🔗 Share this article Binge-Watching 2025's Christmas Films: The Hits, The Misses, and The Guilty Pleasures. It is the season to slob out on the couch and demolish a packet of festive treats in front of a terrific flick, a bad movie, or one that’s terrible yet terrific. As always, a crop of new Christmas films aims to become part of our festive viewing—perhaps even finding a spot alongside timeless staples like Home Alone, Elf, Love Actually, and Die Hard (don’t start). So, in a vital public service to separate the winners from the losers, and to get into the festive feeling, I marathoned as many fresh Christmas films as possible in a single day. First Up: The Jonas Brothers' Holiday Flick Starting, ideally, on a good foot. This is the exclusive 2025 entry on a popular review site's list of the greatest 100 festive features of all time. The Jonas Brothers are trapped in the UK after wrapping up their global concert series and must return for Christmas. Their attempts are hampered by an villainous Saint Nick, who breaks into song to declare they won’t get home until they “rekindle their sibling bond.” The repartee between the bickering brothers is entertaining even for the casual viewer, while devotees will no doubt pick up on lots of easter eggs as they attempt to get back using all transportation available. It’s a journey of epic proportions. It’s not an all-time classic, but is superb for fans and a good start to the day. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄 for Jonas Brothers fans or 🎄🎄🎄 for their family members who will have to sit through it. Next: A Star in Panto Famous performer Kiefer Sutherland has been cast as a Hollywood star cast a "panto". “A panto-what?” asks Sutherland’s “temperamental” and aging lead Brad Mack, who has seen better days and whose manager has deceived him into thinking he’s starring in prestigious English theatre. His pantomime cast-mates let him know he’s playing Buttons. “No I'm not,” he protests. One can imagine their reply. Except if you’re ignorant of traditional British theatre traditions. There are some very funny lines, some cockle-warming sub-plots, and the rest of the cast is cracking, too. It’s the type of film that would be a bit cheesy at any other time of year, but is a great entertainment at Christmas. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄🎄 A New Spin on Scrooge A familiar face shows up at the start of this film, too, insulting someone for the second film in a row. Could this be a new Christmas tradition? This time, he’s a musical taxi operator who encounters Mr Sood, the latest spin 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 tight-fisted Mr Sood is haunted 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 unique from all the others, but regrettably he’s not very charismatic and Nayyar’s portrayal is lifeless—a problem when he’s so the main character. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄 12.04pm - Stuffed There's just enough time for a network's holiday special—which stars Guz Khan as a charmingly cantankerous character who “isn't big on Christmas.” But after he is awarded an large festive windfall at work, his wife (starring Morgana Robinson) talks him into blowing the money on a family trip to Lapland. There’s just one problem—he finds out there was an error with his bonus, which should have been £800, and he has to determine how to pay back the remainder. Enjoyable but forgettable. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄 Early Afternoon: Champagne Problems This is one of those Christmas films where the decorations and snow are in the background—Christmas is the environment of the film rather than its core purpose—but it feels comfortable and seasonal all the same. High-powered businesswoman Sydney (starring Minka Kelly) is assigned to a vineyard to negotiate a purchase for a sparkling wine company. During her travels, she meets a man in a book store who promises to show her the holidays in the City of Light. A critic recently declared this is the finest new Christmas film of the last several seasons. That’s a bit of a overstatement, but it is a Christmas romance with a dash of elegance and gives the necessary cozy feelings. The scene with a extended debate about Die Hard is very good too. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄 3.29pm - Finding Father Christmas Sixteen-year-old Chris, played by Lenny Rush, refuses to stop believing in Father Christmas, despite the efforts of his dad (played by James Buckley) to tell him otherwise. The truth is out there, and Chris embarks on a quest to find it with the expert help of a panel of well-known figures. It’s understated but sweet, and perfect viewing while anticipating 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 Oscar nominee Felicity Jones, Chloe Grace Moretz, Jason Schwartzman, and dad Denis Leary. Pfeiffer begins by referencing classic festive films like National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, It’s A Wonderful Life and Home Alone, before declaring: “They need to make a movie about the real champions of the holidays—moms.” So that’s what this is, but in reality it’s really a jumble of those forerunner films, at least until Pfeiffer’s character at last takes center stage. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄 6.43pm - A Scottish Christmas Secret The day’s waned in quality, but happily here’s a new addition in the saturated market of predictable, sentimental, cheesy—and utterly watchable—holiday fare. It’s a tale 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 season to slob out on the couch and demolish a packet of festive treats in front of a terrific flick, a bad movie, or one that’s terrible yet terrific. As always, a crop of new Christmas films aims to become part of our festive viewing—perhaps even finding a spot alongside timeless staples like Home Alone, Elf, Love Actually, and Die Hard (don’t start). So, in a vital public service to separate the winners from the losers, and to get into the festive feeling, I marathoned as many fresh Christmas films as possible in a single day. First Up: The Jonas Brothers' Holiday Flick Starting, ideally, on a good foot. This is the exclusive 2025 entry on a popular review site's list of the greatest 100 festive features of all time. The Jonas Brothers are trapped in the UK after wrapping up their global concert series and must return for Christmas. Their attempts are hampered by an villainous Saint Nick, who breaks into song to declare they won’t get home until they “rekindle their sibling bond.” The repartee between the bickering brothers is entertaining even for the casual viewer, while devotees will no doubt pick up on lots of easter eggs as they attempt to get back using all transportation available. It’s a journey of epic proportions. It’s not an all-time classic, but is superb for fans and a good start to the day. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄 for Jonas Brothers fans or 🎄🎄🎄 for their family members who will have to sit through it. Next: A Star in Panto Famous performer Kiefer Sutherland has been cast as a Hollywood star cast a "panto". “A panto-what?” asks Sutherland’s “temperamental” and aging lead Brad Mack, who has seen better days and whose manager has deceived him into thinking he’s starring in prestigious English theatre. His pantomime cast-mates let him know he’s playing Buttons. “No I'm not,” he protests. One can imagine their reply. Except if you’re ignorant of traditional British theatre traditions. There are some very funny lines, some cockle-warming sub-plots, and the rest of the cast is cracking, too. It’s the type of film that would be a bit cheesy at any other time of year, but is a great entertainment at Christmas. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄🎄 A New Spin on Scrooge A familiar face shows up at the start of this film, too, insulting someone for the second film in a row. Could this be a new Christmas tradition? This time, he’s a musical taxi operator who encounters Mr Sood, the latest spin 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 tight-fisted Mr Sood is haunted 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 unique from all the others, but regrettably he’s not very charismatic and Nayyar’s portrayal is lifeless—a problem when he’s so the main character. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄 12.04pm - Stuffed There's just enough time for a network's holiday special—which stars Guz Khan as a charmingly cantankerous character who “isn't big on Christmas.” But after he is awarded an large festive windfall at work, his wife (starring Morgana Robinson) talks him into blowing the money on a family trip to Lapland. There’s just one problem—he finds out there was an error with his bonus, which should have been £800, and he has to determine how to pay back the remainder. Enjoyable but forgettable. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄 Early Afternoon: Champagne Problems This is one of those Christmas films where the decorations and snow are in the background—Christmas is the environment of the film rather than its core purpose—but it feels comfortable and seasonal all the same. High-powered businesswoman Sydney (starring Minka Kelly) is assigned to a vineyard to negotiate a purchase for a sparkling wine company. During her travels, she meets a man in a book store who promises to show her the holidays in the City of Light. A critic recently declared this is the finest new Christmas film of the last several seasons. That’s a bit of a overstatement, but it is a Christmas romance with a dash of elegance and gives the necessary cozy feelings. The scene with a extended debate about Die Hard is very good too. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄 3.29pm - Finding Father Christmas Sixteen-year-old Chris, played by Lenny Rush, refuses to stop believing in Father Christmas, despite the efforts of his dad (played by James Buckley) to tell him otherwise. The truth is out there, and Chris embarks on a quest to find it with the expert help of a panel of well-known figures. It’s understated but sweet, and perfect viewing while anticipating 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 Oscar nominee Felicity Jones, Chloe Grace Moretz, Jason Schwartzman, and dad Denis Leary. Pfeiffer begins by referencing classic festive films like National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, It’s A Wonderful Life and Home Alone, before declaring: “They need to make a movie about the real champions of the holidays—moms.” So that’s what this is, but in reality it’s really a jumble of those forerunner films, at least until Pfeiffer’s character at last takes center stage. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄 6.43pm - A Scottish Christmas Secret The day’s waned in quality, but happily here’s a new addition in the saturated market of predictable, sentimental, cheesy—and utterly watchable—holiday fare. It’s a tale 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