Marathon Viewing The Latest Christmas Films: The Hits, The Misses, and The Guilty Pleasures.
‘Tis the season to slob out on the sofa and consume a box of mince pies in front of a great film, a bad movie, or one that’s terrible yet terrific.
This year, a batch of latest holiday movies hopes to be part of our seasonal watchlist—perhaps even joining the ranks alongside beloved favorites like Home Alone, Elf, Love Actually, and Die Hard (we won’t debate it).
Therefore, in a helpful attempt to separate the winners from the losers, and to get into the holiday mood, I marathoned as many fresh holiday releases as possible in a single day.
First Up: The Jonas Brothers' Holiday Flick
Kicking off, ideally, on a positive note. This film is the only 2025 entry on a well-known aggregator's list of the top 100 festive features of all time.
The musical trio find themselves stranded in the UK after concluding their global concert series and must return for Christmas. Their attempts are hindered by an malevolent Father Christmas, who sings to declare they won’t get home until they “find their sibling bond.”
The repartee between the bickering brothers is amusing even for the non-fan, while devotees will no doubt pick up on lots of references as they try to get back using every mode of travel possible.
It’s a travelogue of mishaps.
It’s not legendary, but is great for fans and a good start to the day.
Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄 for Jonas Brothers fans or 🎄🎄🎄 for their family members who are obliged to sit through it.
Late Morning: Tinsel Town
Famous performer Kiefer Sutherland has been cast as a celebrity roped into a "panto".
“A what's a panto??” asks Sutherland’s “temperamental” and aging lead Brad Mack, who has fallen on hard times and whose agent has deceived him into thinking he’s starring in renowned British drama.
His pantomime fellow actors tell him he’s playing Buttons. “No I'm not,” he protests. One can imagine their reply. Unless you’re not acquainted with traditional British theatre traditions.
There are some hilarious moments, some cockle-warming storylines, and the ensemble is excellent, too.
It’s the kind of movie that would be a bit cheesy at another season, but is a highly enjoyable at Christmas.
Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄🎄
10.19am - Christmas Karma
An actor shows up at the beginning of this film, too, insulting someone for the next movie straight. Could this be a fresh holiday staple?
This time, he’s a singing black cab driver who picks up 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 classic narrative develops as the stingy Mr Sood is visited 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 regrettably he’s not very captivating and Nayyar’s portrayal is lifeless—a significant issue when he’s so the focal point.
Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄
12.04pm - Stuffed
There's just enough time for a channel's holiday special—which stars Guz Khan as a charmingly cantankerous character who “avoids Christmas.”
But after he receives an sizable holiday payout at work, his wife (portrayed by Morgana Robinson) persuades him spending the sum on a family trip to Lapland.
There’s just one issue—he learns there was an error with his bonus, which should have been £800, and he has to determine how to return the remainder.
Pleasant yet unmemorable.
Festive score: 🎄🎄
A Classy Netflix Romance
This is one of those Christmas films where the decorations 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.
Ambitious executive Sydney (played by Minka Kelly) is sent to a vineyard to negotiate a purchase for a sparkling wine company. En route, she meets a fellow in a book store who vows to show her a festive Paris.
A commentator recently declared this is the top new Christmas film of the past few years. That’s a bit of a stretch, but it is a holiday love story with a touch of class and gives the necessary heartwarming sensation.
The scene with a detailed conversation about Die Hard is particularly strong too.
Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄
Mid-Afternoon: Finding Father Christmas
Young Chris, played by Lenny Rush, holds onto his belief in Father Christmas, regardless of the efforts of his dad (starring James Buckley) to tell him the truth.
The secret is somewhere, and Chris sets out to find it with the expert help of a group of well-known scientists and personalities.
It’s gentle but charming, and good viewing while anticipating Santa to visit.
Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄
4.39pm - Oh. What. Fun.
Michelle Pfeiffer is the matriarch of a dysfunctional American family who reunite for the holidays—including other Oscar nominee Felicity Jones, Chloe Grace Moretz, Jason Schwartzman, and dad Denis Leary.
Pfeiffer begins by referencing Christmas classics like National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, It’s A Wonderful Life and Home Alone, before stating: “They need to make a movie about the unsung 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 finally finds her strength.
Festive score: 🎄🎄
Evening: A Scottish Christmas Secret
The day’s waned in quality, but thankfully here’s a new offering in the saturated market of formulaic, schmaltzy, badly acted—and strangely compelling—seasonal comfort food.
It’s a story as old as time: An American woman journeys to a picturesque cold country and ends up discovering romance.
In this case, Caprice Bourret plays a publisher
