1 Office Christmas Party (15)

(Josh Gordon, Will Speck, 2016, US) 105 mins.

Maybe what the world needs right now is an apolitical, irreverent, inconsequential farce – in which case, this is Christmas come early. The title tells you enough: think The Hangover meets Horrible Bosses, with a dash of High Rise. Not every gag lands but many do, and the cast is packed with seasoned performers: Jennifer Aniston, Kate McKinnon and Jason Bateman among them.

2 Chi-Raq (15)

(Spike Lee, 2015, US) 127 mins.

Lee fights Chicago gun crime with theatrical satire, rap musical and farce in this energised transposition of the Greek myth Lysistrata, which sees Teyonah Parris lead a women’s sex strike against their trigger-happy menfolk. The tone is wildly uneven but the passion is palpable and the cast full of familiar faces (Samuel L Jackson, Angela Bassett, Wesley Snipes).

3 The Edge Of Seventeen (15)

(Kelly Fremon Craig, 2016, US) 104 mins.

Hailee Steinfeld is on star-making form in this smart, rounded teen comedy, playing an ugly-duckling type sent into meltdown when her BFF gets together with her brother. Witty dialogue and affection for its characters (Woody Harrelson is terrific as her despairing teacher) make this one to cherish.

4 Life, Animated (PG)

(Roger Ross Williams, 2016, US) 92 mins.

A stirring demonstration of the power of cinema, in particular Disney, this part-animated documentary tells how the studio’s cartoons enabled two parents to communicate with their child after he was diagnosed with autism. It’s an insight into both disability and storytelling.

5 Moana (PG)

(Ron Clements, John Musker, Don Hall, Chris Williams, 2016, US) 113 mins.

Disney sails into lovingly rendered Polynesian waters with its latest heroine: an island teen who teams up with a cocky demigod to avert disaster. Their seafaring odyssey is crowd-pleasing and the cultural setting sensitively rendered, even if the story isn’t exactly a whole new world.