🔗 Share this article Binge-Watching 2025's Christmas Films: The Good, The Bad and The So-Bad-It's-Good. ‘Tis the season to slob out on the couch and consume a box of festive treats in front of a great film, a bad movie, or one that’s terrible yet terrific. Once again, a batch of latest Christmas films strives to join part of our seasonal watchlist—maybe even finding a spot alongside beloved favorites like Home Alone, Elf, Love Actually, and Die Hard (we won’t debate it). Therefore, in a noble effort to separate the winners from the losers, and to embrace the festive feeling, I watched as many recent Christmas films as possible in a single day. Early Morning: A Very Jonas Christmas Movie Starting, ideally, on a high. This is the exclusive 2025 entry on a well-known aggregator's list of the top 100 holiday films of all time. The popular band find themselves trapped in the UK after concluding their world tour and must return for Christmas. Their endeavors are hindered by an evil Santa, who sings to state they won’t get home until they “rediscover their brotherly magic.” The back-and-forth between the arguing trio is amusing even for the non-fan, while followers will undoubtedly pick up on lots of easter eggs as they attempt to get back using all transportation available. It’s a journey of epic proportions. It’s not an all-time classic, but is great for devotees and a positive 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 Famous performer Kiefer Sutherland stars as a celebrity roped into a traditional British stage show. “A what's a panto??” asks Sutherland’s “hard-to-work-with” and ageing lead Brad Mack, who has hit a rough patch and whose manager has deceived him into thinking he’s starring in high-class London stage. His Aladdin co-stars tell him he’s playing Buttons. “Oh no I’m not,” he retorts. It's easy to predict their response. That is, unless you’re unfamiliar with traditional stage call-and-response. There are some very funny lines, some touching side stories, and the ensemble is cracking, too. It’s the type of film that would be a bit tacky at any other time of year, but is a lot of fun at Christmas. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄🎄 10.19am - Christmas Karma Danny Dyer shows up at the beginning of this film, too, calling someone a mug for the second film in a row. Is this a new Christmas tradition? This time, he’s a musical taxi operator who picks up 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 Bend It Like Beckham’s Gurinder Chadha. The classic narrative develops as the stingy Mr Sood is haunted by the ghosts 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 sadly he’s not very compelling and Nayyar’s acting is wooden—a major flaw when he’s so the main character. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄 Lunchtime: Stuffed There's just enough time for a channel's holiday special—which stars Guz Khan as a endearingly grumpy man who “avoids Christmas.” But after he gets an large festive windfall at work, his wife (starring Morgana Robinson) convinces him blowing the money on a vacation to Lapland. There’s just one snag—he learns there was an mix-up with his bonus, which should have been £800, and he has to devise a plan for how to return the excess. Pleasant yet unmemorable. Festive score: 🎄🎄 A Classy Netflix Romance This is one of those Christmas films where the festive trappings are in the backdrop—Christmas is the setting of the film rather than its raison d’etre—but it feels warm and holiday-like all the same. Driven corporate star Sydney (starring Minka Kelly) is sent to a French chateau to do a deal for a sparkling wine company. En route, she encounters a man in a literary haven who vows to show her the holidays in the City of Light. An expert recently claimed 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 hint of sophistication and gives the obligatory cozy feelings. The scene with a detailed conversation about Die Hard is notable too. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄 Mid-Afternoon: Finding Father Christmas Teenage Chris, played by Lenny Rush, refuses to stop believing in Father Christmas, despite the efforts of his dad (starring James Buckley) to tell him the reality. The secret is to be discovered, and Chris sets out to find it with the assistance of a team of well-known experts and celebrities. It’s understated but sweet, and perfect viewing while expecting Santa to visit. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄 A Star-Studded Family Drama Michelle Pfeiffer is the head of a quarrelling American family who reunite for the holidays—including fellow Oscar nominee Felicity Jones, Chloe Grace Moretz, Jason Schwartzman, and dad Denis Leary. Pfeiffer begins by referencing Christmas classics 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 execution it’s really a jumble of those inspirations, at least until Pfeiffer’s character eventually finds her strength. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄 Formulaic Fun The day’s taken a dip, but fortunately here’s a new offering in the saturated market of predictable, sentimental, cheesy—and highly entertaining—holiday fare. It’s a tale as well-worn: An American woman goes on a quest to a far-off wintery locale and ends up discovering romance. In this case, Caprice Bourret plays a publisher
‘Tis the season to slob out on the couch and consume a box of festive treats in front of a great film, a bad movie, or one that’s terrible yet terrific. Once again, a batch of latest Christmas films strives to join part of our seasonal watchlist—maybe even finding a spot alongside beloved favorites like Home Alone, Elf, Love Actually, and Die Hard (we won’t debate it). Therefore, in a noble effort to separate the winners from the losers, and to embrace the festive feeling, I watched as many recent Christmas films as possible in a single day. Early Morning: A Very Jonas Christmas Movie Starting, ideally, on a high. This is the exclusive 2025 entry on a well-known aggregator's list of the top 100 holiday films of all time. The popular band find themselves trapped in the UK after concluding their world tour and must return for Christmas. Their endeavors are hindered by an evil Santa, who sings to state they won’t get home until they “rediscover their brotherly magic.” The back-and-forth between the arguing trio is amusing even for the non-fan, while followers will undoubtedly pick up on lots of easter eggs as they attempt to get back using all transportation available. It’s a journey of epic proportions. It’s not an all-time classic, but is great for devotees and a positive 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 Famous performer Kiefer Sutherland stars as a celebrity roped into a traditional British stage show. “A what's a panto??” asks Sutherland’s “hard-to-work-with” and ageing lead Brad Mack, who has hit a rough patch and whose manager has deceived him into thinking he’s starring in high-class London stage. His Aladdin co-stars tell him he’s playing Buttons. “Oh no I’m not,” he retorts. It's easy to predict their response. That is, unless you’re unfamiliar with traditional stage call-and-response. There are some very funny lines, some touching side stories, and the ensemble is cracking, too. It’s the type of film that would be a bit tacky at any other time of year, but is a lot of fun at Christmas. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄🎄 10.19am - Christmas Karma Danny Dyer shows up at the beginning of this film, too, calling someone a mug for the second film in a row. Is this a new Christmas tradition? This time, he’s a musical taxi operator who picks up 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 Bend It Like Beckham’s Gurinder Chadha. The classic narrative develops as the stingy Mr Sood is haunted by the ghosts 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 sadly he’s not very compelling and Nayyar’s acting is wooden—a major flaw when he’s so the main character. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄 Lunchtime: Stuffed There's just enough time for a channel's holiday special—which stars Guz Khan as a endearingly grumpy man who “avoids Christmas.” But after he gets an large festive windfall at work, his wife (starring Morgana Robinson) convinces him blowing the money on a vacation to Lapland. There’s just one snag—he learns there was an mix-up with his bonus, which should have been £800, and he has to devise a plan for how to return the excess. Pleasant yet unmemorable. Festive score: 🎄🎄 A Classy Netflix Romance This is one of those Christmas films where the festive trappings are in the backdrop—Christmas is the setting of the film rather than its raison d’etre—but it feels warm and holiday-like all the same. Driven corporate star Sydney (starring Minka Kelly) is sent to a French chateau to do a deal for a sparkling wine company. En route, she encounters a man in a literary haven who vows to show her the holidays in the City of Light. An expert recently claimed 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 hint of sophistication and gives the obligatory cozy feelings. The scene with a detailed conversation about Die Hard is notable too. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄 Mid-Afternoon: Finding Father Christmas Teenage Chris, played by Lenny Rush, refuses to stop believing in Father Christmas, despite the efforts of his dad (starring James Buckley) to tell him the reality. The secret is to be discovered, and Chris sets out to find it with the assistance of a team of well-known experts and celebrities. It’s understated but sweet, and perfect viewing while expecting Santa to visit. Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄 A Star-Studded Family Drama Michelle Pfeiffer is the head of a quarrelling American family who reunite for the holidays—including fellow Oscar nominee Felicity Jones, Chloe Grace Moretz, Jason Schwartzman, and dad Denis Leary. Pfeiffer begins by referencing Christmas classics 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 execution it’s really a jumble of those inspirations, at least until Pfeiffer’s character eventually finds her strength. Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄 Formulaic Fun The day’s taken a dip, but fortunately here’s a new offering in the saturated market of predictable, sentimental, cheesy—and highly entertaining—holiday fare. It’s a tale as well-worn: An American woman goes on a quest to a far-off wintery locale and ends up discovering romance. In this case, Caprice Bourret plays a publisher