It’s a Wonderful Life (dir: Frank Capra, 1946, cert U)
The greatest Christmas movie is this timeless Frank Capra classic. If you haven’t watched it then I’m afraid Christmas can’t happen. Beautiful, moving and the most heart warming piece of cinema ever made. ‘I want to live again’. Oh no the tears have started.
Sat 9 Dec to Sun 24 Dec at The Electric, Station Street, Birmingham B5 4DY £9.50 www.theelectric.co.uk
Fri 15 Dec to Sat 16 Dec at Birmingham Cathedral, Colmore Row, Birmingham B3 2QB £10 www.theelectric.co.uk
Sun 17 Dec 7.30pm at New Alex Theatre, Suffolk Street Queensway, Birmingham B5 4DS £15 www.atgtickets.com

Gremlins (dir: Joe Dante, 1984, 12A)
The picture postcard perfection of Kingston Falls, clearly a parody of It’s A Wonderful Life’s Bedford Falls, is usurped with gloriously violent abandon by hoards of killer gremlins. If only Billy had kept his Mogwai dry.
Sun 10 Dec 8.05pm at The Mockingbird, Custard Factory, Gibb St, Birmingham B9 4AA £4
Thu 28 Dec 12pm at The Electric, Station Street, Birmingham B5 4DY £9.50 www.theelectric.co.uk

The Muppet Christmas Carol (dir: Brian Henson, 1992, cert U)
Michael Caine is an absolute revelation as he sings and dances his way through the epically charming Muppet spin on Charles Dickens’ classic story.
Fri 15 Dec 3.45pm & Sun 17 Dec 1.30pm at The Electric, Station Street, Birmingham B5 4DY £9.50 www.theelectric.co.uk + Den of Geek singalong on Sat 23 Dec 6.15pm, book here.

Home Alone (dir: Chris Columbus, 1990, cert PG)
We never get tired of watching the hapless burglars Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern submit to ever more imaginative and painful punishments. The festive season can’t really begin until Marv and Harry have received several house bricks to the face.
Fri 15 Dec to Sat 23 Dec at The Electric, Station Street, Birmingham B5 4DY £9.50 www.theelectric.co.uk

Elf (dir: Jon Favreau, 2003, cert 12A)
Don’t be an angry Elf, join Buddy and his efforts to bring Christmas spirit back into our lives, you could even try a cup of the world’s greatest coffee along the way.
Sat 16 Dec to Sat 23 Dec at The Electric, Station Street, Birmingham B5 4DY £9.50 www.theelectric.co.uk

Miracle on 34th Street (dir: George Seaton, 1947, cert U)
So what do you do if a sweet old man turns up and announces he is the real Santa Claus? Why you lock him up in a mental institution obviously. Such is the fate that befalls our hero Kris Kringle, played with Oscar winning sweetness by Edmund Gwenn.
Sun 17 Dec 7.15pm at Moor Pool Hall, The Circle Cinema, Harborne B17 9DY £5 otd www.circlecinema.co.uk
Wed 27 Dec 5pm at The Electric, Station Street, Birmingham B5 4DY + dinner at hotel du Vin, 25 Church St, Birmingham B3 2NR £44.50 www.theelectric.co.uk

Die Hard (dir: John McTiernan, 1988, cert 15)
Yippie-Ki-Yay MotherFucker! It’s Christmas and poor old John McClane (Bruce Willis) is in the wrong place at the wrong time (again).
Sun Dec 17 8.45pm & Fri 22 Dec 9pm at The Electric, Station Street, Birmingham B5 4DY £9.50 www.theelectric.co.uk

White Christmas (dir: Michael Curtiz, 1954, cert U) + wine tasting
Screening of the Bing Crosby classic featuring selected seasonal wines from Hotel Du Vin sommelier Tony Elvin. Read our full preview here.
Mon 18 Dec 6pm at The Electric, Station Street, Birmingham B5 4DY £24 www.theelectric.co.uk

The Nightmare Before Christmas (dir: Henry Selick, 1993, cert PG) + Kitchen Conjurer eatalong
Jack Skellington tries to bring the joy of Christmas Town to the puzzled inhabitants of Halloween Town. A beautiful film recalling German Expressionism in its shadowy darkness. Stay away from Oogie Boogie kids. Read our full preview here.
Mon 18 Dec 8.15pm & Wed 20 Dec 12pm at The Electric, Station Street, Birmingham B5 4DY £20.70 www.theelectric.co.uk

Home Alone 2 (dir: Chris Columbus, 1992, cert PG)
Basically a remake of the original set in New York. It stars a gloriously obsequios Tim Curry and maintains the violently hilarious momentum of the original. ‘Merry Christmas ya filthy animal’.
Tue 19 Dec 8.45pm at The Electric, Station Street, Birmingham B5 4DY £9.50 www.theelectric.co.uk

Check out our guide to best alternative Christmas events here.