6 Winter Classics for Every Mood
When the holidays drew closer during an especially weird year, many of us didn’t feel like celebrating in our usual ways. Some people opted for wholesomeness and even immersed themselves in festivities, while others turned to the unusual. And for some, the holidays are a more somber time of year. With this in mind, we’ve compiled a list of winter movies with an option for everyone!
Last Holiday (2006)
Georgia Byrd is a department store salesperson who is as timid about her culinary dreams as she is in her everyday life. She has a secret scrapbook called “Possibilities” where she records all her heart’s desires, including dishes that excite her, places she wants to visit, and the coworker she hopes to marry. As she flips through the pages, she repeats a sentiment we can empathize with, “someday.” When she discovers that she is terminally ill, she decides to live the way that she has always dreamed, and takes out her life savings to travel to the GrandHotel Pupp in the Czech Republic, the location of her favorite chef.
You’re bound to root for the funny and relatable Georgia, played by the endlessly talented Queen Latifah, as she grapples with her unique situation. Her down to earth personality, even when she is living like a celebrity, makes you care deeply for her. She becomes a well-known presence among the hotel staff and fellow American guests, thanks to her warm demeanor and her splurging habits. As we watch her flourish into a daring and confident person, we’re inspired to ponder what might be holding us back. Her struggles in the retail field with her arrogant boss, on an airplane where a man insists on forcing his seat back into her, and at the hotel where she must fend off an insecure businessman, highlight the reality that women, especially women of color, must fight to be heard and respected. She tells people off like a person who knows their time is limited, and it is so satisfying to watch. Last Holiday has sweet moments for the romantics in us, but the focus of this story is a woman discovering her own power and love for herself. Besides urging us not to wait on our dreams, Georgia reminds us that money and status aren’t character traits, and that we must be kind especially because we don’t know the inner obstacles a person is battling.
Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Jack Frost is a teenage mischief-maker who is invisible to everyone because they don’t believe in him. When an evil spirit threatens children all over the world, Jack is made a Guardian by the mysterious Man in the Moon. He is then called upon by other childhood folklore characters, including Nicholas St. North, a cheery Tooth Fairy, an Easter bunny from Australia, and the sweet Sandman. Along the way, Jack learns what it takes to become visible, and what believing in yourself and others truly means.
Though Rise of the Guardians is a feel-good story for all ages, it is also thought-provoking. It explores the power of personal and collective memories to help us hold onto stories and legends. The plot hints at religious undertones but not too heavily, focusing more on the importance of believing, with the Man on the Moon being an omnipresent God figure. This faith extends to embracing who you are and understanding where your strengths lie. Each character has a trait that makes them tick, something they are uniquely responsible for. While each of the Guardians knows their roles, Jack doesn’t understand why he was chosen — something he must discover as time goes on. At one point, St. North reassures him, “You are the chosen one for a reason. My centre is to restore wonder to children, what’s yours?”
As Jack works with the Guardians, it’s refreshing to see the way this movie expands on the lore behind each character, especially considering that most media focuses on Santa Claus (and in this movie he’s Russian, so still a unique take!) We get to see the mass production of Easter eggs, an army of baby tooth fairies, and the dream magic of the Sandman. This story is perfect for the holidays, but the wonder it creates extends far beyond that.
Edward Scissorhands (1990)
Home to an elderly inventor, a rundown gothic mansion on a hill looms over a pastel-painted Californian suburb. The inventor passes away before he can complete Edward, his artificial humanoid who is left with scissors for hands. Years pass and no one knows of Edward’s existence until Peg Boggs, a kind saleswoman, tries to sell skincare products at the mansion. Feeling for Edward’s predicament, Peggy tries to integrate him into her neighborhood.
This tender-hearted movie reminds us how hard it is to be different in a place that is unaccustomed to anything out of the ordinary. The prying neighbors marvel at Edward and try to commandeer his unique abilities for their own benefit. As he fashions hedges into leaf art and whips up quirky hairdos, he learns more about his capabilities. And even though he is unable to fully understand humans, he loves being around them. He is so weary of being alone that he says the best part of his experience is “the friends I made along the way.” So it is all the more distressing when his neighbors don’t truly try to get to know him. I feel for him as I take in more of his loneliness and struggles to fit in. As he is reassured of his specialness by Peg, I wonder: does he know how to know himself? This story resonates differently as I try to reconcile a long period of isolation with the shock of being immersed in unfamiliarity. There’s a visceral disconnect that comes with wanting to thrive somewhere but not knowing exactly how to do so, especially amidst adversity. So if, like me, you need a story that blends happiness and melancholy, Edward Scissorhands is perfect. And if you’re a warm climate dweller too, definitely give this snowless winter movie a shot!
The Chronicles of Narnia: the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (2005)
As the worst of WWII comes to pass, the four Pevensie siblings are evacuated to the English countryside to live with an eccentric professor. During a game of hide-and-seek, the youngest child Lucy stumbles upon a wardrobe that leads her to Narnia, a magical land. Soon after, all the Pevensies find themselves in this logic-defying world where it is always winter. Faced with an ominous prophecy that deems them the rulers of Narnia, they are thrust into another war that steals their hopes of finally being safe and sound. They grapple with their supposed destiny while searching for their brother Edmund, who has been led astray by the sinister White Witch.
The best coming-of-age stories tend to involve strange and expansive worlds that are entered through portals. What strikes me about Narnia is there are four “chosen ones” — a family that must overcome its stresses and squabbles to help the Narnians reclaim their freedom, and maybe even return home. The siblings grow, understand each other better, and learn to play to each other’s strengths, which gives us hope that they will triumph. The oldest of the family, Peter and Susan, are different from one another but united in their stubbornness to disbelieve things that can’t be explained by rationale. So it is especially gratifying to see them open their minds and place their trust in determined and altruistic Lucy. Though the story grapples with heavier topics like war, family, and spirituality, it has plenty of whimsy like a lamppost in the woods, talking animals, and of course, Turkish Delight that is conjured from thin air.
Anastasia (1997)
A curse placed by the sorcerer Rasputin separates Anastasia, the young princess of Russia, from her family. She is raised in an orphanage and as the years go by, she forgets her past. When the Dowager Empress puts out a reward for whoever can find Anastasia, two con men discover the orphan “Anya” and are shocked by her resemblance to the princess. They train her to pretend to be Anastasia, trying to fool the Dowager Empress into giving them the money, not realizing that Anya is actually the missing princess.
Anastasia feels very much like a Disney film, but it was actually created by Fox Animation Studios. It is heartwarming, a little creepy at times (two words: zombie Rasputin), funny, and full of wintery magic, making it ideal for the holidays. Anya’s journey to become a princess has many twists and turns, with a helping of sarcasm, a little romance, and plenty of challenges. Her struggle to reconcile the differences between her past and present demonstrates that only we have the power to decide who we want to be, and that the joy of love and belonging can be found with blood relatives and chosen family alike. There are some truly beautiful and exciting scenes in this film, but if nothing else, watch it for the music. It rivals some of the best Disney songs!
Krampus (2015)
This movie explores a figure in European folklore, the demonic beast Krampus, who punishes naughty children at Christmas. Max Engel is the last of his family members with any Christmas spirit, but their constant fighting and dysfunctionality causes him to snap. He tears up his letter to Santa, declaring that he hates his family and Christmas. This summons Krampus to punish the Engels, terrorizing the household with his monsters.
Krampus is a blend of horror and comedy, perfect for people who are fed up with Christmas (or family arguments) and need to blow off some steam. It’s refreshing because it makes typical Christmas film tropes bizarre and unsettling, like murderous presents (including a particularly heinous jack-in-the-box), and nail gun-wielding gingerbread men. Though the monsters are frightening, the banter between characters and the absolute absurdity of the situation make this movie hilarious. Within the chaos, there is a more serious message about not taking your loved ones for granted and being kinder to each other.
Which winter classics have you been watching? Let us know in the comments!
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Originally published on our WordPress website on January 12, 2021.
