🔗 Share this article Marathon Viewing 2025's Holiday Movies: The Hits, The Misses, and The Guilty Pleasures. ‘Tis the time of year to relax on the couch and consume a box of holiday pastries in front of a good movie, a poor film, or one that’s awesomely awful. Once again, a selection of latest holiday movies aims to become part of our seasonal watchlist—perhaps even finding a spot alongside beloved favorites like Home Alone, Elf, Love Actually, and Die Hard (no arguments). Therefore, in a vital public service to distinguish the gems from the coal, and to get into the festive feeling, I binged as many recent Christmas films as possible in a single day. Early Morning: A Very Jonas Christmas Movie Beginning, optimistically, on a positive note. This film is the only 2025 movie on a famous website's list of the best 100 Christmas movies of all time. The popular band are stuck in the UK after finishing their global concert series and must get home for Christmas. Their attempts are thwarted by an malevolent Father Christmas, who bursts into melody to state they won’t get home until they “rekindle their brotherly magic.” The repartee between the arguing trio is enjoyable even for the uninitiated, while devotees will undoubtedly pick up on lots of easter eggs as they attempt to get back using every mode of travel possible. It’s private planes, trains and automobiles. It’s not a timeless masterpiece, but is superb for devotees and a good start to the day. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄 for Jonas Brothers fans or 🎄🎄🎄 for their relatives who must sit through it. Next: A Star in Panto Hollywood star Kiefer Sutherland stars as a movie actor roped into a pantomime. “A what's a panto??” asks Sutherland’s “difficult” and aging lead Brad Mack, who has fallen on hard times and whose manager has tricked him into thinking he’s starring in renowned British drama. His pantomime co-stars inform him he’s playing Buttons. “No I'm not,” he protests. One can imagine their response. That is, unless you’re not acquainted with traditional British theatre traditions. There are some hilarious moments, some touching sub-plots, and the supporting actors is brilliant, too. It’s the sort of feature that would be a bit cheesy at any other time of year, but is a great entertainment at Christmas. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄🎄 Mid-Morning: Christmas Karma Danny Dyer appears at the beginning of this film, too, calling someone a mug for the second consecutive movie. Might this become a budding festive ritual? This time, he’s a singing black cab driver who encounters 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 visited by the apparitions of Christmas past, present and future, played by Hugh Bonneville, Billy Porter, and Boy George. This Indian Scrooge is at least distinct from all the others, but unfortunately he’s not very captivating and Nayyar’s portrayal is lifeless—a problem when he’s so central to everything. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄 12.04pm - Stuffed There's just enough time for a major broadcaster's Christmas comedy-drama—which stars Guz Khan as a lovably grouchy guy who “avoids Christmas.” But after he receives an £8,000 Christmas bonus at work, his wife (played by Morgana Robinson) persuades him spending the sum on a holiday to Lapland. There’s just one issue—he learns there was an mix-up with his bonus, which should have been £800, and he has to determine how to pay back the difference. Enjoyable but forgettable. Festive score: 🎄🎄 Early Afternoon: Champagne Problems This is one of those Christmas films where the festive trappings are in the backdrop—Christmas is the environment of the film rather than its core purpose—but it feels comfortable and seasonal all the same. Ambitious executive Sydney (starring Minka Kelly) is sent to a country estate to do a deal for a sparkling wine company. During her travels, she runs into a fellow in a literary haven who offers to show her Christmas in Paris. A critic recently declared this is the best new Christmas film of the past few years. That’s a bit of a overstatement, but it is a festive dalliance with a hint of sophistication and gives the obligatory warm and fuzzy feels. The scene with a extended debate about Die Hard is very good too. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄 Mid-Afternoon: Finding Father Christmas Teenage Chris, played by Lenny Rush, refuses to stop believing in Father Christmas, regardless of the attempts of his dad (played by James Buckley) to tell him otherwise. The truth is somewhere, and Chris sets out to find it with the expert help of a panel of well-known experts and celebrities. It’s understated but sweet, and ideal viewing while anticipating Santa to visit. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄 Late Afternoon: Oh. What. Fun. Michelle Pfeiffer is the mother of a dysfunctional American family who gather for the holidays—including other acclaimed actress Felicity Jones, Chloe Grace Moretz, Jason Schwartzman, and dad Denis Leary. Pfeiffer begins by referencing classic festive films like National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, It’s A Wonderful Life and Home Alone, before declaring: “They need to make a movie about the true heroes of the holidays—moms.” So that’s the concept, but in practice it’s really a jumble of those forerunner films, at least until Pfeiffer’s character eventually takes center stage. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄 Evening: A Scottish Christmas Secret The day’s gone downhill, but thankfully here’s a new entry in the packed genre of formulaic, schmaltzy, badly acted—and utterly watchable—festive fodder. It’s a narrative as old as time: An American woman goes on a quest to a distant snowy land and ends up finding romance. In this case, Caprice Bourret plays a publisher
‘Tis the time of year to relax on the couch and consume a box of holiday pastries in front of a good movie, a poor film, or one that’s awesomely awful. Once again, a selection of latest holiday movies aims to become part of our seasonal watchlist—perhaps even finding a spot alongside beloved favorites like Home Alone, Elf, Love Actually, and Die Hard (no arguments). Therefore, in a vital public service to distinguish the gems from the coal, and to get into the festive feeling, I binged as many recent Christmas films as possible in a single day. Early Morning: A Very Jonas Christmas Movie Beginning, optimistically, on a positive note. This film is the only 2025 movie on a famous website's list of the best 100 Christmas movies of all time. The popular band are stuck in the UK after finishing their global concert series and must get home for Christmas. Their attempts are thwarted by an malevolent Father Christmas, who bursts into melody to state they won’t get home until they “rekindle their brotherly magic.” The repartee between the arguing trio is enjoyable even for the uninitiated, while devotees will undoubtedly pick up on lots of easter eggs as they attempt to get back using every mode of travel possible. It’s private planes, trains and automobiles. It’s not a timeless masterpiece, but is superb for devotees and a good start to the day. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄 for Jonas Brothers fans or 🎄🎄🎄 for their relatives who must sit through it. Next: A Star in Panto Hollywood star Kiefer Sutherland stars as a movie actor roped into a pantomime. “A what's a panto??” asks Sutherland’s “difficult” and aging lead Brad Mack, who has fallen on hard times and whose manager has tricked him into thinking he’s starring in renowned British drama. His pantomime co-stars inform him he’s playing Buttons. “No I'm not,” he protests. One can imagine their response. That is, unless you’re not acquainted with traditional British theatre traditions. There are some hilarious moments, some touching sub-plots, and the supporting actors is brilliant, too. It’s the sort of feature that would be a bit cheesy at any other time of year, but is a great entertainment at Christmas. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄🎄 Mid-Morning: Christmas Karma Danny Dyer appears at the beginning of this film, too, calling someone a mug for the second consecutive movie. Might this become a budding festive ritual? This time, he’s a singing black cab driver who encounters 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 visited by the apparitions of Christmas past, present and future, played by Hugh Bonneville, Billy Porter, and Boy George. This Indian Scrooge is at least distinct from all the others, but unfortunately he’s not very captivating and Nayyar’s portrayal is lifeless—a problem when he’s so central to everything. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄 12.04pm - Stuffed There's just enough time for a major broadcaster's Christmas comedy-drama—which stars Guz Khan as a lovably grouchy guy who “avoids Christmas.” But after he receives an £8,000 Christmas bonus at work, his wife (played by Morgana Robinson) persuades him spending the sum on a holiday to Lapland. There’s just one issue—he learns there was an mix-up with his bonus, which should have been £800, and he has to determine how to pay back the difference. Enjoyable but forgettable. Festive score: 🎄🎄 Early Afternoon: Champagne Problems This is one of those Christmas films where the festive trappings are in the backdrop—Christmas is the environment of the film rather than its core purpose—but it feels comfortable and seasonal all the same. Ambitious executive Sydney (starring Minka Kelly) is sent to a country estate to do a deal for a sparkling wine company. During her travels, she runs into a fellow in a literary haven who offers to show her Christmas in Paris. A critic recently declared this is the best new Christmas film of the past few years. That’s a bit of a overstatement, but it is a festive dalliance with a hint of sophistication and gives the obligatory warm and fuzzy feels. The scene with a extended debate about Die Hard is very good too. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄 Mid-Afternoon: Finding Father Christmas Teenage Chris, played by Lenny Rush, refuses to stop believing in Father Christmas, regardless of the attempts of his dad (played by James Buckley) to tell him otherwise. The truth is somewhere, and Chris sets out to find it with the expert help of a panel of well-known experts and celebrities. It’s understated but sweet, and ideal viewing while anticipating Santa to visit. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄 Late Afternoon: Oh. What. Fun. Michelle Pfeiffer is the mother of a dysfunctional American family who gather for the holidays—including other acclaimed actress Felicity Jones, Chloe Grace Moretz, Jason Schwartzman, and dad Denis Leary. Pfeiffer begins by referencing classic festive films like National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, It’s A Wonderful Life and Home Alone, before declaring: “They need to make a movie about the true heroes of the holidays—moms.” So that’s the concept, but in practice it’s really a jumble of those forerunner films, at least until Pfeiffer’s character eventually takes center stage. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄 Evening: A Scottish Christmas Secret The day’s gone downhill, but thankfully here’s a new entry in the packed genre of formulaic, schmaltzy, badly acted—and utterly watchable—festive fodder. It’s a narrative as old as time: An American woman goes on a quest to a distant snowy land and ends up finding romance. In this case, Caprice Bourret plays a publisher