🔗 Share this article Binge-Watching 2025's Festive Features: The Hits, The Misses, and The Guilty Pleasures. It is the time of year to relax on the sofa and devour a packet of holiday pastries in front of a terrific flick, a poor film, or one that’s awesomely awful. This year, a crop of new seasonal stories aims to become part of our holiday traditions—perhaps even finding a spot alongside beloved favorites like Home Alone, Elf, Love Actually, and Die Hard (no arguments). Thus, in a vital public service to separate the winners from the losers, and to get into the Christmas spirit, I marathoned as many fresh Christmas films as possible in a single day. First Up: The Jonas Brothers' Holiday Flick Starting, hopefully, on a positive note. This is the exclusive 2025 movie on a famous website's list of the top 100 holiday films of all time. The musical trio are stuck in the UK after wrapping up their international trek and must make it back for Christmas. Their efforts are thwarted by an villainous Saint Nick, who sings to state they won’t get home until they “find their sibling bond.” The back-and-forth between the arguing trio is enjoyable even for the casual viewer, while devotees will undoubtedly pick up on lots of references as they attempt to get back using any means of transport necessary. It’s a travelogue of mishaps. It’s not a timeless masterpiece, but is excellent for fans and a solid start to the day. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄 for Jonas Brothers fans or 🎄🎄🎄 for their loved ones who must sit through it. Next: A Star in Panto Famous performer Kiefer Sutherland appears as a Hollywood star tricked into a traditional British stage show. “A panto-what?” asks Sutherland’s “hard-to-work-with” and ageing star Brad Mack, who has hit a rough patch and whose manager has tricked him into thinking he’s starring in prestigious English theatre. His Aladdin fellow actors tell him he’s playing Buttons. “No I'm not,” he retorts. You can guess their reply. That is, unless you’re unfamiliar with traditional panto catchphrases. There are some very funny lines, some cockle-warming storylines, and the supporting actors is excellent, too. It’s the kind of movie that would be a bit tacky at a different time, but is a lot of fun at Christmas. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄🎄 A New Spin on Scrooge A familiar face shows up at the beginning of this film, too, calling someone a mug for the second consecutive movie. Could this be a fresh holiday staple? This time, he’s a crooning chauffeur who encounters 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 well-known tale unfolds as the miserly Mr Sood is confronted by the ghosts of Christmas yesterday, today, and tomorrow, played by Hugh Bonneville, Billy Porter, and Boy George. This Indian Scrooge is at least unique from all the others, but unfortunately he’s not very charismatic and Nayyar’s portrayal is lifeless—a problem when he’s so the focal point. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄 12.04pm - Stuffed There's just enough time for a major broadcaster's holiday special—which stars Guz Khan as a lovably grouchy guy who “avoids Christmas.” But after he receives an sizable holiday payout at work, his wife (starring Morgana Robinson) persuades him splurging the cash on a vacation to Lapland. There’s just one problem—he finds out there was an error with his bonus, which should have been £800, and he has to devise a plan for how to return the excess. Enjoyable but forgettable. Festive score: 🎄🎄 A Classy Netflix Romance This is one of those holiday movies where the decorations and snow are in the backdrop—Christmas is the environment of the film rather than its raison d’etre—but it feels comfortable and seasonal all the same. Ambitious executive Sydney (starring Minka Kelly) is sent to a vineyard to secure an acquisition for a sparkling wine company. On the way, she meets a guy in a book store who vows to show her Christmas in Paris. A commentator recently stated this is the best new Christmas film of the past few years. That’s a bit of a exaggeration, but it is a Christmas romance with a hint of sophistication and gives the required cozy feelings. The scene with a extended debate about Die Hard is very good too. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄 Mid-Afternoon: Finding Father Christmas Sixteen-year-old Chris, played by Lenny Rush, holds onto his belief in Father Christmas, regardless of the persuasion of his dad (starring James Buckley) to tell him the truth. The truth is somewhere, and Chris sets out to find it with the expert help of a team of well-known experts and celebrities. It’s gentle but endearing, and perfect viewing while expecting Santa to visit. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄 4.39pm - Oh. What. Fun. Michelle Pfeiffer is the head 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 holiday staples 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 execution it’s really a jumble of those aforementioned movies, at least until Pfeiffer’s character eventually comes into her own. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄 Formulaic Fun The day’s waned in quality, but fortunately here’s a new addition in the saturated market of predictable, sentimental, cheesy—and utterly watchable—festive fodder. It’s a narrative as old as time: An American woman journeys to a picturesque cold country and ends up finding romance. In this case, Caprice Bourret plays a publisher
It is the time of year to relax on the sofa and devour a packet of holiday pastries in front of a terrific flick, a poor film, or one that’s awesomely awful. This year, a crop of new seasonal stories aims to become part of our holiday traditions—perhaps even finding a spot alongside beloved favorites like Home Alone, Elf, Love Actually, and Die Hard (no arguments). Thus, in a vital public service to separate the winners from the losers, and to get into the Christmas spirit, I marathoned as many fresh Christmas films as possible in a single day. First Up: The Jonas Brothers' Holiday Flick Starting, hopefully, on a positive note. This is the exclusive 2025 movie on a famous website's list of the top 100 holiday films of all time. The musical trio are stuck in the UK after wrapping up their international trek and must make it back for Christmas. Their efforts are thwarted by an villainous Saint Nick, who sings to state they won’t get home until they “find their sibling bond.” The back-and-forth between the arguing trio is enjoyable even for the casual viewer, while devotees will undoubtedly pick up on lots of references as they attempt to get back using any means of transport necessary. It’s a travelogue of mishaps. It’s not a timeless masterpiece, but is excellent for fans and a solid start to the day. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄 for Jonas Brothers fans or 🎄🎄🎄 for their loved ones who must sit through it. Next: A Star in Panto Famous performer Kiefer Sutherland appears as a Hollywood star tricked into a traditional British stage show. “A panto-what?” asks Sutherland’s “hard-to-work-with” and ageing star Brad Mack, who has hit a rough patch and whose manager has tricked him into thinking he’s starring in prestigious English theatre. His Aladdin fellow actors tell him he’s playing Buttons. “No I'm not,” he retorts. You can guess their reply. That is, unless you’re unfamiliar with traditional panto catchphrases. There are some very funny lines, some cockle-warming storylines, and the supporting actors is excellent, too. It’s the kind of movie that would be a bit tacky at a different time, but is a lot of fun at Christmas. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄🎄 A New Spin on Scrooge A familiar face shows up at the beginning of this film, too, calling someone a mug for the second consecutive movie. Could this be a fresh holiday staple? This time, he’s a crooning chauffeur who encounters 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 well-known tale unfolds as the miserly Mr Sood is confronted by the ghosts of Christmas yesterday, today, and tomorrow, played by Hugh Bonneville, Billy Porter, and Boy George. This Indian Scrooge is at least unique from all the others, but unfortunately he’s not very charismatic and Nayyar’s portrayal is lifeless—a problem when he’s so the focal point. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄 12.04pm - Stuffed There's just enough time for a major broadcaster's holiday special—which stars Guz Khan as a lovably grouchy guy who “avoids Christmas.” But after he receives an sizable holiday payout at work, his wife (starring Morgana Robinson) persuades him splurging the cash on a vacation to Lapland. There’s just one problem—he finds out there was an error with his bonus, which should have been £800, and he has to devise a plan for how to return the excess. Enjoyable but forgettable. Festive score: 🎄🎄 A Classy Netflix Romance This is one of those holiday movies where the decorations and snow are in the backdrop—Christmas is the environment of the film rather than its raison d’etre—but it feels comfortable and seasonal all the same. Ambitious executive Sydney (starring Minka Kelly) is sent to a vineyard to secure an acquisition for a sparkling wine company. On the way, she meets a guy in a book store who vows to show her Christmas in Paris. A commentator recently stated this is the best new Christmas film of the past few years. That’s a bit of a exaggeration, but it is a Christmas romance with a hint of sophistication and gives the required cozy feelings. The scene with a extended debate about Die Hard is very good too. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄 Mid-Afternoon: Finding Father Christmas Sixteen-year-old Chris, played by Lenny Rush, holds onto his belief in Father Christmas, regardless of the persuasion of his dad (starring James Buckley) to tell him the truth. The truth is somewhere, and Chris sets out to find it with the expert help of a team of well-known experts and celebrities. It’s gentle but endearing, and perfect viewing while expecting Santa to visit. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄 4.39pm - Oh. What. Fun. Michelle Pfeiffer is the head 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 holiday staples 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 execution it’s really a jumble of those aforementioned movies, at least until Pfeiffer’s character eventually comes into her own. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄 Formulaic Fun The day’s waned in quality, but fortunately here’s a new addition in the saturated market of predictable, sentimental, cheesy—and utterly watchable—festive fodder. It’s a narrative as old as time: An American woman journeys to a picturesque cold country and ends up finding romance. In this case, Caprice Bourret plays a publisher