Best films on Disney+ UK in December 2024
Disney and film go together like hot chocolate and marshmallows, and Disney+'s selection of films in December 2024 is bulging with goodies - old and new. Here's our run-down of the best films on Disney+ this December 2024.
Elton John: Never Too Late
Documentary | Music
2024 | R. J. Cutler | 102 mins
Summary:Co-directed by Elton John’s husband David Furnish, Never Too Late is the definitive profile of music icon Elton John. Featuring never-before-seen concert footage, handwritten journals and at-home interviews, the film follows the star during his last ever tour, Farewell Yellow Brick Road, which became the third highest-grossing concert tour of all time.
Why you should watch: For fans of the music legend, Never Too Late offers unprecedented access to the star - being that it is produced by John’s manager and co-directed by his husband. Filled with the powerful performances and gutting emotional honesty that have made John’s career so beloved and enduring, this is a deeply satisfying tribute.
Available December 13
Nutcrackers
Comedy | Drama
2024 | David Gordon Green | 104 mins
Summary:Uptight Chicagoan real estate developer Mike (Ben Stiller) is on course to complete the biggest deal of his career, until he’s dragged from his high-flying city life to rural Ohio to take care of his four rambunctious orphaned nephews. As his flying visit quickly becomes a festive adventure, Mike is forced to decide between his career and family.
Why you should watch: Director David Gordon Green’s authenticity is a breath of fresh air in the Christmas genre. Alongside Stiller, returning to acting after some impressive directorial work on AppleTV+’s Severance, is a cast of real-life brothers. This makes Stiller’s interactions with them, as an outsider, all the more powerful, with the Hollywood Reporter describing the film’s emotional payoff as “affecting”.
Available now
Music by John Williams
Documentary
2024 | Laurent Bouzereau | 106 mins | 12A
Summary:The record-breaking life and career of the five-time Academy Award-winning composer John Williams, famous for acclaimed film soundtracks including Star Wars, Jaws and Harry Potter, is the subject of this Disney+ original documentary. Featuring contributions from a star-studded cast including Steven Spielberg, J.J. Abrams, Chris Columbus and George Lucas, this film is a loving tribute to a man who has shaped modern cinema.
Why you should watch: For decades, the music of John Williams has been instantly recognisable across the world. He is a mastermind who has attracted devoted fans - and the star quality on offer in this doc alone would make it worth a watch. The man behind the record book, however, is also fascinating. From writing his first film score while stationed at Pepperrell Air Force Base to collaborating on Hollywood’s biggest franchises, this is the story of the only man who has been nominated for an Oscar in every decade since the 1960s.
Available November 1
Out of My Mind
Drama
2024 | Amber Sealey | 110 mins | 12
Summary:Based on the New York Times bestseller by Sharon M. Draper, Out of My Mind tells the story of Melody Brooks, a young non-verbal girl with cerebral palsy. Desperate to attend school and communicate with her peers, Melody battles against the odds to make her voice heard - inspiring all those around her.
Why you should watch: Melody’s story has received countless plaudits in novel form, including spending 18 months on the New York Times bestseller list. Described as “beautifully crafted” and “written with understanding” by The Guardian, Out of My Mind is a captivating and compassionate tale of the human desire to be heard. Disney is known for their ability to make one bawl, so this adaptation looks right up its street.
Available November 22
All of Us Strangers
Romance | Drama | Fantasy
2023 | Andrew Haigh | 105 mins
Summary:This adaptation of novelist Taichi Yamada's 1987 ghost story Strangers stars the delicious combination of Andrew Scott and Paul Mescal. Scott's lonely screenwriter Adam develops a romantic relationship with his neighbour Harry (Mescal) - all while engaging with a couple that perfectly resembles his dead parents.
Why you should watch: Director Andrew Haigh's dreamlike aesthetic gives this film a delicately haunting energy; it doesn't spook you, it's almost overwhelmingly fragile, but you'll be magnetised from open until close. The Rotten Tomatoes score speaks for itself, with 96% from more than 260 critics hailing this a "warm blanket of a film" (Empire Magazine). And, of course, Andrew Scott and Paul Mescal are simply brilliant together.
Available now
Crazy Heart
Drama | Music | Romance
2009 | Scott Cooper | 112 mins
Summary:The one and only Jeff Bridges plays alcoholic country rocker Otis 'Bad' Blake, who is forced to perform in Nowheresville bowling alleys to pay the bills. When he meets Maggie Gyllenhaal's much-younger single mum Jean Craddock, though, he spies an opportunity to turn things around.
Why you should watch: Crazy Heart offered Jeff Bridges some much-deserved Oscars glory in the Best Actor category, fending off competition from the likes of George Clooney, Colin Firth, Jeremy Renner and Morgan Freeman. He and co-stars Colin Farrell and Robert Duvall all sing for real in the film, and its original songs are fantastic across the board. The Guardian said at the time: "A hokey story about a washed-up country singer is rescued by a wonderful performance by Jeff Bridges."
Available now
Alien
Horror | Science Fiction
1979 | Ridley Scott | 117 mins
Summary:Absorbingly sinister and still one of the greatest-ever horror films of all time - 45 years since its release. Alien is the first introduction to the exquisite monstrosity that is the Xenomorph... The first of many Alien films follows a space crew who end up fighting for their lives after answering a distress call...
Why you should watch: Swiss artist H. R. Giger cemented his legacy with the film's infamous alien creature and environment designs. He deservedly took home the Oscar for Best Visual Effects alongside four colleagues. Such is Alien's ongoing impression on Hollywood, there's been four direct sequels, two prequels and a pair of Predator crossovers so far. Yet none have managed to recapture that visceral dread of the 1979 classic.
Available now
Heat
Action | Crime | Drama
1995 | Michael Mann | 170 mins | 15
Summary:Robert De Niro's Neil McCauley and his gang of career criminals size up one final Los Angeles heist... But Al Pacino's dogged Lieutenant Vincent Hanna marks their every move. What follows is a magnetic cat-and-mouse chase propelled by two acting giants at the top of their game and a director (Michael Mann) mastering the genre in real time.
Why you should watch: Although they would later appear together in Martin Scorsese's The Irishman, Heat stands as the very first collaboration between De Niro and Pacino on the big screen. (They were both in The Godfather Part II, but not onscreen at the same time). The diner scene between McCauley and Hanna emits the same electricity as Godzilla going toe-to-toe with King Kong. Meanwhile, an ear-splitting, street-level gunfight is undoubtedly the most realistic we've seen in cinemas. Christopher Nolan has cited Mann's thriller as a "big influence" on The Dark Knight.
Available now
Home Alone
Comedy | Family
1990 | Chris Columbus | 103 mins | PG
Summary:In this yuletide favourite, eight-year-old Kevin McCallister is left home alone when his parents accidentally go on holiday without him... When he's targeted by bandits, the boy rigs the family home with booby traps... Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern are a joy to watch as the hapless jewellery hunters Harry and Marv, while Macauley Culkin transforms from frightened kid into a deliciously malicious king of his castle before our very eyes.
Why you should watch: Rightly deemed to be one of the best Christmas films ever made. At the time, Variety said that Home Alone had "first-rate production in which every element contributes to the overall smartly realised tone. The reliable talents of Catherine O'Hara, John Heard and John Candy pop up in varying capacities, too. It's funny. That's the main reason to watch, and a festive family film without the schmaltz.
Available now
Road to Perdition
Crime | Drama | Thriller
2002 | Sam Mendes | 117 mins | 15
Summary:Originating as a gangster graphic novel series, this atmospheric big-screen adaptation gives fans something they didn't know they needed - Tom Hanks as a Depression-era mob enforcer. A slow burn it may be, but brutal sparks do indeed fly when Michael Sullivan and his son embark on a vengeful quest to forever-silence those who murdered their loved ones.
Why you should watch: Fresh from his Oscar-winning direction on American Beauty, Sam Mendes brought a polished grandeur to the table in Road to Perdition. Upon release, Rolling Stone complimented the film's "chilling darkness" and "breathtaking shootouts" which are strengthened by composer Thomas Newman's "evocative score". Tom Hanks is, as always, entirely watchable.
Available now
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
Adventure | Fantasy | Action
2006 | Gore Verbinski | 151 mins
Summary:In this second outing for Johnny Depp's iconic loon-of-the-seven-seas Captain Jack Sparrow, the pirate learns that he owes a debt to Bill Nighy's devilishly motion-captured Davy Jones. In turn, Davy unleashes the Kraken on those who attempt to evade him. It's swashbuckling blockbuster action of the highest order and a standout entry in the franchise.
Why you should watch: It's fun, it's good-looking, and it has a cast bursting with top names (many of them British). The New York Times critic A. O. Scott praised director Gore Verbinski's "appropriate sense of mischief" and a penchant for "integrating CGI seamlessly into his cinematic compositions" on a level similar to Lord of the Rings' Peter Jackson and Jurassic Park's Steven Spielberg. All of the movie franchise are available to watch on Disney+.
Available now
Filth
Crime | Drama | Comedy
2013 | Jon S. Baird | 97 mins | 18
Summary:A corrupt policeman is in line for a promotion, and will stop at NOTHING to get what he wants. This adaptation of Irvine Welsh's novel of the same name stars James McAvoy as the snarly, booze-drenched DS Bruce Robertson. The junkie, corrupt cop investigates a murder in Edinburgh, while trying to manipulate his way to a promotion...
Why you should watch: Filth was described as gloriously "obscene, puerile and cynical" by The Independent. James McAvoy's performance as scheming and manipulative cop Bruce Robertson is painfully raw at times, but there's comedy too - albeit it black. It's not an easy watch, but you know what you're getting with writer Irvine Welsh... The critics consensus on Rotten Tomatoes gives it 67% and says: "Warped, grimy, and enthusiastically unpleasant, Filth lives up to its title splendidly."
Available now
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
Action | Adventure | Science Fiction
2016 | Gareth Edwards | 133 mins | 12A
Summary:The events of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story take place one week prior to the events of Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope. In the 2016 film, we follow a heroic pocket of the Rebel Alliance during its first major victory against the Galactic Empire: the stealing of the Death Star plans. Shot like a war film, this is "a galaxy far, far away" in gritty mode.
Why you should watch: Rogue One is arguably one of the best Star Wars spin-offs. With a 86% score on Rotten Tomatoes, the film manages to evoke "the chaos of Normandy and Vietnam" via its "gung-ho battle scenes" according to critic Mark Kermode. There's also a spectacular Darth Vader sequence in there that's worth your attention alone. It's a great cast, too, led by British actress Felicity Jones. Diego Luna's character Cassian Andor went on to get his own Disney+ series.
Available now
Titanic
Drama | Romance
1997 | James Cameron | 194 mins | 12
Summary:Unquestionably the most sophisticated and rewatchable disaster film you're likely to come across, James Cameron's dramatisation of the real-life ocean liner sinking of 1912 casts a spell on all who see it. Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio's careers soared thanks to their portrayals of doomed lovers Rose and Jack caught up in the infamous iceberg smash.
Why you should watch: Winning 11 Oscars from 14 nominations, Titanic was voted the Best Picture in 1997. It subsequently held the record for highest-grossing film of all-time until Avatar's arrival 12 years later. In 2017, it was inducted into the United States National Film Registry for its cultural, historical and aesthetic significance. It's a classic, and cemented Leonardo DiCaprio, and Kate Winslet into the hearts of film watchers forever after. And if you haven't stood on a boat and shouted 'I'm the King of the World' what's wrong with you?
Available now
Sideways
Comedy | Drama | Romance
2004 | Alexander Payne | 127 mins | 15
Summary:This 2004 comedy drama follows two men in their forties with not much to show for it, who take a week-long road trip to Santa Barbara County wine country. Paul Giamatti and Thomas Haden Church star as the disillusioned -pals, while support comes from a young Sandra Oh.
Why you should watch: Sideways is an unshowy gem that allows the writing and performances to flourish. It pulses with Paul Giamatti and Thomas Haden Church's bickering chemistry. The film earned five Oscar nominations and took one of those prestigious golden statuettes home (for Best Adapted Screenplay). In critical circles, the film gained the admiration of The Chicago Sun-Times critic Roger Ebert. He said: "The characters are played not by the first actors you would think of casting, but by actors who will prevent you from ever being able to imagine anyone else in their roles."
Available now
Fantastic Mr. Fox
Adventure | Animation | Comedy | Family
2009 | Wes Anderson | 87 mins
Summary:Wes Anderson summons stop-motion magic for his adaptation of author Roald Dahl' beloved children's tale. Folksy and idiosyncratically deadpan, this bouncy adventure follows George Clooney's titular red fox as his whole way of life is threatened by three farmers.
Why you should watch: A contender for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Score at the Oscars, Fantastic Mr. Fox could well be filmmaker Wes Anderson's finest hour. TIME wrote of its creations: "If Fox Searchlight wanted to double its box office, they need only set up a booth selling models of Anderson's Fox family right outside the door of theaters; they're as appealing as any stuffed toy Steiff has ever made."
Available now
The Shape of Water
Drama | Fantasy | Romance
2017 | Guillermo del Toro | 123 mins | 15
Summary:Horror iconography meets swooning romance in Guillermo del Toro's adaptation of The Creature from the Black Lagoon. Set in 1962, a mute cleaner working at a top-secret government laboratory falls for the Amphibian Man being experimented on. Its superb cast includes Sally Hawkins, Michael Shannon, Octavia Spencer and Richard Jenkins.
Why you should watch: Mexican maestro del Toro collected Best Picture and Best Director gongs at the Oscars; beating out Jordan Peele (for Get Out), Greta Gerwig (Lady Bird), Christopher Nolan (Dunkirk) and Paul Thomas Anderson (Phantom Thread) in the latter grouping. IndieWire labelled The Shape of Water a “powerful vision of a creative master feeling totally, joyously free”.
Available now
Ed Wood
Comedy | Drama | History
1994 | Tim Burton | 127 mins | 15
Summary:Arguably Johnny Depp and Tim Burton's most under-appreciated team-up. Ed Wood brings to life the filmmaking career of Edward D. Wood Jr in fittingly ghoulish black and white colour. Known for his schlocky Hollywood productions, Ed (Depp) is a happy-go-lucky marvel who melds wonderfully with Martin Landau's legendary Bela Lugosi.
Why you should watch: The Guardian's review declared: "If there's a beginning, a middle, and an end you hardly notice - apart from the fact that you don't want it to finish." They also commended Landau's "tour-de-force" imitation of Lugosi. Whatever you think of Johnny Depp, he is perfect in the role of eccentric director Ed Wood, a Hollywood outcast...
Available now
The Banshees of Inisherin
Drama | Comedy
2022 | Martin McDonagh | 114 mins
Summary:Two lifelong friends find themselves adrift when one abruptly ends their relationship, with alarming consequences for both of them. The action follows islanders Pádraic (Colin Farrell) and Colm (Brendan Gleeson) and the seemingly random breakup of their friendship when the latter suffers a legacy crisis. Director Michael McDonagh won a BAFTA for Outstanding British Film of the Year.
Why you should watch: Films don't get more downbeat than this one, but when you have director Michael McDonagh reuniting his In Bruges stars Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson, that's far from a negative. Farrell, Gleeson, McDonagh, Kerry Condon and Barry Keoghan were each Oscar-nominated for their stellar work on The Banshees of Inisherin, which was celebrated for its "awe-inspiring" nature by The Evening Standard in a five-star write-up.
Available now
The Favourite
Drama | Comedy | Thriller | History
2018 | Yorgos Lanthimos | 120 mins
Summary:In early 18th-century England, the status quo at the court is upset when a new servant arrives and endears herself to a frail Queen Anne. The brilliant cast is led by Olivia Colman, with Emma Stone, Rachel Weisz, and Nicholas Hoult.
Why you should watch: Greek absurdist Yorgos Lanthimos (Poor Things) hit the big time with this scorchingly hilarious period piece examining the 18th Century microcosm of Queen Anne, Sarah Churchill the Duchess of Marlborough and Abigail Hill. Expect spiky-mouthed monarchs and fisheye lenses aplenty. The Favourite was Olivia Colman's Hollywood launchpad after carving a successful career in British TV hits Peep Show, Broadchurch and Accused. She went on to be named Best Actress at the Oscars for her wretched and childlike turn.
Available now
Mrs. Doubtfire
Comedy | Drama | Family
1993 | Chris Columbus | 125 mins | 12
Summary:In this comedy classic for all the family, Robin Williams steps into the shoes of recent divorcee Daniel Hillard, who disguises himself as an old Scottish nanny in order to be close to his three kids. Never has a film so sweetly explored the realities of parental separation.
Why you should watch: Chris Columbus, the film's director, was so intent on capturing the unpredictability of his sensational lead actor that he shot Mrs. Doubtfire in documentary-style with various cameras all at once. The Hollywood Reporter called it a "thoughtful and inspired blend of broad comedy and pointed drama". And, of course, it's the late, great Robin Williams exhibiting why he is regarded as one of the greatest comedians of all time.
Available now
X2
Adventure | Action | Science Fiction
2003 | Bryan Singer | 133 mins | 12A
Summary:A sequel that improves on its predecessor is a rare beast, yet X-Men 2 stamps down an immediate argument with a whirlwind Nightcrawler attack on The White House. Story-wise, Professor X and his school of mutants attract the attention of Colonel William Stryker (a ferocious Brian Cox) who dreams of annihilating the mutant race with his own version of computer Cerebro.
Why you should watch: In a four-star review, Empire remarked upon the film's thought-provoking themes while complimenting the "scintillating" style executed by returning director Bryan Singer. X2 is darker than its predecessor, and the characters are becoming more complex. Not least Wolverine, who goes on to get his own movie. The impressive ensemble cast is worth tuning in for, too, including Hugh Jackman, Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart, Famke Janssen, James Marsden, and Anna Paquin.
Available now
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Drama | Comedy
2014 | Alejandro González Iñárritu | 120 mins
Summary:Visually presented as one long, ongoing sequence that would eventually be replicated in war film 1917, the bizarre Birdman injected a welcome shot of adrenaline into Michael Keaton's career. In a smart bit of casting, he plays a washed-up superhero actor attempting to make a comeback on Broadway.
Why you should watch: It's a brilliant black comedy, with a strong social commentary on Hollywood. Edward Norton, Emma Stone and Zack Galifianakis are fantastic in supporting parts, with the first two receiving Oscar nominations. Best Director, Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay and Best Cinematography all ended up in Birdman's lap, and the film now holds an enviable 91% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Michael Keaton is incredible as the washed-up, disillusioned actor hoping a Broadway play will revive his career.
Available now
Black Swan
Drama | Thriller | Horror
2010 | Darren Aronofsky | 109 mins
Summary:What would happen if you stitched together the ballerina production Swan Lake with doppelgangers? Psychologically probing filmmaker Darren Aronofsky answers that question with dark panache, unleashing Natalie Portman as a talented dancer on the verge of stardom - but pushed to breaking point...
Why you should watch: Such was the quality of Portman's performance, she outshone Nicole Kidman, Annette Bening, Jennifer Lawrence and Michelle Williams to claim the Best Actress award at the Oscars. Black Swan has been favourably compared to the twisted works of David Cronenberg and Roman Polanski, too. It's a thinking man's psychological thriller about a young ballerina's faltering grip on reality.
Available now
Gone Girl
Mystery | Thriller | Drama
2014 | David Fincher | 149 mins | 18
Summary:The Social Network director David Fincher's icy adaptation of Gillian Flynn's bestselling book. It focuses on the implications of Amy Dunne's mysterious disappearance, while Ben Affleck is the husband left to deal with a media frenzy and police investigation.
Why you should watch: Thanks to her calculated on-screen spirit, Rosamund Pike was deservedly honoured at the Oscars with a Best Actress nomination. She is simply perfect as the unhinged Amy, who sits back and watches her carefully constructed plot play out. Couples couldn't trust each other for weeks after watching this one. It's arguably one of director David Fincher's best works since Seven.
Available now
The Fly
Horror | Science Fiction
1986 | David Cronenberg | 96 mins | 18
Summary:Jeff Goldblum stars as an ambitious scientist tinkering with teleportation devices. The Fly is classic body horror of the creature-feature kind, as he gradually turns into a man-sized insect when an experiment goes bad. Even its tagline 'Be afraid, be very afraid' can't prepare you for the devastating final half-hour.
Why you should watch: The Oscars awarded artists Chris Walas and Stephan Dupuis the Best Make-up prize for their nightmare-fuel work. The Los Angeles Times said: "The film unfolds with such eerie grandeur that it will leave you stoked with a creepy high for hours." And, of course, it's Jeff Goldblum being likeably weird, something he's made rather the career out of.
Available now
Avengers: Infinity War
Adventure | Action | Science Fiction
2018 | Joe Russo | 149 mins | 12A
Summary:Avengers: Infinity War is the first of a two-part era-closer for Marvel Studios - and the true coming out party for Josh Brolin's purple supervillain Thanos. It sees Earth's Mightiest Heroes combining with the likes of Doctor Strange, Black Panther, Guardians of the Galaxy, Scarlet Witch, and Spider-Man to stop Thanos from collecting all six Infinity Stones and thus destroying half the planet.
Why you should watch: The Avengers films reached a new peak thanks to Josh Brolin's charisma and an upgraded camaraderie between the many supes. We're talking 149 minutes of pure popcorn action beefed up by Tony Stark witticisms, mouth-gaping special effects, and one heck of a cliffhanger. Possibly one of the best - and most devastating - endings to a film ever. Infinity War's 85% score at Rotten Tomatoes isn't nearly enough.
Available now
High Fidelity
Drama | Comedy | Romance | Music
2000 | Stephen Frears | 113 mins | 15
Summary:Stephen Frears of Dangerous Liaisons and The Queen fame is in assured rom-com territory here. He transfers the setting of Nick Hornby's 1995 novel over to Chicago from London. It features John Cusack as Rob Gordon who, following a break-up, recounts painful romantic experiences to the camera. High Fidelity was also Jack Black's calling card for a while as he pushed towards A-list status.
Why you should watch: The film was once ranked by Empire readers as one of the greatest movies of all-time. In his review for The Observer, Philip French noted its extraordinary humour and the "immense skill" in which it was crafted. It's a chance to see John Cusack doing what he does best - being likeable, quirky, and funny.
Available now
Once Upon a Time in America
Drama | Crime
1984 | Sergio Leone | 229 mins
Summary:Sergio Leone's epic drama traces over themes of childhood bonds, greed, betrayal and love. The plot itself charts the lives of friends Noodles and Max as they climb New York City's organised crime ladder. The fantastic cast includes Robert De Niro, James Woods, Joe Pesci, and Elizabeth McGovern.
Why you should watch: It might be a bit of a marathon in terms of run time (nearly four hours) but when you have Robert De Niro and James Woods front and centre, who's complaining? Once Upon a Time in America was voted the 9th greatest gangster film of all-time by Time Out readers, as well 4th at The Guardian's and 7th at The A.V. Club, with particular praise aimed at its cinematography and acting. It's epic, visually stunning, and emotionally haunting...
Available now
Disney isn't just about fairytales anymore, so get stuck in with these incredible movies available on the streaming service this December.