From ‘Pinocchio’ to ‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas’: 10 fun movies to watch over holiday season

‘Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical’ (Out on Netflix on December 25): The musical adaptation of Roald Dahl’s classic book finally makes it on-screen. At home, Matilda Wormwood is horribly mistreated by her parents and her older brother. At school, principal Agatha Trunchbull bullies her, too. But her sweet teacher, Jennifer Honey, is kind. Miss Honey also notices just how smart Matilda is — so smart that she has magical powers — and helps her face those making her life difficult.

‘Puss in Boots: The Last Wish’ (UAE cinemas): Remember the cat with the cute boots from the “Shrek” movies? Well, Puss in Boots has his own movies, too, and the second one is here. In the latest instalment, he realises that his adventurous ways have caused him to go through eight of his nine lives. He must journey to find the fabled last wish and wish to once again have nine lives.

‘Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio’ (Netflix): The classic story of the wooden boy whose nose gets longer with each lie he tells comes back to the screen in this musical. This stop-motion animated movie is about Geppetto, who carves a wooden boy because he is missing his son, who died. He wishes for the wooden boy to come alive, and he does. But when Pinocchio is taken to perform in a circus, Geppetto must find a way to save him.

‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules’ (Disney+): Greg Heffley, the wimpy kid, has to deal with his spiky-haired older brother, Rodrick, in this animated adaptation of the second novel of Jeff Kinney’s popular series. High-school-age Rodrick always gives his little brother a hard time. When Greg is left alone with him for a weekend, he has to find a way to survive his brother’s never-ending list of rules.

‘The Boss Baby: Christmas Bonus’ (Netflix): The tie-wearing baby is back and struggling to understand what the hype around Christmas is all about. To get Boss Baby into the holiday spirit, his family takes him to meet Santa at a mall. But when Boss Baby is mistaken for an elf and taken to the North Pole, he does what he does best: takes charge. This time becoming the boss of the most famous toy factory ever, Santa’s workshop.

‘Home Sweet Home Alone’ (Disney+): This new adventure comedy is the sixth film in the beloved Home Alone franchise. In it, Max Mercer has been left behind while his family is in Japan for the holidays. When a married couple attempting to retrieve a priceless heirloom set their sights on the Mercer family’s home, it is up to Max to protect it from the trespassers. Hilarious hijinks of epic proportions ensue.

‘Pentatonix: Around The World For The Holidays’ (Disney+): One of the best parts of the festive season is the music. Check out this movie that features the superstar a cappella group Pentatonix. In this flick, the group is looking for inspiration for their annual holiday album. After getting locked in a mystical mailroom, a little magic sends them on a tour around the world, discovering holiday traditions and inspiration from Pentatonix fans.

‘The Holiday’ (Amazon Prime Video): Romance and festive vibes come together in this classic rom-com that will always find a place on TV screens during the holiday season. Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz play two women who are unlucky in love; one in the UK and the other in the US. They arrange a home exchange during the Christmas season in order to get over their heartbreak. There they meet Graham and Miles, played by Jude Law and Jack Black respectively, and love soon blooms.

‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas’ (Amazon Prime Video): Jim Carrey steps in the role of the grump Grinch, a green creature who lives near the town of Whoville. All the residents there love to celebrate Christmas, but the Grinch hates the festive cheer and is determined to ruin the fun.

Every Die Hard Film Ever (Disney+): Ever heard of this Bruce Willis-led action movie series being referred to as Christmas fare? There are many debates about this very issue, but many consider this vintage franchise the perfect thing to watch while cuddled up on the couch. Check out all the movies that are streaming — “Die Hard” (1988); “Die Hard 2” (1990); “Die Hard with a Vengeance” (1995); “Live Free or Die Hard” (2007); and “A Good Day to Die Hard” (2013).