🔗 Share this article Marathon Viewing This Year's Holiday Movies: The Hits, The Misses, and The Guilty Pleasures. It is the time of year to relax on the sofa and devour a packet of mince pies in front of a terrific flick, a poor film, or one that’s awesomely awful. This year, a selection of fresh seasonal stories strives to join part of our holiday traditions—maybe even finding a spot alongside timeless staples like Home Alone, Elf, Love Actually, and Die Hard (no arguments). So, in a vital public service to distinguish the gems from the coal, and to find the festive feeling, I binged as many new festive movies as possible in a single day. Early Morning: A Very Jonas Christmas Movie Starting, hopefully, on a good foot. This release is the sole 2025 movie on a famous website's list of the greatest 100 holiday films of all time. The Jonas Brothers are trapped in the UK after concluding their international trek and must get home for Christmas. Their efforts are thwarted by an malevolent Father Christmas, who bursts into melody to announce they won’t get home until they “rediscover their familial spark.” The banter between the bickering brothers is amusing even for the uninitiated, while followers will undoubtedly notice lots of in-jokes as they endeavor to get back using any means of transport necessary. It’s a journey of epic proportions. It’s not a timeless masterpiece, but is great for devotees and a good start to the day. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄 for Jonas Brothers fans or 🎄🎄🎄 for their loved ones who will have to sit through it. 8.45am - Tinsel Town Famous performer Kiefer Sutherland appears as a celebrity cast a traditional British stage show. “A panto-what??” asks Sutherland’s “difficult” and ageing action hero Brad Mack, who has hit a rough patch and whose representative has misled him into thinking he’s performing in prestigious English theatre. His pantomime cast-mates let him know he’s playing Buttons. “Absolutely not,” he protests. You can guess their retort. Unless you’re ignorant of traditional British theatre traditions. There are some very funny lines, some heartwarming storylines, and the supporting actors is brilliant, too. It’s the kind of movie that would be a bit tacky at another season, but is a great entertainment at Christmas. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄🎄 10.19am - Christmas Karma An actor appears at the beginning of this film, too, delivering a signature line for the second consecutive movie. Might this become a budding festive ritual? This time, he’s a musical taxi operator who picks up Mr Sood, the modern take on Mr Scrooge from Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Mr Sood is played by an actor from Kunal Nayyar and Christmas Karma is directed by the director of Gurinder Chadha. The well-known tale progresses as the tight-fisted Mr Sood is visited by the apparitions of Christmas past, present and future, played by Hugh Bonneville, Billy Porter, and Boy George. This cultural adaptation is at least distinct from all the others, but sadly he’s not very captivating and Nayyar’s portrayal is lifeless—a significant issue when he’s so the focal point. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄 12.04pm - Stuffed There’s time for a channel's original festive film—which stars Guz Khan as a charmingly cantankerous character who “doesn’t really do Christmas.” But after he receives an £8,000 Christmas bonus at work, his wife (played by Morgana Robinson) convinces him blowing the money on a holiday to Lapland. There’s just one problem—he learns there was an mix-up with his bonus, which should have been £800, and he has to devise a plan for how to return the difference. Enjoyable but forgettable. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄 Early Afternoon: Champagne Problems This is one of those Christmas films where the tree, fairy lights and snow are in the backdrop—Christmas is the scene of the film rather than its raison d’etre—but it feels cosy and festive all the same. Driven corporate star Sydney (played by Minka Kelly) is dispatched to a vineyard to negotiate a purchase for a champagne business. On the way, she meets a man in a literary haven who promises to show her a festive Paris. A critic recently stated this is the best new Christmas film of the past few years. That’s a bit of a overstatement, but it is a Christmas romance with a dash of elegance and gives the required heartwarming sensation. The scene with a detailed conversation about Die Hard is very good too. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄 A Charming Quest Teenage Chris, played by Lenny Rush, refuses to stop believing in Father Christmas, despite the persuasion of his dad (starring James Buckley) to tell him the truth. The answer is out there, and Chris sets out to find it with the assistance of a group of well-known figures. It’s understated but endearing, and good viewing while waiting for Santa to visit. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄 A Star-Studded Family Drama Michelle Pfeiffer is the mother of a dysfunctional American family who come back together for the holidays—including other acclaimed actress Felicity Jones, Chloe Grace Moretz, Jason Schwartzman, and dad Denis Leary. Pfeiffer opens by name-dropping holiday staples 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 reality it’s really a mash-up of those inspirations, at least until Pfeiffer’s character finally comes into her own. Festive score: 🎄🎄 Formulaic Fun The day’s taken a dip, but fortunately here’s a new entry in the saturated market of formulaic, schmaltzy, badly acted—and highly entertaining—seasonal comfort food. It’s a story as well-worn: An American woman travels to a picturesque cold country and ends up discovering romance. In this case, Caprice Bourret plays a publisher
It is the time of year to relax on the sofa and devour a packet of mince pies in front of a terrific flick, a poor film, or one that’s awesomely awful. This year, a selection of fresh seasonal stories strives to join part of our holiday traditions—maybe even finding a spot alongside timeless staples like Home Alone, Elf, Love Actually, and Die Hard (no arguments). So, in a vital public service to distinguish the gems from the coal, and to find the festive feeling, I binged as many new festive movies as possible in a single day. Early Morning: A Very Jonas Christmas Movie Starting, hopefully, on a good foot. This release is the sole 2025 movie on a famous website's list of the greatest 100 holiday films of all time. The Jonas Brothers are trapped in the UK after concluding their international trek and must get home for Christmas. Their efforts are thwarted by an malevolent Father Christmas, who bursts into melody to announce they won’t get home until they “rediscover their familial spark.” The banter between the bickering brothers is amusing even for the uninitiated, while followers will undoubtedly notice lots of in-jokes as they endeavor to get back using any means of transport necessary. It’s a journey of epic proportions. It’s not a timeless masterpiece, but is great for devotees and a good start to the day. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄 for Jonas Brothers fans or 🎄🎄🎄 for their loved ones who will have to sit through it. 8.45am - Tinsel Town Famous performer Kiefer Sutherland appears as a celebrity cast a traditional British stage show. “A panto-what??” asks Sutherland’s “difficult” and ageing action hero Brad Mack, who has hit a rough patch and whose representative has misled him into thinking he’s performing in prestigious English theatre. His pantomime cast-mates let him know he’s playing Buttons. “Absolutely not,” he protests. You can guess their retort. Unless you’re ignorant of traditional British theatre traditions. There are some very funny lines, some heartwarming storylines, and the supporting actors is brilliant, too. It’s the kind of movie that would be a bit tacky at another season, but is a great entertainment at Christmas. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄🎄 10.19am - Christmas Karma An actor appears at the beginning of this film, too, delivering a signature line for the second consecutive movie. Might this become a budding festive ritual? This time, he’s a musical taxi operator who picks up Mr Sood, the modern take on Mr Scrooge from Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Mr Sood is played by an actor from Kunal Nayyar and Christmas Karma is directed by the director of Gurinder Chadha. The well-known tale progresses as the tight-fisted Mr Sood is visited by the apparitions of Christmas past, present and future, played by Hugh Bonneville, Billy Porter, and Boy George. This cultural adaptation is at least distinct from all the others, but sadly he’s not very captivating and Nayyar’s portrayal is lifeless—a significant issue when he’s so the focal point. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄 12.04pm - Stuffed There’s time for a channel's original festive film—which stars Guz Khan as a charmingly cantankerous character who “doesn’t really do Christmas.” But after he receives an £8,000 Christmas bonus at work, his wife (played by Morgana Robinson) convinces him blowing the money on a holiday to Lapland. There’s just one problem—he learns there was an mix-up with his bonus, which should have been £800, and he has to devise a plan for how to return the difference. Enjoyable but forgettable. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄 Early Afternoon: Champagne Problems This is one of those Christmas films where the tree, fairy lights and snow are in the backdrop—Christmas is the scene of the film rather than its raison d’etre—but it feels cosy and festive all the same. Driven corporate star Sydney (played by Minka Kelly) is dispatched to a vineyard to negotiate a purchase for a champagne business. On the way, she meets a man in a literary haven who promises to show her a festive Paris. A critic recently stated this is the best new Christmas film of the past few years. That’s a bit of a overstatement, but it is a Christmas romance with a dash of elegance and gives the required heartwarming sensation. The scene with a detailed conversation about Die Hard is very good too. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄 A Charming Quest Teenage Chris, played by Lenny Rush, refuses to stop believing in Father Christmas, despite the persuasion of his dad (starring James Buckley) to tell him the truth. The answer is out there, and Chris sets out to find it with the assistance of a group of well-known figures. It’s understated but endearing, and good viewing while waiting for Santa to visit. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄 A Star-Studded Family Drama Michelle Pfeiffer is the mother of a dysfunctional American family who come back together for the holidays—including other acclaimed actress Felicity Jones, Chloe Grace Moretz, Jason Schwartzman, and dad Denis Leary. Pfeiffer opens by name-dropping holiday staples 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 reality it’s really a mash-up of those inspirations, at least until Pfeiffer’s character finally comes into her own. Festive score: 🎄🎄 Formulaic Fun The day’s taken a dip, but fortunately here’s a new entry in the saturated market of formulaic, schmaltzy, badly acted—and highly entertaining—seasonal comfort food. It’s a story as well-worn: An American woman travels to a picturesque cold country and ends up discovering romance. In this case, Caprice Bourret plays a publisher