Movie #2186 ........................."Lights, Camera, Christmas" (hallmark)

Movie #2186 "Lights, Camera, Christmas" this is a little different from others  because most of it is in retrospect. In the framework of this film the producer, Director, actors, and costumer sit  on   the DAIS discussing how the film was put together. As they do that, they show what the film people are doing in a flashback and that's how important moments and the plot are shown.  It is very entertaining the way it is told, and the female actors are strong. I just had trouble with the "king of movie Christmas ". He was just too full of himself to be worthy of her love by the end of the movie. And then the  ending was really too fast to make it authentic or poignant. But I would give it a 4.

"LIGHTS, CAMERA, CHRISTMAS'                 2022

It follows Kerry as she steps in as a costumer for a holiday rom-com movie shooting in her town. She rediscovers her passion for costume design and finds herself falling for Brad, the film's leading man.

Director: David Weaver

Writer: Gary Goldstein 

Actors: Kimberley Sustad, John Brotherton

Movie #2185 ........................".Magical Christmas Village"(Hallmark)

 Movie #2185 "Magical Christmas Village" maybe because I watched this one in pain (just got back from urgent care and trying to keep my mind off the pain of my now broken right wrist ) or I watched it with DAVE so I was even more aware of the many flaws it had, but this one I did not care for ;the actors are two of my favorites, and they try to overcome the script's  flaws, but still didn't win me over. Marlo's make up was a bit harsh that made her look cartoonish so that didn't help. And then, of course ,that magical village that seems to forecast what is to happen – that just turned out to be a burden forcing characters to ask "want to skate? "just out of the blue. Finally, the conflict seems to come out of the blue, too. So  this one you don't need to see . 3

'MAGICAL CHRISTMAS VILLAGE'     2022

It follows Summer's life as her mother Vivian and daughter Chloe move in with her. Vivian sets up  a miniature Christmas village.  As Chloe begins setting up the figurines, real-life events seem to mimic the scenes she creates.

Director: Jason Furukawa

Writer: Melissa Salmons

Actors:  Alison Sweeney, Luke Macfarlane, Marlo Thomas 

Movie #2184......................... " Christmas Bedtime Stories" (Hallmark)

 Movie #2184" Christmas Bedtime  Stories "  - ERIN CAHILL is a strong lead, and the possible boyfriend guy in this film is another one of my favorites. He brings humor and a dynamic personality into a film that is really about grieving. This film gives a good portrait of what goes on in a frozen life full of wondering and waiting over a husband missing in action. . At the three- year mark this mother seems ready to move on, but is she? She starts to question that when at Christmas time her daughter starts to ask for bedtime stories about her daddy, and the mother begins  to see the stories as possible signs. The ending is emotional and totally Hallmark. 3.8 out of five.  

Left to raise her daughter alone after her husband goes MIA and is presumed dead, Danielle starts to tell her daughter bedtime stories about her father.

Director:  Alyssa Leite-Rogers

Writers:  Andrea Canning, Nancy Grace, Josh Sabarra

Actors: Erin Cahill, Steve Lund

Movie #2182 ........................."A Kismet Christmas" (Hallmark 2022)

 Movie #2182 "A Kismet Christmas" (Hallmark 2022)  A children's lit writer uses a gimmick from her  grandma  --- Kismet cookies --- as the catalyst to super hero qualities in her heroes.  In reality (well, at least to Hallmark) the cookies are  supposed to have some super powers of their own --- if you took one and put it under your pillow, you would dream of your true love.  Okay...... that's a bit farfetched, but it is something you have to buy in the film.  I don't usually like films based on something like that, but it works for this film because it is only used a little bit --- it comes in when it has to, in order to make the film end.  Anyway, (can you tell this is a complex plot?) she comes home for Christmas and meets up with her old buddy (as a kid) and his adorable daughter, who happens to be an obsessive fan of the writer.  A lot to suspend belief for here, but really a cute film because all the characters are winsome, smart (everyone knows the reference to kismet~!)  and fun-loving and funny!  By the end I kind of wanted to find the recipe for this magic cookies.  I'd give this a 4 out of 5 and recommend it.

"A KISMET CHRISTMAS"    2022         1 hour and 24 mins

It tells the story of Sarah, a children's book author who returns to her hometown where she reconnects with her family and her teenage crush.  She soon discovers that a family legend might actually be true.

Director:  Mark Jean

Writer:  Betsy Morris

Actors:  Sarah Ramos, Carlo Marks, Rubi Tupper

Movie #2181 ........................."Jingle Bell Ride:" (Hallmark)

Movie #2181 "Jingle Bell Ride" (Hallmark)  here's what is different about this film --- it takes place in Alaska and the male lead's voice is to die for ---- he has a great voice and it kept me watching it, even through all the silly maneuvers the film uses to keep her in this very cold place while she is missing a  (clingy, famous ) major client's last few days of wedding planning.   The two leads lacked a lot of chemistry between them (to me) but I did like that the guy was willing to move for her and her job.  That's a big shift, no?  I'd give this a 3.5 -- not very memorable.

"JINGLE BELL BRIDE"     2020    1 hour and 24 mins

Wedding planner Jessica Perez travels to a remote town in Alaska to find a rare flower for a celebrity client and is charmed by the small town during Christmas, as well as the handsome local helping her.

Director:  Allan Harmon

Writers:  Marcy Holland, Scarlet Wilson (based on her book)

Actors:  Julie Gonzalo, Ronnie Rowe

MOVIE #2180 ........................."We Need A Little Christmas" (Hallmark 2022)

 Movie #2180 "We Need a Little Christmas" (Hallmark 2022)  If you can get through the ending of this one without shedding a tear of happiness, you are a better person than I.  You also have to buy into the very caring  Mrs. Doubtfire- kind -of -neighbor that  the esteemed broadway/film actress Ms. Whitfield plays here --- it works for the little boy right out of the gate --- his heart isn't into being engaged in life very much, he's wounded by grief, and this wonderful neighbor observes that from the get go and well, gets him going.  The rest is ....the film!  Mom seems in the background for a while, dealing with her own grief, but she's fine once she comes out from under.  And the two other real stars of the film, besides the neighbor, are the little boy with doe eyes that MAKE you wonder what's going on in his mind, and the very ,very nice guy who hires the grief-stricken mom to redo his restaurant, when he really doesn't have to --- he looks and acts very normal (for a Hallmark movie) and he's so believable, which helps us to believe the other stuff that is going on.  Let's just say this film ends the way you'd want it to --- and isn't that what Christmas is all about?   I'd give this a 4.5 and call it a winner so far in the new batch!  Highly recommend.

"WE NEED A LITTLE CHRISTMAS"   2022 Hallmark    

Facing her first Christmas as a single mother, Julie develops an unexpected friendship with an older neighbor.

Director:  Kevin Fair

Writers:  Graham Locke, Angela Mancuso

Actors:  Erica Durance, Lynn Whitfield, Patrick Sabongui, Azriel Dalman (the little kid)

MOVIE #2179 ........................."ONE ROYAL HOLIDAY" (HALLMARK )

MOVIE #2179 "ONE ROYAL HOLIDAY" (HALLMARK)  I liked this one a lot, but I didn't think I would because I had seen a scene from it and thought it was a bit stilted and stiff so when it came up in the schedule, I blew by it.  I wanted to give it another try because of the two theatre actors in it --- Osnes and Tveit, both Broadway stars.  Anyway, it was a bit farfetched at the outset because it dealt with a royal family from some European country stranded here in the U.S. during the holidays, and this young daughter of the owner of an inn invites them for the holidays --- farfetched, right?  Even moreso than usual for Hallmark.  And the film relies on the conflict of the weather --- it becomes laughable, even to the actors at just how often that intrudes on the calendar for the royals.  But, in its defense, it shows a lot of "heart" in it, once you buy into the first above-mentioned hurdle.  And the end was reminiscent of the "Shall We Dance" one in "King and I" that I'm always a sucker for.  And the film allows them both to sing, too --- there could have been even more of that, in my opinion, because these two are broadway musical people!  So I enjoyed them working together and doing the "Perfect Royal Waltz" through the film. I'd give its 4 out of 5.

"ONE ROYAL HOLIDAY"      2020      1 hour and 25 minutes    

When Anna offers a stranded mother and son shelter in a blizzard, she learns that they are the Royal Family of Galwick.  Anna shoes the Prince how they do Christmas in her hometown, encouraging him to open his heart and be true to himself.

Director:  Dustin Rikert

Writers:  Julie Sherman Wolfe

Actors:  Laura Ones,    Aaron Tveit