FOR ME, the best part of Christmas is sitting around the TV after a big feed, and watching a movie, while trying not to get stuck with the Bounty in the box of Celebrations.
Picking the movie is always tough though. The usual suspects are mostly available on Netflix, Amazon, and Disney+ - Love Actually, The Holiday and Home Alone. With that in mind, I have put a few films together that you might not have thought of to try to help out. These are all available on free to air TV and the usual streamers.
Klaus: A really charming Oscar nominated cartoon produced by Netflix in 2019, very cosy vibe with lovely animation from a Spanish studio. The story is a bit over complicated for very young kids but I think it is a beautiful watch.
Paddington 2: An absolute classic. The Godfather II of family movies (as in its a sequel better than the original, and there are no flashbacks to the birth of the mafia in the 1950s ). Hugh Grant steals the show. On RTE One at 4.40pm on Christmas Day.Singin' in the Rain: Not exactly a Christmas film but it is one of the best films ever made and impossible not to be in a good mood after watching it. A good one to have on while you cook. On RTÉ 2 at 12.25pm on Christmas Day.Krampus: There is always room for a horror movie at Christmas. This one is good fun as it has a bit of a bite, a bit like Gremlins. A good one to watch full of turkey and whisky. Available on Netflix.Little Women (1994 ): I absolutely loved the recent Greta Gerwig version with Saoirse Ronan, but the 1994 version with Winona Ryder is still very good. A little more straightforward than the more ambitious Gerwig version, but it really works well. A very cosy nostalgic watch. Available on Disney+LA Confidential: Set during Christmas, there is actually a collection of really good LA Christmas movies, this, Die Hard, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, even the brilliant part of Annie Hall when they fly out to LA for Christmas. LA Confidential seems to have been forgotten about but it won heaps of awards as well as launching the career of Russel Crowe. A great looking adult thriller, They don’t make ‘em like this anymore. Available on Netflix.