🔗 Share this article Binge-Watching 2025's Christmas Films: Highlights, Lowlights, and Unexpected Delights. It is the time of year to lounge on the sofa and demolish a packet of holiday pastries in front of a great film, a awful feature, or one that’s awesomely awful. Once again, a selection of fresh seasonal stories strives to join part of our festive viewing—perhaps even earning a place alongside beloved favorites like Home Alone, Elf, Love Actually, and Die Hard (we won’t debate it). Thus, in a helpful attempt to sort the crackers from the turkeys, and to embrace the Christmas spirit, I binged as many fresh holiday releases as possible in a single day. First Up: The Jonas Brothers' Holiday Flick Beginning, ideally, on a good foot. This film is the sole 2025 entry on a well-known aggregator's list of the best 100 Christmas movies 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 hindered by an villainous Saint Nick, who bursts into melody to state they won’t get home until they “rediscover their sibling bond.” The repartee between the bickering brothers is entertaining even for the uninitiated, while devotees will no doubt catch lots of in-jokes as they endeavor to get back using every mode of travel possible. It’s a journey of epic proportions. It’s not legendary, but is superb for devotees and a positive 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 A-list actor Kiefer Sutherland stars as a movie actor tricked into a pantomime. “A what's a panto??” asks Sutherland’s “difficult” and aging action hero Brad Mack, who has fallen on hard times and whose representative has misled him into thinking he’s performing in high-class London stage. His Aladdin co-stars let him know he’s playing Buttons. “Oh no I’m not,” he insists angrily. It's easy to predict their retort. That is, unless you’re unfamiliar with traditional panto catchphrases. There are some hilarious moments, some cockle-warming storylines, and the rest of the cast is excellent, too. It’s the kind of movie that would be a bit naff at another season, but is a great entertainment at Christmas. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄🎄 Mid-Morning: Christmas Karma A familiar face pops up at the outset of this film, too, insulting someone for the second consecutive movie. Could this be a new Christmas tradition? This time, he’s a musical taxi operator who collects 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 Bend It Like Beckham’s Gurinder Chadha. The well-known tale unfolds as the stingy Mr Sood is confronted by the apparitions of Christmas yesterday, today, and tomorrow, played by Hugh Bonneville, Billy Porter, and Boy George. This Indian Scrooge is at least different from all the others, but regrettably he’s not very charismatic and Nayyar’s portrayal is wooden—a major flaw when he’s so the main character. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄 12.04pm - Stuffed Before lunch for a network's original festive film—which stars Guz Khan as a endearingly grumpy man who “doesn’t really do Christmas.” But after he is awarded an £8,000 Christmas bonus at work, his wife (played by Morgana Robinson) persuades him blowing the money on a family trip to Lapland. There’s just one problem—he finds out there was an mix-up with his bonus, which should have been £800, and he has to devise a plan for how to pay back the difference. Fun while it lasts but not lasting. Festive score: 🎄🎄 1.12pm - Champagne Problems This is one of those Christmas films where the tree, fairy lights and snow are in the setting—Christmas is the scene of the film rather than its main point—but it feels comfortable and seasonal all the same. Driven corporate star Sydney (played by Minka Kelly) is assigned to a vineyard to secure an acquisition for a sparkling wine company. En route, she meets a guy in a book store who offers to show her Christmas in Paris. A commentator recently declared this is the best new Christmas film of the past few years. That’s a bit of a exaggeration, but it is a Christmas romance with a touch of class and gives the obligatory warm and fuzzy feels. The scene with a lengthy discussion about Die Hard is particularly strong too. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄 3.29pm - Finding Father Christmas Young Chris, played by Lenny Rush, holds onto his belief in Father Christmas, despite the persuasion of his dad (starring James Buckley) to tell him the truth. The answer is to be discovered, and Chris embarks on a quest to find it with the guidance of a team of well-known figures. It’s understated but endearing, and ideal viewing while expecting Santa to visit. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄 A Star-Studded Family Drama Michelle Pfeiffer is the mother of a bickering American family who reunite 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 real champions of the holidays—moms.” So that’s the concept, but in practice it’s really a mash-up of those aforementioned movies, at least until Pfeiffer’s character eventually finds her strength. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄 Evening: A Scottish Christmas Secret The day’s waned in quality, but thankfully here’s a new offering in the saturated market of formulaic, schmaltzy, badly acted—and highly entertaining—holiday fare. It’s a tale as well-worn: An American woman journeys 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 lounge on the sofa and demolish a packet of holiday pastries in front of a great film, a awful feature, or one that’s awesomely awful. Once again, a selection of fresh seasonal stories strives to join part of our festive viewing—perhaps even earning a place alongside beloved favorites like Home Alone, Elf, Love Actually, and Die Hard (we won’t debate it). Thus, in a helpful attempt to sort the crackers from the turkeys, and to embrace the Christmas spirit, I binged as many fresh holiday releases as possible in a single day. First Up: The Jonas Brothers' Holiday Flick Beginning, ideally, on a good foot. This film is the sole 2025 entry on a well-known aggregator's list of the best 100 Christmas movies 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 hindered by an villainous Saint Nick, who bursts into melody to state they won’t get home until they “rediscover their sibling bond.” The repartee between the bickering brothers is entertaining even for the uninitiated, while devotees will no doubt catch lots of in-jokes as they endeavor to get back using every mode of travel possible. It’s a journey of epic proportions. It’s not legendary, but is superb for devotees and a positive 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 A-list actor Kiefer Sutherland stars as a movie actor tricked into a pantomime. “A what's a panto??” asks Sutherland’s “difficult” and aging action hero Brad Mack, who has fallen on hard times and whose representative has misled him into thinking he’s performing in high-class London stage. His Aladdin co-stars let him know he’s playing Buttons. “Oh no I’m not,” he insists angrily. It's easy to predict their retort. That is, unless you’re unfamiliar with traditional panto catchphrases. There are some hilarious moments, some cockle-warming storylines, and the rest of the cast is excellent, too. It’s the kind of movie that would be a bit naff at another season, but is a great entertainment at Christmas. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄🎄 Mid-Morning: Christmas Karma A familiar face pops up at the outset of this film, too, insulting someone for the second consecutive movie. Could this be a new Christmas tradition? This time, he’s a musical taxi operator who collects 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 Bend It Like Beckham’s Gurinder Chadha. The well-known tale unfolds as the stingy Mr Sood is confronted by the apparitions of Christmas yesterday, today, and tomorrow, played by Hugh Bonneville, Billy Porter, and Boy George. This Indian Scrooge is at least different from all the others, but regrettably he’s not very charismatic and Nayyar’s portrayal is wooden—a major flaw when he’s so the main character. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄 12.04pm - Stuffed Before lunch for a network's original festive film—which stars Guz Khan as a endearingly grumpy man who “doesn’t really do Christmas.” But after he is awarded an £8,000 Christmas bonus at work, his wife (played by Morgana Robinson) persuades him blowing the money on a family trip to Lapland. There’s just one problem—he finds out there was an mix-up with his bonus, which should have been £800, and he has to devise a plan for how to pay back the difference. Fun while it lasts but not lasting. Festive score: 🎄🎄 1.12pm - Champagne Problems This is one of those Christmas films where the tree, fairy lights and snow are in the setting—Christmas is the scene of the film rather than its main point—but it feels comfortable and seasonal all the same. Driven corporate star Sydney (played by Minka Kelly) is assigned to a vineyard to secure an acquisition for a sparkling wine company. En route, she meets a guy in a book store who offers to show her Christmas in Paris. A commentator recently declared this is the best new Christmas film of the past few years. That’s a bit of a exaggeration, but it is a Christmas romance with a touch of class and gives the obligatory warm and fuzzy feels. The scene with a lengthy discussion about Die Hard is particularly strong too. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄 3.29pm - Finding Father Christmas Young Chris, played by Lenny Rush, holds onto his belief in Father Christmas, despite the persuasion of his dad (starring James Buckley) to tell him the truth. The answer is to be discovered, and Chris embarks on a quest to find it with the guidance of a team of well-known figures. It’s understated but endearing, and ideal viewing while expecting Santa to visit. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄 A Star-Studded Family Drama Michelle Pfeiffer is the mother of a bickering American family who reunite 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 real champions of the holidays—moms.” So that’s the concept, but in practice it’s really a mash-up of those aforementioned movies, at least until Pfeiffer’s character eventually finds her strength. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄 Evening: A Scottish Christmas Secret The day’s waned in quality, but thankfully here’s a new offering in the saturated market of formulaic, schmaltzy, badly acted—and highly entertaining—holiday fare. It’s a tale as well-worn: An American woman journeys to a picturesque cold country and ends up discovering romance. In this case, Caprice Bourret plays a publisher