Christmas is just around the corner, so here are a few film ideas to entertain everyone during the holidays. From family friendly films, to big action blockbusters.

Festive films come in all shapes and sizes. Here's a quick dip into some of the best contemporary Christmas films out there, to help keep everyone entertained during the holidays.

1. The Muppet Christmas Carol

Directed by Brian Henson, son of the original Muppets creator Jim, this is a delightful re-telling of Dickens' Christmas classic with Michael Caine as curmudgeonly old Ebeneezer Scrooge and Kermit as Bob Cratchit.

2. The Polar Express

Robert Zemeckis' journey to the North Pole on Christmas Eve is a joyous whistle stop adventure, in the company of conductor Tom Hanks. The film is animated using motion capture techniques, which although more commonplace now, were groundbreaking when it was made. This film has also been re-mastered to be shown in 3D in the giant IMAX cinemas at this time of year. A truly magical experience, if you are lucky enough to catch it.

3. Casino Royale

What Christmas is complete without a rollicking good Bond film? With Daniel Craig wielding the Walther PPK, we have an altogether new 007 to contend with. A hard boiled spy who's struggling to suppress a sensitive side. Free from the gadgets and wise cracking asides of old, Craig just might be the best Bond yet.

4. Bad Santa

Not so family-friendly but so very funny, Billy Bob Thornton is the titular miserable, alcoholic, badly behaving conman of a Santa. Christmas spirits are lifted when he befriends a bullied child, redeeming himself somewhat with small acts of kindness. Sentimentality has no chance to get a foothold in this film however, and the jokes all remain in marvelously bad taste.

5. The Nightmare Before Christmas

Tim Burton's dark fairy tale juxtaposes Christmas and Halloween in a weird and wonderful stop frame animation film. Jack Skellington is fed up with Halloween Town, but just how will he fare in Christmas Town?

6. Trapped In Paradise

A sweet and funny film about three bumbling brothers who rob a bank, but then get trapped in the town by a snowstorm. The people they meet there are so kind and caring, they find themselves in quite a moral predicament.

7. Scrooged

Richard Donner's entertaining update of A Christmas Carol sees Bill Murray taking on the Scrooge-like role of Frank Cross, a TV executive in dire need of a few life lessons to show him what's really important. Luckily, he is in for a visit from the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future to set him back on the right path.

8. Die Hard

The original and best Die Hard pitches Bruce Willis against Alan Rickman, pulling great performances from both. If only all Christmas reunions were this exciting. Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock!

9. Gremlins

Gremlins has endured over the last twenty years or so to become a perennial favorite. Funny and gruesome in equal measure, Gremlins does much to reinforce the notion that pets really don't make good Christmas presents. That said, little mogwai is still incredibly cute.

10. Love Actually

With Love Actually Richard Curtis has taken his London-centric, rom com series of films in a new direction. Featuring a stellar cast, but with particularly stand out performances from Bill Nighy and Emma Thompson, Love Actually is a melee of bitter sweet vignettes which all culminate on Christmas day. A romantic comedy for the cynical and world weary is an achievement indeed.

Read further Christmas movie recommendations in 10 Classic Movies for Christmas