🔗 Share this article Marathon Viewing 2025's Festive Features: The Good, The Bad and The So-Bad-It's-Good. It is the time of year to relax on the sofa and devour a box of holiday pastries in front of a terrific flick, a bad movie, or one that’s so bad it’s good. Once again, a selection of latest Christmas films aims to become part of our seasonal watchlist—maybe even earning a place alongside enduring classics like Home Alone, Elf, Love Actually, and Die Hard (no arguments). Therefore, in a helpful attempt to separate the winners from the losers, and to get into the holiday mood, I binged as many fresh festive movies as possible in a single day. First Up: The Jonas Brothers' Holiday Flick Kicking off, optimistically, on a good foot. This release is the sole 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 finishing their international trek and must return for Christmas. Their endeavors are hindered by an villainous Saint Nick, who sings to announce they won’t get home until they “find their sibling bond.” The repartee between the arguing trio is amusing even for the non-fan, while followers will certainly notice lots of in-jokes as they endeavor to get back using any means of transport necessary. It’s private planes, trains and automobiles. It’s not an all-time classic, but is great for devotees and a positive start to the day. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄 for Jonas Brothers fans or 🎄🎄🎄 for their relatives who will have to sit through it. Next: A Star in Panto A-list actor Kiefer Sutherland has been cast as a movie actor cast a "panto". “A panto-what?” asks Sutherland’s “temperamental” and ageing lead Brad Mack, who has seen better days and whose manager has misled him into thinking he’s performing in prestigious English theatre. His pantomime cast-mates let him know he’s playing Buttons. “No I'm not,” he insists angrily. One can imagine their response. Except if you’re ignorant of traditional panto catchphrases. There are some very funny lines, some touching storylines, and the rest of the cast is excellent, too. It’s the kind of movie that would be a bit tacky at any other time of year, but is a lot of fun at Christmas. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄🎄 A New Spin on Scrooge Danny Dyer pops up at the beginning of this film, too, calling someone a mug for the second consecutive movie. Might this become a budding festive ritual? This time, he’s a singing black cab driver who encounters Mr Sood, the modern take 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 filmmaker behind Gurinder Chadha. The classic narrative develops as the tight-fisted Mr Sood is visited by the ghosts of Christmas yesterday, today, and tomorrow, played by Hugh Bonneville, Billy Porter, and Boy George. This cultural adaptation is at least distinct from all the others, but unfortunately he’s not very captivating and Nayyar’s portrayal is flat—a major flaw when he’s so the main character. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄 Noon: A BBC Special There’s time for a channel's original festive film—which stars Guz Khan as a lovably grouchy guy who “doesn’t really do Christmas.” But after he receives an large festive windfall at work, his wife (starring Morgana Robinson) persuades him blowing the money on a family trip to Lapland. There’s just one snag—he learns there was an error with his bonus, which should have been £800, and he has to figure out how to reimburse the excess. 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 backdrop—Christmas is the setting of the film rather than its core purpose—but it feels cosy and festive all the same. High-powered businesswoman Sydney (played by Minka Kelly) is dispatched to a vineyard to do a deal for a champagne business. During her travels, she runs into a fellow in a bookshop who offers to show her Christmas in Paris. An expert recently claimed this is the top new Christmas film of the past few years. That’s a bit of a exaggeration, but it is a holiday love story with a touch of class and gives the obligatory warm and fuzzy feels. The scene with a detailed conversation about Die Hard is particularly strong too. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄 3.29pm - Finding Father Christmas Teenage Chris, played by Lenny Rush, refuses to stop believing in Father Christmas, regardless of the persuasion of his dad (starring James Buckley) to tell him otherwise. The answer is to be discovered, and Chris sets out to find it with the assistance of a group of well-known figures. It’s gentle but charming, and ideal viewing while waiting for Santa to visit. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄 A Star-Studded Family Drama Michelle Pfeiffer is the head of a quarrelling 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 begins by referencing holiday staples like National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, It’s A Wonderful Life and Home Alone, before stating: “They need to make a movie about the real champions of the holidays—moms.” So that’s the premise, but in practice it’s really a mash-up of those aforementioned movies, at least until Pfeiffer’s character eventually takes center stage. Festive score: 🎄🎄 6.43pm - A Scottish Christmas Secret The day’s taken a dip, but thankfully here’s a new entry in the saturated market of formulaic, schmaltzy, badly acted—and utterly watchable—holiday fare. It’s a story as well-worn: An American woman goes on a quest to a picturesque cold country and ends up finding romance. In this case, Caprice Bourret plays a publisher
It is the time of year to relax on the sofa and devour a box of holiday pastries in front of a terrific flick, a bad movie, or one that’s so bad it’s good. Once again, a selection of latest Christmas films aims to become part of our seasonal watchlist—maybe even earning a place alongside enduring classics like Home Alone, Elf, Love Actually, and Die Hard (no arguments). Therefore, in a helpful attempt to separate the winners from the losers, and to get into the holiday mood, I binged as many fresh festive movies as possible in a single day. First Up: The Jonas Brothers' Holiday Flick Kicking off, optimistically, on a good foot. This release is the sole 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 finishing their international trek and must return for Christmas. Their endeavors are hindered by an villainous Saint Nick, who sings to announce they won’t get home until they “find their sibling bond.” The repartee between the arguing trio is amusing even for the non-fan, while followers will certainly notice lots of in-jokes as they endeavor to get back using any means of transport necessary. It’s private planes, trains and automobiles. It’s not an all-time classic, but is great for devotees and a positive start to the day. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄 for Jonas Brothers fans or 🎄🎄🎄 for their relatives who will have to sit through it. Next: A Star in Panto A-list actor Kiefer Sutherland has been cast as a movie actor cast a "panto". “A panto-what?” asks Sutherland’s “temperamental” and ageing lead Brad Mack, who has seen better days and whose manager has misled him into thinking he’s performing in prestigious English theatre. His pantomime cast-mates let him know he’s playing Buttons. “No I'm not,” he insists angrily. One can imagine their response. Except if you’re ignorant of traditional panto catchphrases. There are some very funny lines, some touching storylines, and the rest of the cast is excellent, too. It’s the kind of movie that would be a bit tacky at any other time of year, but is a lot of fun at Christmas. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄🎄 A New Spin on Scrooge Danny Dyer pops up at the beginning of this film, too, calling someone a mug for the second consecutive movie. Might this become a budding festive ritual? This time, he’s a singing black cab driver who encounters Mr Sood, the modern take 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 filmmaker behind Gurinder Chadha. The classic narrative develops as the tight-fisted Mr Sood is visited by the ghosts of Christmas yesterday, today, and tomorrow, played by Hugh Bonneville, Billy Porter, and Boy George. This cultural adaptation is at least distinct from all the others, but unfortunately he’s not very captivating and Nayyar’s portrayal is flat—a major flaw when he’s so the main character. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄 Noon: A BBC Special There’s time for a channel's original festive film—which stars Guz Khan as a lovably grouchy guy who “doesn’t really do Christmas.” But after he receives an large festive windfall at work, his wife (starring Morgana Robinson) persuades him blowing the money on a family trip to Lapland. There’s just one snag—he learns there was an error with his bonus, which should have been £800, and he has to figure out how to reimburse the excess. 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 backdrop—Christmas is the setting of the film rather than its core purpose—but it feels cosy and festive all the same. High-powered businesswoman Sydney (played by Minka Kelly) is dispatched to a vineyard to do a deal for a champagne business. During her travels, she runs into a fellow in a bookshop who offers to show her Christmas in Paris. An expert recently claimed this is the top new Christmas film of the past few years. That’s a bit of a exaggeration, but it is a holiday love story with a touch of class and gives the obligatory warm and fuzzy feels. The scene with a detailed conversation about Die Hard is particularly strong too. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄 3.29pm - Finding Father Christmas Teenage Chris, played by Lenny Rush, refuses to stop believing in Father Christmas, regardless of the persuasion of his dad (starring James Buckley) to tell him otherwise. The answer is to be discovered, and Chris sets out to find it with the assistance of a group of well-known figures. It’s gentle but charming, and ideal viewing while waiting for Santa to visit. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄 A Star-Studded Family Drama Michelle Pfeiffer is the head of a quarrelling 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 begins by referencing holiday staples like National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, It’s A Wonderful Life and Home Alone, before stating: “They need to make a movie about the real champions of the holidays—moms.” So that’s the premise, but in practice it’s really a mash-up of those aforementioned movies, at least until Pfeiffer’s character eventually takes center stage. Festive score: 🎄🎄 6.43pm - A Scottish Christmas Secret The day’s taken a dip, but thankfully here’s a new entry in the saturated market of formulaic, schmaltzy, badly acted—and utterly watchable—holiday fare. It’s a story as well-worn: An American woman goes on a quest to a picturesque cold country and ends up finding romance. In this case, Caprice Bourret plays a publisher