🔗 Share this article Binge-Watching 2025's Christmas Films: The Good, The Bad and The So-Bad-It's-Good. ‘Tis the season to slob out on the couch and devour a tin of holiday pastries in front of a great film, a poor film, or one that’s terrible yet terrific. As always, a selection of new Christmas films aims to become part of our festive viewing—maybe even earning a place alongside enduring classics like Home Alone, Elf, Love Actually, and Die Hard (no arguments). Thus, in a noble effort to sort the crackers from the turkeys, and to embrace the Christmas spirit, I marathoned as many fresh Christmas films as possible in a single day. 7.17am - A Very Jonas Christmas Movie Beginning, hopefully, on a good foot. This film is the only 2025 title on a well-known aggregator's list of the top 100 festive features of all time. The Jonas Brothers end up trapped in the UK after wrapping up their global concert series and must make it back for Christmas. Their attempts are hampered by an evil Santa, who bursts into melody to state they won’t get home until they “find their familial spark.” The back-and-forth between the bickering brothers is enjoyable even for the casual viewer, while devotees will no doubt pick up on lots of references as they attempt 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. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄 for Jonas Brothers fans or 🎄🎄🎄 for their relatives who are obliged to sit through it. Late Morning: Tinsel Town A-list actor Kiefer Sutherland has been cast as a movie actor cast a traditional British stage show. “A panto-what?” asks Sutherland’s “difficult” and older action hero Brad Mack, who has fallen on hard times and whose representative has tricked him into thinking he’s starring in prestigious English theatre. His Aladdin cast-mates tell him he’s playing Buttons. “No I'm not,” he insists angrily. You can guess their reply. Except if you’re ignorant of traditional panto catchphrases. There are some very funny lines, some cockle-warming side stories, and the rest of the cast is brilliant, too. It’s the type of film that would be a bit tacky at any other time of year, but is a great entertainment at Christmas. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄🎄 A New Spin on Scrooge Danny Dyer pops up at the outset of this film, too, delivering a signature line for the second film in a row. Could this be a budding festive ritual? This time, he’s a musical taxi operator who collects 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 familiar story progresses as the miserly Mr Sood is confronted by the spirits of Christmas past, present and future, 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 charismatic and Nayyar’s acting is wooden—a problem when he’s so central to everything. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄 Lunchtime: Stuffed There’s time for a major broadcaster's Christmas comedy-drama—which stars Guz Khan as a lovably grouchy guy who “avoids Christmas.” But after he gets an £8,000 Christmas bonus at work, his wife (starring Morgana Robinson) convinces him spending the sum on a vacation to Lapland. There’s just one problem—he learns there was an error with his bonus, which should have been £800, and he has to devise a plan for how to return the difference. Fun while it lasts but not lasting. Festive score: 🎄🎄 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 core purpose—but it feels cosy and festive all the same. High-powered businesswoman Sydney (played by Minka Kelly) is dispatched to a country estate to do a deal for a sparkling wine company. En route, she runs into a man in a book store who promises to show her a festive Paris. A critic recently declared 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 touch of class and gives the necessary heartwarming sensation. The scene with a detailed conversation about Die Hard is notable too. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄 Mid-Afternoon: Finding Father Christmas Teenage Chris, played by Lenny Rush, continues to believe in Father Christmas, in spite of the efforts of his dad (starring James Buckley) to tell him the reality. The truth is somewhere, and Chris sets out to find it with the guidance of a group of well-known figures. It’s understated but charming, and perfect viewing while anticipating Santa to visit. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄 4.39pm - Oh. What. Fun. Michelle Pfeiffer is the mother of a quarrelling American family who come back together for the holidays—including other 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 what this is, but in execution it’s really a combination of those forerunner films, at least until Pfeiffer’s character at last takes center stage. Festive score: 🎄🎄 Formulaic Fun The day’s gone downhill, but thankfully here’s a new entry in the saturated market of predictable, sentimental, cheesy—and utterly watchable—holiday fare. It’s a story as well-worn: An American woman journeys to a distant snowy land and ends up stumbling across romance. In this case, Caprice Bourret plays a publisher
‘Tis the season to slob out on the couch and devour a tin of holiday pastries in front of a great film, a poor film, or one that’s terrible yet terrific. As always, a selection of new Christmas films aims to become part of our festive viewing—maybe even earning a place alongside enduring classics like Home Alone, Elf, Love Actually, and Die Hard (no arguments). Thus, in a noble effort to sort the crackers from the turkeys, and to embrace the Christmas spirit, I marathoned as many fresh Christmas films as possible in a single day. 7.17am - A Very Jonas Christmas Movie Beginning, hopefully, on a good foot. This film is the only 2025 title on a well-known aggregator's list of the top 100 festive features of all time. The Jonas Brothers end up trapped in the UK after wrapping up their global concert series and must make it back for Christmas. Their attempts are hampered by an evil Santa, who bursts into melody to state they won’t get home until they “find their familial spark.” The back-and-forth between the bickering brothers is enjoyable even for the casual viewer, while devotees will no doubt pick up on lots of references as they attempt 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. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄 for Jonas Brothers fans or 🎄🎄🎄 for their relatives who are obliged to sit through it. Late Morning: Tinsel Town A-list actor Kiefer Sutherland has been cast as a movie actor cast a traditional British stage show. “A panto-what?” asks Sutherland’s “difficult” and older action hero Brad Mack, who has fallen on hard times and whose representative has tricked him into thinking he’s starring in prestigious English theatre. His Aladdin cast-mates tell him he’s playing Buttons. “No I'm not,” he insists angrily. You can guess their reply. Except if you’re ignorant of traditional panto catchphrases. There are some very funny lines, some cockle-warming side stories, and the rest of the cast is brilliant, too. It’s the type of film that would be a bit tacky at any other time of year, but is a great entertainment at Christmas. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄🎄 A New Spin on Scrooge Danny Dyer pops up at the outset of this film, too, delivering a signature line for the second film in a row. Could this be a budding festive ritual? This time, he’s a musical taxi operator who collects 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 familiar story progresses as the miserly Mr Sood is confronted by the spirits of Christmas past, present and future, 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 charismatic and Nayyar’s acting is wooden—a problem when he’s so central to everything. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄 Lunchtime: Stuffed There’s time for a major broadcaster's Christmas comedy-drama—which stars Guz Khan as a lovably grouchy guy who “avoids Christmas.” But after he gets an £8,000 Christmas bonus at work, his wife (starring Morgana Robinson) convinces him spending the sum on a vacation to Lapland. There’s just one problem—he learns there was an error with his bonus, which should have been £800, and he has to devise a plan for how to return the difference. Fun while it lasts but not lasting. Festive score: 🎄🎄 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 core purpose—but it feels cosy and festive all the same. High-powered businesswoman Sydney (played by Minka Kelly) is dispatched to a country estate to do a deal for a sparkling wine company. En route, she runs into a man in a book store who promises to show her a festive Paris. A critic recently declared 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 touch of class and gives the necessary heartwarming sensation. The scene with a detailed conversation about Die Hard is notable too. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄 Mid-Afternoon: Finding Father Christmas Teenage Chris, played by Lenny Rush, continues to believe in Father Christmas, in spite of the efforts of his dad (starring James Buckley) to tell him the reality. The truth is somewhere, and Chris sets out to find it with the guidance of a group of well-known figures. It’s understated but charming, and perfect viewing while anticipating Santa to visit. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄 4.39pm - Oh. What. Fun. Michelle Pfeiffer is the mother of a quarrelling American family who come back together for the holidays—including other 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 what this is, but in execution it’s really a combination of those forerunner films, at least until Pfeiffer’s character at last takes center stage. Festive score: 🎄🎄 Formulaic Fun The day’s gone downhill, but thankfully here’s a new entry in the saturated market of predictable, sentimental, cheesy—and utterly watchable—holiday fare. It’s a story as well-worn: An American woman journeys to a distant snowy land and ends up stumbling across romance. In this case, Caprice Bourret plays a publisher