With the children nestled all snug in their beds, isn’t it time for more sinister streaming? SPYSCAPE has handpicked 25 eclectic movies set during the holidays from irreverent crime-drama In Bruges to classics like The Conversation and modern-day masterpieces.
1. In Bruges (2008)
When a hit job goes awry, Irish assassins Ray (Colin Farrel) and Ken (Brendan Gleeson) await orders from the boss (Ralph Fiennes) in Bruges, Belgium - the last place Ray wants to be. Director Martin McDonagh visitedBruges on a day trip from London and was struck equally by its Gothic beauty and the sheer boredom of being in a place where there isn’t much to do aside from visiting churches and museums. The idea morphed into his black comedy with its two irresistible main characters - the culture lover and the drunk. (Prime Video, YouTube, Google Play, Apple TV)
2. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)
A mole is operating within MI6 and George Smiley (Gary Oldman) is on the hunt. The Christmas party is a particular delight with John le Carré’s cameo appearance. Did MI6 have such parties when the author worked as a spy? “Oh yes,” le Carré told The Spectator, recalling that one year the party got so out of hand Scotland Yard was called in to keep MI6 in check. (Netflix, YouTube, Apple TV, Google Play, Prime Video)
3. Three Days of the Condor (1975)
Three Days of the Condor reflects the anxieties and conspiracies of ‘70s post-Watergate America. CIA codebreaker Joe Turner (Robert Redford) finds his co-workers murdered and suspects his Agency handlers... or are they just posing as his handlers? A climactic meeting unfolds in an alley (formerly situated between the Twin Towers) which director Sydney Pollack described as “spooky and eerie and weird”. Parts of the film were also shot in the former World Trade Center’s mezzanine and towers. (Prime Video, YouTube, Google Play, Apple TV)
4. The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996)
Samuel L. Jackson considers The Long Kiss Goodnight to be one of his favorite films - and he’s done a fair few. This highly underrated espionage action movie (think Geena Davis as a female Bourne) is set during the Christmas holidays as Samantha Caine (Davis) suffers a concussion in a car accident. She recovers physically but doesn’t understand the remarkable skills she possesses. Rotten Tomato readers consider it ‘sharp-witted, and fueled by enjoyably over-the-top action’. (Prime Video)
5. Twelve Monkeys (1999)
Prisoner James Cole (Bruce Willis) travels from a virus-ravaged 2035 to 1990 to prevent a deadly plague. Mistakenly imprisoned in a mental facility, he enlists Dr. Kathryn Railly's help (Madeleine Stowe) and unravels clues about the Army of the Twelve Monkeys. Balancing on the edge of sanity, Cole questions the reality of his mission in this thought-provoking sci-fi thriller. Also starring Brad Pitt. (Peacock, Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, Vudu, Apple TV, Prime Video, Vudu.)
Gene Hackman fans will appreciate The Package (1990). The former real-life US Marine stars as Army Sgt. Johnny Gallagher who must bring criminal Thomas Boyette (Tommy Lee Jones) home from Europe after a prisoner swap. Boyette disappears, however, leading Gallagher to chase him down to Chicago and into a deadly spy plot. Dennis Franz is in his element as a police officer who doesn’t play by the rules. (Prime Video, Apple TV, Vudu)
7. The Conversation (1975)
This Francis Ford Coppola classic also stars Hackman as a surveillance expert and spy-for-hire with Harrison Ford as a menacing baddie in a psychological thriller involving privacy, murder, and the dark side of corporate espionage. It is impossible for Hackman to turn in a bad performance. “You cannot play a lie,” Hackman once told an interviewer. “You must play some kind of truth, and if you make the right choice, the audience will read it right.” (Prime Video, YouTube, Google Play, Apple)
8. Reindeer Games (2000)
In John Frankenheimer’s Reindeer Games (2000), Ben Affleck's character is paroled on Christmas Eve only to get entangled in a casino heist on an Indian reservation. All he wants is a peaceful holiday, but love interest Charlize Theron and her psychotic brother (Gary Sinise), have other plans. You may also want to seek out the director's cut, surpassing the original theatrical version. (YouTube, Apple+, Prime Video)
9. Black Christmas (1974)
Black Christmasrevolves around sorority sisters terrorized by threatening phone calls during the holiday season. The mysterious caller becomes increasingly menacing, and the sisters realize they are in grave danger. The film isn’t for everyone but it is considered a classic in the horror genre and is notable for its influence on subsequent slasher films. (YouTube)
10. Blow Out (1981)
Brian De Palma's Blow Outopens with a scene from a slasher film-within-a-film, Co-ed Frenzy - channeling Black Christmas and Halloween in its stylish point-of-view shots. The movie explores Jack Terry's (John Travolta's) quest for the perfect scream, delving into the manipulation of truth and the impact of powerful conspiracies on ordinary citizens, set against the backdrop of a post-Vietnam and Watergate America. Unmissable. (Prime Video, YouTube, Google Play, Apple TV)
11. The Shepherd (2023)
Still going strong 40 years later, John Travolta's The Shepherd follows a military pilot on a journey home on December 24 when his jet malfunctions over the North Sea. A glimmer of hope appears in the form of a Mosquito spy plane but is it too little, too late? The movie, based on the novel by real-life military spy Frederick Forsyth, struck a chord with Travolta who experienced his own high-in-the-sky terror when his personal jet experienced a malfunction over Washington, D.C. (Disney+)
12. Brazil (1985)
Terry Gilliam's sci-fi masterpiece Brazil opens with a family watching A Christmas Carol but the idyllic scene unravels into a dystopian world. The protagonist, Sam Lowry, works for the Ministry of Information and becomes entangled in a surreal and bureaucratic nightmare as he navigates a chaotic and oppressive society. If you love the movie, poke around a bit. You’ll find the Criterion Collection edition of Brazil, and two more versions - a ‘final’ cut running 142 minutes, and a Love Conquers All version at just over 90 minutes. (Peacock, Apple+, Disney+, Prime Video)
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With the children nestled all snug in their beds, isn’t it time for more sinister streaming? SPYSCAPE has handpicked 25 eclectic movies set during the holidays from irreverent crime-drama In Bruges to classics like The Conversation and modern-day masterpieces.
1. In Bruges (2008)
When a hit job goes awry, Irish assassins Ray (Colin Farrel) and Ken (Brendan Gleeson) await orders from the boss (Ralph Fiennes) in Bruges, Belgium - the last place Ray wants to be. Director Martin McDonagh visitedBruges on a day trip from London and was struck equally by its Gothic beauty and the sheer boredom of being in a place where there isn’t much to do aside from visiting churches and museums. The idea morphed into his black comedy with its two irresistible main characters - the culture lover and the drunk. (Prime Video, YouTube, Google Play, Apple TV)
2. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)
A mole is operating within MI6 and George Smiley (Gary Oldman) is on the hunt. The Christmas party is a particular delight with John le Carré’s cameo appearance. Did MI6 have such parties when the author worked as a spy? “Oh yes,” le Carré told The Spectator, recalling that one year the party got so out of hand Scotland Yard was called in to keep MI6 in check. (Netflix, YouTube, Apple TV, Google Play, Prime Video)
3. Three Days of the Condor (1975)
Three Days of the Condor reflects the anxieties and conspiracies of ‘70s post-Watergate America. CIA codebreaker Joe Turner (Robert Redford) finds his co-workers murdered and suspects his Agency handlers... or are they just posing as his handlers? A climactic meeting unfolds in an alley (formerly situated between the Twin Towers) which director Sydney Pollack described as “spooky and eerie and weird”. Parts of the film were also shot in the former World Trade Center’s mezzanine and towers. (Prime Video, YouTube, Google Play, Apple TV)
4. The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996)
Samuel L. Jackson considers The Long Kiss Goodnight to be one of his favorite films - and he’s done a fair few. This highly underrated espionage action movie (think Geena Davis as a female Bourne) is set during the Christmas holidays as Samantha Caine (Davis) suffers a concussion in a car accident. She recovers physically but doesn’t understand the remarkable skills she possesses. Rotten Tomato readers consider it ‘sharp-witted, and fueled by enjoyably over-the-top action’. (Prime Video)
5. Twelve Monkeys (1999)
Prisoner James Cole (Bruce Willis) travels from a virus-ravaged 2035 to 1990 to prevent a deadly plague. Mistakenly imprisoned in a mental facility, he enlists Dr. Kathryn Railly's help (Madeleine Stowe) and unravels clues about the Army of the Twelve Monkeys. Balancing on the edge of sanity, Cole questions the reality of his mission in this thought-provoking sci-fi thriller. Also starring Brad Pitt. (Peacock, Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, Vudu, Apple TV, Prime Video, Vudu.)
Gene Hackman fans will appreciate The Package (1990). The former real-life US Marine stars as Army Sgt. Johnny Gallagher who must bring criminal Thomas Boyette (Tommy Lee Jones) home from Europe after a prisoner swap. Boyette disappears, however, leading Gallagher to chase him down to Chicago and into a deadly spy plot. Dennis Franz is in his element as a police officer who doesn’t play by the rules. (Prime Video, Apple TV, Vudu)
7. The Conversation (1975)
This Francis Ford Coppola classic also stars Hackman as a surveillance expert and spy-for-hire with Harrison Ford as a menacing baddie in a psychological thriller involving privacy, murder, and the dark side of corporate espionage. It is impossible for Hackman to turn in a bad performance. “You cannot play a lie,” Hackman once told an interviewer. “You must play some kind of truth, and if you make the right choice, the audience will read it right.” (Prime Video, YouTube, Google Play, Apple)
8. Reindeer Games (2000)
In John Frankenheimer’s Reindeer Games (2000), Ben Affleck's character is paroled on Christmas Eve only to get entangled in a casino heist on an Indian reservation. All he wants is a peaceful holiday, but love interest Charlize Theron and her psychotic brother (Gary Sinise), have other plans. You may also want to seek out the director's cut, surpassing the original theatrical version. (YouTube, Apple+, Prime Video)
9. Black Christmas (1974)
Black Christmasrevolves around sorority sisters terrorized by threatening phone calls during the holiday season. The mysterious caller becomes increasingly menacing, and the sisters realize they are in grave danger. The film isn’t for everyone but it is considered a classic in the horror genre and is notable for its influence on subsequent slasher films. (YouTube)
10. Blow Out (1981)
Brian De Palma's Blow Outopens with a scene from a slasher film-within-a-film, Co-ed Frenzy - channeling Black Christmas and Halloween in its stylish point-of-view shots. The movie explores Jack Terry's (John Travolta's) quest for the perfect scream, delving into the manipulation of truth and the impact of powerful conspiracies on ordinary citizens, set against the backdrop of a post-Vietnam and Watergate America. Unmissable. (Prime Video, YouTube, Google Play, Apple TV)
11. The Shepherd (2023)
Still going strong 40 years later, John Travolta's The Shepherd follows a military pilot on a journey home on December 24 when his jet malfunctions over the North Sea. A glimmer of hope appears in the form of a Mosquito spy plane but is it too little, too late? The movie, based on the novel by real-life military spy Frederick Forsyth, struck a chord with Travolta who experienced his own high-in-the-sky terror when his personal jet experienced a malfunction over Washington, D.C. (Disney+)
12. Brazil (1985)
Terry Gilliam's sci-fi masterpiece Brazil opens with a family watching A Christmas Carol but the idyllic scene unravels into a dystopian world. The protagonist, Sam Lowry, works for the Ministry of Information and becomes entangled in a surreal and bureaucratic nightmare as he navigates a chaotic and oppressive society. If you love the movie, poke around a bit. You’ll find the Criterion Collection edition of Brazil, and two more versions - a ‘final’ cut running 142 minutes, and a Love Conquers All version at just over 90 minutes. (Peacock, Apple+, Disney+, Prime Video)
Technically Captain America: The Winter Soldier isn’t a holiday movie but it is a nod to Redford's Three Days of the Condor, sharing the theme: "Trust no one." Fueled by cynicism and influenced by real-world events, both films showcase a deep distrust of institutions with Redford (who stars in both movies) bridging the connection. (Prime Video, Disney Plus, Starz, Roku Premium Channel)
14. Batman Returns (1992)
Christopher Nolan's Batman Returns (1992) stars Michael Keaton as the Caped Crusader amid Christmas lights and sinister foes. The Penguin (Danny DeVito) and businessman Max Shreck (Christopher Walken) join forces to bring down Batman, while Selina Kyle (Michelle Pfeiffer) undergoes a feline transformation into Catwoman. Meow. (Available on Prime Video, YouTube, Google Play, Apple TV)
15. L.A. Confidential (1997)
Stylish filmnoir L.A. Confidential begins with a brawl at a police station on Christmas Eve (Pogues fans take note). Amid this gritty backdrop, a complex narrative unfolds involving corruption, scandal, and the interwoven lives of three very different detectives in 1950s Los Angeles. As they navigate a web of crime, power, and deception, the story delves into the dark underbelly of Hollywood and the LAPD. Kim Bassinger and Russell Crowe star. (Prime Video, Google Play, Apple TV)
16. Iron Man 3 (2019)
Marvel officially considers Iron Man 3 a ‘Christmas movie’ even if you’re not so sure: “If there’s one movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe that could be compared to Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, it’s Iron Man 3.” And even if you’re ‘bah humbug’ about Christmas, Robert Downey Jr. will turn your head as hacker extraordinaire Tony Stark. (Disney+, YouTube, Apple TV, Google Play, Prime Video)
17. The Bourne Identity (2002)
The Bourne Identity involves a man (Matt Damon) with amnesia who races to escape assassins and recover his memory after being picked up by a fishing boat. The film is so action-packed you probably won’t notice immediately that it is also set against a Christmas backdrop. Damon's casting reveals the actor's dignity and empathy. (Netflix, Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube, Apple+)
18. The Thin Man (1938)
Retired detective Nick Charles and his wife Nora (William Powell and Myrna Loy) spend the holidays in New York City. Amid the festive backdrop, they engage in an investigation involving a friend's disappearance and a murder. Keep an eye out for a memorable moment where Nick playfully shoots balloons off the Christmas tree, much to the chagrin of a startled dog. (Prime Video, YouTube)
19. Enemy of the State (1998)
Will Smith's character just wants to buy lingerie for his wife’s holiday present but becomes entangled in an NSA plot led by the ruthless Thomas Reynolds (Jon Voight). The film features real-life spy technology, albeit the 'old stuff,' as confirmed by Smith's crew in collaboration with the CIA - still, Enemy of the State holds up decades after its premiere. (Disney+, Apple TV, Prime Video, YouTube, Google Play)
20. Catch Me If You Can (2002)
Con artist, imposter, and master of deception Frank Abagnale, Jr. impersonated a doctor, a lawyer, and even a co-pilot for a major airline in real life - all before he turned 18. Abagnale eventually worked for the FBI but before that he was the most successful bank robber in the history of the US. FBI Agent Carl Hanratty (Tom Hanks) makes it his prime mission to capture Frank (brilliantly played by Leonardo DiCaprio) and bring him to justice but Frank seems to always be one step ahead of him. (Prime Video, YouTube, Google Play)
21. Charlie Wilson’s War (2007)
Christmas is in the air but US Rep. Charlie Wilson (Tom Hanks) is thinking about international intrigue, whiskey, and women. Before filming, the real-life Charlie Wilson told Hanks: “Look, I don’t care how you portray me. Chances are, if it’s illegal I did it.” Philip Seymour Hoffman stars as the smartest-guy-in-the-room CIA chief of station. His masterful breakdown scene alone is worth your attention. (Prime Video, Netflix, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube)
22. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005)
Robert Downey Jr. leads this dark comedy alongside Val Kilmer and Michelle Monaghan. Mistaken for an actor, a New York thief is sent to Hollywood on a movie role but ends up embroiled in a murder mystery with a struggling actress. The movie served as RDJ’s comeback and - as a show of support for Downey Jr.'s recovery from alcohol and drugs - Kilmer refused to drink during the entire production. (Prime Video, Apple TV, Chili, Google Play, YouTube)
23. On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969)
George Lazenby shines in this underrated Bond thriller, holding his own as he confronts villain Ernst Stavro Blofeld at a memorable Christmas party. Lazenby's iconic line, "This never happened to the other fellow," adds intrigue to his one-and-only Bond film. (Prime Video, Apple TV, Microsoft, Google Play, YouTube, SKY TV in the UK)
24. Ronin (1998)
Ronin offers a subtle nod to the holiday season in this must-stream thriller. Sam (Robert De Niro), a former intelligence officer, teams up with Vincent (Jean Reno) for a mission to steal a mysterious briefcase. Even with a stuntman at the wheel during chase scenes, De Niro admitted feeling a bit nervous: "It's a little hairy. Especially on the turns." (Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube, Apple TV, Microsoft)
25. A Simple Plan
A Simple Plan opens on New Year's Eve. A snowstorm is brewing as Hank Mitchell (Bill Paxton), his dim brother Jacob (Billy Bob Thornton) and their friend Lou (Brent Briscoe) discover a crashed plane with two things in it - a dead pilot, and a stash of more than $4m. Things quickly go wrong, however. Be careful what you wish for... (Apple TV and BBC iPlayer)
HONORABLE MENTION
Operation Christmas Drop (2020)
You may think we’re getting sentimental at this point - and granted, Operation Christmas Drop may not be the edgiest movie you’ll stream this year - but it’s based on a real-life mission that started in 1952 so US Air Force troops could get experience in humanitarian aid drops. And isn't that what Christmas is all about? The fictional part of the story involves congressional assistant Erica (Kat Graham) who is assigned to investigate a Guam Air Force base for closure. She clashes with Captain Andrew Jantz (Alexander Ludwig) and you can probably guess the rest by her smile… (Netflix)
It’s A Wonderful Life (1946)
So you think you know everything about Jimmy Stewart’s It’s A Wonderful Life? The holiday classic initially drew the ire of the FBI. The Bureau identified a ‘malignant undercurrent’ and further scrutiny concluded “those responsible for making It’s a Wonderful Life had employed two common tricks used by communists to inject propaganda into the film.” Yes, seriously. Screen it again through this lens and see what you think. (Curzon, Apple+, Prime Video, YouTube, Google Play)
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