For the last four years each holiday season, I’ve shared a Christmas-themed highlighting five queer Christmas films. I’ve done the “kinda” queer Christmas films (see HERE and HERE) as well as the Queer Kinda “Christmas” Films (see HERE and HERE). While it’s been interesting to note films with those subtle differences, this year I’ve decided to steer away from that and head into brand NEW territory!
DARK Queer Christmas Films!
When most folks think of Holiday and Christmas films, they want festive, happy romcoms that are simply oozing with romance while being decorated to the nines with snow, Christmas trees, lights, and more. But there’s actually a good amount of Holiday films that deal with darker topics. Most family or ensemble holiday films have their fair share of drama, after all! But that’s not the ones I’m talking about today.
Dark Christmas films are those that deal with murder, mystery, horror, and more. And since I focus on queer films, of course, we’re talking about DARK Queer Christmas films!
All five of this month’s films contain elements that are macabre, bloody, or topics that are typically found in horror and drama films – NOT the first thing one thinks of when they consider a Christmas film. Now, these five dark queer Christmas films are not for the faint of heart! And to be fair, a few of them are not the greatest films to watch regardless of how well they fit into this month’s theme. But if darker topics suit you, then check out these five Dark Queer Christmas Films!
[Note: Not all of these films have full reviews yet – but they’re added to the quickly growing list of films I plan to tackle soon!]
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5 Dark Queer Christmas Films
4.0
When the zombie apocalypse hits the sleepy town of Little Haven – at Christmas – teenager Anna and her high school friends have to fight, sing and dance to survive, with the undead horde all around them. Teaming up with her best friend John, Anna has to fight her way through zombified snowmen, Santas, elves and Christmas shoppers to get across town to the high school, where they’ll be safe. But they soon discover that being a teenager is just as difficult as staying alive, even at the end of the world.
Comedy, Musical, and … Horror? In a Christmas Film? Huh? Normally these three distinctly different genres don’t work together at all. However, there’s something really unique about “Anna and the Apocalypse” – it’s actually quite captivating! With various hints of another zombie classic, “Shawn of the Dead”, it just works well as a whole. The film is bright and colourful, despite being about killing zombies. Even as a musical, the film’s songs fit well and are performed by a vocally talented cast. There is no doubt that “Anna and the Apocalypse” is a great film to watch. Probably not one to cuddle up by the fireside to get into the Christmas spirit though! With a talented cast, the quirkiness of a musical, and a story that puts a new twist on zombies, I think you’ll enjoy giving this queer Christmas film a watch.
Watch Anna And The Apocalypse on Amazon, Prime Video, Apple TV+, and YouTube.
Holly returns to her hometown to make a Christmas special before her promotion to a television anchorwoman, but first she must face Satan Claus and horrible childhood memories of him.
“Letters to Satan Claus” is an interesting film. While it’s full of all the cheesy classic Christmas decorations and tropes that you’ll find in a Hallmark movie, there is no question that it is also a horror film! The storyline itself is rather intriguing as it all hinges on a misspelled name invoking Satan instead of Santa yet sets off a murder spree that’s both comical and bloody. Despite all of the murders and blood, comedy still is at the forefront of this dark queer Christmas film. However, it’d likely fall onto my list of “kinda” queer Christmas films because the only LGBTQ element is that Holly’s old friend is gay, providing a queer subplot that’s cute and romantic but not part of the main storyline. If you’re after a comical Christmas film that’s a bit different from all the other cheesy Hallmark films, then “Letters to Satan Claus” is certainly the dark queer Christmas film to watch!
Unfortunately, Letters To Satan Claus is not currently available to watch/stream/buy.
Nowadays Lithuania, the country with strong traditions of Catholicism and society’s negative attitude to minorities (homophobia). Christmas with the whole family: father, mother, son, daughter, other family members, acquaintances and friends. The tragicomedy is built through the destiny of a young woman Anna, whose secret lights out during the Christmas Eve and it immediately erupts an avalanche of dark events, connecting each family member. The question – what would happen, if – – remains. They had a choice to avoid this fatal trip, BUT it doesn’t mean nothing has happened.
This Lithuanian film is rather different and seems to lack a solid identity. The story is set over the Christmas holidays and deals with family dinner, along with all of the drama that ensues, yet it does not feel like a holiday film beyond the plot setup and a few Christmas decorations. As for the actual guts of the story, family drama is at the core. You have a perverted father who doesn’t believe in religion, a mother who is religious but also believes in horoscopes, and their sons and their spouses who are dragged along because of tradition. And yet, it seems like no one wants to be there. Then there’s the revelation of the dad sleeping with his son’s wife, that they filmed… that that son is actually gay himself and his wife is, or that everyone is sleeping with each other. I’d highly suggest that you skip this queer holiday film – unless you enjoy dramas.
Unfortunately, Christmas Uncensored is not currently available to watch/stream/buy.
4
Told from three perspectives, a story of a bunch of young Californians trying to get some cash, do and deal some drugs, score money and sex in Las Vegas, and generally experience the rush of life.
“Go” was quite game-changing when it was released in 1999. Yet some mock it as a lesser attempt at the cinematic storytelling style of Pulp fiction, or even just a copycat. But there’s something fresh about how director Doug Liman twists around character cliches, always leaving the viewer surprised. But there’s another key reason “Go” was groundbreaking – it was one of the first major studios to include a gay storyline. Regardless of whether or not you agree this is a Christmas film, “Go” is a great film to watch if you want something a bit darker, a bit more realistic, and a film that will keep you on the edge of your seat. “Go” grab yourself a copy and give it a “Go” (Ok… I’ll stop. I promise!)
Watch Go on Prime Video, YouTube, and Apple TV+.
5
On Christmas Day, David, 15, finds out that his boyfriend, Jonathan, 17, has taken another lover. The discovery leads him on the brink of depression making him think of ways to have him back at all cost. He has invited Jonathan to see him on this day for the last time. And through the frenzy of his preparations prior to meeting Jonathan, we will discover his traits and personality; the ‘worlds’ he lives in – virtual and real; and, we will witness how he prepares for his most unique shout-out that he will make not only on his Facebook wall, but, in his life.
I finally gave this queer dark Christmas film a watch because it’s set on Christmas and is technically a queer holiday film. Unfortunately, I wish I had waited even longer to watch “Unfriend” as it was a waste of time. Not sure exactly why, but I could not get invested into the story. Perhaps part of that is due to the differences in Filipino culture, which I will note I am not that well versed. Yet that doesn’t explain the flimsy storyline that is about as dramatic as you can get: your teenage lover dumps you for someone else – so you kill yourself while wallowing in sadness. It’s like a Filipino version of Romeo & Juliet, but without the verse to actually make it enjoyable. Frankly, “Unfriend” is not worth watching; skip this queer holiday film.
Watch Unfriend on Prime Video and Vimeo.
