10 Christmas Movies for Grown-Ups

Christmas movies are one of the joys of the holiday season, but the majority of them tend to be family films or children's cartoons. While that's fine when it comes to the all-time classics, or when viewers are feeling a bit nostalgic and want to rewatch movies from their own childhood, occasionally movie-lovers want to celebrate the season by watching unconventional Christmas films, or holiday films with a more serious edge. That's where these grown-up Christmas films come into play. They aren't cartoons, and some of them are quite dark, but they capture the Christmas season in all of its fun, joy and occasional sadness.

No. 10: White Christmas
White Christmas is a holiday classic that tends to be overlooked among the more commercial Christmas films. For many people, however, this Bing Crosby film is essential viewing each December. While it might not hold the attention of younger audiences, the seasonal Irving Berlin tunes are sure to warm the hearts of adult viewers.

No. 9: Black Christmas
Christmas doesn't have to be all holiday cheer. Sometimes a cheesy horror movie is an appropriate way to celebrate the season, as with this unconventional slasher classic. Skip the gory ­­2006 remake, and watch the fun ­­1974 original instead.

No. 8: Die Hard
Die Hard, a Christmas movie? Sure, and it's among the best Christmas movies at that. This is a film for those who appreciate holiday sentimentality in small doses, and who would rather celebrate the Christmas season with a little more action.

No. 7: The Nightmare before Christmas
OK, so this Christmas movie is actually an animated film, and I said I wasn't going to put any of those on this list. But, The Nightmare before Christmas is so gorgeously rendered, so whimsical, and so adult in its themes that it's almost not really for children at all. Though children might enjoy it, this is really a Christmas movie for adults to appreciate.

No. 6: Christmas Vacation
Enough people consider Christmas Vacation to be a modern classic, that it just had to be included on this list. Packed with often crude humor, holiday cynicism and just a touch of genuine heart, this is a film that adults will enjoy more than the kids.

No. 5: Bad Santa
While the comedy Christmas Vacation may be appropriate for some older children, 2003's Bad Santa, which shares a few similar themes along with the former's cynical outlook, is decidedly not. This very dark comedy is good for those who appreciate Christmas films with a little more of an edge.

No. 4: An Affair to Remember
Most people might not associate the 1957 Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr film with Christmas necessarily, An Affair to Remember's climactic scenes occur on Christmas Eve, and there's plenty of holiday spirit to be found around the edges.

No. 3: It's a Wonderful Life
This list wouldn't be complete without throwing in a little tradition and nostalgia. Though it's a Frank Capra film, and it's full of the little sentimental touches that that director is known for, It's a Wonderful Life is still a pretty dark and often downright miserable movie, at least before the uplifting ending.

No. 2: Joyeux Noël
Why this 2005 film isn't constantly in rotation as a new holiday classic is beyond me. Joyeux Noël is a compelling and beautifully shot Christmas movie about the Christmas Truce of World War I. There isn't anything about this film that isn't lovely or heartwarming; it's just perfect for any Christmas movie night.

No. 1: The Apartment
I have my own Christmas movie tradition every year, and it revolves around what, in my opinion, is the truest and most heartfelt Christmas film ever made: Billy Wilder's 1961 classic, The Apartment. It's definitely not a Christmas classic in the traditional sense, but it captures the holiday spirit in a way that no other film has ever matched. The Apartment shuns the traditional sentiment that the Christmas season is all about happiness and warmth (though its final moments are among the most human and uplifting ever put on film), and instead focuses on just how isolating and lonely all those holiday expectations can be. Not one for the kids, to be sure, but perfect for anyone who's ever had to spend Christmas alone.

Any of these movies would be perfect additions to your home Christmas movie collection.

Sources: IMDB