🔗 Share this article Binge-Watching The Latest Christmas Films: The Good, The Bad and The So-Bad-It's-Good. ‘Tis the season to relax on the sofa and devour a packet of mince pies in front of a great film, a bad movie, or one that’s so bad it’s good. This year, a selection of latest seasonal stories aims to become part of our holiday traditions—maybe even earning a place alongside enduring classics like Home Alone, Elf, Love Actually, and Die Hard (we won’t debate it). Thus, in a helpful attempt 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. First Up: The Jonas Brothers' Holiday Flick Starting, ideally, on a good foot. This release is the exclusive 2025 movie on a popular review site's list of the greatest 100 festive features of all time. The Jonas Brothers are stranded in the UK after concluding their global concert series and must make it back for Christmas. Their efforts are thwarted by an villainous Saint Nick, who bursts into melody to declare they won’t get home until they “find their sibling bond.” The repartee between the squabbling siblings is enjoyable even for the non-fan, while devotees will no doubt notice lots of in-jokes as they attempt to get back using every mode of travel possible. It’s a journey of epic proportions. It’s not an all-time classic, but is superb for fans and a positive start to the day. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄 for Jonas Brothers fans or 🎄🎄🎄 for their family members who will have to sit through it. 8.45am - Tinsel Town Famous performer Kiefer Sutherland stars as a movie actor tricked into a traditional British stage show. “A panto-what??” asks Sutherland’s “difficult” and ageing lead Brad Mack, who has hit a rough patch and whose representative has deceived him into thinking he’s appearing in prestigious English theatre. His pantomime fellow actors inform him he’s playing Buttons. “No I'm not,” he protests. One can imagine their reply. Except if you’re unfamiliar with traditional panto catchphrases. There are some very funny lines, 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 another season, but is a highly enjoyable at Christmas. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄🎄 A New Spin on Scrooge Danny Dyer pops up at the outset of this film, too, delivering a signature line for the second film in a row. Is this a fresh holiday staple? This time, he’s a singing black cab driver who collects Mr Sood, the latest spin 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 director of Gurinder Chadha. The classic narrative develops as the tight-fisted Mr Sood is confronted by the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future, played by Hugh Bonneville, Billy Porter, and Boy George. This South Asian reinterpretation is at least unique from all the others, but sadly he’s not very compelling and Nayyar’s acting is flat—a major flaw when he’s so central to everything. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄 12.04pm - Stuffed Before lunch for a channel's Christmas comedy-drama—which stars Guz Khan as a charmingly cantankerous character who “doesn’t really do Christmas.” But after he receives an sizable holiday payout at work, his wife (portrayed by Morgana Robinson) convinces him splurging the cash on a holiday to Lapland. There’s just one issue—he learns there was an mistake with his bonus, which should have been £800, and he has to figure out how to pay back the difference. Pleasant yet unmemorable. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄 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 environment of the film rather than its main point—but it feels warm and holiday-like all the same. High-powered businesswoman Sydney (starring Minka Kelly) is sent to a vineyard to do a deal for a champagne business. En route, she meets a fellow in a book store who offers to show her a festive Paris. An expert recently declared this is the finest new Christmas film of the recent era. That’s a bit of a stretch, but it is a Christmas romance with a hint of sophistication and gives the obligatory warm and fuzzy feels. The scene with a detailed conversation about Die Hard is particularly strong too. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄 A Charming Quest Sixteen-year-old Chris, played by Lenny Rush, holds onto his belief in Father Christmas, in spite of the attempts of his dad (starring James Buckley) to tell him the reality. The truth is out there, and Chris ventures forth to find it with the guidance of a group of well-known figures. It’s understated but charming, and ideal viewing while anticipating Santa to visit. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄 Late Afternoon: Oh. What. Fun. Michelle Pfeiffer is the head of a bickering American family who gather for the holidays—including fellow Oscar nominee Felicity Jones, Chloe Grace Moretz, Jason Schwartzman, and dad Denis Leary. Pfeiffer starts by mentioning classic festive films like National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, It’s A Wonderful Life and Home Alone, before saying: “They need to make a movie about the unsung heroes of the holidays—moms.” So that’s the premise, but in reality it’s really a mash-up of those inspirations, at least until Pfeiffer’s character eventually comes into her own. Festive score: 🎄🎄 Formulaic Fun The day’s waned in quality, but happily here’s a new offering in the packed genre of formulaic, schmaltzy, badly acted—and strangely compelling—festive fodder. It’s a narrative as familiar as can be: An American woman travels to a picturesque cold country and ends up discovering romance. In this case, Caprice Bourret plays a publisher
‘Tis the season to relax on the sofa and devour a packet of mince pies in front of a great film, a bad movie, or one that’s so bad it’s good. This year, a selection of latest seasonal stories aims to become part of our holiday traditions—maybe even earning a place alongside enduring classics like Home Alone, Elf, Love Actually, and Die Hard (we won’t debate it). Thus, in a helpful attempt 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. First Up: The Jonas Brothers' Holiday Flick Starting, ideally, on a good foot. This release is the exclusive 2025 movie on a popular review site's list of the greatest 100 festive features of all time. The Jonas Brothers are stranded in the UK after concluding their global concert series and must make it back for Christmas. Their efforts are thwarted by an villainous Saint Nick, who bursts into melody to declare they won’t get home until they “find their sibling bond.” The repartee between the squabbling siblings is enjoyable even for the non-fan, while devotees will no doubt notice lots of in-jokes as they attempt to get back using every mode of travel possible. It’s a journey of epic proportions. It’s not an all-time classic, but is superb for fans and a positive start to the day. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄 for Jonas Brothers fans or 🎄🎄🎄 for their family members who will have to sit through it. 8.45am - Tinsel Town Famous performer Kiefer Sutherland stars as a movie actor tricked into a traditional British stage show. “A panto-what??” asks Sutherland’s “difficult” and ageing lead Brad Mack, who has hit a rough patch and whose representative has deceived him into thinking he’s appearing in prestigious English theatre. His pantomime fellow actors inform him he’s playing Buttons. “No I'm not,” he protests. One can imagine their reply. Except if you’re unfamiliar with traditional panto catchphrases. There are some very funny lines, 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 another season, but is a highly enjoyable at Christmas. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄🎄 A New Spin on Scrooge Danny Dyer pops up at the outset of this film, too, delivering a signature line for the second film in a row. Is this a fresh holiday staple? This time, he’s a singing black cab driver who collects Mr Sood, the latest spin 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 director of Gurinder Chadha. The classic narrative develops as the tight-fisted Mr Sood is confronted by the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future, played by Hugh Bonneville, Billy Porter, and Boy George. This South Asian reinterpretation is at least unique from all the others, but sadly he’s not very compelling and Nayyar’s acting is flat—a major flaw when he’s so central to everything. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄 12.04pm - Stuffed Before lunch for a channel's Christmas comedy-drama—which stars Guz Khan as a charmingly cantankerous character who “doesn’t really do Christmas.” But after he receives an sizable holiday payout at work, his wife (portrayed by Morgana Robinson) convinces him splurging the cash on a holiday to Lapland. There’s just one issue—he learns there was an mistake with his bonus, which should have been £800, and he has to figure out how to pay back the difference. Pleasant yet unmemorable. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄 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 environment of the film rather than its main point—but it feels warm and holiday-like all the same. High-powered businesswoman Sydney (starring Minka Kelly) is sent to a vineyard to do a deal for a champagne business. En route, she meets a fellow in a book store who offers to show her a festive Paris. An expert recently declared this is the finest new Christmas film of the recent era. That’s a bit of a stretch, but it is a Christmas romance with a hint of sophistication and gives the obligatory warm and fuzzy feels. The scene with a detailed conversation about Die Hard is particularly strong too. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄 A Charming Quest Sixteen-year-old Chris, played by Lenny Rush, holds onto his belief in Father Christmas, in spite of the attempts of his dad (starring James Buckley) to tell him the reality. The truth is out there, and Chris ventures forth to find it with the guidance of a group of well-known figures. It’s understated but charming, and ideal viewing while anticipating Santa to visit. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄 Late Afternoon: Oh. What. Fun. Michelle Pfeiffer is the head of a bickering American family who gather for the holidays—including fellow Oscar nominee Felicity Jones, Chloe Grace Moretz, Jason Schwartzman, and dad Denis Leary. Pfeiffer starts by mentioning classic festive films like National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, It’s A Wonderful Life and Home Alone, before saying: “They need to make a movie about the unsung heroes of the holidays—moms.” So that’s the premise, but in reality it’s really a mash-up of those inspirations, at least until Pfeiffer’s character eventually comes into her own. Festive score: 🎄🎄 Formulaic Fun The day’s waned in quality, but happily here’s a new offering in the packed genre of formulaic, schmaltzy, badly acted—and strangely compelling—festive fodder. It’s a narrative as familiar as can be: An American woman travels to a picturesque cold country and ends up discovering romance. In this case, Caprice Bourret plays a publisher