‘Tis the season to slob out on the sofa and consume a packet of mince pies in front of a great film, a poor film, or one that’s awesomely awful.
As always, a crop of new seasonal stories aims to become part of our festive viewing—perhaps even finding a spot alongside beloved favorites like Home Alone, Elf, Love Actually, and Die Hard (don’t start).
Thus, in a noble effort to sort the crackers from the turkeys, and to get into the holiday mood, I watched as many fresh festive movies as possible in a single day.
Starting, optimistically, on a positive note. This film is the only 2025 entry on a popular review site's list of the best 100 festive features of all time.
The Jonas Brothers end up trapped in the UK after finishing their international trek and must get home for Christmas. Their endeavors are thwarted by an villainous Saint Nick, who sings to announce they won’t get home until they “find their brotherly magic.”
The banter between the squabbling siblings is entertaining even for the non-fan, while devotees will no doubt catch lots of references as they attempt to get back using any means of transport necessary.
It’s a travelogue of mishaps.
It’s not a timeless masterpiece, but is excellent for devotees and a solid start to the day.
Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄 for Jonas Brothers fans or 🎄🎄🎄 for their relatives who are obliged to sit through it.
Hollywood star Kiefer Sutherland stars as a celebrity tricked into a "panto".
“A panto-what?” asks Sutherland’s “difficult” and ageing lead Brad Mack, who has seen better days and whose agent has misled him into thinking he’s performing in prestigious English theatre.
His pantomime cast-mates let him know he’s playing Buttons. “Absolutely not,” he protests. It's easy to predict their reply. Except if you’re ignorant of traditional panto catchphrases.
There are some very funny lines, some touching side stories, and the rest of the cast is cracking, too.
It’s the sort of feature that would be a bit tacky at another season, but is a highly enjoyable at Christmas.
Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄🎄
Danny Dyer appears at the start of this film, too, calling someone a mug for the second film in a row. Could this be a new Christmas tradition?
This time, he’s a crooning chauffeur who picks up 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 filmmaker behind Gurinder Chadha. The well-known tale develops as the miserly Mr Sood is visited by the apparitions of Christmas past, present and future, played by Hugh Bonneville, Billy Porter, and Boy George.
This South Asian reinterpretation is at least different from all the others, but sadly he’s not very captivating and Nayyar’s performance is lifeless—a major flaw when he’s so the main character.
Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄
There’s time for a major broadcaster's Christmas comedy-drama—which stars Guz Khan as a charmingly cantankerous character who “doesn’t really do Christmas.”
But after he gets an £8,000 Christmas bonus at work, his wife (starring Morgana Robinson) convinces him spending the sum on a holiday to Lapland.
There’s just one issue—he learns there was an error with his bonus, which should have been £800, and he has to determine how to pay back the remainder.
Enjoyable but forgettable.
Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄
This is one of those Christmas films where the tree, fairy lights and snow are in the setting—Christmas is the setting of the film rather than its raison d’etre—but it feels warm and holiday-like all the same.
High-powered businesswoman Sydney (starring Minka Kelly) is assigned to a vineyard to negotiate a purchase for a champagne business. During her travels, she meets a fellow in a book store who offers to show her Christmas in Paris.
An expert recently declared this is the top new Christmas film of the last several seasons. That’s a bit of a overstatement, but it is a Christmas romance with a dash of elegance and gives the necessary warm and fuzzy feels.
The scene with a lengthy discussion about Die Hard is particularly strong too.
Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄
Sixteen-year-old Chris, played by Lenny Rush, continues to believe in Father Christmas, despite the attempts of his dad (starring James Buckley) to tell him the truth.
The answer is somewhere, and Chris sets out to find it with the guidance of a panel of well-known figures.
It’s understated but sweet, and ideal viewing while waiting for Santa to visit.
Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄
Michelle Pfeiffer is the mother of a bickering American family who gather for the holidays—including other Oscar nominee Felicity Jones, Chloe Grace Moretz, Jason Schwartzman, and dad Denis Leary.
Pfeiffer begins by referencing classic festive films 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 practice it’s really a mash-up of those aforementioned movies, at least until Pfeiffer’s character finally finds her strength.
Festive score: 🎄🎄
The day’s gone downhill, but fortunately here’s a new addition in the saturated market of formulaic, schmaltzy, badly acted—and utterly watchable—festive fodder.
It’s a tale as well-worn: An American woman goes on a quest to a picturesque cold country and ends up finding romance.
In this case, Caprice Bourret plays a publisher
A seasoned journalist with a passion for uncovering stories that matter in the Czech Republic and beyond.
