15 Nontraditional Holiday Films That Are Anything but Cheesy

Each year Brad and Kate manage to avoid visiting their families during the holidays, but when a storm shuts down the airport, the couple is forced to head back home. With an all-star cast starring Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon, this movie follows the couple as they visit all four divorced parents which makes them question what they really want in their own relationship.

Craig and Day-Day are working as security guards at a local mall during the holiday season. When their apartment gets robbed by Santa Claus on Christmas Eve, Craig and Day-Day try to track down the thief and their stolen rent money. The comedic lineup of Ice Cube, Mike Epps, Katt Williams, Rickey Smiley, Don D.C. Curry, and the late John Witherspoon is sure to leave you in stitches.

This classic rom-com is anything but corny. Lucy, played by Sandra Bullock, saves the life of Peter, a handsome businessman she's been admiring from afar. After a mixup at the hospital leads everyone to believe Lucy is Peter's fiancée, Lucy is embraced by his family, especially his brother Jack, which makes things complicated when Peter finally wakes up.

The Rodriguez family retreats back to their childhood Chicago home for the holidays, each carrying their own unique baggage. This may be the last Christmas they spend together after their mother announces that she's leaving their father during a family dinner. If you're from a big family, you'll definitely be able to relate to this film. Starring John Leguizamo, Jay Hernandez, Melonie Diaz, Elizabeth Peña, and more, this movie is filled with big laughs, Puerto Rican culture, and a lot of love.

Join in on the Hanukkah celebration in this Adam Sandler classic. Sandler stars as Davey Stone in this mildly naughty animated film. Stone is a 33-year-old alcoholic sentenced to community service after getting in trouble with the law. Under the supervision of Whitey, an elderly referee also played by Sandler, Stone spends eight crazy nights revisiting his past, including a past love, and deciding if he's ready to do the work to change his bad habits for a better future.

Who knew Christmas shopping could be so dangerous? While shopping for Christmas gifts for his wife and son, lawyer Robert Dean is accidentally slipped key evidence to a serious crime making him a target of a corrupt politician who uses the NSA to ruin Dean's life in order to force him to hand over the evidence. Dean spends the rest of the film running for his life unsure of who he can trust and how to get himself out of this situation alive. Starring Will Smith, Regina King, Gene Hackman, Lisa Bonet, and Jon Voight, this action thriller is perfect for a holiday movie night with the squad.

If anyone in your group needs a lesson on gift-giving, this '80s classic is for them. Randal Peltzer's father went shopping for a special gift for his son and found the unique Mogwai at a small shop in Chinatown. Reluctantly, the shop owner sells the creature to his father with three rules never to be broken — keep it out of bright lights, don't get it wet, and never feed it after midnight. After Randal breaks all three rules, the Mogwai turn into dangerous gremlins that descend on the town during Christmas Eve. This is also the perfect holiday film to show your children to serve as a reminder on the importance of rules.

Denzel Washington, Whitney Houston, and Courtney B. Vance are magical in this '90s remake. When Reverend Biggs starts to doubt himself and loses sight of what's important, he's visited by Dudley, an angel on a mission to get him back on track who starts to get a little too close for comfort to the Reverend's wife, Julia. With an original soundtrack performed by the late Whitney Houston, this movie will have you leaping for joy as if you were in the congregation yourself. Can I get an amen?

Georgia Byrd is a clerk at a New Orleans department store. After a hospital visit reveals the disturbing news that she has only three weeks to live, she cashes out her savings and heads to her dream destination to live out the rest of her days in Europe's Grandhotel Pupp. Byrd's diagnosis gives her a new attitude where eating, drinking, and being merry take precedent. With a bold approach to life, she learns to laugh more, love more, and live fearlessly. Starring Queen Latifah and LL Cool J, this rom-com will inspire you to make the most out of the rest of your year.

First time spending the holidays with your SO? This movie is right up your alley. Everett Stone brings his uptight girlfriend, Meredith Morton, home for the holidays to meet his eccentric, free-spirited family. Meredith is given a hard time by everyone in the family except Everett's brother, Ben, which becomes problematic as romantic feelings start to bloom between the two of them. This movie is anything but boring, with rekindled feelings with an old flame and startling news that sends the family spiraling. Starring Sarah Jessica Parker, Diane Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Craig T. Nelson, Luke Wilson, Dermot Mulroney, and more, this movie has just enough tea to keep you sippin' until the end.

In high school, Chris Brander had the ultimate crush on his best friend, Jamie Palamino. After she made it clear she wasn't interested, Brander grew up to be a successful music producer and womanizer. During a trip back home for the holidays, he comes face to face with the girl of his high-school dreams and is determined to finally win her over and no longer be just friends. Anyone who has experienced unrequited love will relate to this romantic comedy starring pre-Deadpool Ryan Reynolds and Amy Smart.

The holidays can be an especially lonely time for single parents much like Gabrielle Union's character in this film. Nancy Taylor, a divorced mother of three, just wants to meet a nice man. Determined to see that her mother is happy, Nancy's daughter Emily asks a department store Santa to help make her mother's wish come true. Underneath the Santa suit is aspiring songwriter Benjamin, played by Morris Chestnut, who lies about what he really does for a living. Filled with lots of laughs from Queen Latifah, Terrence Howard, Katt Williams, Charlie Murphy, and more, this predictable-yet-charming holiday flick is definitely one to keep on the list.

Adapted from the award-winning play, this musical is set in 1989 and 1990 during the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Tons of songs for group sing-a-longs, tear-jerker moments, and emotion-filled scenes that will leave you speechless — this unconventional choice is a cinematic must for your holiday lineup.

After his CEO sister Carol Vanstone threatens to shut down the Chicago branch of Zenotec, branch manager Clay Vanstone rallies the troops to throw an epic Christmas party in order to land a top client. The rager gets completely out of control, making the possible shut down of the branch the least of their problems. Starring Jason Bateman, Kate McKinnon, Olivia Munn, Jennifer Aniston, and Courtney B. Vance, this film will make you wish your next company party could be half this cool.

Ethan, Isaac, and Chris have been friends since childhood. Every year, for over a decade, they've had a tradition to spend their Christmas Eve partaking in wild activities. Now that they're adults, this tradition is becoming harder to maintain. Determined to make this last hoorah a memorable one, they spend the night before Christmas searching for the Nutcracka Ball — the Coachella of Christmas parties. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, and Anthony Mackie remind us how hard it can be to maintain friendships as life evolves and new responsibilities come into play.