🔗 Share this article Binge-Watching This Year's Festive Features: The Hits, The Misses, and The Guilty Pleasures. It is the season to lounge on the couch and demolish a tin of festive treats in front of a terrific flick, a awful feature, or one that’s terrible yet terrific. As always, a crop of fresh holiday movies strives to join part of our festive viewing—maybe even finding a spot alongside enduring classics like Home Alone, Elf, Love Actually, and Die Hard (don’t start). Therefore, in a helpful attempt to separate the winners from the losers, and to find the Christmas spirit, I marathoned as many fresh Christmas films as possible in a single day. Early Morning: A Very Jonas Christmas Movie Starting, optimistically, on a positive note. This release is the sole 2025 entry on a popular review site's list of the greatest 100 holiday films of all time. The musical trio are stranded in the UK after wrapping up their international trek and must return for Christmas. Their efforts are hindered by an evil Santa, who breaks into song to state they won’t get home until they “rekindle their familial spark.” The repartee between the arguing trio is entertaining even for the non-fan, while followers will undoubtedly catch lots of in-jokes as they try to get back using every mode of travel possible. It’s private planes, trains and automobiles. It’s not a timeless masterpiece, but is great for fans and a good start to the day. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄 for Jonas Brothers fans or 🎄🎄🎄 for their relatives who must sit through it. Late Morning: Tinsel Town Hollywood star Kiefer Sutherland appears as a movie actor roped into a traditional British stage show. “A panto-what??” asks Sutherland’s “temperamental” and ageing star Brad Mack, who has seen better days and whose manager has deceived him into thinking he’s appearing in renowned British drama. His pantomime cast-mates inform him he’s playing Buttons. “Oh no I’m not,” he protests. You can guess their reply. That is, unless you’re ignorant of traditional panto catchphrases. There are some hilarious moments, some heartwarming storylines, and the ensemble is excellent, too. It’s the type of film that would be a bit cheesy at another season, but is a highly enjoyable at Christmas. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄🎄 A New Spin on Scrooge A familiar face shows up at the start of this film, too, calling someone a mug for the second film in a row. Is this a fresh holiday staple? This time, he’s a singing black cab driver who encounters Mr Sood, the newest interpretation 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 director of Gurinder Chadha. The well-known tale progresses as the tight-fisted Mr Sood is haunted by the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future, played by Hugh Bonneville, Billy Porter, and Boy George. This South Asian reinterpretation is at least different from all the others, but unfortunately he’s not very compelling and Nayyar’s acting is flat—a major flaw when he’s so the main character. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄 12.04pm - Stuffed There's just enough time for a major broadcaster's original festive film—which stars Guz Khan as a charmingly cantankerous character who “isn't big on Christmas.” But after he gets an sizable holiday payout at work, his wife (portrayed by Morgana Robinson) persuades him blowing the money on a family trip 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 figure out how to reimburse the remainder. Fun while it lasts but not lasting. Festive score: 🎄🎄 Early Afternoon: Champagne Problems This is one of those Christmas films where the decorations and snow are in the backdrop—Christmas is the setting of the film rather than its raison d’etre—but it feels cosy and festive all the same. Ambitious executive Sydney (played by Minka Kelly) is sent to a country estate to secure an acquisition for a champagne business. En route, she encounters a man in a book store who offers to show her the holidays in the City of Light. A critic recently stated this is the finest new Christmas film of the last several seasons. That’s a bit of a overstatement, but it is a holiday love story with a touch of class and gives the required cozy feelings. The scene with a extended debate about Die Hard is very good too. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄 A Charming Quest Young Chris, played by Lenny Rush, refuses to stop believing in Father Christmas, despite the efforts of his dad (played by James Buckley) to tell him otherwise. The answer is out there, and Chris sets out to find it with the expert help of a team of well-known experts and celebrities. It’s understated but charming, and good viewing while anticipating Santa to visit. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄 Late Afternoon: Oh. What. Fun. Michelle Pfeiffer is the head 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 opens by name-dropping 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 reality it’s really a combination of those forerunner films, at least until Pfeiffer’s character eventually finds her strength. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄 6.43pm - A Scottish Christmas Secret The day’s gone downhill, but fortunately here’s a new offering in the saturated market of cliched, saccharine, over-the-top—and highly entertaining—seasonal comfort food. It’s a narrative as familiar as can be: An American woman journeys to a distant snowy land and ends up finding romance. In this case, Caprice Bourret plays a publisher
It is the season to lounge on the couch and demolish a tin of festive treats in front of a terrific flick, a awful feature, or one that’s terrible yet terrific. As always, a crop of fresh holiday movies strives to join part of our festive viewing—maybe even finding a spot alongside enduring classics like Home Alone, Elf, Love Actually, and Die Hard (don’t start). Therefore, in a helpful attempt to separate the winners from the losers, and to find the Christmas spirit, I marathoned as many fresh Christmas films as possible in a single day. Early Morning: A Very Jonas Christmas Movie Starting, optimistically, on a positive note. This release is the sole 2025 entry on a popular review site's list of the greatest 100 holiday films of all time. The musical trio are stranded in the UK after wrapping up their international trek and must return for Christmas. Their efforts are hindered by an evil Santa, who breaks into song to state they won’t get home until they “rekindle their familial spark.” The repartee between the arguing trio is entertaining even for the non-fan, while followers will undoubtedly catch lots of in-jokes as they try to get back using every mode of travel possible. It’s private planes, trains and automobiles. It’s not a timeless masterpiece, but is great for fans and a good start to the day. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄 for Jonas Brothers fans or 🎄🎄🎄 for their relatives who must sit through it. Late Morning: Tinsel Town Hollywood star Kiefer Sutherland appears as a movie actor roped into a traditional British stage show. “A panto-what??” asks Sutherland’s “temperamental” and ageing star Brad Mack, who has seen better days and whose manager has deceived him into thinking he’s appearing in renowned British drama. His pantomime cast-mates inform him he’s playing Buttons. “Oh no I’m not,” he protests. You can guess their reply. That is, unless you’re ignorant of traditional panto catchphrases. There are some hilarious moments, some heartwarming storylines, and the ensemble is excellent, too. It’s the type of film that would be a bit cheesy at another season, but is a highly enjoyable at Christmas. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄🎄 A New Spin on Scrooge A familiar face shows up at the start of this film, too, calling someone a mug for the second film in a row. Is this a fresh holiday staple? This time, he’s a singing black cab driver who encounters Mr Sood, the newest interpretation 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 director of Gurinder Chadha. The well-known tale progresses as the tight-fisted Mr Sood is haunted by the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future, played by Hugh Bonneville, Billy Porter, and Boy George. This South Asian reinterpretation is at least different from all the others, but unfortunately he’s not very compelling and Nayyar’s acting is flat—a major flaw when he’s so the main character. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄 12.04pm - Stuffed There's just enough time for a major broadcaster's original festive film—which stars Guz Khan as a charmingly cantankerous character who “isn't big on Christmas.” But after he gets an sizable holiday payout at work, his wife (portrayed by Morgana Robinson) persuades him blowing the money on a family trip 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 figure out how to reimburse the remainder. Fun while it lasts but not lasting. Festive score: 🎄🎄 Early Afternoon: Champagne Problems This is one of those Christmas films where the decorations and snow are in the backdrop—Christmas is the setting of the film rather than its raison d’etre—but it feels cosy and festive all the same. Ambitious executive Sydney (played by Minka Kelly) is sent to a country estate to secure an acquisition for a champagne business. En route, she encounters a man in a book store who offers to show her the holidays in the City of Light. A critic recently stated this is the finest new Christmas film of the last several seasons. That’s a bit of a overstatement, but it is a holiday love story with a touch of class and gives the required cozy feelings. The scene with a extended debate about Die Hard is very good too. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄 A Charming Quest Young Chris, played by Lenny Rush, refuses to stop believing in Father Christmas, despite the efforts of his dad (played by James Buckley) to tell him otherwise. The answer is out there, and Chris sets out to find it with the expert help of a team of well-known experts and celebrities. It’s understated but charming, and good viewing while anticipating Santa to visit. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄 Late Afternoon: Oh. What. Fun. Michelle Pfeiffer is the head 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 opens by name-dropping 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 reality it’s really a combination of those forerunner films, at least until Pfeiffer’s character eventually finds her strength. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄 6.43pm - A Scottish Christmas Secret The day’s gone downhill, but fortunately here’s a new offering in the saturated market of cliched, saccharine, over-the-top—and highly entertaining—seasonal comfort food. It’s a narrative as familiar as can be: An American woman journeys to a distant snowy land and ends up finding romance. In this case, Caprice Bourret plays a publisher