🔗 Share this article Devouring 2025's Festive Features: The Good, The Bad and The So-Bad-It's-Good. It is the time of year to relax on the couch and consume a box of holiday pastries in front of a great film, a bad movie, or one that’s terrible yet terrific. Once again, a crop of new Christmas films aims to become part of our seasonal watchlist—perhaps even earning a place alongside enduring classics like Home Alone, Elf, Love Actually, and Die Hard (don’t start). Thus, in a noble effort to distinguish the gems from the coal, and to find 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 good foot. This is the exclusive 2025 title on a famous website's list of the greatest 100 festive features of all time. The musical trio are stuck in the UK after concluding their world tour and must make it back for Christmas. Their endeavors are hindered by an malevolent Father Christmas, who sings to state they won’t get home until they “find their familial spark.” The back-and-forth between the squabbling siblings is amusing even for the uninitiated, while followers will no doubt catch lots of references as they try to get back using any means of transport necessary. It’s private planes, trains and automobiles. It’s not an all-time classic, but is excellent for devotees and a solid start to the day. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄 for Jonas Brothers fans or 🎄🎄🎄 for their family members who must sit through it. 8.45am - Tinsel Town Famous performer Kiefer Sutherland has been cast as a celebrity cast a traditional British stage show. “A panto-what?” asks Sutherland’s “hard-to-work-with” and ageing action hero Brad Mack, who has hit a rough patch and whose agent has tricked him into thinking he’s performing in renowned British drama. His pantomime co-stars inform him he’s playing Buttons. “Absolutely not,” he insists angrily. You can guess their retort. Except if you’re unfamiliar with traditional panto catchphrases. There are some great jokes, some heartwarming sub-plots, and the ensemble is excellent, too. It’s the type of film that would be a bit tacky at a different time, but is a great entertainment at Christmas. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄🎄 A New Spin on Scrooge A familiar face pops up at the start of this film, too, delivering a signature line for the second consecutive movie. Is this a fresh holiday staple? This time, he’s a crooning chauffeur who collects Mr Sood, the modern take on Mr Scrooge from Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Mr Sood is played by a star of Kunal Nayyar and Christmas Karma is directed by the filmmaker behind Gurinder Chadha. The well-known tale unfolds as the miserly Mr Sood is confronted by the apparitions 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 charismatic and Nayyar’s acting is wooden—a problem when he’s so the focal point. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄 12.04pm - Stuffed Before lunch for a major broadcaster's holiday special—which stars Guz Khan as a lovably grouchy guy who “isn't big on Christmas.” But after he is awarded an large festive windfall at work, his wife (starring Morgana Robinson) convinces him splurging the cash on a family trip to Lapland. There’s just one snag—he discovers there was an mix-up with his bonus, which should have been £800, and he has to devise a plan for how to reimburse the excess. Enjoyable but forgettable. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄 Early Afternoon: Champagne Problems This is one of those Christmas films where the decorations and snow are in the background—Christmas is the scene of the film rather than its raison d’etre—but it feels comfortable and seasonal all the same. Ambitious executive Sydney (starring Minka Kelly) is assigned to a vineyard to do a deal for a champagne business. On the way, she runs into a guy in a book store who offers 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 overstatement, but it is a holiday love story with a dash of elegance and gives the required warm and fuzzy feels. The scene with a detailed conversation about Die Hard is very good too. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄 3.29pm - Finding Father Christmas Teenage Chris, played by Lenny Rush, continues to believe in Father Christmas, in spite of the attempts of his dad (played by James Buckley) to tell him the reality. The secret is out there, and Chris embarks on a quest to find it with the guidance of a team of well-known experts and celebrities. It’s gentle but charming, and perfect viewing while waiting for Santa to visit. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄 Late Afternoon: Oh. What. Fun. Michelle Pfeiffer is the head of a bickering American family who come back together 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 declaring: “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 combination of those forerunner films, at least until Pfeiffer’s character finally finds her strength. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄 Evening: A Scottish Christmas Secret The day’s gone downhill, but happily here’s a new addition in the crowded field of predictable, sentimental, cheesy—and strangely compelling—holiday fare. It’s a tale as familiar as can be: An American woman journeys to a far-off wintery locale and ends up finding romance. In this case, Caprice Bourret plays a publisher
It is the time of year to relax on the couch and consume a box of holiday pastries in front of a great film, a bad movie, or one that’s terrible yet terrific. Once again, a crop of new Christmas films aims to become part of our seasonal watchlist—perhaps even earning a place alongside enduring classics like Home Alone, Elf, Love Actually, and Die Hard (don’t start). Thus, in a noble effort to distinguish the gems from the coal, and to find 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 good foot. This is the exclusive 2025 title on a famous website's list of the greatest 100 festive features of all time. The musical trio are stuck in the UK after concluding their world tour and must make it back for Christmas. Their endeavors are hindered by an malevolent Father Christmas, who sings to state they won’t get home until they “find their familial spark.” The back-and-forth between the squabbling siblings is amusing even for the uninitiated, while followers will no doubt catch lots of references as they try to get back using any means of transport necessary. It’s private planes, trains and automobiles. It’s not an all-time classic, but is excellent for devotees and a solid start to the day. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄 for Jonas Brothers fans or 🎄🎄🎄 for their family members who must sit through it. 8.45am - Tinsel Town Famous performer Kiefer Sutherland has been cast as a celebrity cast a traditional British stage show. “A panto-what?” asks Sutherland’s “hard-to-work-with” and ageing action hero Brad Mack, who has hit a rough patch and whose agent has tricked him into thinking he’s performing in renowned British drama. His pantomime co-stars inform him he’s playing Buttons. “Absolutely not,” he insists angrily. You can guess their retort. Except if you’re unfamiliar with traditional panto catchphrases. There are some great jokes, some heartwarming sub-plots, and the ensemble is excellent, too. It’s the type of film that would be a bit tacky at a different time, but is a great entertainment at Christmas. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄🎄 A New Spin on Scrooge A familiar face pops up at the start of this film, too, delivering a signature line for the second consecutive movie. Is this a fresh holiday staple? This time, he’s a crooning chauffeur who collects Mr Sood, the modern take on Mr Scrooge from Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Mr Sood is played by a star of Kunal Nayyar and Christmas Karma is directed by the filmmaker behind Gurinder Chadha. The well-known tale unfolds as the miserly Mr Sood is confronted by the apparitions 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 charismatic and Nayyar’s acting is wooden—a problem when he’s so the focal point. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄 12.04pm - Stuffed Before lunch for a major broadcaster's holiday special—which stars Guz Khan as a lovably grouchy guy who “isn't big on Christmas.” But after he is awarded an large festive windfall at work, his wife (starring Morgana Robinson) convinces him splurging the cash on a family trip to Lapland. There’s just one snag—he discovers there was an mix-up with his bonus, which should have been £800, and he has to devise a plan for how to reimburse the excess. Enjoyable but forgettable. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄 Early Afternoon: Champagne Problems This is one of those Christmas films where the decorations and snow are in the background—Christmas is the scene of the film rather than its raison d’etre—but it feels comfortable and seasonal all the same. Ambitious executive Sydney (starring Minka Kelly) is assigned to a vineyard to do a deal for a champagne business. On the way, she runs into a guy in a book store who offers 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 overstatement, but it is a holiday love story with a dash of elegance and gives the required warm and fuzzy feels. The scene with a detailed conversation about Die Hard is very good too. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄 3.29pm - Finding Father Christmas Teenage Chris, played by Lenny Rush, continues to believe in Father Christmas, in spite of the attempts of his dad (played by James Buckley) to tell him the reality. The secret is out there, and Chris embarks on a quest to find it with the guidance of a team of well-known experts and celebrities. It’s gentle but charming, and perfect viewing while waiting for Santa to visit. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄 Late Afternoon: Oh. What. Fun. Michelle Pfeiffer is the head of a bickering American family who come back together 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 declaring: “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 combination of those forerunner films, at least until Pfeiffer’s character finally finds her strength. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄 Evening: A Scottish Christmas Secret The day’s gone downhill, but happily here’s a new addition in the crowded field of predictable, sentimental, cheesy—and strangely compelling—holiday fare. It’s a tale as familiar as can be: An American woman journeys to a far-off wintery locale and ends up finding romance. In this case, Caprice Bourret plays a publisher