Having a glorious two weeks off for the Christmas break means plenty of opportunities to get our lives in order — clean up the house, clear out our wardrobes, organise our budgets for next year…

No, us neither.

If your plans this holiday season are anything like ours, they’ll probably consist of a lot of lying on the couch having movie days. The only kind of marathon we’re interested in preparing for is a streaming one, and these two weeks should see us thoroughly versed in the best movies the platform has to offer. From family favourites to weepy rom-coms, this is the ultimate list of winter-appropriate flicks to see you through the Christmas break.

The Goonies (NowTV)

An absolute 80s classic, if The Goonies doesn’t give you a healthy dose of nostalgia for hanging out with your mates, nothing will. It’s the perfect film to watch after Christmas dinner — very quotable, plenty of action, and kids saying the darndest things.

About Time (Netflix)

Controversial opinion time: About Time is Domhnall Gleeson’s best movie, hands down. This is the perfect rom-com and genuinely one of my favourite movies ever — it’s funny, it’s sweet, it has important life lessons and it stars Bill Nighy. Enough said.

Knives Out (Amazon Prime)

What’s Christmas without a good whodunnit? Knives Out is a fantastic mystery flick with a healthy amount of humour. The star-studded cast blends beautifully together, and each one brings a performance that’s completely unexpected. Funny, unique and full of surprises.

The Holiday (Netflix)

One of the all-time great Christmas rom-coms (there’s probably not much competition for that title, but still), I would gladly watch a full two hours of Kate Winslet and Jack Black’s story of falling in love and helping an elderly actor back to glory in the process. Putting up with Cameron Diaz and Jude Law sickeningly flirting with each other is a small price to pay for this gorgeous, funny movie.

Back to the Future (Amazon Prime)

Needs no introduction. Two and three are also available on Amazon Prime for a truly dedicated movie marathon.

Love Actually (Now TV)

It wouldn’t be Christmas without watching Love Actually at least five times.

Fantastic Mr Fox (Amazon Prime)

Wes Anderson does a live-action animation of a Roald Dahl classic, starring George Clooney, Meryl Streep and Bill Murray. Do I really have to convince you further? This is sharp, hilarious, and beautifully crafted.

La La Land (Netflix)

What will forever be known as the movie that almost won Best Picture at the Oscars, La La Land is pure golden Hollywood glamour. Beautiful music, surprisingly great dancing from both Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling, and a bitingly realistic story of love versus career makes for a classic way to spend an afternoon.

Read more: 5 films even better than the book to watch on a cold, dreary evening

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