It is the season to relax on the sofa and devour a box of mince pies in front of a great film, a poor film, or one that’s so bad it’s good.
This year, a batch of new seasonal stories aims to become part of our holiday traditions—potentially even earning a place alongside beloved favorites 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 find the holiday mood, I binged as many new Christmas films as possible in a single day.
Beginning, hopefully, on a high. This release is the only 2025 title on a famous website's list of the top 100 Christmas movies of all time.
The Jonas Brothers find themselves stranded in the UK after wrapping up their international trek and must get home for Christmas. Their attempts are hindered by an villainous Saint Nick, who bursts into melody to announce they won’t get home until they “find their sibling bond.”
The repartee between the arguing trio is entertaining even for the casual viewer, while followers will undoubtedly notice lots of easter eggs as they try to get back using all transportation available.
It’s a journey of epic proportions.
It’s not a timeless masterpiece, but is great for fans 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.
A-list actor Kiefer Sutherland appears as a celebrity roped into a traditional British stage show.
“A panto-what?” asks Sutherland’s “temperamental” and aging action hero Brad Mack, who has hit a rough patch and whose agent has misled him into thinking he’s appearing in prestigious English theatre.
His pantomime cast-mates tell him he’s playing Buttons. “No I'm not,” he protests. It's easy to predict their response. Except if you’re not acquainted with traditional stage call-and-response.
There are some great jokes, some touching side stories, and the rest of the cast is excellent, too.
It’s the type of film that would be a bit tacky at another season, but is a lot of fun at Christmas.
Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄🎄
Danny Dyer pops up at the outset 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 encounters Mr Sood, the modern take on Mr Scrooge from Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.
Mr Sood is played by an actor from Kunal Nayyar and Christmas Karma is directed by the director of Gurinder Chadha. The well-known tale develops as the stingy 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 distinct from all the others, but unfortunately he’s not very charismatic and Nayyar’s performance is lifeless—a major flaw when he’s so central to everything.
Festive score: 🎄🎄
There’s time for a channel's holiday special—which stars Guz Khan as a lovably grouchy guy who “avoids Christmas.”
But after he receives an £8,000 Christmas bonus at work, his wife (starring Morgana Robinson) persuades him blowing the money on a holiday 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 devise a plan for how to pay back the difference.
Fun while it lasts but not lasting.
Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄
This is one of those holiday movies where the tree, fairy lights and snow are in the setting—Christmas is the scene of the film rather than its raison d’etre—but it feels warm and holiday-like all the same.
High-powered businesswoman Sydney (played by Minka Kelly) is sent to a country estate to negotiate a purchase for a sparkling wine company. En route, she runs into a guy in a book store who promises to show her a festive Paris.
A commentator recently declared this is the top new Christmas film of the past few years. That’s a bit of a stretch, but it is a Christmas romance with a touch of class and gives the obligatory cozy feelings.
The scene with a lengthy discussion about Die Hard is very good too.
Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄
Sixteen-year-old Chris, played by Lenny Rush, holds onto his belief in Father Christmas, regardless of the efforts of his dad (starring James Buckley) to tell him otherwise.
The answer is to be discovered, and Chris ventures forth to find it with the guidance of a team of well-known scientists and personalities.
It’s understated but sweet, and perfect viewing while anticipating Santa to visit.
Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄
Michelle Pfeiffer is the head of a dysfunctional American family who gather 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 saying: “They need to make a movie about the true heroes of the holidays—moms.”
So that’s the premise, but in practice it’s really a jumble of those inspirations, at least until Pfeiffer’s character at last finds her strength.
Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄
The day’s waned in quality, but fortunately here’s a new offering in the packed genre of predictable, sentimental, cheesy—and strangely compelling—holiday fare.
It’s a story as well-worn: An American woman travels to a picturesque cold country and ends up discovering romance.
In this case, Caprice Bourret plays a publisher
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