Top ten Hollywood festive movies like “Harry Potter” and “Sound Of Music” to get into the holiday mood

The holiday season is just around the corner, and what better way to spend this festive time than re-visiting cinematic classics? From the 'Sound of Music' to You've Got Mail,' here's our pick of movies to leave you with a warm, fuzzy feeling this Christmas season.

The Bad Guys: A Very Bad Holiday (Netflix): The 2022 Universal Pictures adaptation of Aaron Blabey's graphic novel, The Bad Guys, was a global hit ($250 million worldwide). Now, in the TV special "A Very Bad Holiday," a prequel to the film, the reformed creatures accidentally ruin Christmas during a heist. The 25-minute special on Netflix explores the "criminals with a heart of gold" concept with a new voice cast but the same tone.

Candy Cane Lane (Amazon Prime): Reginald Hudlin directs Eddie Murphy in the 2023 holiday film "Candy Cane Lane." In family-film mode, Murphy plays Chris Carver, fired right before the holidays, intensifying his quest to win a local Christmas decoration competition. It also stars Tracee Ellis Ross, Jillian Bell, Trevante Rhodes, Ken Marino, David Alan Grier, and Nick Offerman.

The Sound of Music (Disney+): The classic Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, "The Sound of Music," became a Christmas staple in the U.K. Over the years, the song "My Favorite Things" from the musical, with its winter-themed lyrics, has been adopted as a Christmas carol.

Harry Potter Films (Netflix): The Harry Potter films, centred around the young wizard Harry Potter, occasionally feature Christmas scenes at Hogwarts. In the U.S., they were part of ABC Family/Freeform's "25 Days of Christmas" until 2017.

Home Alone (Disney+): John Hughes' rollicking holiday classic, "Home Alone," brings laughter and warmth with its mischievous plot. Available on Amazon Prime, it's a must-watch featuring Catherine O'Hara, Macaulay Culkin, and the iconic John Williams score.

You've Got Mail (1998), (Netflix): Nora Ephron's romantic comedy, "You've Got Mail," is a fairytale set in New York's Upper West Side during Christmas. The chemistry between Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks, paired with Harry Nilsson's 'Remember,' makes it a classic.

Falling for Christmas (2022), (Netflix): Lindsay Lohan stars in Netflix's breakout hit, "Falling for Christmas." Lohan plays the entitled daughter of a wealthy hotelier with amnesia, who discovers love and identity at a family-run inn. The film features Chord Overstreet as the hunky inn owner.

Guns of Navron (1961), ( Apple TV): The classic war film, directed by J. Lee Thompson, follows a group of Allied commandos tasked with destroying two powerful German guns on the fictional Greek island of Navarone during World War II. Starring Gregory Peck, David Niven, and Anthony Quinn, the film is renowned for its gripping narrative, intense action sequences, and strong ensemble cast. The movie remains a timeless war epic that is a great holiday watch.

Serendipity (2001), (Amazon Prime): What’s not to love here — it’s Christmas in New York with John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale to add to the charm. Jonathan and Sara are strangers whose paths cross in New York one snowy day, and sparks fly. Leaving their union to fate, Sara throws their phone numbers into the universe to see whether their paths will cross again. Years later, the duo set out to find each other and nudge the hand of fate. It is a film for all seasons.

Notting Hill (1999), (Apple TV): Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant charm their way into our hearts as a couple from very different backgrounds who find themselves caught up in love. Roberts plays Anna, a successful American star who falls in love with a British bookseller, played by Grant. This romantic comedy is one of the films we never get tired of watching.