🔗 Share this article Devouring The Latest Christmas Films: The Good, The Bad and The So-Bad-It's-Good. It is the season to lounge on the sofa and consume a packet of festive treats in front of a terrific flick, a poor film, or one that’s terrible yet terrific. Once again, a crop of latest holiday movies aims to become part of our seasonal watchlist—maybe even finding a spot alongside beloved favorites like Home Alone, Elf, Love Actually, and Die Hard (don’t start). Thus, in a vital public service to separate the winners from the losers, and to embrace the Christmas spirit, I binged as many recent holiday releases as possible in a single day. First Up: The Jonas Brothers' Holiday Flick Starting, hopefully, on a positive note. This film is the only 2025 movie on a famous website's list of the best 100 holiday films of all time. The Jonas Brothers are stuck in the UK after finishing their international trek and must make it back for Christmas. Their attempts are hindered by an malevolent Father Christmas, who sings to announce they won’t get home until they “find their familial spark.” The repartee between the squabbling siblings is enjoyable even for the uninitiated, while devotees will no doubt pick up on lots of easter eggs as they endeavor to get back using all transportation available. It’s private planes, trains and automobiles. It’s not an all-time classic, but is great for fans and a solid start to the day. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄 for Jonas Brothers fans or 🎄🎄🎄 for their family members who will have to sit through it. 8.45am - Tinsel Town Hollywood star Kiefer Sutherland stars as a celebrity tricked into a "panto". “A panto-what??” asks Sutherland’s “difficult” and older action hero Brad Mack, who has seen better days and whose representative has deceived him into thinking he’s starring in renowned British drama. His Aladdin fellow actors let him know he’s playing Buttons. “Oh no I’m not,” he protests. It's easy to predict their retort. Except if you’re ignorant of traditional stage call-and-response. There are some very funny lines, some cockle-warming storylines, and the ensemble is excellent, too. It’s the type of film that would be a bit cheesy at another season, but is a great entertainment at Christmas. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄🎄 A New Spin on Scrooge An actor pops up at the beginning of this film, too, insulting someone for the next movie straight. Is this a new Christmas tradition? This time, he’s a crooning chauffeur who encounters Mr Sood, the latest spin 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 classic narrative develops as the stingy Mr Sood is confronted by the spirits of Christmas yesterday, today, and tomorrow, played by Hugh Bonneville, Billy Porter, and Boy George. This cultural adaptation is at least distinct from all the others, but unfortunately he’s not very captivating and Nayyar’s portrayal is flat—a major flaw when he’s so the main character. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄 Noon: A BBC Special Before lunch for a network's holiday special—which stars Guz Khan as a charmingly cantankerous character who “doesn’t really do Christmas.” But after he is awarded an large festive windfall at work, his wife (portrayed by Morgana Robinson) talks him into splurging the cash on a vacation to Lapland. There’s just one problem—he finds out there was an mix-up with his bonus, which should have been £800, and he has to devise a plan for how to pay back the difference. Enjoyable but forgettable. Festive score: 🎄🎄 Early Afternoon: Champagne Problems This is one of those holiday movies where the decorations and snow are in the background—Christmas is the scene of the film rather than its core purpose—but it feels comfortable and seasonal all the same. Ambitious executive Sydney (starring Minka Kelly) is assigned to a French chateau to do a deal for a champagne business. During her travels, she runs into a fellow in a literary haven who promises to show her Christmas in Paris. A commentator recently stated this is the finest new Christmas film of the past few years. That’s a bit of a exaggeration, but it is a festive dalliance with a hint of sophistication and gives the obligatory cozy feelings. The scene with a extended debate 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 persuasion 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 expert help of a group of well-known scientists and personalities. It’s understated but charming, and good viewing while expecting Santa to visit. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄 4.39pm - Oh. What. Fun. Michelle Pfeiffer is the matriarch of a bickering 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 what this is, but in reality it’s really a jumble of those forerunner films, at least until Pfeiffer’s character finally comes into her own. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄 Formulaic Fun The day’s waned in quality, but happily here’s a new offering in the saturated market of cliched, saccharine, over-the-top—and utterly watchable—holiday fare. It’s a narrative as well-worn: An American woman goes on a quest to a picturesque cold country and ends up discovering romance. In this case, Caprice Bourret plays a publisher
It is the season to lounge on the sofa and consume a packet of festive treats in front of a terrific flick, a poor film, or one that’s terrible yet terrific. Once again, a crop of latest holiday movies aims to become part of our seasonal watchlist—maybe even finding a spot alongside beloved favorites like Home Alone, Elf, Love Actually, and Die Hard (don’t start). Thus, in a vital public service to separate the winners from the losers, and to embrace the Christmas spirit, I binged as many recent holiday releases as possible in a single day. First Up: The Jonas Brothers' Holiday Flick Starting, hopefully, on a positive note. This film is the only 2025 movie on a famous website's list of the best 100 holiday films of all time. The Jonas Brothers are stuck in the UK after finishing their international trek and must make it back for Christmas. Their attempts are hindered by an malevolent Father Christmas, who sings to announce they won’t get home until they “find their familial spark.” The repartee between the squabbling siblings is enjoyable even for the uninitiated, while devotees will no doubt pick up on lots of easter eggs as they endeavor to get back using all transportation available. It’s private planes, trains and automobiles. It’s not an all-time classic, but is great for fans and a solid start to the day. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄 for Jonas Brothers fans or 🎄🎄🎄 for their family members who will have to sit through it. 8.45am - Tinsel Town Hollywood star Kiefer Sutherland stars as a celebrity tricked into a "panto". “A panto-what??” asks Sutherland’s “difficult” and older action hero Brad Mack, who has seen better days and whose representative has deceived him into thinking he’s starring in renowned British drama. His Aladdin fellow actors let him know he’s playing Buttons. “Oh no I’m not,” he protests. It's easy to predict their retort. Except if you’re ignorant of traditional stage call-and-response. There are some very funny lines, some cockle-warming storylines, and the ensemble is excellent, too. It’s the type of film that would be a bit cheesy at another season, but is a great entertainment at Christmas. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄🎄 A New Spin on Scrooge An actor pops up at the beginning of this film, too, insulting someone for the next movie straight. Is this a new Christmas tradition? This time, he’s a crooning chauffeur who encounters Mr Sood, the latest spin 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 classic narrative develops as the stingy Mr Sood is confronted by the spirits of Christmas yesterday, today, and tomorrow, played by Hugh Bonneville, Billy Porter, and Boy George. This cultural adaptation is at least distinct from all the others, but unfortunately he’s not very captivating and Nayyar’s portrayal is flat—a major flaw when he’s so the main character. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄 Noon: A BBC Special Before lunch for a network's holiday special—which stars Guz Khan as a charmingly cantankerous character who “doesn’t really do Christmas.” But after he is awarded an large festive windfall at work, his wife (portrayed by Morgana Robinson) talks him into splurging the cash on a vacation to Lapland. There’s just one problem—he finds out there was an mix-up with his bonus, which should have been £800, and he has to devise a plan for how to pay back the difference. Enjoyable but forgettable. Festive score: 🎄🎄 Early Afternoon: Champagne Problems This is one of those holiday movies where the decorations and snow are in the background—Christmas is the scene of the film rather than its core purpose—but it feels comfortable and seasonal all the same. Ambitious executive Sydney (starring Minka Kelly) is assigned to a French chateau to do a deal for a champagne business. During her travels, she runs into a fellow in a literary haven who promises to show her Christmas in Paris. A commentator recently stated this is the finest new Christmas film of the past few years. That’s a bit of a exaggeration, but it is a festive dalliance with a hint of sophistication and gives the obligatory cozy feelings. The scene with a extended debate 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 persuasion 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 expert help of a group of well-known scientists and personalities. It’s understated but charming, and good viewing while expecting Santa to visit. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄 4.39pm - Oh. What. Fun. Michelle Pfeiffer is the matriarch of a bickering 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 what this is, but in reality it’s really a jumble of those forerunner films, at least until Pfeiffer’s character finally comes into her own. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄 Formulaic Fun The day’s waned in quality, but happily here’s a new offering in the saturated market of cliched, saccharine, over-the-top—and utterly watchable—holiday fare. It’s a narrative as well-worn: An American woman goes on a quest to a picturesque cold country and ends up discovering romance. In this case, Caprice Bourret plays a publisher