🔗 Share this article Marathon Viewing The Latest Christmas Films: The Good, The Bad and The So-Bad-It's-Good. It is the season to slob out on the sofa and demolish a packet of mince pies in front of a good movie, a bad movie, or one that’s so bad it’s good. As always, a crop of latest holiday movies hopes to be part of our festive viewing—perhaps even joining the ranks alongside beloved favorites like Home Alone, Elf, Love Actually, and Die Hard (don’t start). Thus, in a vital public service to sort the crackers from the turkeys, and to embrace the Christmas spirit, I watched as many fresh Christmas films as possible in a single day. First Up: The Jonas Brothers' Holiday Flick Starting, hopefully, on a positive note. This release is the exclusive 2025 entry on a famous website's list of the greatest 100 festive features of all time. The Jonas Brothers end up stranded in the UK after concluding their international trek and must return for Christmas. Their attempts are hindered by an villainous Saint Nick, who sings to declare they won’t get home until they “rekindle their sibling bond.” The repartee between the bickering brothers is amusing even for the casual viewer, while fans will undoubtedly catch lots of references as they try to get back using every mode of travel possible. It’s a journey of epic proportions. It’s not legendary, but is great for fans and a good start to the day. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄 for Jonas Brothers fans or 🎄🎄🎄 for their family members who are obliged to sit through it. Late Morning: Tinsel Town A-list actor Kiefer Sutherland has been cast as a Hollywood star cast a "panto". “A panto-what??” asks Sutherland’s “hard-to-work-with” and ageing star Brad Mack, who has seen better days and whose manager has deceived him into thinking he’s starring in prestigious English theatre. His pantomime cast-mates let him know he’s playing Buttons. “Oh no I’m not,” he insists angrily. You can guess their reply. That is, unless you’re ignorant of traditional panto catchphrases. There are some very funny lines, some heartwarming sub-plots, and the ensemble is brilliant, too. It’s the kind of movie that would be a bit cheesy at any other time of year, but is a lot of fun at Christmas. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄🎄 Mid-Morning: Christmas Karma An actor appears at the start of this film, too, insulting someone for the second film in a row. Is this a new Christmas tradition? This time, he’s a musical taxi operator 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 unfolds as the stingy Mr Sood is haunted by the apparitions of Christmas yesterday, today, and tomorrow, played by Hugh Bonneville, Billy Porter, and Boy George. This cultural adaptation is at least unique from all the others, but regrettably he’s not very charismatic and Nayyar’s portrayal is wooden—a significant issue when he’s so central to everything. Festive score: 🎄🎄 12.04pm - Stuffed There’s time for a major broadcaster's original festive film—which stars Guz Khan as a endearingly grumpy man who “avoids Christmas.” But after he gets an £8,000 Christmas bonus at work, his wife (portrayed by Morgana Robinson) persuades him spending the sum on a family trip to Lapland. There’s just one problem—he finds out there was an mistake with his bonus, which should have been £800, and he has to determine how to reimburse the difference. Enjoyable but forgettable. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄 1.12pm - Champagne Problems This is one of those holiday movies where the tree, fairy lights and snow are in the backdrop—Christmas is the setting of the film rather than its raison d’etre—but it feels comfortable and seasonal all the same. High-powered businesswoman Sydney (starring Minka Kelly) is assigned to a country estate to negotiate a purchase for a champagne business. En route, she meets a fellow in a book store who offers to show her Christmas in Paris. A commentator recently declared this is the top new Christmas film of the past few years. That’s a bit of a overstatement, but it is a festive dalliance with a hint of sophistication and gives the obligatory heartwarming sensation. The scene with a detailed conversation about Die Hard is notable too. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄 A Charming Quest Sixteen-year-old Chris, played by Lenny Rush, refuses to stop believing in Father Christmas, regardless of the efforts of his dad (starring James Buckley) to tell him otherwise. The truth is out there, and Chris embarks on a quest to find it with the assistance of a panel of well-known experts and celebrities. It’s gentle but sweet, and ideal viewing while anticipating Santa to visit. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄 4.39pm - Oh. What. Fun. Michelle Pfeiffer is the matriarch of a quarrelling American family who come back together for the holidays—including fellow Oscar nominee Felicity Jones, Chloe Grace Moretz, Jason Schwartzman, and dad Denis Leary. Pfeiffer opens by name-dropping 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 unsung heroes of the holidays—moms.” So that’s what this is, but in practice it’s really a combination of those inspirations, at least until Pfeiffer’s character eventually takes center stage. Festive score: 🎄🎄 6.43pm - A Scottish Christmas Secret The day’s gone downhill, but thankfully here’s a new entry 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
It is the season to slob out on the sofa and demolish a packet of mince pies in front of a good movie, a bad movie, or one that’s so bad it’s good. As always, a crop of latest holiday movies hopes to be part of our festive viewing—perhaps even joining the ranks alongside beloved favorites like Home Alone, Elf, Love Actually, and Die Hard (don’t start). Thus, in a vital public service to sort the crackers from the turkeys, and to embrace the Christmas spirit, I watched as many fresh Christmas films as possible in a single day. First Up: The Jonas Brothers' Holiday Flick Starting, hopefully, on a positive note. This release is the exclusive 2025 entry on a famous website's list of the greatest 100 festive features of all time. The Jonas Brothers end up stranded in the UK after concluding their international trek and must return for Christmas. Their attempts are hindered by an villainous Saint Nick, who sings to declare they won’t get home until they “rekindle their sibling bond.” The repartee between the bickering brothers is amusing even for the casual viewer, while fans will undoubtedly catch lots of references as they try to get back using every mode of travel possible. It’s a journey of epic proportions. It’s not legendary, but is great for fans and a good start to the day. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄 for Jonas Brothers fans or 🎄🎄🎄 for their family members who are obliged to sit through it. Late Morning: Tinsel Town A-list actor Kiefer Sutherland has been cast as a Hollywood star cast a "panto". “A panto-what??” asks Sutherland’s “hard-to-work-with” and ageing star Brad Mack, who has seen better days and whose manager has deceived him into thinking he’s starring in prestigious English theatre. His pantomime cast-mates let him know he’s playing Buttons. “Oh no I’m not,” he insists angrily. You can guess their reply. That is, unless you’re ignorant of traditional panto catchphrases. There are some very funny lines, some heartwarming sub-plots, and the ensemble is brilliant, too. It’s the kind of movie that would be a bit cheesy at any other time of year, but is a lot of fun at Christmas. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄🎄 Mid-Morning: Christmas Karma An actor appears at the start of this film, too, insulting someone for the second film in a row. Is this a new Christmas tradition? This time, he’s a musical taxi operator 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 unfolds as the stingy Mr Sood is haunted by the apparitions of Christmas yesterday, today, and tomorrow, played by Hugh Bonneville, Billy Porter, and Boy George. This cultural adaptation is at least unique from all the others, but regrettably he’s not very charismatic and Nayyar’s portrayal is wooden—a significant issue when he’s so central to everything. Festive score: 🎄🎄 12.04pm - Stuffed There’s time for a major broadcaster's original festive film—which stars Guz Khan as a endearingly grumpy man who “avoids Christmas.” But after he gets an £8,000 Christmas bonus at work, his wife (portrayed by Morgana Robinson) persuades him spending the sum on a family trip to Lapland. There’s just one problem—he finds out there was an mistake with his bonus, which should have been £800, and he has to determine how to reimburse the difference. Enjoyable but forgettable. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄 1.12pm - Champagne Problems This is one of those holiday movies where the tree, fairy lights and snow are in the backdrop—Christmas is the setting of the film rather than its raison d’etre—but it feels comfortable and seasonal all the same. High-powered businesswoman Sydney (starring Minka Kelly) is assigned to a country estate to negotiate a purchase for a champagne business. En route, she meets a fellow in a book store who offers to show her Christmas in Paris. A commentator recently declared this is the top new Christmas film of the past few years. That’s a bit of a overstatement, but it is a festive dalliance with a hint of sophistication and gives the obligatory heartwarming sensation. The scene with a detailed conversation about Die Hard is notable too. Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄 A Charming Quest Sixteen-year-old Chris, played by Lenny Rush, refuses to stop believing in Father Christmas, regardless of the efforts of his dad (starring James Buckley) to tell him otherwise. The truth is out there, and Chris embarks on a quest to find it with the assistance of a panel of well-known experts and celebrities. It’s gentle but sweet, and ideal viewing while anticipating Santa to visit. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄 4.39pm - Oh. What. Fun. Michelle Pfeiffer is the matriarch of a quarrelling American family who come back together for the holidays—including fellow Oscar nominee Felicity Jones, Chloe Grace Moretz, Jason Schwartzman, and dad Denis Leary. Pfeiffer opens by name-dropping 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 unsung heroes of the holidays—moms.” So that’s what this is, but in practice it’s really a combination of those inspirations, at least until Pfeiffer’s character eventually takes center stage. Festive score: 🎄🎄 6.43pm - A Scottish Christmas Secret The day’s gone downhill, but thankfully here’s a new entry 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