Finnegan On Films: Fantastic Festive Choices On TV Over Christmas

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Our movie guy, James Finnegan, has some Christmas crackers on TV over the next few days to enjoy…

For the season that is in it, we should start with the classic story of Miracle on 34th Street (Christmas Eve 1.45 RTE1) and the most recent remake from 1994.

A single mum Dorey (Elizabeth Perkins) is director for special events at Cole’s Department Store who has raised her six year old daughter Susan to believe that Santa does not exist.

So when Kris Kringle (the excellent Richard Attenborough) takes over as the Cole Father Christmas claiming to be the real Santa, there is a change of heart.  Unfortunately, not everyone believes, so it ends up in court.

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In the absolutely adorable Paddington 2 (Christmas Eve 6.10pm RTE2), the bear from Peru has now settled into life in London with his adopted family, the Browns.

Unfortunately the search for a birthday present for his aunt back home leads him to being framed as a thief and imprisoned.

Starring Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins, Ben Whishaw as the voice of Paddington, Brendan Gleeson and the quite excellent Hugh Grant, this is a brilliant family film.

There is a wonderful remake of Little Women (Christmas Day 4.05pm RTE1) telling  the story of the March sisters, Meg (Emma Watson), Jo (Saoirse Ronan), Beth (Eliza Scanlen) and Amy (Florence Pugh) as four young women determined to live life on their own terms in spite of the rules and regulations of society at the time

Also starring Laura Dern, Timothee Chalamet, Meryl Streep and Bob Odenkirk, this was directed and written by Greta Gerwig.

To lose your son once would be considered unfortunate, but in Home Alone (Christmas Day 5.55pm RTE2) and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (Christmas Day 7.30pm RTE2), Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) is first forgotten on a Christmas trip to Paris and then for a trip to Florida.

In both instances, he is up against Harry Lime (Joe Pesci) and Marv Merchants (Daniel Stern) two dim-witted thieves, little suspecting how inventive Kevin can be in defending his territory.

In Downton Abbey (Christmas Day 9.55 RTE1), it is 1927, and King George V and Queen Mary are going to call on the Earl and Countess of Grantham at Downton while on a royal tour through Yorkshire.

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You will enjoy seeing Hugh Bonneville, Jim Carter, Michelle Dockery, Imelda Staunton and, of course, Maggie Smith once again in their ongoing and seemly ageless story.

It would not be Christmas without a visit to Salzburg and the Von Trapps in The Sound of Music (St Stephens Day 2.40pm RTE One) where Julie Andrews brings song and joy to a family suffering all kinds of grief.

Also starring Christopher Plummer and assorted children, nuns and nazis, this is a film for all the family.

Finally, Glaswegian singer Rose-Lynn Harlan upon her release from prison sets out to fulfil her dream of being a country and western star.

Wild Rose (St. Stephens Day 9pm RTE2) stars the multi talented Kerry actress and singer, Jessie Buckley and Julie Walters as her mother.

Wishing you and yours the happiest of Christmases.

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