Films for all the family

Since it's Christmastime, we're looking at the best seasonal movies decade by decade.

Some of these Christmas movies you'll know well while others you may not have seen or heard of. In either case, we'll be giving you tons of suggestions for what to watch over the coming weeks.

In the past decade we've had some lovely modern Christmas classics. We could have gone for adult comedies with the likes of 'Daddy's Home 2' and 'A Bad Moms Christmas' proving hits. Christmas horrors, like 'Krampus' and 'Rare Exports', have also been welcomed by audiences. However, we chose the jollier movies on offer instead.

 

'Arthur Christmas'

'Arthur Christmas' is so full of warmth and charm that it easily wins over all who watch it. It follows four generations of the Claus family from Grandsanta to brothers Arthur and Stephen. Arthur learns that his dad, Santa, forgot to deliver a gift. He goes on a quest to bring it to the missed child. James McAvoy, Hugh Laurie, Jim Broadbent, Bill Nighy and Imelda Staunton all star in the animated feature.

 

'The Man Who Invented Christmas'

Led by two excellent performances in Dan Stevens and Christopher Plummer, 'The Man Who Invented Christmas' is one of the best Christmas movies in recent years. Stevens plays Charles Dickers while Plummer plays Ebenezer Scrooge. The story follows how the former was inspired to write the seminal 'A Christmas Carol'. Part of the film was shot in Ireland so make sure to watch out for some recognisable sights.

 

'Iron Man 3'

It may come as a surprise to some but 'Iron Man 3' has pretty much been accepted as a Christmas movie since its release in 2013. After all, the third solo outing for Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark was helmed by none other than Shane Black - the man behind such alt Christmas movies as 'Lethal Weapon' and 'Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.' The whole film is set at Christmas, features Christmas music, and has a message of holiday spirit as our hero triumphs over adversity. So there.

 

'Carol'

As with 'Iron Man 3', you wouldn't immediately think of 'Carol' as a Christmas movie. However, its holiday setting and themes are undeniable. Expertly directed by Todd Haynes, beautifully filmed by cinematographer Edward Lachman, and tenderly performed by Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara, 'Carol' relates how a shop clerk and aspiring photographer develops an intimate relationship with an older, glamourous woman in 1950s New York.

 

'Klaus'

The newest entry on our list is 'Klaus', which landed on Netflix this year. You've probably seen a hundred different iterations of the Santa origins story but 'Klaus' still feels fresh, unique and genuinely wholesome. J.K. Simmons voices the man in the red suit (well, in this case, the big woolly coat) while Jason Schwartzman plays the protagonist, Jesper, a spoiled, selfish postman who enters a scheme with Klaus delivering toys to the miserable children of the town of Smeerensburg.

 

Honourable mentions: 'Krampus', 'Rare Exports', 'The Night Before', 'The Grinch' (2018)

 

See also our Top 5 Christmas movies picks from: