Devouring 2025's Holiday Movies: The Good, The Bad and The So-Bad-It's-Good.
‘Tis the season to slob out on the couch and devour a box of mince pies in front of a good movie, a poor film, or one that’s awesomely awful.
This year, a crop of new seasonal stories aims to become part of our seasonal watchlist—perhaps even finding a spot alongside beloved favorites like Home Alone, Elf, Love Actually, and Die Hard (no arguments).
Therefore, in a noble effort to sort the crackers from the turkeys, and to get into the festive feeling, I binged as many fresh Christmas films as possible in a single day.
First Up: The Jonas Brothers' Holiday Flick
Starting, optimistically, on a good foot. This film is the sole 2025 title on a famous website's list of the greatest 100 Christmas movies of all time.
The popular band end up stuck in the UK after concluding their global concert series and must make it back for Christmas. Their efforts are hampered by an malevolent Father Christmas, who breaks into song to state they won’t get home until they “find their brotherly magic.”
The banter between the bickering brothers is enjoyable even for the non-fan, while devotees will no doubt pick up on lots of references as they try to get back using any means of transport necessary.
It’s a travelogue of mishaps.
It’s not legendary, but is great for devotees and a good start to the day.
Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄 for Jonas Brothers fans or 🎄🎄🎄 for their relatives who are obliged to sit through it.
Next: A Star in Panto
A-list actor Kiefer Sutherland appears as a celebrity cast a "panto".
“A what's a panto??” asks Sutherland’s “hard-to-work-with” and aging star Brad Mack, who has hit a rough patch and whose agent has misled him into thinking he’s appearing in prestigious English theatre.
His pantomime cast-mates let him know he’s playing Buttons. “Oh no I’m not,” he protests. It's easy to predict their retort. That is, unless you’re not acquainted with traditional stage call-and-response.
There are some hilarious moments, some cockle-warming sub-plots, and the supporting actors is excellent, too.
It’s the sort of feature that would be a bit cheesy at a different time, but is a great entertainment at Christmas.
Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄🎄
Mid-Morning: Christmas Karma
An actor shows up at the beginning of this film, too, delivering a signature line for the second film in a row. Is this a new Christmas tradition?
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 filmmaker behind Gurinder Chadha. The familiar story progresses 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 different from all the others, but regrettably he’s not very compelling and Nayyar’s performance is lifeless—a significant issue when he’s so the focal point.
Festive score: 🎄🎄
Noon: A BBC Special
There's just enough time for a major broadcaster's original festive film—which stars Guz Khan as a endearingly grumpy man who “isn't big on Christmas.”
But after he receives an sizable holiday payout at work, his wife (starring Morgana Robinson) convinces him splurging the cash on a vacation to Lapland.
There’s just one problem—he discovers there was an mix-up with his bonus, which should have been £800, and he has to figure out how to pay back the excess.
Pleasant yet unmemorable.
Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄
A Classy Netflix Romance
This is one of those holiday movies where the tree, fairy lights and snow are in the backdrop—Christmas is the setting of the film rather than its raison d’etre—but it feels comfortable and seasonal all the same.
Driven corporate star Sydney (starring Minka Kelly) is sent to a vineyard to do a deal for a champagne business. During her travels, she encounters a fellow in a literary haven who promises to show her Christmas in Paris.
A commentator recently claimed this is the best new Christmas film of the recent era. That’s a bit of a exaggeration, but it is a festive dalliance with a touch of class and gives the required heartwarming sensation.
The scene with a lengthy discussion about Die Hard is notable too.
Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄
Mid-Afternoon: Finding Father Christmas
Young Chris, played by Lenny Rush, refuses to stop believing in Father Christmas, in spite of the attempts of his dad (starring James Buckley) to tell him the reality.
The secret is to be discovered, and Chris sets out to find it with the expert help of a group of well-known experts and celebrities.
It’s gentle but sweet, and perfect viewing while waiting for Santa to visit.
Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄
4.39pm - Oh. What. Fun.
Michelle Pfeiffer is the mother of a bickering American family who reunite for the holidays—including fellow Oscar nominee Felicity Jones, Chloe Grace Moretz, Jason Schwartzman, and dad Denis Leary.
Pfeiffer starts by mentioning holiday staples 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 what this is, but in execution it’s really a mash-up of those forerunner films, at least until Pfeiffer’s character finally comes into her own.
Festive score: 🎄🎄
Evening: A Scottish Christmas Secret
The day’s gone downhill, but thankfully here’s a new addition in the saturated market of formulaic, schmaltzy, badly acted—and utterly watchable—holiday fare.
It’s a story as familiar as can be: An American woman travels to a picturesque cold country and ends up finding romance.
In this case, Caprice Bourret plays a publisher
