In surprising news, Jim Carrey is returning as the Grinch, 26 years after the original movie.

Per The Hollywood Reporter, Carrey is in talks to come back to his role, and Ron Howard will be back to direct the sequel, too.

This is especially surprising because Carrey has made no secret of how difficult he found the makeup process for the Christmas movie.

"Oh, gosh, you know, if we could figure out the Grinch," Carrey previously told ComicBook.com, when asked which of his roles he'd like to play again. "The thing about it is, on the day, I do that with a ton of makeup and can hardly breathe. It was an extremely excruciating process. The children were in my mind all the time. 'It's for the kids. It's for the kids. It's for the kids.' And now, with motion capture and things like that, I could be free to do other things. Anything is possible in this world."

How the Grinch Stole Christmas is one of the most beloved holiday movies of all time, so no doubt the sequel will prove popular. However, further details are under wraps for now.

Carrey will soon return as Dr. Robotnik in Sonic the Hedgehog 4. "And that's a wrap on SonicMovie4," director Jeff Fowler previously shared on social media. "On behalf of this amazing cast/crew, we have filmed the BEST Sonic Movie yet and can't wait to share."

There's no news yet on when the Grinch sequel might arrive. Until then, check out our guide to all the upcoming movies worth getting excited about.

What are the best Christmas movies to watch in 2025? A good Christmas flick is a holiday staple, after all. There's no better feeling than kicking back with a comforting classic on a wintery afternoon, and that's why we've searched high and low to bring you a curated list of films this holiday season.

Below, we've rounded up our 10 picks for a movie marathon this Christmastime, from bonafide classics like Home Alone to slightly more unconventional choices like Little Women (not strictly a festive film). We've got everything you need to settle down in front of the TV with a hot cocoa and a plate of leftovers.

So, for the best Christmas movies to watch this holiday season, look no further than our list below. If you're in the mood for something a little less festive, though, then we've got plenty of the best action movies and best thriller movies to recommend, too. Happy holidays!

10. How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Year: 2000
Director: Ron Howard

The Grinch, a grumpy solitary creature living on the outskirts of the endlessly cheery town of Whoville, hatches a plan to steal Christmas from the gift-obsessed residents. But his plan goes awry when he meets a little girl, Cindy, who wants to return the holiday to its true meaning.

Howard's adaptation of the famous Dr. Seuss book is the most iconic, and for good reason. The movie's quirky Whoville slant, all-in Jim Carrey performance, and endearing songs have made it a staple on most people's Christmas watchlist. It's cheeky, absurdly silly, and warm-hearted despite the Christmas-hating green crank at the center of it. It carries that elusive holiday feeling better than almost any other movie, and that's why it’s so enduring.

9. Arthur Christmas

Year: 2011
Director: Sarah Smith

Santa Claus is retiring soon, and his beefing sons Steve and Arthur are next in line for the red fluffy crown. The problem is that the family members have extremely different ideas about how to execute Christmas, which has become a mission of epic proportions thanks to an expanding population. It turns out even the Claus family bicker at the dinner table.

Succession, but make it Christmas! This animated movie is an earnest gem. Like many other Christmas films, it hones in on the difference between what Christmas is meant to be versus what it often becomes. The animation quality has aged fairly since its 2011 release, but James McAvoy's voice acting, the cheery humor, and the unique take on Santa as an institution keep it afloat. Arthur Christmas is also very rewatchable, due to an emotional core that just works.

Read our Arthur Christmas review for more animated cheer.

8. Home Alone

Year: 1990
Director: Chris Columbus

You know the story: a young boy left behind when his family goes on vacation must defend his home from bumbling bandits. Whipping back and forth between his dream-turned-nightmare scenario and his frantic mother trying to get back home, this is a classic.

Many folks will argue it's not really Christmas if you've not snuck in a Home Alone rewatch. That's fair, but we'll opt for the original over Home Alone 2… or the other ones, which we don't talk about. This hammy home invasion film is the perfect family movie; kids will love watching Kevin fend for himself, and older viewers will find themselves loving Catherine O'Hara's matriarch more with each revisit.

For more classics, check out our list of the best Disney Plus Christmas movies.

7. The Holdovers

Year: 2023
Director: Alexander Payne

A teacher at a 1970s New England boarding school is forced to supervise students over the holiday break after he costs the academy money by flunking a major donor's son. They band together as a misfit group over the breaking, learning to live with each other's differences.

There's a quiet reassurance in seeing strangers evolve into a found family, overcoming their disparities and challenges. The Holdovers is a heartfelt tribute to the resilience of the human spirit, embracing understated melancholy over loud declarations. While imbued with moments of sorrow, it becomes a cherished and feel-good winner.

Read our five-star The Holdovers review for more information!

6. Gremlins

Year: 1984
Director: Joe Dante

When Billy Peltzxer is gifted a fuzzy, mysterious creature by his inventor father, he soon unleashes a hellish raid on his town when they begin multiplying. This is perhaps the only time you don't want to be surprised by extra presents under your Christmas tree.

Had enough of the toothless holiday stories? Don't fret, an army of cuddly but demonic creatures are here to save you. Just don't feed them after midnight, obviously. This horror comedy is a practical effects showcase with mischievous humor and an impressive cast. It zips through several tones effortlessly, with the strong duo of young adults Billy and Kate at the center. The havoc is so much fun to watch, but Gremlins is also sentimental in the right places.

Check out our Gremlins review for more on one of the best Christmas horror movies of all time!

5. Die Hard

Year: 1988
Director: John McTiernan

It's Christmas at Nakatomi Plaza, and an employee holiday party is about to go very wrong. When NYPD officer John McClane visits his estranged wife, Holly, he ends up being the last line of defense against a terrorist group targeting the plaza.

This legendary action flick features Bruce Willis at the height of his powers. But despite the macho qualities, it's the story's everyman angle that sets it apart. John is not a superhero, he's at the wrong place at the wrong time. He has a simple goal of saving the woman he loves and he's going to get it done, shoes or no shoes! There's also the matter of Alan Rickman's infamous villain, Hans Gruber — if you need reminding of the late actor's range, there's always Die Hard.

Is Die Hard a festive classic? See if it's on our list of the best Christmas movies that aren't really Christmas movies.

4. Krampus

Year: 2015
Director: Michael Dougherty

When a young boy loses his Christmas spirit, an eerie snowstorm turns a family reunion upside down. When his grandma shares the story of a malevolent creature, it becomes clear that the bumps in the night and increasing tension aren't just because of bubbling relative rivalries.

Krampus is the perfect introduction to Christmas horror. This unhinged fable about a dark spirit antithetical to Santa Claus is imbued with chaotic practical effects, realistic family drama, and a snowed-in isolated setting. Despite how much straight-to-DVD trash about this mythical creature exists, Dougherty's capable hands transform it into a cynical but exhilarating ride with plenty of tricks up its sleeve. The ending will stick with you, we promise.

3. Little Women

Year: 2019
Director: Greta Gerwig

In 19th-century Massachusetts, the March sisters — Jo, Meg, Amy, and Beth — come of age amongst civil war, the pressures of womanhood, and a loss that changes their lives forever. This adaptation of the 1868 novel is a stirring drama with fantastic performances.

It's impossible to overstate Saoirse Ronan's hold on Little Women. Whether it was her evolving creative partnership with director Gerwig or just the right role at the right time, Ronan's Jo March is the definitive on-screen version of the character. We experience the story through her eyes, as the non-linear editing unfolds the details of her life. The stretched timeline only strengthens the period piece's characters, their endearing dynamics, and the challenges of a budding novelist trying to make sense of a family tragedy.

Read our Little Women review for more on this must-watch!

2. Carol

Year: 2015
Director: Todd Haynes

Aimless department store clerk Therese meets an alluring but troubled older woman in 1950s New York. When sparks fly over Christmas gifts and shared glances, their circumstances and ties to normality threaten to put a stop to dreams of a whirlwind love affair.

Did you order romance? Haynes' period piece is endlessly dreamy. It has the power to stop time in its tracks — the entrancing score, Edward Lachlan's cinematography, and career-best performances feel as if they're suspended in the air. Carol's grainy visuals, hypnotic storytelling, and the blue melancholy of longing put you in a vice. This is mature romance at its most enthralling, heartache and painful growth set against snowflake flurries and winter fur coats.

Check out our five-star Carol review for more on this modern Christmas staple.

1. The Muppet Christmas Carol

Year: 1992
Director: Brian Henson

A muppet interpretation of Charles Dickens' tale of Ebenezer Scrooge, penny-pincher extraordinaire. Held accountable for his dastardly ways during three ghostly visits on Christmas Eve, the cold miser confronts past, present, and future.

You would think a tale as expansive and weighty as this would suffer from high-pitched muppet voices infiltrating every facet of the story, but you’d be wrong. This retelling is warm, funny, chilling, and touching. It's not just the finest muppet adaptation, it's a timeless and toasty musical that hits every single one of its marks. Michael Caine goes all in on his Scrooge, and he lends a gravitas that is as non-sensical as it is moving. You know a movie is powerful when you're teary-eyed over green frog puppets.

For more on our top festive pick, check out our The Muppet Christmas Carol review.

Want more holiday recommendations? Head over to our lists of the best Netflix Christmas movies and the best Christmas TV episodes.

Looking for a guide to the best Netflix Christmas movies in 2025? You're in the right place. Christmas is the perfect time to settle down in front of the TV and lose yourself in a deeply cheesy film. Thankfully, this list of the best Netflix movies is ready to serve all of your desires for schmaltzy storytelling, contrived romances, and characters dressed in red and green knitwear.

Overwrought rom-coms might be Netflix's specialty, but the platform has plenty of great choices for audiences of all ages, whether you're after a heart-warming time travel tale or a film in which one of the stars of Mean Girls falls for a sexy snowman. Netflix contains multitudes.

So, let's delve a little further into the best Netflix Christmas movies for the holiday period and dish out some festive recommendations. When you're done here, make sure to check out our lists of the best Disney Plus Christmas movies and the best Christmas movies that aren’t really Christmas movies.

20. A Castle for Christmas

Year: 2021
Director: Mary Lambert
Available on: Netflix US/UK

Another Christmas movie with a classic rom-com setup, this film sees a bestselling author named Sophie, played by Brooke Shields, retreat to a castle in Scotland after her last book prompted a scandal. Her grandfather once worked there as a groundskeeper, and while the castle is perfect, the owner, played by Cary Elwes – this time not chopping his foot off with a rusty tool like he did in Saw, sadly – is not. The castle is up for sale, but the catch is, Elwes' character won't be leaving – and is scheming to force Sophie out instead.

The most interesting thing about this movie is that director Mary Lambert is best known for helming some of the best horror movies, including the 1989 adaptation of Pet Sematary, that film's sequel, and also the brilliantly-named Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge. After all of that, she can be forgiven for needing to spend some time in Christmas cardigans.

19. Father Christmas is Back

Year: 2021
Director: Philippe Martinez and Mick Davis
Available on: Netflix US/UK

Father Christmas is Back focuses on a big family gathering for the holiday season, but, as you might expect, nothing runs smoothly once everyone is together. The Christmas family (yes, that's really their name) is led by four sisters who don't get along, and things are made extra complicated by their long-lost dad returning for the festivities. Plus, there's a secret just waiting to be unearthed.

The real draw to this British comedy, though, is a star-studded cast packed full to the brim with people who've made us laugh consistently over the years – from comedy movie stalwarts to sitcom kings and queens. The exciting ensemble includes Elizabeth Hurley, John Cleese, Kelsey Grammer, Caroline Quentin, and Kris Marshall – last seen at Christmas wowing Americans with his British accent in Love Actually.

Love mysteries? Check out our guide to the best Netflix thrillers to watch right now.

18. My Secret Santa

Year: 2025
Director: Mike Rohl
Available on: Netflix US/UK

This comedy puts a Christmas-themed riff on Mrs. Doubtfire. Alexandra Breckenridge plays Taylor Jacobson, a mom who loses her job just before Christmas. Desperate to make money to pay the rent and get her daughter the snowboarding lessons she wants for Christmas, she concocts a scheme: get a job playing Santa Claus at a ski resort. That means roping in her friends to help disguise her as Father Christmas.

Things go well until Taylor meets a handsome man, Matthew Layne (Ryan Eggold), who turns out to be a general manager at the resort. Worried about losing her new job, Taylor must keep up the lie while also falling for Matthew and dodging suspicious staff. My Secret Santa is daft festive fun.

17. Hot Frosty

Year: 2024
Director: Jerry Ciccoritti
Available on: Netflix US/UK

Lindsay Lohan took her turn as a Netflix Christmas movie star, so her Mean Girls frenemy Lacey Chabert obviously had to follow suit. Chabert's festive outing for the streamer comes with a truly ludicrous concept. She plays a widowed cafe owner who places a scarf on a muscular snowman one night, only for it to come to life in the luscious-haired form of Dustin Milligan.

Netflix has perfected its festive formula at this point and Hot Frosty might be the ultimate example of its high-concept seasonal silliness in action. When cheese is this aware of its own cheesiness, it can only be a joyous experience. It's difficult to know where they can go from sexy snowmen. They've set a pretty high bar.

16. Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey

Year: 2020
Director: David E. Talbert
Available on: Netflix US/UK

This one came out in 2020, and is a wonderful adventure packed with all the magic and whimsy of the best Christmas movies. Plus, it's a musical. Need we say more?

Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey revolves around a toymaker and inventor named Jeronicus Jangle, who creates a sentient matador doll (voiced by Ricky Martin!) – who promptly turns on his creator with the help of Jangle's apprentice. A multigenerational tale about family, creativity, and positivity, this is one for the whole family to enjoy.

Read our Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey review for more details!

15. The Knight Before Christmas

Year: 2019
Director: Monika Mitchell
Available on: Netflix US/UK

A time-traveling love story starring Vanessa Hudgens, this Netflix original sees a knight sent from medieval times to the present day – where he meets a woman searching for her very own knight in shining armor. While running over your soulmate might not be the meet-cute everyone dreams of, this film still manages to be packed with plenty to love. It even comes with a Marvel-esque post-credits scene for those who want to whet their appetites for future festive knight adventures.

As sweet as it is ridiculous – very much the Netflix trademark at this time of year – it's cheesy enough to be perfect for a quiet afternoon snuggled up with a hot chocolate this holiday season. After all, there might not be anyone better at this unique sub-genre than Vanessa Hudgens. Speaking of which…

14. A Merry Little Ex-Mas

Year: 2025
Director: Steve Carr
Available on: Netflix US/UK

One of this year's more high profile new holiday movies, A Merry Little Ex-Mas stars Alicia Silverstone and Oliver Hudson. They play a divorcing couple who decide to have one final family Christmas together with their kids. If you think that sounds messy then you're absolutely right, with difficult family members and potential new love interests complicating an already difficult situation.

If you're put off by the thought that A Merry Little Ex-Mas sounds like it might be a touch more cynical than the usual Christmas fare, then don't worry. This is a more genial Christmas comedy than it first appears. Jameela Jamil and Melissa Joan Hart also star.

13. The Princess Switch

Year: 2018
Director: Mike Rohl
Available on: Netflix US/UK

Another Vanessa Hudgens-led entrant to the NHMU (Netflix Holiday Movie Universe), The Princess Switch's title kind of explains it all. An ordinary baker, played by Hudgens, switches places with a Duchess (also Hudgens, naturally). The two women slot into each other's lives and quickly discover they prefer their new situations to their old ones – including their respective love interests.

Things might play out pretty much exactly as you'd expect for a switcheroo like this, but it's still a holiday heart-warmer. And there's good news if you like the movie because it’s now part of a trilogy, followed by a pair of sequels featuring more of Hudgens in both of her festive roles. She really is the queen of Netflix Christmas movies.

For more streaming royalty, read our ranking of the best Netflix shows to watch right now.

12. That Christmas

Year: 2024
Director: Simon Otto
Available on: Netflix US/UK

Richard Curtis is responsible for one of the most controversial holiday classics of all time – the 2003 rom-com Love Actually. More than 20 years later, he's on much more wholesome form with this family adventure from Locksmith Animation. Curtis co-wrote the script based on his own trilogy of children's books, focusing on various Christmas stories in the fictional British seaside town of Wellington-on-Sea. It's Christmas Eve and a blizzard has descended, putting various festive plans in peril.

The cast is full of big guns, including Brian Cox as Santa Claus himself. Elsewhere, it's a dream for fans of British TV comedy – and indeed Doctor Who given the presence of Jodie Whittaker as a nurse forced to work over the holidays. That Christmas is overflowing with festive charm, and it looks pretty damn handsome too.

11. Holidate

Year: 2020
Director: John Whitesell
Available on: Netflix US/UK

Holidate stars Emma Roberts, Luke Bracey, and Wicked's on-stage supremo Kristin Chenoweth. Our two protagonists – played by Roberts and Bracey – are both unlucky in love and, after meeting each other randomly, agree to be each other's fake date to deal with their overbearing families. The holidates stretch on beyond New Year, and genuine attachment starts to form – along with plenty of roadblocks. Can the couple figure out their true feelings eventually? Well, considering it's a Christmas rom-com, probably.

Look, nobody is trying to argue that these movies are breaking new ground. But when you put a lot of likeable and attractive people together into a heartfelt film, with a few Christmas tunes on the soundtrack, the result is very reliable indeed.

10. The Christmas Chronicles

Year: 2018
Director: Clay Kaytis
Available on: Netflix US/UK

What if Kurt Russell played Santa Claus as a sexy, rock n roll hero? That's the central idea at the heart of The Christmas Chronicles, which sees two kids accidentally destroy everyone's presents on Christmas Eve. Santa gets involved, which leads to an adventure to track down the presents, the missing reindeer, and Santa's magical hat. There's even a jailhouse music number in which Russell shows off his Elvis hips.

Goldie Hawn also has a cameo, if that wasn't already enough to convince you this unconventional Christmas movie is definitely worth a watch this season. Plus, there's a surprising amount of heart in this edgy Santa flick, so it slots right into a marathon of the usual sugary-sweet festive fare. Did we mention that Santa Claus does a rock n roll musical number already? We did? Well, we're mentioning it again.

Love some edge? Read our list of the best Netflix action movies.

9. El Camino Christmas

Year: 2017
Director: David E. Talbert
Available on: Netflix US/UK

If you fancy Christmas with a twist this year, look no further than El Camino Christmas. No, it's not a Breaking Bad festive special – although, feel free to steal that idea if you’re from Netflix and happen to be reading this.

This is a dark comedy focusing on a man looking for his father, with the dad played by Tim Allen. Our protagonist, Eric (Luke Grimes,) ends up barricaded in a grocery store with a bunch of strangers, and things reach a violent conclusion. Vincent D'Onofrio and Jessica Alba also have roles in this grim festive film. If feel-good Christmas movies are your jam, it's best to leave this one out of your movie marathon. But if you don't mind a bit of darkness at the most wonderful time of the year, then come on in.

8. Robin Robin

Year: 2021
Director: Dan Ojari and Mikey Please
Available on: Netflix US/UK

Aardman Animation has formed a fruitful partnership with Netflix and, in 2021, the UK's premier stop-motion factory delivered a stunning short animated tale in Robin Robin. The music-infused tale runs for just 30 minutes, but tells a delightful story about a robin brought up by a family of mice who goes on an adventure to show how good a mouse they are.

The film won an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Short Film and, in 2024, the directors revealed that they are working on more stories set within this world. If this lovely little blast of festive fun is anything to go by, there's plenty of storytelling magic on the way from the Robin Robin Cinematic Universe. With the creative geniuses at Aardman involved, the sky is the limit.

For more award winners, check out our list of the best Apple TV movies.

7. Dolly Parton's Christmas on the Square

Year: 2020
Director: Debbie Allen
Available on: Netflix US/UK

It just wouldn't be Christmas without Dolly Parton, apparently. In fact, she wrote every single song on the soundtrack to this musical. The film co-stars Christina Baranski as a Scrooge-like figure who wants to kick everyone out of her hometown so she can sell the land – on Christmas Eve, no less. Parton plays an angel, rather than a Ghost of Christmas Past/Present/Future, and the film is just as perfectly campy and cheesy as it sounds.

This is a definite heart-warmer and, if you're sick of humming the same old Christmas songs every year, this one's for you. There aren't many real people walking this planet who are as magical as Dolly Parton, so she's perfectly suited for a festive tale.

6. A Christmas Prince

Year: 2017
Director: Alex Zamm
Available on: Netflix US/UK

The first film of the Christmas Prince trilogy – perhaps the ultimate example of the Netflix Christmas movie formula in action – this is another tale of an ordinary woman and a prince falling in love. It's strange how often something like this seems to happen over the holiday season – on Netflix, especially. Prince Richard doesn't want his country’s throne, and Amber, a journalist posing as the princess's tutor, is trying to unravel why in the search for her big break.

Naturally, the two start to fall in love but, equally naturally, things aren't easy for the budding couple as their relationship has to navigate a lot of royal drama. If you love this film, the good news is there are two more available to stream afterward. So that's more than enough royal romance to keep you occupied for all of your present wrapping time this year.

Love happy endings? Check out our list of the best Disney Plus movies.

5. Jingle Bell Heist

Year: 2025
Director: Michael Fimognari
Available on: Netflix US/UK

This fun romance puts a crime caper spin on the holiday movie. Sophie (Olivia Holt) and Nick (Connor Swindells) are a pair of department store workers on long hours and low – and sometimes no – pay. They decide to strike back against their horrible boss by making a plan to rob the store they're working at on Christmas Eve. That means dressing up to infiltrate a swanky party, dodging security guards, and using every trick up their sleeves to get to the cash.

Along the way, however, something unexpected happens: sparks start to fly between the two of them. Will the real treasure turn out to be a lasting romance between Sophie and Nick? Discover for yourself by checking out this genuinely funny and entertaining Christmas flick.

4. The Merry Gentlemen

Year: 2024
Director: Peter Sullivan
Available on: Netflix US/UK

Britt Robertson and Chad Michael Murray seem exactly the perfect combination of actors for a festive movie of this ilk, and they rise to the occasion entirely in this slice of Christmas romance. In fact, this film pushes the formula even further by ensuring that there's not just one shirtless man to raise the temperature but a whole troupe of them.

Robertson plays the mastermind behind an all-male show designed to save her parents' debt-ridden performance venue. Murray, meanwhile, is the incredibly muscular local handyman whose physique inspired her plan. Will they find some sort of romantic entanglement while putting the show together? If you're this far down the list, then you can almost certainly hazard a decent guess at the answer.

3. Family Switch

Year: 2023
Director: McG
Available on: Netflix US/UK

This chaotic comedy sees a family descend into pure anarchy when a rare planetary alignment causes the parents to swap bodies with their teenage kids. In a hilarious journey to try to reach normalcy once again, each family member must find their way back to their original bodies whilst learning more about the one they're in. So it's pretty much Freaky Friday, but sprinkled with tinsel and fairy lights.

Starring The Hangover's Ed Helms, Jennifer Garner, and Wednesday's Emma Myers, Family Switch is the perfect Christmas comedy to snuggle into after one too many glasses of egg nog on Christmas Eve. The reviews weren't particularly kind, but that's par for the course when it comes to the holiday offering from Netflix.

2. Alien Xmas

Year: 2020
Director: Stephen Chiodo
Available on: Netflix US/UK

A stop-motion animation, this is another unique Netflix original to enjoy this Christmas. At just 42 minutes, it can slot into any movie marathon – and you'll definitely want to give this one a go. It comes from the mind of one of the Chiodo Brothers – special effects and claymation specialists best known for the 1980s cult classic film Killer Klowns from Outer Space.

In Alien Xmas, an elf thinks a little alien is a Christmas gift, but as it turns out, the alien has big plans for such a small creature. Not only does he want to take out Earth's gravity, but he also wants to steal all the presents. It's part of a larger plan to take all of Earth's "stuff" – but can the little alien learn the true meaning of Christmas in his adventures with his young friend?

Read our list of the best Netflix sci-fi movies next.

1. Operation Christmas Drop

Year: 2020
Director: Martin Wood
Available on: Netflix US/UK

Loosely based on the story of a real-life humanitarian mission, this is the sort of Christmas movie that won't leave a single dry eye in the house. Kat Graham plays a politician's assistant sent to a US Air Force base to justify its upcoming closure. There, she meets an incredibly handsome captain – played by Alexander Ludwig of The Hunger Games fame – and learns about the way the base sends Christmas goods to people on nearby islands each year.

Christmas romance stories are already pretty wholesome, but this one gets an extra blast of schmaltz from the undeniable emotional heft of its central premise. The fact it shines a spotlight on the very real and very lovely tradition of Operation Christmas Drop is an added bonus.

For more, check out our guides to the best Christmas TV episodes of all time, the best Christmas horror movies, and the best Christmas movies on Disney Plus.

Back to the Future stars Christopher Lloyd and Lea Thompson are reuniting for a Hallmark Christmas movie, which is about – what else? – time travel.

"Angie wonders what her life would be like if she had married a former boyfriend who became a famous sportscaster," reads the official synopsis for Next Stop, Christmas, courtesy of Entertainment Weekly. 

"She takes the train home to spend Christmas with her family and inexplicably finds herself 10 years in the past. With the advice of the train's enigmatic conductor, Angie has the chance to revisit that Christmas and learn what – and who – is truly important to her." Check out a first look at the movie below.

Along with Thompson and Lloyd, the movie also stars Lyndsy Fonseca and Chandler Massey.

Thompson played Marty McFly's mother Lorraine Baines in Back to the Future, while Lloyd portrayed the genius inventor Doc Brown. Clearly neither actor is a stranger to a time travel story, but Next Stop, Christmas won't even be their first movie featuring a decade-hopping train: Back to the Future 3 involved Doc turning a steam engine into a time machine.

Back to the Future co-writer Bob Gale has been clear that there will never be a fourth installment in the franchise – so, since we'll never see Doc behind the wheel of the DeLorean again, Next Stop, Christmas seems a can't-miss if you're longing for more time-travelling adventures with Lloyd and Thompson.

The film will debut on the Hallmark Channel this November 6. Until then, check out our guide to all of 2021's upcoming major movie release dates.

Want to know what are the best Christmas movies that aren't really Christmas movies in 2025? This is the list for you. Here we've pulled together 10 films that make for an exciting alternative best Christmas movies list that skirts the cliches of festive cheer, mistletoe kisses, and spoiled children tearing open presents.

If you want to do things a little differently this year when it comes to your Christmas viewing then you're in the right place. We've added dark dramas, superhero adventures, and – yes – Die Hard to our list here. We've also decided to stay clear of the best Christmas horror movies, since they all tend to be more festive than not.

The movies on this list are either set at Christmas, feature motifs related to the season, or simply have those quintessential cozy vibes you need at this time of year. They're all certified crackers, whenever you watch them, so sit back and enjoy.

10. Little Women

Year: 2019
Director: Greta Gerwig

There's not one, but two Christmas scenes in this movie, plus it was released in cinemas on Christmas Day in 2019 – what more do you want? Little Women is just a barrage of festive wholesomeness. Of course, there's the 1994 version starring Winona Ryder too, but we're talking about the Greta Gerwig adaptation.

The small ladies in question are played by Saoirse Ronan, Florence Pugh, Eliza Scanlen and Emma Watson, with Laura Dern as Marmee. Plus, the two Christmas scenes aren't just nice to watch, they also highlight the changes in the March family over time, so they’re vital to the plot.

Check out our Little Women review for more insights.

9. Iron Man 3

Year: 2013
Director: Shane Black

The third Iron Man instalment is sometimes a little bit overlooked in the MCU, coming as it does immediately after the game-changing first Avengers movie. That's a shame, as it's arguably the best of Tony Stark's solo trilogy. Suffering from PTSD following Loki's attack on Earth in the preceding film, Tony (Robert Downey Jnr.) is determined to make the world a safer place – by any means necessary. Meanwhile, the villainous Mandarin (Ben Kingsley) masterminds a series of bombings around the world and Aldrich Killian (Guy Pearce) plots revenge against Stark.

Plot wise, Iron Man 3 could take place at any time of the year. It's set in the holiday season, though, and there are subtle hints of A Christmas Carol in the way that Tony learns to change his ways. It's a terrific movie whenever you watch it. 

8. The Green Knight

Year: 2021
Director: David Lowery

We've all been on a Christmas mission in our time, but rather than braving the supermarket rush to grab the last frozen turkey, Dev Patel's Sir Gawain is faced with ghosts and giants on his festive pursuit of purpose in The Green Knight. After slaying the titular mythological monster on Christmas Day, Gawain is told to meet his foe again one year later to receive the same fate, thus embarking on a journey through woodlands, over mountains, and into the deepest depths of despair and delusion.

Not only is The Green Knight one of the greatest A24 movies to date – high praise, indeed – it's also one of the weirdest Christmas movies you're likely to find, but it still counts. David Lowery's film is visually stunning, with surrealist imagery and carefully composed frames, and its medieval-set tale is both riveting and profound. The Green Knight's almost anti-ambiguous ending rather perfectly sums up the more cynical approach to Christmas, too; sometimes, leaving all that magic and sentimental stuff at the door is fine.

7. Paddington

Year: 2014
Director: Paul King

Who wouldn't want to spend the most wonderful time of the year with a kind and polite little bear? All three Paddington movies encompass everything good about the holiday season – kindness, generosity, family; they emanate warmth.

The titular bear is voiced by Ben Whishaw, with a supporting cast including Julie Walters, Sally Hawkins, and Peter Capaldi, while Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grant take on the role of villain in each respective movie. The first installment follows Paddington as he travels from Peru to London, where he's taken in by the Brown family. Wholesomeness ensues.

Read our Paddington review next or look at his new adventure with our guide to Paddignton 3.

6. In Bruges

Year: 2008
Director: Martin McDonagh

Martin McDonagh, Colin Farrell, and Brendan Gleeson have teamed up to make some of the greatest comedies of the 2000s, and while The Banshees of Inisherin pulled in plenty of Oscar buzz for the trio, it was their work on In Bruges all those years ago that remains their finest collaboration. The film sees haphazard hitman Ray (Farrell) and his mentor, Ken (Gleeson), sent to the Belgian capital after one of Ray's missions goes drastically wrong, and a child ends up in the firing line. As a result, Ken is tasked with tidying up after his pal, with devastating (and hilarious) consequences.

Sounds pretty dark, right? Well, yes, it is, but what is Christmas without a few tasteless jokes? The fact of the matter is, the events of In Bruges take place at Christmas, it's a story about repentance and redemption, and it sees one man trying to soak up some culture and enjoy life while his friend just wants to get drunk and be miserable. If that doesn't match up with your experience of the holidays, you're doing it all wrong.

Read our In Bruges review for more on this gem.

5. Die Hard

Year: 1988
Director: John McTiernan

Die Hard begins as a story about a man trying to reconnect with his wife on Christmas Eve, but quickly descends into chaos and carnage as Nakatomi Plaza finds itself under siege from the maniacal Hans Gruber and his team of mercenaries. With hostages aplenty, it's up to NYPD Detective John McClane – one of the greatest action movie heroes of all time – to save the day.

Yes, Die Hard may be a badass, blistering action flick, but movies very rarely fit into just one category, and the fact this '80s classic literally takes place at Christmas is enough to settle the argument: it's 100% a Christmas movie. That's not to mention the fact John McClane dresses up his nemeses in snazzy festive jumpers, too – how sweet!

4. Batman Returns

Year: 1992
Director: Tim Burton

Following up the 1989 Batman movie was always going to be tough, but with Batman Returns, Tim Burton really cut loose and imbued his superhero sequel with all the fantastical, gothic charm he could muster. Burton's Gotham City becomes a winter wonderland, at least until Batman villains Penguin and Catwoman wreak havoc in their own special ways and bring Bruce Wayne's world crashing down.

You only have to take a look at the snow-covered streets and that gargantuan Christmas tree in Gotham Plaza to realize Batman Returns isn't just one of the best Batman movies, it's also ideal viewing for the festive season. It has a will-they-won't-they romantic subplot, a mean-spirited bad guy looking to spoil everyone's fun, and a mysterious man flying through the night sky – what more could you ask for?

3. Eyes Wide Shut

Year: 1999
Director: Stanley Kubrick

Eyes Wide Shut is set at Christmas therefore it's a Christmas film. Stanley Kubrick's final film before the filmmaker's death in 1999 stars Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman (who were married IRL at the time) as Bill and Alice, a couple whose relationship is strained after Alice admits she has considered cheating on Bill.

This results in Bill embarking on a night-long escapade, which includes infiltrating a masked sex party held by an unnamed secret society. Standard Christmas fare, we think you'll agree.

Want to dive into classic cinema? Read our Eyes Wide Shut review.

2. Phantom Thread

Year: 2017
Director: Paul Thomas Anderson

If you enjoyed this year's One Battle After Another and want to try another film from director Paul Thomas Anderson's stacked back catalog, then give Phantom Thread a go. This twisted romance follows Alma (Vicky Krieps), a young woman who falls for the handsome fashion designer Reynolds Woodcock (Daniel Day-Lewis). As their relationship progresses, however, Alma struggles to cope with the obsessive, fastidious way he lives his life. The action comes to a head over the holiday season, hence its inclusion on this list.

Phantom Thread puts a gothic twist on the costume drama, while still maintaining a surprisingly strong sense of humor. It's another beautiful, intricate work from Anderson, and an unforgettable film that takes you on a dark, strange journey before leading you back out into the light.

1. Citizen Kane

Year: 1942
Director: Orson Welles

If you incorporate Citizen Kane into your festive viewing schedule, you can watch Mank (David Fincher's film about the movie's screenwriter, Herman J. Mankiewicz) afterward for the ultimate film nerd's Boxing Day double bill.

The movie is about Charles Foster Kane, a media tycoon based on William Randolph Hearst, who, despite his wealth and power, struggles to process the events of his childhood. Christmas is key to Orson Welles' 1941 classic, although it may not seem so from the outset – the all-important Rosebud sled is a childhood Christmas gift from Thatcher to Kane, and without Rosebud, there'd be no story.

Want to know more about our top pick? Read our Citizen Kane review.

For more holiday goodness, check out our lists of the best Christmas TV episodes and the best Disney Plus Christmas movies.

The Muppet Christmas Carol remains a much-loved festive classic, but now there’s even more to enjoy. A previously lost song is being restored to the movie – though it might not arrive on Disney Plus in time for Christmas.

As reported by the BBC, a ballad called "When Love Is Gone" was removed from the film as Disney thought its maturity wouldn’t be enjoyable for younger viewers. The song was originally meant to play as Scrooge is taken back in time by the ghost of Christmas Past, when Scrooge and his fiancée Belle end their relationship as, predictably, the notorious workaholic is prioritising his job.

Director Brian Henson, son of Muppets creator Jim Henson, explained to BBC Radio 2 why a love ballad didn't feel like a good fit in the film: “Because there is no loving relationship that we can celebrate in that movie… So the love ballad is when Belle is leaving Scrooge.”

Jeffrey Katzenberg, a producer on the film, thought the song too "sophisticated emotionally" for its young audience.

Henson reflected: "So I reluctantly agreed [to remove the song] because he said: 'If you say you're not going to do it, you don't have to do it', and I was like: 'Well now, darn it, I guess I will because you want me to'. The agreement was we would remove it from the theatrical release but then put it back in for all of the television and video releases from then on."

But Henson has now revealed that the song, once thought lost, will be added back to the film. Though the ballad remained on VHS copies of the movie, it didn’t make it to DVDs – and the video master and negative were missing.

However, when Henson went to view the 4K remaster of The Muppet Christmas Carol, he was surprised that the song had been found and restored. "I was so excited. They actually hid it... so I went down and they said: 'But before we show it to you, we've got something else we want to show you'. And they put up reel four of Christmas Carol with 'When Love Is Gone'. I was like, 'No, you did not!' and they said, 'Yes we did! We found it!' I was so happy, I was so happy.”

He added: "They are all set with the full-length version again. I don't know if they are going to get it up on Disney Plus in time for Christmas because they have all these processes but it is coming back, the full-length version is coming back."

Here’s hoping that, if we don’t get "When Love Is Gone" this Christmas Present, we might get it in a Christmas Yet to Come (AKA, next year). For now, check out our roundup of the 35 best Christmas films to watch this season.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year (well, nearly) – the trailer for The Christmas Chronicles 2 has dropped. A sequel to 2018’s The Christmas Chronicle, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’s Kurt Russell returns as Santa Claus, while his real-life partner Goldie Hawn joins the cast as Mrs Claus.

Home Alone director Chris Columbus has taken the reins from Clay Kaytis for the sequel, but the cast is full of familiar faces – alongside Russell, Big Little Lies’ Darby Camp, and Kimberly Williams-Paisley of Father of the Bride fame are also reprising their roles (as teenager Kate and her mother Claire, respectively). Meanwhile, Hunt for the Wilderpeople’s Julian Dennison has joined the cast.

Our first look at the new Christmas caper shows Santa Claus reunited with Kate. It’s been two years since their last festive escapade, and this time she’s reluctantly on a beach holiday in Cancun with her mum’s new boyfriend and his son Jack (newcomer Jahzir Bruno). 

Kate’s had enough and decides to run away, but she ends up further away than planned when she and Jack unexpectedly find themselves on a new adventure with Saint Nick. A mysterious villain named Belsnickel is threatening to destroy the North Pole and ruin Christmas forever, and the kids must work together with Santa and Mrs Claus to save the day.

If you’re after some wholesome, festive fun for all the family, you can get in the spirit nice and early – The Christmas Chronicles 2 hits Netflix on November 25.

Set fire to some chestnuts and prepare for a big man in red to stage a home invasion, because it is absolutely Christmas time. It might be the season of giving, but it's also the season of staying indoors, not changing out of your pajamas for three days and watching an endless stream of Christmas movies. We asked team GamesRadar which films are non-negotiable at this time of year, the ones they have to watch once the presents have been opened and the Christmas pudding has been gobbled, and we got some surprising answers.

Happy holidays! 

Looking for the best Christmas movies ever? Check out our ultimate countdown of the festive films you should watch during the holidays. 

 The Muppet Christmas Carol 

I have a bit of a problem in my house for Christmas, as my dad is a 'no TV' kind of person for the holidays. We’re more the 'easy listening carols and awkward conversation' kind of family, which is probably why the Bucks Fizz comes out while we’re mostly still in PJs. But, more or less for that reason, The Muppet Christmas Carol is my go-to movie. I once wasn’t allowed to watch it one Christmas because of the TV rule, as a grown-ass man. And I ended up in a sulk on the sofa watching all my friends tweeting GIFs and lines from it while it was on. Everyone I knew basically watched it together via the good side of social media, and I missed out. To reiterate: grown-ass man, sulking on the sofa because he can’t watch the Muppets. I was lucky at least to catch a repeat a few days later, alone at home, and I basically protest-watched the whole thing hugging all the chocolate and booze I’d brought back from my parents'. It’s basically not Christmas until Michael Caine has chewed the scenery as Scrooge and 'sung' Thankful Heart. Leon Hurley

The Snowman

I'm not usually the sentimental type when it comes to Christmas, but whenever The Snowman comes on the TV when it's cold outside, the fairy lights are gently pulsing on our Christmas tree, and I have a small canine to pet, my heart swells. That movie was colorful (and simple) enough to bewitch me when I was younger, and now, whether it's the pitchfork of nostalgia that's stabbing me in the gut or the simple fact that I can't hear "We're walking in the air" without wanting to tune in with a disastrous falsetto, The Snowman is my family's go-to Christmas movie. It's the kind of thing where, as there's no talking, you can just have it on in the background while its heart-warming soundtrack plays throughout the house, and it always seems to come on TV just when my whole family have eaten themselves into a food coma. And somehow I always get choked up at the end, despite knowing exactly what's coming. Bah, humbug. Zoe Delahunty-Light

The Holiday

I don't care what anyone says. The Holiday is a great Christmas movie - so great, in fact, that my mum and I watch it every year without fail. And what's not to love? Jude Law playing a recent divorcee with adorable children; Jack Black playing a musician who's so suave and yet still so Jack Black but somehow manages to be attractive; and Kate Winslet as an Englishwoman looking for an escape from a disastrous relationship who switches houses with the equally trapped and disastrous Cameron Diaz. It's funny, lighthearted, occasionally very soppy - and if you can't be a sop at Christmas, when can you? - and introduces the entire concept of a meet-cute. If you're not all trying to be Mr. Napkinhead 'round the dinner table this Christmas, you're doing it wrong. Sam Loveridge

A Charlie Brown Christmas

I'm torn between National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation ("Oh, the silent majesty of a winter's morn... the clean, cool chill of the holiday air... an asshole in his bathrobe, emptying a chemical toilet into my sewer…”) and A Charlie Brown Christmas. SWEETHOTMINCEPIES, who am I kidding? It's Charlie Brown. Good old Chuck. Good old browbeaten, optimistic, Chuck. When the title music kicks in and Charlie Brown’s pals are all skating on the lake… godammit, I’m choking up just thinking about it. It might be my age, but there’s something about Charlie Brown that captures the bittersweet contradictions of youth: the cruelty and kindness, the joy and sadness, the sense of being trapped in a moment, yet wondering why time goes so fast. That imperfect, fraternal warmth - that you never appreciate until you’re older, and those ties have faded away - of friends that suck, but also kinda rule. At the end of the movie, Charlie Brown plants a sad Christmas tree, which buckles under the weight of one bauble. He slumps away defeated… when Linus appears to wrap his blanket around it. The tree stands tall, and all his friends decorate it. "I never thought it was such a bad little tree. It’s not bad at all really. Maybe it just needs a little love," Linus concludes. Dammit. Now I'm sad. Dan Dawkins

The Santa Clause 

The Santa Clause is the must-watch Christmas movie of the year in my home. By which I mean, I must watch it... every single Christmas... or I get very, very crabby with everyone around me. Trust me, it’s not pretty. In fact, I usually insist on watching the entire trilogy. Yes, that’s right, there are three Santa Clause films, and if you’ve no idea what I’m talking about, you’re doing Christmas wrong. Fact. The 1994 classic is the perfect festive film! Starring Tim Allen as Scott Calvin, a high-flying businessman but sub-par father, he and his young son Charlie (played by Eric Lloyd) are in for what looks like a fairly disappointing Christmas until he accidentally kills Santa and invokes… The Santa Clause. What’s that, I hear you ask? Well, in short, it’s a specific clause in the Santa contract which states that whoever kills Santa then takes his place. Cue Scott Calvin gaining a ton of weight and suddenly developing a taste for warm milk. He literally becomes Santa, which is why this film is such a joy to watch. Who didn’t want to be - or at least know - Santa when they were a kid? Don’t deny it! Watch this movie and you’ll be immediately transported back to a time of wide-eyed optimism and hope when you really, truly would have loved for your Dad to become Santa. And all he’d need to do is push the real Santa off a roof… sigh. Lauren O’Callaghan  

Mad Max: Fury Road 

I'm not one for rewatching movies on a yearly schedule, and neither is my family (though 1966's How the Grinch Stole Christmas! is the Christmas movie closest to our hearts). So instead, let me tell you the tale of a recent Christmas break when I convinced my family to gather 'round the telly for a screening of George Miller's pulse-pounding desert odyssey Mad Max: Fury Road. Some of us had seen it, but many hadn't, and I was sure that its breakneck speed, thrilling stunts, wild aesthetic, and strong female characters would be a hit with everyone. What I had forgotten about were some particularly harrowing scenes, like when (minor spoilers) a dead baby is cut out from the stomach of one of Immortan Joe's captive wives. Overall, I think most of my family appreciated this godlike action movie, even if some found it a bit too intense - but I'm certain we'll be sticking to tamer fare for future family gatherings. Lucas Sullivan

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation 

Where I come from, it's not really Christmas until we've watched the Griswold family go from nearly dying between the axles of a massive lumber-hauling truck to celebrating on their front lawn with a gung-ho SWAT team. I've seen National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation at least two dozen times, and now more than ever it gives me immense pride to know my family made an annual tradition of viewing perhaps the only true holiday classic to feature a prominent F-bomb. Granted, my parents would fast forward through the "hap-hap-happiest Christmas since Bing Crosby tapdanced with Danny f@#$ing Kaye" line when I was especially young, but the point stands. You know, I never thought about it until now, but Christmas Vacation came out the same year I was born - 1989 - and I think we've both aged pretty gracefully since then. Hallelujah, holy shit. Connor Sheridan

Elf

"You sit on a throne of lies." That's all I have to say to anyone who doesn't pick Elf as one of their top Christmas movies. It's genuinely funny, it's sweet without ever getting sickly, and James Caan from The Godfather puts his acting chops to good use while he chitchats with Santa Claus. Will Ferrell makes Buddy more than just a visual joke or a funny freak: he's a Maple Syrup shower of kindness in a grumpy - but never scary - New York. I watch it every year, every year I cry at the singing scene, and I will keep watching it until I the apocalypse has wiped every present and tree off the face of this godforsaken earth... even if I have to train a troupe of cockroaches to act it out. Rachel Weber

Did we miss a classic? Will no one show some love for Scrooged or Home Alone or even Eyes Wide Shut? Let us know on Twitter.

After the first Last Christmas trailer was released, fans began to speculate that there cold be a dark twist in the movie. Could this romantic comedy, which centres on Emilia Clarke's Kate, a down-on-her-luck Christmas store employee who bumps into the too-good-to-be-true Tom (Crazy Rich Asians actor Henry Golding), be as feel-good as the trailer implies? One major theory posits that Golding's character is actually a ghost, while another suggests he could be a figment of Kate's imagination.

Whatever the case, director Paul Feig, who previously helmed Bridesmaids and the Ghostbusters reboot, has teased a happy ending. Speaking to GamesRadar and Total Film, he said: "All my movies are good-natured and uplifting. Even when they’re dark, like A Simple Favour [a mystery thriller starring Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively], even that’s uplifting at the end. I never make a movie to upset people, so I think people will be very happy with how it pans out."

The filmmaker went on to discuss how it's difficult to make a "straight comedy" as people are "very hostile about something that exists to make you happy." He said: "Whenever I put out a trailer for one of my more comedy comedies, it’s met with as much hostility as people who are excited by it. People go, “Oh you’ve ruined it, all the best jokes are in the thing.” I feel like there’s a feeling of, “How dare you try to make us happy! How dare you just try and give us something light that doesn’t mean anything!” It’s a very weird thing... I’m never going to do something that doesn’t have a positive message at the end. So you can expect that from this."

Read our full Q&A with Feig, in which the director talks about the music of George Michael and whether there could be a sequel to Bridesmaids.

Last Christmas reaches UK cinemas 15 November. 

"Last Christmas, I gave you my heart, but the very next day, you gave it away..." 

Those are the heartbreaking words of George Michael and Wham's "Last Christmas", the classic festive jingle that has been transformed into a feature-length movie starring Game of Thrones actress Emilia Clarke and Crazy Rich Asians actor Henry Golding. If that's not already the recipe for a wonderfully joyous Christmas movie, then you'll be happy to learn that Bridesmaids mastermind Paul Feig is on directing duties and has set the movie on the beautiful streets of London. 

"Anybody who’s been to Britain just goes, 'It’s so beautiful at this time of year.' There’s just a magical quality to it," he tells GamesRadar and Total Film. "Over the years, I’ve gone, 'I want to make a movie about London,' to show the city off in a way that someone not from here sees it. People who live in a place see it as their day to day grind. You never step back and really appreciate it. It’s fun for me as an outsider to show London off in a way that you might not see it anymore."

Of course, there's a lot more to the movie than its London-at-Christmas aesthetic. The plot centres on Clarke's character Kate, a down-on-her-luck Christmas store employee who, by chance, bumps into Golding's Tom. The two quickly strike up a relationship, but all may not be as it seems...Like Michael's iconic song, there's going to be heartbreak and lots (and lots) of tears. 

We sat down with Feig to discuss Last Christmas just as the new trailer, which you can watch below, launches online. Topics touched upon include the movie's potential twist, whether the director would ever make Bridesmaids 2, and why feel-good movies are a rarity in Hollywood. Read our Q&A with the director below (edited for clarity).

After the first trailer launched online, a lot of people were theorising that there could be a dark twist, that perhaps Henry Golding's character is a ghost... Without spoiling anything, can you confirm whether we'll be crying happy tears or sad tear by the end of the movie?

[Laughs] Well, all my movies are good-natured and uplifting. Even when they’re dark, like A Simple Favour [a mystery thriller starring Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively], even that’s uplifting at the end. I never make a movie to upset people, so I think people will be very happy with how it pans out.

It’s interesting that people are talking about a dark twist. There aren’t many purely nice films at the moment.

That’s why it’s very difficult to do straight comedy these days. People are very hostile about something that exists to make you happy. Whenever I put out a trailer for one of my more comedy comedies, it’s met with as much hostility as people who are excited by it. People go, “Oh you’ve ruined it, all the best jokes are in the thing.” I feel like there’s a feeling of, “How dare you try to make us happy! How dare you just try and give us something light that doesn’t mean anything!” It’s a very weird thing. When people are looking for darkness, it is a sign of the times. But, for me as a filmmaker, I’m not going to spend a year of my life making something that’s not going to make people happy in some way. I want to take everyone through the fire, that’s my favourite thing to do, to get dark and very weird, but I’m never going to do something that doesn’t have a positive message at the end. So you can expect that from this.

It feels like those joyful movies are very old Hollywood.

That’s what I most loved about the response to Last Christmas online. Outside of people looking for a secret twist, the response from a lot of people was, “Oh thank God one of these movies is coming out!” But it’s also a sign of the times. This is a very pessimistic time we’re stuck in, politically, the way the world is working right now. I don’t want to pile on. But it was interesting that, when we made A Simple Favour last year, that was made in a spirit of everyone’s itching for a fight. With Brexit and Trump and all that. You felt people didn’t want to be diverted by escapism. Then you felt it turning. By the time this script showed up, I was thinking, “I’m ready for something like this.” It was just nice. The response that came from the internet made me feel good – that we’re not out of time.

They do say that these things come in stages – that when it’s a dark time we look to art for something light.

Totally. I thought it would be that people immediately wanted escapism, but it was like a year, year and a half of, “I just want dark, good verses evil."

Last Christmas is inspired by the music of George Michael, but you’ve said this isn’t a jukebox movie. How much of his music can we expect? Will there be a new song every five minutes?

It’s very organic to the movie. It’s a mix of some songs that are completely interactive with the characters, while some songs just go over the top of what they’re doing, but never in a montage way. This movie’s about a woman who wants to be a singer and her hero is George Michael. I wanted to capture how the music we listen to creates a soundtrack to our lives that we are never aware of until you hear a song and think, “That reminds me of this time in my life.” Or you put on a song and it becomes your current soundtrack. That’s what I wanted to play out because I love music so much. It’s such an unconscious thing in my life. 

The movie never set out to have 15 George Michael songs in it. It was loosely based on Last Christmas, and we knew loosely where others would play because Emma [Thompson, who wrote the script and stars as Clarke's character's mother] had written, “This would be a good place to play a George song.” That was it.

With this, plus the huge dance sequence during the credits of your Ghostbusters reboot, surely you should be directing a musical some time soon?

That’s happening as soon as I can make it! Everyone in my company [Feigco Entertainment] knows, I’m like, “Find me a musical!” But I’m not drawn to doing a musical that exists already. I’m drawn to making an original one. There’s one we’ve been working on for a while, but I don’t know if it’s the right one. I’m a big Bollywood fan, and there’s something about those dance numbers, the way they’re worked in. I’m trying to figure out how to do that.

Something striking about Last Christmas is that, before the events of the movie, Emilia Clarke's character is in hospital. In real life, Clarke has a stroke eight years ago. Was that something you were aware of and did it impact the script at all?

That was always in the script, back before Emilia was attached or anything like that. That was part of the storytelling. I met with Emilia three or four years before and fell in love with her because she’s so funny and effervescent in that sort of way, but it was only once she was attached on that she told me about that. Beyond that, it was an organic thing that happened to the character.

It feels like a very brave thing to take on a part that could hit so close to home. And then she also sings! Did you know she was a singer before casting her?

Absolutely. And no, I didn’t know she could sing! I cast her knowing she had to sing a few times in the movie. I think she knew. Wait, did she? Yes, I think so. It wasn’t as hard-wired into the script as it ended up being. But you knew she wanted to be a singer and had a couple of audition scenes. But, I kind of hired her and thought, “Oh gosh, I didn’t ask if she could sing.” But then I saw some Dolce and Gabbana commercial where she sings in Italian, and then I knew that was not a problem. And she has this lovely voice. Sometimes I stumble into stuff and I then I realise I didn’t even think about that.

You’ve directed a Christmas movie before. the more children centred Unaccompanied Minors. What Christmas faux-pas did you know to avoid this time around? What lessons did you learn?

It was more about the stakes and the characters. Unaccompanied Minors began as Grounded and was very much about children of divorce and creating new families. We were a week into production and the studio head got nervous that we were being mean towards divorced parents. He shut us down and made us cut a lot of that stuff out. What we ended up with… I’m proud of all my babies, even the ugly ones, but a kids romp which they could watch on Nickelodeon. Here we have deep emotional stakes where characters are going through important things. At Christmas, there’s all the eating and fun and all of that, but it brings out heavy emotions. That’s what people want out of a Christmas movie, instead of people running around and there just happen to be Christmas trees in the background. So when I read this – and my goal was to never do a Christmas movie again – but I loved this script so much and it just happened to be set at Christmas time.

You’ve never done a sequel to one of your films. Is that something you would like to do?

I try to avoid it because – everyone thinks they want a sequel to Bridesmaids. Whereas that could be really fun, one of the reasons the first movie works is not because of the wedding or all the shitting in the sinks – which is a good scene, I’ve got to say – but because Kristen Wiig’s character is this mess who goes through the fire and has to repair herself at the end. To take a movie like that and do a sequel… We could take [Melissa McCarthy's character] Megan and get her married, which is a really funny idea, but how do I invest the audience in that? You can’t just have Kristen’s life fall apart again and put back together. It always sounds so easy, like a  done thing, but it’s that spirit of discovery you have in that first movie that really pulls you along, whether you notice that or not. You watch the character become something else. 

That said, when you watch Spy, I felt like we could definitely do more of these. But we haven’t so far because there hasn’t been interest from the studio in it. That would be one I would think about. Even then, I know I have the greatest setup for Spy 2 ever, I’m so excited about it, but then you get the nitty gritty. Again, that was a movie about a woman overcoming her non-confidence to become strong. If you meet someone and they’re a badass at the beginning and a badass at the end, is that going to be enough?

Last Christmas reaches UK cinemas 15 November.

I really like crap Christmas TV movies. I’m not just talking about Christmas films here, you must understand. I’m not just talking about cheesy Christmas films. I’m talking about the specific, rubbish, trite, shamelessly gooey, made-for-TV type films that appear en masse out of nowhere between November and early January, and then vanish just as quickly for another year. The televisual equivalent of those cheap, pop-up Christmas stores that turn up in empty spaces in shopping centres, seemingly neither owned nor requested by anyone in particular, yet still somehow inevitable. The films whose titles are created by simply adding any noun you like to the phrase “A Christmas…” Complete that equation by sticking your finger in the dictionary blindfolded, type the result into the IMDB, and you’ll likely find 20 different films for each spontaneously made-up title. But you’re onto a real winner if you use the likes of “Dream”, “Wish”, “Homecoming”, or “Puppy”.

And perhaps the worst part is that I’m no longer ashamed of it. Though I did try to resist for a long time. When, just a couple of Decembers ago, I first became consciously aware of the sheer volume of saccharine, sparkling bilge available to gush into my living room via the multitude of low-rent, no-name, free TV channels out there, I was initially unmoved. There may have been some barely perceptible, low-level, film-snob snark on the periphery of my psyche, but hardly enough to move the needle. But somewhere along the line, suddenly, and far too quickly for me to prepare my defences, something changed.

I’m not sure exactly when it started. Perhaps the insidious, joyful seeds were planted on that first, fateful Saturday morning, as I reclined in my customarily decadent, nigh-Roman sense of self-congratulation and embarked upon a really damn serious Christmas holiday breakfast, while casually perusing Dean Cain haphazardly helping some orphans. Cain was certainly there in the early days (as he has been often since), the erstwhile Superman now dedicated to an entirely new, slightly less remarkable, but tenfold schmaltzier brand of heroism – okay, fivefold; I am under no allusions as to the time I wasted with Lois and Clark in the ‘90s. In one of the earlier instances, I recall, he appeared as a hapless everyman forced to embrace his humanity by assisting some cherubic children with something festive. Probably something important and community focused, centred around the bluntly symbolic totem of a Christmas tree.

I italicise those words not just because the shamelessly manipulative plot elements they represent now stick in my Crap Christmas TV Movie experienced mind like furballs in a hacking cat (where once my genre naïveté missed the deliberate nature of their conniving, heart-warming design), but because they, among many other, very specific devices, will become important in a moment. But regardless of the specifics, Crap Christmas TV Movies, under the disarming air of innocuous, weakly-written tosh, got their warm, gooey, relentlessly reassuring tendrils into me faster than I could realise it was happening. And now I am lost. The very least I can do from this fake-snow caked, carol-haunted, Hallmark-binging pit is to explain the methods and DNA of the Crap Christmas TV Movie, so that you might know the true power of its cunning ways and form. 

The rules of a brilliantly terrible Christmas 

There are, I have discovered along my odyssey into the twee and frosted, precisely eight core plot elements that may appear in a Crap Christmas TV Movie. Every single entry in this nobly awful genre will be made out of these elements.

1. A well-meaning but troubled single parent, usually a dad for some reason, is extra-troubled in the run-up to the holidays.

2. A wholesome, local community institution is under threat.

3. A soulless, corporate city-type is forced into a rural, fish-out-of-water scenario.

4. Unless A Special Thing happens, Christmas will not happen (feared outcome can be scaled from small, local, ‘Things will not be as good this year’ variant to full-blown, ‘Holy crap, Christmas will literally not happen anywhere in the world’).

5. Someone is struggling to get home for the holidays, and/or is unsure where home really is in their heart, but along the way will learn that the journey is as important as the destination, even - in fact especially - if the destination is not where they initially thought it would be. Which it almost invariably isn’t.

6. A cute Elf girl leaves the North Pole to learn Important Life Lessons.

7. Anyone over the age of 60 has an 80% chance of being secretly magical.

8. It’s basically a remake of A Christmas Carol.

Choose any two to three of these elements at random, and you, my friend, have yourself a solid gold, bona fide, 100% authentic, Crap Christmas TV Movie story. And it will be awful. Just unremittingly awful, hackneyed, naïve, clichéd trash. But I will be unable to not watch it in its entirety. Cute Elf girl falls in love with troubled single dad (probably Dean Cain) who is about to make Christmas not happen by marrying the wrong (soulless, corporate) woman? Totally exists. Misguided corporate type visits wholesome rural community her company is buying up and discovers her true home? I’ve seen, like, six versions of that. They’re all terrible, and I will happily watch versions seven, eight, and nine.

There are, however, more complex layers to get right if you’re going to do this cloying, drowning-on-golden-syrup experience properly. Because you might notice that a few of the plot-points I’ve mentioned above can actually be applied to ‘proper’ Christmas films as well. You know, the kind that get released in cinemas, and have recognisable actors (more on this, also, in a moment), and that people actually watch on purpose rather than simply because they can’t peel themselves off the couch, have eaten nothing but chocolate since 9 am, and oh-look-it’s-2:30-the-day-is-basically-over-anyway-just-what’s-the-point-in-even-bothering. Thus, getting a Crap Christmas TV movie right (or at least wrong in the right way), is not as simple as perhaps I’ve made it out to be.  

For starters, if you really want to avoid falling into the trap of making thoughtful, well-crafted entertainment – and I strongly advise that you do – you must immediately jettison all hints of irony or self-awareness. This is a Crap Christmas TV movie we’re talking about, and as such, innocence and unremitting niceness are key above all else. To a punishing degree. To the degree of utter, blissful stupidity. To the degree that any expression of being genre savvy, creatively insightful, or possessing of any level of surprising or off-kilter wit is tantamount to the worst kind of bleak, nihilistic cynicism. And you can’t expose the children to that. Just think of the children. The cherubic children. One hint of anything but happily mind-numbing, surface-level pleasantness, and you might as well be the moustache-twirling villain of a Crap Christmas TV Movie of your own.

And speaking of those villains, oh boy, they’d better be cartoonishly one-dimensional. Because we are, at heart, talking here about movies where the True Meaning of Christmas vanquishes any and all blights wholeheartedly, unambiguously, and with zero room for philosophical questioning. And so, to give your bad guy or gal but a dash of nuance or depth is tantamount to admitting that pure niceness may not always be the answer, and that more complex issues might be in play. And that implicitly questions the True Power of the True Meaning of Christmas. And that’s just not cool. Get out of here with that shit.

Naughty or nice. There is no in-between 

So the villain will exhibit three superficial characteristics, and these superficial characteristics will be the totality of their identity. They will be materialistic, they will have no care for Christmas – seeing it as silly, inconvenient, and/or childish, but importantly, rarely hating it, as that might imply some manner of depth, via traumatic emotional backstory – and they will be unquestionably, invariably Corporate. Because it is important to remember that there is nought more evil than materialism and profiteering as we lovingly wrap the expensive gifts we smashed that granny for during the Black Friday sales. 

As for the heroes? There are two types. The protagonist will – in accordance with all traditional story structure since the advent of storytelling – be on a voyage of self-discovery. The only differences here are that the discovery will always be “Christmas, fuck yeah”, and that they will attain this wisdom along a path paved with almost zero tension, challenge, or hardship to tangibly overcome via any specific act of agency. They will start out in a bad situation – or at least observing one – and eventually the situation will be good, because Christmas will have made it so.

There are two possible perceptions of this character journey. The first is that, subtextually, this is all as it is in order to reinforce the message that The True Meaning of Christmas is so powerful and all-consuming that nothing can stop it. It will simply erode all barriers in its way. The closer one gets to Christmas (and these films always, always take place in the run-up to Christmas Day), the more potent Christmas’ power becomes, until all are bathed in the invisible, festive Light That Melts All Ills. The second interpretation is that these films are simplistically written with lazy characterisation, and that a lack of real peril makes them easy to sell to pretty much any channel for broadcast at any time of day or night. But I choose the former notion. I am totally right about this.

And as for the secondary characters? Christmas personified, one and all. They will be relentlessly supportive. They will be unquestioning in their understanding of what is right and good. While they may sometimes suffer small set-backs of their own, they will tirelessly power through, because Christmas is coming, and they know that Christmas will fix everything.

Sometimes they will know this unconsciously, and sometimes the majority of their dialogue will involve blanket stating this truth until protagonist and viewer alike absorb it via osmosis. But however they express it, their narrative purpose will be to act as landing lights for Christmas, like the burning fuel on the runway in Die Hard 2, after John McClane murders all of those terrorists in cold blood. They will be just as bright and just as warming, but they will never say “motherfucker”, because no-one in a Crap Christmas TV movie knows anything about swearing, vices that are not cookies, or sex. Any coupling that occurs at the end of the movie – and there will be a lot of it – results simply in cuddling, the only flushed afterglow coming from consuming eggnog in thick Christmas jumpers.

And in terms of casting, while no-one blockbuster-famous will ever appear, actors will frequently look just-perceptibly similar to someone actually famous, like an alternative, off-brand version, or a copy made with the RPG character creation sliders pushed a little too far. Or Dean Cain. I’m digressing here slightly though, and I suspect that this might actually be a factor related to the entire TV Movie ‘star’ ecosystem, and so will explore it in another article if I can get that pitch through. Screw it, this one got greenlit, so why the hell not?

But you know what? As crap, blunt, simplistic, naïve, schlocky, saccharine, and ceaselessly, mercilessly goopy as these films are, I do not feel a damn bit of guilt about ploughing through two or three on the trot at this time of year. Because you know what else? Sometimes we need things to be that simple. Hell, sometimes, regardless of the strife, stumbles, mistakes, and occasional, all-out carnage we tramp through during the rest of the year, regardless of the ups, downs, betrayals and disappointments, regardless of 2016 and 2017 being actual, not-fictional years that actually fricking happened, sometimes things are that simple. And that good. And that easy, if we just stop worrying and let them be.

Because whatever stupid crap might seem important at any given time, it isn't. Ultimately, everything just comes back to good people and good times, at the end of the day, week, month, or year. And whoever your good people are, it’s worth relishing that they’re a thing. And that they’re a simple thing, but a brilliant one. And as rubbish as their writing is, as functional as their production is, as unsophisticated as their expression of every single thing they do is, Crap Christmas TV Movies just get that. They know it really is that simple, and they don’t care about looking simple as they point it out.

So do yourself a favour this year. Kick back at some point, find a naff TV channel you never watch, dig up a Crap Christmas TV Movie, watch the whole damn thing, and give yourself a nourishing couple of hours of simply not worrying whether or not you should like this goofy tosh. It’ll be one of the silliest, most frivolous, and downright emotionally healthiest things you’ll do all year. And ultimately, really, that’s the point of Christmas all over.

Happy holidays to you, your good people, and of course, to Dean Cain.

It seems like whenever a new zombie movie or season of The Walking Dead comes out, everyone talks about how the zombie genre has grown stale. The same old rotting flesh, the same old tired groans, the same old scares... But every once in a while, a film comes along that rejuvenates the undead apocalypse and breathes life back into the genre. The most recent movie to do this is Anna and the Apocalypse, the best Scottish musical zombie Christmas high school comedy you’ll ever see. Ok, let’s be honest, probably the only Scottish musical zombie Christmas high school comedy you’ll ever see. 

Anna and the Apocalypse is about a high-school girl (unsurprisingly named Anna), who wakes up on Christmas morning to find that the undead have risen. She’s faced with not only trying to survive her high-school drama (like her platonic best-friend who’s secretly in love with her, her smug bully of an ex, and her disappointed father who doesn’t want her to take a gap year before university), but also; zombies. It’s a brilliant yet simple story that takes its characters seriously and gives their mundane problems the same gravitas and urgency as the threat of flesh-eating ghouls.

Sure, we’ve had zombie comedies before - and none have managed to top Edgar Wright’s Shaun of the Dead in my opinion - but Anna and her friends are not only funny, they’re relatable, and you’ll care deeply about their survival. “When I read the script I instantly fell in love with the characters and the heart of the story,” director John McPhail told me when I spoke to him about the upcoming movie. What’s special about Anna and the Apocalypse is that it clearly owes as much to zombie films as it does John Hughes’ work. Sure, the jokes about zombie celebrities are funny, but they work because we feel a camaraderie with this group of friends. The beginning of the film makes us care about the day-to-day teenager problems of the characters, so that when the zombies rise, and the blood begins to flow, the deaths feel genuine and hit hard. I honestly found myself on the verge of tears when the kids started getting savagely eaten alive.

The other ace up the film’s sleeve is the music. Despite all reviews and promotional material stating otherwise, Anna and the Apocalypse is not the first zombie musical. As McPhail notes, that honour goes to Takashi Miike’s The Happiness of the Katakuris from 2001, yet Anna and the Apocalypse’s soundtrack is as memorable as any released in 2018 thanks to composing duo Tommy Reilly and Roddy Hart. The soundtrack is a delightful mix of catchy pop tunes, hilarious Christmas parodies, and a few surprisingly touching and heartfelt songs. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself tearing up a bit by the end, even if the first couple of songs have you wanting to stand up and dance. I still remembered most of the lyrics.

It may not be the first zombie musical, but Anna and the Apocalypse most certainly is the first Christmas zombie musical. According to McPhail, the movie was originally going to be a summer graduation film, until Ryan McHenry – whose short Zombie Musical became the basis for Anna and the Apocalypse and worked on the film until his death in 2015 – decided to set it in Christmas. The juxtaposition of the joy of Christmas and the gore of the zombies makes for a wonderfully fun cinematic experience. It’s even better when the film plays on the clichés of the season, adding little twists you won’t see coming – the hypersexualized riff on Santa Baby had everyone in my screening losing their minds and cheering.

You’d be forgiven for thinking that the different sub-genres are hard to balance, but Anna and the Apocalypse makes it look easy. It helps that McPhail isn’t your typical horror musical director, as he confessed that his favourite musicals are South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut and The Rocky Horror Picture Show (though he did see a lot of musicals while preparing for this film). Instead, he is a self-proclaimed horror fan, and the film certainly incorporates his love of horror cinema which sells you on its crazy premise. McPhail doesn’t try to explore all sub-genres at once, but gives the audience visual cues to let them know when the fun stops and the carnage begins. Christmas lights and music set the stage, while hinting at the next change in tone from a light teen comedy, to a funny horror comedy. And the last act exchanges the fun antics of the first half of the film for a gory, horrifying, and even sad zombie horror film that wouldn’t work without a deep understanding of the genre.

There are bad zombie films coming out all the time, trying to make us dismiss the sub-genre as dead. But then along comes a film like Anna and the Apocalypse, with a deep love for the genre, great characters, and songs so catchy I’ve been listening to the only two currently available on repeat while writing this. Honestly, I will happily endure the next few terrible Night of the Living Dead copycats if it means we still get new gems like Anna and the Apocalypse.

Find out what other films we think are the best movies of 2018 list with our countdown of this year's must-watch flicks, or get in the festive spirit with the best Christmas movies of all time. 

There's been enough zom-coms (and even zom-rom-coms) to feed a horror fan well beyond satisfaction over the last 14 years since Shaun of the Dead first hit theatres, but what happens when you throw Christmas cheer and a few song and dance numbers into the genre's well worn recipe? The answer is Anna and the Apocalypse, a Christmas zombie horror musical that's been kicking up a storm at movie festivals throughout 2018, and is finally releasing theatrically on November 30 in the UK and December 7 stateside.

Speaking to GamesRadar's sister publication, SFX magazine, Scottish director John McPhail and leading star Ella Hunt look back on Anna and the Apocalypse's award-winning origins, as well as shedding light on some behind-the-scenes trivia from the making of the movie itself. These are the 5 things you need to know about Anna and the Apocalypse, straight from the horse's mouth. 

1. It began life as a short

“The idea was the brainchild of Ryan McHenry,” explains McPhail. “Ryan made a short called Zombie Musical, after watching High School Musical and thinking, ‘Wouldn’t it be amazing if Zac Efron got chased by zombies?’ So they shot the short and won a New Talent BAFTA and they wanted to turn it into a feature.” Tragically, McHenry died from bone cancer in 2015, so McPhail stepped in as director after producer Naysun Alae-Carew saw his 2015 comedy Where do we go From Here.

2. It's a tricky balancing act

The story centres on a group of British teenagers, led by Hunt’s Anna, whose preparations for a Christmas musical are interrupted by the zombie apocalypse. It’s a strange idea, but Hunt says there’s something here for everyone. “If you like musicals, you’re going to be happy, if you like horror, you’re going to be happy, if you like coming-of-age stories, you’re going to be happy. And if you don’t like one of the three, you’re going to be okay, because there’s enough of the others.”

3. The humour is relatable

One of the film’s best jokes has the characters arguing over which celebrities are still alive, which are dead, and which are zombies – “Tay-tay is NOT dead, you take that back!” That streak of humour was a key factor for Hunt. “What I like about our zombie movie,” she says, “is we never try to work out how the zombies got there. I think audiences and filmmakers often get distracted by going, ‘Where? How? Why?’ instead of enjoying a human reaction to something completely surreal. So there’s plenty of opportunities for comedy.”

4. There's a Santa number

Songwriters Roddy Hart and Tommy Reilly have put a lot of effort into getting the songs right, with the sort of soundtrack that will have you rushing to Spotify afterwards. However, one song stands head and shoulders above the rest. As Hunt explains, “Marli Siu, who plays Lisa, has this Santa song that’s laden with innuendo. I loved it from the top.” SFX has seen the scene and can confidently confirm it’s a YouTube hit waiting to happen.

5. The director's a horror fan

“I was weaned on horror,” McPhail says. “When I was growing up, my mother used to come in and be like, ‘Night of the Living Dead is starting on Channel 4!’” McPhail also drew on John Carpenter, Evil Dead, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show. “I tried to get everybody on set to watch The Happiness of the Katakuris by Takeshi Miike,” he recalls. “I said, ‘It’s the original zombie musical!’ but they were all like, ‘I don’t know if I want to watch that.’ I think there was only one guy who watched it in the whole production!”

Get in the festive spirit with the best Christmas movies of all time. 

This feature originally appeared in our sister publication SFX magazine. Pick up a copy now or subscribe so you never miss an issue.

It might be the most hotly-debated topic in all of film: is Die Hard a Christmas movie? Bruce Willis has even chimed in recently to let us all know that Die Hard isn’t a Christmas film. But you know what, Brucie? You’re wrong. In fact, 86% of GamesRadar+ readers think Die Hard *is* a festive flick, as voted for by 709 of 845 voters in our recent on-site poll. I’m going to prove it the old-fashioned way: through a list on the internet. Don’t @ me, McClane.

Opening and closing Christmas music

The music over Die Hard’s closing credits is Let It Snow. I could just end the argument there but my editors tell me I have to do that whole ‘writing words’ thing. So, how about this: what’s the first song you hear in the opening seconds of Die Hard? Yes, it’s a Christmas song. Ok, it’s Christmas in Hollis by Run DMC – not likely to top any best-of Christmas compilations – but it’s the perfect summation of why Die Hard is a Christmas movie. Sure, it’s not like any Christmas song you may know, but it’s Christmas in its own inimitable way, gritty, loud, and full of ‘80s charm. Die Hard does the same thing with its rendition of Christmas, just with a few dozen more explosions.

John McClane is squeezing through gaps on a silent night. Sound familiar?

Think Die Hard and there’s a pretty good chance you’ll also think Bruce Willis clambering his way through the vent system at Nakatomi Plaza. It’s as iconic as yippee-ki-yay and it also really hammers home the festive theme. That’s because John McClane is Santa. No, not literally (but who knows what future Die Hard sequels have in store for us?), but he’s sure making good work of helping out his kids by delivering to them the present of a happy, healthy Christmas. And he does so by channelling his inner-Saint Nick, silently creeping through the metal corridors on his way to the proverbial milk and cookies that is throwing Hans Gruber from a 30-foot building. If that’s not the true meaning of Christmas, I don’t know what is.

John McClane has his own little helper

The big guy can’t get much done without a sidekick. Standing at only 5’8 (trust me, I Googled this to make a point), Al Powell is McClane’s eyes and ears and outside Nakatomi Plaza. His name even sounds like Pole. Santa may have his elves, but Bruce Willis has Al Powell, policeman extraordinaire. What more proof do you need that this is a Christmas movie? All he’s missing is a pointy hat.

It's set during a Christmas party... On Christmas Eve

Die Hard could have been set on a rainy Tuesday in November and it wouldn’t have mattered one jot. But this a hostage situation that takes place hours before the clock strikes midnight to ring in Christmas Day. Coincidence? I think not. This is all very deliberately set up to instil some Christmas cheer into the audience, from its decorations to a very festive office party filled with employees (minus the awkward backroom shenanigans and drunken antics they’ll turn crimson at first Monday back, I’ll bet). Yeah, it was released in July in the US, but guess what some Americans celebrate every year? That’s right: Christmas in July. Care to offer a counter-point, Christmas movie conspiracy theorists?

There's even chestnuts roasting...

It’s a Christmas tradition. Everyone gathers round and basks in the glow as a stack of chestnuts are warmly toasted over a fire on a cold, brisk winter’s day. Except, in Die Hard’s case replace ‘chestnuts’ with an unfortunate police officer sitting in his service car and ‘roasting’ while being blown to smithereens by a military-grade RPG (see the GIF above). Poor chap. Still, at least he didn’t freeze to death. It always looked a bit nippy outside Nakatomi Plaza.

It's all about family

The best Christmas movies are about what it means to be home with your loved ones at Christmas – and Die Hard is no exception. John McClane kicks off the movie by going all Chris Rea and driving home for Christmas. His wife Holly, who he’s not on the best of terms with at the movie’s opening, is eventually back by John’s side by the end thanks to the magic of Christmas. And saving her from the clutches of a strange German man. Happy Holidays!

"Now I have a machine gun. Ho-Ho-Ho"

I couldn’t leave out the movie’s most iconic, overtly Christmas line, could I? Whether it’s Alan Rickman’s strained repetition of Ho-Ho-Ho, the Santa hat his dead henchman has draped over his lifeless head, or the thought of movie-goers getting an extra present in the shape of a machine gun-toting Bruce Willis. This is Christmas wrapped up in a perfect package, all thanks to a 10-second clip, which you can see below:

Hans Gruber is secretly the Grinch

Wants to ruin Christmas? Check. Has an incredible disdain for others? Check. Places himself on a lofty perch so he can look out on the lowly citizens below? Check. Scraggly facial fuzz? Double check. Even Alan Rickman’s dialogue is positively Seussian in its delivery. It all adds up to a foil for John McClane saving Christmas with the help of some C4 and – the final present – a wristwatch for his wife saving the day, like a hurried husband feverishly flitting through Amazon on Christmas Eve and clicking on any flash deal he can find.

The sequel has a guy named Klaus

Die Hard may have hidden some of its more Christmassy conceits, but a later Die Hard movie does no such thing. Jeremy Irons’ elder Gruber sibling in Die Hard with a Vengeance has his own henchman called Klaus... Check and mate, Willis. Check. And. Mate.

Why there is no greater art form than the terrible Christmas movie with special respects to The Dog Who Saved Christmas.

It’s been 30 years since John McClane took the Nakatomi Plaza by storm and rescued his family and a bunch of hostages from the clutches of Hans Gruber. But it’s not the yippee-ki-yay or even Bruce Willis crawling through vents that people remember. No, it’s the fact that it was set during the Christmas holiday. Ever since, debate has raged eternal about whether it’s a Christmas movie (it totally is). Bruce Willis, though, has put his foot down and given us the definitive answer. Is it a Christmas movie? Let’s find out…

During his own comedy roast, Bruce Willis capped things off by confirmed that Die Hard is (drumroll, please) NOT a Christmas movie.

I mean, he’s wrong, but what are you gonna do? It’s set on Christmas Eve for Christ sake! You could’ve set it at any other time of the year (especially as it was, weirdly, released in July) and it’d still work just as well. Someone chose Christmas for a reason – and I want to find out who. But Bruce hath spoken.

• Bruce Willis is wrong. Die Hard is a Christmas movie and I'll prove it to you

Still, at least the ‘it’s an action movie, not a Christmas movie’ truthers will have something to cling to for the next 30 years until they roll Bruce Willis out again to tell everyone it’s actually a Christmas movie. For realises.

Now I put it to you, the people: is Die Hard a Christmas movie? This is the final definitive statement before we close the book on the most nonsensical debate in movie history. Vote in our poll below:

Oh, and while we’re here? Gremlins? It’s a Christmas movie. Deal with it.

Now, make your choice: best action movies or best Christmas movies. Die Hard may or may not be on both of these lists. Pick carefully.

If all you have on your Christmas shopping list right now is socks and selection boxes then worry not, the Christmas elves of GamesRadar are here to help. We've selected the best Christmas gifts for the movie and TV fans in your life,and who - expect your weird hermit uncle Georgia - doesn't love TV and movies? Whether you want to summon the spirits or cuddle up to a giant canine then we have a veritable embarrassment of options for you. And if something were to fall into your shopping basket just for you, then who are we to judge? We're already sipping on Christmas cocktails chilled by the bobbing heads of the Night King. 

• Best PS4 Christmas gifts
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Star Trek Discovery T-Shirt 

There's cosplay, and then there's stealth cosplay that you can get away with wearing to the office. The minute we saw Lieutenant Commander Michael Burnham rocking her casual clothes, the Discovery's Disco shirt, we knew we had to have one. It's a look that begs the question "am I preparing to battle Klingons or sharing my appreciation for the late 1970's beats of Donna Summer?" Get you a tshirt that can do both.

Buy it US/UK: $26.95/£20.21 from the CBS Store

Stranger Things Ouija board game

Nothing says Merry Christmas like dabbling with the occult and trying to ask old Nana Ethel's spirit where she hid her stash of valuable ceramic teapots. In a branded twist on the old school board, here the letters are done with the Christmas lights that Joyce Beyers set up in season one. See? Seasonal! We can't guarantee that you'll make contact with anyone from the Upside Down or any other dimension, but it will make a change from your annual family game of Monopoly. 

Buy it US: $41.09 from Amazon
Buy it UK: £49.99 from Amazon

Harry Potter Blue and Gold New Bone China Tea Set 

If ever there was a sign that the original Harry Potter fandom has grown up, it's when you start seeing branded kitchenware. This is actually a very classy way to show your loyalty to Hogwarts and will elevate your average cup of builder's tea to Downton Abbey levels of fancy. The set includes 12 pieces, including a sugar bowl to keep things sweet and teacup for each house.

Buy it US/UK: $149.99/£112.50 from ThinkGeek

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Game of Thrones Ghost Direwolf Plush 

You've already started wearing your Ikea rug around your shoulders, so why not take your Jon Snow role-playing to the next level with your very own direwolf? We can't promise this one will rip out the throats of your mortal enemies, but then the poop scoop situation is much easier with a plush version. Seriously, those direwolf are big, you'd probably need a trash bag and a shovel. 

Buy it US/UK: $29.99/£22.49 from the HBO Store

Game of Thrones Night King Ice Cube Tray 

Winter is coming, and it's bring delicious festive cocktails! Whenever the Night King throws a party he generously dips a finger in the drinks of guest to make sure they stay ice cold. If you're unlikely to be invited to one of his legendary parties you can still  give friends and family a close experience with the bobbing, dismembered head of our favorite abomination rendered in ice. All the cooling properties, none of the aftertaste of decaying brain matter. 

Buy it US/UK: $19.99/£14.99 from the HBO Store

AMC's The Walking Dead Survival Kit 

The world's a pretty crazy place right now, and frankly a zombie outbreak wouldn't even be the most surprising thing to see on the morning news. That's why it's best to be prepared, and if you haven't made a start on converting on old prison or digging a bunker then a good go-bag is an essential. This AMC approved pack includes Datrex 2400 Calorie Emergency Food Rations, emergency water, first aid supplies and glowsticks. Sadly there aren't any weapons for zombie slaying, so you'll need to remember to pack your own.

Buy it US/US: $79.95/£59.97 from Amazon US

Guts: The Anatomy of The Walking Dead 

Basically everything a true The Walking Dead fan needs to know, it goes beyond trivia and plotlines and into the impact the series has had on popular culture and why a story about the undead resonates so well in this troubled times. Written by the Wall Street Journal’s Walking Dead columnist Paul Viga this is a killer piece of reading for anyone who knows their Mika from their Merle. 

Buy it US: $12.04 from Amazon
Buy it UK: £20 from Amazon

Thor Knit Hat

Just because you're too young to legally drink mead doesn't mean you can't experiment with the latest in Asgardian athleisure wear. Make your favorite child the hero of the playground with this knitted tribute to Thor, just be sure to warn them it won't actually protect them from swords, arrows or rampaging Hulks. And if you're an adult with a small head and a thing for helmets then, well, we're not judging. 

Buy it US: $10/£7.50 from the Marvel Shop

Lego Arkham Asylum 

Burn that manky old Christmas jigsaw and give a loved one something legitimately cool to do on Boxing Day. There are an intimidating 1628 pieces to this recreation of the scariest, and leakiest, mental health facility in Gotham so you'll need all your finely tuned skills - and possibly an understanding butler - to get this done without flipping out. It's worth the effort though, especially once you get it done and can admire your favorite Batman villains - in adorable orange prison wear - locked inside your creation. 

Buy it US: $172.96 from Amazon
Buy it UK: £150.97 from Amazon

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• Best Marvel merchandise

Porg Talking Plush Figure

Don't even try fighting the Porg phenomena, just let it take you into its warm, fluffy embrace. Star Wars: The Last Jedi gave us this new cuddly creature, a little nugget that's so adorable it makes Ewoks look like trash pandas with mange. This porg even waddles, flaps and chatters, so you can pretend it's telling you what an absolutely aces Jedi warrior you are and how the glow from your lightsaber has a totally slimming effect on your post-Christmas pudding face.

Buy it US: $39.95 from the Disney Store

Buy it UK: £36.28 from Amazon

Westworld Full-Body Snake Temporary Tattoo

If badass bandit Armistice is your favorite character in Westworld then 1) you have excellent taste and b) you're probably in love with her snake tattoo. Now you can give the give of a full body inking, minus the pain, to yourself or a loved one with this temporary tattoo. In the interest of full disclosure whoever you're going to give it to will need some help applying it, plus around two hours of free time, so maybe don't use it for your office's Secret Santa. 

Buy it now US/UK: $18.99/£14.24 from ThinkGeek

George R.R. Martin 12" Deluxe Talking Plush

This is a safe, healthy way to share with the Game Of Thrones author exactly what you think of the way he killed off [redacted], or decided to have [redacted] and [redacted] get together, or perhaps even release some frustration about that whole last book in the series situation. It comes with ten actual phrases from the man himself, including a Red Wedding joke (too soon) and an exasperated "I'm working on it!"

Buy it US: $22.95 from Jet
Buy it UK: £14.99 from Amazon

Barbie Wonder Woman Doll

Two female icons combine to bring you this plastic tribute to 2017's biggest hero. She comes with her regulation headdress, boots, armored bracelets, lasso, sword, shield and black cape, and is ready to protect and defend your desk, shelves or Barbie Dream House. Or you can keep her entombed in the box like a monster and consider it an investment for the future. If you're feeling flush you can always spring for the Queen Hippolyta too, in the name of sisterhood. 

Buy it US: $42.90 from Amazon
Buy it UK: £42.05 from Amazon

Total Film Subscription

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I vividly remember seeing The Muppet Christmas Carol in the theater. I was maybe eight years old, and I laughed hysterically whenever Gonzo and Rizzo appeared. They were so silly! And weird! And LOUD! For a kid that age, those are the ingredients of great comedy.

As with most Jim Henson productions, though, nothing with The Muppet Christmas Carol is purely for children. Besides the timeless tale of holiday spirit, Gonzo and Rizzo’s repartee is the source of many zippy one-liners and sly winks. Some of them went over my young head, and I only picked up on them in later viewings. But as both a kid and an adult, I’ve always found something electric about the wacky duo.

All of my favorite jokes in the movie stem from ribbing between the two. Gonzo gets exasperated by Rizzo’s incessant need for food. Rizzo doesn’t always understand Gonzo’s, shall we say, unique perspective on the world. But for all the apparent tensions between them, Gonzo and Rizzo are best buddies. They care about each other. They just have different ideas about what one might consider ‘normal,’ and that’s the source of their humor.

The pair have loads of funny moments over the course of the movie, so picking a single best bit is a challenge. But whenever I think about this most silly holiday gem, the first scene that springs to mind and sparks a grin is always the same. It’s a mere twenty seconds of dialogue exchanged during Christmas past. This snippet captures everything that’s great about the rat and the... whatever-Gonzo-is’ relationship, all while giving a lesson in comedy.

Scrooge and the spirit have revisited the old schoolhouse and are just outside the holiday party hosted by Fozziwig. (Yes, Fozzie the Bear in the role of Fezziwig. It’s just too perfect.) Narrator Gonzo sets the scene from a perch at the top of a streetlight. Resplendent in a natty hat and orange-striped jacket, he lifts a torch to illuminate the wick. When he does, he accidentally sets the tip of Rizzo’s tail aflame. Rizzo thrashes in panic at the conflagration and demands that his friend assist him out of the predicament. Gonzo’s solution? A quick shove. This sends the burning rat hurtling towards a bucket of ice water below, which douses the flame and saves the now-shivering rodent from peril.

“What the hell?” I hear you thinking. “How is that funny?” Listen to how the dialogue actually goes:

As a kid watching it for the first time, just the unexpectedness of physical comedy delivered at high volume was enough to put me in stitches. Only in Gonzo’s mind would this be a logical and helpful response to Rizzo’s freak-out. But even though the action is no longer a surprise after countless viewings, I still crack up every single time. It’s because of the words.

None of the fifteen or so words in the scene are particularly funny on their own. In fact, the exchange would look like panicked yammering if transcribed. Yet each word is intentional. Grouped together in these phrases and spoken aloud, they sound really good. Rhythmic. Almost musical. It’s like a drum solo, the way the cadence of the words gains speed and intensity, up to the frenzied cymbal-splash of a finale when Rizzo crashes through the ice. Put together, the words make a damn catchy riff. It sounds so good, which makes me laugh so hard.

The most impactful words aren’t necessarily the fanciest or the most obscure. There’s a time for sparkling wordplay and bon mots and erudite drollery. But the ability to take a handful of words that are bland on their own and let your characters reveal the laughter within them is the real test of great comedy.

The Best Bit focuses on the special moments, scenes, and details of movies and TV that make them worth watching. It arrives every Wednesday at 0900 PST / 1700 GMT. Follow @gamesradar on Twitter for updates.

During a special screening of the original preview version of Gremlins at the Brooklyn Academy of Music last summer, director Joe Dante explained why his madcap Christmastime horror comedy could never be made today. It’s not just that Hollywood, especially Warner Bros. who released Gremlins in the first place, is petrified of the financial risk inherent in backing weirdo original pictures. The reason is that Gremlins and films of its era were made explicitly to be seen in a theater full of people, their reactions to jokes and bizarre sights building with centrifugal force as the sounds of laughter and the movie swirled through the air. Today movies are made to both pummel the audience in the theater - the shared experience as exhausting sensory blitz - or be viewed on a phone. Gremlins, said Dante, couldn’t be made today in part because its best scene, the viciously dark Christmas tragedy story, wouldn’t work. It simply wouldn’t be as completely hilarious as it is without all the people in the room laughing with you.

Of course, Warner Bros. didn’t want it in the movie even back then. Dante, still just a young director with no clout, was adamant that the scene stay and it made the final cut purely because producer Steven Spielberg supported Dante’s choice. According to the director, though, Spielberg was just backing up a fellow director; he didn’t get the appeal of the scene either. Watching it in isolation, you can see why both the studio and the famed Indiana Jones director were troubled. Right when Gremlins is reaching a fever pitch of creepy critter action, the movie stops dead in its tracks so Phoebe Cates can tell a story about why she hates Christmas so much. 

Make no mistake: it is grim. The story she tells is black as midnight, delivered with utter conviction and sincerity by Cates, and Dante lingers on the scene for a long time before turning back to the evil Stripe and his Gremlin posse getting up to no good. There’s some foreshadowing to this moment before it rears its ugly head, but there’s nothing to indicate that her aversion to the holiday was so terrible. In short: not only did her father die on Christmas, he died by breaking his neck coming down the chimney dressed as Santa Claus and they didn’t find him until his body started decomposing days later. Even Gizmo, remarkable little puppet that he is, is giving her a look that says, “Damn. I mean. Woof. That’s rough.”

Here’s the thing, though: it’s funny. Gut-bustingly, brutally, aggressively funny. I’d always found it funny on my own; everything about the way it’s framed hints that despite the tone it’s not intended to be taken seriously. The fact that it cuts away to Gizmo at all is hilarious. He’s a ball of fuzz that can’t get wet or go in sunlight, the Earth’s most abundant resources. Who the hell cares what the fuzzball is doing? But there’s also the reactions from everyman Zack Galligan, who’s surrounded by an enormous festive silhouette reading, “Christmas!” It’s patently farcical and utterly human at the same time, playing the scene as absurdist but also satirizing the thick, saccharine pap that typifies most Christmas movies. Bad things happen at Christmas too; bad things are happening just outside the bank where Cates and Galligan are hiding. When Christmas sucks for you, no matter the cause, it sucks hard. 

It’s hard to describe precisely how well this scene plays in a packed theater. It comes almost immediately after the movie’s most memorable effects blitzes, when Cates is serving dozens of gremlins at the bar across the street. Dante is almost manic in his depiction of gremlins indulging in as many vices as possible: gremlins drinking, smoking, flashing in a long trench coat when they have nothing to flash, gunning each other down, rocking ski masks and attempting old fashioned ‘80s muggings, breakdancing, gambling. Name something your parents told you not to do, and the gremlins are doing it in the bar. When it finally ends, the crowd in the theater is dizzy with ascending laughs, and then Dante gives them just enough time to breathe as Cates and Galligan escape and look for somewhere to hide. Then he hits them with the Worst Christmas Story Ever Told. And he knocks them down all over again.

Gremlins’ best bit isn’t really a replicable comedy move. By the time Warner Bros. convinced Dante to make Gremlins 2: The New Batch, itself a massive parody of Hollywood’s lust for sequels, Cates’ story became just another target for derision. At one point she starts solemnly relating why she can’t bear President’s Day, and Galligan just starts hurrying her out of the room. If the long-rumored Gremlins remake happens, this is hardly a moment the studio will think is brand-essential. In the original, though, it’s the moment that defines Dante’s achievement, a crowd-delighting comedy that can do sly, subtle, and subversive humor just as well as big, dumb slapstick.

The Best Bit focuses on the special moments, scenes, and details of movies and TV that make them worth watching. It arrives every Wednesday at 0900 PST / 1700 GMT. Follow @gamesradar on Twitter for updates.

Nate Parker makes an impressive directorial debut. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is credible as Edward Snowden. Christopher Lloyd plays the neighbour from hell.

Yes, here's this week's new releases. Click on for our reviews of The Birth of a Nation, Office Christmas Party, Snowden, I Am Not a Serial Killer, The Black Hen, Krisha,  Jet Trash, The Night Before Christmas, Life Animated, The Pass, The Coming War on China, Holy Cow, and The Ardennes.

For the best movie reviews, subscribe to Total Film.

Sold for a record $17.5m after its award-winning Sundance premiere, Nate Parker’s stirring drama was all set to be this year’s 12 Years a Slave. Until, that is, controversy relating to Parker’s acquittal from a rape case in 1999 hit the news, turning it into a PR nightmare. While the story may well have torpedoed the film’s chances, it shouldn’t detract from just how well-made this biopic of Virginia slave Nat Turner is.

Taught to read the Bible as a child, Turner (Parker, commanding) spends his adult years preaching to fellow slaves, after his cash-strapped master Samuel (Armie Hammer) takes his Baptist charge on tour. As Parker sees the extent of slavery and the daily horrors faced by its victims, he’s sickened enough to lead a bloody rebellion in 1831.

Parker doesn’t lay on the violence quite as thickly as Steve McQueen did in 12 Years – and the film is all the more effective for it, though one scene, in which a hunger-striking slave is force-fed, is the sort you’ll never want to watch again. With fine performances from Hammer and Jackie Earle Haley, as a vile slave patrol captain, it’s an astutely judged piece of filmmaking.

THE VERDICT: An impressive directorial debut – and acting turn – from Parker that deserves to be seen, despite the PR firestorm.

Director: Nate Parker; Starring: Nate Parker, Armie Hammer, Jackie Earle Haley, Penelope Ann Miller; Theatrical release: December 9, 2016

James Mottram

Kate McKinnon. Yuletide knees-up. All bets off. Chuck a bow on it and you're looking at the perfect seasonal gift. Or would be, if only Office Christmas Party delivered its gags with a little more frequency.

Because despite throwing the big-screen bash to end all big-screen bashes (boozy water coolers, Christmas-tree jousting, IRON THRONE), this festive throwdown ultimately scores low on belly laughs. Not that it doesn't try.

Directors Will Speck and Josh Gordon (The Switch) surround Jason Bateman's dull internet company manager with a glittering cast of comedy co-workers – including Jennifer Aniston's CEO, a boss so hideous she makes Scrooge look like Mary Berry, and Kate McKinnon's brilliantly-named HR worker Mary Winetoss.

With boss Clay (TJ Miller, sort of loveable) throwing a yuletide shindig in an attempt to save the company, the plot dashes between prostitutes, sassy security guards and epic flirting fails to mixed effect. McKinnon, Aniston and Jillian Bell's smiley pimp run away with the show, and as the party wears on, it becomes increasingly, thrillingly surreal.

But note to Santa: next year, more Aniston pinning tough guys using Krav Maga, less Olivia Munn spouting boring techno-babble...

THE VERDICT: Happy Crass-mas! Office blowouts get the Hangover treatment, but only McKinnon and Aniston really know how to party.  

Directors: Josh Gordon, Will Speck; Starring: Jason Bateman, Olivia Munn, TJ Miller; Theatrical release: December 7, 2016

Josh Winning

A biopic about whistle-blower Edward Snowden should be tailor-made for Oliver Stone, yet Snowden isn’t as angry or accomplished as you might expect.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt is credible as the former NSA contractor, but Stone gets side-tracked by his relationship with Lindsay Mills (Shailene Woodley) and Rhys Ifans’ leering CIA suit. Still, Stone’s heart is in the right place.

Director: Oliver Stone; Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Shailene Woodley, Melissa Leo; Theatrical release: December 9, 2016

James Mottram

Based on the novel by Dan Wells, Billy O’Brien’s mumblecore horror follows its own twisted path, much like its protagonist: teen sociopath/psychopath John Wayne Cleaver (Max Records). Whether dissecting people in his mother’s funeral parlour, or personality traits with his therapist (Karl Geary), he is constantly fighting the urge to kill.

Intelligent, original and committed, it’s also a little meandering. But Records cuts a strikingly amoral figure, and the sight of Christopher Lloyd intoning poetry over dying embers reminds us what a wonderful actor he is.

Director: Billy O’Brien; Starring: Christopher Lloyd, Laura Fraser, Max Records; Theatrical release: December 9, 2016

Matt Glasby

A young friendship is tested by political turmoil and poultry-based trials in Nepalese filmmaker Min Bahadur Bham’s deeply felt, richly artful debut. Drawing on personal experiences of a youthful bond broken by class divisions, Bham teases touching performances from Sukra Raj Rokaya and Khadka Raj Nepali as lads trying to hang onto a hen (they need the eggs) during a Maoist insurgency.

Bham’s snapshots of life in wartime bristle with rugged, work-a-day conviction. Yet he’s equally potent on more intense episodes: a dream sequence brims with feeling and a climactic conflict steams with dreadful tension.

Director: Min Bahadur Bham; Starring: Khadka Raj Nepali, Sukra Raj Rokaya, Jit Bahadur Malla; Theatrical release: December 9, 2016

Kevin Harley

Scottish director Charles Henri Belleville returns with this stylish Goa-set tale of friendship and betrayal. Based on Simon Lewis’ novel Go, it centres on Lee (Robert Sheehan) and Sol (Osy Ikhile), backpack drifters chilling in the Indian beach paradise until their past catches up with them.

Craig Parkinson brings menace as the nightclub owner with an axe to grind, while Kingsman’s Sofia Boutella evolves her role far beyond mere love interest. But alongside Sheehan’s charms, it’s Belleville’s intoxicating visuals that truly fire the imagination. India has rarely seemed so seductive.

Director: Charles Henri Belleville; Starring: Sofia Boutella, Robert Sheehan, Craig Parkinson; Theatrical release: December 9, 2016

James Mottram

A family Thanksgiving reunion starts with a flurry of “so good to see yous” and ends in expletive-laden recriminations in this brilliantly feel-bad debut from name-to-remember Trey Edward Shults. It’s home for the hellidays as estranged sister/aunt/ mother and recovering alcoholic Krisha (Shults’ own aunt Krisha Fairchild, superb) arrives, re-awakening old resentments.

The drama gets overwrought but Shults stages the fallout artfully, stressing choppy montages and a nerve-rattling sound mix as tensions erupt, Bill Wise’s Doyle yelling at Krisha, “You are disaster incarnate!” Shults’ next film is a horror: be afraid.

Director: Trey Edward Shults; Starring: Krisha Fairchild, Robyn Fairchild, Bill Wise; Theatrical release: December 9, 2016

Kevin Harley

Both Tim Burton and Henry Selick have strived to out-spook their 1993 collaboration in the two decades since, the former with Corpse Bride and Frankenweenie, the latter with Coraline.

None though, improved upon the ratio of shivers to titters achieved by this Halloween/Yuletide crossover, a stop-motion charmer whose 3D makeover only enhances the grisly array of ghouls, ghosts and ogres that attend its story of a Pumpkin King’s takeover of Christmas. Danny Elfman’s perky score offers another reason to have this Nightmare on the big screen once more.

Director: Henry Selick; Starring: Danny Elfman, Chris Sarandon, Catherine O'Hara; Theatrical release: December 9, 2016

Neil Smith

An autistic boy who stopped talking at the age of three is coaxed out of isolation through his love of Disney cartoons in a documentary that unexpectedly champions the House of Mouse as a life-changing force for good. To Owen Suskind, the likes of Bambi, Simba and Peter Pan are not just resourceful heroes but useful guides to empathy and self-awareness: qualities he will need as he prepares to trade the nest for sheltered accommodation.

The clips are a delight, as are the cameos from two of Aladdin’s voice actors. Best of all, though, is the mini-animation fashioned out of Suskind’s Walt-inspired scribblings.

Director: Roger Ross Williams; Starring: Jonathan Freeman, Gilbert Gottfried, Alan Rosenblatt; Theatrical release: December 9, 2016

Neil Smith

Russell Tovey delivers a career-best performance in Ben A. Williams’ sexy, disturbing and poignant film, which sees promising footballer Jason (Tovey) aiming for the big league.

The Pass is narratively simplistic but psychologically complex, pivoting on Jason’s relationship with Ade (Arinzé Kene), a teammate and potential lover. Williams crafts a tragicomic atmosphere and plays deftly with expectations.

Director: Ben A. Williams; Starring: Russell Tovey, Arinzé Kene, Lisa McGrillis; Theatrical release: December 9, 2016

Josh Winning

America’s preparing for war against China, according to veteran journalist John Pilger, whose doco is a passionate if long-winded polemic on America’s presence in the Pacific.

He explores America’s ’50s nuclear tests in the Marshall Islands, talks with protesting locals and dives into China’s cultural evolution. Interesting, but hardly subtle.

Director: John Pilger; Theatrical release: December 9, 2016

Stephen Kelly

Low-key doc about an Azerbaijani man who dreams of providing for his family by owning a European cow, much to the chagrin of his conservative village elders. Debut director Imam Hasanov allows his moo-er to symbolise hope and possible escape from the grinding privation of the post-Soviet state.

A refreshing concept, but it’s a shame the heft of these themes is undercut by scenes that feel overly staged.

Director: Imam Hasanov; Theatrical release: December 9, 2016

Tim Coleman

Belgium’s selection for the Oscars’ Foreign Language category is a bleak crime drama. Shooting in dull, wintry colours, the mood is set for a story that can only end badly.

There’s something grimly comic about dour-faced Dave’s (Jeroen Perceval) attempts to hide his relationship with his volatile ex-con brother’s (Kevin Janssens) girlfriend (Veerle Baetens), until things spiral towards a cheerless conclusion.

Director: Robin Front; Starring: Kevin Janssens, Jeroen Perceval, Veerle Baetens; Theatrical release: December 9, 2016

Stephen Puddicombe

Ah, Christmas. The most wonderful time of year, right? Wrong. If the movies have taught us anything, it's that the festive period can see danger lurking around every corner. But fear not. From the perils of Christmas shopping to, erm, terrorist situations, we've come up with 15 lessons that Hollywood has taught us about the most common crises of Santa's busiest time of the year.

Or it could also be a lesson to never mix up Christmas and Halloween. Two equally excellent celebrations, but two completely separate ones. No one told The Nightmare Before Christmas' Jack Skellington though and despite his best efforts, his take on Christmas is, frankly, a travesty. None more so than the greedy snake who decides to eat both the presents and the tree. And don't get us started on the Jack-in-the-Box. They were creepy enough already.

A chocolate a day is the best thing about the lead-up to Christmas, but everyone has thought about devouring all the advent calendar chocolate in one go at some point in their lives. Billy Bob Thornton certainly did in Bad Santa and immediately regretted the decision to do so. It's clearly impossible to mend an empty advent calendar and, look, while we appreciate a candy corn as much as the next person, it's no Dairy Milk is it?

A dog is not just for Christmas, and a Mogwai is not something you can treat as an ordinary pet. Ignore instructions on watering and feeding, and you'll find yourself in a town over-run by homicidal Gremlins who off your science teacher and try to do the same with your mother. Should you find yourself in the situation though despite our best efforts, just hire a local cinema to play Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and acquire some explosives.

We've all been there. You're just about to serve up spaghetti to your favourite neighbourhood elf, but you're completely out of maple syrup. If you're hosting Buddy (Will Ferrell) in Elf, then he comes with his own spare bottle and your problem is solved. Any other elf though and you're not satisfying one of their main food groups, so you better have some candy, candy canes or candy corns handy too.

Necessary for when a terrorist decides to hold up your wife at Christmas - and you actually want to get her back. Not only will you be able to carry out the John McClane (Bruce Willis) patented way of concealing a weapon from Die Hard, but you'll be able to do so without bloodied feet if you've brought spare shoes. After all, once the terrorists know you're there, what's the point in creeping around barefoot on broken glass? Just maybe don't wear white trainers; we hear blood is a nightmare to clean.

Christmas is a time for family, not for being marooned on a desert island. So whatever you do, don't follow Chuck's (Tom Hanks) lead in Cast Away and go on a work trip to Malaysia during the festive period. Otherwise, you will crash and end up spending your next four years with just a volleyball for company. And, yes, Wilson might be the best friend you've ever had, but he doesn't compare to an evening of board games and bad TV.

Why? Because if you're lawyer Robert (Will Smith) in Enemy of the State, you'll be lumbered with incriminating evidence that will have you hunted down by government agents which will really put a dampener on getting the turkey done. Or if you're Harry (Alan Rickman) in Love Actually, your wife will find an expensive necklace in your coat and then realise you're having an affair when she only gets a CD. Stick with online shopping, it's quicker and you don't have to deal with people.

It's the age-old debate: real or artificial Christmas tree? Riggs (Mel Gibson) in Lethal Weapon might have wished he went for the latter. Instead, he found himself in a shoot-out with drug dealers in a Christmas tree yard, pine needles and bullets flying everywhere. It did at least teach us a vital lesson in that the white powder on your tree isn't necessarily fake snow... So, you know, probably best to not play around with it.

Secretly, everyone wants to time travel, and if we follow the advice of the likes of Scrooge or Muppets Christmas Carol, all we need to do is be mean to everyone. Sounds simple enough, right? So get away from the family arguments this Christmas - or maybe start a few - and take a trip with time-hopping ghosts. Granted, you'll have to see what people REALLY think about you, but it's a small price to pay to hang out with the Muppets.

It's all well and good dressing up as Santa to keep the dream alive for your children, but keep it within your own house. Too many mince pies and too much brandy at midnight might persuade you to step outside and start ho ho ho-ing to random strangers. There will only be one result: like Kris Kringle (Richard Attenborough) in Miracle on 34th Street (1994), you will be arrested and potentially eating prison gruel rather than pigs in blankets on Christmas Day.

It seemed like a good idea at the time. What could possibly go wrong in using a bouncy sofa to put the star on the top of the Christmas tree? A lot as it turns out as Buddy (Ferrell) discovers in Elf. Triumphantly failing to get the elevation needed, he at least carries out a public service in showing a sofa's not the ideal equipment for the job. A trampoline on the other hand...

No one wants to wake to the sound of someone on your roof but maybe if it's Christmas Eve night, it's best to leave it alone. Otherwise, like Scott (Tim Allen) in The Santa Clause, you'll startle Santa Clause, make him fall off the roof and disappear, before being persuaded to put on the suit and finish Santa's job. Before you know it, several hundred pounds of weight and a new white hairdo later, Christmas Eve will become the busiest day of the year for you. And no one wants to be working on Christmas Eve.

We've all wanted to leave an irritating sibling behind before jetting off somewhere, yet even we think it's a tad harsh to do it over Christmas. That's exactly what the McCallister family do to Kevin (Macaulay Culkin) in Home Alone. Sure, it doesn't initially bother him, but that's before he has to ingeniously outwit a pair of burglars. So the lesson really is that is you have to leave someone behind, make sure he has some fireworks, tar, glue and paint cans lying around. Oh, and a snow shovel.

Perhaps more specifically, never attempt to throw a lit giant blunt out of the window. Why? Because, as we saw in A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas, it will catch a gust of wind and blow back in via another window and land exactly where you don't want it to: your Christmas tree. All those painstaking hours of draping tinsel and hanging baubles down the drain and, most devastatingly, no more chocolate for you.

No doubt about it, families can be annoying at Christmas. Yet that's still no reason to unleash a killer demon on them like Max (Emjay Anthony) does in Krampus. After a family argument, Max decides not to post his Santa letter and instead tear it up and throw it out of the window. Bad move. Before he knows it, his family fall foul of a carnivorous Jack-in-the-Box, malevolent gingerbread men, nasty elves and a teddy bear with anger issues. Drunken charades doesn't sound all that bad now, does it?

Quentin Tarantino’s 9th film has locked down a festive release date, as The Weinstein Company has announced that The Hateful Eight will open on December 25th in the US. A perfect post-Christmas dinner activity for those hoping to settle their bloated bellies with Tarantino’s signature blend of chewy dialogue and kinetic action.

The Christmas Day opening kickstarts what’s being described as a ‘two-week roadshow’, where the 70MM prints of the movie will be screened around the country at various cities. Tarantino’s personal love of the film format spearheaded the decision, which means many of those lucky enough to catch the flick in that time period can see it as the director intended.

Many movie theaters nationwide are currently retrofitting their equipment - with Tarantino's help - by bringing in old school projectors to screen the mammoth 70MM prints. If you’re unable to make during that fortnight, the film will be rolled out in a digital widespread release on January 8, 2016. There’s no news as yet on a UK release date.

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Fancy watching a Christmas movie but shuddering at the thought of slinging on Home Alone for the hundredth time? Well, Christmas is alive and well in these 10 movies, though they all have far more important things to be getting on with (like killing aliens, or taking down terrorists) than quaffing mulled wine and wearing silly jumpers.

Still, they technically are Christmas movies, so grandma can't complain when you shove American Psycho on after dinner, can she?

The Movie: In the wake of the attack on New York (in Avengers Assemble), Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr) is having nightmares about his own mortality. He doesn't have time to dwell, though, as there's a dangerous new criminal on the loose in the form of scary terrorist The Mandarin (Ben Kingsley).

Christmas Spirit? If buying your girlfriend a toy bunny the size of The Hulk counts as Christmas spirit, then Tony's got it in spades. He also gifts pint-sized helper elf Harley (Ty Simpkins) an awesome new lab after he digs him out of a depressed fug. Plus, SNOW!

The Movie: Genre-defining rom-com written and directed by Nora Ephron. When young Jonah (Ross Malinger) calls into a radio station on Christmas Eve, he reveals that his Christmas wish is for a new mum (sob). Listening in is Annie (Meg Ryan), who wonders if she should dump boring boyfriend Walter (Bill Pullman) for the hunky-sounding Sam (Tom Hanks).

Christmas Spirit? Well, Annie certainly seems to enjoy singing Horses, horses, horses, horses a lot. And being miserable at Christmas seems pretty normal to us, though Annie's sudden obsession with a man she heard on the radio is probably taking it a step (or 12) too far. That said, who doesn't go positively green with envy at Sam and Jonah's gorgeous, decoration-festooned house? Now that's a Christmas pad we'd kill for.

The Movie: In this sort-of prequel to Alien, a group of scientists jet off into space in search of aliens after discovering a space map (or something). Landing on a desolate planet, they discover they may have bitten off more than they can chew when they uncover a buried space ship populated with unfriendly creepy crawlies.

Christmas Spirit? Janek (Idris Elba) definitely has it he's popped a lovely little Christmas tree in the ship, despite the fact that pretty much nobody mentions it's the season to be jolly. Meanwhile, Elizabeth (Noomi Rapace) has some sort of religious epiphany. Oooh, symbolism.

The Movie: Gotham is blanketed in snow as Batman (Michael Keaton) goes up against two pesky foes in the form of the Penguin (Danny DeVito) and Catwoman (Michelle Pfeiffer).

Christmas Spirit? Could be worse: my nose could be gushing blood, cackles the Penguin, moments before chewing off some poor chump's snout at a party. Which, uh, isn't particularly festive, but it sure is funny. Mistletoe, however, is festive, and even acts as a clever little plot point as Batman and Catwoman share a smooch, accidentally exposing their secret identities to each other. Whoops.

The Movie: World War II drama directed by Billy Wilder. Paranoia fills a Luftwaffe prisoner-of-war camp when two inmates are caught and killed during an escape attempt. Sgt. J.J. Sefton (William Holden) is accused of being an informer, and must rat out the real snitch before the whole camp turns on him.

Christmas Spirit? Not gonna lie, it's in pretty short supply here, not least when it comes to Colonel von Scherbach, who cheerily tells the prisoners: I'll have you all deloused for the holidays and I'll have a little Christmas tree for every barrack. Gee, thanks?

The Movie: In a dystopian world reliant on machines, miserable government employee Sam (Jonathan Price) stumbles across a woman he keeps glimpsing in his dreams. And his life becomes considerably more complicated when he's blamed for a series of terrorist bombings...

Christmas Spirit? Sam has some in the spirit of Christmas generosity, he personally delivers refund tickets to the family of a man who was wrongfully killed. Director Terry Gilliam revels in subverting sickly Christmas cheer in his twisted black comedy definitely one to watch if you're the Bah! Humbug! sort.

The Movie: Christian Bale heads up Mary Harron's deliciously dark adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis' novel. Bale plays Patrick Bateman, a wealthy, successful investment banker who daydreams about murder. But are the violent crimes he commits real or imagined?

Christmas Spirit? Bateman uses a Christmas party as an excuse to get chatting to Paul (Jared Leto) before luring him back to his apartment to butcher him. While dancing to 'Hip To Be Square'. Who says you can't give yourself a gift at Christmas?

The Movie: Written by Shane Black (so, naturally, it's set at Christmas), this buddy cop comedy sees chalk-n-cheese officers Roger Murtaugh (Danny Glover) and Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson) teamed up to investigate an apparent suicide.

Christmas Spirit? What's Christmas about if not the power of redemption and rebirth? Poor old Riggs hits rock bottom over the festive period, going so far as putting a gun in his mouth. He comes out of it a better man, though, and even earns himself a place at Murtaugh's Christmas table. Ah, bless.

The Movie: Shocked when his wife (Nicole Kidman) discloses that she considered having an affair, Dr. Bill Harford (Tom Cruise) does the rational thing and embarks on an orgy-tastic night of primal pleasure. Because you just would, wouldn't you?

Christmas Spirit? Christmas is everywhere in Eyes Wide Shut, which isn't surprising, considering director Stanley Kubrick specifically chose the festive period for his movie (in the book, the story's set around Mardi gras). According to those in the know, Kubrick's decision to set the film around Christmas was to capitalise on the period's theme of rebirth. Also, he liked the coloured Christmas lights...

The Movie: Classy crime noir set in 1950s Los Angeles. The labyrinthine plot follows three cops who investigate a murder, but their different methods could end up jeopardising the case.

Christmas Spirit? In the true spirit of a Los Angeles mired in crime and corruption, the film's most Christmassy moment is the event referred to as Bloody Christmas, in which seven men were brutally beaten by police officers.

J.K. Rowling has announced a Christmas treat for Harry Potter fans, promising the publication of twelve new writings via the popular interactive site, Pottermore.

Kicking off on 12 December, fans will be able to find a new post from Rowling every day up to and including Christmas Eve, which is vastly more exciting than an advent calendar chocolate.

According to Rowling, the posts will include a ghost story, a new potion recipe, and her thoughts on Harry’s nemesis, Draco Malfoy, alongside a host of other treats and surprises.

Rowling recently completed work on her very first screenplay, having turned in the finished script for forthcoming Potter spin-off, Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them.

Set some 70 years before the events of the main series, the film will follow the adventures of magical creatures expert, Newt Scamander, and will open in the UK and US on 18 November 2016.

The Unhappy Christmas: Yes, really, there are now 5 Home Alone movies. This one revolves around 10 year old Finn - no relation to Kevin McAllister, and he doesn't even live in Chicago.

Ask For The Receipt When: Despite the opportunity to do something different, the filmmakers resort to having Finn defend his home from burglary with a load of booby traps.

How To Make It Delightful: Take the title's advice, and leave the poor kid alone.

The Unhappy Christmas: A postal worker is hired to spy on Kristi, a "Santa writer" whose job is to respond to letters addressed to the North Pole.

Ask For The Receipt When: It turns out that Kristi actually lives at the North Pole and is none other than Santa's daughter.

How To Make It Delightful: Kristi purchases the newly privatised Royal Mail and runs it as a not-for-profit organisation.

The Unhappy Christmas: Disturbed loner Harry takes to dressing like Santa and goes on a killing spree. This won't be the last time that happens on this list.

Ask For The Receipt When: During the prologue, the child Harry cuts off his hand with glass from a snowglobe after catching dad (dressed as Santa) groping mom.

How To Make It Delightful: Couldn't he just issue a stern word to the people on his naughty list?

The Unhappy Christmas: Two divorcees are forced to spend Christmas together and realise they still love each other.

Ask For The Receipt When: It is revealed that the couple's new spouses are already having an affair and organised the Christmas break to force the reconciliation in order to get them off the hook.

How To Make It Delightful: True love will surely prevail without that level of cynical manipulation.

The Unhappy Christmas: A bad husband and father is given a shot at redemption when an elf transforms him into a 'secret Santa' who must help Father Christmas deliver the presents.

Ask For The Receipt When: The secret Santa goes 'full Yuletide' by wearing a bow tie that lights up.

How To Make It Delightful: How about the man turns into the real Santa? Oh, no, wait - that's already been done in The Santa Clause .

The Unhappy Christmas: Yet another modern-day update of A Christmas Carol - but not the last on this list, oh no - this one stars future director Peter Chelsom as a yuppie forced to spend the night on a council estate.

Ask For The Receipt When: Fantasy bleeds into reality as Mary and Joseph turn up riding a donkey, looking for somewhere to sleep on Christmas Eve.

How To Make It Delightful: Avoid the ham-fisted attempts to bring Dickensian poverty into the Thatcherite 1980s.

The Unhappy Christmas: Dudley Moore helps a 12-year-old ballerina with leukaemia to fulfil her life's dream of performing the Nutcracker with the New York Ballet.

Ask For The Receipt When: You realise Dudley Moore - Dudley Moore! - is meant to be playing a U.S. Congressman. You'd be better off casting Peter Cook.

How To Make It Delightful: Well, it'd be nicer if (spoiler) the girl didn't die.

The Unhappy Christmas: Mockumentary about a Santologist's attempts to track down Father Christmas.

Ask For The Receipt When: The hero discovers that the Government has been suppressing evidence that Santa exists because it would derail the economy if people discovered they didn't have to buy Christmas presents.

How To Make It Delightful: Let William Shatner - the film's narrator - play Santa.

The Unhappy Christmas: A man and a woman fight over the house they both want to buy, little realising they were once childhood sweethearts.

Ask For The Receipt When: A magical golden retriever turns out to be responsible for bringing the couple back together.

How To Make It Delightful: If you're going to make a Christmas dog movie, just be honest about it and make a film about a Christmas dog.

The Unhappy Christmas: A year after Battle Royale 's survivor Shuya devastated Tokyo during a Christmas Day terrorist attack, a class of schoolchildren is sent to destroy him.

Ask For The Receipt When: Our sympathies are meant to switch from the hapless teenagers to Shuya, now an Al Qaeda-emulating psycho.

How To Make It Delightful: We're not bothered about a Battle Royale movie being delightful, but we'd prefer it not to take down Christmas with it.

The Unhappy Christmas: A war-crazed general inherits a toy factory and begins manufacturing drones. Only his nephew - Robin Williams - can stop him.

Ask For The Receipt When: Joan Cusack, as Williams' sister, gets her head blown off, only for the hero to discover she was a cyborg all along.

How To Make It Delightful: Lose the subplot where kids control the drones by playing (what they think are) video games. Don't give the Government any ideas!

The Unhappy Christmas: It's A Wonderful Life remade but with a woman - Mary Bailey Hatch - in the central role of the suicidal hero saved by an angel.

Ask For The Receipt When: It becomes obvious that, aside from recasting, they've basically kept the original script.

How To Make It Delightful: Watch the original.

The Unhappy Christmas: A trio of co-workers get trapped in an ATM booth by a hooded killer after leaving a Christmas party.

Ask For The Receipt When: The killer can't get into the booth without an ATM, but hasn't the gumption to simply smash the glass.

How To Make It Delightful: Pay off the killer and then use the rest of the cash to buy presents for orphans.

The Unhappy Christmas: A boy travels to the North Pole on a quest to have Santa help bring his parents back together.

Ask For The Receipt When: Santa's evil twin, Atnas, conspires to reverse Christmas so that he gets all of the presents.

How To Make It Delightful: Evil twin? Just... no.

The Unhappy Christmas: An evil wizard plans to create an army of evil snowmen using Frosty's hat, which the latter is blackmailed into giving up.

Ask For The Receipt When: Rudolph is accused of theft and his nose stops glowing.

How To Make It Delightful: Lighten the mood, maybe?

The Unhappy Christmas: Belgian melodrama about a washed-up entertainer who helps a teenage orphan find out what happened to his parents.

Ask For The Receipt When: Yet another scene ends in one or both men breaking down in tears.

How To Make It Delightful: You're in Paris, guys. Go and watch some can-can dancers and have fun.

The Unhappy Christmas: Belated sequel to the much-loved 1983 classic, whose hero Ralphie is now a teenager dreaming of getting a car for Christmas. So he's learnt nothing since the first film, then.

Ask For The Receipt When: Ralphie turns into a slapstick bumbler duelling with candy canes in a department store.

How To Make It Delightful: The original WAS delightful. Watch that instead.

The Unhappy Christmas: David Tennant assumes Martin Freeman's mantle of primary school teacher pushed into winning a national Christmas singing competition.

Ask For The Receipt When: The villain of the piece is revealed to be Tennant's identical twin brother, an arrogant composer.

How To Make It Delightful: Hire Matt Smith and John Hurt as Tennant's co-stars and let them travel through time and space… It's been done? Oh.

The Unhappy Christmas: Richard Gere falls in love with Winona Ryder, only to learn she's dying of a rare illness.

Ask For The Receipt When: Winona finally cops it on Christmas Day.

How To Make It Delightful: Let her live until New Year's Eve, at least.

The Unhappy Christmas: A department store Santa falls in love with a single mom while trying to make her daughter's wish come true.

Ask For The Receipt When: Queen Latifah and Terrence Howard turn up as angels Mrs Christmas and Bah Humbug.

How To Make It Delightful: A swift rewrite might prevent Santa coming across as a bit of a stalker.

The Unhappy Christmas: A lawyer is determined to turn a quaint village into a ski resort… until he gets stuck there and realises it's a nice place to live.

Ask For The Receipt When: It turns out the lady lawyer fighting for the village's survival is his childhood sweetheart.

How To Make It Delightful: At least try to pretend it's Christmas-time, instead of having the actors in short sleeves and the plants in full bloom.

The Unhappy Christmas: A high-flying advertising exec who doesn't have time for her kids hires a nanny for the occasion. Imagine Mary Poppins shorn of anything that made Mary Poppins good.

Ask For The Receipt When: Dean Cain (he was Superman once, you know) turns up for no good reason than that the story needs a love interest.

How To Make It Delightful: Cast Julie Andrews as the nanny.

The Unhappy Christmas: The true story of Barbara Hoffman, a prostitute-turned-killer who was convicted in the first ever murder trial to be televised.

Ask For The Receipt When: You realise how far Thora Birch's career has collapsed since the heady days of American Beauty .

How To Make It Delightful: Set it during Summer? It might be factually inaccurate but it'd be less depressing around Christmas time.

The Unhappy Christmas: Eight strangers find sanctuary in a church when a storm hits and help each other to overcome their woes.

Ask For The Receipt When: The film turns into one long religious hug-a-thon.

How To Make It Delightful: Make them work for their spiritual reawakening by having the church under siege from hungry wolves.

The Unhappy Christmas: A fallen angel tries to make amends to his boss - Santa - by helping out a family in trouble.

Ask For The Receipt When: You realise that the young son the angel is trying to help is none other than a pre-fame Shia LaBeouf.

How To Make It Delightful: Either this is a religious movie about an angel, or a secular one about Santa. Don't confuse the two.

The Unhappy Christmas: Raven, an actress, is stalked by a crazed fan dressed in a Santa Claus outfit.

Ask For The Receipt When: The lunatic starts to bump off Raven's co-stars. His weapon of choice, thus justifying the pun in the title, is a claw.

How To Make It Delightful: Allowing the female cast to keep their clothes on would be a start.

The Unhappy Christmas: Two divorced men book a luxury holiday in Rio, but accidentally swap accommodation with their backpacking sons, who are also headed for Brazil.

Ask For The Receipt When: This turns out to be exactly the same as every other Italian Christmas comedy, except set in a different country.

How To Make It Delightful: Take a year off from taking your flat-footed slapstick on tour.

The Unhappy Christmas: A girl has to put on a Christmas show to save a puppy orphanage.

Ask For The Receipt When: The characters do a rap, despite this being set in the 1930s.

How To Make It Delightful: If you insist on having a 12 days of Christmas theme, the star should be a partridge, not a dog.

The Unhappy Christmas: A Michael Moore-style filmmaker is corrected of his left-leaning ways by three conservative angels, including Kelsey Grammar as General Patton.

Ask For The Receipt When: The filmmaker is taken to a future Los Angeles controlled by Islamic radicals.

How To Make It Delightful: This much right-wing bile is impossible to sweeten, but it might help to actually set a Dickens-inspired tale at Christmas, instead of the 4th of July.

The Unhappy Christmas: Cuba Gooding Jr's brother Omar plays an aspiring music producer at loggerheads with crooked record exec Eric Roberts.

Ask For The Receipt When: The film's attempts at making a warm, upbeat African-American Christmas movie come at the expense of a stereotypical Korean character.

How To Make It Delightful: Raise the project's ambitions by casting Cuba Gooding Jr and Julia Roberts instead of their siblings.

The Unhappy Christmas: Jenny McCarthy returns as Mary Claus, Santa's daughter, and has to stop an embittered elf taking over the North Pole.

Ask For The Receipt When: You realise that, in 1990, director Ron Underwood and actor Paul Sorvino (playing Santa) were working on, respectively, Tremors and Goodfellas . How the mighty fall.

How To Make It Delightful: Lose the gimmick whereby Mary is a high-flying suit from the City, and yet is still meant to be a loveable figure. In Christmas movies, the suits are the enemy.

The Unhappy Christmas: Ben Stiller and Drew Barrymore's dream apartment turns into a nightmare when they meet their elderly tenant.

Ask For The Receipt When: They hire a hitman to bump off the old dear on Christmas Eve.

How To Make It Delightful: No home is worth that much hassle. Just move, guys.

The Unhappy Christmas: Christina Milian's Hollywood publicist must visit her boyfriends of Christmas Past, Present and Future in order to find true love. Even by the low standards of Dickens adaptations, this one scrapes the barrel.

Ask For The Receipt When: You see the credit, "Songs by Mariah Carey."

How To Make It Delightful: Instead of making a film, spend the budget on a dating agent for Hollywood players. They obviously need a cuddle.

The Unhappy Christmas: A Martian gets trapped in a small town in Quebec and needs the help of local children to repair his ship.

Ask For The Receipt When: You see the alien, who looks like a sex pest even before he tries to lure kids aboard his spaceship with Smarties.

How To Make It Delightful: Wait 11 years, get Steven Spielberg to make it and call it E.T.

The Unhappy Christmas: An atheist lawyer returns to his home time and demands that Christmas is renamed 'Happy Holidays,' in this propaganda piece from evangelical Christians.

Ask For The Receipt When: It turns out that all the lawyer needed to discover his Christmas spirit was hugs and prayers.

How To Make It Delightful: The lawyer is trying to change Christmas into a 'Festivus, for the rest of us.'

The Unhappy Christmas: A maniac gets revenge on his dad (who cheated on - and then accidentally killed - his wife while wearing a Santa outfit) by killing anybody else dressed as Father Christmas.

Ask For The Receipt When: A Santa is murdered by the killer smashing his face into the fire he was merrily roasting chestnuts on.

How To Make It Delightful: How about some 'joy to the world' for once?

The Unhappy Christmas: When a feud between two neighbours gets out of hand, the authorities crack down and cancel all Christmas celebrations.

Ask For The Receipt When: You realise from the amateurish hand-held camerawork that the budget didn't extend to a tripod.

How To Make It Delightful: Cancel it.

The Unhappy Christmas: Tori Spelling is a bilious talk show host who is visited by three ghosts on Christmas Eve. Oh, right, it's yet another adaptation of Dickens, only here the ghosts include William Shatner and Gary Coleman.

Ask For The Receipt When: Shatner arrives as the Ghost of Christmas Past, using a Star Trek transporter to take Carol on her journey.

How To Make It Delightful: It's going to take more than a gender swap to bring anything new to this story.

The Unhappy Christmas: Paris Hilton voices Bella, a poodle who helps hero dog Zeus fend off two crooks.

Ask For The Receipt When: The plot degenerates into yet another remake of Home Alone , only this time with dogs in the Macauley Culkin role.

How To Make It Delightful: Vary the routine a bit, and have an animal that isn't a dog be the hero for once.

The Unhappy Christmas: German comedy about two boys who win a washing machine and have no way of getting it home… until Santa offers to take it for them.

Ask For The Receipt When: "Santa" is revealed to be a thief.

How To Make It Delightful: For starters, what kind of name is "Willi" for somebody purporting to be Santa? Change it, now!

The Unhappy Christmas: Elle Fanning befriends a magical talking nutcracker. Score by Tchaikovsky, although there's no ballet on offer.

Ask For The Receipt When: John Turturro shows up as the villainous Rat King in full-on Nazi-style uniform.

How To Make It Delightful: It might help - if you're making a film based on a famous ballet - to include some actual dancing.

The Unhappy Christmas: Tom Arnold plays a Scrooge-like dentist visited by three blah Christmas blah ghosts. However, this time there's a twist.

Ask For The Receipt When: The Ghost Of Christmas Past, desperate to become human, does a runner and Arnold has to chase him through time.

How To Make It Delightful: Stop doing Dickens wrong!

The Unhappy Christmas: Jason Acuña - aka Wee-Man from Jackass - stars as an abandoned Christmas elf who discovers he is a superhero.

Ask For The Receipt When: The plot descends into a remake of Home Alone with a masked dwarf in the Macauley Culkin role.

How To Make It Delightful: Why not get back together with the old gang and make a Jackass Christmas special, Wee Man?

The Unhappy Christmas: Ultra-low-budget film about a boy who uses a magic ring to bring a Christmas tree to life, which then grants the boy three wishes.

Ask For The Receipt When: The boy wishes to have Santa to himself; Mr Claus is duly imprisoned in his living room.

How To Make It Delightful: The tree gets the three wishes instead.

The Unhappy Christmas: A Great White kills Martin Brody's son on Christmas Eve. Could it be... REVENGE?

Ask For The Receipt When: The action shifts to the sunny Bahamas. What kind of Christmas film is this, anyway?

How To Make It Delightful: With the strategic addition of CGI headgear, this could easily be renamed Shark In A Santa Hat .

The Unhappy Christmas: Movie based on the Nintendo game in which Santa punishes striking elves by lining them up as bowling pins.

Ask For The Receipt When: The titular game is suggested as a means of resolving a dispute between Santa and evil brother Dingle Kringle.

How To Make It Delightful: Turn it into a movie about an elf flashmob.

The Unhappy Christmas: Hercules being a pit bull who takes a boy to the North Pole to convince Santa to put him on the nice list.

Ask For The Receipt When: Hercules speaks.

How To Make It Delightful: Hey, kid, why not try being nice the rest of the year and save yourself having to beg?

The Unhappy Christmas: NOT to be confused with the Michael Keaton family film, this version is about a homicidal snowman.

Ask For The Receipt When: Jack rapes a pre-fame Shannon Elizabeth in the shower.

How To Make It Delightful: A pile of snow, a carrot for a nose, coal for eyes. It's not THAT difficult, is it?

The Unhappy Christmas: Five recovering addicts share a house for the holidays… while being filmed for a reality TV show.

Ask For The Receipt When: Evil Jared Hasselhoff, of Bloodhound Gang fame, turns up as Santa.

How To Make It Delightful: Skip to Twelfth Night and, while you're there, you may as well skip to the twelfth step, too.

The Unhappy Christmas: When Santa's sleigh gets stuck in the sand on a Florida beach, he tells them the story of Thumbelina before the Ice Cream Bunny offers to chauffeur him around in a fire truck.

Ask For The Receipt When: An hour of the running time is devoted to the story-within-a-story because the producers have craftily filmed the Santa stuff as a framing device for a different film.

How To Make It Delightful: Ditch Santa and just make a film about the bunny instead.

The Unhappy Christmas: Every actor in Britain falls in love. Actually, there's a couple of Americans, too.

Ask For The Receipt When: It all gets too much and you start to feel sick from too much sugar.

How To Make It Delightful: Chop out half the plots and concentrate on the ones that don't provoke a gag reflex.

The Unhappy Christmas: Jonathan (John Cusack) and Sara (Kate Beckinsale) decide to let fate decide if they should be together after meeting while Christmas shopping.

Ask For The Receipt When: Years later, they're both still moping around - but neither has bothered Googling the other.

How To Make It Delightful: Who needs to put their trust in Serendipity , when Cusack already has The Sure Thing on his C.V.?

The Unhappy Christmas: Thief Kate Dove (Shannen Doherty) goes into hiding after a Christmas con goes wrong.

Ask For The Receipt When: She is forced to babysit for her niece and nephew, who gradually thaw her frozen heart

How To Make It Delightful: Drop the 'r' from the title and make Christmas Cape , about a superhero dressed as a snowman.

The Unhappy Christmas: Crooked butler Fitzwilly (Dick Van Dyke) masterminds a Christmas Eve department store robbery.

Ask For The Receipt When: The heist itself simply looks like a typically fraught afternoon's shopping on Oxford Street.

How To Make It Delightful: Dick Van Dyke should only be employed alongside singing nannies or flying cars.

The Unhappy Christmas: Fat teenager-turned-handsome twentysomething Chris Brander (Ryan Reynolds) gets a second chance with his high school crush, Jamie (Amy Smart).

Ask For The Receipt When: Chris ruins a children's Christmas pageant. That's about as Christmassy as this one gets.

How To Make It Delightful: Chris puts his puppy fat back on so he can audition for The Xmas Factor as a wannabe Santa.

The Unhappy Christmas: Ebenezer Scrooge (Simon Callow) is visited by ghosts, etc etc. C'mon, you must know how this one ends.

Ask For The Receipt When: You realise the most innovative thing they've done is to slap "The Movie" onto the end of the title.

How To Make It Delightful: A surefire solution to Dickens fatigue - add Muppets.

The Unhappy Christmas: A year in the life of New York bohos begins when they're asked to pay unanticipated rent on Christmas Eve 1989.

Ask For The Receipt When: Nobody blinks when there's a reference to Thelma And Louise , not released until well after the events of this film's story.

How To Make It Delightful: Watch it on stage where it was meant to be seen.

The Unhappy Christmas: Rupert, a squirrel, decides to help the family he shares a house with by passing their landlord's money to them.

Ask For The Receipt When: The kilt-wearing Rupert starts to dance.

How To Make It Delightful: Money problems this Christmas? Roasted squirrel makes a fine alternative to turkey.

The Unhappy Christmas: A mysterious tramp (Don Cheadle) sends banker Jack Campbell (Nicolas Cage) into the alternative life he might have had if he'd become a family man.

Ask For The Receipt When: You realise you're being asked to watch a cookie-cutter remake of It's A Wonderful Life .

How To Make It Delightful: Nicolas Cage is forced to live a life where he continues to make good films after, say, Face/Off .

The Unhappy Christmas: Nursery rhyme power couple Jack and Jill are caught in a witch's plan to take over Santa's toy factory.

Ask For The Receipt When: The film lurches schizophrenically from cutesy fairytale into kid-scaring goblin horror.

How To Make It Delightful: For a counter-cultural Christmas, try a concert film from 1990s girl grunge rockers Babes in Toyland.

The Unhappy Christmas: Crims John Cusack and Billy Bob Thornton are thwarted in their efforts to escape with $2 million during a frozen Christmas Eve.

Ask For The Receipt When: It hits you that Harold Ramis is directing Cusack and Thornton, and yet this black comedy isn't very funny.

How To Make It Delightful: They're stuck in a cold town. C'mon, Ramis, give us Groundhog Day again.

The Unhappy Christmas: Songwriter David Seville (Jason Lee) finds a trio of singing Chipmunks - Alvin, Simon and Theodore.

Ask For The Receipt When: The squeaky-voiced critters wail through "Christmas, Don't Be Late."

How To Make It Delightful: Mute the volume.

The Unhappy Christmas: Three criminal brothers (Nicolas Cage, Jon Lovitz, Dana Carvey) are stranded by snow in the town whose bank they've just robbed.

Ask For The Receipt When: Having exhausted conventional transportation, the brothers try to flee town on a horse-drawn carriage.

How To Make It Delightful: For once, can't the crooks be charmed by small-town values before they've intimated the locals with violence?

The Unhappy Christmas: Hobo Aloysius T. McKeever (Victor Moore) squats in a deserted 5th Avenue mansion.

Ask For The Receipt When: McKeever's "home" becomes a mawkish refuge for a bunch of homeless G.I.s.

How To Make It Delightful: The squatters are a bunch of elves trying to make it in Manhattan.

The Unhappy Christmas: A boy jumps to the wrong conclusion after seeing the titular snog and sets off on a hate campaign against Santa.

Ask For The Receipt When: The plot resolution requires that the boy discovers that Santa is really his dad. Way to break the news there's no Santa.

How To Make It Delightful: The only other option is that it really is Santa, but do we really want to reinvent him as a home invading sex pest?

The Unhappy Christmas: Puppy Paws, son of Santa Paws, is bored of the North Pole, so chooses a naughty dog off Santa's list to move in with.

Ask For The Receipt When: Christopher Lloyd cameos as a dog catcher. Back To The Future was a long time ago.

How To Make It Delightful: We preferred it when Santa just had elves helping him.

The Unhappy Christmas: Christmas Eve in a suicide hotline run by Philip (Steve Martin).

Ask For The Receipt When: The plot neatly resolves with the lame twist that Philip's mercenary landlord (Garry Shandling) is also the serial killer everybody has been worrying about.

How To Make It Delightful: Perhaps an angel could come down to Earth to talk a suicidal man out of topping himself?

The Unhappy Christmas: Young girl Jessica finds Santa's reindeer injured in the woods and looks after it.

Ask For The Receipt When: Prancer becomes the plot device to reconcile Jessica with her stern widower father (Sam Elliott).

How To Make It Delightful: Santa and the other reindeer show up and Jessica has to hide all of them from the authorities.

The Unhappy Christmas: Meredith Morton (Sarah Jessica Parker) makes a hash of things when she spends Christmas with her boyfriend's family.

Ask For The Receipt When: Conservative Meredith tries to engage the liberal Stones in a cringeworthy debate about homosexuality.

How To Make It Delightful: Turn it into a documentary about Sly and the Family Stone.

The Unhappy Christmas: Arthur (Dudley Moore) is broke. Worse, he's got to sober up 'cause his wife Linda (Liza Minnelli) wants a baby.

Ask For The Receipt When: John Gielgud returns as Arthur's butler, but only as a drunken Yuletide hallucination.

How To Make It Delightful: Arthur reconciles Christmas spirit with Christmas spirits, and gets sloshed on the sofa watching Eastenders .

The Unhappy Christmas: The Grinch (Jim Carrey) gets his revenge on Whoville by stealing all of the town's Christmas presents.

Ask For The Receipt When: Dr Seuss' wicked imagination is transformed into random assemblage of overcooked, sub-Tim Burton art direction and Carrey in green face-paint.

How To Make It Delightful: The 1966 TV animation directed by Chuck Jones cuts to the chase in a brisk 26 minutes.

The Unhappy Christmas: Gangster Dave the Dude (Glenn Ford) sets about transforming bag lady Annie (Bette Davis) into the duchess her daughter believes her to be.

Ask For The Receipt When: Capra's remake of his own 1933 movie Lady For A Day feels even more old-fashioned than the original.

How To Make It Delightful: If Dave's such a dude, he'd have given Annie enough money to be well-off for more than just a day.

The Unhappy Christmas: Santa (Bill Goldberg) is freed from a 1000-year present giving curse, allowing him to return to his serial killing ways.

Ask For The Receipt When: James Caan hits a new low having a chicken leg rammed down his throat by Santa.

How To Make It Delightful: Do the backstory instead, and show how the demented psycho became the jolly gift-giver.

The Unhappy Hanukkah: Yes, you read that right. This is a Hanukkah movie, although Davey Stone's (Adam Sandler) shenanigans otherwise obey the rules of a bad Christmas movie.

Ask For The Receipt When: Rob Schneider turns up voicing Mr Chang, a Chinese restaurant owner. Not the most obvious casting choice - unless you're Adam Sandler.

How To Make It Delightful: If only Sandler had stuck to the original lyric that provided the title, and delivered "eight crazy nights of presents."

The Unhappy Christmas: Craig (Ice Cube) and Day-Day (Mike Epps) have to try and pay the rent after a robber dressed as Santa steals all of their money.

Ask For The Receipt When: There's an outbreak of Yuletide homophobia, as an attempted anal rape by gay ex-con Damon (Terry Crews) is thwarted by grabbing his balls with a pair of pliers.

How To Make It Delightful: Console yourself that Christmas won't fall on a Friday until 2015.

The Unhappy Christmas: An ex-con (Ben Affleck) pretends to be his dead cellmate, and ends up doing "one last job" disguised as Santa.

Ask For The Receipt When: Every single person in the cast is revealed to be a complete liar. No wonder the UK distributor, no doubt embarrassed by this being deemed a Christmas movie, changed the title to Deception .

How To Make It Delightful: Change the title? Change the plot! And the cast!

The Unhappy Christmas: Origins story about how a young deer with a scarlet schnoz went from bullied misfit to hero.

Ask For The Receipt When: The evil ice queen Stormella shows up to make this even more formulaic than you already thought it was going to be.

How To Make It Delightful: Stick to the lyrics - his nose glows, he's perfect for night-time reindeering - and down with redemptive character arcs.

The Unhappy Christmas: A teenager accidentally reawakens a demonic elf, which now wants to rape her.

Ask For The Receipt When: We find out the elf is being helped by neo-Nazis intent on fulfilling Hitler's hitherto undocumented wish for a half-human/half-elf master race.

How To Make It Delightful: Nuke the Nazis (always a good idea) and make the elf less rapey (also a good idea).

The Unhappy Christmas: Fred Claus (Vince Vaughn) has to pay off a debt by working for the brother he hates, Santa (Paul Giamatti).

Ask For The Receipt When: Ludacris shows up as Donnie, the DJ-ing elf. No, Hollywood, no.

How To Make It Delightful: Remember to spend time with your own family this year, preferably all watching Die Hard together. Yippee-kay-ey.

The Unhappy Christmas: An angel (Denzel Washington) decides to help preacher Henry Biggs (Courtney B. Vance) to pay more attention to his wife (Whitney Houston).

Ask For The Receipt When: Whitney sings. Clearly, we learnt nothing from The Bodyguard .

How To Make It Delightful: If anything, this one is laying on the delightful with a sugar-coated trowel. A little less schmaltz, please.

The Unhappy Christmas: Mary (Keisha Castle-Hughes) gets pregnant, but the father isn't Joseph (Oscar Isaac). Awkward.

Ask For The Receipt When: It becomes obvious that the combo of downbeat realism and angelic visitations is neither realistic nor heavenly.

How To Make It Delightful: Buy a camcorder, and film your local school's nativity.

The Unhappy Christmas: Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz houseswap for the holidays with (it says here) "hilarious consequences."

Ask For The Receipt When: The A-list stars from both sides of the Atlantic are outclassed by 90-year-old Eli Wallach.

How To Make It Delightful: At the very least, throw all of the characters (including Wallach's) into a single house.

The Unhappy Christmas: A boy is taken to the North Pole aboard the Polar Express.

Ask For The Receipt When: Anybody looks at you with their cold, dead CGI eyes.

How To Make It Delightful: Ever thought about using those folk called actors, Robert Zemeckis?

The Unhappy Christmas: College student Jake (Jonathan Taylor Thomas) has to get to his family's dinner by 6pm Christmas Eve, or his Dad won't give him a vintage Porsche. Boo hoo.

Ask For The Receipt When: A bully abandons Jake in the desert and steals his girlfriend (Jessica Biel) - and Jake's more worried about the car.

How To Make It Delightful: Ditch the whole Porsche subplot. It's only there for the inevitable "twist" whereby Jake realises there's more to life than material wealth, anyway.

The Unhappy Christmas: Psycho Billy Lenz and his disfigured sister/daughter Agnes don Santa costumes to hunt a college sorority.

Ask For The Receipt When: This remake of the 1974 slasher pioneer ignores ambiguity in favour of grim flashbacks to the killers' childhood.

How To Make It Delightful: How about a nice psycho who leaves presents for kids whose rubbish parents haven't bought them anything?

The Unhappy Christmas: The Kranks (Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis) decide to blow their traditionally extravagant Christmas budget on a Caribbean cruise.

Ask For The Receipt When: The neighbours (led by Dan Aykroyd) launch a hate campaign to force them to invest their money into the community spirit. The irony is lost on them.

How To Make It Delightful: Screw the hypocritical neighbours and get some sunshine.

The Unhappy Christmas: Two kids (one a pre-fame Thora Birch) hatch a plan to reunite their estranged parents.

Ask For The Receipt When: Leslie Nielsen shows up as a department store Santa, and thinks he's still playing Frank Drebin.

How To Make It Delightful: Let the kids show some ingenuity, rather than their sociopathic plan here to tie up Mom's new boyfriend in an ice cream truck.

The Unhappy Christmas: When Santa falls behind on his rent, his landlord Phineas T. Prune (Rossano Brazzi) plans to evict him.

Ask For The Receipt When: The Italian cast is dubbed, badly, into English. What is this, a Spaghetti Western?

How To Make It Delightful: Santa wins the Lottery and buys the North Pole outright. He deserves it.

The Unhappy Christmas: It's up to Ernest P. Worrell (Jim Varney) when Santa leaves his magic sack in the back of Ernest's taxi.

Ask For The Receipt When: Ernest disguises himself as a snake rancher to help Santa. Know what I mean? No, not really.

How To Make It Delightful: John Malkovich Saves Christmas , scripted by Charlie Kaufman.

The Unhappy Christmas: Jack Frost (Michael Keaton) is killed in a car crash but reunited as a snowman in order to console his son.

Ask For The Receipt When: The hero is given the name Jack Frost. What the hell were his parents thinking? Bound to become a snowman with a name like that.

How To Make It Delightful: Presumably if his name was Jack Russell, he'd be reincarnated as a dog.

The Unhappy Christmas: Kevin McCallister (Mike Weinberg) spends Christmas with his divorced Dad, only to run into old foe Marv (French Stewart).

Ask For The Receipt When: Kevin reveals he's younger than he was in Home Alone 2 . Reboot? Or just poor continuity?

How To Make It Delightful: If they made the film now, Macauley Culkin could play the dad...and still be the one getting left at home.

The Unhappy Christmas: Ricky Caldwell (Eric Freeman), brother of original Santa-costumed killer Billy, goes nuts too.

Ask For The Receipt When: Endless footage from the 1984 original is used to pad out the new material to feature length.

How To Make It Delightful: Ricky becomes a good Samaritan Santa determined to wrong his brother's rights.

The Unhappy Christmas: Jack Frost (Martin Short) tricks Santa (Tim Allen) into speaking the Escape Clause, so he can take over running the North Pole.

Ask For The Receipt When: Not content with rehashing The Santa Clause 2 's "Polar opposite" plotline, the filmmakers try to take down the memory of It's A Wonderful Life , too.

How To Make It Delightful: Invoke the Sanity Clause, and end this madness.

The Unhappy Christmas: Howard Langston (Arnold Schwarzenegger) has a fight on his hands when he realises his son's must-have Christmas present is everybody's must-have Christmas present.

Ask For The Receipt When: Arnie's rivalry with another giftless dad (stand-up comic Sinbad) reveals that consumerist Western civilisation is on its way to hell.

How To Make It Delightful: Remember the days when Christmas presents were hand-made by elves in the North Pole?

The Unhappy Christmas: Brad (Vince Vaughn) and Kate (Reese Witherspoon) are forced to spend Christmas with each of their divorced parents.

Ask For The Receipt When: Four Oscar winners (Robert Duvall, Sissy Spacek, Jon Voight, Mary Steenburgen) embarrass themselves stooping to Vaughn's level.

How To Make It Delightful: The parents all get together without the kids.

The Unhappy Christmas: Martians realise their children aren't having enough fun, so they decide to kidnap Santa.

Ask For The Receipt When: The credits end, and we realise that the story is being told from the viewpoint of the Martians (aka actors with green face-paint).

How To Make It Delightful: Use the aliens from Mars Attacks! Ack, ack, ack…

The Unhappy Christmas: Steve Finch (Matthew Broderick) gets jealous when new neighbour Buddy Hall (Danny DeVito) tries to outdo him for extravagant Christmas decorations.

Ask For The Receipt When: The neighbours' tit-for-tat rivalry turns the season of goodwill into the Christmas version of Bride Wars .

How To Make It Delightful: There's a power cut, forcing these idiots down the local soup kitchen where they can do something useful.

The Unhappy Christmas: Blake (Hulk Hogan) gets amnesia. Naturally, when he looks in the mirror, he assumes he's Santa.

Ask For The Receipt When: "Santa" decides to save the orphanage - an orphanage that, by the looks of it, only has three children.

How To Make It Delightful: Santa gets amnesia and thinks he's Hulk Hogan.

The Unhappy Christmas: Lucifer attempts to ruin Christmas by sending the demon Pitch to Earth to lure Santa into a deadly trap.

Ask For The Receipt When: Merlin the wizard shows up. For no reason whatsoever.

How To Make It Delightful: This one's screaming out for an ultra-camp remake starring Nicolas Cage as Santa.

The Unhappy Christmas: Jerk-off Drew Latham (Ben Affleck) pays the family living in his childhood home to pretend they are his family, to help with his therapy.

Ask For The Receipt When: Drew writes a script for his pretend family to read, and it's better than the one being used by the director.

How To Make It Delightful: Impossible. This one will be on Santa's naughty list for all eternity.

The Dark Moment: While it's not a Christmas movie per se, there's no denying that the Sheriff of Nottingham (Alan Rickman) delivers the best ever Yuletide threat - "Cancel the kitchen scraps for lepers and orphans, no more merciful beheadings, and call off Christmas!"

Bleak Implications: Can you imagine? It's bad enough that some councils still try and 'rebrand' Christmas as Winterval.

The Dark Moment: Failing in their attempt to get away for Christmas, Brad (Vince Vaughn) and Kate (Reese Witherspoon) are forced to visit Brad's dad (Robert Duvall), where Pop and his other sons (Tim McGraw, Jon Favreau) delight in humiliating Brad with a display on on-the-floor cage wrestling.

Bleak Implications: It's only the first of four such embarrassing family visits.

The Dark Moment: Cady (Lindsay Lohan) performs Jingle Bell Rock with her fellow Plastics, all dressed in revealing, thigh-slapping Santa costumes.

Bleak Implications: Gretchen (Lacey Chabert) accidentally causes the CD to stick and then kicks the player into a student's head.

The Dark Moment: Not much in the way of festive fun from Nora Charles (Myrna Loy), who announces that, "the next person who says "Merry Christmas" to me, I'll kill 'em!"

Bleak Implications: None, it's an idle threat and she quickly gets on with decorating her Christmas tree.

The Dark Moment: Angered that his plans for the succession of the English throne aren't going his way, King Henry II (Peter O'Toole) simply locks up all three potential heirs in his Christmas chateau.

Bleak Implications: A Christmas dinner hissy-fit with unusually big stakes, especially when Henry threatens to kill his sons. [History, obviously, reveals that he didn't go through it with.]

The Dark Moment: Junon (Catherine Deneuve) announces to her family she is dying of leukaemia unless one of her children provides a bone marrow transplant. Instead, siblings Henri (Mathieu Almaric) and Elizabeth (Anne Consigny) start bickering with each other.

Bleak Implications: Even life-changing news doesn't stop this being yet another fractious family Christmas.

The Dark Moment: After a visit from the Grim Reaper, the guests of a dinner party discover that, in Heaven, it's Christmas every day

Bleak Implications: Seriously, EVERY day? After a while the endless turkey, family bickering and EastEnders specials are going to drive you insane.

The Dark Moment: Christmas-hating Will Freeman (Hugh Grant) demonstrates his contempt by giving 12-year-old Marcus (Nicholas Hoult) an inappropriate hip-hop album with titles like 'Shake Your Ass'.

Bleak Implications: An awkward moment as Will's ex Suzie (Victoria Smurfit) shows up, angry at Will's prior duplicity and suggesting, "You could pose as Santa and try and shag some carol singers!"

The Dark Moment: Pissed off at the Christmas decorations of neighbour Buddy (Danny DeVito), Steve (Matthew Broderick) launches a military grade firework at his house.

Bleak Implications: The firework goes rogue and falls down Steve's chimney, setting fire to his living room. Serves him right, really.

The Dark Moment: Deranged Felix (Anthony LaPaglia) arrives at suicide prevention centre Lifesavers on Christmas Eve, brandishing a gun.

Bleak Implications: Chris (Liev Schreiber) is shot in the foot and Stanley (Gary Shandling) is killed… but the latter is a blessing in disguise, because he was a serial killer who'd arrived to murder them all.

The Dark Moment: When the Kranks (Tim Allen, Jamie Lee Curtis) decide to go on a Caribbean cruise for Christmas, their neighbours are so incensed they form a picket line on the Kranks' lawn and bombard them with hostile phone calls.

Bleak Implications: The entire film reads like it condones the view that Americans should give hell to anybody who doesn't conform to their traditional, Christian way of life. This film was released three years after 9/11, when the country was at war in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Dark Moment: Inept burglar Gus (Dennis Leary) takes married couple Lloyd and Caroline (Kevin Spacey, Judy Davis) hostage on Christmas eve in order to rob their home.

Bleak Implications: A surprise Gus wasn't expecting - the couple's relationship is failing, and he is dragged into the dispute as an inadvertent guidance counsellor.

The Dark Moment: Christmas provides yet another excuse for an argument between Oliver (Michael Douglas) and Barbara Rose (Kathleen Turner), this time over the decorations.

Bleak Implications: The fracas results in their Christmas tree getting burnt to a cinder.

The Dark Moment: Adman Drew (Ben Affleck) pays the family living in his childhood home $25,000 to spend Christmas with them - and has them sign a contract demanding they pretend they are his actual family.

Bleak Implications: The fact that this was billed as a heartwarming family comedy… and not the act of a desperately, deeply disturbed man.

The Dark Moment: On-the-run con man Frank Abagnale, Jr (Leonardo DiCaprio) returns home to find his family has moved on - his mother has remarried and had a daughter.

Bleak Implications: The crisis of faith causes Frank to turn himself in… but after this, Frank is a reformed man who starts to work for the FBI.

The Dark Moment: Upset at the thought of her family having to move away from St Louis, Tootie Smith (Margaret O'Brien) races out into the cold on Christmas Eve and smashes the snowman on the lawn.

Bleak Implications: Fortunately, Tootie's dad sees what she has done and has a change of heart, allowing the family to visit the World's Fair the following Spring.

The Dark Moment: After retuning drunk from a whorehouse, Russian mobster Kirill (Vincent Cassel) gets a kicking from his father Semyon (Armin Mueller-Stahl). Kirill tries to hide behind the festivities ("Is it Merry Christmas, or what?") so Semyon kicks him again.

Bleak Implications: Realising that his son has become a liability, Semyon makes Kirill the scapegoat for Anna's (Naomi Watts) investigation into dead prostitute Tatiana - but tries to have Kirill killed before he can talk.

The Dark Moment: On a Christmas stakeout, detective Popeye Doyle (Gene Hackman) is forced to chase, take down and brutally beat a suspect in broad daylight, while disguised as Santa Claus.

Bleak Implications: Just consider for a moment what the kids on the street must have thought about Father Christmas kicking the shit out of a man.

The Dark Moment: Rookie hitman Ray (Colin Farrell) is sent to the purgatory that is Bruges, after he accidentally kills a child in the run-up to Christmas.

Bleak Implications: As Ray puts it, There's a Christmas tree somewhere in London with a bunch of presents underneath it that'll never be opened. And I thought, if I survive all of this, I'd go to that house, apologize to the mother there, and accept whatever punishment she chose for me. Prison...death...didn't matter. Because at least in prison and at least in death, you know, I wouldn't be in fuckin' Bruges."

The Dark Moment: A Christmas tree lot is the unlikely setting for a drug deal, where the buyer is told, "You want a tree? I'll give you the best tree I got in the lot for nothing. But the shit's going to cost you a hundred."

Bleak Implications: Sadly for the criminals, the buyer is loose-cannon cop Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson), who takes the piss by counting out a hundred - rather than one hundred thousand - dollars, and inflicts Three Stooges -esque violence on them before things really get tough for them.

The Dark Moment: Ronna's (Sarah Polley) attempt to make a quick buck from selling ecstasy tabs on Christmas Eve goes awry when she has to leave friend Claire (Katie Holmes) behind as collateral and then dumps the whole stash in a panic.

Bleak Implications: An irate drug dealer (Timothy Olyphant) and a hit-and-run accident… but somehow Ronna emerges unscathed.

The Dark Moment: An "anti-Christmas" ritual has unexpected side effects when the spilled blood of Aryan virgin Kirsten (Julie Austin) awakens a neo-Nazi demon elf.

Bleak Implications: The elf is now hellbent on mating with Kirsten to create a new 'master race' of hybrid elf-humans. As you do.

The Dark Moment: Bad enough that Kevin McCallister (Macauley Culkin) has been abandoned by his folks… but then he runs into frightening, rumoured-to-be homicidal neighbour Old Man Marley (Roberts Blossom).

Bleak Implications: Nothing to worry about, really - Marley's a nice guy. He even helps Kevin catch the real troublemakers in the neighbourhood, 'Wet Bandits' Harry and Marv (Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern).

The Dark Moment: The logical extension of the film's TV studio setting, as the Ghost of Christmas Future has a screen for a face to show Frank Cross (Bill Murray) what's in store for him.

Bleak Implications: Hell is endless reruns.

The Dark Moment: After a successful heist, mobsters convene for a Christmas party which is going swimmingly until gang members show up with flash gear (a car, a coat) that threaten to blow the whole scam.

Bleak Implications: Jimmy Conway (Robert De Niro) gets so paranoid that somebody will mess up his scheme that he whacks the whole crew.

The Dark Moment: Mr and Mrs Copperpot abandon their deformed child at Christmas; he floats into the sewers where he's brought up by penguins to become The Penguin (Danny DeVito).

Bleak Implications: Just what Gotham needed - another psycho with a grudge.

The Dark Moment: Christmas killer "Billy" sneaks up on Barb (Margot Kidder) and stabs her with a unicorn ornament, her screams drowned out by carollers singing outside.

Bleak Implications: Things have come to a dark place when it's actually better to open the door to the singers rather than ignore them.

The Dark Moment: It's the Christmas get-together for a group of well-connected New Yorkers, who like nothing better than to organise a masked orgy in a remote mansion. Beats the usual office party, anyway.

Bleak Implications: All William Harford (Tom Cruise) wanted was a shag, but after finding one of the party's prostitutes murdered, he becomes the witness to a conspiracy.

The Dark Moment: Ralphie Parker (Peter Billingsley) is desperate to get a B.B. gun for Christmas, despite warnings that he'll take his eye out. So what happens when he gets his dream gift? A ricocheting bullet breaks his glasses.

Bleak Implications: While his mother is tending to Ralphie, a pack of dogs sneaks into the house and wolfs down Christmas dinner.

The Dark Moment: Howard Langston (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is so obsessed with getting his son a coveted Turbo Man action figure for Christmas, he'll let nothing get in his way. Not even a reindeer. So he punches it in the face.

Bleak Implications: As if that wasn't bad enough, his method of making amends is to feed the animal some beer. Now the reindeer is drunk as well as injured.

The Dark Moment: Antler-clad but Grinch-like Patrick Bateman (Christian Bale) is so disturbed by his fiancée Evelyn's (Reese Witherspoon) new pet - Snowball, the Vietnamese pot-bellied pig - that he arranges a murder date with Paul Allen (Jared Leto).

Bleak Implications: Patrick axes Paul to death while listening to Huey Lewis and the News' Hip To Be Square . He could at least have chosen a Christmas carol.

The Dark Moment: C.C. Baxter (Jack Lemmon) returns to his titular home from a Christmas night out to find Fran Kubelik (Shirley MacLaine) has taken an overdose.

Bleak Implications: Kubelik is only there because Baxter loaned his apartment to boss Jeff Sheldrake (Fred MacMurray), who was having an affair with Kubelik…who, we should point out, Baxter is in love with.

The Dark Moment: Rival mobsters attempt to shoot down Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando) while he's buying oranges, just as Tom Hagen (Robert Duvall) is kidnapped to deliver a message while he's Christmas shopping.

Bleak Implications: This is the event upon which the entire trilogy rests, forcing Michael (Al Pacino) to step up and protect the family. Merry Christmas, son.

The Dark Moment: It's not all sweetness and light in Richard Curtis' rom-com, as Emma Thompson discovers that the necklace hubby Alan Rickman has bought isn't for her but the secretary he fancies at work.

Bleak Implications: It looks from the airport epilogue that a reconciliation is on the cards, but the shared look between Thompson and Rickman suggests she hasn't let him off the hook just yet.

The Dark Moment: Department store Santa Kris Kringle (Edmund Gwenn) - who claims to be the real Father Christmas - is threatened with being institutionalised after hitting a joyless psychiatrist with his cane.

Bleak Implications: The Christmas family movie slips into nightmarish film noir, as Santa is put on trial.

The Dark Moment: Serial killer and human/snowman mutant Jack Frost (Scott MacDonald) rapes Jill (Shannon Elizabeth) with his carrot nose.

Bleak Implications: The chances of a family renting this for Christmas instead of the other Jack Frost movie, released two years later and starring Michael Keaton as a kind mutant snowman.

The Dark Moment: Louis Winthorpe III (Dan Aykroyd) goes from hero to zero as the result of a cruel wager and tries to break into his old firm disguised as Santa to get revenge, but he's caught and thrown out.

Bleak Implications: A despondent Louis tries to shoot himself. [Fortunately, he fails even in this, setting up an unlikely comeback in partnership with the other target of the wager, Billy Ray Valentine (Eddie Murphy).]

The Dark Moment: Young Billy Chapman watches as a robber dressed in a Santa suit murders his parents.

Bleak Implications: Billy grows up into a headcase who associates Santa with bad things, but who also has a fixation with punishing the naughty caused by Catholic school. So it's only a matter of time before he dons the Santa suit and becomes a serial killer.

The Dark Moment: One-man army John McClane (Bruce Willis) kills his first 'terrorist' and wastes no time dressing the corpse as Santa, so he can let his foes know what's what.

Bleak Implications: "Ho ho ho, now I have a machine gun" - and McClane isn't afraid to use it.

The Dark Moment: Taking advantage of the seasonal weather to ferry illegal immigrants into America, Ray Eddy (Melissa Leo) dumps a bag belonging to two Asians because she fears it contains explosives… only to learn it held their baby.

Bleak Implications: Miraculously, the child has survived… but it's a reminder (which goes unheeded) that Ray should quit while she's ahead.

The Dark Moment: Scrooge (Jim Carrey) huddles in the darkness, as clanging chains herald the arrival of the ghost of Jacob Marley (Gary Oldman). Scariest Dickens ever.

Bleak Implications: Scrooge looks out of the window and sees all the other tormented souls of the afterlife floating over the streets of London.

The Dark Moment: Reindeer herders think they've kidnapped a demonic, man-eating Santa… until scientists arrive and confirm that what they have is only an elf.

Bleak Implications: Santa is much bigger, and more deadly, and about to wake up.

The Dark Moment: Drunken LAPD officers go loco on Christmas Eve, brutally beating a group of Mexicans in custody.

Bleak Implications: It's the moment that makes Ed Exley (Guy Pearce) and nearly breaks Bud White (Russell Crowe), putting the men on collision course.

The Dark Moment: He had the best of intentions, but Jack Skellington's plan to take the place of Santa Claus goes awry when all of the presents he delivers turn out to be horrific monsters.

Bleak Implications: The military does what it has to, and blasts the seasonal imposter out of the sky.

The Dark Moment: The kids are expecting Santa to come down the chimney to leave presents. Instead, secret police break in through the roof, bundle dad into a sack and take him away.

Bleak Implications: A savage satire of not getting the gift you wanted, as Mum is given a receipt by the shadowy government agents.

The Dark Moment: Willie T. Stokes (Billy Bob Thornton), a thief disguised as a department store Santa, struggles to match the expectations of his role when he shows up to work drunk, pisses himself in front of all of the children and makes inappropriate comments.

Bleak Implications: Every parent's worst nightmare, as Willie tells one kid he has to wear a fake beard because his real one fell out. Why? "I loved a woman who wasn't clean." (And when the kid asks, "Mrs Santa?" he replies, "no, it was her sister.")

The Dark Moment: Terrorists controlling Washington D.C.'s Dulles airport show they mean business by guiding a passenger jet through the fog… but forgetting to mention they've recalibrated the altimeter so that the pilot is closer to the ground than he thinks.

Bleak Implications: The worst Christmas present ever, as the jet crashes and kills everybody on board instantly.

The Dark Moment: Scott Calvin (Tim Allen) hears an intruder on Christmas Eve; when he goes to investigate, he causes the mystery man to fall, fatally, off his roof. The man in question is Santa Claus.

Bleak Implications: Yes, this feelgood family hit, in which Scott becomes the jolly new Father Christmas, starts out with the hero killing Santa. Admittedly, it was an accident, but it's worth repeating. HE KILLED SANTA.

The Dark Moment: "George Bailey (James Stewart) is so perturbed at the loss of money he owes to the taxman that he has a meltdown at home, bawling out his kids as they practice for a Christmas play. "You call this a happy family? Why do we have to have all these kids?"

Bleak Implications: In theory, it gets much worse - George attempts suicide and is only saved by the intervention of an angel who shows him a hellish alternative reality - but the cruellest touch is seeing a husband and father abandoning his family on Christmas Eve.

The Dark Moment: "Kate Beringer (Phoebe Cates) tells the most depressing Christmas story ever about a missing dad and a strange smell in the chimney: "they pulled out my father. He was dressed in a Santa Claus suit. He'd been climbing down the chimney, his arms loaded with presents. He was gonna surprise us. He slipped and broke his neck. He died instantly."

Bleak Implications: The bleakest of them all - "...and that's how I found out there was no Santa Claus."

So, what Christmas movie do you watch every year?

It’s A Wonderful Life , an old movie with Jimmy Stewart.

What do you like about it?

It’s just a real Christmas story where he wishes for something and it comes to him. He really finds out what Christmas is all about.

And what is Christmas all about for you?

Family and friends, and not drinking when you drive.

What kind of food do you like to eat at Christmas?

Traditional Mexican Tamales.

And drink?

I like eggnog. For Christmas, eggnog is real good.

What was your best Christmas?

Christmas of 1969.

What was special about that?

I got out of prison August 23rd of 1969, so it was my first Christmas I had on the streets in while.

What did you do?

I just stayed home, and really enjoyed being at home and spending Christmas with the family.

What’s the best Christmas present you’ve ever received?

My kids got together and painted me a picture.

I think the oldest was about 8 or 9 and the littlest 3 or 4.

And what was the picture of?

Just a picture of the family - mom, dad, brothers, sisters.

What’s the worst present you’ve ever received?

I don’t think I’ve ever received a bad one… Maybe a shirt.

What’s the best present you’ve ever given someone?

I think I gave a leather jacket to my wife… that’s what she wanted.

What do you think is your worst Christmas memory?

From 1962 to 1969.

What is Christmas in prison like?

Not very happy. The violence in prison always goes up over the holidays.

People start thinking about home and stuff.

If you could put one thing on your Christmas list this year what would it be?

For my kids to stay healthy. My son Robert is releasing an album; I hope it’s successful.

When did you shoot A Very Harold and Kumar Christmas ?

A couple years ago.

Was it at Christmas or was it Summer or…?

It was sunny all the time. We had fake snow all over the place. It was an amazing time.

How did you get into the Christmas spirit?

Wearing an ugly sweater.

A Very Harold And Kumar (3D) Christmas was out on November 5th on 3D Blu-ray™ and DVD

© 2012 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

The iTunes 12 Days of Christmas promotion is back, and this year there are a series of exciting songs, music videos, apps and books up for grabs.

It’s the perfect way to grab some new content for that shiny new iPad or iPhone you got for Christmas!

So, after you’ve overindulged in turkey and all the trimmings on Christmas day, visit iTunes on 26 December to see what free download is available that day.

The promotion is running every day, with a new download added each day until January 6. Come back here every day and follow the link to iTunes 12 Days of Christmas to download and enjoy the latest item.

Every gift is available for 24 hours only so make sure you visit here every day (between Dec 26 - Jan 6) to ensure that you don't miss anything.

Enjoy the extended festive period!

Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained will be released on 25 December 2012.

The release date is probably only for the US, but the UK release date is likely to be close to that.

Django Unchained follows the story of a freed American slave who teams up with a German bounty hunter to save his wife from Calvin Candie, an evil plantation owner.

The film has so far almost recruited Christoph Waltz, Samuel L Jackson and Leonardo DiCaprio.

Jamie Foxx is now rumoured to be the frontrunner for the role of Django, with Idris Elba and Chris Tucker also circling the role.

Tarantino released Jackie Brown around Christmas in 1997, but in 2012 he has The Hobbit , Man of Steel (Superman), Star Trek 2 and Life of Pi (Ang Lee's latest) to contend with.

What a very merry Christmas that will be.

Bad Santa was (and remains) the perfect antidote for holiday-season saccharine overdoses.

If you've seen the filthily funny 2003 comedy, it'll likely hold a place in your regular Christmas viewing, and now it looks like there could be another one on the way.

According to The Wrap, The Weinstein Company are in in discussions with Billy Bob Thornton to reprise his role as Willie in a follow-up.

It's not just wishful whispers either, as a Weinstein spokesperson revealed: "We feel that it’s a Christmas perennial for the R-rated crowd.

"Everyone loves the character and Billy Bob’s excited to be in talks with us."

Fingers crossed that Billy Bob can be convinced to return. Equally important though, is the need to get a decent script together.

The first movie saw Thornton's burgling department store Father Christmas have a slight change of heart after spending some time with a loveable fat kid he chances upon.

It'll be interesting to see what direction they could take the sequel in without resorting to a straightforward retread of the original, but as long as Thornton's sweary St. Nick is involved, we'll be excited about this.

Little Fockers rocked the top of the US box office this Christmas, the family's domestic fall-outs and make-ups cracking the top spot with a taking of $34m.

Happily, the far better critically received True Grit wasn’t far behind, the Coen Brothers’ new adaptation of Charles Portis' book entering the charts in second place (a very respectable $25m).

Last week’s number one Tron: Legacy warped under the pressure of new releases, derezzing to third place ($20m), while Voyage Of The Dawn Treader docked in fourth ($10.8m) and Yogi Bear was booted from second to fifth ($8.8m).

David O. Russell’s decent The Fighter proved a continued draw in sixth ($8.5m), while holiday special Gulliver’s Travels opened in seventh place with a very disappointing $7.2m. That’ll serve Jack Black right for ruining a classic book with 3D gimmickry.

Meanwhile, Black Swan frolicked just one place from seventh to eighth ($6.6m), Tangled loosed its tresses into ninth place (from fifth, $6.5m), and the pure pulling power of Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie ensured The Tourist got the 10th place with $5.7m, despite universal panning.

Why So Unmissable? Like all Christmas tales should be, this one’s creepier than your granddad trying on lipstick. John Hurt plays a retired, strictly sceptical lecturer who revisits the hotel that he and his wife went to when they were first married. There, ghostly goings-ons soon start to occur.

When’s It On? Christmas Eve, BBC2

Tenuous Film Connection? Uh, it’s John Hurt. The legend. Made a few movies?

Why So Unmissable? It’s a Doctor Who Christmas episode, for a start. But it’s also our first chance to celebrate the season with new Doctor Matt Smith, who here has a run in with Michael Gambon’s miserable scrooge-like Kazran. Yeah, it’s a re-telling of A Christmas Carol , with a distinctly Whoian bent.

When’s It On? Christmas Day, BBC1,

Tenuous Film Connection? Total Film loves it. So there.

Why So Unmissable? Two of the film world’s best Johns – Hughes and Candy – team up for a raucous family romp that features the latter playing titular buffoon Buck. He’s stranded with his brother’s kids for a week, which kicks up all kinds of hilarious hi-jinks – and some of the best one-liners Hughes ever crafted.

When’s It On? Christmas Eve, ITV3, 9pm

Why So Unmissable? E4’s coolest TV series gets itself a cool as ice Christmas special. It’s the last in the series, with the gang drawn into a plot involving a drug dealer who appears to have the ability to deal powers. Expect bold, mad drama and daring plot twists galore.

When’s It On? Sunday 19 December, E4, 10pm

Tenusous Film Connection? It's clearly inspired by big screen comic book adaps - and damn near film-like in its polished execution.

Why So Unmissable? The much-belated sequel will have been out a few weeks by the time this one lands, but it’s still worth going back and checking out the ahead-of-its-time 1982 original.

When’s It On? Christmas Eve, Sky Modern Greats, 5.30pm

Why So Unmissable? We don’t have Only Fools And Horses Christmas specials anymore (boo), so this is the next best thing. Nicholas Lyndhurst plays womaniser Freddie Robdal, a bank robber who may or may not end up being Rodney’s father.

When’s It On? Wednesday 29 December, BBC1, 9pm

Tenuous Film Connection? Lyndhurst cropped up the 1996 version of Gulliver's Travels ...

Why So Unmissable? Pixar crosses its celebrated CG animation approach with a superhero yarn and a splash of Bondian thrills. Retired married superheroes Bob and Helen Parr now have a family and are attempting to lead a normal life. But when evil Syndrome sets out for revenge against Bob’s superhero alter-ego Mr Incredible, the entire family are tipped into a globe-trotting adventure.

When’s It On? Monday 27 December, BBC1, 3.25pm

Why So Unmissable? After stunning us all with her brilliant TV movie portrayal of Enid Blyton, Helena Bonham Carter’s back on the small screen for this adap of Nigel Slater’s bestseller. And she’ brought a noticeably older Freddie Highmore with her. He’s a gentle young chap, she’s his dad’s new wife. Together they compete for Ken Scott’s affections through the art of baking.

When’s It On? Thursday 30 December, BBC1, 9pm

Tenuous Film Connection? Helena Bonham Carter’s a massive movie star. Freddie Highmore’s a teeny movie star. Consider yourself connected.

Why So Unmissable? Because it both reminds us that we don’t need presents to enjoy Christmas (aaaah) and makes us feel guilty about how much cash we’ve splashed. Also, David Jason and Alison Steadman together on screen at the same time should be a calorie-free treat.

When’s It On? Monday 20 December, ITV1, 8.30pm

Tenuous Film Connection? It’s a TV movie.

Why So Unmissable? Bah humbug! For those of us not in the mood for all the Yuletide joy, Bill Murray updates Dicken’s Christmas Carol (surely the most revisited Christmas tale ever) as a high-powered and heartless TV executive who just hates Christmas.

When’s It On? Christmas Day, Channel 4, 1pm

Why So Unmissable? It was a four-year-long TV series on ITV back in the early ‘70s, but now Upstairs Downstairs is back courtesy of the BBC. They’ve given the whole thing a good lick of paint, and lured back original star Jean Marsh to reprise her role as housemaid Rose Buck. This three-part series should make for interesting comparisons with the original.

When’s It On? Boxing Day, BBC1, 9pm

Tenuous Film Connection? Jean Marsh unforgettably played the villainous Bavmorda in cult ‘80s fantasy Willow .

Why So Unmissable? Catherine Tate has therapy-by-telly, retelling her childhood through the idiot box and exercising her demons. Recreating her younger years in embarrassing detail (bed-wetting and Gary Glitter costumes), it should give an interesting insight into the actress’ formative years. In a weird spin, Tate will also play her own mother…

When’s It On? Sunday 19 December, Sky1, 9pm

Tenuous Film Connection? Catherine Tate is in the director’s chair. That’s rather film-y.

Why So Unmissable? Matt Lucas and David Walliams are back dressing up in silly costumes and doing funny voices. But this isn’t Little Brain – Come Fly With Me is a whole other kettle of fish. Set in an airport, it employs a mockumentary approach that sees the funny pair taking on a massive haul of new characters – such as surefire funnies Nanako and Asuko, who are Japanese Martin Clunes obsessives…

When’s It On? Christmas Day, BBC1, 10pm

Tenuous Film Connection? Matt Lucas starred in this year’s Alice In Wonderland as TweedleDum and TweedleDee. Just because you dumped it from your memory banks doesn't mean it didn't happen.

Why So Unmissable? It’s a Christmas TV staple. How can it possibly be Christmas if we’ve not got the strains of ‘walking in the air’ blasting out the telly while we prepare to eat ourselves stupid?

When’s It On? Christmas Eve, Channel 4, 1.20pm

Why So Unmissable? It’s got that funny, destructive kid from Outnumbered in it. That’d be Daniel Roche, who made everybody guffaw with laughter at his portrayal of 11-year-old mischief maker Ben. Now he’s taking on the role of William Brown, an equally impish young thing – albeit one causing mayhem in the ‘50s, instead of present day.

When’s It On? Tuesday 28 December, BBC1,

Tenuous Film Connection? Just William was turned into a movie in 1940 by Graham Cutts. Nobody liked it much.

Why So Unmissable? Anti-Christmas anarchy, as a father brings home a cute and cuddly Mogwai creature for his son – which breeds a deadly brood of wicked Gremlins. Joe Dante at his absolute best.

When’s It On? Boxing Day, ITV2, 9pm

Why So Unmissable? Because you can never have too much John Hughes at Christmas. Here the ‘80s guru provides the script for a Chevy Chase festive yarn, with Chase playing Clark Griswold, an accident-prone father attempting to throw the perfect Christmas. Batty and ridiculous, but ten tonnes of fun.

When’s It On? Monday 27 December, ITV2, 9pm

Why So Unmissable? Likeable Jones should prove a great host, as we get a fix of chat, music and comedy from the Gavin & Stacey star. Ricky Gervais pops along for a natter, while Miranda Hart and Will Young also spread a little Christmas cheer.

When’s It On? Monday 20 December, BBC2, 9pm

Tenuous Film Connection? Gervais has done a few of those movie things.

Why So Unmissable? Like old Uncle Arthur it’s rolled out every year, but Shrek The Halls never fails to charm. Post- Shrek The Third and pre- Shrek Forever After , it’s a snow-dusted yarn that sees Shrek attempt to give Fiona and the family a truly special Christmas – with the help of guidebook Christmas For Village Idiots . Bags of fun.

When’s It On? Christmas Eve, BBC1, 4.55pm

Why So Unmissable? Not only is it the film that Danny Boyle broke the Academy Awards with, it’s a feel-good modern classic with a truly fantastic soundtrack. The way Boyle turns ITV gameshow Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? into a message about our life and times is a marvel.

When’s It On? Boxing Day, More4, 9.05pm

Why So Unmissable? If you’ve got a spare three hours on your hands on the eve of Christmas Eve (and, let’s face it, who hasn’t?), this countdown should give you a few festive chuckles. Promising Christmas crackers galore, it’s a showcase for all those great dramatic moments, sitcom specials and comedy sketches that have had a Yuletide flavour over the years.

When’s It On? Christmas Eve, Five, 9pm

Tenuous Film Connection? Plasticine film stars Wallace and Gromit make an appearance. Tenuous enough for you?

Why So Unmissable? O’Grady’s a bit like a presenter version of Marmite, but if you’re in the ‘love him’ category, this’ll be essential Christmas Eve viewage. He’s got Bette Midler on crooning a little and talking about her career, and an appearance of World Heavyweight boxing champ Dave Haye.

When’s It On? Christmas Eve, ITV1, 9pm

Tenuous Film Connection? Bette Midler’s still a movie star, right?

Why So Unmissable? Grand, lush adaptation of Boris Pasternak’s famous novel. You don’t get to be the eighth highest grossing film of all time for nothing, and Zhivago is a great example of classic Hollywood filmmaking. The plot follows a Russian poet who falls for the wife of a politician during the Bolshevik Revolution. True masterpiece.

When’s It On? Wednesday 28 December, Five, 2.25pm

Why So Unmissable? If you’ve still not seen it yet, here’s your chance. Not quite the masterpiece that it was built up to be, but still a fantastic three hour epic that packs in enough heart and visual spectacle for an entire series of Star Trek. Zoe Saldana in particular is a revelation.

When’s It On? Monday 27 December, Sky Premiere, 8pm

Why So Unmissable? The first time we’ve seen the Royles in a year, and the first Christmas-themed episode in two, this new round with the family finds Barbara struggling to take on Christmas alone. Jim’s out of action after a work accident. Dave and Denise worry about their cheapie gifts. Also, there might very well be a birth.

When’s It On? Christmas Day, BBC1, 9pm

Tenuous Film Connection? Ricky Tomlinson’s had his share of film outings, including Mike Bassett: Manager and 51st State.

Why So Unmissable? Another chance to see the classic special, an inspired redux/redo of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. It’s Christmas Eve in 1850, and Ebenezer Blackadder is visited by some horrible ancestors in a backward spin on Dickens’ tale.

When’s It On? Christmas Day, BBC2, 8.35pm

Tenuous Film Connection? We'll say "Mr Bean" and "movie", and then back slowly away.

Why So Unmissable? It’s one of the greatest Burton/Depp team-ups, as they forge a brilliantly dark fairytale. Depp’s never better as the titular Ed, the product of a scientist, and whose hands are made of scissors. Entering an American suburb, Ed is surprised by what he finds, and soon becomes a neighbourhood celebrity.

When’s It On? Christmas Day, Channel 4, 7pm

Why So Unmissable? They don’t get much more epic, so if you fancy seeing Christmas day out in style, this is the way to do it. Charlton Heston plays Prince Judah Ben-Hur, who’s betrayed by a Roman friend and sold into slavery. Then sets out for revenge. The 11 Oscars speak for themselves.

When’s It On? Christmas Day, Sky Classics, 10.45pm

Why So Unmissable? Another Christmas staple, but one we never tire of. Steven Spielberg presents a vision of cuddly aliens that spits in the face of the invasion horrors of yesteryear (and, uh, this year), as cute little ET gets left behind on Earth and befriends kid Elliott. The end will have the entire family blubbing.

When’s It On? Tuesday 28 December, ITV1, 2.40pm

Why So Unmissable? It’s the best of the X films. Bryan Singer’s sequel doesn’t have to contend with introducing the X-Men this time, meaning everything gets set up much quicker as Magneto attempts to break free of his plastic prison – with a little help from lythe henchwoman Mystique. Meanwhile, Nightcrawler pitches up, and Halle Berry continues to do that eyeball rolling thing.

When’s It On? Thursday 30 December, ITV1, 10.35pm

Why So Unmissable? More festive frolics from Vic and Bob, who draft in Ricky Tomlinson and Ronnie Wood for a race off – to the death. If that hasn’t already warmed your cockles, there’s also captains Jack Dee and Ulrika Johnson, while the lovely Thandie Newton stops by along with Joanna Page.

When’s It On? Thursday 30 December, BBC2, 10pm

Tenuous Film Connection? That there Thandie's a film star. Oooh, pretty.

Why So Unmissable? It’s the perfect opportunity to see how John Wayne handled the material, as Jeff Bridges and the Coen Brothers get ready to unleash their own True Grit on cinemas on 14 January. Wayne plays a past-his-best marshal who helps a young girl track down her father’s murderer.

When’s It On? Thursday 30 December, Channel 4, 1.40pm

Why So Unmissable? It provides a respite from all that festive joy. Brian De Palma’s adaptation of Stephen King’s version novel packs a fair wallop to this day – even if it suffers from typical Bad ‘70s Hair Syndrome. The final bloodbath is what you’ll remember, but everything that goes before it is equal parts dreamy and horrifying.

When’s It On? Christmas Day, Channel 4, 12.10am

Why So Unmissable? A great way to catch up on just what’s been going on with Mel Gibson, this. The facts are all a bit murky, channelled by internet hearsay, persistent rumours and denials about the careering star’s life. This bio should take an unflinching look at the real Mel Gibson.

When’s It On? Sunday 19 December, Bio, 9pm

Why So Unmissable? Here’s one of the better Potter films, this one blending just enough whimsical charm in with the darker elements that the franchise is perhaps best known for. Harry and chums fall under the tyrannical rule of Dolores Umbridge, who usurps Dumbledore as headmaster of Hogwarts...

When’s It On? Sunday 19 December, ITV1, 6.30pm

Why So Unmissable? It should provide us with a fascinating insight into the way Scorsese works. This doc series follows seven incredibly lucky young artists, who get to spend a whole year being mentored by some industry big wigs. First up is this episode, in which they meet Martin Scorsese. We’re Grinch green right now.

When’s It On? Monday 20 December, More4, 7.20pm

Why So Unmissable? It’s a marvel, and bloody marvellous. Wes Anderson transfers the themes of his live-action films over to stop-motion animation, the result both beautiful and suitably barmy. Also, we love that Mr Fox wears the same pyjamas as a character from The Darjeeling Limited.

When’s It On? Christmas Eve, Sky Premiere, 5.50pm

Why So Unmissable? An avalanche of movie stars crop up in Wood’s raucous Christmas special. Deep breath: Julie Walters, Alan Rickman, Richard E. Grant, Imelda Staunton and Pete Postlethwait all take a bow, among many others. Classic.

When’s It On? Wednesday 22 December, BBC2, 8.05pm

Tenuous Film Connection? We're not typing out that guest list again...

Why So Unmissable? It’s got bugger all to do with Christmas, but it’s on this Sunday, so why not? Alfred Hitchcock’s masterpiece remains one of the best action films ever made, as labyrinthine and surprising as they come – with a genuinely brilliant climax atop Mount Rushmore. Cary Grant puts in one of his finest ever performances.

When’s It On? Sunday 19 December, TCM, 9pm

Why So Unmissable? Stephen Fry’s hilariously acerbic sort-of-quiz show for budding boffins gets magical, as he invites Daniel Radcliffe and Graham Norton on for a few founds of grey matter games. You learn and you laugh at the same time. Perfect.

When’s It On? Christmas Eve, BBC1, 9.30pm

Tenuous Film Connection? It’s Harry Potter!

Of course I like Gremlins . It’s quite a scary film but it’s also lots of fun. I saw it several times when I was a child. I haven’t actually seen it in a really, really long time. I just remember the gremlins, all the destruction they make. It's really fun.

That’s one of my most favourite movies of all time. I really like it. I don’t know whether it was the very first time in action movie history where you have a normal guy who’s not got big muscles – he’s just a normal guy with stupid problems.

You really get into the character, and of course it’s a really good script, lots of fun and really exciting. I’ve seen it like a hundred times.

That’s a very nice movie, I actually haven’t it in maybe 15 years, I should watch that again!

This is a movie that comes on TV every Christmas. Home Alone part one is a really good Christmas movie. I have a three year old and a six weeks old daughter, they haven’t seen it yet, but my eldest will see it maybe this Christmas.

Another movie that comes on TV every Christmas. I watch it a lot with my daughter and I really like the song, it’s really nice.

I think it’s a good fantasy, and that could also make for a really scary movie if you wanted to look at it like that. If you had real actors who meet a live snowman, that might be quite scary!

I really like the artwork in this film. That’s a big kind of musical set up, lots of characters and things that are really cool.

With Will Ferrell, yes, I saw it a couple of days ago, it came up on TV. It was quite funny. I actually didn’t see the ending of it, but it’s a weird movie of course.

I like a lot of Ferrell’s movie, Talladega Nights ... He’s a funny guy, but not as funny as Ricky Gervais! I really like Ricky Gervais.

It always has been a dream of mine to make a feature film, and it’s really nice that when I finally did it, it's become as good a movie as it is now. I’m really happy to have made so much noise with my first big film. I hope people go to see it, also!

The movie with Jim Carrey, I’ve seen it but I didn’t like it. I hate the style of all the sets, they give me nightmares. All the candy bars and things like that, it’s terrifying to me.

What’s the new Jim Carrey Christmas movie, A Christmas Carol ? I want to see that. I watched the trailer with my daughter and she really liked it.

The Prop: A replica of killer Jigsaw’s arm, used in Saw II . It’s from the scene where Detective Matthews breaks Jigsaw’s finger. There’s even hair detail and a free IV drip included.

The Cost: £4,500

What We'd Use It For In 2011: Either as a very elaborate back scratcher, or to put through a dodgy insurance claim with some very convincing snaps.

The Prop: A clapboard inscribed with the Disney insignia.

The Cost: $0.99

What We'd Use It For In 2011: Clapping it every time we order our other half to get us something from the kitchen. “Aaaand action!”

The Prop: Lifesized replica of an Alien egg and the facehugger within. Made from rubber latex, the facehugger has a wire skeleton that means it’s completely posable. Just think of the possibilities.

The Cost: £450

What We'd Use It For In 2011: Decorating the new flat with a grungy out of this world theme.

The Prop: A replica of the famous Sorting Hat from the Harry Potter movies. Though we assume this prop doesn’t come with the voice of Leslie Phillips.

The Cost: £39.95

What We'd Use It For In 2011: Pretending we’re the real star of Harry Potter . Obviously.

The Prop: A 16” replica of the gun used by Batman himself in The Dark Knight. Just as slick as anything you'll find in Chris Nolan's comic book opus.

The Cost: £189.99

What We'd Use It For In 2011: Jumping around the house in our Batman costume – the perfect accessory.

The Prop: A blade genuinely used during the filming of Braveheart .

The Cost: £90

What We'd Use It For In 2011: Carving up the Sunday roast. And taking to medieval battle re-enactments every other month.

The Prop: Sadly not worn by Clint Eastwood, but near enough – this is a replica of the holster he sported in A Fistful Of Dollars and The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly .

The Cost: $109

What We'd Use It For In 2011: Storing our Batman Grapnel Gun whenever we’re not using it to fight crime. Or spying on the neighbours.

The Prop: A lifesize bust of the Alien head as crafted by Sideshow Collectables. There are only 500 in the entire world. We want it.

The Cost: £900

What We'd Use It For In 2011: As a menacing doorstop for the backdoor when it gets too hot in the summer time.

The Prop: Handmade, cast from lead, with imitation gems and black ostrich feathers. Perfect gift for granny.

The Cost: £10

What We'd Use It For In 2011: We’d give it to an unsuspecting family member, then access its spooky voodoo powers to spy on everything they do. Then judge them.

The Prop: Hellacool mask that comes with the predator’s detachable faceplate, as well as detailed dreadlocks.

The Cost: £59.99

What We'd Use It For In 2011: Ensuring we always get a seat on the tube to work. Fnarr.

The Prop: The door knocker faces from the classic ‘80s Jim Henson movie. One can’t hear. One can’t talk.

The Cost: £27.99

What We'd Use It For In 2011: Giving the bathroom door a bit of character.

The Prop: Gotten the hint yet, Santa? We want Alien stuff! Like this M41A Pulse Rifle replica.

The Cost: £149

What We'd Use It For In 2011: For aiming at our Alien egg and facehugger prop, pretending we’re Sigourney Weaver and yelling "goddammit!" a lot.

The Prop: A cup from Mooby’s, where Randal and Dante work, replete with the Mooby cow and ‘Beefy Good-Time Cookin’ text. As seen in Clerks II .

The Cost: £59

What We'd Use It For In 2011: Brewing a special Kevin Smith inspired beverage. Dash of beard optional.

The Prop: Creepy fibreglass replica of the mask from V For Vendetta . Goatee included.

The Cost: $59

What We'd Use It For In 2011: Giving ourselves a smiley face when it’s a really rainy day out.

The Prop: A copy of The Daily Planet , replete with oil-themed headline – for when Supes goes good again, and fixes the oil tanker and resultant oil slick.

The Cost: £129

What We'd Use It For In 2011: We’d leave it on the coffee table amid copies of The Sun and The Guardian , and see if anybody noticed. Fun times for all.

The Prop: A prop used in Magnolia during the scene when it rains frogs. Literally.

The Cost: £59

What We'd Use It For In 2011: Practical jokes. I.e. leave it somewhere new and unexpected in the house, and wait for partner/housemates/siblings to react with screams. Never gets old.

The Prop: Prop feet used during filming of From Dusk Till Dawn, Buffy The Vampire Slayer (season 7) and Angel (season 3).

The Cost: £149

What We'd Use It For In 2011: Getting back at granny when she says we need to cut our toenails.

The Prop: A 12” replica of the KYWT 4 News Award, as spotted in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy.

The Cost: £49

What We'd Use It For In 2011: Practising our own acceptance speeches.

The Prop: An exact replica of the book that Josh Brolin leafs through in The Goonies ’ attic scene.

The Cost: £Unknown

What We'd Use It For In 2011: We’d scour the pages religiously looking for hints of buried treasure. While wearing an eyepatch.

The Prop: A scarily convincing latex eyeball. It’s lifesize, too. From Dead Head Props.

The Cost: $7.99

What We'd Use It For In 2011: Getting numerous sick days off work by pretending we have an ongoing eye problem. Texting over photographic evidence should do the trick.

The Prop: Authentic fake spectrespecs as modelled on those worn by Luna Lovegood in Half-Blood Prince. Given away free by The Quibbler.

The Cost: $6

What We'd Use It For In 2011: Attending any parties thrown by Elton John.

The Prop: A replica of the braceleft worn by Esme in Twilight .

The Cost: £16.99

What We'd Use It For In 2011: Pretending we belong to a top secret cult, and acting all smug about it.

The Prop: Thick, flexible looky-like of the mask Jason likes to hide behind.

The Cost: £39.99

What We'd Use It For In 2011: Playing hockey. That’s what Jason uses it for, right?

The Prop: Full-size replica of the scary Billy puppet from the Saw movies. Cast from the original puppet, it’s one of just 100 in existence.

The Cost: £1,200

What We'd Use It For In 2011: Training to be a ventriloquist. Or a serial killer. Whichever comes easier.

The Prop: Injuries get extreme with this face-bashing prosthetic, which features torn skin, teeth and muscle tissue.

The Cost: £19.50

What We'd Use It For In 2011: Pretending we’re an extra in The Walking Dead . We really want to be on that show.

You can buy it here .

Date Night director Shawn Levy has signed on to direct new comedy The Fight Before Christmas for 20th Century Fox.

Despite the curse of Christmas movies ( Christmas With The Cranks, Four Christmases, Fred Claus among many others all turning into total turkeys), Levy must be confident in the pitch made by Due Date ’s writer Adam Sztykiel.

Except he’s not letting on what that pitch is, with the studio acting like a kid with a giant present, and refusing to reveal anything about it. All we know is that it’s a “family-centred comedy”.

Fox presumably have faith in Levy to deliver, considering his Date Night and Night At The Museum films have turned into successful money-spinners for them.

Meanwhile, Levy is also setting up shop at DreamWorks to direct Real Steel , about a father and son who take their robot to the Bot Boxing Championship.

Source: [ Variety ]

Can Levy escape the Christmas movie curse?

Remember how Bryan Singer restored footage of Marlon Brando for his Superman Returns ?

Seems he got other filmmakers thinking about making films using voices from the Other Side, as Orson Welles is set to be resurrected for a new flick called Christmas Tails .

The legendary actor, who died in 1985 and was played recently by Christian McKay in Me And Orson Welles , reportedly narrated a book called Christmas Tails by friend Robert X Leed before his death.

The tapes of that recording have just been found, so Drac Studios are pressing forward and using them as the foundations for a big screen version of the flick.

Christmas Tails follows Santa’s dog, who saves Christmas one year by grouping together a collection of dogs in the North when all of Santa’s reindeer become ill.

The flick will be forged using live-action and CGI, using a script written by Todd Tucker, who directed the similarly canine-centric, soon-to-be-released Monster Mutt .

Expect to see Tails in 3D around Christmas 2011.

Awesome or creepy?

Part Ten - Megan Fox, Messiahs, and Movie Star Websites

-

The 10 Greatest Movie Messiahs He suffered for all our sins. So who's the best cine-Jesus?

20 Most-Viewed Megan Fox YouTube Moments The fun, the frisky and the downright freaky...

12 Sordid Movie Affairs The rampant rogues who have their cake and eat it...

The Story Behind Braveheart Mel Gibson talks exclusively about his epic...

10 Cartoon Strips That Should Be Films If Marmaduke can be a movie, why not this lot?

Best & Worst: Movie Star Websites The neat and the naff around the 'net...

12 Movie Neighbours From Hell There goes the neighbourhood...

9 Weirdest Alternate Movie Universes Strange lands we'd love to get lost in...

10 Essential Anime Movies And how Hollywood would remake them...

10 Sexiest Classic Horror Stars Sultry screen sirens from the Hammer vault...

Have your own favourites of the year? Let us know!

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5 - Part 6 - Part 7 - Part 8 - Part 9

Part Nine- Del Toro, Depp and Dynamite

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The 25 Greatest Coens Movie Moments
Sublime, absurd... Hollywood's greatest indie film makers

The 20 Massivest Movie Explosions
Fireworks special! Cinema's biggest booms...

Guillermo Del Toro On Making The Hobbit

The cult director updates us...

The 47 Greatest Movie Cliches
Tricks, tropes and too-tidy plotting

8 Movie Franchises That Could Have Been
We give classic movies the franchise treatment

12 Ads That Should Be Movies
We're gonna need a bigger telly....

The A-Z Of Johnny Depp
Our full guide to a cinema icon...

The Evolution of Ewan McGregor
From money-grabber to Jedi Knight - one man's journey...

10 Cool Family Guy Movie Spoofs
See Peter and co take on Hollywood

15 Dumb Movie Anachronisms
When movie folk get their years confused...

Have your own favourites of the year? Let us know!

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5 - Part 6 - Part 7 - Part 8

Part Eight - Cameos, video covers and crap movies

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The 30 Worst Blockbusters Ever Made

Huge budgets! Towering egos! Hopeless plots!

20 Jaw-Dropping Pixar Moments

The 'toon kings talk about their hottest shots...

The 30 Greatest Movie Cameos

Hollywood's sharpest scene-steals

80 Awesomely Bad '80s Video Covers

The best/worst cassette classics

30 Killer Movie Opening Lines

Solid starts and the best beginnings…

The 12 Greatest Shane Meadows Moments

The funny, the furious, and the heartfelt...

The 40 Greatest Monty Python Sketches

Cheese, hedgehogs, penguins and - yes - parrots...

The 27 Greatest South Park Movie Star Cameos

Ruthless impersonations, barking guest stars...

10 Things We Love About Where The Wild Things Are

We've seen it. It's amazing. Here's why...

The 20 Greatest Martial Arts Movie Fights

Ong-Bak's back. So here's our top genre fisticuffs...

Have your own favourites of the year? Let us know!

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5 - Part 6 - Part 7

Part Seven - Fun, filth and fighting

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Battle Royale: Movie Aliens Vs. Real Life Animals

Earth's mightiest animals square off against cinematic space invaders

30 Funniest Movie Jokes

Great gags, perfect puns and lewd laugh-grabbers...

The 50 Funniest Movie Moments

Watch all fifty, right here. Guffawing guaranteed...

The 28 Most Horrifying Movie Moments

Can you handle them all? See the pics, watch the vids...

18 Rare And Unseen Star Wars Shots

These are the pictures you are looking for...

10 Unfortunate Movie Titles

Not as funny - or filthy - as they sound...

The 50 Most Awesome Movie Fights... EVER!

Arnie, Sly, Van Damme, Seagal and the Rancor...

20 Greatest Horror Films You've Never Seen

Zombies, psychos and ghouls you've yet to be shocked by...

14 Sexiest Movie Birds

Grab your binoculars and follow us...

100 Reasons To Embrace Movies In 2010

Total Film presents the Future 100...

Have your own favourites of the year? Let us know!

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5 - Part 6

Part Six - Stupid weapons, bad horror and funny onions

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The 23 Weirdest Movies... And What They Really Mean

The strange, surreal and downright bizarre... all decoded.

The 20 Most Dangerous Movies Of All Time

Stomach-churners, riot-starters & change-makers… Films that made a mark.

27 Films That Need To Be Remade

Cult hits and near misses that deserve another go...

If Movie Characters Used Twitter...

Icons of cinema - in 140 characters or fewer

The Best And Worst Movie Viral Campaigns

Buzz marketing phenoms and failures...

The 27 Funniest Onion Movie Stories

Hilarious phoney film news from US satire kings

Songs That Could Be Movies: The Smiths

8 fantastic Smiths tracks that should be scripts…

15 Awesomely Stupid Movie Weapons

Lawgivers to Lightsabers, the dumbest guns in town...

20 Greatest Tarantino Music Moments

Our countdown of QT's hippest cuts...

The 32 Worst Horror Films Ever Made

The bad, the trash and the repulsive...

Have your own favourites of the year? Let us know!

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5

Part Four - Sexy cars, censored films and The Simpsons

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47 Great Movie In-Jokes

Veiled jibes, running gags & pop puns...

21 Unforgettable Terminator Moments

Monster trucks & cyborg rucks. The best bits from 1, 2 and (yes) 3...

11 Movie Dream Sequences Explained

Total Film goes Total Freud on movie character dreams...

Interview: John Lasseter

The Pixar/Disney boss on Toy Story 3, Up, 3D and more...

Battle Royale: Movie Runners

Joggers vs. sprinters in this fast-paced face-off

25 Movie Lines You Must Never Quote

Annoying film phrases that aren't funny anymore...

The 50 Greatest Simpsons Movie References

Smart and funny riffs on classic cinema moments...

18 Twittered Typo Remakes

Our Twitter poll results revealed…

20 Mainstream Films Banned Around The World

Indy, Pirates, King Kong... Fine here, filth abroad.

The 17 Sexiest Movie Cars

Cinematic motors with throttle and thrust

Have your own favourites of the year? Let us know!

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3

Part Two - Hot mums, terrible taglines, awesome openings...

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The 31 Stupidest Oscar Moments

When the Academy goes bad...

The 20 Most Underrated Movie

Mauled, maligned and misunderstood. Your poll results revealed...

The 20 Worst CGI Movie Moments

Surfing, sharks and stupid shorts...

11 Cool Movie Bars To Get Drunk In

Celebrate St Patrick’s Day in cinematic style!

20 Awesome Movie Openings

Jacking in, shooting up, invading France... Best. Beginnings. Ever.

The 67 Most Influential Films Ever Made

From 1895-1999. The flicks that taught Hollywood its tricks...

The 20 Hottest Movie Mums

Your poll results revealed. Who's the mother of all... mothers?

The 20 Best Simpsons Movie-Star Guest Spots

Gibson! Pfeiffer! Umm, Sting! Big-screen Springfield cameos...

10 Terrible Movie Taglines

Poster-pulls in dire need of a rewrite...

The Illustrious Career Of Vin Diesel

He's fast. He's furious. His role choices are spurious...

Have your own favourites of the year? Let us know!

Part 1

Part One - Footwear, Flickr & Friday 13th.. .

For Your Consideration... The Spirit A reader puts the case for Razzies 'Worst Picture'.

The 14 Worst Movie Trainers Film-themed shoes you wouldn't want on your feet.

The Top 40 Movie Music Moments Glorious meshes of sound and cine-vision.

7 Working Titles We're Glad They Didn't Go With Because 'Annie Hall' is better than 'It Had To Be Jew'.

18 Insane Tom Cruise Moments Couch-jumping, crotch-grabbing, water-dodging...

21 Amazing Flickr Movie Pics Film photos, street art, mash-ups and homages.

7 Movie Teachers Who Could Fix Britain Blighty needs help - from Mr Miyagi...

9 Extremely Cool Movie Snow Moments From when the UK was thigh-deep in the white stuff...

The 20 Worst Screen Couples They kissed, they missed...

The 9 Greatest Friday The 13th Slaughter Scenes We collect Jason's coolest kills.

Have your own favourites of the year? Let us know!

It’s not a massively sweeping statement to suggest that the majority of Christmas movies are total turkeys.

Jingle All the Way . Christmas with the Kranks . Fred Claus . Black Xmas .

Really, the purveyors of these celluloid sprouts deserve more than a lump of coal in their stockings.

But what if we turned to our favourite Christmas jingles for filmic inspiration? We raid the back catalogue and dream up a confection of festive delights...

Last Christmas

The Movie: Twenty-something Sarah (McAdams) is dying. She has a degenerative heart condition that means she probably won’t see another Christmas.

Determined to make this the best festive season ever, her fiancé Ryan (Maguire) goes all out.

He invites all of Sarah’s friends and family to a gathering at her parents’ home; the home of Sarah’s childhood. There he hopes to make this, her last Christmas, one worthy of her enduring memory.

Then, on Christmas Eve, Ryan goes ahead to help prepare his in-laws' home for the festivities.

But on the way, he gets caught in a snowdrift and crashes his car into the side of a lorry.

Rushed to hospital, Ryan fights for his life. But his injuries are fatal.

When Sarah hurries to his bedside, the pair share an emotional goodbye, in which Ryan promises Sarah the only thing that he has left to give: his heart.

The Cast: Rachel McAdams, Tobey Maguire

Sample Dialogue: “Last Christmas, I gave you my heart...”

Next: I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day [page-break]

I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day

The Movie: Be careful what you wish for!

Ten-year-old Billy can’t wait for Christmas. But then he finds out that his dad (Affleck) has been called up for duty in Iraq. He’ll be shipped out on Boxing Day.

On Christmas Day, desperate for his dad to stay at home, Billy climbs onto the roof of the house. There, he writes his name in the snow, and wishes on a star for Christmas never to be over.

Sure enough, Billy wakes up the following morning to find that it’s Christmas Day all over again. Could this be the best dream come true ever?

But when Billy rouses day after day to find that it’s still the same Christmas, the same presents, the same Turkey spread, the same board games, and the same God-awful Star Wars special on TV, he realises this isn’t quite what he wanted.

Can he take back his wish and risk losing his father forever?

The Cast: Ben Affleck, twinkly-eyed newcomer for Billy

Sample Dialogue: “I'll sign my name on the rooftop in the snow, then he may decide to stay”

Next: All I Want For Christmas Is You [page-break]

All I Want For Christmas Is You

The Movie: Festive slasher flick in which a group of London friends take to the frozen canal for some yuletide merriment.

But when their charge, little Jimmy Jones, falls through the ice, the frisky teens are too busy making snow-women and flirting via snowball fights to notice the youngster in peril.

Jimmy dies.

Ten years later, the friends are now living in different parts of the country. Steven (Barnes) is a London trainee policeman, Lindsay (Mulligan) is lecturing in Glasgow, Sue (Knightley) is a journalist in Liverpool, and Paul (Fox) runs a catering company in Manchester.

One by one, they each receive a Christmas card bearing the same sinisterly simplistic message: All I want for Christmas is you.

Soon after receiving said cards, three of the unlucky foursome meet with sticky ends (death by chimney, the usual slasher fare).

Only Steven survives an attack on his life, and must figure out who is out to get him.

Lured into a frost-bitten, disused Winter Wonderland fairground near to the site of Jimmy's death, Steven is taunted by his faceless tormenter, and must fight to stay alive...

The Cast: Ben Barnes, Carey Mulligan, Keira Knightley, Laurence Fox

Sample Dialogue: “I just want you for my own, more than you could ever know”

Next: Merry Christmas: War Is Over [page-break]

Merry Christmas: War Is Over

The Movie: We open where most alien invasion flicks climax: the end of all-out war.

The Martian race of green-skinned humanoids known only as New Worlders came to Earth eighteen months ago. After the Americans overreacted and declared war on the newcomers, a fierce battle took place.

But when neither side could win, a compromise was settled.

Understanding that the New Worlders couldn’t return to their home planet, the Intergalactic Peace Treaty was signed on Christmas Day, granting alien entities permission to stay here with us, where they must integrate into society.

In this brave new world, two societies struggle to accept each other. As New Worlders take on human jobs, specism is rife, and there is a constant clash between the two.

Inevitably, a romance is struck up between native human Alice (Moore) and a New Worlder. But their love is considered taboo, and they are shunned from both societies.

Can they ever find a place where they are accepted?

The Cast: Julianne Moore

Sample Dialogue: “Let's stop all the fight”

Next: JCB [page-break]

JCB

The Movie: Father Bruce (Crowe) and his teenage son Luke (Hoult) share a volatile relationship.

Luke’s mother left in the middle of the night one Christmas, and he’s blamed his father’s fiery tempers for her departure ever since.

Now Christmas has come around again, and Bruce has forced Luke into the car for a drive up to Canada to visit relatives.

Luke isn’t happy one bit.

But things take a turn for the worse when a rusty old JCB appears behind them on the otherwise deserted road.

When it gets a little too close for comfort, Bruce pulls over to confront the driver. He’s shot in the leg by the unseen JCB wielder, and Luke realises he’ll have to fight to save both him and his father. Or face a terrible fate by the roadside.

The Cast: Russell Crowe, Nicholas Hoult

Sample Dialogue: “The engine rattles my bum like berserk”

Next: Fairytale of New York [page-break]

Fairytale of New York

The Movie: Recession-hit loner Joe (Schwarzenegger) has been sacked from his day job as a professional weightlifter.

Divorced. Lonely. Bitter. Forced to downsize to a downtown New York apartment replete with resident cockroaches, Joe eventually admits defeat and takes a job as an elf in superstore Macy’s.

If it weren’t for the comically too-small costume, he would be the least humorous elf ever.

Then, Joe catches wee homeless orphan Harry shoplifting in the store. With nowhere to put the fella, social services are in a right pickle.

But, for some reason, Harry has taken a shine to Joe. When social services say they can’t find anywhere to house the nipper during the festive season, Harry finds himself lumbered with the over-sized elf. (What? You want logic in an Arnie flick? Give us a break!)

As Christmas gets into full swing, Joe begins to realise that he is not that dissimilar from Harry. They’re both loners. They’re both bitter. Still, Joe’s afraid of letting anybody get close to him again after his bitter divorce, in which he lost custody of his little girl. Joe inadvertently makes Harry’s life as difficult as possible.

But after the pair enjoy a magical Christmas Day together, social services finally find a replacement home for Harry on Boxing Day. Will he choose to stay with Joe? Or will the duo end up living unhappily ever after?

The Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger

Sample Dialogue: “I can see a better time where all our dreams come true.”

Next: I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas [page-break]

I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas

The Movie: Quiet, contemplative indie flick. The Wilkins family – mother Mary (Theron), father Derek (Brolin), and 17-year-old daughter Sally (Ronan) – have lived in London since Sally was born.

So when they are forced to up sticks and return to Mary’s native Capetown, the upheaval is almost too much for Sally to bear.

Escaping into her own animated world, she dreams of her happiest memories – including that of a rare white Christmas in the English capital.

Eventually befriending her neighbour, shy teenager Ben, Sally shares with him her dreams and fears.

When, on Christmas Day, Sally wakes to find the house and garden covered in fake snow, she discovers that Ben has tried to make her dreams come true...

The Cast: Charlize Theron (natch), Saoirse Ronan, Josh Brolin

Sample dialogue: “May your days be merry and bright, and may all your Christmases be white”

Next: Silent Night [page-break]

Silent Night

The Movie: 1348. The Black Death has arrived on the shores of England.

In the city of Cambridge, many families have fallen under its shadow.

Nurse Madeline (Streep) is doing her best to keep the townsfolk appeased, but the virus is spreading fast, and the red crosses are appearing on doors with fearsome frequency.

Then Madeline’s own son, just five-years-old, is struck with the sickness. As panic sweeps through the community, Madeline begins to question her own allegiance to God. Loved ones die, and there appears to be no end to the suffering.

Then the snow begins to fall, blanketing the land.

And on this silent, white night, the townspeople find a moment of quiet and peace amidst the horror that surrounds them...

The Cast: Meryl Streep

Sample Dialogue: “All is calm, all is bright...”

Like This? Then try...

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• Best & Worst: Movie Star Tweeters
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Secret Cinema is back with their Christmas event, and lucky ticket holders will get the choice of three screenings to attend, instead of the usual solitary show.

The only clues they are giving away involve the word 'Christmas', but after our experience at the fantastic Halloween event last month, where a screening of Alien was shown in spaceship-styled warehouse vand introduced via video by Ridley Scott himself, we know that whatever the film, the show is sure to be breathtaking!

For those who do not already know about Secret Cinema, head over to www.secretcinema.org and log onto Facebook & Twitter to receive all the latest updates.

This event is again in partnership with Windows Phone, whose support allows for bigger and better screenings, and means that there will be live tweeting and facebook updates during the event.

Previous Secret Cinema screenings have used surprising site-specific locations from five-star hotel car parks to working city farms to evoke the spirit of the secret movie.

The events have been enriched by live rescores, special guest appearances, artist’s installations and performing bands and DJs.

For the first time, there will be three shows - Friday, Nov. 27 (19.00), Saturday, Nov. 28 (19.00) and a matinee which will take place 14.00 on the Saturday afternoon .

Been to a Secret Cinema event? Tell us all about it!

The latest trailer for Robert Zemeckis' take on A Christmas Carol has arrived online and you can see it below.

As with many recent second promos, there's not a load of new footage from the Dickens adaptation, but you do get two solid fresh chunks - one of Scrooge generally being a miserable git to carol singers and one from while he's being haunted.

That second sequence clearly shows Zemeckis and his team showing off what the performance capture technology can bring to the story as a shrunken Scrooge is flung around and off a roof.

It's a fun little moment, but we wish they didn't indulge themselves in the sort of slapstick humour usually better suited to the Ice Age films.

What would Dickens say? He'd probably approve if it helped bring in the audiences...

Take a look at the trailer for yourself and leave your thoughts in the comments...

Part Three - Chelios, Cannes and Cake

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27 Scenes That Shouldn't Have Been Deleted

The best unseen bits from Dark Knight, Star Wars, T2 and more...

Could Chev Chelios Actually Survive Crank 1 & 2?

We ask a doctor to assess the state of The Stath...

16 Delicious - And Disastrous - Movie Cakes

Icing plus icons usually equals ick...

The 25 Greatest Star Trek Movie Moments

The very best bits from the big-screen final frontier…

18 Greatest Cannes Moments

Golden palms, glamorous girls, and Tarantino's middle finger...

Battle Royale: Bad Movie Hair

Cage and Travolta Face/Off against the worst hair in film history…

25 Cool Movie Locations...

...And How To Visit Them In Google Street View

Sam Raimi Answers Your Twitter Questions

Spider-Man 4, Evil Dead 4, Iron Man 2 and more...

Quiz: Polish Film Posters

Guess the movie from the bizarre promo...

Have your own favourites of the year? Let us know!

Part 1 - Part 2

Part Five - Bastards, battle royales and bizarre deaths

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The 30 Greatest Gangster Movies

Mobsters, molls, heavies & hoods. An offer you can't refuse...

The 20 Strangest Movie Star Chat Show Appearances

Meltdowns, mockery and madness from thesps on TV...

The 40 Greatest Movie Bastards

It's a love/hate thing. Deliciously nasty bad guys...

What If All Websites Were Movies?

Fincher's doing Facebook, should Scorsese do Spotify?

Battle Royale: Movie Vs TV Dinosaurs

A prehistoric punch-up for the ages...

The 22 Stupidest Movie Moments

Invisible cars, nuclear fridges, and surfing elves...

15 Bizarre Movie Deaths

Gross, gruesome and gory ways to meet your maker

20 Movie Worlds That Could Make Great Holidays

From Naboo to Lothlorien. Wish you were there?

Battle Royale: Movie Magicians vs. Real Magicians

Cinematic sorcerers against stage showmen

The 20 Most Misquoted Movie Lines

Dirty Harry’s diatribe and more… corrected!

Have your own favourites of the year? Let us know!

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4

Christmas presents suck. No really. You seldom receive what you want, instead getting a generic gift given to those void of personality, or a bestseller book written by an ‘up and coming’ author that demands to be left behind on the tube.

It's not like totalflim.com is a picky bunch, either. Film fans are the easiest people to buy presents for with no exceptions. A century of cinema has given birth to a wealth of memorabilia, and most of it would have deserved a place under our Christmas tree this year. Here’s some examples of things we guarantee you - and us - missed.

1. The Godfather quote poster

One of the most quotable movies of all time just became even easier to reference.

The poster is made up of the entire script of the movie, which will put your friends Darth Vader stills mosaic to shame.

Perfect for when you take down your decorations and your house suddenly seems bare and lifeless. A younger sister could have easily afforded this.

LA Pop Art , $9.99

2. Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles – Season 1

Given the sparse filmography of series developer Josh Friedman and the bland Terminator 3, we can forgive you for initially dismissing this series. We can’t forgive you though if you still haven’t got into it yet.

Give it some time. The first season is hardly a 24-like revolution in TV. The first few episodes aren’t great either. But after four or five you really get a handle on the fact that Friedman understands Cameron’s universe better than anyone else so far.

Best of all, it's now cheaper than that novelty cheese set our Aunty bought us from M&S.

Amazon , £14.99

3. Tickets to see Star Wars: A Musical Journey

Whilst it’s not the musical we originally hoped for, hearing a real orchestra play along to a condensed telling of the Star Wars saga still sounds awesome to us.

Fitting the twelve-hour epic into 120 minutes on screen, a narrator and the 86-piece Royal Philharmonic Orchestra will accompany the imagery at the O2 theatre in April.

Tickets start at £30 a seat and remarkably are still available, so if you didn’t have tickets stuffed into your stocking, the only conclusion is your respective other doesn’t love you enough.

View London , £30-£100

4. My Name Is… Inigo Montoya T-Shirt

To be perfectly fair, there’s about six dozen things available on Think Geek that we’d buy without a second thought if we saw it in a shop. This riff on Princess Bride was our favourite.

But really, any T-shirt from Think Geek would be better than the plain purple one your nan foolishly bought you from Asda, or the "I'm With Stupid" the Brother-In-Law thought was Hil-lar-rious!

Clothes shopping for someone else is a dark art. Our advice - don't bother. You'll only feel hurt when you see that carefully picked out T-shirt in Oxfam two days later.

Think Geek , $16.99 - $18.99

12 Things totalfilm.com Would Get You For Christmas

If you like this site, you’ll want this stuff

11 Movie Games We Want To Play This Christmas

Nan, this is how you play The Running Man...

10 Great Christmas Movies You've Never Seen

A splash of seasonal goodwill, please, for these festive non-classics...

The 9 Meanest Christmas Movie Moments

Hosted by Michael Caine's Ebeneezer Scrooge...

8 Weird Life Lessons We Learnt From Christmas Movies

Not the original messages, maybe. But it's what they taught us.

7 Summer Blockbusters Reshot As Christmas Movies

What if 2008's event movies had been released at Christmas? Eh? Eh?

6 Actors Who Would Make Good Bad Santas

Ho, ho, woah! Pleasantly dodgy present-hawkers...

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5 Movie Bookmarks For Your New Laptop

Before you eat that Chocolate Orange, add these...