20 non-traditional Christmas movies to watch this year

13. Anastasia/Beauty and the Beast (1991)

Note: I’ve grouped these films together because they are both animated musicals.

Watch if: You agree that Pixar just can’t measure up to ‘90s animated cinema. Please don’t yell at me.

What they’re about: Anastasia re-imagines the life of the Russian Royal Family’s youngest daughter. Anastasia Romanov survives the revolution and tries to track down her grandmother, the last living member of her family.

Beauty and the Beast sees the bookish, independent Belle fall in love with the ill-tempered Beast’s inner beauty. Her love breaks a witch’s curse and the Beast transforms back into a handsome prince.

Connection to Christmas: More of a suggestion than anything else. The opening scenes of Anastasia take place at the Romanovs’ lavish winter party. Plus, I don’t know about you but a snow-covered St. Basil’s always makes me think of Christmas.

As for Beauty and the Beast, most of it takes place in winter. And Belle’s nifty, fur-trimmed red cloak also seems like appropriate Christmas attire.

Why they make for good holiday entertainment: Childhood nostalgia, baby! If you want to recapture the excitement, giddiness, and “that gingerbread feeling” of Christmas Past, just switch on either of these movies.

If that’s not enough for you, both films — like many tales aimed at children — underline the loneliness and despair we can feel when we’re cut off from our kin. Anastasia, believing herself to be an orphan named Anya, has never felt at home anywhere because she grew up without a family. And Belle is devastated when the Beast sends her father away without giving her the chance to say good-bye. Of course, all is right at the end: Anastasia reunites with her grandmother and Belle with her father. Our families can drive us nuts, but this holiday season Anastasia and Beauty and the Beast remind us of how much happiness they also can bring to our lives.