🔗 Share this article Devouring This Year's Holiday Movies: The Hits, The Misses, and The Guilty Pleasures. ‘Tis the time of year to slob out on the couch and devour a tin of mince pies in front of a terrific flick, a bad movie, or one that’s terrible yet terrific. This year, a crop of latest Christmas films strives to join part of our holiday traditions—potentially even joining the ranks alongside beloved favorites like Home Alone, Elf, Love Actually, and Die Hard (no arguments). So, in a vital public service to distinguish the gems from the coal, and to embrace the festive feeling, I marathoned as many recent Christmas films as possible in a single day. First Up: The Jonas Brothers' Holiday Flick Starting, ideally, on a high. This film is the sole 2025 title on a famous website's list of the best 100 holiday films of all time. The Jonas Brothers end up stuck in the UK after concluding their global concert series and must make it back for Christmas. Their efforts are hampered by an villainous Saint Nick, who sings to state they won’t get home until they “rediscover their brotherly magic.” The repartee between the squabbling siblings is enjoyable even for the casual viewer, while devotees will no doubt catch lots of easter eggs as they attempt to get back using any means of transport necessary. It’s private planes, trains and automobiles. It’s not a timeless masterpiece, but is great for fans and a solid start to the day. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄 for Jonas Brothers fans or 🎄🎄🎄 for their loved ones who are obliged to sit through it. 8.45am - Tinsel Town Hollywood star Kiefer Sutherland appears as a celebrity roped into a pantomime. “A panto-what?” asks Sutherland’s “difficult” and older star Brad Mack, who has seen better days and whose representative has deceived him into thinking he’s performing in high-class London stage. His pantomime fellow actors inform him he’s playing Buttons. “Absolutely not,” he insists angrily. One can imagine their response. Except if you’re not acquainted with traditional British theatre traditions. There are some hilarious moments, some touching side stories, and the supporting actors is excellent, too. It’s the kind of movie that would be a bit naff at a different time, but is a lot of fun at Christmas. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄🎄 Mid-Morning: Christmas Karma Danny Dyer pops up at the outset of this film, too, insulting someone for the second film in a row. Could this be a new Christmas tradition? This time, he’s a singing black cab driver who encounters Mr Sood, the modern take 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 familiar story unfolds as the stingy Mr Sood is confronted by the apparitions of Christmas yesterday, today, and tomorrow, played by Hugh Bonneville, Billy Porter, and Boy George. This Indian Scrooge is at least distinct from all the others, but regrettably he’s not very charismatic and Nayyar’s portrayal is flat—a significant issue when he’s so central to everything. Festive score: 🎄🎄 Noon: A BBC Special There's just enough time for a network's original festive film—which stars Guz Khan as a lovably grouchy guy who “doesn’t really do Christmas.” But after he is awarded an large festive windfall at work, his wife (portrayed by Morgana Robinson) persuades him splurging the cash on a vacation to Lapland. There’s just one issue—he finds out there was an mix-up with his bonus, which should have been £800, and he has to figure out how to return the remainder. Pleasant yet unmemorable. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄 A Classy Netflix Romance This is one of those Christmas films where the festive trappings are in the setting—Christmas is the setting of the film rather than its core purpose—but it feels cosy and festive all the same. Ambitious executive Sydney (played by Minka Kelly) is dispatched to a country estate to negotiate a purchase for a champagne business. During her travels, she encounters a man in a literary haven who promises to show her the holidays in the City of Light. A commentator recently claimed this is the best new Christmas film of the past few years. That’s a bit of a overstatement, but it is a holiday love story with a hint of sophistication and gives the necessary heartwarming sensation. The scene with a detailed conversation about Die Hard is very good too. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄 A Charming Quest Sixteen-year-old Chris, played by Lenny Rush, refuses to stop believing 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 group of well-known figures. It’s understated but sweet, and good viewing while anticipating Santa to visit. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄 4.39pm - Oh. What. Fun. Michelle Pfeiffer is the head 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 declaring: “They need to make a movie about the real champions of the holidays—moms.” So that’s the concept, but in practice it’s really a mash-up of those forerunner films, at least until Pfeiffer’s character finally takes center stage. Festive score: 🎄🎄 6.43pm - A Scottish Christmas Secret The day’s gone downhill, but happily here’s a new offering in the crowded field of cliched, saccharine, over-the-top—and strangely compelling—seasonal comfort food. It’s a story as familiar as can be: An American woman goes on a quest to a far-off wintery locale and ends up finding romance. In this case, Caprice Bourret plays a publisher
‘Tis the time of year to slob out on the couch and devour a tin of mince pies in front of a terrific flick, a bad movie, or one that’s terrible yet terrific. This year, a crop of latest Christmas films strives to join part of our holiday traditions—potentially even joining the ranks alongside beloved favorites like Home Alone, Elf, Love Actually, and Die Hard (no arguments). So, in a vital public service to distinguish the gems from the coal, and to embrace the festive feeling, I marathoned as many recent Christmas films as possible in a single day. First Up: The Jonas Brothers' Holiday Flick Starting, ideally, on a high. This film is the sole 2025 title on a famous website's list of the best 100 holiday films of all time. The Jonas Brothers end up stuck in the UK after concluding their global concert series and must make it back for Christmas. Their efforts are hampered by an villainous Saint Nick, who sings to state they won’t get home until they “rediscover their brotherly magic.” The repartee between the squabbling siblings is enjoyable even for the casual viewer, while devotees will no doubt catch lots of easter eggs as they attempt to get back using any means of transport necessary. It’s private planes, trains and automobiles. It’s not a timeless masterpiece, but is great for fans and a solid start to the day. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄 for Jonas Brothers fans or 🎄🎄🎄 for their loved ones who are obliged to sit through it. 8.45am - Tinsel Town Hollywood star Kiefer Sutherland appears as a celebrity roped into a pantomime. “A panto-what?” asks Sutherland’s “difficult” and older star Brad Mack, who has seen better days and whose representative has deceived him into thinking he’s performing in high-class London stage. His pantomime fellow actors inform him he’s playing Buttons. “Absolutely not,” he insists angrily. One can imagine their response. Except if you’re not acquainted with traditional British theatre traditions. There are some hilarious moments, some touching side stories, and the supporting actors is excellent, too. It’s the kind of movie that would be a bit naff at a different time, but is a lot of fun at Christmas. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄🎄 Mid-Morning: Christmas Karma Danny Dyer pops up at the outset of this film, too, insulting someone for the second film in a row. Could this be a new Christmas tradition? This time, he’s a singing black cab driver who encounters Mr Sood, the modern take 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 familiar story unfolds as the stingy Mr Sood is confronted by the apparitions of Christmas yesterday, today, and tomorrow, played by Hugh Bonneville, Billy Porter, and Boy George. This Indian Scrooge is at least distinct from all the others, but regrettably he’s not very charismatic and Nayyar’s portrayal is flat—a significant issue when he’s so central to everything. Festive score: 🎄🎄 Noon: A BBC Special There's just enough time for a network's original festive film—which stars Guz Khan as a lovably grouchy guy who “doesn’t really do Christmas.” But after he is awarded an large festive windfall at work, his wife (portrayed by Morgana Robinson) persuades him splurging the cash on a vacation to Lapland. There’s just one issue—he finds out there was an mix-up with his bonus, which should have been £800, and he has to figure out how to return the remainder. Pleasant yet unmemorable. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄 A Classy Netflix Romance This is one of those Christmas films where the festive trappings are in the setting—Christmas is the setting of the film rather than its core purpose—but it feels cosy and festive all the same. Ambitious executive Sydney (played by Minka Kelly) is dispatched to a country estate to negotiate a purchase for a champagne business. During her travels, she encounters a man in a literary haven who promises to show her the holidays in the City of Light. A commentator recently claimed this is the best new Christmas film of the past few years. That’s a bit of a overstatement, but it is a holiday love story with a hint of sophistication and gives the necessary heartwarming sensation. The scene with a detailed conversation about Die Hard is very good too. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄 A Charming Quest Sixteen-year-old Chris, played by Lenny Rush, refuses to stop believing 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 group of well-known figures. It’s understated but sweet, and good viewing while anticipating Santa to visit. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄 4.39pm - Oh. What. Fun. Michelle Pfeiffer is the head 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 declaring: “They need to make a movie about the real champions of the holidays—moms.” So that’s the concept, but in practice it’s really a mash-up of those forerunner films, at least until Pfeiffer’s character finally takes center stage. Festive score: 🎄🎄 6.43pm - A Scottish Christmas Secret The day’s gone downhill, but happily here’s a new offering in the crowded field of cliched, saccharine, over-the-top—and strangely compelling—seasonal comfort food. It’s a story as familiar as can be: An American woman goes on a quest to a far-off wintery locale and ends up finding romance. In this case, Caprice Bourret plays a publisher