REVIEW: Jingle Bell Heist (2025 Film) - Starring Olivia Holt & Connor Swindells

Review by Jon Donnis

Michael Fimognari's 2025 Christmas romantic comedy, Jingle Bell Heist, is an entertaining if modest addition to the holiday film landscape. The story follows Sophie, a sharp-witted retail worker, and Nick, a repairman struggling to get his life back on track, as they team up for a risky scheme at one of London's most notorious department stores. Their uneasy partnership is full of charm and wit, and the film balances lighthearted romance with playful heist elements.

One of the film's strongest points is its casting. Olivia Holt shines as Sophie, bringing a bright and approachable energy that makes her immediately likeable. Connor Swindells provides a grounded counterpart in Nick, conveying both humour and vulnerability. Lucy Punch and Peter Serafinowicz add comic flair, rounding out a supporting cast that keeps the film lively and engaging. The chemistry between the ensemble helps the film remain watchable even when the story itself falters.

The festive setting is another highlight. London in December provides a perfect backdrop, with glittering department stores, bustling streets, and cosy interiors giving the film a genuine holiday feel. Small details, from Sophie's sharp remarks to the playful banter between the leads, add personality and make it an enjoyable watch in the lead-up to Christmas. The mixture of romantic comedy with light crime elements gives it a distinctive flavour, even if it never fully reaches the tension or excitement promised by a heist story.

However, the film has its weaknesses. The heist sequences, while amusing, lack suspense, and the overall story feels predictable. There is little real threat from the antagonists, and the script often prioritises romantic beats over action or intrigue. Sophie and Nick's relationship, while charming at moments, never quite sparks, and much of the story follows familiar patterns without surprising the audience. Direction and pacing are functional but never inspired, leaving the film hovering in the realm of average rather than memorable.

Overall, Jingle Bell Heist is a watchable and lighthearted film that delivers festive cheer and some genuine laughs, but it is too safe and predictable to stand out. The cast, particularly Holt and Swindells, carries it through weaker moments, making it a pleasant way to pass an evening without expecting anything more. I would give it a 6 out of 10: entertaining for a single viewing but unlikely to linger in memory.

Out on Netflix now!

REVIEW: Zootopia 2 (2025 Film) - Stars Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Shakira, Idris Elba, Alan Tudyk, Nate Torrence, Don Lake, Bonnie Hunt and Jenny Slate

Review by Jon Donnis

Walt Disney Animation Studios' "Zootopia 2" reunites audiences with Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde in a sequel that embraces both comedy and heart. Directed by Jared Bush and Byron Howard, this 2025 follow-up offers a fresh mystery centred on a cunning pit viper shaking up Zootopia. The film carries forward the spirit of the original while expanding the city's landscape and delving into more layered societal issues.

The plot sees Judy and Nick, newly partnered at the ZPD, navigating clashing personalities while attempting to crack the case of a mysterious reptile. Their investigation leads them to the Zootenial Gala, secret reptile enclaves, and the forgotten corners of Tundratown. The story's complexity is balanced with humour, clever dialogue, and tender moments, particularly as Judy and Nick confront the challenges of trust, partnership, and justice. Ke Huy Quan's Gary De'Snake brings unexpected warmth to the narrative, while Andy Samberg's Pawbert provides a mischievous foil.

One of Zootopia 2's strongest elements is its humour. It lands for all ages, with jokes that entertain children while sprinkling in winks adults can appreciate. The film also carries a resonant message about acceptance and recognising the contributions of those historically overlooked, echoing themes from the original but adding new depth. The animation remains top-notch, with vibrant cityscapes and lively character expressions that make the world feel lived-in and expansive.

However, the film is not without flaws. At over 1 hour 45 minutes, it feels a touch overlong for an animated feature, occasionally losing the brisk momentum that made the first film so engaging. While it does an admirable job of building on the original, it does not quite reach the same magic, leaving the original's sharpness slightly overshadowed.

Despite these minor issues, Zootopia 2 succeeds as a thoughtful, fun, and visually delightful sequel. It balances humour, adventure, and emotional stakes while offering a story that challenges its characters and, subtly, its audience. It is a full movie-going experience that families can enjoy together, packed with memorable moments and a meaningful message about moving forward while honouring the past.

Zootopia 2 is an excellent sequel that delivers on both laughs and heart. I score it a solid 9 out of 10.

Out Now in Cinemas

NEWS: Seasonal Thrills Land on LEGEND This December

By Jon Donnis

December on LEGEND feels packed to the rafters with action, cult favourites and a few welcome surprises. The channel is lining up nine premieres across the month, and it leans into the festive mood with a slate that swings from classic crime to sci fi chaos and full throttle adventure. Three heavy hitters from the nineties sit at the heart of it all. Mike Newell's Donnie Brasco with Al Pacino and Johnny Depp, Paul Verhoeven's wild alien invasion epic Starship Troopers, and Robert Rodriguez's stylish revenge tale Desperado with Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek and Quentin Tarantino.

Regular faces also get their moment. Steven Seagal steps into the spotlight with the crime revenge story The Asian Connection. Jason Statham brings his familiar grit to Wild Card. Christian Bale and Mark Wahlberg anchor the boxing drama The Fighter with the kind of intensity you would expect from the pair.

There is more to unwrap. Gerard Butler shows up in the fantasy adventure Gods of Egypt. Clive Owen and Naomi Watts pull viewers into global espionage in The International. Chris O'Donnell brings a hit of survival tension in Vertical Limit as he scales K2 in a desperate rescue.

If that is not enough, Charlie's Angels returns with the premiere of Season Four, landing weeknights at six from Thursday the fourth of December.

The schedule kicks off on Thursday the fourth at nine with The Asian Connection. Jack and Sam, two American expatriates, rob a run of banks in Southeast Asia without realising the cash belongs to a drug lord. The fallout is brutal. Sam is killed. Jack turns to Pom, the woman he loves, and the pair push back against the gang.

Saturday the sixth hits a similar beat of danger at nine with Wild Card. Jason Statham plays Nick Wild, a recovering gambling addict who sets out to punish the men who assaulted his friend. The hunt becomes messy once he discovers the man at the centre of it all has serious criminal backing.

A week later on Saturday the thirteenth at nine comes Gods of Egypt. Gods rule over mortals, but when a shift in power threatens the future of the land, a young god and a mortal stand against the usurper. Nikolaj Coster Waldau, Brenton Thwaites and Gerard Butler lead the charge.

Sunday the fourteenth at nine brings Donnie Brasco. Johnny Depp plays undercover FBI agent Joe Pistone, who slips into the mob under the name Donnie Brasco and earns the trust of Al Pacino's weary hitman Lefty Ruggiero. The deeper he goes, the more he realises he is blurring the line between duty and loyalty, and dragging Lefty towards a grim fate.

Thursday the eighteenth at nine shifts to conspiracy and corruption with The International. Clive Owen's Interpol agent Louis Salinger works with Manhattan Assistant DA Eleanor Whitman, played by Naomi Watts, as they attempt to expose a bank involved in financing global conflict. Their chase crosses continents as danger closes in.

Saturday the twentieth at nine raises the stakes once more with Vertical Limit. Chris O'Donnell's Peter Garrett climbs K2 to rescue his sister Annie and her team, trapped high above the point the human body can safely endure. Time is short and every climb could be their last.

Sunday the twenty first at nine delivers The Fighter, a true story centred on two brothers trying to claw their way toward a boxing title that might change their lives and heal their troubled family. Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale give the film its weight as they struggle to stay united.

After Christmas, Saturday the twenty seventh at nine brings Starship Troopers. Johnny Rico joins the mobile infantry in an attempt to impress his girlfriend Carmen who dreams of becoming a starship pilot. His motives are shaken after a tragic accident and he chooses to leave, only for Earth to come under attack by an intelligent alien species.

The month closes on Sunday the twenty eighth at nine with Desperado. Antonio Banderas returns as the mariachi who walks into a Mexican town with revenge on his mind. Salma Hayek, Steve Buscemi and Quentin Tarantino help bring the heat as he hunts the drug lord who destroyed his past.

It is quite the festive line up. A month of danger, adventure and nostalgia that should keep viewers busy right through to the new year.

TV: Sky 148 / Virgin 149 / Freeview 41 / Freesat 137

PREVIEW: Doctor Plague (2026 Film) - Starring Martin Kemp

Preview by Jon Donis

Martin Kemp might be battling bugs on I'm A Celeb right now, although his latest screen outing throws him into something far nastier. Doctor Plague is a fresh slice of horror that drops the pop icon into a grim hunt across London, where a masked figure stalks the streets with a taste for blood. Miracle Media brings the film to UK audiences on 12 January, and the first look sets quite a tone.

Kemp steps in as John Verney, a worn down detective who has seen far too much, yet somehow not enough to prepare him for this. A killer dressed like a seventeenth century plague doctor is carving through the city, leaving Verney to wonder if the threat is human or something far stranger. The Hollywood News calls the film a unique horror thriller with hints of The Wicker Man, which suits the uneasy atmosphere that hangs over every frame.

It is a sharp contrast to the jungle camp. Instead of clearing trials, Kemp finds himself racing through dark alleys while the mask of the plague doctor glints in the gloom. The question is whether Verney can survive long enough to unmask what is really happening. He is a celebrity after all, so you cannot help hoping he escapes before the clock runs out.

The trailer is ready to view and sets the stage for what looks like a chilling start to the new year.

Doctor Plague is on UK digital 12 January from Miracle Media

REVIEW: Wicked: For Good (2025 Film) - Starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande

Review by Jon Donnis

Wicked: For Good arrives with the weight of expectation on its shoulders, picking up the second act of the stage musical and the story left hanging at the end of the 2024 film. Jon M. Chu once again leans into spectacle, and you can feel the confidence of a director who knows this world inside out. The film looks gorgeous. Every frame seems shaped to draw you deeper into Oz, from the shadowed forests where Elphaba hides to the polished glow of the Emerald City. When the music swells, the production finds its stride. Big show tunes fill the space with energy and feeling, and the film wears its heart on its sleeve with numbers about loyalty, love, and the price of standing firm.

Cynthia Erivo carries the whole thing with remarkable presence. She gives Elphaba real depth, and you can feel every bit of frustration and heartbreak as she fights for the truth and tries to keep hold of whatever hope she has left. Jonathan Bailey gives Fiyero a warmth that helps ground the darker moments, and Jeff Goldblum breezes from charm to menace without ever slipping out of place. The returning ensemble fits neatly into this larger, heavier chapter. Fans of the first film will probably sink straight back into it, pleased to find much of the original tone still intact.

That said, the cracks show. The film sits at 2 hours and 18 minutes, and you feel every minute of it. For all the time it spends lingering on detail, the ending somehow rushes by in a blur. It leaves you wondering why the pacing could not have been tightened in the earlier acts. Ariana Grande's Glinda never quite settles either. Her performance feels oddly muted in a story that demands a far stronger emotional punch from her character. The film tries to recapture the magic of its predecessor, although the first one was not exactly beloved across the board. That comparison ends up highlighting the weaker moments here. There is spectacle, yes, but that spark that lifts a musical into something truly memorable never fully appears.

There is a sense throughout that the studio wanted lightning to strike twice. The first film drew huge attention thanks to relentless promotion. This one feels like an attempt to follow that momentum rather than create something that stands on its own. Whether that pays off remains to be seen. It could settle comfortably into fan favourite territory, or it could fade beneath the inevitable chatter about sequel fatigue.

Wicked: For Good will please viewers who already loved the first film, and they may even find it adds emotional weight to moments they already cared about. Beyond that crowd, it may struggle to justify its length or its timing. Even so, I would still give it a generous 7 out of 10.

In Cinemas Now!