Five movies for kids to watch this holiday season

Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical

The musical adaptation of Roald Dahl’s classic book finally makes it on-screen. At home, Matilda Wormwood is horribly mistreated by her parents and her older brother. At school, principal Agatha Trunchbull bullies her, too. But her sweet teacher, Jennifer Honey, is kind. Miss Honey also notices just how smart Matilda is — so smart that she has magical powers — and helps her face those making her life difficult. (On Netflix, rated PG)

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish

Remember the cat with the cute boots from the Shrek movies? Well, Puss in Boots has his own movies, too, and the second one is here. In the latest installment, he realizes that his adventurous ways have caused him to go through eight of his nine lives. He must journey to find the fabled last wish and wish to once again have nine lives. (In theaters December 21, rated PG)

Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio

The classic story of the wooden boy whose nose gets longer with each lie he tells comes back to the screen in this musical. This stop-motion animated movie is about Geppetto, who carves a wooden boy because he is missing his son, who died. He wishes for the wooden boy to come alive, and he does. But when Pinocchio is taken to perform in a circus, Geppetto must find a way to save him. (Playing in theaters, on Netflix December 9, rated PG)

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules

Greg Heffley, the wimpy kid, has to deal with his spikey-haired older brother, Rodrick, in this animated adaptation of the second novel of Jeff Kinney’s popular series. High-school-age Rodrick always gives his little brother a hard time. When Greg is left alone with him for a weekend, he has to find a way to survive his brother’s never-ending list of rules. (On Disney Plus December 2, rated PG)

The Boss Baby: Christmas Bonus

The tie-wearing baby is back and struggling to understand what the hype around Christmas is all about. To get Boss Baby into the holiday spirit, his family takes him to meet Santa at a mall. But when Boss Baby is mistaken for an elf and taken to the North Pole, he does what he does best: takes charge. This time becoming the boss of the most famous toy factory ever, Santa’s workshop. (On Netflix December 6, rated G)

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