🔗 Share this article Binge-Watching 2025's Christmas Films: The Hits, The Misses, and The Guilty Pleasures. It is the time of year to slob out on the couch and demolish a box of holiday pastries in front of a good movie, a bad movie, or one that’s terrible yet terrific. This year, a crop of latest Christmas films hopes to be part of our festive viewing—perhaps even joining the ranks alongside beloved favorites like Home Alone, Elf, Love Actually, and Die Hard (don’t start). Therefore, in a noble effort to separate the winners from the losers, and to embrace the Christmas spirit, I watched as many new festive movies as possible in a single day. 7.17am - A Very Jonas Christmas Movie Starting, hopefully, on a good foot. This film is the exclusive 2025 movie on a well-known aggregator's list of the best 100 Christmas movies of all time. The Jonas Brothers find themselves stuck in the UK after wrapping up their global concert series and must make it back for Christmas. Their efforts are thwarted by an malevolent Father Christmas, who breaks into song to announce they won’t get home until they “rekindle their sibling bond.” The repartee between the arguing trio is amusing even for the uninitiated, while followers will no doubt pick up on lots of references as they endeavor to get back using every mode of travel possible. It’s a travelogue of mishaps. It’s not legendary, but is superb for fans and a positive start to the day. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄 for Jonas Brothers fans or 🎄🎄🎄 for their relatives who must sit through it. 8.45am - Tinsel Town Hollywood star Kiefer Sutherland has been cast as a celebrity cast a "panto". “A panto-what??” asks Sutherland’s “temperamental” and ageing star Brad Mack, who has hit a rough patch and whose agent has deceived him into thinking he’s appearing in high-class London stage. His pantomime co-stars let him know he’s playing Buttons. “No I'm not,” he insists angrily. It's easy to predict their reply. Except if you’re unfamiliar with traditional stage call-and-response. There are some very funny lines, some cockle-warming storylines, and the supporting actors is cracking, too. It’s the type of film that would be a bit cheesy at any other time of year, but is a lot of fun at Christmas. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄🎄 Mid-Morning: Christmas Karma An actor pops up at the outset of this film, too, delivering a signature line for the next movie straight. Could this be a fresh holiday staple? This time, he’s a singing black cab driver 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 the director of Gurinder Chadha. The classic narrative unfolds as the stingy Mr Sood is haunted by the apparitions of Christmas yesterday, today, and tomorrow, played by Hugh Bonneville, Billy Porter, and Boy George. This South Asian reinterpretation is at least distinct from all the others, but regrettably he’s not very compelling and Nayyar’s performance is flat—a significant issue when he’s so the focal point. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄 Lunchtime: Stuffed There's just enough time for a network's original festive film—which stars Guz Khan as a endearingly grumpy man who “isn't big on Christmas.” But after he receives an large festive windfall at work, his wife (played by Morgana Robinson) persuades him blowing the money on a holiday to Lapland. There’s just one problem—he discovers there was an mistake with his bonus, which should have been £800, and he has to figure out how to return the excess. Fun while it lasts but not lasting. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄 A Classy Netflix Romance This is one of those holiday movies where the decorations and snow are in the setting—Christmas is the scene of the film rather than its raison d’etre—but it feels warm and holiday-like all the same. Ambitious executive Sydney (starring Minka Kelly) is dispatched to a country estate to secure an acquisition for a champagne business. On the way, she encounters a man in a bookshop who offers to show her a festive Paris. A commentator recently declared this is the best new Christmas film of the past few years. That’s a bit of a exaggeration, but it is a festive dalliance with a hint of sophistication and gives the obligatory heartwarming sensation. The scene with a extended debate about Die Hard is very good too. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄 A Charming Quest Young Chris, played by Lenny Rush, refuses to stop believing in Father Christmas, despite the efforts of his dad (starring James Buckley) to tell him otherwise. The secret is out there, and Chris embarks on a quest to find it with the guidance of a team of well-known figures. It’s understated but endearing, and good viewing while anticipating Santa to visit. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄 Late Afternoon: Oh. What. Fun. Michelle Pfeiffer is the matriarch of a bickering American family who reunite for the holidays—including fellow Oscar nominee Felicity Jones, Chloe Grace Moretz, Jason Schwartzman, and dad Denis Leary. Pfeiffer starts by mentioning classic festive films like National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, It’s A Wonderful Life and Home Alone, before stating: “They need to make a movie about the unsung heroes of the holidays—moms.” So that’s the premise, but in execution it’s really a combination of those forerunner films, at least until Pfeiffer’s character finally finds her strength. Festive score: 🎄🎄 Evening: A Scottish Christmas Secret The day’s waned in quality, but thankfully here’s a new offering in the crowded field of predictable, sentimental, cheesy—and highly entertaining—holiday fare. It’s a narrative as old as time: An American woman goes on a quest to a picturesque cold country and ends up stumbling across romance. In this case, Caprice Bourret plays a publisher
It is the time of year to slob out on the couch and demolish a box of holiday pastries in front of a good movie, a bad movie, or one that’s terrible yet terrific. This year, a crop of latest Christmas films hopes to be part of our festive viewing—perhaps even joining the ranks alongside beloved favorites like Home Alone, Elf, Love Actually, and Die Hard (don’t start). Therefore, in a noble effort to separate the winners from the losers, and to embrace the Christmas spirit, I watched as many new festive movies as possible in a single day. 7.17am - A Very Jonas Christmas Movie Starting, hopefully, on a good foot. This film is the exclusive 2025 movie on a well-known aggregator's list of the best 100 Christmas movies of all time. The Jonas Brothers find themselves stuck in the UK after wrapping up their global concert series and must make it back for Christmas. Their efforts are thwarted by an malevolent Father Christmas, who breaks into song to announce they won’t get home until they “rekindle their sibling bond.” The repartee between the arguing trio is amusing even for the uninitiated, while followers will no doubt pick up on lots of references as they endeavor to get back using every mode of travel possible. It’s a travelogue of mishaps. It’s not legendary, but is superb for fans and a positive start to the day. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄 for Jonas Brothers fans or 🎄🎄🎄 for their relatives who must sit through it. 8.45am - Tinsel Town Hollywood star Kiefer Sutherland has been cast as a celebrity cast a "panto". “A panto-what??” asks Sutherland’s “temperamental” and ageing star Brad Mack, who has hit a rough patch and whose agent has deceived him into thinking he’s appearing in high-class London stage. His pantomime co-stars let him know he’s playing Buttons. “No I'm not,” he insists angrily. It's easy to predict their reply. Except if you’re unfamiliar with traditional stage call-and-response. There are some very funny lines, some cockle-warming storylines, and the supporting actors is cracking, too. It’s the type of film that would be a bit cheesy at any other time of year, but is a lot of fun at Christmas. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄🎄 Mid-Morning: Christmas Karma An actor pops up at the outset of this film, too, delivering a signature line for the next movie straight. Could this be a fresh holiday staple? This time, he’s a singing black cab driver 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 the director of Gurinder Chadha. The classic narrative unfolds as the stingy Mr Sood is haunted by the apparitions of Christmas yesterday, today, and tomorrow, played by Hugh Bonneville, Billy Porter, and Boy George. This South Asian reinterpretation is at least distinct from all the others, but regrettably he’s not very compelling and Nayyar’s performance is flat—a significant issue when he’s so the focal point. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄 Lunchtime: Stuffed There's just enough time for a network's original festive film—which stars Guz Khan as a endearingly grumpy man who “isn't big on Christmas.” But after he receives an large festive windfall at work, his wife (played by Morgana Robinson) persuades him blowing the money on a holiday to Lapland. There’s just one problem—he discovers there was an mistake with his bonus, which should have been £800, and he has to figure out how to return the excess. Fun while it lasts but not lasting. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄 A Classy Netflix Romance This is one of those holiday movies where the decorations and snow are in the setting—Christmas is the scene of the film rather than its raison d’etre—but it feels warm and holiday-like all the same. Ambitious executive Sydney (starring Minka Kelly) is dispatched to a country estate to secure an acquisition for a champagne business. On the way, she encounters a man in a bookshop who offers to show her a festive Paris. A commentator recently declared this is the best new Christmas film of the past few years. That’s a bit of a exaggeration, but it is a festive dalliance with a hint of sophistication and gives the obligatory heartwarming sensation. The scene with a extended debate about Die Hard is very good too. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄 A Charming Quest Young Chris, played by Lenny Rush, refuses to stop believing in Father Christmas, despite the efforts of his dad (starring James Buckley) to tell him otherwise. The secret is out there, and Chris embarks on a quest to find it with the guidance of a team of well-known figures. It’s understated but endearing, and good viewing while anticipating Santa to visit. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄 Late Afternoon: Oh. What. Fun. Michelle Pfeiffer is the matriarch of a bickering American family who reunite for the holidays—including fellow Oscar nominee Felicity Jones, Chloe Grace Moretz, Jason Schwartzman, and dad Denis Leary. Pfeiffer starts by mentioning classic festive films like National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, It’s A Wonderful Life and Home Alone, before stating: “They need to make a movie about the unsung heroes of the holidays—moms.” So that’s the premise, but in execution it’s really a combination of those forerunner films, at least until Pfeiffer’s character finally finds her strength. Festive score: 🎄🎄 Evening: A Scottish Christmas Secret The day’s waned in quality, but thankfully here’s a new offering in the crowded field of predictable, sentimental, cheesy—and highly entertaining—holiday fare. It’s a narrative as old as time: An American woman goes on a quest to a picturesque cold country and ends up stumbling across romance. In this case, Caprice Bourret plays a publisher