🔗 Share this article Marathon Viewing 2025's Festive Features: Highlights, Lowlights, and Unexpected Delights. It is the season to relax on the couch and demolish a box of mince pies in front of a great film, a poor film, or one that’s terrible yet terrific. Once again, a crop of fresh holiday movies aims to become part of our festive viewing—maybe even earning a place alongside timeless staples like Home Alone, Elf, Love Actually, and Die Hard (we won’t debate it). Therefore, in a vital public service to distinguish the gems from the coal, and to find the holiday mood, I binged as many recent festive movies as possible in a single day. 7.17am - A Very Jonas Christmas Movie Kicking off, hopefully, on a high. This is the sole 2025 entry on a popular review site's list of the greatest 100 holiday films of all time. The popular band end up stuck in the UK after finishing their international trek 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 sibling bond.” The repartee between the arguing trio is entertaining even for the non-fan, while fans will no doubt notice lots of easter eggs as they endeavor to get back using all transportation available. It’s a travelogue of mishaps. It’s not an all-time classic, but is superb for fans and a solid start to the day. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄 for Jonas Brothers fans or 🎄🎄🎄 for their loved ones who are obliged to sit through it. Next: A Star in Panto Hollywood star Kiefer Sutherland stars as a celebrity roped into a traditional British stage show. “A what's a panto??” asks Sutherland’s “temperamental” and aging star Brad Mack, who has fallen on hard times and whose agent has tricked him into thinking he’s performing in prestigious English theatre. His Aladdin cast-mates tell him he’s playing Buttons. “No I'm not,” he retorts. One can imagine their response. Unless you’re not acquainted with traditional stage call-and-response. There are some hilarious moments, some heartwarming storylines, and the ensemble is brilliant, too. It’s the sort of feature that would be a bit naff at any other time of year, but is a lot of fun at Christmas. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄🎄 Mid-Morning: Christmas Karma A familiar face appears at the beginning of this film, too, insulting someone for the next movie straight. Could this be a new Christmas tradition? This time, he’s a crooning chauffeur who picks up Mr Sood, the newest interpretation on Mr Scrooge from Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Mr Sood is played by a star of Kunal Nayyar and Christmas Karma is directed by the director of Gurinder Chadha. The well-known tale progresses as the tight-fisted Mr Sood is visited by the spirits of Christmas yesterday, today, and tomorrow, 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 charismatic and Nayyar’s portrayal is wooden—a major flaw when he’s so the main character. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄 12.04pm - Stuffed Before lunch for a network's original festive film—which stars Guz Khan as a charmingly cantankerous character who “isn't big on Christmas.” But after he receives an £8,000 Christmas bonus at work, his wife (played by Morgana Robinson) convinces him spending the sum on a family trip to Lapland. There’s just one problem—he learns there was an error with his bonus, which should have been £800, and he has to devise a plan for how to return the remainder. Fun while it lasts but not lasting. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄 A Classy Netflix Romance This is one of those holiday movies where the decorations and snow are in the backdrop—Christmas is the scene of the film rather than its core purpose—but it feels cosy and festive all the same. Driven corporate star Sydney (starring Minka Kelly) is sent to a country estate to negotiate a purchase for a champagne business. During her travels, she runs into a man in a literary haven who offers 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 dash of elegance and gives the obligatory cozy feelings. The scene with a detailed conversation about Die Hard is notable too. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄 3.29pm - Finding Father Christmas Teenage 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 the truth. The truth is out there, and Chris ventures forth to find it with the guidance of a group of well-known experts and celebrities. It’s understated but charming, and perfect viewing while expecting Santa to visit. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄 A Star-Studded Family Drama Michelle Pfeiffer is the head of a dysfunctional American family who reunite for the holidays—including other Oscar nominee Felicity Jones, Chloe Grace Moretz, Jason Schwartzman, and dad Denis Leary. Pfeiffer opens by name-dropping Christmas classics 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 the premise, but in reality it’s really a mash-up of those aforementioned movies, at least until Pfeiffer’s character finally takes center stage. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄 6.43pm - A Scottish Christmas Secret The day’s gone downhill, but happily here’s a new addition in the crowded field of predictable, sentimental, cheesy—and highly entertaining—seasonal comfort food. It’s a narrative as well-worn: An American woman goes on a quest to a distant snowy land and ends up stumbling across romance. In this case, Caprice Bourret plays a publisher
It is the season to relax on the couch and demolish a box of mince pies in front of a great film, a poor film, or one that’s terrible yet terrific. Once again, a crop of fresh holiday movies aims to become part of our festive viewing—maybe even earning a place alongside timeless staples like Home Alone, Elf, Love Actually, and Die Hard (we won’t debate it). Therefore, in a vital public service to distinguish the gems from the coal, and to find the holiday mood, I binged as many recent festive movies as possible in a single day. 7.17am - A Very Jonas Christmas Movie Kicking off, hopefully, on a high. This is the sole 2025 entry on a popular review site's list of the greatest 100 holiday films of all time. The popular band end up stuck in the UK after finishing their international trek 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 sibling bond.” The repartee between the arguing trio is entertaining even for the non-fan, while fans will no doubt notice lots of easter eggs as they endeavor to get back using all transportation available. It’s a travelogue of mishaps. It’s not an all-time classic, but is superb for fans and a solid start to the day. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄 for Jonas Brothers fans or 🎄🎄🎄 for their loved ones who are obliged to sit through it. Next: A Star in Panto Hollywood star Kiefer Sutherland stars as a celebrity roped into a traditional British stage show. “A what's a panto??” asks Sutherland’s “temperamental” and aging star Brad Mack, who has fallen on hard times and whose agent has tricked him into thinking he’s performing in prestigious English theatre. His Aladdin cast-mates tell him he’s playing Buttons. “No I'm not,” he retorts. One can imagine their response. Unless you’re not acquainted with traditional stage call-and-response. There are some hilarious moments, some heartwarming storylines, and the ensemble is brilliant, too. It’s the sort of feature that would be a bit naff at any other time of year, but is a lot of fun at Christmas. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄🎄 Mid-Morning: Christmas Karma A familiar face appears at the beginning of this film, too, insulting someone for the next movie straight. Could this be a new Christmas tradition? This time, he’s a crooning chauffeur who picks up Mr Sood, the newest interpretation on Mr Scrooge from Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Mr Sood is played by a star of Kunal Nayyar and Christmas Karma is directed by the director of Gurinder Chadha. The well-known tale progresses as the tight-fisted Mr Sood is visited by the spirits of Christmas yesterday, today, and tomorrow, 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 charismatic and Nayyar’s portrayal is wooden—a major flaw when he’s so the main character. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄 12.04pm - Stuffed Before lunch for a network's original festive film—which stars Guz Khan as a charmingly cantankerous character who “isn't big on Christmas.” But after he receives an £8,000 Christmas bonus at work, his wife (played by Morgana Robinson) convinces him spending the sum on a family trip to Lapland. There’s just one problem—he learns there was an error with his bonus, which should have been £800, and he has to devise a plan for how to return the remainder. Fun while it lasts but not lasting. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄 A Classy Netflix Romance This is one of those holiday movies where the decorations and snow are in the backdrop—Christmas is the scene of the film rather than its core purpose—but it feels cosy and festive all the same. Driven corporate star Sydney (starring Minka Kelly) is sent to a country estate to negotiate a purchase for a champagne business. During her travels, she runs into a man in a literary haven who offers 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 dash of elegance and gives the obligatory cozy feelings. The scene with a detailed conversation about Die Hard is notable too. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄 3.29pm - Finding Father Christmas Teenage 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 the truth. The truth is out there, and Chris ventures forth to find it with the guidance of a group of well-known experts and celebrities. It’s understated but charming, and perfect viewing while expecting Santa to visit. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄 A Star-Studded Family Drama Michelle Pfeiffer is the head of a dysfunctional American family who reunite for the holidays—including other Oscar nominee Felicity Jones, Chloe Grace Moretz, Jason Schwartzman, and dad Denis Leary. Pfeiffer opens by name-dropping Christmas classics 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 the premise, but in reality it’s really a mash-up of those aforementioned movies, at least until Pfeiffer’s character finally takes center stage. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄 6.43pm - A Scottish Christmas Secret The day’s gone downhill, but happily here’s a new addition in the crowded field of predictable, sentimental, cheesy—and highly entertaining—seasonal comfort food. It’s a narrative as well-worn: An American woman goes on a quest to a distant snowy land and ends up stumbling across romance. In this case, Caprice Bourret plays a publisher