From the lengthy list of unenviable tasks that Christmas brings, “choosing what to watch” is hardly the most labour-intensive, though it is quietly high-stakes. Finding a film that all factions of the family can enjoy – or at least endure – is a thankless task; choose a dud and you’ll be reminded of your error every Christmas for the rest of your life. (As the film critic in the family, I accept this burden.)
Small wonder, then, that many simply settle for rewatching It’s a Wonderful Life or Bridget Jones’s Diary year after year. But for those seeking to switch things up, a number of recent streamable crowdpleasers should fit the bill for families of various descriptions. Anecdotally, I already know a few people who have pencilled in the year’s biggest film, Top Gun: Maverick, for Christmas Day viewing, which makes sense. Tom Cruise’s slick flyboy reboot is new and sexy enough for teens, nostalgic enough for their parents, and undemanding enough to watch on a full stomach in a sherry-induced fog.
