Before we settle into the Christmas fare on offer, I was interested in the latest Colman/Cumberbatch dark comedy drama which has arrived at Disney. The scenario of the successful woman and the stay-at-home partner is a familiar one. Here it is taken to the next level when successful architect Theo Rose falls from grace and loses his job, whilst his partner Ivy’s star is on the rise as she goes from casual chef to lauded restauranteur. Everyone appears to be happy with the change of circumstances, but beneath the surface resentment is bubbling away. I feel that the chemistry between the two stars was lacking, even though the individual performances were excellent.

The wonderful Hayley Mills first came to attention with her debut performance in1959’s Tiger Bay. She became an instant favourite for little girls, myself included. I often add Pollyanna to my Christmas viewing list as it is such fun and everyone has such a jolly old time. When Pollyanna is taken in by her stern aunt, no one can resist her charming way of bringing feuding people together and happiness into their lives. There is a positive side to even the worst situations and Pollyanna is zealous in her conviction that this is the case. Definitely a film to bring some cheer, with a wonderful ensemble cast attached.

I must confess my Jonas Brothers knowledge is somewhat lacking, but I’m sure there will be lots of fans who would love Christmas with these boys, so you will enjoy this one. The three brothers race against time and face mounting challenges during a chaotic journey from London to New York, desperate to make it home in time for Christmas with their loved ones. Rotten Tomatoes gives it 91%… which is a tad excessive in this viewer’s opinion, but diehard fans may disagree. There is a funny cameo from Will Ferrell, which is a bonus.

Having not been overly fond of Ben Stiller, and the low rating, I was a tad reluctant to spend precious viewing time on this comedy. Stiller stars as city executive Mike Maxwell who is obligated to take care of his deceased sister’s four boys on their family farm. Much to the horror of the local community, Mike has made it known that this is not a permanent situation and foster homes will be sought for their ongoing care. It’s adequate holiday fare if you don’t want to tax the little grey cells, as Poirot would say.

Wholesome, heartwarming… adjectives that spring to mind for this comedy starring the lovely Isla Fisher as TV presenter Mackenzie who, as a child, wrote a letter to her fairy godmother. But somehow it was mislaid. Now an adult with her own children, the last thing she expects is for Eleanor, her unskilled personal godmother, to turn up to make amends for her request for help being denied all those years ago. Jane Curtin and June Squibb as aging fairy godmothers are a delight.

If spending the holidays with pirates is your thing, this swash-buckling tale follows the quest of savvy pirate Captain Jack Sparrow and resourceful blacksmith Will Turner, as they search for Elizabeth Swann, the daughter of the governor and the love of Will’s life, who has been kidnapped by the feared Captain Barbossa. It’s a jolly good tale with amazing CGI and an excellent ensemble cast who appear to be enjoying themselves immensely. An entertaining addition to the pirate genre.

This special Disney Christmas creation has a couple of new Christmas tunes that will surely catch on – from the Old 97’s we have I Don’t Know What Christmas Is (But Christmastime Is Here) and with Kevin Bacon on vocals, Here It Is Christmastime. Mantis and Drax decide that the only way to cheer up Peter Quill is to create Christmas as it’s done on Earth. They want a special present. And that present is Kevin Bacon. So off they go to kidnap Kevin. Absolutely loved this. Such fun for all you Guardians of the Galaxy followers out there.

I came across this lovely movie, which I had somehow never seen before. The wonderful Harry Dean Stanton stars as a Christmas angel named Gideon who is sent by Santa Claus to help Ginny Grainger, who is a cynic and hates Christmas. She and her family have fallen on hard times, making it even harder to believe in anything that can’t be seen. With help from her daughter Abbie and a trip to see Santa Claus himself, can Gideon find a way to make her believe again? Add this one to your Christmas viewing list.