After Guardian writers picked their favourite lesser-known festive movies, readers shoutout Klaus, The Ref and more
I thought a real modern hidden gem is All Is Bright starring Paul Rudd and Paul Giamatti as two down-on-their-luck Christmas tree sellers. It’s perfectly played by both, with Rudd putting in, not his usual “puppy dog everyone wants to be your mate” role but a sarcastic turn, complementing Giamatti’s Christmas grinch. More a black comedy (by Hollywood standards), it’s an excellent film. Andyouwillknowme
It’s shamelessly nostalgic while being enormously funny for my eight- and nine-year-olds but still leaves me in floods of tears by the end. Cussed12
An offbeat British comedy, Stalled is set on the sidelines of a Christmas office party, when a plumber finds himself trapped in a toilet cubicle during the zombie apocalypse (where he remains for almost the entire film). It’s both ingenious and comical. Immediatelaunch
Rarely has a clever dark comedy also succeeded so well as a “feelgood” film. [Kevin] Spacey, [Denis] Leary and [Judy] Davis are all in top form, and [Ted] Demme’s directorial hand is subtle but steady. And a special tip of the hat to Richard Bright as the instantly memorable, hilarious Murray, Gus’s (Leary’s) incompetent partner in crime. gradeoneirony
