TV
Captive (available 9 December)
Captive could well be crowned this Christmas’s Making a Murderer-style sleeper hit. Made by the Oscar-winning producers of Man on Wire and Searching for Sugar Man, it’s a slick documentary series about hostage situations, explained by the people who lived through them. Every one is an eye-opener, from the prison riot in Ohio (told by Muslim and Aryan Brotherhood prisoners, and the warden they waged war against) to a Coca-Cola kidnap in Brazil and the retired couple held hostage for over a year by Somali pirates.
Hip-hop Evolution (available now)
First shown on HBO, this four-part documentary about the birth of hip-hop stars everyone from Chuck D to Grandmaster Flash, Russell Simmons and LL Cool J.
Trollhunters (available 23 December)
Guillermo del Toro’s animated series about a teenager who accidentally finds the Amulet of Daylight, which turns him into a – you guessed it – champion Trollhunter. And if he refuses his new role, trolls will destroy the whole human world.
Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency
Elijah Wood stars in this goofy sci-fi detective tale based on Douglas Adams’ novel of the same name.
Christmas catchup TV
The Crown
After this annus horribilis, forget the Queen’s speech on Christmas day and spend 10 hours in the company of Claire Foy’s Her Madge instead. Guaranteed, there’ll be more intrigue, more gaffes – and more sex (both horse and human).
Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life
It’s frosty outside and the world has swiftly become a disaster zone. Why not watch the four new feature-length episodes about Rory and Lorelai, the fast-talking, wise-cracking mother-daughter duo? It’s a beautifully wrapped gift, after all.
Last Chance U
You needn’t have even the vaguest grasp of American football to get hooked on this inspiring sports documentary (I’m speaking as someone who doesn’t – and who has.) If you have yet to meet Ronald Ollie and Miss Wagner and Coach Buddy Stephens, please head straight to Scooba, Mississippi and join them.
Festive films
Barry (available 16 December)
It’s Obama: the College Years. This captivating biopic, with one of the finest final scenes of any film this year, explores how the only black kid in the class rose to become the leader of the free world.
Home Alone and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (available now)
Chris Columbus’s burglary Crimbo classic. Get nostalgic with Kevin McAllister, the Wet Bandits and John Candy as the “polka king of the mid-west”. Plus, if you make it to the second instalment, a cameo from Donald Trump.
Jingle All the Way (available now)
Arnie’s Christmas movie. Need I say more.
