🔗 Share this article Devouring The Latest Holiday Movies: The Hits, The Misses, and The Guilty Pleasures. ‘Tis the season to lounge on the sofa and demolish a tin of festive treats in front of a terrific flick, a awful feature, or one that’s terrible yet terrific. Once again, a selection of latest holiday movies aims to become part of our seasonal watchlist—perhaps even joining the ranks alongside enduring classics like Home Alone, Elf, Love Actually, and Die Hard (we won’t debate it). So, in a vital public service to sort the crackers from the turkeys, and to find the holiday mood, I binged as many new Christmas films as possible in a single day. 7.17am - A Very Jonas Christmas Movie Starting, ideally, on a high. This release is the exclusive 2025 movie on a famous website's list of the greatest 100 festive features of all time. The popular band are trapped in the UK after wrapping up their international trek and must make it back for Christmas. Their endeavors are thwarted by an villainous Saint Nick, who sings to declare they won’t get home until they “rediscover their brotherly magic.” The back-and-forth between the squabbling siblings is enjoyable even for the non-fan, while devotees will no doubt 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 an all-time classic, but is superb for devotees and a solid start to the day. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄 for Jonas Brothers fans or 🎄🎄🎄 for their family members who are obliged to sit through it. Late Morning: Tinsel Town Famous performer Kiefer Sutherland stars as a celebrity tricked into a pantomime. “A what's a panto??” asks Sutherland’s “hard-to-work-with” and ageing lead Brad Mack, who has fallen on hard times and whose representative has deceived him into thinking he’s performing in renowned British drama. His Aladdin cast-mates tell him he’s playing Buttons. “Absolutely not,” he protests. You can guess their reply. Except if you’re unfamiliar with traditional panto catchphrases. There are some very funny lines, some touching sub-plots, and the supporting actors is excellent, too. It’s the sort of feature that would be a bit naff at a different time, but is a highly enjoyable at Christmas. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄🎄 10.19am - Christmas Karma A familiar face shows up at the beginning of this film, too, calling someone a mug for the second film in a row. Could this be a fresh holiday staple? This time, he’s a musical taxi operator who collects 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 the filmmaker behind Gurinder Chadha. The well-known tale 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 cultural adaptation is at least different from all the others, but regrettably he’s not very captivating and Nayyar’s performance is wooden—a major flaw when he’s so central to everything. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄 Lunchtime: Stuffed There’s time for a network's original festive film—which stars Guz Khan as a endearingly grumpy man who “isn't big on Christmas.” But after he is awarded an sizable holiday payout at work, his wife (starring Morgana Robinson) persuades him blowing the money on a vacation to Lapland. There’s just one issue—he discovers there was an error with his bonus, which should have been £800, and he has to figure out how to reimburse the difference. Fun while it lasts but not lasting. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄 1.12pm - Champagne Problems This is one of those Christmas films where the tree, fairy lights and snow are in the setting—Christmas is the scene of the film rather than its raison d’etre—but it feels cosy and festive all the same. High-powered businesswoman Sydney (played by Minka Kelly) is dispatched to a vineyard to do a deal for a champagne business. On the way, she encounters a fellow in a bookshop who vows to show her Christmas in Paris. An expert recently stated this is the top new Christmas film of the past few years. That’s a bit of a stretch, but it is a Christmas romance with a touch of class and gives the obligatory warm and fuzzy feels. The scene with a lengthy discussion about Die Hard is particularly strong too. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄 3.29pm - Finding Father Christmas Young Chris, played by Lenny Rush, holds onto his belief in Father Christmas, despite the attempts of his dad (played by James Buckley) to tell him the truth. The secret is to be discovered, and Chris embarks on a quest to find it with the expert help of a team of well-known scientists and personalities. 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 quarrelling American family who reunite for the holidays—including other Oscar nominee Felicity Jones, Chloe Grace Moretz, Jason Schwartzman, and dad Denis Leary. Pfeiffer starts by mentioning holiday staples like National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, It’s A Wonderful Life and Home Alone, before stating: “They need to make a movie about the real champions of the holidays—moms.” So that’s what this is, but in execution it’s really a mash-up of those aforementioned movies, at least until Pfeiffer’s character eventually finds her strength. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄 Formulaic Fun The day’s gone downhill, but happily here’s a new entry in the crowded field of predictable, sentimental, cheesy—and highly entertaining—festive fodder. It’s a narrative as well-worn: An American woman journeys to a picturesque cold country and ends up finding romance. In this case, Caprice Bourret plays a publisher
‘Tis the season to lounge on the sofa and demolish a tin of festive treats in front of a terrific flick, a awful feature, or one that’s terrible yet terrific. Once again, a selection of latest holiday movies aims to become part of our seasonal watchlist—perhaps even joining the ranks alongside enduring classics like Home Alone, Elf, Love Actually, and Die Hard (we won’t debate it). So, in a vital public service to sort the crackers from the turkeys, and to find the holiday mood, I binged as many new Christmas films as possible in a single day. 7.17am - A Very Jonas Christmas Movie Starting, ideally, on a high. This release is the exclusive 2025 movie on a famous website's list of the greatest 100 festive features of all time. The popular band are trapped in the UK after wrapping up their international trek and must make it back for Christmas. Their endeavors are thwarted by an villainous Saint Nick, who sings to declare they won’t get home until they “rediscover their brotherly magic.” The back-and-forth between the squabbling siblings is enjoyable even for the non-fan, while devotees will no doubt 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 an all-time classic, but is superb for devotees and a solid start to the day. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄 for Jonas Brothers fans or 🎄🎄🎄 for their family members who are obliged to sit through it. Late Morning: Tinsel Town Famous performer Kiefer Sutherland stars as a celebrity tricked into a pantomime. “A what's a panto??” asks Sutherland’s “hard-to-work-with” and ageing lead Brad Mack, who has fallen on hard times and whose representative has deceived him into thinking he’s performing in renowned British drama. His Aladdin cast-mates tell him he’s playing Buttons. “Absolutely not,” he protests. You can guess their reply. Except if you’re unfamiliar with traditional panto catchphrases. There are some very funny lines, some touching sub-plots, and the supporting actors is excellent, too. It’s the sort of feature that would be a bit naff at a different time, but is a highly enjoyable at Christmas. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄🎄 10.19am - Christmas Karma A familiar face shows up at the beginning of this film, too, calling someone a mug for the second film in a row. Could this be a fresh holiday staple? This time, he’s a musical taxi operator who collects 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 the filmmaker behind Gurinder Chadha. The well-known tale 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 cultural adaptation is at least different from all the others, but regrettably he’s not very captivating and Nayyar’s performance is wooden—a major flaw when he’s so central to everything. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄 Lunchtime: Stuffed There’s time for a network's original festive film—which stars Guz Khan as a endearingly grumpy man who “isn't big on Christmas.” But after he is awarded an sizable holiday payout at work, his wife (starring Morgana Robinson) persuades him blowing the money on a vacation to Lapland. There’s just one issue—he discovers there was an error with his bonus, which should have been £800, and he has to figure out how to reimburse the difference. Fun while it lasts but not lasting. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄 1.12pm - Champagne Problems This is one of those Christmas films where the tree, fairy lights and snow are in the setting—Christmas is the scene of the film rather than its raison d’etre—but it feels cosy and festive all the same. High-powered businesswoman Sydney (played by Minka Kelly) is dispatched to a vineyard to do a deal for a champagne business. On the way, she encounters a fellow in a bookshop who vows to show her Christmas in Paris. An expert recently stated this is the top new Christmas film of the past few years. That’s a bit of a stretch, but it is a Christmas romance with a touch of class and gives the obligatory warm and fuzzy feels. The scene with a lengthy discussion about Die Hard is particularly strong too. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄 3.29pm - Finding Father Christmas Young Chris, played by Lenny Rush, holds onto his belief in Father Christmas, despite the attempts of his dad (played by James Buckley) to tell him the truth. The secret is to be discovered, and Chris embarks on a quest to find it with the expert help of a team of well-known scientists and personalities. 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 quarrelling American family who reunite for the holidays—including other Oscar nominee Felicity Jones, Chloe Grace Moretz, Jason Schwartzman, and dad Denis Leary. Pfeiffer starts by mentioning holiday staples like National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, It’s A Wonderful Life and Home Alone, before stating: “They need to make a movie about the real champions of the holidays—moms.” So that’s what this is, but in execution it’s really a mash-up of those aforementioned movies, at least until Pfeiffer’s character eventually finds her strength. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄 Formulaic Fun The day’s gone downhill, but happily here’s a new entry in the crowded field of predictable, sentimental, cheesy—and highly entertaining—festive fodder. It’s a narrative as well-worn: An American woman journeys to a picturesque cold country and ends up finding romance. In this case, Caprice Bourret plays a publisher