Binge-Watching 2025's Holiday Movies: The Good, The Bad and The So-Bad-It's-Good.
It is the season to slob out on the sofa and consume a packet of festive treats in front of a terrific flick, a poor film, or one that’s so bad it’s good.
Once again, a batch of latest holiday movies 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).
Thus, in a vital public service to sort the crackers from the turkeys, and to embrace the holiday mood, I binged as many recent festive movies as possible in a single day.
First Up: The Jonas Brothers' Holiday Flick
Beginning, optimistically, on a positive note. This film is the only 2025 title on a well-known aggregator's list of the best 100 Christmas movies of all time.
The Jonas Brothers find themselves stranded in the UK after finishing their global concert series and must return for Christmas. Their attempts are hindered by an evil Santa, who sings to declare they won’t get home until they “rekindle their brotherly magic.”
The banter between the arguing trio is amusing even for the uninitiated, while devotees will certainly notice lots of in-jokes as they endeavor to get back using any means of transport necessary.
It’s a travelogue of mishaps.
It’s not legendary, but is excellent for fans and a good start to the day.
Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄 for Jonas Brothers fans or 🎄🎄🎄 for their family members who will have to sit through it.
Next: A Star in Panto
A-list actor Kiefer Sutherland stars as a Hollywood star tricked into a pantomime.
“A panto-what??” asks Sutherland’s “temperamental” and older lead Brad Mack, who has hit a rough patch and whose manager has tricked him into thinking he’s starring in prestigious English theatre.
His Aladdin fellow actors let him know he’s playing Buttons. “Absolutely not,” he protests. It's easy to predict their response. That is, unless you’re unfamiliar with traditional British theatre traditions.
There are some hilarious moments, some heartwarming storylines, and the supporting actors is excellent, too.
It’s the kind of movie that would be a bit cheesy at a different time, but is a lot of fun at Christmas.
Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄🎄
A New Spin on Scrooge
A familiar face appears at the beginning of this film, too, calling someone a mug for the second consecutive movie. Could this be a fresh holiday staple?
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 The Big Bang Theory’s Kunal Nayyar and Christmas Karma is directed by Bend It Like Beckham’s Gurinder Chadha. The familiar story unfolds as the miserly Mr Sood is confronted by the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future, played by Hugh Bonneville, Billy Porter, and Boy George.
This cultural adaptation is at least different from all the others, but sadly he’s not very compelling and Nayyar’s acting is flat—a problem when he’s so the focal point.
Festive score: 🎄🎄
Lunchtime: Stuffed
There's just enough time for a network's Christmas comedy-drama—which stars Guz Khan as a charmingly cantankerous character who “doesn’t really do Christmas.”
But after he gets an sizable holiday payout at work, his wife (portrayed by Morgana Robinson) talks him into splurging the cash on a vacation to Lapland.
There’s just one issue—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 difference.
Enjoyable but forgettable.
Festive score: 🎄🎄
1.12pm - Champagne Problems
This is one of those holiday movies where the festive trappings are in the background—Christmas is the environment of the film rather than its core purpose—but it feels comfortable and seasonal all the same.
Driven corporate star Sydney (starring Minka Kelly) is sent to a country estate to negotiate a purchase for a sparkling wine company. On the way, she runs into a fellow in a bookshop who vows to show her a festive Paris.
An expert recently declared this is the finest new Christmas film of the recent era. That’s a bit of a overstatement, but it is a holiday love story with a hint of sophistication and gives the necessary heartwarming sensation.
The scene with a lengthy discussion about Die Hard is very good too.
Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄
A Charming Quest
Young Chris, played by Lenny Rush, continues to believe in Father Christmas, regardless of the attempts of his dad (played by James Buckley) to tell him otherwise.
The secret is to be discovered, and Chris embarks on a quest to find it with the guidance of a group of well-known scientists and personalities.
It’s gentle but endearing, and perfect viewing while waiting for Santa to visit.
Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄
Late Afternoon: Oh. What. Fun.
Michelle Pfeiffer is the mother of a dysfunctional 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 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 what this is, but in execution it’s really a combination of those aforementioned movies, at least until Pfeiffer’s character eventually takes center stage.
Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄
Evening: A Scottish Christmas Secret
The day’s gone downhill, but fortunately here’s a new entry in the crowded field of predictable, sentimental, cheesy—and strangely compelling—festive fodder.
It’s a narrative as well-worn: An American woman journeys to a picturesque cold country and ends up finding romance.
In this case, Caprice Bourret plays a publisher
