🔗 Share this article Binge-Watching This Year's Christmas Films: Highlights, Lowlights, and Unexpected Delights. It is the time of year to relax on the couch and devour a packet of festive treats in front of a great film, a bad movie, or one that’s terrible yet terrific. This year, a selection of latest Christmas films strives to join part of our seasonal watchlist—perhaps even earning a place alongside enduring classics like Home Alone, Elf, Love Actually, and Die Hard (don’t start). So, in a noble effort to distinguish the gems from the coal, and to get into the festive feeling, I marathoned as many recent holiday releases as possible in a single day. First Up: The Jonas Brothers' Holiday Flick Beginning, ideally, on a high. This is the only 2025 title on a well-known aggregator's list of the greatest 100 Christmas movies of all time. The Jonas Brothers are stuck in the UK after wrapping up their world tour and must make it back for Christmas. Their attempts are hampered by an evil Santa, who sings to state they won’t get home until they “rekindle their sibling bond.” The back-and-forth between the bickering brothers is entertaining even for the casual viewer, while fans will certainly pick up on lots of references as they attempt to get back using all transportation available. It’s a journey of epic proportions. 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 will have to sit through it. Next: A Star in Panto Famous performer Kiefer Sutherland has been cast as a celebrity tricked into a traditional British stage show. “A what's a panto??” asks Sutherland’s “temperamental” and aging star Brad Mack, who has seen better days and whose agent has tricked him into thinking he’s performing in renowned British drama. His pantomime co-stars inform him he’s playing Buttons. “Absolutely not,” he protests. You can guess their reply. Unless you’re not acquainted with traditional panto catchphrases. There are some very funny lines, some cockle-warming storylines, and the rest of the cast is cracking, too. It’s the sort of feature that would be a bit tacky at another season, but is a highly enjoyable at Christmas. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄🎄 A New Spin on Scrooge An actor shows up at the outset of this film, too, calling someone a mug for the second film in a row. Might this become a fresh holiday staple? This time, he’s a singing black cab driver who picks up 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 director of Gurinder Chadha. The familiar story progresses as the tight-fisted Mr Sood is visited by the apparitions of Christmas yesterday, today, and tomorrow, played by Hugh Bonneville, Billy Porter, and Boy George. This cultural adaptation is at least different from all the others, but regrettably he’s not very charismatic and Nayyar’s performance is flat—a significant issue when he’s so the focal point. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄 Noon: A BBC Special Before lunch for a network's original festive film—which stars Guz Khan as a charmingly cantankerous character who “isn't big on Christmas.” But after he gets an £8,000 Christmas bonus at work, his wife (starring Morgana Robinson) persuades him blowing the money on a holiday to Lapland. There’s just one issue—he learns there was an mistake with his bonus, which should have been £800, and he has to figure out how to pay back the excess. Pleasant yet unmemorable. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄 1.12pm - Champagne Problems This is one of those Christmas films where the decorations and snow are in the background—Christmas is the scene of the film rather than its core purpose—but it feels warm and holiday-like all the same. High-powered businesswoman Sydney (starring Minka Kelly) is assigned to a country estate to secure an acquisition for a sparkling wine company. En route, she encounters a guy in a bookshop who offers to show her the holidays in the City of Light. An expert recently stated this is the finest new Christmas film of the last several seasons. That’s a bit of a overstatement, but it is a festive dalliance with a dash of elegance and gives the necessary cozy feelings. The scene with a lengthy discussion about Die Hard is particularly strong too. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄 Mid-Afternoon: Finding Father Christmas Teenage Chris, played by Lenny Rush, refuses to stop believing in Father Christmas, in spite of the persuasion of his dad (played by James Buckley) to tell him the truth. The answer is out there, and Chris ventures forth to find it with the guidance of a panel of well-known scientists and personalities. It’s understated but charming, and perfect viewing while expecting Santa to visit. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄 4.39pm - Oh. What. Fun. Michelle Pfeiffer is the head of a bickering American family who reunite for the holidays—including fellow 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 real champions 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 at last finds her strength. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄 Formulaic Fun The day’s taken a dip, but thankfully here’s a new addition in the packed genre of predictable, sentimental, cheesy—and utterly watchable—seasonal comfort food. It’s a story as familiar as can be: An American woman journeys to a far-off wintery locale and ends up stumbling across romance. In this case, Caprice Bourret plays a publisher
It is the time of year to relax on the couch and devour a packet of festive treats in front of a great film, a bad movie, or one that’s terrible yet terrific. This year, a selection of latest Christmas films strives to join part of our seasonal watchlist—perhaps even earning a place alongside enduring classics like Home Alone, Elf, Love Actually, and Die Hard (don’t start). So, in a noble effort to distinguish the gems from the coal, and to get into the festive feeling, I marathoned as many recent holiday releases as possible in a single day. First Up: The Jonas Brothers' Holiday Flick Beginning, ideally, on a high. This is the only 2025 title on a well-known aggregator's list of the greatest 100 Christmas movies of all time. The Jonas Brothers are stuck in the UK after wrapping up their world tour and must make it back for Christmas. Their attempts are hampered by an evil Santa, who sings to state they won’t get home until they “rekindle their sibling bond.” The back-and-forth between the bickering brothers is entertaining even for the casual viewer, while fans will certainly pick up on lots of references as they attempt to get back using all transportation available. It’s a journey of epic proportions. 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 will have to sit through it. Next: A Star in Panto Famous performer Kiefer Sutherland has been cast as a celebrity tricked into a traditional British stage show. “A what's a panto??” asks Sutherland’s “temperamental” and aging star Brad Mack, who has seen better days and whose agent has tricked him into thinking he’s performing in renowned British drama. His pantomime co-stars inform him he’s playing Buttons. “Absolutely not,” he protests. You can guess their reply. Unless you’re not acquainted with traditional panto catchphrases. There are some very funny lines, some cockle-warming storylines, and the rest of the cast is cracking, too. It’s the sort of feature that would be a bit tacky at another season, but is a highly enjoyable at Christmas. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄🎄 A New Spin on Scrooge An actor shows up at the outset of this film, too, calling someone a mug for the second film in a row. Might this become a fresh holiday staple? This time, he’s a singing black cab driver who picks up 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 director of Gurinder Chadha. The familiar story progresses as the tight-fisted Mr Sood is visited by the apparitions of Christmas yesterday, today, and tomorrow, played by Hugh Bonneville, Billy Porter, and Boy George. This cultural adaptation is at least different from all the others, but regrettably he’s not very charismatic and Nayyar’s performance is flat—a significant issue when he’s so the focal point. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄 Noon: A BBC Special Before lunch for a network's original festive film—which stars Guz Khan as a charmingly cantankerous character who “isn't big on Christmas.” But after he gets an £8,000 Christmas bonus at work, his wife (starring Morgana Robinson) persuades him blowing the money on a holiday to Lapland. There’s just one issue—he learns there was an mistake with his bonus, which should have been £800, and he has to figure out how to pay back the excess. Pleasant yet unmemorable. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄 1.12pm - Champagne Problems This is one of those Christmas films where the decorations and snow are in the background—Christmas is the scene of the film rather than its core purpose—but it feels warm and holiday-like all the same. High-powered businesswoman Sydney (starring Minka Kelly) is assigned to a country estate to secure an acquisition for a sparkling wine company. En route, she encounters a guy in a bookshop who offers to show her the holidays in the City of Light. An expert recently stated this is the finest new Christmas film of the last several seasons. That’s a bit of a overstatement, but it is a festive dalliance with a dash of elegance and gives the necessary cozy feelings. The scene with a lengthy discussion about Die Hard is particularly strong too. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄 Mid-Afternoon: Finding Father Christmas Teenage Chris, played by Lenny Rush, refuses to stop believing in Father Christmas, in spite of the persuasion of his dad (played by James Buckley) to tell him the truth. The answer is out there, and Chris ventures forth to find it with the guidance of a panel of well-known scientists and personalities. It’s understated but charming, and perfect viewing while expecting Santa to visit. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄 4.39pm - Oh. What. Fun. Michelle Pfeiffer is the head of a bickering American family who reunite for the holidays—including fellow 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 real champions 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 at last finds her strength. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄 Formulaic Fun The day’s taken a dip, but thankfully here’s a new addition in the packed genre of predictable, sentimental, cheesy—and utterly watchable—seasonal comfort food. It’s a story as familiar as can be: An American woman journeys to a far-off wintery locale and ends up stumbling across romance. In this case, Caprice Bourret plays a publisher