The Most Ambiguous Time of the Year
Austin indie cinema spotlights alternative Christmas classics this holiday weekend
These films ditch some of the warm, fuzzy feelings Christmas movies are known for in favor of a little more edge and comedy.
Tradition is what makes some of the best Christmas movies, but sometimes it’s refreshing to do things a little differently. With this in mind, Austin Film Society (AFS) has compiled a three-part series for Austinites looking for something to do on some of December’s busiest days: it offers some Christmastime movies that don’t usually make the holiday cut, with all the nostalgia of their rightful places in classic film history.
AFS reprises its “Home For The Holidays” film series on the following dates:
- The Umbrellas Of Cherbourg, December 24-27
- The Thin Man, December 24, 25
- Eyes Wide Shut, December 25, 26
The longest run of all three films, spanning the whole series, goes to The Umbrellas Of Cherbourg, a visually playful musical notable for its continual recitative — that is, the characters always sing instead of speaking, and never break into a showstopping, singalong-ready number. This 1964 musical ends in December of the prior year, on Christmas Eve.
The oldest film of the bunch, made in 1934, is the most explicitly Christmas-themed. The Thin Man follows a couple’s Christmas trip to New York as it turns into an unexpected murder mystery. This masterpiece transcended its Christmas-film status as one of the best early comedies, regardless of the season.
For those sitting out or recovering from the Christmas madness, Eyes Wide Shut may provide a soothing-if-scathing anti-consumerist salve. A dark comedy by Stanley Kubrick, starring Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, this more recent classic also has an edge, and Christmas is presented more as an obligation and an overarching tone than something to celebrate.
Aside from the riddle of what these December movies share, they all provide lots of layers of light and dark; a singing romance during wartime, a silly murder mystery, and a juxtaposition of a religious tradition and a secret society. That’s what the winter solstice is all about.
All screenings take place at the AFS Cinema, at 6406 N I-35 Suite 3100. AFS is screening a number of other films outside its holiday series during the same time frame. Tickets (starting at $11) are available at austinfilm.org.
These flags are a popular photo op each year.Photo by Daniel Cavazos
It wouldn't be a Friday night at ACL 2026 without a banger Charli XCX reference.Photo by Daniel Cavazos
The Simpsons are unsurprisingly still relevant after 27 years, and Bart and this popular meme have found a home on college campuses across the nation.Photo by Daniel Cavazos
Last year, these folks put my name underneath their "Aqui Pendejo" flag, but we never saw them. I got an email after the gallery ran with a photo showing the shoutout. This year, I made it a point to find our friends and include them once again. Sorry about last year, pendejos!Photo by Daniel Cavazos
Can't tell if these flag-flyers are both Texas Longhorns and Houston Texans fans, or if this is just a happy accident. Either way, we're on board.Photo by Daniel Cavazos
Spiders during spooky season make perfect sense. Spiders at ACL Fest during spooky season? Works for us.Photo by Daniel Cavazos
One of our favorite flags this year was this global-love flyer. A simple yet poignant graphic.Photo by Daniel Cavazos
Internet memes were a common theme this year. Did anyone even sell hot dogs at ACL Fest this year?Photo by Daniel Cavazos
This lit-up banana was a beacon for a handful of people during Charli XCX's set on Friday.Photo by Daniel Cavazos
Patrick says Saturday's for the Girls!Photo by Daniel Cavazos
Would you know what to look for if someone said, "Meet me at the Gibby?"Photo by Daniel Cavazos
We saw this flag so much around the park that we started to wonder if they were taking their flag too literally.Photo by Daniel Cavazos
This Waffle House spin-off had us scratching our heads. Deep meaning or just a cheeky design?Photo by Daniel Cavazos
Friday's buzz was split between headliners Charli XCX and Skrillex. As expected, Skrillex fans loaded into the Miller Lite field early in the day to secure their spot for the DJ's 8:30 pm set.Photo by Daniel Cavazos
We loved seeing the group of festival-goers who had their pets up on the flags. Why leave them at home when you can have them at the fest in spirit?Photo by Daniel Cavazos