🔗 Share this article Binge-Watching This Year's Festive Features: The Hits, The Misses, and The Guilty Pleasures. ‘Tis the time of year to relax on the couch and demolish a packet of festive treats in front of a terrific flick, a bad movie, or one that’s awesomely awful. As always, a selection of new holiday movies aims to become part of our holiday traditions—maybe even earning a place alongside beloved favorites like Home Alone, Elf, Love Actually, and Die Hard (no arguments). Therefore, in a vital public service to sort the crackers from the turkeys, and to get into the holiday mood, I binged as many new festive movies as possible in a single day. First Up: The Jonas Brothers' Holiday Flick Kicking off, ideally, on a positive note. This release is the only 2025 title on a famous website's list of the greatest 100 festive features of all time. The musical trio find themselves stranded in the UK after concluding their international trek and must make it back for Christmas. Their endeavors are hampered by an evil Santa, who sings to state they won’t get home until they “rediscover their familial spark.” The banter between the arguing trio is entertaining even for the uninitiated, while fans will undoubtedly catch lots of references as they try to get back using all transportation available. It’s a travelogue of mishaps. It’s not legendary, but is excellent 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 movie actor cast a "panto". “A panto-what?” asks Sutherland’s “difficult” and ageing action hero Brad Mack, who has hit a rough patch and whose representative has deceived him into thinking he’s performing in renowned British drama. His Aladdin cast-mates inform him he’s playing Buttons. “Absolutely not,” he protests. You can guess their retort. Except if you’re unfamiliar with traditional stage call-and-response. There are some hilarious moments, some touching storylines, and the rest of the cast is cracking, too. It’s the type of film that would be a bit naff at a different time, but is a great entertainment at Christmas. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄🎄 A New Spin on Scrooge A familiar face pops up at the beginning of this film, too, calling someone a mug for the second consecutive movie. Might this become a fresh holiday staple? 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 familiar story develops as the miserly Mr Sood is visited by the ghosts 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 acting is lifeless—a major flaw when he’s so the main character. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄 Lunchtime: Stuffed There's just enough time for a channel's original festive film—which stars Guz Khan as a endearingly grumpy man who “doesn’t really do Christmas.” But after he receives an sizable holiday payout at work, his wife (played by Morgana Robinson) talks him into blowing the money on a holiday to Lapland. There’s just one snag—he finds out there was an mistake with his bonus, which should have been £800, and he has to determine how to pay back the difference. Fun while it lasts but not lasting. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄 Early Afternoon: Champagne Problems This is one of those Christmas films where the festive trappings are in the backdrop—Christmas is the setting of the film rather than its main point—but it feels warm and holiday-like all the same. Ambitious executive Sydney (starring Minka Kelly) is assigned to a French chateau to do a deal for a champagne business. En route, she meets a fellow in a book store who vows to show her Christmas in Paris. An expert recently declared this is the finest new Christmas film of the past few years. That’s a bit of a overstatement, but it is a festive dalliance with a dash of elegance and gives the necessary cozy feelings. The scene with a extended debate about Die Hard is particularly strong too. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄 A Charming Quest Young Chris, played by Lenny Rush, holds onto his belief in Father Christmas, in spite of the persuasion of his dad (played by James Buckley) to tell him otherwise. The answer is out there, and Chris embarks on a quest to find it with the guidance of a team of well-known figures. It’s understated but endearing, and ideal viewing while waiting for Santa to visit. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄 A Star-Studded Family Drama Michelle Pfeiffer is the matriarch of a quarrelling American family who reunite for the holidays—including fellow 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 unsung heroes of the holidays—moms.” So that’s what this is, but in practice it’s really a jumble of those forerunner films, at least until Pfeiffer’s character at last takes center stage. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄 Formulaic Fun The day’s gone downhill, but fortunately here’s a new addition in the crowded field of formulaic, schmaltzy, badly acted—and utterly watchable—holiday fare. It’s a story as well-worn: An American woman goes on a quest to a far-off wintery locale and ends up stumbling across romance. In this case, Caprice Bourret plays a publisher
‘Tis the time of year to relax on the couch and demolish a packet of festive treats in front of a terrific flick, a bad movie, or one that’s awesomely awful. As always, a selection of new holiday movies aims to become part of our holiday traditions—maybe even earning a place alongside beloved favorites like Home Alone, Elf, Love Actually, and Die Hard (no arguments). Therefore, in a vital public service to sort the crackers from the turkeys, and to get into the holiday mood, I binged as many new festive movies as possible in a single day. First Up: The Jonas Brothers' Holiday Flick Kicking off, ideally, on a positive note. This release is the only 2025 title on a famous website's list of the greatest 100 festive features of all time. The musical trio find themselves stranded in the UK after concluding their international trek and must make it back for Christmas. Their endeavors are hampered by an evil Santa, who sings to state they won’t get home until they “rediscover their familial spark.” The banter between the arguing trio is entertaining even for the uninitiated, while fans will undoubtedly catch lots of references as they try to get back using all transportation available. It’s a travelogue of mishaps. It’s not legendary, but is excellent 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 movie actor cast a "panto". “A panto-what?” asks Sutherland’s “difficult” and ageing action hero Brad Mack, who has hit a rough patch and whose representative has deceived him into thinking he’s performing in renowned British drama. His Aladdin cast-mates inform him he’s playing Buttons. “Absolutely not,” he protests. You can guess their retort. Except if you’re unfamiliar with traditional stage call-and-response. There are some hilarious moments, some touching storylines, and the rest of the cast is cracking, too. It’s the type of film that would be a bit naff at a different time, but is a great entertainment at Christmas. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄🎄 A New Spin on Scrooge A familiar face pops up at the beginning of this film, too, calling someone a mug for the second consecutive movie. Might this become a fresh holiday staple? 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 familiar story develops as the miserly Mr Sood is visited by the ghosts 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 acting is lifeless—a major flaw when he’s so the main character. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄 Lunchtime: Stuffed There's just enough time for a channel's original festive film—which stars Guz Khan as a endearingly grumpy man who “doesn’t really do Christmas.” But after he receives an sizable holiday payout at work, his wife (played by Morgana Robinson) talks him into blowing the money on a holiday to Lapland. There’s just one snag—he finds out there was an mistake with his bonus, which should have been £800, and he has to determine how to pay back the difference. Fun while it lasts but not lasting. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄 Early Afternoon: Champagne Problems This is one of those Christmas films where the festive trappings are in the backdrop—Christmas is the setting of the film rather than its main point—but it feels warm and holiday-like all the same. Ambitious executive Sydney (starring Minka Kelly) is assigned to a French chateau to do a deal for a champagne business. En route, she meets a fellow in a book store who vows to show her Christmas in Paris. An expert recently declared this is the finest new Christmas film of the past few years. That’s a bit of a overstatement, but it is a festive dalliance with a dash of elegance and gives the necessary cozy feelings. The scene with a extended debate about Die Hard is particularly strong too. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄 A Charming Quest Young Chris, played by Lenny Rush, holds onto his belief in Father Christmas, in spite of the persuasion of his dad (played by James Buckley) to tell him otherwise. The answer is out there, and Chris embarks on a quest to find it with the guidance of a team of well-known figures. It’s understated but endearing, and ideal viewing while waiting for Santa to visit. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄 A Star-Studded Family Drama Michelle Pfeiffer is the matriarch of a quarrelling American family who reunite for the holidays—including fellow 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 unsung heroes of the holidays—moms.” So that’s what this is, but in practice it’s really a jumble of those forerunner films, at least until Pfeiffer’s character at last takes center stage. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄 Formulaic Fun The day’s gone downhill, but fortunately here’s a new addition in the crowded field of formulaic, schmaltzy, badly acted—and utterly watchable—holiday fare. It’s a story as well-worn: An American woman goes on a quest to a far-off wintery locale and ends up stumbling across romance. In this case, Caprice Bourret plays a publisher