids face off against a man in a polar bear suit; then they are menaced by a man in a spray-painted cardboard box (i.e., a robot).

Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas
Only Tim Burton would create a stop-motion children’s film featuring a skeleton trying to take over the role of Santa.
Why it stays fresh: The movie takes a dark approach to Christmas, but it still has a heart of gold. Jack Skellington’s enthusiasm for Christmas is real, but his understanding of the holiday is just a little misguided. We can all sympathize with this well-meaning screwup.
Best scene: Kids waking up Christmas morning and finding that Santa has dropped off shrunken heads and Christmas tree-eating snakes.

A Christmas Story
Okay, so this one is typically considered a heartwarming holiday movie, but it's actually pretty weird. Nine-year-old Ralphie wants one thing for Christmas: a Red Ryder BB Gun. The trouble is everyone insists that he'll just shoot his eye out. What follows is a bunch of random snapshots of 50s-era childhood nostalgia: a kid's tongue freezes to a flag pole; Ralphie drops the f-bomb in front of his dad and has to hold a bar of soap in his mouth as punishment; Ralphie's younger brother insists on eating dinner face-first; Ralphie obsesses over his father's female leg-shaped lamp (“the glowing electric sex”.)
Why it stays fresh: It’s one of the few Christmas movies that shows life through a kid’s eyes, with all its schizophrenic joy, self-centeredness, and ability to see yourself as a hero or a victim in every situation. This film won't make you feel like you’re being force-fed factory-made sugar cookies.
Best scene: Ralph’s nightmarish visit to the mall Santa, culminating in Jolly Old St. Nick kicking him in the face.

Black Christmas
Directed by the same person who did A Christmas Story, this movie holds the distinction of being the first Christmas-themed slasher movie. Yay! It starts when nine-year old Ralphie slaughters his family with his new Red Ryder BB Gun, then goes on a bloody rampage through the streets of Hohman. Just kidding. It takes place at a sorority and follows the same plot as every other slasher movie.
Why it stays fresh: Sitting down and watching a string of holiday-themed murders is the perfect antidote to your twentieth viewing of Miracle on 34th Street.
Best scene: Joyful Christmas carolers drown out the screams from someone who is being stabbed with a glass unicorn.

What Christmas flicks do you watch when you want a break from the holiday norm?

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