🔗 Share this article Marathon Viewing 2025's Christmas Films: Highlights, Lowlights, and Unexpected Delights. It is the season to lounge on the sofa and devour a box of mince pies in front of a terrific flick, a poor film, or one that’s terrible yet terrific. Once again, a batch of fresh Christmas films aims to become part of our festive viewing—maybe even joining the ranks alongside timeless staples like Home Alone, Elf, Love Actually, and Die Hard (we won’t debate it). Therefore, in a helpful attempt to distinguish the gems from the coal, and to find the festive feeling, I binged as many recent holiday releases as possible in a single day. Early Morning: A Very Jonas Christmas Movie Starting, hopefully, on a good foot. This is the exclusive 2025 movie on a popular review site's list of the top 100 festive features of all time. The popular band are stuck in the UK after concluding their international trek and must get home for Christmas. Their endeavors are hampered by an malevolent Father Christmas, who bursts into melody to state they won’t get home until they “find their brotherly magic.” The repartee between the squabbling siblings is amusing even for the casual viewer, while devotees will no doubt notice lots of references as they attempt to get back using any means of transport necessary. It’s a journey of epic proportions. It’s not legendary, but is superb for fans and a positive start to the day. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄 for Jonas Brothers fans or 🎄🎄🎄 for their relatives who must sit through it. Next: A Star in Panto A-list actor Kiefer Sutherland stars as a movie actor roped into a traditional British stage show. “A panto-what??” asks Sutherland’s “temperamental” and older lead Brad Mack, who has hit a rough patch and whose agent has misled him into thinking he’s performing in renowned British drama. His Aladdin fellow actors let him know he’s playing Buttons. “Absolutely not,” he protests. It's easy to predict their retort. That is, unless you’re ignorant of traditional stage call-and-response. There are some very funny lines, some touching sub-plots, and the supporting actors is brilliant, too. It’s the kind of movie that would be a bit cheesy at any other time of year, but is a highly enjoyable at Christmas. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄🎄 Mid-Morning: Christmas Karma Danny Dyer shows up at the beginning of this film, too, delivering a signature line for the next movie straight. Might this become a budding festive ritual? This time, he’s a singing black cab driver who collects Mr Sood, the modern take 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 well-known tale develops as the miserly Mr Sood is confronted by the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future, played by Hugh Bonneville, Billy Porter, and Boy George. This South Asian reinterpretation is at least unique from all the others, but unfortunately he’s not very compelling and Nayyar’s acting is flat—a problem when he’s so the main character. Festive score: 🎄🎄 Lunchtime: Stuffed Before lunch for a major broadcaster's Christmas comedy-drama—which stars Guz Khan as a charmingly cantankerous character who “avoids Christmas.” But after he receives an £8,000 Christmas bonus at work, his wife (played by Morgana Robinson) convinces him splurging the cash on a holiday 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 reimburse the difference. Pleasant yet unmemorable. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄 A Classy Netflix Romance This is one of those Christmas films where the tree, fairy lights and snow are in the backdrop—Christmas is the scene of the film rather than its main point—but it feels comfortable and seasonal all the same. Ambitious executive Sydney (played by Minka Kelly) is assigned to a vineyard to secure an acquisition for a champagne business. En route, she runs into a guy in a literary haven who offers to show her a festive Paris. A critic recently stated this is the top new Christmas film of the last several seasons. That’s a bit of a exaggeration, but it is a Christmas romance with a touch of class and gives the necessary heartwarming sensation. The scene with a extended debate about Die Hard is very good too. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄 A Charming Quest Young Chris, played by Lenny Rush, holds onto his belief in Father Christmas, despite the persuasion of his dad (starring James Buckley) to tell him the reality. The truth is to be discovered, and Chris sets out to find it with the assistance of a group of well-known experts and celebrities. It’s low-key but sweet, and good 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 fellow Oscar nominee 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 stating: “They need to make a movie about the true heroes of the holidays—moms.” So that’s the concept, but in practice it’s really a mash-up of those inspirations, at least until Pfeiffer’s character eventually takes center stage. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄 Evening: A Scottish Christmas Secret The day’s taken a dip, but thankfully here’s a new entry in the saturated market of cliched, saccharine, over-the-top—and highly entertaining—holiday fare. It’s a tale as well-worn: An American woman travels to a far-off wintery locale and ends up finding romance. In this case, Caprice Bourret plays a publisher
It is the season to lounge on the sofa and devour a box of mince pies in front of a terrific flick, a poor film, or one that’s terrible yet terrific. Once again, a batch of fresh Christmas films aims to become part of our festive viewing—maybe even joining the ranks alongside timeless staples like Home Alone, Elf, Love Actually, and Die Hard (we won’t debate it). Therefore, in a helpful attempt to distinguish the gems from the coal, and to find the festive feeling, I binged as many recent holiday releases as possible in a single day. Early Morning: A Very Jonas Christmas Movie Starting, hopefully, on a good foot. This is the exclusive 2025 movie on a popular review site's list of the top 100 festive features of all time. The popular band are stuck in the UK after concluding their international trek and must get home for Christmas. Their endeavors are hampered by an malevolent Father Christmas, who bursts into melody to state they won’t get home until they “find their brotherly magic.” The repartee between the squabbling siblings is amusing even for the casual viewer, while devotees will no doubt notice lots of references as they attempt to get back using any means of transport necessary. It’s a journey of epic proportions. It’s not legendary, but is superb for fans and a positive start to the day. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄 for Jonas Brothers fans or 🎄🎄🎄 for their relatives who must sit through it. Next: A Star in Panto A-list actor Kiefer Sutherland stars as a movie actor roped into a traditional British stage show. “A panto-what??” asks Sutherland’s “temperamental” and older lead Brad Mack, who has hit a rough patch and whose agent has misled him into thinking he’s performing in renowned British drama. His Aladdin fellow actors let him know he’s playing Buttons. “Absolutely not,” he protests. It's easy to predict their retort. That is, unless you’re ignorant of traditional stage call-and-response. There are some very funny lines, some touching sub-plots, and the supporting actors is brilliant, too. It’s the kind of movie that would be a bit cheesy at any other time of year, but is a highly enjoyable at Christmas. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄🎄 Mid-Morning: Christmas Karma Danny Dyer shows up at the beginning of this film, too, delivering a signature line for the next movie straight. Might this become a budding festive ritual? This time, he’s a singing black cab driver who collects Mr Sood, the modern take 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 well-known tale develops as the miserly Mr Sood is confronted by the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future, played by Hugh Bonneville, Billy Porter, and Boy George. This South Asian reinterpretation is at least unique from all the others, but unfortunately he’s not very compelling and Nayyar’s acting is flat—a problem when he’s so the main character. Festive score: 🎄🎄 Lunchtime: Stuffed Before lunch for a major broadcaster's Christmas comedy-drama—which stars Guz Khan as a charmingly cantankerous character who “avoids Christmas.” But after he receives an £8,000 Christmas bonus at work, his wife (played by Morgana Robinson) convinces him splurging the cash on a holiday 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 reimburse the difference. Pleasant yet unmemorable. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄 A Classy Netflix Romance This is one of those Christmas films where the tree, fairy lights and snow are in the backdrop—Christmas is the scene of the film rather than its main point—but it feels comfortable and seasonal all the same. Ambitious executive Sydney (played by Minka Kelly) is assigned to a vineyard to secure an acquisition for a champagne business. En route, she runs into a guy in a literary haven who offers to show her a festive Paris. A critic recently stated this is the top new Christmas film of the last several seasons. That’s a bit of a exaggeration, but it is a Christmas romance with a touch of class and gives the necessary heartwarming sensation. The scene with a extended debate about Die Hard is very good too. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄 A Charming Quest Young Chris, played by Lenny Rush, holds onto his belief in Father Christmas, despite the persuasion of his dad (starring James Buckley) to tell him the reality. The truth is to be discovered, and Chris sets out to find it with the assistance of a group of well-known experts and celebrities. It’s low-key but sweet, and good 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 fellow Oscar nominee 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 stating: “They need to make a movie about the true heroes of the holidays—moms.” So that’s the concept, but in practice it’s really a mash-up of those inspirations, at least until Pfeiffer’s character eventually takes center stage. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄 Evening: A Scottish Christmas Secret The day’s taken a dip, but thankfully here’s a new entry in the saturated market of cliched, saccharine, over-the-top—and highly entertaining—holiday fare. It’s a tale as well-worn: An American woman travels to a far-off wintery locale and ends up finding romance. In this case, Caprice Bourret plays a publisher