🔗 Share this article Devouring This Year's Christmas Films: The Good, The Bad and The So-Bad-It's-Good. ‘Tis the season to slob out on the couch and demolish a packet of festive treats in front of a terrific flick, a awful feature, or one that’s awesomely awful. This year, a crop of new holiday movies strives to join part of our holiday traditions—perhaps even joining the ranks alongside timeless staples like Home Alone, Elf, Love Actually, and Die Hard (don’t start). Thus, in a noble effort to separate the winners from the losers, and to get into the Christmas spirit, I watched as many fresh holiday releases as possible in a single day. Early Morning: A Very Jonas Christmas Movie Kicking off, hopefully, on a positive note. This release is the exclusive 2025 entry on a well-known aggregator's list of the top 100 festive features of all time. The popular band end up trapped in the UK after wrapping up their international trek and must get home for Christmas. Their efforts are hindered by an villainous Saint Nick, who sings to announce they won’t get home until they “find their sibling bond.” The back-and-forth between the squabbling siblings is amusing even for the non-fan, while followers will no doubt catch lots of easter eggs as they attempt to get back using any means of transport necessary. It’s a journey of epic proportions. It’s not an all-time classic, but is great for devotees and a solid start to the day. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄 for Jonas Brothers fans or 🎄🎄🎄 for their relatives who will have to sit through it. Late Morning: Tinsel Town Hollywood star Kiefer Sutherland stars as a celebrity tricked into a traditional British stage show. “A what's a panto??” asks Sutherland’s “difficult” and aging action hero Brad Mack, who has seen better days and whose representative has tricked him into thinking he’s starring in prestigious English theatre. His Aladdin fellow actors let him know he’s playing Buttons. “Oh no I’m not,” he retorts. One can imagine their retort. That is, unless you’re unfamiliar with traditional British theatre traditions. There are some great jokes, some cockle-warming storylines, and the supporting actors is excellent, too. It’s the kind of movie that would be a bit cheesy at a different time, but is a great entertainment at Christmas. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄🎄 Mid-Morning: Christmas Karma Danny Dyer shows up at the start of this film, too, calling someone a mug for the second film in a row. Could this be a fresh holiday staple? 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 an actor from Kunal Nayyar and Christmas Karma is directed by the filmmaker behind Gurinder Chadha. The well-known tale unfolds as the tight-fisted Mr Sood is haunted by the spirits of Christmas yesterday, today, and tomorrow, played by Hugh Bonneville, Billy Porter, and Boy George. This Indian Scrooge is at least distinct from all the others, but sadly he’s not very compelling and Nayyar’s acting is wooden—a major flaw when he’s so central to everything. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄 Lunchtime: Stuffed There's just enough time for a network's holiday special—which stars Guz Khan as a lovably grouchy guy who “avoids Christmas.” But after he gets an sizable holiday payout at work, his wife (played by Morgana Robinson) persuades him splurging the cash on a family trip to Lapland. There’s just one problem—he discovers there was an error with his bonus, which should have been £800, and he has to devise a plan for how to pay back the excess. Enjoyable but forgettable. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄 1.12pm - Champagne Problems This is one of those holiday movies where the festive trappings 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. High-powered businesswoman Sydney (starring Minka Kelly) is sent to a French chateau to negotiate a purchase for a champagne business. En route, she runs into a fellow in a book store who promises to show her a festive Paris. A commentator recently stated this is the finest new Christmas film of the recent era. That’s a bit of a overstatement, but it is a holiday love story with a hint of sophistication and gives the obligatory heartwarming sensation. The scene with a lengthy discussion about Die Hard is particularly strong too. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄 A Charming Quest Teenage Chris, played by Lenny Rush, refuses to stop believing in Father Christmas, despite the persuasion of his dad (starring James Buckley) to tell him the truth. The answer is somewhere, and Chris ventures forth to find it with the guidance of a team of well-known experts and celebrities. It’s low-key but endearing, and good viewing while anticipating Santa to visit. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄 Late Afternoon: Oh. What. Fun. Michelle Pfeiffer is the matriarch of a bickering American family who gather 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 true heroes of the holidays—moms.” So that’s the concept, but in execution it’s really a combination of those forerunner films, at least until Pfeiffer’s character finally comes into her own. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄 Evening: A Scottish Christmas Secret The day’s taken a dip, but thankfully here’s a new addition in the packed genre of predictable, sentimental, cheesy—and strangely compelling—seasonal comfort food. It’s a narrative as well-worn: An American woman travels to a far-off wintery locale and ends up finding romance. In this case, Caprice Bourret plays a publisher
‘Tis the season to slob out on the couch and demolish a packet of festive treats in front of a terrific flick, a awful feature, or one that’s awesomely awful. This year, a crop of new holiday movies strives to join part of our holiday traditions—perhaps even joining the ranks alongside timeless staples like Home Alone, Elf, Love Actually, and Die Hard (don’t start). Thus, in a noble effort to separate the winners from the losers, and to get into the Christmas spirit, I watched as many fresh holiday releases as possible in a single day. Early Morning: A Very Jonas Christmas Movie Kicking off, hopefully, on a positive note. This release is the exclusive 2025 entry on a well-known aggregator's list of the top 100 festive features of all time. The popular band end up trapped in the UK after wrapping up their international trek and must get home for Christmas. Their efforts are hindered by an villainous Saint Nick, who sings to announce they won’t get home until they “find their sibling bond.” The back-and-forth between the squabbling siblings is amusing even for the non-fan, while followers will no doubt catch lots of easter eggs as they attempt to get back using any means of transport necessary. It’s a journey of epic proportions. It’s not an all-time classic, but is great for devotees and a solid start to the day. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄 for Jonas Brothers fans or 🎄🎄🎄 for their relatives who will have to sit through it. Late Morning: Tinsel Town Hollywood star Kiefer Sutherland stars as a celebrity tricked into a traditional British stage show. “A what's a panto??” asks Sutherland’s “difficult” and aging action hero Brad Mack, who has seen better days and whose representative has tricked him into thinking he’s starring in prestigious English theatre. His Aladdin fellow actors let him know he’s playing Buttons. “Oh no I’m not,” he retorts. One can imagine their retort. That is, unless you’re unfamiliar with traditional British theatre traditions. There are some great jokes, some cockle-warming storylines, and the supporting actors is excellent, too. It’s the kind of movie that would be a bit cheesy at a different time, but is a great entertainment at Christmas. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄🎄 Mid-Morning: Christmas Karma Danny Dyer shows up at the start of this film, too, calling someone a mug for the second film in a row. Could this be a fresh holiday staple? 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 an actor from Kunal Nayyar and Christmas Karma is directed by the filmmaker behind Gurinder Chadha. The well-known tale unfolds as the tight-fisted Mr Sood is haunted by the spirits of Christmas yesterday, today, and tomorrow, played by Hugh Bonneville, Billy Porter, and Boy George. This Indian Scrooge is at least distinct from all the others, but sadly he’s not very compelling and Nayyar’s acting is wooden—a major flaw when he’s so central to everything. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄 Lunchtime: Stuffed There's just enough time for a network's holiday special—which stars Guz Khan as a lovably grouchy guy who “avoids Christmas.” But after he gets an sizable holiday payout at work, his wife (played by Morgana Robinson) persuades him splurging the cash on a family trip to Lapland. There’s just one problem—he discovers there was an error with his bonus, which should have been £800, and he has to devise a plan for how to pay back the excess. Enjoyable but forgettable. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄 1.12pm - Champagne Problems This is one of those holiday movies where the festive trappings 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. High-powered businesswoman Sydney (starring Minka Kelly) is sent to a French chateau to negotiate a purchase for a champagne business. En route, she runs into a fellow in a book store who promises to show her a festive Paris. A commentator recently stated this is the finest new Christmas film of the recent era. That’s a bit of a overstatement, but it is a holiday love story with a hint of sophistication and gives the obligatory heartwarming sensation. The scene with a lengthy discussion about Die Hard is particularly strong too. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄 A Charming Quest Teenage Chris, played by Lenny Rush, refuses to stop believing in Father Christmas, despite the persuasion of his dad (starring James Buckley) to tell him the truth. The answer is somewhere, and Chris ventures forth to find it with the guidance of a team of well-known experts and celebrities. It’s low-key but endearing, and good viewing while anticipating Santa to visit. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄 Late Afternoon: Oh. What. Fun. Michelle Pfeiffer is the matriarch of a bickering American family who gather 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 true heroes of the holidays—moms.” So that’s the concept, but in execution it’s really a combination of those forerunner films, at least until Pfeiffer’s character finally comes into her own. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄 Evening: A Scottish Christmas Secret The day’s taken a dip, but thankfully here’s a new addition in the packed genre of predictable, sentimental, cheesy—and strangely compelling—seasonal comfort food. It’s a narrative as well-worn: An American woman travels to a far-off wintery locale and ends up finding romance. In this case, Caprice Bourret plays a publisher