13 Awesome Films You Forgot Were Christmas Movies

5. Frozen River

Frozen River
Sony Pictures Classics

A Christmas movie of a very different, more sober order, Frozen River takes place just before Christmas on an Indian reservation in New York. Store clerk Ray (Melissa Leo, who was Oscar-nominated for her role) is struggling to raise the funds to buy a mobile home for her family, and so conspires with Native American Lila Littlewolf (Misty Upham, who sadly died in October) to start smuggling illegal immigrants from the Canadian border into the US.

Near the end of the movie, their actions capture the attention of the local law enforcement, and though Lila offers to take the blame for the sake of Ray's kids, Ray eventually surrenders herself, giving her money to Lila on the understanding that she help take care of her kids while she's in jail for four months.

Despite the initially grim subject matter, this is a strangely, unexpectedly heart-warming film with a positive message about looking out for others that's all-too important at this time of the year (or, well, any time of the year, frankly).

Contributor
Contributor

Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes). General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.