A list of 10 of the best unconventional movies to watch during the cold season

Wintertime is the best time to snuggle up on the couch to watch a good movie. While we all love to sit down and dive into a classic Christmas movie, I’ve put together a list of underrated movies that are fun to watch in winter. 

1 . The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005)

Four siblings are sent to a country house for protection during the World War II bombings of London. One of the siblings finds a wardrobe that transports her to a magical world, Narnia. She tells her siblings and they all go to Narnia together. With the help of a magical lion they work together to fight an evil witch. Everybody loves a good fantastical and thrilling movie, and there are so many elements in this movie that make it great.

2.  Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001)

On his eleventh birthday, Harry Potter, an orphan living with his aunt and uncle, learns that he is a wizard. He leaves his life where he is unwanted and attends a boarding school for wizards called Hogwarts. At Hogwarts, he meets two friends who help him to learn the truth about what happened to his parents. This movie, and any of the Harry Potter movies really, helps teach us that friendship and love are the most important things in the world, and it’s a wonderful comfort when it’s dark and chilly outside.

3. Krampus (2015)

Krampus is a horned beast from ancient European folklore who punishes naughty children during the holiday season. A young boy loses his festive spirit while dealing with a dysfunctional family, which unleashes the wrath of Krampus. The family must stick together to protect each other as Krampus lays siege to their home. This is no traditional holiday movie; it adds an element of horror to a holiday that is associated with happiness, which is what makes it so thrilling. 

4. Snow White and the Huntsman (2012)

A story with a twist to the classic fairytale everyone knows and loves. The Evil Queen orders the Huntsman to kill Snow White because of her beauty, but, instead, he ends up becoming her protector. Together, they seek to vanquish the Evil Queen. This is an astonishing adaptation of the story that warns of the danger of vanity.

5. Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith (2005)

Three years after the start of the Clone Wars, Anakin Sykwalker forms a bond with Chancellor Palpatine as he hides his wife from the Jedi, as Jedi are not allowed to love. The Jedi Council becomes suspicious about Palpatine’s loyalties while he gains more and more influence over Anakin. Conflicted between his love for his wife and his loyalty to the Jedi Council, Anakin is driven to embrace the dark side of the force. This movie is my favorite of all the Star Wars movies because it shows that doing something bad with good intentions isn’t worth it.

6. Edward Scissorhands (1990)

A scientist dies before finishing building an animated human, Edward, leaving him with a freakish appearance and scissor blades for hands. A gentle suburban saleswoman, Peg, discovers Edward and takes him to her home. It’s here where he falls in love with Peg’s daughter. Despite Edward’s kindness, he will always be an outcast because of his appearance. The imaginative storyline and set design make this film one of the best and most comforting fantasy movies of all time.

7. Ice Princess (2005)

Casey Carlyle is a brilliant high school student, who is expected to attend Harvard University, just as her mother did. While Casey certainly would get into the school, her real passion is figure skating. Casey finds a coach in her friend’s mom, a former skater who desires to live vicariously through Casey. The acting in this movie is surprisingly good, and it tells the beautiful story of a girl trying to realize her dreams with hardly any help.

8. Ice Age (2002)

Set on a prehistoric Earth, there is great danger caused by the beginning of the ice age. The story follows a mammoth, a saber-toothed tiger, a sloth, and a combination of a squirrel and a rat, called a scrat. In an attempt to avoid freezing, all of Earth’s creatures begin migrating south. It’s interesting to see what now-extinct species may have looked like during the ice age and the story makes us think about what happened during the real ice age.

9. The Day After Tomorrow (2004)

Climatologist Jack Hall expresses concerns about the state of the environment to the U.N., but is largely ignored. His concerns prove to be well placed as a superstom erupts, causing horrible natural disasters across the globe with a high death toll. In an attempt to rescue his son, who is stuck in New York, Jack must travel by foot from Philadelphia before it’s too late. While an extreme example, this film teaches us to think about how our actions might negatively affect the environment and what the consequences will be for us and the planet.

10. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)

Charlie, along with a few other children, wins a contest to tour the wonderful and mysterious candy factory of Willy Wonka. Strange things force the children to leave the tour, one by one. Wonka has a hidden motivation for the tour which will only be revealed after the children in the group display their true character and there is one child left. Tim Burton films are always magical, and this film really captures a nice blend of darkness and light.