RAPID FIRE MOVIE REVIEWS! Christmas 2016

Since Thanksgiving Week I have watched a ton of Hallmark Movies so I thought I would try to get them all down in one review:

Broadcasting Christmas – Superman and Sabrina the Teen Age Witch host Good Morning American and Fall in love – I cried at the end it was sweet and funny. Loved it! Much better than Cats, I’ll see it again and again.

Christmas List - Alicia Witt and her annoying laugh go to a cute little town and finds the Christmas Spirt and Love. No tears, but a little warmth in my soul at the end. She is my least favorite Hallmark actress and this movie isn't my favorite either.

A Journey Back to Christmas (Back to the Future Christmas) – Candace Cameron Burr plays a nurse who goes forward in the future from 1945 to 2016 and brings Christmas Spirit and old time family fun to our jaded world. I cried several times. CCB is the queen of Hallmark. This one will make you cry.

Christmas in Homestead – Hollywood goes to a small town to film a Hallmark movie (it is VERY meta). The actress falls in love with the local mayor and he melts her jaded heart – a couple of sniffles at the cute kid. Watch it if you need a short burst of Christmas. 

A Dream of Christmas – This was yet another rip off of the “The Family Man” (Nicholas Cage). It was very sweet and very romantic. Well worth the watch.

Christmas 2016 Movie Review #2 - Every Christmas Has A Story

Did you ever wonder where small towns get their giant Christmas Trees? Ever wonder how a TV reporter would fix her reputation after a gigantic on-air meltdown? Ever wonder what happened to Tommy Bradford after he left Eight is Enough? All that and more will be revealed on this week's Hallmark movie - Every Christmas Has a Story.

This is a basic run of the mill "Christmas Heals a Broken Heart" Plot. Kate Harper (played by Hallmark favorite Lori Loughlin) is a big name TV Host from L.A. On the day before Christmas vacation she knocks over a Christmas tree, pushes a guest and breaks most of the ornament collection of someone who I think was named "Dr. Billy". All of this happened on-air including Kate saying she doesn't like Christmas. 

Well this of course causes a crisis and in the end Kate and her former boyfriend (of course) and now producer (also of course) Jack Brewster are sent to Hollyvale, N.D. to do a nightly report on Christmas. 

I won't give away any more plot except to say, there is mystery, family reunion, romance, and a town sheriff in North Dakota that seemed to have a New Orleans accent. I will also tell you that Willie Aames plays a huge role in the mystery plot!.

This was a pretty lighthearted romp down candy cane lane, but I did get a little teary at the end. Well worth my two hours of time.

There were also a lot of familiar faces in bit parts in this film. I am starting to be convinced that all of the regular Hallmark Movie Stars live in one town in Canada that's like a theater camp and they get called in every day to do different parts. I think Lori Loughlin and Candace Cameron Bure are both in Cabin 8. (The cool girl cabin).

CRY TIME: 118 MINUTES

If I was still doing ratings, I would give this movie three Willie Aames:

Christmas 2016 Movie Review #1 - The Mistletoe Promise

Well Boys and Girls, I hope you were all good this year, Christmas time is approaching quickly so it is time to start watching Christmas Movies!! 

Hallmark started extra early this year with their Countdown to Christmas starting on October 28 and running through December. This is the first movie I am reviewing this year, so buckle into the sleigh, here we go.

Let's kick off this year with a romantic whirl called "The Mistletoe Promise". The movie stars Luke MacFarlane and Jamie King as Nick and Elise, two sad sacks who can't seem to get a break at Christmas. Elise works with her asshole ex-husband who apparently enjoys making her life miserable and Nick works for a law firm that only gives people with families partnerships. 

So what do these two Christmas hating people do? Enter into an agreement where by they pretend to be dating so that Nick can get his promotion and Elise won't feel like a loser to everyone she works with. Can you all see where this is going? Of course you can. 

This movie is sweet and sappy and pretty predictable; but like grandma's snickerdoodles fills you with warmth and happiness. 

I really enjoyed this movie and it brought the holiday tears about an hour in at the tree decorating scene. 

CRY TIME: 43 MINUTES

This year I am dispensing with the candy cane ratings mostly because I think all these movies are pretty wonderful. If something is really awful, like NORTHPOLE or NORTHPOLE 2 comes along, I will let you know. (Thank god there is no NORTHPOLE 3)