‘Tis the time of year to relax on the sofa and consume a tin of festive treats in front of a terrific flick, a poor film, or one that’s terrible yet terrific.
Once again, a batch of fresh holiday movies strives to join part of our seasonal watchlist—potentially even earning a place alongside timeless staples like Home Alone, Elf, Love Actually, and Die Hard (we won’t debate it).
Therefore, in a noble effort to distinguish the gems from the coal, and to get into the holiday mood, I binged as many fresh holiday releases as possible in a single day.
Beginning, hopefully, on a high. This is the exclusive 2025 movie on a well-known aggregator's list of the top 100 festive features of all time.
The musical trio find themselves stranded in the UK after wrapping up their world tour and must return for Christmas. Their endeavors are thwarted by an villainous Saint Nick, who breaks into song to state they won’t get home until they “find their familial spark.”
The banter between the arguing trio is entertaining even for the uninitiated, while fans will certainly 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 an all-time classic, but is excellent for fans and a good start to the day.
Holiday verdict: 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄 for Jonas Brothers fans or 🎄🎄🎄 for their loved ones who must sit through it.
Hollywood star Kiefer Sutherland appears as a Hollywood star cast a "panto".
“A what's a panto??” asks Sutherland’s “hard-to-work-with” and older lead Brad Mack, who has fallen on hard times and whose agent has tricked him into thinking he’s appearing in high-class London stage.
His pantomime co-stars inform him he’s playing Buttons. “Oh 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 cockle-warming storylines, and the ensemble is cracking, too.
It’s the type of film that would be a bit naff at another season, but is a highly enjoyable at Christmas.
Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄🎄
An actor shows up at the outset of this film, too, insulting someone for the next movie straight. Might this become a budding festive ritual?
This time, he’s a musical taxi operator who collects 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 Bend It Like Beckham’s Gurinder Chadha. The classic narrative progresses 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 Indian Scrooge is at least different from all the others, but regrettably he’s not very captivating and Nayyar’s portrayal is lifeless—a significant issue when he’s so the main character.
Festive score: 🎄🎄
There's just enough time for a major broadcaster's holiday special—which stars Guz Khan as a lovably grouchy guy who “isn't big on Christmas.”
But after he receives an large festive windfall at work, his wife (portrayed by Morgana Robinson) talks him into splurging the cash on a family trip to Lapland.
There’s just one snag—he discovers there was an mix-up with his bonus, which should have been £800, and he has to devise a plan for how to pay back the difference.
Enjoyable but forgettable.
Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄
This is one of those holiday movies where the decorations and snow are in the setting—Christmas is the scene of the film rather than its core purpose—but it feels comfortable and seasonal all the same.
Ambitious executive Sydney (starring Minka Kelly) is sent to a French chateau to do a deal for a champagne business. En route, she encounters a man in a literary haven who offers to show her Christmas in Paris.
An expert recently declared this is the best new Christmas film of the recent era. That’s a bit of a stretch, but it is a Christmas romance with a touch of class and gives the required warm and fuzzy feels.
The scene with a extended debate about Die Hard is notable too.
Christmas tree rating: 🎄🎄🎄
Teenage 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 embarks on a quest to find it with the assistance of a panel of well-known experts and celebrities.
It’s understated but endearing, and good viewing while expecting Santa to visit.
Festive score: 🎄🎄🎄
Michelle Pfeiffer is the mother 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 begins by referencing 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 real champions of the holidays—moms.”
So that’s the concept, but in practice it’s really a jumble of those forerunner films, at least until Pfeiffer’s character eventually takes center stage.
Festive score: 🎄🎄
The day’s waned in quality, but happily here’s a new entry in the crowded field of cliched, saccharine, over-the-top—and strangely compelling—holiday fare.
It’s a tale as well-worn: An American woman travels to a far-off wintery locale and ends up discovering romance.
In this case, Caprice Bourret plays a publisher
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