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Every December, the same Christmas classics return on repeat — “Elf,” “Home Alone,” “A Christmas Story,” “It’s a Wonderful Life.” But longtime Charlotte arts critic Lawrence Toppman says some of the season’s richest films are the ones most people have never heard of. From forgotten Thanksgiving dramas to animated immigrant tales, from World War I truces to bittersweet family reunions, Toppman opens up a deeper, more surprising cinematic world behind the holidays.
In this special episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast, we bring you a live recording of Toppman’s December 1, 2025 talk at The Sharon at SouthPark Retirement Community, where he shares his favorite under-the-radar holiday films — and a few spicy opinions about the ones everyone already knows.
Toppman shares his curated list spanning Día de los Muertos, Armistice Day, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah and Christmas. Whether you’re looking for something touching, funny, unusual or decidedly not cheerful, this list has a film to surprise you.
In this conversation:
Why Pixar’s “Coco” captures the spirit of Día de los Muertos better than many live-action films
Two unforgettable World War I films for Veterans’ Day: “1917” and “They Shall Not Grow Old”
Thanksgiving picks that go deeper than family dysfunction: “Hannah and Her Sisters,” “Avalon,” “Pieces of April” and “The Humans”
A rare recommendation for an authentic Hanukkah-season movie: “An American Tail”
The charm of lesser-known Christmas gems like “The Shop Around the Corner,” “Christmas in Connecticut” and “We’re No Angels”
Why Toppman believes the best holiday movies don’t follow a formula — and why “Elf” drives him up the wall
Plus: the shortest (and funniest) interview of Toppman’s career, featuring a very grumpy George C. Scott
We hope you enjoy the conversation with Lawrence Toppman.
This episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast was produced by Lindsey Banks.
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