Here's the second part of our fab festive film guide, that tells you exactly when to park yourself on the sofa over Christmas. For movies on telly from Christmas Eve to Boxing Day, click here.


Thursday, 27 December

If you caught the first SpyKids on Boxing Day, curl up for the sequel The Island Of Lost Dreams (BBC1, 10.15am). Alternatively, a more risqué slice of entertainment comes with Carry On – Don't Lose Your Head (UKTV Gold, 10am).

Are your tear ducts ready for some action? If so, then head over to ITV1 for Steven Spielberg's magical blockbuster E.T. – The Extra Terrestrial (4.25pm). The Queen (ITV1, 9pm) is a wonderful, Oscar-winning meditation on the Royal Family in the aftermath of Princess Diana's death, while Terrence Malick's The New World (Sky Movies Indie, 9pm), starring Colin Farrell, deserves to find an audience after being criminally ignored at the cinemas.

Russian fantasy Night Watch (C4, 12.10am) might be the ideal nightcap, as plenty will nod off trying to work out the convoluted plot.


Friday, 28 December

Heroes and Buffy fans could do worse than catch the premiere of Ice Princess (BBC1, 12.50pm) – starring both Hayden Panettiere and Michelle Trachtenberg. Doctor Who devotees are also catered for, as The Golden Voyage Of Sinbad (C4, 1.15pm) features an early role for the Fourth Doctor himself – Tom Baker. Spend the afternoon following the hilarious fortunes of a Jamaican Bobsleigh Team in Cool Runnings (Cinemagic, 5pm).

The acclaimed cinematic version of Alan Bennett's The History Boys (BBC2, 9pm) receives its premiere, as does The League Of Gentlemen's Apocalypse (C4, 10pm) - an acquired taste indeed.


Saturday, 29 December

Selleck. Danson. Guttenberg. You just can’t go wrong with that triumvirate of talent, as Three Men and a Baby (BBC1, 1.15pm) testifies. Even better, it's directed by 'Spock' himself – Leonard Nimoy! A bona fide classic can be found by crossing The Bridge on the River Kwai (C4, 4.55pm) – David Lean's 1957 film starring William Holden and Alec Guinness as prisoners of war in the Second World War.

Less demanding fare is on offer in the evening, with the premiere of Hot Fuzz (Sky Movies Premiere, 8pm) – a mildly amusing film with Simon Pegg, but not nearly as funny as it tries to be. Australian horror used to be confined to Kylie's outfits on Neighbours, but the brilliant Wolf Creek (Film4, 11.10pm) showed that the folks Down Under can make some terrifying flicks of their own.