Mingle All the Way – Review

Mingle All the Way – Hallmark – 2 hours and 0 minutes

Molly has created an app called Mingle All the Way.  It allows busy professionals to find people to accompany them to special events.  They can enjoy the festivities without being asked questions about their relationship status and have no expectations of a relationship.  Her app is doing well so she is looking for investors to grow the business.  Her biggest potential investor wants proof of the apps matchmaking algorithm.  She wants Molly to find a match on the app for herself.  So, her business partner/graphic designer Tyler creates a profile for her.  Jeff had a bad break up last year and isn’t looking to start a new relationship.  He has noticed his boss asks committed couples to do activities.  With a promotion on the line, Jeff needs a woman on his arm to get in his boss’s good graces.  He heard about Mingle All the Way on a TV spot and asks his sister to sign him up.  The app makes them a match.  When they see each other, they regret not setting up their own profiles.  But this match is what they needed.

A cute, modern holiday movie that you will enjoy but it’s just not as funny as it could be.  There are ultimate moments for humor and it keeps falling flat.  The subplots do save the movie because you hope for Molly’s success and her family’s acceptance.  While you come for the love story, you will stay for the family bond.   So record and watch when you have the time.

I give it 3.5 out of 5 stars

There’s no time for breathing or eating.  And don’t tell me you’ve been sleeping – Molly

I guess there is an app for everything these days – Jeff

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A Twist of Christmas – Review

A Twist of Christmas – Lifetime – 2 hours and 2 minutes

Abby is a columnist, widow, and mother who idolizes Dr. Thomas.  After her husband died, she used his techniques to bring order into her life.  She raises her son on a very tight but well-organized schedule.  Rick is a lawyer, divorced, and a father.  He is successfully co-parenting with his ex-wife but feels he is in competition with her new husband.  Abby wants to get a robot for her son and Ryan wants to get a unicorn for his daughter.  Both end up in the same toy shop and ask for assistance at the same time.  Ryan is trying to close a deal and Abby is trying to stay on schedule to interview Dr. Thomas.  It’s not until Abby gets home that she sees the Unicorn in her bag.  After a wild search, Abby finds Rick and gives him the Unicorn.  But he can’t trade it for the Robot because it is wrapped under his ex-wife’s tree.  Abby insists they get it for her son.  There is another problem, her car is towed.  Now she has to get the present, pick up her parents, bake cookies, do an interview, make dinner, and go to her son’s performance without a car.   Hearing her dilemma, Rick offers to help.  This is the first step to the rest of their lives.

First thing first, the Oreo Record Player is real but discontinued – try the Oreo DJ Mixer (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer).  Next, this movie is about two forms of extreme parenting out of guilt.  One parent hovers constantly and the other give too freely.  While they both criticize each other, they see the error in their ways.  Each mishap will make you giggle.  In addition, their kids and family, rooting and plotting for their love, will make you swoon.  This is one to watch.

I give it 4 out of 5 stars

Your life looks like a regular advent calendar – Cheryl

You helped me get in this mess, you’re gonna help me fix it – Abby

Of course not, she’s 8 – Ryan

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Hidden Family Secrets – Review

Hidden Family Secrets – Lifetime – 2 hours and 0 minutes

Scott and Melanie can’t wait to head to their family cabin with their daughter Gabby.  Gabby will miss her boyfriend but she is happy to spend time with her parents.  Their first family activity is boating on the lake.  Scott allows Gabby to drive.  Before he can put on his life jacket, Gabby puts the boat in the gear and starts sailing.  The jerk of the boat causes Scott to hit his head and fall off the boat.  Later, Scott’s body is found.  Six months after her father’s death, Gabby has given up her friends, boyfriend, and volleyball.  Melanie is concerned her daughter is following a dangerous path.  As Scott’s birthday comes near, his brother Steve’s visits to help.  This visit only pushes Gabby closer to the edge.  Melanie’s concern grows when the school reports Gabby’s tardies, Melanie can’t locate her, and Gabby’s GPS is turned off.  While the police and Steve tell her not to worry, Melanie can’t get rid of the sick feeling in her stomach.  And she is right.  Gabby is in danger and her own blood is the cause.

This is a sick, twisted story that can only be told by Lifetime.  As a break from the holiday movies, it’s easy to forget that it hits every cliche in the book.  The bratty teen, dumb police, and dismissive family all fall into step with the Lifetime plotline.  It’s the creepy grandma Helen that sells this movie.  She will keep you up at night.  So DVR and watch when you need a holiday break.

I give it 3 out of 5 stars

You’re my only daughter and that’s plenty – Scott

Nothing is going to bring dad back. So, what’s the point – Gabby

Now, you’re my new light – Helen

You know exactly what happened – Melanie

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A Very Nutty Christmas – Review

A Very Nutty Christmas – Lifetime – 2 hours and 2 minutes

Kate, Rosa, and Justin must make 15,000 cookies before Christmas.  With a few days to go, they are working overtime.  This added pressure has caused Kate’s thespian boyfriend to dump her for another woman.  Now, Kate doesn’t want to go to the ball or celebrate the holidays.  During a shopping trip, Kate tells the store owner she could use a guy for Christmas.  He gives her a nutcracker and tells Kate its history.  Kate takes the nutcracker home and places it under her tree.  The next morning, Kate finds a man lying on her floor.  She assumes he is her Room Share tenant who let himself in with a hidden key.  Kate doesn’t realize her nutcracker doll has come to life and will be the man she needs.  But only until Christmas.

This sweet holiday tale is funnier than you would believe.  As Chip does nutcracker things, you will find yourself easily amused.  Plus, you have a bonus of 3 three comedic reliefs in Rosa, Justin, and Clara.  Sabrina fans, take a moment to notice a homage to the opening credits of the show (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer).  Although the plot is not really original, sit back and have fun with this film.

I give it 3.5 out of 5 stars

You got something your face – Rosa

Sorry Kate but that’s the way the relationship crumbles – Mark

Santa Claus just broke up with me – Kate

I am the nutcracker and on Christmas Eve I will rise up and fight the house king – Chip

This isn’t Cinderella. No one says you have to be home before midnight. And I strongly suggest that you aren’t – Clara

He’s not that hot – Justin

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Christmas Perfection – Review

Christmas Perfection – Lifetime – 1 hour and 59 minutes

Darcy grew up in a broken home.  Now she retreats to family traditions for normalcy.  Even though her friends, Carmen and Brandon, try to get her to do something new, she refuses.  Instead, she has Thanksgiving at her house and, at the stroke of midnight, start decorating for Christmas.  While setting up her Irish Christmas village, Brandon suggests she erects her city differently.  This causes Darcy to blow up and break her post office.  At 2 A.M, she walks to a small shop.  Elsie gives her a new post office and a figurine that looks exactly like her.  She places the post office and the figurine in its rightful place and goes to bed.  The next morning, she wakes up in a different bed, a different room, a different house, and a different town.  After taking a look around, she is happy to learn she is in her village.  Her parents are married, she can eat what she wants, and it’s Christmas every day.  And she is dating her office crush, Tom. This is all a dream come true but Brandon’s presence in her town will bring out the dark side.

A holiday Groundhog Day, this movie will make you appreciate that Christmas comes once a year (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer).  At first, Darcy is happy with the status quo and doing the same thing every day.  But Brandon comes and starts questioning what she sees.  He forces her out of her comfort zone.  Unfortunately, you will get tired of the sequence of events long before the character does.  So DVR and watch when ready.  But don’t cancel plans.

I give it 3 out of 5 stars

Perfect is the enemy of done – Carmen

Mom, I know you’re full of opinions but you don’t have to say them all out loud – Darcy

Why can’t you have 2 Christmases like a normal child of divorce – Mom

90% of it is delicious – Brandon

Don’t worry everything is how it’s supposed to be – Tom

I opened a door, you walked through it – Elsie

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The Truth About Christmas – Review

The Truth About Christmas – Freeform – 2 hours and 0 minutes

Jillian is the campaign manager for her boyfriend George Beauman.  She handles his appointments, interviews, and potential donors.  He is considering making a run for governor and she is right by his side.  Before he makes that decision, George wants Jillian to meet his family.  Jillian has been warned that they are old-fashion and don’t know that Jillian and he are living together.  If that isn’t stressful enough, Jillian forgets she promised to get George’s niece the hottest toy on the market, The Poppy Dot.  Jillian finds the last store with one Poppy Dot left.  As she walks to get it, a little girl grabs it.  She lies to and bribes the little to get the toy.  Santa overhears and warns her about being naughty.  She lies to Santa and buys the toy.  She heads to George’s parent’s house and uncovers a startling truth: she can’t lie.  With George looking for donors and meeting his parents for the first time, can Jillian keep her cool?

This is one of the funniest holiday movies this season.  With a mix of Liar Liar and Meet the Parents, you will be in tears of laughter (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer).  During an amateur comedy session, Jillian asks an important question: “Can you make it through the holidays without lying”. If you can, then God bless you.  This movie isn’t just about comedy.  As Julian is forced to tell the truth, she realizes her lies have been holding her back.  The truth will set her free.

I give it 5 out of 5 stars

Love the stack of pancakes but no syrup? – George

Those things creep me out. It’s like an Alexa, a home pod, and a strobe light had a three-way. And then somehow had a baby – Zoe

I need that dot – Jillian

I feel like you could have just turned it off -Blake

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A Wedding for Christmas – Review

A Wedding for Christmas – ION – 2 hours and 0 minutes

Haley is the top wedding planner at her firm.  So when her sister Angela decides to get married in Fiji, she is a little disappointed.   During a family dinner, Angela starts going through old family photos with her fiance Paul.  They stumble on pictures of Grandpa Joe and his Christmas tree farm.  Every year, he would pick a tree to be the wishing tree.  Someone would go to the tree and whisper a wish so only the tree would hear it.  At that moment, Angela remembered her childhood wish. She wished she would get married at the wishing tree on Christmas Eve and she asks Haley to help.  Now, the wedding is a few weeks away and Haley wants to make a statement.  But her normal vendors don’t want to work on Christmas Eve.  The locals offer help but she feels they are too ‘small town’ for her taste.  As vendors are scarce, her boss wants her to plan an emergency New Year’s Eve wedding, and a storm is threatening Angela’s outdoor wedding, Haley is completely stressed out.  Haley calls her boyfriend Ryan to help but he is no comfort.  It’s her childhood friend Carter to the rescue.

This is worth watching for the beautiful wedding.  While these small towns are usually praised for their simplicity during the holidays but this movie discovers the gem within.  Haley comes off as snooty as she turns her nose up at their offers to help.  She doesn’t know the dinner chef studied in France or the florist had ideas she could never dream of for a wedding.  This wedding comes together as a thing of beauty and is worth watching the movie.

I give it 3 out of 5 stars

And she signs yours too – Ms. Reynolds

It wouldn’t burden me. It would be an honor – Haley

So you insult me and my way of life. Then asks for a favor – Carter

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A Shoe Addict’s Christmas – Review

A Shoe Addict’s Christmas – Hallmark – 2 hours and 0 minutes

Noelle has settled into a content life as an HR manager.  After a bad break up 3 years ago, she put aside her plans to be a photographer and decided to have a regular 9 to 5.  One night her boss’s son Alex asks her to look for an old employee file.  After looking for a while, Noelle decides to call it a day.  She tries to leave but gets locked in.  She calls Alex for help.  He tells her to make herself at home in the store, while he calls the authorities.  It doesn’t take long for Noelle to put on slippers, a robe, and eat candy; when she hears a commotion.  She finds Charlie.  Charlie is a ‘new’ angel.  She was hired to help Noelle see the error of settling in life.  And to go on this journey, it will take the right pair of shoes.

Based on A Shoe Addict’s Christmas by Beth Harbison, this movie feels like a mix of a Christmas Carol and It’s a Wonderful Life with shoes (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer). Noelle isn’t a bad person, she was just so comfortable she refused to take risks.  This is something we have all done.  Whether it’s because of fear, confusion, or misdirection, at some point everyone lets their dreams go stale and rest in comfort.  This movie will have you looking back and thinking ‘what if’ again.

I give it 4 out of 5 stars

She wanted to name me jingle but my dad talked her out of it – Noelle

I know. I prefer what’s his face – Lorna

I promise not to hold it over you – Jake

I will get there – Alex

Employee manual. That part I remember – Charlie

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Jingle Belle – Review

Jingle Belle – Lifetime – 2 hours and 3 minutes

Isabelle (aka Jingle Belle aka Belle) is a much sought after jingle writer.  After graduating from Julliard, she left her small town behind and moved to New York.  15 years later, her sister Tori calls her for help.  Masonville’s mayor wants a standout song for the 50th Christmas celebration.  Belle is more focused on her deadline for a famous cookie company in 1 week and her paralyzing writer’s block.  Her boss Emory quickly snatches her phone and says ‘yes’ to Tori.  Emory believes that going back to her roots will remove Belle’s writer’s block.  Belle is not looking forward to the trip and it will only get worst.  Tori didn’t tell Belle she would be working with her ex-boyfriend Mike.  They haven’t worked together in 15 years and she left him behind for New York.  When business steps in between them again, can they keep it together this time?

The story is overdone and the songs are just ok.  It’s easy to let your mind wander during this movie and focus on other things.  Unfortunately, the songs don’t grab your attention either.  Even though both actors can sing, the song selection doesn’t do their vocal talents justice.  This holiday movie can be skipped.

I give it 2 out of 5 stars

Are you sure the doctor was the boring one – Tori

What, she can? – Belle

A little hometown Christmas magic is just what you need to break your writer’s block – Emory

Honey your not fooling anybody, you always had unfinished business with that girl – Jackie

I wouldn’t get my hopes up too high – Mike

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Christmas Harmony – Review

Christmas Harmony – Lifetime – 2 hours and 0 minutes

Harmony ghostwrites for her boyfriend Devin.  But when she displays her talent in front of his producer, he claims she isn’t being supportive of his career.  She promises to focus on him during is Christmas L.A. tour.  Just as she was packing up, he comes home and breaks up with her.  She decides to go to her hometown name Miracle to connect with her family and leave the past behind her.  After a rough start, Harmony throws a tantrum in the street and is almost hit by Luke.  Feeling guilty, Luke offers her a ride.  Later, she learns that Luke is the town’s handyman, hunk, and hero.  However, it’s when they sing together that the two really connect.  This rhythmic relationship hits a flat when Devin comes back.

This is a good movie with a great soundtrack.  The actors are amazing vocalists and musicians.  And Luke stands out as a different type of man in a holiday movie.  It’s easy to see how the entire town fell for him.  The overall storyline is predictable, it’s still watchable because of the music.  So record now and watch later.  Then watch again to sing along.

I give it 2.5 out of 5 stars

There room for more than one star in the sky – Karen

I hate music – Harmony

You wanna be on my team. Then, it’s gotta be Devin first – Devin

Stayed dry – Weston

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Christmas on Honeysuckle Lane – Review

Christmas on Honeysuckle Lane – HMM – 2 hours and 0 minutes

Emma hasn’t been home for years.  This year she has come to celebrate the holidays at her parents’ house for the last time.  Now that both are gone, Emma and her siblings, Andie and Daniel, have to get items appraised and sell the home.  None of them want to get rid of the house, but it is just too much responsibility for one person.  Dr. Shelby shops for a Christmas wreath just 6 days before Christmas.  When the owner suggests Dr. Shelby buy the one designed my Emma’s mother, he declines because of the colors.  Emma is instantly insulted because blue has been a family holiday color their entire lives.  Emma buys the wreath and gives Dr. Shelby a dirty look.  The moment Emma is home, she bombarded with the family’s annual holiday party.  Emma was not in the mood to deal with questions about her life in New York, her boyfriend Ian, or her family’s property.  She tries to avoid some partygoers like the plague.  Andie tells Emma she needs to face things head-on.  So Daniel puts them in charge of appraising items in their parents’ home to sell. When the women learn the local antique shop is closed, a waitress suggests another firm.  The firm is owned and operated by Dr. Shelby.  It’s is a bumpy start but Dr. Shelby and Emma get to business.  The first item he appraises is a desk with secret compartments.  In one of the compartments, Emma finds love letters written to her mother but not from her father.  She is stunned, to say the least.  Emma is determined to find the truth about her parents’ love story and the letters.  But that’s not all she finds.

Based on the book The House on Honeysuckle Lane by Mary McDonough, this isn’t the mystery you believe it will be (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer).  Most HMM mysteries keep you fully engaged with multiple suspects and a twist ending.   This ‘mystery’ is just an old story to uncover.  While the average Hallmark fan will be happy, the avid HMM fan will not.   Midway through the story, it feels like the mystery of the letters is forgotten for the sake of the love story.  This movie just isn’t compelling and can be skipped.

I give it 1 out of 5 stars

Why does it have to be so hard – Emma

Am I bothering you? Have we met? Did I steal your parking spot – Dr. Shelby

Sure, you know her best – Daniel

There’s no better time to start over than Christmas – Andie

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