Movie#2190 ........................."Merry Measure" (Hallmark)

 Movie #2190 "Merry Measure" (Hallmark)  the girl is almost too big for the movie and she seems to be a professional singer so she was somebody different to watch. The guy is one of my favorites BRENDAN  PENNY. They both met in a cutesy way, bordering on hatred for each other that existed way back when they were kids in music competition. The girl was a one- hit wonder while the guy became a music teacher for h.s.kids. While continuing to be snarky to each other, they end up having to work together ,of course. Most of the love stuff we've seen before, and it is hard to buy because it starts out so passionately full of hate, but I like that there were high school kids in the film that showed enthusiasm and talent when getting fast positive feedback, and that competition was played down and trumped by "just have fun". But I esp. liked that the football coach  was the smartest one in the room. It had a nice ending, and I give it a four.  P.s.  Patti Murin playing the lead girl here was on Broadway playing Anna in "Frozen" when we saw it --- 

"MERRY MEASURE"  2022

It follows Darcy as she returns home to spend Christmas with her sister and niece and unexpectedly finds herself coaching the high school choir with her one time Rival, Adam.

Director:   Pul Elle

Writer:  Russell Hainline

Actors: Paatti Murink Brendan Penny

Movie #2189 ........................."WINDOW WONDERLAND" (HALLMARK)

 Movie #2189 "WINDOW WONDERLAND" WHAT A FIND THIS ONE IS! I GUESS I MISSED THIS BACK IN 2013, AND I'M GLAD I GOT TO SEE IT LAST NIGHT.   IT HAS ONE OF MY FAVORITE GUYS, PAUL CAMPBELL, AS ONE OF TWO ARCHITECTS WHO ARE COMPETING FOR WINDOW DRESSING a big fancy department store like Macy's.  The film covers competition, architecting, following your passion, treating everyone equally, and the artistry even in window dressing. It made me think about everyone who has to do that at Christmas time, and now I know a little bit about what goes into it. Add humor and  a nice believable love story that grows in the film, and you have a five in a Hallmark movie. I like this one a lot and recommend it.  5 

"WINDOW WONDERLAND"                2013    1 hour and 30 mins

A department store window decorator learns there is a vacancy for her dream  job in the run- up to Christmas only to find a professional rival has his eye on the job, too.

Director: Michael M. Scott

Writer:  Tippi D0brofsky, Neal H. Dobrofsky

Actors:  Chyler Leigh, Paul Campbell, Naomi Ju

Movie #2188 ........................."MERRY SWISSMISS" (Lifetime)

Movie #2188 "MERRY SWISSMISS" (Lifetime)  this one had a beautiful chalet, that was supposed to be in Switzerland, and a strong female lead in Jodie Sweetin. However, the male lead was very quiet and unassuming – so there was a lack of energy there. His little boy was adorable so that helped him out. This one was even more far-fetched than others because they were both supposed to be getting ready for the open house but we never saw them really doing anything. They just kept showing us the beauties of Switzerland, but it wasn't really filmed in Switzerland. So the film was full of a lot of angst between the lead girl and her best friend who supposedly stole jodi's exboyfriend. And that seemed artificial. Really what I liked about this film was how they dealt with grief. Even though the viewer wonders how this little six year old boy made the window at the end in tribute to his mom, it did make the ending emotional. I would give this film a 3.8 out of five. (better than most Lifetime xmas movies)

"MERRY SWISSMISS"      1 hour and 28 mins     2022

 When Alex returns home to spend Christmas with her mother, she discovers that her ex-boyfriend and her best friend who are now dating are also visiting.

Director;  JohnL'Ecuyer

Writer:Lauren Balson Carter

Actors:  Jodie Sweetin, Tim Rozon, David Pinard

Movie #2187.........................'MAPLE VALLEY CHRISTMAS' (Hallmark)

Movie #2187 "MAPLE VALLEY CHRISTMAS' (Hallmark) this started out pretty well with two strong sisters running a maple syrup farm in Montana with a pretty environment and lots of pretty horse shots. Enter one of my favorite guys Andrew Walker, a real  estate buyer wanting to get the land next-door from the sisters, who planned on buying the land themselves since it was originally theirs. So conflict ensues  for a while, but things happen creatively out of the norm here as far as time; that is, she kisses him in the first scene she meets him. And he says he can get his father to back out of the purchase about 45 minutes in – now where will it go? It is pretty static for a long time but comes to a nice, slow ending; what makes this one different is that the major conflict really is family- She and her sister and him and his dad. Once those are figured out, the  love story can be confirmed. I liked that – I give it a 4.

"MAPLE VALLEY CHRISTMAS"             2022

Erica is a rancher who has spent her whole life working the family farm with her mother and sister. When Aaron arrives and disrupts her plans, she starts to question what it is she really wants

.Director:  Paul Ziller

Writers:  Joie Botkin, Jerry Todt

Actors:  Ella Cannon, Andrew Walker,  Joe Costa, Aleksandra Cross

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