It’s now December, which means we’re officially allowed to begin getting excited about Christmas! It’s time for the trees to go up, the bad jumpers to go on, and for lots of chocolate to be eaten.
But as the evenings continue to draw in, what should you be watching? We kick off our bumper roundup of festive favourites this week. You might have seen our roundup for Bad Santa 2 a few weeks ago, but there’s much more on offer.
The Muppet Christmas Carol 
Arguably one of the most popular adaptations of this Christmas classic, The Muppet Christmas Carol features the voice of Michael Caine, who plays Ebenezer Scrooge.
Scrooge is a money-lender who hates Christmas and coined the phrase “bah humbug”. One Christmas, he is persuaded into taking a rare day off. On this day, he is visited by three ghosts – the spirits of Christmas Past, Present and Yet To Come – who show him what life will be like for him if he does not change his ways.
Of course, this being a Muppet movie, it’s not all doom and gloom. There are plenty of laughs to be found, which makes this film an ideal one for watching with the family. The Blu-ray comes loaded with special features, including a blooper reel, a feature about Christmas traditions around the world, and commentary by Kermit, Gonzo and Rizzo, which is exclusive to Blu-ray.
The Santa Clause
Tim Allen stars in this hilarious Christmas caper about Scott Calvin, a man who nearly ruins Christmas for everyone after he accidentally kills Santa Claus.
What Scott doesn’t realise is that by killing Santa, he unknowingly enters into a contract (the titular Santa Clause) which sees him become Santa’s successor, and covering his duties for the evening. At first he believes the whole night was a crazy dream, however as time goes on, he begins to grow a big bushy beard and a rotund belly, making it quite clear that this was no one-off.
If you’re a fan of The Santa Clause, why not buy the complete three movie collection, which features the original and both sequels on Blu-ray.
Jingle All The Way
Arnold Schwarzenegger stars alongside comedian Sinbad in this hilarious story that every parent will be familiar with this time of year: tracking down the hottest toy in town for their children!
Schwarzenegger and Sinbad play two very competitive fathers who are both trying to source the must-have present this year – a Turbo Man figure. However, no matter where they go, they seem unable to get their hands on the coveted toy. The frustration leads to a ridiculous battle between the two fathers, who are both keen to prove that they’ll stop at nothing to get their hands on a Turbo Man.
The Blu-ray version of Jingle All the Way comes as an extended cut, offering viewers scenes which have never been seen before. The disc also comes with three bonus features: the making of the Turbo Man suit, an interview with the kids of the film, who discuss their ideal superhero, and a look at the fictitious Turbo Man action hero portrayed in the film.
