🔗 Share this article Devouring The Latest Festive Features: Highlights, Lowlights, and Unexpected Delights. It is the season to relax on the couch and demolish a box of mince pies in front of a good movie, a poor film, or one that’s awesomely awful. As always, a crop of latest Christmas films strives to join part of our seasonal watchlist—maybe even earning a place alongside beloved favorites like Home Alone, Elf, Love Actually, and Die Hard (we won’t debate it). Thus, in a vital public service to distinguish the gems from the coal, and to embrace the holiday mood, I binged as many fresh Christmas films as possible in a single day. First Up: The Jonas Brothers' Holiday Flick Beginning, optimistically, on a high. This film is the sole 2025 movie on a well-known aggregator's list of the best 100 festive features 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 endeavors are hampered by an malevolent Father Christmas, who sings to state they won’t get home until they “rediscover their familial spark.” The repartee between the arguing trio is amusing even for the casual viewer, while fans will no doubt pick up on lots of references as they try 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 excellent for devotees and a positive start to the day. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄 for Jonas Brothers fans or 🎄🎄🎄 for their loved ones who are obliged to sit through it. Next: A Star in Panto Hollywood star Kiefer Sutherland appears as a movie actor tricked into a "panto". “A panto-what??” asks Sutherland’s “hard-to-work-with” and ageing action hero Brad Mack, who has fallen on hard times and whose manager has deceived him into thinking he’s appearing in renowned British drama. His Aladdin co-stars tell him he’s playing Buttons. “No I'm not,” he insists angrily. You can guess their response. Except if you’re not acquainted with traditional stage call-and-response. There are some hilarious moments, some heartwarming storylines, and the rest of the cast is brilliant, too. It’s the kind of movie that would be a bit cheesy at a different time, but is a highly enjoyable at Christmas. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄🎄 10.19am - Christmas Karma A familiar face appears at the outset of this film, too, insulting someone for the next movie straight. Is this a new Christmas tradition? This time, he’s a singing black cab driver who picks up 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 the director of Gurinder Chadha. The classic narrative develops 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 sadly he’s not very compelling and Nayyar’s portrayal is lifeless—a problem when he’s so the focal point. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄 Lunchtime: Stuffed There's just enough time for a major broadcaster's Christmas comedy-drama—which stars Guz Khan as a lovably grouchy guy who “doesn’t really do Christmas.” But after he receives an sizable holiday payout at work, his wife (starring Morgana Robinson) convinces him spending the sum on a vacation 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 reimburse the excess. Pleasant yet unmemorable. Festive score: 🎄🎄 A Classy Netflix Romance This is one of those Christmas films where the decorations and snow are in the setting—Christmas is the scene 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 assigned to a French chateau to do a deal for a champagne business. En route, she encounters a man in a book store who vows to show her the holidays in the City of Light. A commentator recently claimed this is the top new Christmas film of the recent era. That’s a bit of a stretch, but it is a Christmas romance with a hint of sophistication and gives the required warm and fuzzy feels. The scene with a extended debate about Die Hard is particularly strong too. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄 Mid-Afternoon: Finding Father Christmas Young Chris, played by Lenny Rush, continues to believe in Father Christmas, in spite of the attempts of his dad (starring James Buckley) to tell him otherwise. The truth is out there, and Chris embarks on a quest to find it with the guidance of a group of well-known scientists and personalities. It’s gentle but sweet, and good viewing while waiting for Santa to visit. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄 A Star-Studded Family Drama Michelle Pfeiffer is the matriarch of a dysfunctional American family who gather for the holidays—including fellow Oscar nominee 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 saying: “They need to make a movie about the real champions of the holidays—moms.” So that’s the concept, but in execution it’s really a mash-up of those forerunner films, at least until Pfeiffer’s character at last takes center stage. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄 Formulaic Fun The day’s taken a dip, but thankfully here’s a new offering in the packed genre of formulaic, schmaltzy, badly acted—and strangely compelling—festive fodder. It’s a narrative as old as time: An American woman goes on a quest to a picturesque cold country and ends up stumbling across romance. In this case, Caprice Bourret plays a publisher
It is the season to relax on the couch and demolish a box of mince pies in front of a good movie, a poor film, or one that’s awesomely awful. As always, a crop of latest Christmas films strives to join part of our seasonal watchlist—maybe even earning a place alongside beloved favorites like Home Alone, Elf, Love Actually, and Die Hard (we won’t debate it). Thus, in a vital public service to distinguish the gems from the coal, and to embrace the holiday mood, I binged as many fresh Christmas films as possible in a single day. First Up: The Jonas Brothers' Holiday Flick Beginning, optimistically, on a high. This film is the sole 2025 movie on a well-known aggregator's list of the best 100 festive features 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 endeavors are hampered by an malevolent Father Christmas, who sings to state they won’t get home until they “rediscover their familial spark.” The repartee between the arguing trio is amusing even for the casual viewer, while fans will no doubt pick up on lots of references as they try 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 excellent for devotees and a positive start to the day. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄 for Jonas Brothers fans or 🎄🎄🎄 for their loved ones who are obliged to sit through it. Next: A Star in Panto Hollywood star Kiefer Sutherland appears as a movie actor tricked into a "panto". “A panto-what??” asks Sutherland’s “hard-to-work-with” and ageing action hero Brad Mack, who has fallen on hard times and whose manager has deceived him into thinking he’s appearing in renowned British drama. His Aladdin co-stars tell him he’s playing Buttons. “No I'm not,” he insists angrily. You can guess their response. Except if you’re not acquainted with traditional stage call-and-response. There are some hilarious moments, some heartwarming storylines, and the rest of the cast is brilliant, too. It’s the kind of movie that would be a bit cheesy at a different time, but is a highly enjoyable at Christmas. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄🎄 10.19am - Christmas Karma A familiar face appears at the outset of this film, too, insulting someone for the next movie straight. Is this a new Christmas tradition? This time, he’s a singing black cab driver who picks up 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 the director of Gurinder Chadha. The classic narrative develops 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 sadly he’s not very compelling and Nayyar’s portrayal is lifeless—a problem when he’s so the focal point. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄 Lunchtime: Stuffed There's just enough time for a major broadcaster's Christmas comedy-drama—which stars Guz Khan as a lovably grouchy guy who “doesn’t really do Christmas.” But after he receives an sizable holiday payout at work, his wife (starring Morgana Robinson) convinces him spending the sum on a vacation 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 reimburse the excess. Pleasant yet unmemorable. Festive score: 🎄🎄 A Classy Netflix Romance This is one of those Christmas films where the decorations and snow are in the setting—Christmas is the scene 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 assigned to a French chateau to do a deal for a champagne business. En route, she encounters a man in a book store who vows to show her the holidays in the City of Light. A commentator recently claimed this is the top new Christmas film of the recent era. That’s a bit of a stretch, but it is a Christmas romance with a hint of sophistication and gives the required warm and fuzzy feels. The scene with a extended debate about Die Hard is particularly strong too. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄 Mid-Afternoon: Finding Father Christmas Young Chris, played by Lenny Rush, continues to believe in Father Christmas, in spite of the attempts of his dad (starring James Buckley) to tell him otherwise. The truth is out there, and Chris embarks on a quest to find it with the guidance of a group of well-known scientists and personalities. It’s gentle but sweet, and good viewing while waiting for Santa to visit. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄 A Star-Studded Family Drama Michelle Pfeiffer is the matriarch of a dysfunctional American family who gather for the holidays—including fellow Oscar nominee 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 saying: “They need to make a movie about the real champions of the holidays—moms.” So that’s the concept, but in execution it’s really a mash-up of those forerunner films, at least until Pfeiffer’s character at last takes center stage. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄 Formulaic Fun The day’s taken a dip, but thankfully here’s a new offering in the packed genre of formulaic, schmaltzy, badly acted—and strangely compelling—festive fodder. It’s a narrative as old as time: An American woman goes on a quest to a picturesque cold country and ends up stumbling across romance. In this case, Caprice Bourret plays a publisher