Film is pivotal in the celebration of Christmas – for many, the mere mention of Home Alone or Die Hard is enough to conjure images of crackling fireplaces, opulent feasts and wintry magic – even if one has lived in the balmy subtropics all their lives.

So how is it that someone who has never lived through the weather, cuisine and tradition yearn so much for it? Is there truly power in cultural exportation, or is it a certain transportive alchemy that makes such scenes of ritualistic domesticity feel so darn familiar? How is it that a horror film, a sci-fi thriller or even a crime caper set during Christmas ransom such a sense of collective festive ownership?

Edward Scissorhands [1990]
Directed by Tim Burton
105 minutes, PG,
7 – 11, 14, 17 – 18, 23 – 24, 28 – 30 Nov 2022, Daily | 12.30pm
Free Admission
Once upon a time, a kindly inventor created a charming young man named Edward. But the inventor died before he finished Edward, who had sharp metal shears for hands. Edward was sad and alone until a kind Avon lady invited him to live with her family in the fantastical land of Suburbia.

The Nightmare Before Christmas [1993]
Directed by Tim Burton
76 minutes, PG,
5 – 14 Nov 2022, Daily | 12.30pm
17 – 18, 23 – 24, 28 – 30 Nov, Daily | 12.30pm
Free Admission
Bored with the same old scare-and-scream routine, Pumpkin King Jack Skellington longs to spread the joy of Christmas. But his merry mission puts Santa in jeopardy and creates a nightmare for good little boys and girls everywhere.

Love Actually [1993]
Directed by Richard Curtis
129 minutes | M18 (Nudity)
26 Nov 2022 | 4.45pm
A certified British (and now worldwide) classic surrounding eight different couples tackling their individual relationships in their own ways. As people fall in and out of love, Christmas takes its own meaning for them – some euphoric, and some downright miserable.

Frozen Sing-along [2013]
Directed by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee
108 minutes | G
17, 18, 21, 22, 29, 30 Nov, Weekdays | 4.45pm
4, 5, 6, 17 Nov, Weekdays | 4.45pm
Free Admission
In Frozen, fearless optimist Anna teams up with rugged mountain man Kristoff and his loyal reindeer Sven in an epic journey, encountering Everest-like conditions, mystical trolls and a hilarious snowman named Olaf in a race to find Anna’s sister Elsa, whose icy powers have trapped the kingdom of Arendelle in eternal winter.

Tickets: Admission S$13 per ticket
Visitors are advised to pre-purchase tickets online prior to their visit

When: 5 Nov 2022 - 6 Jan 2023,

By: ArtScience Museum at Marina Bay Sands