🔗 Share this article Devouring The Latest Holiday Movies: Highlights, Lowlights, and Unexpected Delights. ‘Tis the time of year to relax on the couch and consume a box of holiday pastries in front of a great film, a bad movie, or one that’s awesomely awful. As always, a batch of fresh holiday movies hopes to be part of our festive viewing—potentially even finding a spot alongside enduring classics like Home Alone, Elf, Love Actually, and Die Hard (no arguments). Thus, in a vital public service to sort the crackers from the turkeys, and to get into the Christmas spirit, I marathoned as many recent Christmas films as possible in a single day. Early Morning: A Very Jonas Christmas Movie Starting, optimistically, on a good foot. This release is the only 2025 entry on a well-known aggregator's list of the top 100 festive features of all time. The musical trio end up stranded in the UK after wrapping up their world tour and must return for Christmas. Their endeavors are hampered by an malevolent Father Christmas, who sings to announce they won’t get home until they “rekindle their sibling bond.” The repartee between the bickering brothers is amusing even for the non-fan, while fans will certainly pick up on lots of easter eggs as they attempt to get back using any means of transport necessary. It’s private planes, trains and automobiles. It’s not a timeless masterpiece, but is excellent for fans and a good start to the day. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄 for Jonas Brothers fans or 🎄🎄🎄 for their loved ones who are obliged to sit through it. Next: A Star in Panto Famous performer Kiefer Sutherland stars as a celebrity tricked into a pantomime. “A panto-what?” asks Sutherland’s “difficult” and older lead Brad Mack, who has hit a rough patch and whose representative has tricked him into thinking he’s starring in renowned British drama. His pantomime co-stars let him know he’s playing Buttons. “No I'm not,” he insists angrily. It's easy to predict their retort. That is, unless you’re ignorant of traditional stage call-and-response. There are some great jokes, some heartwarming sub-plots, and the ensemble is cracking, too. It’s the sort of feature that would be a bit naff at another season, but is a great entertainment at Christmas. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄🎄 Mid-Morning: Christmas Karma A familiar face pops up at the beginning 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 musical taxi operator who picks up Mr Sood, the modern take 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 unfolds as the miserly Mr Sood is confronted by the spirits of Christmas yesterday, today, and tomorrow, played by Hugh Bonneville, Billy Porter, and Boy George. This South Asian reinterpretation is at least distinct from all the others, but unfortunately he’s not very captivating and Nayyar’s acting is wooden—a significant issue when he’s so the focal point. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄 Noon: A BBC Special Before lunch for a major broadcaster's original festive film—which stars Guz Khan as a endearingly grumpy man who “doesn’t really do Christmas.” But after he gets an £8,000 Christmas bonus at work, his wife (starring Morgana Robinson) persuades him blowing the money on a holiday to Lapland. There’s just one issue—he discovers there was an mix-up with his bonus, which should have been £800, and he has to figure out how to return the remainder. Fun while it lasts but not lasting. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄 Early Afternoon: Champagne Problems This is one of those Christmas films where the tree, fairy lights and snow are in the setting—Christmas is the environment of the film rather than its raison d’etre—but it feels warm and holiday-like all the same. Driven corporate star Sydney (starring Minka Kelly) is sent to a country estate to do a deal for a champagne business. En route, she encounters a man in a bookshop who offers to show her Christmas in Paris. An expert recently declared this is the top new Christmas film of the past few years. That’s a bit of a exaggeration, but it is a festive dalliance with a hint of sophistication and gives the necessary cozy feelings. The scene with a lengthy discussion about Die Hard is notable too. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄 Mid-Afternoon: Finding Father Christmas Young Chris, played by Lenny Rush, refuses to stop believing in Father Christmas, in spite of the efforts of his dad (starring James Buckley) to tell him the truth. The secret is out there, and Chris embarks on a quest to find it with the expert help of a panel of well-known figures. It’s understated but endearing, and perfect viewing while expecting Santa to visit. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄 4.39pm - Oh. What. Fun. Michelle Pfeiffer is the mother of a dysfunctional 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 starts by mentioning 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 aforementioned movies, at least until Pfeiffer’s character at last takes center stage. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄 Evening: A Scottish Christmas Secret The day’s waned in quality, but thankfully here’s a new addition in the packed genre of formulaic, schmaltzy, badly acted—and strangely compelling—holiday fare. It’s a narrative as familiar as can be: An American woman journeys to a picturesque cold country and ends up discovering 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 great film, a bad movie, or one that’s awesomely awful. As always, a batch of fresh holiday movies hopes to be part of our festive viewing—potentially even finding a spot alongside enduring classics like Home Alone, Elf, Love Actually, and Die Hard (no arguments). Thus, in a vital public service to sort the crackers from the turkeys, and to get into the Christmas spirit, I marathoned as many recent Christmas films as possible in a single day. Early Morning: A Very Jonas Christmas Movie Starting, optimistically, on a good foot. This release is the only 2025 entry on a well-known aggregator's list of the top 100 festive features of all time. The musical trio end up stranded in the UK after wrapping up their world tour and must return for Christmas. Their endeavors are hampered by an malevolent Father Christmas, who sings to announce they won’t get home until they “rekindle their sibling bond.” The repartee between the bickering brothers is amusing even for the non-fan, while fans will certainly pick up on lots of easter eggs as they attempt to get back using any means of transport necessary. It’s private planes, trains and automobiles. It’s not a timeless masterpiece, but is excellent for fans and a good start to the day. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄 for Jonas Brothers fans or 🎄🎄🎄 for their loved ones who are obliged to sit through it. Next: A Star in Panto Famous performer Kiefer Sutherland stars as a celebrity tricked into a pantomime. “A panto-what?” asks Sutherland’s “difficult” and older lead Brad Mack, who has hit a rough patch and whose representative has tricked him into thinking he’s starring in renowned British drama. His pantomime co-stars let him know he’s playing Buttons. “No I'm not,” he insists angrily. It's easy to predict their retort. That is, unless you’re ignorant of traditional stage call-and-response. There are some great jokes, some heartwarming sub-plots, and the ensemble is cracking, too. It’s the sort of feature that would be a bit naff at another season, but is a great entertainment at Christmas. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄🎄 Mid-Morning: Christmas Karma A familiar face pops up at the beginning 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 musical taxi operator who picks up Mr Sood, the modern take 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 unfolds as the miserly Mr Sood is confronted by the spirits of Christmas yesterday, today, and tomorrow, played by Hugh Bonneville, Billy Porter, and Boy George. This South Asian reinterpretation is at least distinct from all the others, but unfortunately he’s not very captivating and Nayyar’s acting is wooden—a significant issue when he’s so the focal point. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄 Noon: A BBC Special Before lunch for a major broadcaster's original festive film—which stars Guz Khan as a endearingly grumpy man who “doesn’t really do Christmas.” But after he gets an £8,000 Christmas bonus at work, his wife (starring Morgana Robinson) persuades him blowing the money on a holiday to Lapland. There’s just one issue—he discovers there was an mix-up with his bonus, which should have been £800, and he has to figure out how to return the remainder. Fun while it lasts but not lasting. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄 Early Afternoon: Champagne Problems This is one of those Christmas films where the tree, fairy lights and snow are in the setting—Christmas is the environment of the film rather than its raison d’etre—but it feels warm and holiday-like all the same. Driven corporate star Sydney (starring Minka Kelly) is sent to a country estate to do a deal for a champagne business. En route, she encounters a man in a bookshop who offers to show her Christmas in Paris. An expert recently declared this is the top new Christmas film of the past few years. That’s a bit of a exaggeration, but it is a festive dalliance with a hint of sophistication and gives the necessary cozy feelings. The scene with a lengthy discussion about Die Hard is notable too. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄 Mid-Afternoon: Finding Father Christmas Young Chris, played by Lenny Rush, refuses to stop believing in Father Christmas, in spite of the efforts of his dad (starring James Buckley) to tell him the truth. The secret is out there, and Chris embarks on a quest to find it with the expert help of a panel of well-known figures. It’s understated but endearing, and perfect viewing while expecting Santa to visit. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄 4.39pm - Oh. What. Fun. Michelle Pfeiffer is the mother of a dysfunctional 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 starts by mentioning 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 aforementioned movies, at least until Pfeiffer’s character at last takes center stage. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄 Evening: A Scottish Christmas Secret The day’s waned in quality, but thankfully here’s a new addition in the packed genre of formulaic, schmaltzy, badly acted—and strangely compelling—holiday fare. It’s a narrative as familiar as can be: An American woman journeys to a picturesque cold country and ends up discovering romance. In this case, Caprice Bourret plays a publisher