Binge-Watching The Latest Christmas Films: The Hits, The Misses, and The Guilty Pleasures.
It is the time of year to relax on the couch and demolish a box of mince pies in front of a terrific flick, a awful feature, or one that’s terrible yet terrific.
As always, a crop of fresh Christmas films strives to join part of our seasonal watchlist—perhaps even joining the ranks alongside beloved favorites like Home Alone, Elf, Love Actually, and Die Hard (we won’t debate it).
Thus, in a vital public service to separate the winners from the losers, and to embrace the festive feeling, I marathoned as many new festive movies as possible in a single day.
First Up: The Jonas Brothers' Holiday Flick
Beginning, hopefully, on a good foot. This release is the exclusive 2025 entry on a famous website's list of the top 100 festive features of all time.
The musical trio find themselves stuck in the UK after concluding their international trek and must get home for Christmas. Their attempts are thwarted by an villainous Saint Nick, who breaks into song to announce they won’t get home until they “rekindle their brotherly magic.”
The back-and-forth between the bickering brothers is amusing even for the uninitiated, while followers will no doubt notice lots of in-jokes as they endeavor to get back using every mode of travel possible.
It’s a travelogue of mishaps.
It’s not an all-time classic, but is excellent for fans and a solid start to the day.
Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄 for Jonas Brothers fans or 🎄🎄🎄 for their family members who are obliged to sit through it.
Late Morning: Tinsel Town
Famous performer Kiefer Sutherland appears as a Hollywood star roped into a "panto".
“A panto-what??” asks Sutherland’s “difficult” and aging star Brad Mack, who has seen better days and whose manager has tricked him into thinking he’s appearing in prestigious English theatre.
His Aladdin cast-mates inform him he’s playing Buttons. “Oh no I’m not,” he insists angrily. You can guess their response. That is, unless you’re ignorant of traditional British theatre traditions.
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 any other time of year, but is a lot of fun at Christmas.
Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄🎄
Mid-Morning: Christmas Karma
An actor appears at the outset of this film, too, delivering a signature line for the second film in a row. Might this become a fresh holiday staple?
This time, he’s a crooning chauffeur who picks up Mr Sood, the latest spin on Mr Scrooge from Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.
Mr Sood is played by a star of 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 ghosts of Christmas yesterday, today, and tomorrow, played by Hugh Bonneville, Billy Porter, and Boy George.
This South Asian reinterpretation is at least different from all the others, but regrettably he’s not very charismatic and Nayyar’s acting is lifeless—a significant issue when he’s so the focal point.
Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄
12.04pm - Stuffed
There's just enough time for a network's original festive film—which stars Guz Khan as a charmingly cantankerous character who “avoids Christmas.”
But after he receives an sizable holiday payout at work, his wife (portrayed by Morgana Robinson) convinces him blowing the money on a family trip to Lapland.
There’s just one problem—he learns there was an mistake with his bonus, which should have been £800, and he has to determine how to pay back the excess.
Fun while it lasts but not lasting.
Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄
Early Afternoon: Champagne Problems
This is one of those Christmas films where the festive trappings are in the backdrop—Christmas is the scene of the film rather than its core purpose—but it feels comfortable and seasonal all the same.
Driven corporate star Sydney (played by Minka Kelly) is dispatched to a country estate to negotiate a purchase for a champagne business. En route, she runs into a fellow in a book store who vows to show her Christmas in Paris.
An expert recently stated this is the top new Christmas film of the last several seasons. That’s a bit of a stretch, but it is a Christmas romance with a touch of class and gives the required warm and fuzzy feels.
The scene with a extended debate about Die Hard is notable too.
Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄
A Charming Quest
Sixteen-year-old Chris, played by Lenny Rush, holds onto his belief in Father Christmas, in spite of the attempts of his dad (played by James Buckley) to tell him otherwise.
The secret is out there, and Chris sets out to find it with the expert help of a group of well-known experts and celebrities.
It’s low-key but endearing, and good viewing while anticipating Santa to visit.
Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄
A Star-Studded Family Drama
Michelle Pfeiffer is the head of a quarrelling 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 Christmas classics like National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, It’s A Wonderful Life and Home Alone, before stating: “They need to make a movie about the true heroes of the holidays—moms.”
So that’s what this is, but in reality it’s really a combination of those forerunner films, at least until Pfeiffer’s character finally comes into her own.
Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄
Evening: A Scottish Christmas Secret
The day’s gone downhill, but happily here’s a new entry in the packed genre of predictable, sentimental, cheesy—and highly entertaining—festive fodder.
It’s a narrative as familiar as can be: An American woman journeys to a picturesque cold country and ends up stumbling across romance.
In this case, Caprice Bourret plays a publisher
