The 7 best family movies of the school holidays

WITH hot buttered popcorn and cold air-conditioning, you can’t go past a trip to the movies. Here are seven fun flicks the whole family will enjoy.

WITH hot buttered popcorn and cold air-conditioning, you can’t go past a trip to the movies these school holidays.

Here are seven fun flicks the whole family will enjoy:

PADDINGTON 2

Paddington 2 is simply delightful from go to woah, with an all-star British cast to rival the Harry Potter franchise.

The Peruvian Bear who gets into more trouble than he does marmalade (and he gets into a lot of marmalade) finds himself framed for the theft of a valuable children’s pop-up book.

Everyone’s favourite Peruvian bear returns to the big screen in Paddington 2.

As well as being an immensely clever and thoroughly entertaining romp, Paddington 2 also manages to offer up a few valuable lessons in kindness and friendship just in time for Christmas. Here’s hoping it rubs off on the kids.

Bonus: Hugh Grant is scene-stealing perfection as a villainous, vain actor with a huge ego and wacky array of disguises.

A beary good film. Hugh Grant and Paddington (voiced by Ben Whishaw) in Paddington 2.

STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI

The most anticipated film of the year takes us back to the core Star Wars saga, following up the $2.7 billion success of The Force Awakens.

While Rey tries to convince the reclusive Luke Skywalker to take up his lightsaber and fight the good fight, somewhere in a galaxy far, far away, the fate of The Resistance is left hanging in the balance.

May the force be with you. Mark Hamil as Luke Skywalker in Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

Both satisfying and surprising, strap yourself in for one of the best Star Wars sequels yet.

Warning: See it before your spoiler-prone friends spill all the big reveals.

THE MAN WHO INVENTED CHRISTMAS

An origins story about how Charles Dickens came to create the ultimate Yuletide classic, A Christmas Carol. Dan Stevens (Beauty and the Beast) plays the author, who, after a series of flops, hits upon a last minute idea to save his bacon — and Christmas! But only if he can get his characters, who pop out of his head and into the room, to behave.

Bonus: Christopher Plummer is perfection as Ebenezer Scrooge come to life.

Christmas? Bah humbug. Dan Stevens and Christopher Plummer in The Man Who Invented Christmas.

FERDINAND

Ferdinand (wrestling star Cena) is a giant bull who wouldn’t harm a fly — or even an adorable pink bunny.

When he’s mistaken for a rampaging beast, captured and taken far from home, Ferdinand joins a very amusing herd of new friends on an adventure-filled journey home.

Ferdinand tells the story of a giant bull with a big heart.

Fun and dependable fare from the animation studio behind Rio and Ice Age.

Bonus: Comes with a positive message about not judging a bull by its cover.

THE GREATEST SHOWMAN

Hugh Jackman delivers a grand musical like they don’t make ’em anymore.

The all-singing, all-dancing Aussie plays legendary circus founder P.T. Barnum in a story he describes as “a fantastical rags to riches tale”.

The circus is coming to town. Hugh Jackman in a scene from The Greatest Showman.

Inspiring, uplifting and romantic, with modern songs from Oscar-winning La La Land duo Benj Pasek and Justin Paul and the message that what makes you different makes you special.

Bonus: High School Musical graduate Zac Efron returns to the song and dance game!

JUMANJI: WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE

Smart update on an old favourite. Four high schoolers stuck doing detention stumble across an old video game.

Sucked into the console, they emerge on the other side as very different characters: The nerd becomes a beefed-up action hero (Johnson). The jock becomes the fraidy-cat (Hart).

The bookworm becomes a kick-butt woman (Gillan). And the self-absorbed mean girl becomes an overweight middle aged man (comic gold for Black).

Let the games begin. Kevin Hart, Dwayne Johnson, Karen Gillan and Jack Black in Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle.

Rampaging rhinos are just one obstacle they’ll have to overcome to win the game.

Bonus: If your kids love this, you’ll then have the joy of introducing them to the original Jumanji, starring Robin Williams, and its underrated sister flick Zathura.

WONDER
Wonder proves it’s what’s on the inside that counts. Auggie, 10, was born with a craniofacial disorder and wears a space helmet wherever he goes.

Entering Grade 5, his parents (Roberts and Wilson) decide it’s time for Auggie to come back down to earth and attend a real school.

Jacob Tremblay and Julia Roberts in the film Wonder.

Bullies and cruel taunts will be encountered, new friends will be made, lessons about kindness and acceptance will be learnt. Wonder will cross age divides, empty tear ducts and warm the heart.

Warning: Bring tissues. Lots of tissues.

Originally published as The 7 best family movies of the school holidays