Christmas Movie Guide

Smart Christmas

2018 Bulgarian, subtitled movie n Netflix.

Ok, so I know time moves differently in the North Pole in order for the magic of Christmas to actually work, but if the elves are still collecting letters and checking the naughty and nice list on xmas Eve night, I have very serious concerns. I’m just saying, that’s not how I run my department! AND Santa doesn’t know his world geography!
I’m not sure who this would appeal to really. Maybe small children no older than 7, who get the gist without words, of which there are few.

I had to give up at 41minutes when computers suddenly stopped taking away magic when 2 minutes prior it had been a major, and quite appealing, plot theme.

Honestly, I wouldn’t bother.

IMDb

Just Another Christmas

Just Another Christmas is set in Brazil, is dubbed in English and on Netflix. The voiceover artist for the main character spends the first half an hour shouting. Initially, there’s not a lot of finesse in this performance but stick with it, it’s worth it in the end.

Netflix describes this as a time-loop movie, so I was expecting a Christmas Groundhog Day (my hopes were set pretty low) but actually this has a more interesting take on a time-loop! No spoilers but it gets you thinking.

I was throughly unimpressed with all the shouting, arguing and exaggerated facial expressions but by the half way mark, I was invested! They liberally sprinkle the Back to the Future twinkle music which I added to my list of dislikes of this movie but given that I was weeping at points, all is forgiven!

I wouldn’t prioritise this movie but I wouldn’t overlook it either. Watch it early on in the season and you’ll be grateful.

IMDb

His And Her Christmas

His and Her Christmas is a 2005 Christmas monstrosity. This movie is a slog. At 30 minutes in, you finally get the first glimpse of Christmas but this disappears quickly.

The male lead’s best friend carries the show and all of the first 40 minutes could have been summed up in 5minutes. The steady cam on moving shots need much more steady too!! We got sucked in by the pretty twinkly music and city shots in the opening sequence – it’s all a lie! This is a torturous movie that feels as if it will never end…or even get to December!

The constant societal judgement of being single is overwhelmingly annoying. It amounts to no less than bullying and all their partnered friends are simply demonstrating more reasons to remain single!

This movie only gets worse as it goes on, not even the credits provide relief. Don’t watch this movie. We’ve done it for you and it was hard going. Wow, it’s bad.

Matt’s Extra Trimmings

I would rather eat raw chicken than watch this movie again.

IMDb

A Cinderella Story: A Christmas Wish

A Cinderella Story: Christmas Wish - review (Netflix) | Geeks

A Cinderella Story: A Christmas Wish is a 2019 Warner Bros. film. So so so much cringe!! My face hasn’t quite recovered from all the cringe. My teenage self would have loved this movie but my middle-aged self just cringed.

The acting was good, the premise was good and the dog was adorable. Once you make it through the opening music video and question your choices in life, you are rewarded with an opening line that makes it all better. (I won’t spoil it for you!)

Lots of charm but Christmas is more of a backdrop than a setting so there’s no Christmas spirit to be had from this movie. (Oh my goodness so much cringe!) Watch this with your pre-teens, if you have them, and they’ll love you.

IMDb

Christmas Under Wraps

Upon second watching of Christmas Under Wraps, we can summarise that this falls comfortably within the category of crappy Christmas movie. We have become a little immune to the cringes but this has very few and some touching moments. Once again, Candace Cameron Bure is the female lead and we are starting to see why she is the so called Queen of Christmas. There is a very thin level of magic woven throughout the story which you really have to suspend some disbelief for – but ‘that’s Garland for you!’ Put this one mid-way down your list.

Christmas Under Wraps IMDb

Candace Cameron Bure IMDb

Christmas Made to Order

Christmas made to Offer is a 2018 Hallmark movie that we watched on Netflix. This has an unusual premise that had us assuming the worst and when the decorating was done in 5 minutes, we were a little dubious. But actually, this movie is lovely and absolutely worth a watch (probably only the once). The indoor holiday lighting was a little too rainbow for us and the fake tree posing as a real one is becoming a new bug-bear! The build-up of romantic chemistry was believable and the Grandma’s hint of sass kept us entertained. Throw in a few bad bit-parts and extras and Christmas Made to Order has a lovely balance.

Christmas Made to Order IMDb

Finding Santa

Finding Santa is a 2017 Hallmark movie. We have nothing bad to say about this one. No complaints – only a few mild cringes – and all supporting actors and extras were brilliant. There’s plenty of soul-searching, beautiful decorations and festive beverages throughout. The chemistry between each character was lovely and Jodie Sweetin and Eric Winter nail it as the leads. In fact, ‘Tom’ might be the best Santa we’ve seen this season (the jury’s still out as to whether he’s the real Santa in our house!) The very final scene was unnecessary but that’s all we can say. Pop this one on your list- it’s a good one!

Finding Santa IMDb
Jodie Sweetin IMDb
Eric Winter IMDb

Matt’s Extra Trimmings

Like finding a great gift, searching blindly for a new Crappy Christmas Movie can sometimes be challenging. There is so much choice and no point in watching the trailers (spoiler alert, they usually give away the entire film). So maybe it was something about Eric Winter’s roguish good looks or Jodie Sweetin’s familiarity from Full House that lured me into this one like the scent of a gingerbread latte lures me into an overpriced coffee shop.

Once I was in, there was so much more that Finding Santa had to offer: a journey of self-discovery, the inner struggle between following the family business or forging your own path and an overabundance of beautifully decorated snowy sets! And just like all overpriced festive beverages, once it was over, I found myself basking in the joy of a sugar induced warm belly full of happiness. I know that next year Finding Santa will certainly be a part of my build up to Christmas.

A Very Nutty Christmas

This is our second viewing of A Very Nutty Christmas; a Lifetime movie starring Melissa Joan Hart. It stands up to a second viewing very nicely with fewer cringes. It has beautiful snowy backdrops, wonderfully decorated sets and thousands of mouth-watering Christmas cookies. The child extras are extra-specially special and her dress at the ball was incredibly over the top but otherwise this movie is filled with the Christmas spirit that makes you smile.

Matt’s Extra Trimmings

A Very Nutty Christmas is just like one of the wonderfully delectable Christmas Cookies that Melissa Joan Hart’s character bakes in this film: wholesome, vibrant, festive and over the top. And just as I imagine each bite is a new adventure filled with wonderful flavours to discover, so too does this movie offer extra joys when you look a little closer. From the not-so-subtle nods to Sabrina the Teenage Witch and Joey Lawrence, to the touch of heartache at the end, it is packed with flavours to fill your festive basket. Then there is the cheese. So much cheese. Enough cheese that the Mouse King wouldn’t know what to do with it all. Yet the cast all seem to carry it off effortlessly.

A Very Nutty Christmas IMDb

Melissa Joan Hart IMDb

48 Christmas Wishes

48 Christmas Wishes had us asking 48 questions within the first 11 minutes. Such as, what is that elf doing to the clock? How are they painting that train? Why’s Santa laughing at the cookies? Who let the kid decorate? Why is the dresser in front of the window? Why couldn’t George’s ears match his skin colour?! And why was the fire green?

The North Pole set is lovely and warmly lit which lulls you into a comfy feeling but the pause before each line changes that eventually. The elves really are trying with their delivery but in a school play kind of way. I was ready to give up at the unexplained flossing but Matt’s constant search for the fuzzy feel-goods meant that delirium set in and everything became really comical. Not sure if it was meant to be really.

We quit after 48mins with some essential fast forwarding. Can’t recommend this movie. Liam Macdonald is excellent. That’s it.

48 Christmas Whishes IMDb

Liam Macdonald IMDb

A Christmas to Remember

After a string of less than favourable Crappy Christmas Movies, we were a bit dubious going into Hallmark’s A Christmas to Remember. Fortunately, we were pleasantly surprised by its charm and spirit. It’s the classic ‘big city girl falls in love with small town guy’ set in a remote and snowy town, but with the added twist of amnesia! It has plinky plonky music, plenty of fairy lights, loads of snow and a somewhat engaging story. The acting is good; Mira Sorvino and Cameron Mathison do a fine job carrying the film and have very believable chemistry. The three children are all charming and bring the sparkle. Although we did feel like Mira Sorvino was constantly about to burst into tears (or was suffering from really bad allergies while filming). The extras, however, were not so good in this one. It seems fitting that one of the main themes is enjoying the magic of a moment, because while we would recommend that you watch and enjoy A Christmas to Remember, an annual revisit is by no means necessary.

A Christmas to Remember IMDb

Mira Sorvino IMDb

Cameron Mathison IMDb