🔗 Share this article Marathon Viewing 2025's Christmas Films: The Hits, The Misses, and The Guilty Pleasures. ‘Tis the season to lounge on the sofa and consume a tin of mince pies in front of a good movie, a poor film, or one that’s so bad it’s good. As always, a selection of latest seasonal stories aims to become part of our seasonal watchlist—perhaps even earning a place alongside enduring classics like Home Alone, Elf, Love Actually, and Die Hard (no arguments). Thus, in a noble effort to sort the crackers from the turkeys, and to get into the festive feeling, I watched as many new holiday releases as possible in a single day. First Up: The Jonas Brothers' Holiday Flick Beginning, optimistically, on a positive note. This is the only 2025 title on a popular review site's list of the top 100 festive features of all time. The Jonas Brothers are trapped in the UK after concluding their international trek and must return for Christmas. Their attempts are hindered by an villainous Saint Nick, who bursts into melody to declare they won’t get home until they “find their brotherly magic.” The back-and-forth between the squabbling siblings is entertaining even for the casual viewer, while followers will no doubt pick up on lots of in-jokes as they endeavor to get back using every mode of travel possible. It’s a journey of epic proportions. It’s not legendary, but is great for fans and a positive start to the day. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄 for Jonas Brothers fans or 🎄🎄🎄 for their loved ones who are obliged to sit through it. Next: A Star in Panto Famous performer Kiefer Sutherland has been cast as a celebrity cast a traditional British stage show. “A panto-what?” asks Sutherland’s “hard-to-work-with” and ageing action hero Brad Mack, who has seen better days and whose manager has misled him into thinking he’s appearing in high-class London stage. His Aladdin fellow actors inform him he’s playing Buttons. “No I'm not,” he retorts. You can guess their response. Except if you’re unfamiliar with traditional panto catchphrases. There are some hilarious moments, some touching side stories, and the ensemble is cracking, too. It’s the type of film that would be a bit naff at a different time, but is a highly enjoyable at Christmas. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄🎄 A New Spin on Scrooge Danny Dyer pops up at the outset of this film, too, insulting someone for the second consecutive movie. Is this a fresh holiday staple? This time, he’s a musical taxi operator who collects Mr Sood, the newest interpretation on Mr Scrooge from Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Mr Sood is played by The Big Bang Theory’s Kunal Nayyar and Christmas Karma is directed by Bend It Like Beckham’s Gurinder Chadha. The classic narrative unfolds as the stingy Mr Sood is visited by the spirits of Christmas past, present and future, played by Hugh Bonneville, Billy Porter, and Boy George. This South Asian reinterpretation is at least distinct from all the others, but sadly he’s not very captivating and Nayyar’s portrayal is flat—a problem when he’s so the focal point. Festive score: 🎄🎄 12.04pm - Stuffed Before lunch for a major broadcaster's original festive film—which stars Guz Khan as a charmingly cantankerous character who “doesn’t really do Christmas.” But after he gets an sizable holiday payout at work, his wife (portrayed by Morgana Robinson) persuades him spending the sum on a family trip to Lapland. There’s just one snag—he discovers there was an mistake with his bonus, which should have been £800, and he has to determine how to return the remainder. Pleasant yet unmemorable. Festive score: 🎄🎄 A Classy Netflix Romance This is one of those holiday movies where the festive trappings are in the setting—Christmas is the setting of the film rather than its main point—but it feels comfortable and seasonal all the same. High-powered businesswoman Sydney (starring Minka Kelly) is sent to a vineyard to negotiate a purchase for a champagne business. On the way, she runs into a fellow in a bookshop who promises to show her Christmas in Paris. A critic recently claimed this is the best new Christmas film of the past few years. That’s a bit of a stretch, but it is a festive dalliance with a dash of elegance and gives the obligatory cozy feelings. The scene with a extended debate about Die Hard is notable too. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄 3.29pm - Finding Father Christmas Sixteen-year-old Chris, played by Lenny Rush, refuses to stop believing in Father Christmas, regardless of the attempts of his dad (played by James Buckley) to tell him otherwise. The secret is somewhere, and Chris sets out to find it with the assistance of a panel of well-known scientists and personalities. It’s understated but charming, and perfect viewing while waiting for Santa to visit. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄 Late Afternoon: Oh. What. Fun. Michelle Pfeiffer is the mother of a bickering American family who reunite for the holidays—including fellow acclaimed actress Felicity Jones, Chloe Grace Moretz, Jason Schwartzman, and dad Denis Leary. Pfeiffer starts by mentioning Christmas classics like National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, It’s A Wonderful Life and Home Alone, before saying: “They need to make a movie about the unsung heroes of the holidays—moms.” So that’s what this is, but in execution it’s really a combination of those forerunner films, at least until Pfeiffer’s character at last finds her strength. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄 Evening: A Scottish Christmas Secret The day’s taken a dip, but happily here’s a new offering in the packed genre of cliched, saccharine, over-the-top—and highly entertaining—festive fodder. It’s a narrative as old as time: An American woman journeys to a far-off wintery locale and ends up finding romance. In this case, Caprice Bourret plays a publisher
‘Tis the season to lounge on the sofa and consume a tin of mince pies in front of a good movie, a poor film, or one that’s so bad it’s good. As always, a selection of latest seasonal stories aims to become part of our seasonal watchlist—perhaps even earning a place alongside enduring classics like Home Alone, Elf, Love Actually, and Die Hard (no arguments). Thus, in a noble effort to sort the crackers from the turkeys, and to get into the festive feeling, I watched as many new holiday releases as possible in a single day. First Up: The Jonas Brothers' Holiday Flick Beginning, optimistically, on a positive note. This is the only 2025 title on a popular review site's list of the top 100 festive features of all time. The Jonas Brothers are trapped in the UK after concluding their international trek and must return for Christmas. Their attempts are hindered by an villainous Saint Nick, who bursts into melody to declare they won’t get home until they “find their brotherly magic.” The back-and-forth between the squabbling siblings is entertaining even for the casual viewer, while followers will no doubt pick up on lots of in-jokes as they endeavor to get back using every mode of travel possible. It’s a journey of epic proportions. It’s not legendary, but is great for fans and a positive start to the day. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄 for Jonas Brothers fans or 🎄🎄🎄 for their loved ones who are obliged to sit through it. Next: A Star in Panto Famous performer Kiefer Sutherland has been cast as a celebrity cast a traditional British stage show. “A panto-what?” asks Sutherland’s “hard-to-work-with” and ageing action hero Brad Mack, who has seen better days and whose manager has misled him into thinking he’s appearing in high-class London stage. His Aladdin fellow actors inform him he’s playing Buttons. “No I'm not,” he retorts. You can guess their response. Except if you’re unfamiliar with traditional panto catchphrases. There are some hilarious moments, some touching side stories, and the ensemble is cracking, too. It’s the type of film that would be a bit naff at a different time, but is a highly enjoyable at Christmas. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄🎄 A New Spin on Scrooge Danny Dyer pops up at the outset of this film, too, insulting someone for the second consecutive movie. Is this a fresh holiday staple? This time, he’s a musical taxi operator who collects Mr Sood, the newest interpretation on Mr Scrooge from Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Mr Sood is played by The Big Bang Theory’s Kunal Nayyar and Christmas Karma is directed by Bend It Like Beckham’s Gurinder Chadha. The classic narrative unfolds as the stingy Mr Sood is visited by the spirits of Christmas past, present and future, played by Hugh Bonneville, Billy Porter, and Boy George. This South Asian reinterpretation is at least distinct from all the others, but sadly he’s not very captivating and Nayyar’s portrayal is flat—a problem when he’s so the focal point. Festive score: 🎄🎄 12.04pm - Stuffed Before lunch for a major broadcaster's original festive film—which stars Guz Khan as a charmingly cantankerous character who “doesn’t really do Christmas.” But after he gets an sizable holiday payout at work, his wife (portrayed by Morgana Robinson) persuades him spending the sum on a family trip to Lapland. There’s just one snag—he discovers there was an mistake with his bonus, which should have been £800, and he has to determine how to return the remainder. Pleasant yet unmemorable. Festive score: 🎄🎄 A Classy Netflix Romance This is one of those holiday movies where the festive trappings are in the setting—Christmas is the setting of the film rather than its main point—but it feels comfortable and seasonal all the same. High-powered businesswoman Sydney (starring Minka Kelly) is sent to a vineyard to negotiate a purchase for a champagne business. On the way, she runs into a fellow in a bookshop who promises to show her Christmas in Paris. A critic recently claimed this is the best new Christmas film of the past few years. That’s a bit of a stretch, but it is a festive dalliance with a dash of elegance and gives the obligatory cozy feelings. The scene with a extended debate about Die Hard is notable too. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄 3.29pm - Finding Father Christmas Sixteen-year-old Chris, played by Lenny Rush, refuses to stop believing in Father Christmas, regardless of the attempts of his dad (played by James Buckley) to tell him otherwise. The secret is somewhere, and Chris sets out to find it with the assistance of a panel of well-known scientists and personalities. It’s understated but charming, and perfect viewing while waiting for Santa to visit. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄 Late Afternoon: Oh. What. Fun. Michelle Pfeiffer is the mother of a bickering American family who reunite for the holidays—including fellow acclaimed actress Felicity Jones, Chloe Grace Moretz, Jason Schwartzman, and dad Denis Leary. Pfeiffer starts by mentioning Christmas classics like National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, It’s A Wonderful Life and Home Alone, before saying: “They need to make a movie about the unsung heroes of the holidays—moms.” So that’s what this is, but in execution it’s really a combination of those forerunner films, at least until Pfeiffer’s character at last finds her strength. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄 Evening: A Scottish Christmas Secret The day’s taken a dip, but happily here’s a new offering in the packed genre of cliched, saccharine, over-the-top—and highly entertaining—festive fodder. It’s a narrative as old as time: An American woman journeys to a far-off wintery locale and ends up finding romance. In this case, Caprice Bourret plays a publisher