🔗 Share this article Devouring This Year's Christmas Films: The Hits, The Misses, and The Guilty Pleasures. It is the time of year to slob out on the couch and devour a box of holiday pastries in front of a good movie, a awful feature, or one that’s awesomely awful. As always, a batch of fresh holiday movies hopes to be part of our festive viewing—maybe even joining the ranks alongside timeless staples like Home Alone, Elf, Love Actually, and Die Hard (don’t start). Thus, in a noble effort to separate the winners from the losers, and to get into the Christmas spirit, I watched as many fresh holiday releases as possible in a single day. 7.17am - A Very Jonas Christmas Movie Kicking off, ideally, on a positive note. This release is the exclusive 2025 title on a well-known aggregator's list of the top 100 Christmas movies of all time. The musical trio find themselves stranded in the UK after finishing their world tour and must return for Christmas. Their endeavors are thwarted by an villainous Saint Nick, who breaks into song to declare they won’t get home until they “find their familial spark.” The banter between the arguing trio is entertaining even for the casual viewer, while followers will certainly notice lots of easter eggs as they endeavor to get back using any means of transport necessary. It’s private planes, trains and automobiles. It’s not legendary, but is great for fans and a good start to the day. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄 for Jonas Brothers fans or 🎄🎄🎄 for their family members who will have to sit through it. Next: A Star in Panto Famous performer Kiefer Sutherland stars as a Hollywood star cast a "panto". “A panto-what??” asks Sutherland’s “difficult” and older action hero Brad Mack, who has seen better days and whose agent has tricked him into thinking he’s appearing in renowned British drama. His pantomime fellow actors let him know he’s playing Buttons. “Oh no I’m not,” he protests. You can guess their reply. Unless you’re not acquainted with traditional stage call-and-response. There are some great jokes, some touching storylines, and the ensemble is cracking, too. It’s the type of film that would be a bit naff at any other time of year, but is a lot of fun at Christmas. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄🎄 10.19am - Christmas Karma Danny Dyer pops up at the start of this film, too, calling someone a mug for the second consecutive movie. Could this be a budding festive ritual? This time, he’s a singing black cab driver who picks up Mr Sood, the newest interpretation 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 Bend It Like Beckham’s Gurinder Chadha. The familiar story develops as the tight-fisted Mr Sood is haunted by the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future, played by Hugh Bonneville, Billy Porter, and Boy George. This Indian Scrooge is at least different from all the others, but sadly he’s not very compelling and Nayyar’s portrayal is flat—a problem when he’s so the main character. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄 12.04pm - Stuffed There’s time for a network's original festive film—which stars Guz Khan as a charmingly cantankerous character who “isn't big on Christmas.” But after he gets an sizable holiday payout at work, his wife (played by Morgana Robinson) talks him into spending the sum on a family trip to Lapland. There’s just one issue—he learns 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. Enjoyable but forgettable. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄 Early Afternoon: Champagne Problems This is one of those Christmas films where the tree, fairy lights and snow are in the backdrop—Christmas is the environment of the film rather than its raison d’etre—but it feels comfortable and seasonal all the same. Driven corporate star Sydney (played by Minka Kelly) is sent to a country estate to do a deal for a sparkling wine company. During her travels, she encounters a guy in a book store who promises to show her Christmas in Paris. A critic recently stated 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 obligatory heartwarming sensation. The scene with a lengthy discussion about Die Hard is particularly strong too. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄 A Charming Quest Sixteen-year-old Chris, played by Lenny Rush, refuses to stop believing in Father Christmas, regardless of the efforts of his dad (played by James Buckley) to tell him the truth. The answer is somewhere, and Chris sets out to find it with the assistance of a panel of well-known figures. It’s low-key but sweet, and ideal viewing while anticipating Santa to visit. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄 Late Afternoon: Oh. What. Fun. Michelle Pfeiffer is the mother of a dysfunctional American family who gather for the holidays—including other acclaimed actress Felicity Jones, Chloe Grace Moretz, Jason Schwartzman, and dad Denis Leary. Pfeiffer begins by referencing 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 the premise, but in reality it’s really a mash-up of those aforementioned movies, at least until Pfeiffer’s character eventually takes center stage. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄 Formulaic Fun The day’s taken a dip, but thankfully here’s a new addition in the crowded field of formulaic, schmaltzy, badly acted—and highly entertaining—festive fodder. It’s a tale as old as time: An American woman travels to a picturesque cold country and ends up finding romance. In this case, Caprice Bourret plays a publisher
It is the time of year to slob out on the couch and devour a box of holiday pastries in front of a good movie, a awful feature, or one that’s awesomely awful. As always, a batch of fresh holiday movies hopes to be part of our festive viewing—maybe even joining the ranks alongside timeless staples like Home Alone, Elf, Love Actually, and Die Hard (don’t start). Thus, in a noble effort to separate the winners from the losers, and to get into the Christmas spirit, I watched as many fresh holiday releases as possible in a single day. 7.17am - A Very Jonas Christmas Movie Kicking off, ideally, on a positive note. This release is the exclusive 2025 title on a well-known aggregator's list of the top 100 Christmas movies of all time. The musical trio find themselves stranded in the UK after finishing their world tour and must return for Christmas. Their endeavors are thwarted by an villainous Saint Nick, who breaks into song to declare they won’t get home until they “find their familial spark.” The banter between the arguing trio is entertaining even for the casual viewer, while followers will certainly notice lots of easter eggs as they endeavor to get back using any means of transport necessary. It’s private planes, trains and automobiles. It’s not legendary, but is great for fans and a good start to the day. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄 for Jonas Brothers fans or 🎄🎄🎄 for their family members who will have to sit through it. Next: A Star in Panto Famous performer Kiefer Sutherland stars as a Hollywood star cast a "panto". “A panto-what??” asks Sutherland’s “difficult” and older action hero Brad Mack, who has seen better days and whose agent has tricked him into thinking he’s appearing in renowned British drama. His pantomime fellow actors let him know he’s playing Buttons. “Oh no I’m not,” he protests. You can guess their reply. Unless you’re not acquainted with traditional stage call-and-response. There are some great jokes, some touching storylines, and the ensemble is cracking, too. It’s the type of film that would be a bit naff at any other time of year, but is a lot of fun at Christmas. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄🎄 10.19am - Christmas Karma Danny Dyer pops up at the start of this film, too, calling someone a mug for the second consecutive movie. Could this be a budding festive ritual? This time, he’s a singing black cab driver who picks up Mr Sood, the newest interpretation 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 Bend It Like Beckham’s Gurinder Chadha. The familiar story develops as the tight-fisted Mr Sood is haunted by the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future, played by Hugh Bonneville, Billy Porter, and Boy George. This Indian Scrooge is at least different from all the others, but sadly he’s not very compelling and Nayyar’s portrayal is flat—a problem when he’s so the main character. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄 12.04pm - Stuffed There’s time for a network's original festive film—which stars Guz Khan as a charmingly cantankerous character who “isn't big on Christmas.” But after he gets an sizable holiday payout at work, his wife (played by Morgana Robinson) talks him into spending the sum on a family trip to Lapland. There’s just one issue—he learns 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. Enjoyable but forgettable. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄 Early Afternoon: Champagne Problems This is one of those Christmas films where the tree, fairy lights and snow are in the backdrop—Christmas is the environment of the film rather than its raison d’etre—but it feels comfortable and seasonal all the same. Driven corporate star Sydney (played by Minka Kelly) is sent to a country estate to do a deal for a sparkling wine company. During her travels, she encounters a guy in a book store who promises to show her Christmas in Paris. A critic recently stated 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 obligatory heartwarming sensation. The scene with a lengthy discussion about Die Hard is particularly strong too. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄 A Charming Quest Sixteen-year-old Chris, played by Lenny Rush, refuses to stop believing in Father Christmas, regardless of the efforts of his dad (played by James Buckley) to tell him the truth. The answer is somewhere, and Chris sets out to find it with the assistance of a panel of well-known figures. It’s low-key but sweet, and ideal viewing while anticipating Santa to visit. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄 Late Afternoon: Oh. What. Fun. Michelle Pfeiffer is the mother of a dysfunctional American family who gather for the holidays—including other acclaimed actress Felicity Jones, Chloe Grace Moretz, Jason Schwartzman, and dad Denis Leary. Pfeiffer begins by referencing 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 the premise, but in reality it’s really a mash-up of those aforementioned movies, at least until Pfeiffer’s character eventually takes center stage. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄 Formulaic Fun The day’s taken a dip, but thankfully here’s a new addition in the crowded field of formulaic, schmaltzy, badly acted—and highly entertaining—festive fodder. It’s a tale as old as time: An American woman travels to a picturesque cold country and ends up finding romance. In this case, Caprice Bourret plays a publisher