Marathon Viewing The Latest Christmas Films: The Good, The Bad and The So-Bad-It's-Good.
‘Tis the season to relax on the sofa and consume a box of holiday pastries in front of a great film, a poor film, or one that’s terrible yet terrific.
As always, a batch of new seasonal stories aims to become part of our festive viewing—perhaps even joining the ranks alongside timeless staples like Home Alone, Elf, Love Actually, and Die Hard (don’t start).
So, in a helpful attempt to sort the crackers from the turkeys, and to embrace the holiday mood, I watched as many new festive movies as possible in a single day.
7.17am - A Very Jonas Christmas Movie
Starting, hopefully, on a high. This release is the exclusive 2025 entry on a popular review site's list of the top 100 festive features of all time.
The popular band find themselves trapped in the UK after concluding their international trek and must return for Christmas. Their efforts are hindered by an evil Santa, who bursts into melody to declare they won’t get home until they “find their brotherly magic.”
The back-and-forth between the squabbling siblings is enjoyable even for the casual viewer, while fans will certainly catch lots of easter eggs as they attempt to get back using all transportation available.
It’s a journey of epic proportions.
It’s not legendary, but is great for fans and a solid start to the day.
Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄 for Jonas Brothers fans or 🎄🎄🎄 for their loved ones who must sit through it.
8.45am - Tinsel Town
A-list actor Kiefer Sutherland appears as a Hollywood star tricked into a "panto".
“A panto-what??” asks Sutherland’s “temperamental” and ageing lead Brad Mack, who has seen better days and whose manager has deceived him into thinking he’s performing in prestigious English theatre.
His pantomime fellow actors inform him he’s playing Buttons. “No I'm not,” he retorts. You can guess their retort. Unless you’re ignorant of traditional panto catchphrases.
There are some hilarious moments, some heartwarming side stories, and the supporting actors is excellent, too.
It’s the type of film that would be a bit tacky at another season, but is a great entertainment at Christmas.
Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄🎄
10.19am - Christmas Karma
A familiar face shows up at the beginning of this film, too, calling someone a mug for the next movie straight. Could this be a new Christmas tradition?
This time, he’s a singing black cab driver who picks up Mr Sood, the latest spin 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 filmmaker behind Gurinder Chadha. The classic narrative unfolds as the stingy Mr Sood is visited by the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future, played by Hugh Bonneville, Billy Porter, and Boy George.
This Indian Scrooge is at least distinct from all the others, but unfortunately he’s not very compelling and Nayyar’s acting is flat—a problem when he’s so central to everything.
Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄
Noon: A BBC Special
Before lunch for a channel's original festive film—which stars Guz Khan as a endearingly grumpy man who “isn't big on Christmas.”
But after he gets an sizable holiday payout at work, his wife (starring Morgana Robinson) persuades him splurging the cash on a holiday 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 devise a plan for how to return the remainder.
Enjoyable but forgettable.
Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄
A Classy Netflix Romance
This is one of those Christmas films where the festive trappings are in the background—Christmas is the scene of the film rather than its core purpose—but it feels warm and holiday-like all the same.
High-powered businesswoman Sydney (played by Minka Kelly) is assigned to a French chateau to do a deal for a sparkling wine company. During her travels, she runs into a guy in a literary haven who promises to show her Christmas in Paris.
A commentator recently declared this is the top new Christmas film of the recent era. That’s a bit of a stretch, but it is a holiday love story with a dash of elegance and gives the necessary heartwarming sensation.
The scene with a lengthy discussion about Die Hard is very good too.
Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄
Mid-Afternoon: Finding Father Christmas
Teenage Chris, played by Lenny Rush, continues to believe in Father Christmas, in spite of the efforts of his dad (starring James Buckley) to tell him the truth.
The answer is to be discovered, and Chris embarks on a quest to find it with the assistance of a panel of well-known figures.
It’s low-key but sweet, and ideal viewing while waiting for Santa to visit.
Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄
A Star-Studded Family Drama
Michelle Pfeiffer is the matriarch of a quarrelling American family who come back together for the holidays—including other 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 unsung heroes of the holidays—moms.”
So that’s what this is, but in execution it’s really a mash-up of those inspirations, 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 happily here’s a new addition in the crowded field of cliched, saccharine, over-the-top—and strangely compelling—holiday fare.
It’s a tale as well-worn: An American woman travels to a picturesque cold country and ends up finding romance.
In this case, Caprice Bourret plays a publisher
