Christmas 2025 is here! In our list of holiday picks, the Loud and Clear Reviews writers recommend 15 movies to watch this year, from classic films to new releases!
The holidays are fast approaching and you know what it means: it’s time to take a look at which movies to watch for Christmas 2025! The Loud And Clear Reviews team has you covered, with a list of 15 very different films. Our recommendations include festive classics to new releases and unexpected gems, giving you some inspiration for this year’s festivities. Each movie is recommended by a different writer, and the list is in alphabetical order. Happy holidays!
1. A Very Jonas Christmas Movie
Director: Jessica Yu
Recommended by: Bethany Lola
A Very Jonas Christmas Movie may just be the cheesiest film of the year, which makes it one of the most perfect watches for this festive season. All three Jonas Brothers (Nick, Joe and Kevin) play themselves in a fictional story about the trio trying to return home to their families in time for Christmas Day when everything just keeps going wrong. Nothing is as it seems, though, as Santa has been toying with them, putting them all on the naughty list, and changing the direction of their train so they miss their flight home.
Think silly performances from every character and a couple of new Christmassy songs from the Jo Bros to add to their busy stack of music. But whilst it’s a laughable script, it showcases the importance of family and being there for your siblings. Even if you aren’t a fan of the band, there are cameos from Will Ferrell, Andrew Barth Feldman, KJ Apa and Laverne Cox so there’s something in A Very Jonas Christmas Movie for everyone!
2. Bad Santa
Director: Terry Zwigoff
Recommended by: Emma Vine
It’s that festive time of year again, when families gather around the fire with hot chocolate in hand and Christmas movies take over our screens. So what better to watch than a black comedy about an unconventional Santa far from the jolly, fun-loving figure we’ve grown accustomed to?
I’m talking about 2003’s Bad Santa: this film was an absolute staple during my teen years, and for good reason. It’s far from a classic Christmas movie in terms of subject matter, but it’s a laugh-out-loud, edgy comedy that feels like a breath of fresh air.
With the help of his assistant Marcus (Tony Cox), a man named Willie (Billy Bob Thornton) robs shopping malls around Christmas. How do they get away with it, you may ask? Each year, Willie makes sure to get hired at a department store so the conniving pair can pull off the deed. The issue, however, is that Willie is far from the warm and fuzzy type with the children eager to see Santa, and he’s not exactly the sort of person you’d expect to be hired for this role.
Billy Bob Thornton is brilliant as always, and his performance is what truly makes this film so great. This is definitely a movie you’ll want to indulge in, though due to some racy scenes, you may want to save it for a viewing when grandma isn’t around!
3. Black Christmas
Director: Bob Clark
Recommended by: Edgar Ortega
The Pi Kappa Sigma sorority is settling in for the holidays. However, the house starts receiving obscene phone calls from a stranger whom the girls nickname “the moaner.” As the calls get increasingly personal towards Jess (Olivia Hussey), exposing her unwanted pregnancy, members of the sorority go missing. The police become involved in what quickly becomes a game of cat and mouse, trying to determine who the stalker is.
Thematically, Black Christmas (1974) is ahead of its time. It talks about abortion and the constant fight women find themselves in, attempting to retain control over their bodies, while the men in their lives—a paranoid boyfriend, and a literal serial killer—torment them. This ties back to why, at its core, Black Christmas is such a great seasonal picture. From crowded rooms where people can barely hear each other talk to the chilly atmosphere that juxtaposes the killer’s cold-hearted murders, and the inner-conflict that emerges as a result of the poor decisions made in a calendar year, it utilizes the aesthetic and anxiety that come with the holidays to explore its ideas.
Watching Black Christmas, you can also spot the hand Bob Clark’s classic has had in slashers since then. The mysterious killer operating in the shadows, POV shots from the killer’s perspective, the constant provocative calls, and the final girl. Black Christmas may not have invented these from scratch, but it perfected the formula for what would become the modern slasher. If you’d like to be thrilled this holiday season and see what helped kickstart the “golden age” of the subgenre in the ’70s and ’80s, Black Christmas might just be for you.
4. Carol
Director: Todd Haynes
Recommended by: Sebastian Zavala
Based on Patricia Highsmith’s “The Price of Salt”, Todd Haynes’ Carol is set between 1952 and 1953 in New York City, and tells the story of the wealthy Carol Aide (a magnetic Cate Blanchett) and department store worker Therese Belivet (a subtle Rooney Mara), who develop an immediate connection when they meet on Christmas Eve. The film might not be a traditional Christmas experience, and it’s certainly one you wouldn’t watch with the entire family, but thanks to its Holiday setting, dreamy tone, and effective romance, it has gradually been transforming into a cult classic since its release ten years ago.
Blanchett and Mara are great, cinematography and costuming are simply gorgeous, with the latter looking both appropriate for the time and aesthetically pleasing, and although the relationship between the protagonists does have to be kept as a sort of secret, both from society in general and from Carol’s husband Harge (Kyle Chandler) in particular, the film never turns into a full-blown tragedy.
And I believe that’s where Carol‘s secret lies: it’s romantic without being cheesy, and its central conflict works without turning the experience into pure melodrama. Carol is the kind of film that should make viewers feel cosy and warm while being totally different from any other Christmas movie, and that’s why I’m recommending it for this year’s Holiday season.
5. Christmas Eve in Miller’s Point
Director: Tyler Taormina
Recommended by: Joseph Tomastik
I really like Christmas Eve in Miller’s Point. I also can’t think of anyone I know for sure would like it. The film is about a large family who gathers for their annual Christmas Eve party. Later, the teens sneak out for a gathering in town of their own. And… that’s the movie. Oh, there are issues brought up, like the elderly matriarch possibly going into a home, but they come and go with no setup or payoff. There’s barely a story here; it’s just a collection of moments across one Christmas Eve. Why would I recommend this, then? Because Christmas Eve in Miller’s Point is the epitome of holiday vibes. You get all the light-filled wintery scenery, elegant housing with something happening in every room, substantial or meaningless conversations, and pure emotions that so many of us remember at Christmas, especially growing up.
But as an adult, you also recognize the greater complications that either come from or are highlighted by such a supposedly festive time, most of which wouldn’t be resolved by the night’s end. I look at this film less like a story and more like a snapshot of life and memories. The details are specific enough to make you care about this cast of characters, but they’re vague enough for anyone to find some connection to their own life. I can’t stress enough that you’ll have an equal chance of liking or disliking the movie. But if you’re intrigued by what you’ve read here, Christmas Eve in Miller’s Point may be the same cozy fireplace holiday gem it recently became for me.
6. Feast of the Seven Fishes
Director: Robert Tinnell
Recommended by: Alise Chaffins
You might know Skyler Gisondo from his role as Jimmy Olsen in Superman or as Gideon in The Righteous Gemstones, but in 2019, he played the lead in a West Virginia-based Christmas movie, Feast of the Seven Fishes. This is a sweet and touching story about knowing when to lean into your family and when to break away.
The story follows an Italian family living in West Virginia. Tony (Skyler Gisondo) wants to be an artist, but he settles for working at his family’s store. It is almost Christmas Eve, where his relatives are about to prepare their annual feast of the seven fishes, an Italian-American Catholic tradition on Christmas Eve, where families prepare a number of seafood dishes to celebrate the end of the fast of meat before Christmas Day. The huge event causes Tony to think about what he wants to do with his life.
The movie is a beautiful examination of what it means to want something more than what you feel you’re allowed to pursue. Sometimes we can put our lives on hold because of the expectations of others, and Feast of the Seven Fishes reminds us that it is not only good, but important to seek out the things that make us happy.
7. The Holdovers
Director: Alexander Payne
Recommended by: Roberto Tyler Ortiz
If you want something that is rough around the edges but is also very warm and funny, The Holdovers is a perfect Christmas watch. It follows Paul Hunham (Paul Giamatti), a cranky boarding school teacher who gets stuck staying on campus with the kids who aren’t going home for the holidays. It’s a painfully awkward situation that turns into this oddly sweet little trio made up of Paul, Angus (Dominic Sessa), and Mary (Da’Vine Joy Randolph), all of them carrying their own hurts and having nothing but each other.
The movie has this old-school 70s look that makes it feel instantly familiar and nostalgic, like something you’ve grown up with even if it just came out. And the performances are what make it special: Giamatti is at his funniest and most vulnerable, Randolph brings so much heart she practically glows, and Sessa’s powerful and comedic performance makes him shine in almost every scene. It’s a movie that just feels like a future Christmas classic. If you’re craving something heartfelt that still has bite, this one’s perfect for a cozy December night.
8. It’s A Wonderful Life
Director: Frank Capra
Recommended by: Jack Walters
There are very few holiday movies that have stood the test of time quite as formidably as Frank Capra’s It’s A Wonderful Life. This warm, sentimental drama tells the story of a working man who loses his sense of purpose after falling into financial ruin, and the ambitious angel from heaven who reminds him just how priceless life truly is. While its snowy backdrops and festive set pieces cement it as a Christmas classic, what really sets Capra’s film apart from the crowd is the powerful, undeniable message of love and family that pulsates through its narrative.
The holiday season is a time to celebrate what life has blessed us with, not get caught up with the stress and dissatisfaction of everyday life, and there aren’t many stories that express this sentiment quite as simply and succinctly as It’s A Wonderful Life. It’s also bolstered by an all-time great performance from James Stewart, whose character George Bailey goes on such a bold and transformative journey throughout the film that makes the emotional ending feel all the more earned and impactful.
9. L.A. Confidential
Director: Curtis Henson
Recommended by: Philip Bagnall
Three cops. Nothing in common. One big mystery. The hook of L.A. Confidential is simple, but Curtis Hanson’s magnificent neo-noir keeps you watching with its increasingly elaborate narrative twists and first-rate production values. In adapting the labyrinthine third part of James Ellroy’s L.A. Quartet, Hanson and co-writer Brian Helgeland wisely focus on character over plot beats. Let the mystery wash over you, and you find yourself enveloped in the increasing danger surrounding Officer White (Russell Crowe), Sgt. Vincennes (Kevin Spacey) and Lt. Exley (Guy Pearce).
The film opens on Christmas Eve, with a jail brawl between cops and prisoners exposing a few hints of corruption in the LAPD. By the time L.A. Confidential ends, we and our leads get dragged through multiple homicides, drug deals and land grabs, all involving the city’s boys in blue. For all the darkness of the plot, Hanson’s film never feels needlessly violent or seedy. The production design and cinematography make Los Angeles sparkle. Meanwhile, the classy cast charm their way in and out of trouble, not least Kim Basinger in her Academy Award-winning turn as Lynn, the high-class call girl who may be the only person in the whole city not lying to herself.L.A. Confidential is a slick, savage and supremely entertaining throwback to noir’s heyday, worthy of mention in the same breath as Chinatown or The Big Sleep.
10. Metropolitan
Director: Whit Stillman
Recommended by: Hayley Croke
Metropolitan follows New York City native Tom Townsend (Edward Clements) as he gets caught up in the social circle of Manhattan’s upper echelon. After a debutante ball, Tom is swept into a taxi by a group of young socialites, insistent that he come to join their after-party. After making a good impression with one of the debs, Tom suddenly finds himself becoming a brand new fixture in young Manhattan’s high society. While Tom adamantly stands against what this group of young debutants and their spoiled seasonal escorts represent, he cannot help but become intoxicated by their lifestyle and slowly loses himself in their sparkling reality.
While other holiday films have worked tirelessly to show the magic of Christmas time in New York City, Metropolitan aims to remove the audience’s rose colored glasses and look plainly at the reality of what it’s like to try and align yourself with Manhattan’s most elite. Whit Stillman’s debut feature, which earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay, is a hilarious, bleak and nuanced look at how easily we may abandon our sense of self when the promise of a better life is on the table.
Stillman’s film feels like a blend of Brat Pack nostalgia set against the social circle from Succession – or maybe more so the social circle of the Roy children when they were home on winter break from college. The heart of this Christmas cult classic, however, lies in its self-aware analysis of adolescent anxiety and sensitive handling of its characters’ journeys to finding themselves amongst the glitz and glam of the Upper West Side.
11. The Night Before
Director: Jonathan Levine
Recommended by: Keeley Brooks
I prefer my holiday movies witty, funny, and a bit raunchy, which is why The Night Before (2015) is this year’s recommendation. It features the most hilarious midnight mass scene ever written. Learn from my mistakes and refrain from eating and drinking as that moment plays out. I don’t want you to choke.
Every year on Christmas Eve, lifelong buds Isaac (Seth Rogen), Ethan (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), and Chris (Anthony Mackie) get together to celebrate another year of friendship. This year, as Isaac prepares to become a first-time father, they know their tradition is coming to an end, so they plan to go out with a bang, in a most memorable night of debauchery.
This fun, well-intentioned holiday story is full of hysterical stoner humor and relatable perspectives, particularly about friendships facing the realities of adulthood. The laughs are so big, some demand a pause to catch your breath. And, in addition to the standout performances from Jillian Bell and Michael Shannon, you’ll fall in love with the chemistry between Rogen and his co-stars. You’ll feel all warm and fuzzy … right before you go back to revisit those gut-bursting scenes.
12. Pillion
Director: Harry Lighton
Recommended by: Serena Seghedoni
The BDSM rom-com of the year hasn’t even had a wide release everywhere and yet it has already received widespread acclaim, having completed a very successful festival run and won several awards including a BIFA for Best British Independent Film.
Harry Lighton’s Pillion is often described as a gay rom-com between a young directionless man and the mysterious, handsome biker who takes him on as his submissive after an unusual meet-cute. While that would sum up its premise quite well, Pillion is, at its core, a film about two men and their individual journeys: Colin (Harry Melling) is a little lost when he meets Ray (Alexander Skarsgård), but by the end of the film, he finds out not only what he wants, but also what he’s worth. And then there’s Ray, who hasn’t exactly mastered relationships as well as he thinks he has, and whose search for healing has only just begun.
I wouldn’t describe Pillion as a rom-com, but this is definitely a story of love, and, above all, self-love. It’s quite a tragic movie, but also a hopeful and compassionate one that brilliantly subverts stereotypes to make fun of our our own bias and fully deliver its message. Pillion is many things, and it’s also a Christmas movie, not only because it takes place during the holidays but also for its core values. Ahead of its wide release early next year, it’s currently being screened theatrically in several countries and you should definitely watch it if you can!
13. Scrooge
Director: Ronald Neame
Recommended by: Joe Botten
In my house, the holiday season isn’t complete without some version of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol”. Whether it’s the beloved 1951 classic with Alastair Sim, the delightfully irreverent Scrooged, or the endlessly charming Muppet Christmas Carol, the story must make an appearance. But the adaptation I return to most often is 1970’s Scrooge, a sumptuous musical that deserves far more attention than it receives.
Leslie Bricusse adapted the screenplay and composed a dozen original songs, earning an Oscar nomination for his efforts. The man knows how to craft an earworm—good luck getting the nominated “Thank You Very Much” out of your head for days afterward. The production design is equally impressive, with sprawling Victorian sets that feel authentic and immersive.
The cast elevates the material considerably. Albert Finney delivers a magnificent turn as Ebenezer Scrooge, remarkably convincing as a bitter man in his 60s despite being only 34 at the time. Dame Edith Evans brings stern authority to the Ghost of Christmas Past, balanced perfectly against Kenneth Moore’s jovial Christmas Present. And while Sir Alec Guinness reportedly didn’t enjoy the production, you’d never know it from his haunting portrayal of Jacob Marley.
What makes Scrooge resonate so deeply is how well director Ronald Neame understood Dickens’ underlying message. The story requires darkness before transformation, and this British production embraces those uncomfortable beats rather than softening them. As I’ve grown older, I find myself moved most by those quiet moments near the end when Scrooge recognizes not just what he’s doing, but who he’s becoming. That’s the magic Dickens embedded in his tale, and Scrooge captures it beautifully.
14. The Umbrellas of Cherbourg
Director: Jacques Demi
Recommended by: Clotilde Chinnici
Set in the titular French city, The Umbrellas of Cherbourg is the story of two young lovers, Geneviève Émery (Catherine Deneuve) and Guy Foucher (Nino Castelnuovo). 17-years-old Geneviève lives and works with her mother who runs a small umbrella boutique in Cherbourg. Despite her mother’s concerns and lack of approval, Geneviève continues seeing Guy, a young auto mechanic. The couple’s plans for the future and undying love must face reality when Guy is drafted for the Algerian War and the two are separated against their will.
Not only does the film’s iconic final scene take place on Christmas’ Eve but the overall aesthetic of the movie also contributes to make it an ideal watch during the festivities. Its snowy backdrop easily evokes the feeling of a magical white Christmas and snow-filled winter days that many of us might be hoping to see in the days ahead. Its themes are also commonly found in Christmas movies: loneliness, lost love, and the importance of family all feature prominently in this story. If you want to watch a film over the holidays that is not overtly festive or filled with Christmas movie clichés, The Umbrellas of Cherbourg might be the perfect film for you.
15. Winter in Sokcho
Director: Koya Kamura
Recommended by: Scott Wilson
This gorgeously shot film is replete with blues and whites found only on the crispest winter mornings. In the guest house where Soo-Ha (Bella Kim) works, there are warm bowls of food for those sheltering from the cold.
But melancholia is as present as cosiness during the darkest months of the year. When a French artist, Yan (Roschdy Zem), appears one day, Soo-Ha begins dwelling on her absent father, who she knows little about other than his French nationality. Yan awakens a longing in her to know more about this missing figure, and about this cultural half of her identity.
Soo-Ha’s introspection and isolation are central to the film. Her mum (Park Mi-hyeon) tells her to eat more in one breath, while telling her to get plastic surgery in another; Soo-Ha is always in-between. Anyone who’s ever returned home for Christmas dinner only to be dissected by their family can relate.
The sense that something is missing is present for many people at Christmas, and Winter in Sokcho is about feeling incomplete. Emotional burdens don’t take a break just because it’s the holidays. But winter inevitably turns to spring, and for Soo-Ha, the world’s reawakening coincides with her chance to make her life truly her own.
Christmas 2025 – More Movies to Watch
- Arthur Christmas
- Boxing Day
- Cash for Gold
- Catch Me if You Can
- Goodbye June
- Happiest Season
- Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey
- Love Actually
- National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
- Oh. What. Fun.
- The Merchants of Joy
- Silent Night, Deadly Night