Christmas CRACKERS!
From Love Actually to Elf; Miracle on 34th Street to It’s a Wonderful Life, there are some movies and TV shows that have become staples of the holiday season. And with the days and nights getting colder — and the big day just around the corner — it’s the perfect time to curl up and catch up on the holly, jolly favourites.
But this year has seen a number of new festive films and TV programmes hit the screen over the last few weeks.
Whether you’re after a magical fairytale or action-packed adventure, there’s something that will suit everyone’s tastes.
This week, we’re taking a look at some of the latest Christmas TV shows and movies to watch to get into the holiday spirit…
Asa Butterfield and Cora Kirk are back for Primevideo’syour Christmas Or Mine 2, which landed on the streamer on December 8.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year — or it’s meant to be, anyways. And whether or not James and Hayley can make a bit of festive magic out of this year’s second turbulent family Christmas is the question. This year, James’ father has invited the Taylor family to spend the Christmas holidays at a luxury ski resort in the Austrian Alps so that they can meet his new girlfriend.
However, Hayley’s dad, Geoff, was adamant that he handle his family’s side of the booking — and something clearly got lost in translation.
There was a mix-up at the airport, and the two families end up in each other’s accommodations — each on different sides of the valley and on opposite ends of the Tripadvisor rating scale.
But will the families get the holly jolly time they were hoping for?
The film also stars Alex Jennings, Angela Griffin, Daniel Mays, Jane Krakowski, Rhea Norwood and David Bradley.
And then there’s Genie, a magical festive fairytale from Richard Curtis, the screenwriter of Notting Hill, Four Weddings And A Funeral and Love Actually.
The movie, which hit Sky Cinema and NOW TV on December 1, is the tale of a genie, a man and about getting one chance to fix the mess you’ve made of your life. Melissa Mccarthy plays Flora, a genie who has been trapped inside an antique jewellery box for more than 2,000 years — all because of one teeny, tiny misunderstanding with a sorcerer in 77 BC.
For years and years, she has been summoned by greedy men to grant their wishes of everything — and anything — that they could want.
That is, until she is accidentally called by Bernard Bottle, who finds his life unraveling around him after a series of events.
Bernard, played by I May Destroy
You’s Paapa Kwakye Essiedu, has been working so much that he has lost sight of his marriage to his wife, Julie — and has been missing out on the childhood of his young daughter, Eve.
Things take a turn when Bernard misses Eve’s birthday 12 days before Christmas due to work, leading
Julie to decide that it is time for a trial separation. And then Bernard’s tyrannical boss fires him. Bernard, now alone at home in
Newyork, dusts off a jewellery box that he finds — and unintentionally releases Flora, who may be the only one that could help him get his family back.
And The Naughty Nine will be making their mark on Disney+ this holiday season.
When Andy, a mischievous fifth grader, wakes up on Christmas to find himself without a present from Santa, he suspects that he must have landed himself on the ‘naughty’ list.
Feeling like it’s unfair, Andy brings together a team of eight other ‘naughty listers’ — and the group set out to execute an elaborate heist in Santa’svillage at the North Pole, so that they can get the
These new shows and movies are perfect for the festive season… By Keeley Ryan
presents they feel that they deserve.
Heather Graham and Brandy lead the cast of Netflix’s Best. Christmas. Ever!, which debuted on the streaming service last month.
Jackie sends a boastful holiday newsletter every Christmas — and one which makes her old college pal, Charlotte, feel less holly and jolly, and more like a lump of coal.
But when fate intervenes and Charlotte and her family land on Jackie’s doorstep a few days before Christmas, Charlotte grabs the opportunity to try and prove her pal’s life can’t possibly be that perfect.
The Heist Before Christmas is also set to air on Sky Max and NOW TV this month.
Mikey Collins is a 12-year-boy who absolutely hates Christmas — but one night, stumbles across two Santa Clauses in the woods.
One of them — played by James
Nesbitt — has pulled off a bank heist and is on the run with the funds. Timothy
Spall plays the other Santa, who claims to have fallen out of the sleigh.
Mikey has got no time for the second Santa. After all, he reckons he’s far past believing any of the spirit of the season rubbish — even if his younger brother, Sean, insists on treating the second man like a complete superstar.
But Mikey has his sights set on a different kind of holiday.
He’s determined to get his hands on the bank robber’s cash, sure that this is the way that he can give the Christmas that his family are craving.
However, as Mikey risks everything to try and get his hands on the loot, he starts to realise that there might be a bit of holiday magic in the air after all.
Ted Lasso’s Hannah Waddingham is hitting the right note with fans with the festive special Hannah Waddingham: Home For Christmas.
The one-hour special, which landed on Apple TV+ on November 22, sees the Emmywinner ring in the holidays with a number of Christmas classics and special guests including Sam Ryder, Luke Evans, Leslie Odom Jr. and Phil Dunster.
The programme was recorded live at The Coliseum in London, with special performers including the English National Opera, the London Gay Men’s Chorus, The Fabulous Lounge Swingers and an 18-piece band.
And amongst the showstopping musical numbers, Hannah also opened up about her own anecdotes and memories about her own holiday experiences.
The Calvin family are back in the second season of The Santa Clauses, which is available to watch on Disney+ now.
Scott Calvin has been reigning as Santa Claus, the leader of the North Pole and Christmas, for 28 years — and he and his family are back at the North Pole after last season’s retirement plans were put to a stop. Now that Christmas has been saved, Scott is turning his focus back to finding his successor: this time, planning to train his son Calvin to take over the ‘family business’.
Eddie Murphy is a man on a mission in Primevideo’s Candy Cane Lane, which launched on the streamer on December 1.
The festive flick follows a man named Chris who is determined to win his neighbourhood’s annual Christmas home decorating contest — and who inadvertently makes a deal with a mischievous elf named Pepper to better his chances. She casts a spell that brings the 12 Days of Christmas to life — and causes chaos to descend on the whole town.
At the risk of ruining the holidays for his family, Chris, his wife Carol, played by Tracee Ellis Ross, and their three children find themselves in a race against time to break pepper’s spell and save Christmas for everyone.
The Brassic gang are back on screens this holiday season, with the festive special — Avery Brassic Christmas — set to air on Sky Max and NOW TV.
While the plan is to kick back and relax this year, it isn’t long before the inevitable happens: Dr. Chris rings up, saying his aunt is in crisis and needs looking after and there’s been a robbery at Tyler’s school, ruining his nativity.
Vinnie, Erin Tommo, Cardi, Carol Ashely and JJ have to bring their A
Game if they want to save Christmas — and there’s plenty of action in store at the wintry wonderland, including a fight with a man called Dick Dolphin, babysitting Chris’ Aunt and the best Nativity ever staged.
Elf Me, which is available to watch on Prime Video now, follows Trip, an unconventional elf who seems to succeed only in building bizarre weapons rather than actual toys.
But when fate leads him to Elia, a shy young boy pursued by a gang of bullies, the two of them set out to help each other — and together discover the value of friendship. And Ludacris, Teyonah Parris and Lil Rel Howery star in the heartfelt Disney+ Christmas movie, Dashing Through The Snow.
The film follows Eddie Garrick, a good-hearted man who has happened to lose his belief in the wonder of Christmas.
But while spending some time with his nine-year-old daughter, Charlotte, on Christmas Eve, he ends up befriending a mysterious man in a red suit named Nick.
And there’s the Netflix feel-good festive comedy, Family Switch.
It’s the lead-up to Christmas and Jess and Bill Walker are doing their best to keep their family connected as their kids grow up — and more independent and more distant, too.
A chance encounter with an astrological reader causes the family members to wake up to a full-body switch on the morning of the most important day of their lives.
Now, they just have to unite to help one another land a promotion, college interview, record deal and soccer tryout.
The cast of the film includes Jennifer Garner, Ed Helms, Emma Myers and Brady Noon.
MCG directs the film, which is based on the book Bedtime For Mommy by Amy Krouse-rosenthal.
“THE GROUP SET OUT TO EXECUTE AN ELABORATE HEIST...”