Marathon Viewing 2025's Holiday Movies: Highlights, Lowlights, and Unexpected Delights.
It is the time of year to relax on the sofa and demolish a box of festive treats in front of a great film, a bad movie, or one that’s awesomely awful.
This year, a crop of latest Christmas films aims to become part of our festive viewing—perhaps even earning a place alongside enduring classics like Home Alone, Elf, Love Actually, and Die Hard (no arguments).
Therefore, in a vital public service to distinguish the gems from the coal, and to embrace the holiday mood, I binged as many recent holiday releases as possible in a single day.
First Up: The Jonas Brothers' Holiday Flick
Beginning, optimistically, on a high. This film is the exclusive 2025 entry on a well-known aggregator's list of the greatest 100 Christmas movies of all time.
The popular band are stranded in the UK after finishing their international trek and must return for Christmas. Their endeavors are thwarted by an villainous Saint Nick, who sings to state they won’t get home until they “rediscover their brotherly magic.”
The banter between the bickering brothers is amusing even for the uninitiated, while followers will no doubt notice lots of references as they attempt to get back using all transportation available.
It’s a journey of epic proportions.
It’s not a timeless masterpiece, but is superb for fans and a solid start to the day.
Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄 for Jonas Brothers fans or 🎄🎄🎄 for their relatives who will have to sit through it.
Late Morning: Tinsel Town
Hollywood star Kiefer Sutherland has been cast as a Hollywood star tricked into a "panto".
“A panto-what?” asks Sutherland’s “difficult” and aging star Brad Mack, who has fallen on hard times and whose manager has deceived him into thinking he’s performing in prestigious English theatre.
His pantomime cast-mates inform him he’s playing Buttons. “Absolutely not,” he protests. You can guess their retort. Unless you’re not acquainted with traditional stage call-and-response.
There are some hilarious moments, some touching side stories, and the supporting actors is brilliant, too.
It’s the kind of movie that would be a bit naff at any other time of year, but is a highly enjoyable at Christmas.
Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄🎄
10.19am - Christmas Karma
An actor appears at the start of this film, too, delivering a signature line for the next movie straight. Could this be a budding festive ritual?
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 Bend It Like Beckham’s Gurinder Chadha. The familiar story develops as the tight-fisted Mr Sood is haunted by the spirits of Christmas yesterday, today, and tomorrow, played by Hugh Bonneville, Billy Porter, and Boy George.
This Indian Scrooge is at least distinct from all the others, but unfortunately he’s not very charismatic and Nayyar’s portrayal is lifeless—a significant issue when he’s so central to everything.
Festive score: 🎄🎄
12.04pm - Stuffed
There's just enough time for a major broadcaster's Christmas comedy-drama—which stars Guz Khan as a lovably grouchy guy who “isn't big on Christmas.”
But after he gets an £8,000 Christmas bonus at work, his wife (portrayed by Morgana Robinson) talks him into splurging the cash on a family trip to Lapland.
There’s just one problem—he finds out there was an error with his bonus, which should have been £800, and he has to determine how to pay back the excess.
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 setting—Christmas is the setting of the film rather than its core purpose—but it feels cosy and festive all the same.
Ambitious executive Sydney (played by Minka Kelly) is dispatched to a vineyard to do a deal for a champagne business. During her travels, she meets a man in a literary haven who promises to show her the holidays in the City of Light.
A critic recently stated this is the finest new Christmas film of the last several seasons. That’s a bit of a exaggeration, but it is a holiday love story with a hint of sophistication and gives the obligatory warm and fuzzy feels.
The scene with a extended debate about Die Hard is notable too.
Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄
A Charming Quest
Young Chris, played by Lenny Rush, holds onto his belief in Father Christmas, despite the persuasion of his dad (starring James Buckley) to tell him the reality.
The secret is to be discovered, and Chris ventures forth to find it with the expert help of a panel of well-known experts and celebrities.
It’s gentle but charming, and ideal viewing while waiting for 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 acclaimed actress 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 stating: “They need to make a movie about the true heroes of the holidays—moms.”
So that’s what this is, but in practice it’s really a jumble of those aforementioned movies, at least until Pfeiffer’s character finally finds her strength.
Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄
6.43pm - A Scottish Christmas Secret
The day’s taken a dip, but thankfully here’s a new offering in the crowded field of predictable, sentimental, cheesy—and strangely compelling—seasonal comfort food.
It’s a story as familiar as can be: An American woman travels to a far-off wintery locale and ends up finding romance.
In this case, Caprice Bourret plays a publisher