It’s officially festive season. Our trees are up, the turkeys are ordered, and we’re finally starting to get our heads around buying Christmas presents for our loved ones.
It’s also the perfect time to grab a mulled wine and mince pie, before settling down in front of the TV to watch our favourite Christmas films, and there are so many to choose from.
Streaming services like Netflix, Prime Video, Disney Plus and Apple TV+ boast an array of festive classics to sink your teeth into, including Elf, Love Actually, and Home Alone.
But if you want to widen your horizons this year and watch a more underrated gem, I’ve got you covered. Here are my top five picks for the Xmas films that should be talked about more.
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Klaus
Klaus was nominated for an Oscar (Image: Netflix)
Netflix animated film Klaus was first released in 2019, and is a twist on the origin story of Santa Claus. The movie sees a selfish postman and a reclusive toymaker form an unlikely friendship, delivering festive joy to a cold, dark town that desperately needs it.
Jason Schwartzman and JK Simmons voice the leading stars Jesper and Klaus, respectively. The cast also includes Rashia Jones, Joan Cusack, Will Sasso, Sergio Pablos, Norm Macdonald and Sam McMurray.
Shortly after its release, Klaus received critical acclaim for its animation, story, emotional depth, humour, narrative and vocal performances. It was nominated at the 92nd Academy Awards for Best Animated Feature, making it the first animated film from Netflix to be nominated for an Oscar.
Trust me, Klaus will soon become the Christmas movie that you’ll cry over every year.
Miracle on 34th Street
Richard Attenborough played Kris Kringle (Image: 20th Century Studios)
Miracle on 34th Street is another tearjerker, but in the most satisfying way. The story has been adapted into multiple films, but my favourite has to be the 1994 version.
The movie centres around six-year-old Susan Walker (Mara Wilson), who is skeptical of the Christmas myth surrounding Santa Claus, a trait that she learned from her mother, Dorey (Elizabeth Perkins).
When tasked with hiring the Santa who will pose with kids at a department store, Dorey enlists a man with the curious name of Kris Kringle (Richard Attenborough), who claims to be Santa himself. His assertions are met with backlash, but a young lawyer, along with Susan and Dorey, soon come to his defense.
This film was a staple in my house as a child, and I’m sure it will be in yours too once you watch it.
Nativity!
Nativity! is a festive comedy classic (Image: BBC)
If you love comedy films with a heartwarming sentiment, Nativity! will definitely be one for you.
The movie centres around primary school teacher Paul Maddens (Martin Freeman), who is in charge of producing his Coventry school’s nativity play. Competing against a posh rival school for the best reviewed show in town, the stakes are soon raised when Paul lies about Hollywood producers flying over to see his show.
As well as trying to turn his lie into a reality, Paul must also keep his eccentric teaching assistant Mr Poppy (Marc Wootton) in check.
The stacked cast also includes Ashley Jensen, Jason Watkins, Pam Ferris, Ricky Tomlinson and Rosie Cavaliero. A young Alan Carr also makes a hilarious appearance, a far cry from his days as a Celebrity Traitor – what’s not to love?
One piece of advice though, don’t rush to watch the following three movies. They are nowhere near as good as the first.
Last Christmas
Emilia Clarke stars in Last Christmas (Image: NBC Universal)
2019 comedy-romance Last Christmas was directed by Bridesmaids filmmaker Paul Feig, and is inspired by the music of George Michael and Wham!.
It stars Emilia Clarke as a disillusioned Christmas store worker called Kate, who forms a relationship with a mysterious man called Tom (Henry Golding).
As the pair’s friendship deepens, Kate begins to confront her past, her mistakes, and her aspirations for the future against a festive backdrop. Make sure you prepare yourself for a heartwrenching twist at the end, which will leave you speechless for several minutes.
The cast also includes Emma Thompson, Michelle Yeoh, Patti LuPone and Peter Serafinowicz, while Wham! star Andrew Ridgeley makes an exciting cameo appearance.
The Polar Express
The Polar Express made movie history (Image: Warner Bros)
The Polar Express is the film that brings you back to your childhood, when you stayed awake all night awaiting Santa’s arrival.
Based on Chris Van Allsburg’s 1985 children’s book, Robert Zemeckis’ adaptation transforms a simple bedtime story into a animated wonder, complete with hot chocolate, Christmas lights and lots of snow.
The film also made movie history as the first to be shot entirely with motion capture, which gave the animation its instantly recognisable aesthetic.
The movie stars Tom Hanks in multiple roles, along with Daryl Sabara, Nona Gaye, Jimmy Bennett and Eddie Deezen.
It’s safe to say that The Polar Express is a Christmas classic that will quickly get you in the festive mood ahead of the big day this year.