It’s a Wonderful Life (Channel 4, 1.10pm) Year released: 1946

What’s It About? George Bailey, a good-hearted but disillusioned bank clerk, lives a happy but frustrated life in a picturesque small American town.

Despite dreams of travelling the world, he is forced to stay at home and struggles to make ends meet while miserly tycoon Mr Potter tightens his grip on the town.

During a fit of depression, George wishes he had never been born, and his wish is granted by Clarence, an elderly angel, who shows him how different his hometown would have been without him.

Is It Any Good? Initially a flop, this has gone on to become one of the best loved, and most influential movies ever made, inspiring Gremlins, Back to the Future and The Simpsons among many others.

And that finale is still a real tear-jerker.

Anything Else? Some psychiatrists have prescribed the movie as a means of alleviating depression.

If you ever wondered where Sesame Street’s Bert and Ernie got their names, the answer is from the two cops featured in this Christmas cracker.

Starring: James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore, Henry Travers Fantasia (BBC2, 4.15pm) Year released: 1940

What’s It About? Disney’s anthology of animated short films inspired by famous pieces of classical music.

The film includes Musorgsky’s Night on Bald Mountain, Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony, Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring and a section based on Paul Dukas’ The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, starring Mickey Mouse as a would-be wizard tormented by living brooms.

Is It Any Good? Yes and no. While it was an ambitious experiment for Disney, and features some memorable scenes, some fans felt it was a bit too highbrow for the general public.

Designed as a comeback for Mickey Mouse, whose popularity had declined in the late 1930s, it has gone on to gross more than 76million in the US alone.

Anything Else? Remarkably this is the first time it’s been on British TV since it was released 73 years ago.

The demon in the Night on Bald Mountain sequence later inspired Tim Curry’s character Darkness in fantasy epic Legend.

A sequel, Fantasia 2000, was released in 1999.

Finding Nemo (BBC1, 5.55pm) Year released: 2003

What’s It About? Fussy clownfish dad Marlin can’t bear to let his son Nemo out of his sight after losing his entire family – apart from the lad – to a greedy predator.

After an argument, the feisty young fish is picked up by a human diver and plonked in a dentist’s tank, while his frantic father leaves behind the safety of home and sets out to find his offspring - with a little help from dippy pal Dory.

Is It Any Good? You betcha – it’s the very definition of fun for the whole family. Thanks to those clever chaps at Pixar, little ones will adore the beautiful-looking characters, while older viewers are guaranteed to have their ribs tickled by a creative script and a to-die-for vocal cast.

Anything Else? Albert Brooks apparently didn’t have a great time recording his vocals for this film, owing to his having to work alone for most of the time. Luckily, it doesn’t show.

A sequel, Finding Dory, is now in the works.

Starring: Albert Brooks, Alexander Gould, Ellen DeGeneres, Willem Dafoe, Barry Humphries, Geoffrey Rush