🔗 Share this article Devouring 2025's Festive Features: The Good, The Bad and The So-Bad-It's-Good. It is the time of year to lounge on the sofa and demolish a packet of mince pies in front of a terrific flick, a awful feature, or one that’s so bad it’s good. Once again, a crop of fresh Christmas films hopes to be part of our festive viewing—perhaps even earning a place alongside beloved favorites like Home Alone, Elf, Love Actually, and Die Hard (we won’t debate it). Therefore, in a noble effort to distinguish the gems from the coal, and to get into the Christmas spirit, I binged as many new holiday releases as possible in a single day. 7.17am - A Very Jonas Christmas Movie Kicking off, hopefully, on a good foot. This release is the only 2025 title on a popular review site's list of the greatest 100 Christmas movies of all time. The musical trio are stuck in the UK after wrapping up their international trek and must return for Christmas. Their attempts are thwarted by an malevolent Father Christmas, who bursts into melody to declare they won’t get home until they “find their sibling bond.” The repartee between the arguing trio is enjoyable even for the casual viewer, while followers will no doubt 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 legendary, but is excellent for fans and a positive start to the day. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄 for Jonas Brothers fans or 🎄🎄🎄 for their relatives who must sit through it. Late Morning: Tinsel Town Famous performer Kiefer Sutherland has been cast as a Hollywood star cast a traditional British stage show. “A panto-what??” asks Sutherland’s “difficult” and ageing lead Brad Mack, who has seen better days and whose manager has tricked him into thinking he’s appearing in prestigious English theatre. His pantomime co-stars inform him he’s playing Buttons. “Oh no I’m not,” he protests. You can guess their reply. Unless you’re ignorant of traditional British theatre traditions. There are some great jokes, some touching storylines, and the rest of the cast is excellent, too. It’s the kind of movie that would be a bit cheesy at a different time, but is a highly enjoyable at Christmas. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄🎄 10.19am - Christmas Karma A familiar face shows up at the outset of this film, too, calling someone a mug for the next movie straight. Is this 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 a star of Kunal Nayyar and Christmas Karma is directed by Bend It Like Beckham’s Gurinder Chadha. The classic narrative develops as the tight-fisted Mr Sood is haunted by the ghosts 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 sadly he’s not very compelling and Nayyar’s portrayal is wooden—a major flaw when he’s so central to everything. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄 12.04pm - Stuffed Before lunch for a network's holiday special—which stars Guz Khan as a charmingly cantankerous character who “avoids Christmas.” But after he is awarded 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 issue—he finds out there was an error with his bonus, which should have been £800, and he has to determine how to pay back the excess. Enjoyable but forgettable. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄 Early Afternoon: Champagne Problems This is one of those Christmas films where the decorations and snow are in the setting—Christmas is the scene of the film rather than its raison d’etre—but it feels cosy and festive all the same. Driven corporate star Sydney (starring Minka Kelly) is dispatched to a French chateau to negotiate a purchase for a sparkling wine company. En route, she encounters a guy in a bookshop who promises to show her a festive Paris. An expert 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 necessary cozy feelings. The scene with a lengthy discussion about Die Hard is very good too. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄 A Charming Quest Teenage Chris, played by Lenny Rush, continues to believe in Father Christmas, regardless of the attempts of his dad (starring James Buckley) to tell him the reality. The secret is somewhere, and Chris embarks on a quest to find it with the expert help of a team of well-known figures. It’s low-key but endearing, and good viewing while anticipating Santa to visit. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄 4.39pm - Oh. What. Fun. Michelle Pfeiffer is the head of a quarrelling American family who come back together for the holidays—including fellow acclaimed actress Felicity Jones, Chloe Grace Moretz, Jason Schwartzman, and dad Denis Leary. Pfeiffer starts by mentioning Christmas classics like National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, It’s A Wonderful Life and Home Alone, before saying: “They need to make a movie about the true heroes of the holidays—moms.” So that’s the premise, but in execution it’s really a combination of those forerunner films, at least until Pfeiffer’s character eventually finds her strength. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄 Evening: A Scottish Christmas Secret The day’s taken a dip, but fortunately here’s a new addition in the saturated market 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 distant snowy land and ends up discovering romance. In this case, Caprice Bourret plays a publisher
It is the time of year to lounge on the sofa and demolish a packet of mince pies in front of a terrific flick, a awful feature, or one that’s so bad it’s good. Once again, a crop of fresh Christmas films hopes to be part of our festive viewing—perhaps even earning a place alongside beloved favorites like Home Alone, Elf, Love Actually, and Die Hard (we won’t debate it). Therefore, in a noble effort to distinguish the gems from the coal, and to get into the Christmas spirit, I binged as many new holiday releases as possible in a single day. 7.17am - A Very Jonas Christmas Movie Kicking off, hopefully, on a good foot. This release is the only 2025 title on a popular review site's list of the greatest 100 Christmas movies of all time. The musical trio are stuck in the UK after wrapping up their international trek and must return for Christmas. Their attempts are thwarted by an malevolent Father Christmas, who bursts into melody to declare they won’t get home until they “find their sibling bond.” The repartee between the arguing trio is enjoyable even for the casual viewer, while followers will no doubt 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 legendary, but is excellent for fans and a positive start to the day. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄 for Jonas Brothers fans or 🎄🎄🎄 for their relatives who must sit through it. Late Morning: Tinsel Town Famous performer Kiefer Sutherland has been cast as a Hollywood star cast a traditional British stage show. “A panto-what??” asks Sutherland’s “difficult” and ageing lead Brad Mack, who has seen better days and whose manager has tricked him into thinking he’s appearing in prestigious English theatre. His pantomime co-stars inform him he’s playing Buttons. “Oh no I’m not,” he protests. You can guess their reply. Unless you’re ignorant of traditional British theatre traditions. There are some great jokes, some touching storylines, and the rest of the cast is excellent, too. It’s the kind of movie that would be a bit cheesy at a different time, but is a highly enjoyable at Christmas. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄🎄 10.19am - Christmas Karma A familiar face shows up at the outset of this film, too, calling someone a mug for the next movie straight. Is this 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 a star of Kunal Nayyar and Christmas Karma is directed by Bend It Like Beckham’s Gurinder Chadha. The classic narrative develops as the tight-fisted Mr Sood is haunted by the ghosts 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 sadly he’s not very compelling and Nayyar’s portrayal is wooden—a major flaw when he’s so central to everything. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄 12.04pm - Stuffed Before lunch for a network's holiday special—which stars Guz Khan as a charmingly cantankerous character who “avoids Christmas.” But after he is awarded 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 issue—he finds out there was an error with his bonus, which should have been £800, and he has to determine how to pay back the excess. Enjoyable but forgettable. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄 Early Afternoon: Champagne Problems This is one of those Christmas films where the decorations and snow are in the setting—Christmas is the scene of the film rather than its raison d’etre—but it feels cosy and festive all the same. Driven corporate star Sydney (starring Minka Kelly) is dispatched to a French chateau to negotiate a purchase for a sparkling wine company. En route, she encounters a guy in a bookshop who promises to show her a festive Paris. An expert 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 necessary cozy feelings. The scene with a lengthy discussion about Die Hard is very good too. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄 A Charming Quest Teenage Chris, played by Lenny Rush, continues to believe in Father Christmas, regardless of the attempts of his dad (starring James Buckley) to tell him the reality. The secret is somewhere, and Chris embarks on a quest to find it with the expert help of a team of well-known figures. It’s low-key but endearing, and good viewing while anticipating Santa to visit. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄 4.39pm - Oh. What. Fun. Michelle Pfeiffer is the head of a quarrelling American family who come back together for the holidays—including fellow acclaimed actress Felicity Jones, Chloe Grace Moretz, Jason Schwartzman, and dad Denis Leary. Pfeiffer starts by mentioning Christmas classics like National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, It’s A Wonderful Life and Home Alone, before saying: “They need to make a movie about the true heroes of the holidays—moms.” So that’s the premise, but in execution it’s really a combination of those forerunner films, at least until Pfeiffer’s character eventually finds her strength. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄 Evening: A Scottish Christmas Secret The day’s taken a dip, but fortunately here’s a new addition in the saturated market 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 distant snowy land and ends up discovering romance. In this case, Caprice Bourret plays a publisher