Wrapped Up In Christmas – Review

Wrapped Up In Christmas – Lifetime – 2 hours and 2 minutes

Heather has been given the green light for a promotion at the Shops at Towne Center Mall. The only problem, she has to fire the stores that haven’t generated enough profit. The first store on the list is Patty’s Toys. Heather hates becoming a Scrooge but she really wants this promotion. Her niece Molly and her family see Heather is stressed but they are more concerned with her personal life. Her parent’s and sister want her to start dating more and put herself out there. This gives Molly an idea for a Christmas wish.

Ryan quit his job at the law firm to pursue his passion for painting. However, his aunt hurt her arm and he decided to help her keep her business going. While eating his lunch, his friend Andy asked him to take his Santa job. While working as Santa, Ryan gets a girl with a special wish, Molly.  She asks Santa to give her aunt Heather a boyfriend along with some of her likes and dislikes. Ryan remembers Heather from bumping into her twice, smitten he decides to fill those requirements and become the man of her dreams. He is determined to ask her out, right after he helps is aunt Patty at her Toy Store. Even with love in the air, could Ryan’s secret Santa knowledge and Heather’s store closure secret kill this developing romance?

This is a sweet film.  Just not new.  This is a Hallmark movie on Lifetime.  Two people are urged to date more, like each other form a distance, they are somehow connected, and a cute kid puts them together.  Soon they both have a secret or job that has the potential to pull them apart.  Sounds familiar?  DVR this movie for the actors and your love of their past TV shows.  But the magic of this romance storyline loses its appeal after 10 holiday movies in a row with the same plot.

I give it 3 out of 5 stars

Women just to don’t shop at malls, they run them – Arlene

Now they just order everything online. Lucky if they come wrapped at all – Patty

A little cheesy maybe – Brian

Maybe I’ll ask Santa – Heather

You. You can’t let them down – Andy

We are gonna pick up the perfect outfit – Diana

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Hey Arnold!: The Jungle Movie – Review

Hey Arnold!: The Jungle Movie – Nickelodeon – 2 hours and 0 minutes

Arnold dreams of his parent ever since they were lost on a mission in San Lorenzo shortly after his birth.  He hopes the will see Miles and Stella one day but has few clues.  That hope becomes reality on the last day of school.  Helpers for Humanity are throwing contest for the local schools.  They have to film themselves doing good in their own neighborhood and the winning class will get a trip to San Lorenzo.  When the bell rings, everyone leaves except for Arnold and Gerald.   They decide to enter the contest.  Arnold hopes to win so he can finally find his parents and bring them back home.

This movie is great for older and newer fans alike.  It features 19 of the original voice actors with 11 replacements.  It answers a lot of questions like what’s Arnold’s last name, what do his parents’ look like, and does Arnold have feelings for Helga.  But with these questions answered, you also get a Raiders of Lost Ark story with all the suspense and adventure.  It packs in a few giggles and a lot of heart.  Even though it is not, it would make a great finale for PS. 118.  See this with your children or without them today.  And record for later.  You will need to watch it twice to catch all the little nuances.

I give it 4.5 out of 5 stars

You’re still wearing the hat we gave you – Miles

Did you wash your hands – Arnold

I’m glad you get to see them. Even if it’s in your dreams – Grandpa

We demand a living wage – Grandma

A pig eating bacon. It’s very creepy – Mr. Hyunh

To a Mexican restaurant – Harold

You’re a bold kid Arnold – Gerald

And I have to go wash my sock – Helga

How did you guess – Eduardo

Sorry kid, you are too loco even for us villains – La Sombra

Hey, Arnold – Stella

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Framed by My Fiance – Review

Framed by My Fiance – LMN – 2 hours and 0 minutes

Nurse Jenny feels like the luckiest woman in the world when her boyfriend Daniel proposes to her.  They drive home after dinner and she can’t stop looking at her ring when she drops it on the car’s floor.  They both start to look for it and Daniel takes his eyes off the road.   Then they crash into another car.  Jenny is unconscious while Daniel calls the police.  When Daniel checks on the other driver, he sees Michael he is hurt really badly.  He panics and puts Jenny in the driver seat, her prints on the wheel, and adjust the seat and mirrors.  Later, Jenny wakes up in the hospital.  Daniel asks her to say she was driving the car and killed Michael.  She will get a slap on the wrist and he can become a judge.  Jenny refuses to lie but when all the evidence points to her, she breaks up with Daniel and takes a plea deal.  After the plea, she loses her job, home, and possibly her nursing license.  And to make matters worse, she learns her friend Rosa’s landlord wants Jenny out.  After investigating, Jenny learns that Michael’s wife Mae is behind her job and home loss.  When she confronts Mae, she tells her that Daniel is the one who killed her husband.  The two come together to bring Daniel down.

Only in the Lifetime world do two enemies become the best of friends.  Daniel comes off as a sweet and attentive boyfriend for 10 minutes.  After that, he is a lying, heartless, murdering, conniving, bastard.  All due to superb acting.  With only a small tick to give him away, Mae and Jenny must think two steps ahead to get an advantage on Daniel.  With everything going right in this movie, it does fall into cliche like telling your revenge plan to a killer and going into a dark place alone.  But this is still fun to watch and provides a good source of entertainment.   DVR and watch later.

I give it 3 out of 5 stars

You’re lying. You’re up to something – Jenny

Jenny, what’s important right now is that you remember that this was an accident – Daniel

The woman who killed my husband. I want her to pay for this – Mae

Take the deal – Rose

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Finding Santa – Review

Finding Santa – Hallmark – 2 hours and 0 minutes

Grace runs a year-round Christmas store and organizes the Green River Christmas Day Parade.  This year is the town’s 50th parade and the town Santa (Tom) slipped & broke his arm in 2 places.  Tom runs a Santa school and tries to find a student to take his position.  But they are all booked.  He only has one other person in mind to play Santa, his son Ben.  Grace tries to call Ben but he gives her a fast and hard ‘NO’.  So she decides to go to Boston to convince Ben to be Santa and bring him back.  After some finagling, Grace gets Ben to drive her back to Green River.  Grace is determined to bring the Christmas joy back into Ben.  But it doesn’t take long for Ben to learn that Grace is missing dreams of her own.

This is a cute movie with a decent message.  You must strive for your dreams but you don’t have to lose your sense of community to do it.  While Ben is being called home with the decorations and a Santa suit, Grace is learning that she has been living her parents’ dream.  The shop was her parents and the parade was started by her grandparents.  Grace has to realize she is running everything to make the town happy; although she draws and paints in the back of the store for herself.  Painting is her true passion.   It’s great to see the characters grow.  While it’s an average, yet well-acted, story, it’s predictable.  So watch if you have the time.

I give it 2.5 out of 5 stars

Remember our motto, “Find the jolly”. Ho, Ho, Ho – Tom

Selfies with Santa, this I got to see – Lesley

That’s really more of a crow – Ben

Should I find someone else – Grace

You still got it kiddo – George

You didn’t RSVP to my ugly sweater party tonight – Caroline

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The Mistletoe Inn – Review

The Mistletoe Inn – Hallmark – 2 hours and 0 minutes

Kim was recently dumped by her boyfriend Garth because he feels they are on two different paths.  He has an established blog and she won’t let people read anything she has written.  So she decided to become serious and signs up for a week-long workshop at the Mistletoe Inn.  She has a chance to have her work read by an established publisher, literary agent, and her favorite writer H.T. Hawkins.  Kim’s first night she meets 3 people who will act as her sounding board whether it’s negative or positive.  The first person she meets is Sam.  Sam is friendly warm and is on the hunt H.T.  Next, she meets Zeke.  Zeke has published a book, but he is experiencing writer’s block and needs help.  The last person she meets is her ex, Garth.  They are both surprised to see each other.  He never told her he was going to the workshop when they were dating.  And she thought she would never see him again.  The next day, Sam is put on another team, but Garth is on her team and Zeke is her writing partner.  Kim hopes she can win the competition, getting the attention of her favorite author, and become a real writer.

Adapted from the novel The Mistletoe Inn by Richard Paul Evans, this movie gives a lot of great tips to potential writers (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer).  In order to be a real writer, someone needs to read your work.   It’s not enough to put pen to paper, you must be critiqued and learn to take constructive criticism.  This love story tries to add in mystery, but it’s obvious who the reclusive author is in this movie.  This movie is great for writers but background noise for everyone else.

I give it 2 out of 5 stars

I just need to be with a serious writer right now. Goodbye – Garth

Honestly, quit complaining and take a chance – Kim

I just meeting you but I have a hard time picturing you calm – Zeke

I have a theory that he’s already here – sam

Darling if he can’t hang with the real writers then he should go home – Luanne

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With Love, Christmas – Review

With Love, Christmas – Hallmark – 2 hours and 0 minutes

Melanie is the office pushover who loves Christmas.  Donovan is the rising star who sees Christmas as just another day.  But when Donovan gets a second chance to wow a potential ad client, their boss ask Donovan to work with Melanie.  The client doesn’t believe Donovan’s commercial pitch was ‘warm’ or felt like ‘Christmas’ so Melanie’s Christmas spirit will do the trick.  While Donovan prefers to work alone, Melanie sees this as an opportunity to know him.  Not just because she is smitten by him but she drew his name in the office Secret Santa.  So she must work with him, get information about him, and not reveal herself as his Secret Santa.  And if that wasn’t enough, their boss lets them know that they are in the running for the same promotion.

This is a sweet story about love and the Christmas spirit.  While Donovan is portrayed as Scrooge through most of the movie, he slowly reveals why he disregards Christmas when he opens up to his Secret Santa via anonymous emails.  You gain some understanding of how he feels and you want him to find a connection to his family and the holiday.  While Melanie’s secret Santa gift was nice, it’s Donovan’s gift that is truly amazing.  While this movie is nice, it’s not the best this season.  It doesn’t completely follow the Hallmark format, but it comes close.  So DVR this movie and watch it later.

I give it 3 out of 5 stars

I don’t peddle Christmas, I celebrate it – Melanie

You are only decorating now. That is so unlike you – Jude

The only thing magic about Christmas is the sales numbers – Donovan

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A Gift to Remember – Review

A Gift to Remember – Hallmark – 2 hours and 0 minutes

Darcy is a book-loving, crafting, optimist.  However, she is worried her job at a bookstore may change or come to an end when her boss announces he is leaving.  While he hints at her being the next manager, she doesn’t think she can do it.  So she goes home to think about it and oversleeps.  She rushes to work and runs into a familiar stranger with a dog.  After knocking him down with her bike, he hits his head and is rushed to the hospital.  She collects his mail, keys, and dog and follows him to the hospital.  The nurse refuses to give Darcy the man’s information so she can return the dog.  Not just because of HIPPA laws but because the man has amnesia.  Darcy is determined to help the handsome stranger and he is happy to be helped.  With her friends and landlady, she will crack the mystery of the man with the dog.

An amazing movie by Hallmark.  This movie has all the twist and turns of an HMM movie but without a dead body.  It has the drama of a Lifetime movie without the cheating and violence.  The love story is genuine and strong.  And be ready to cheer for the secondary love story.  This movie does not fall into the Hallmark Holiday movie trap of having the same plot in a different season.  It is a pure mystery/love story that you attempt to solve and be shocked by.  This is the movie you have wanted all season long.  Watch it and save it on your DVR so you can play it all year round.

I give it 5 out of 5 stars

What kind of name is ‘Books! Books! Books!’ anyway – Darcy

And if I don’t do it, you’re gonna starve – Luigi

Bite the head off, it will make you feel better – Ms. Hinley

There’s a doggie in the window. And that doggie has a person – Katherine

I remember my dog, Jane Austen, Rudolf, and now you – Aiden

You have no money, no license, and until last night, you didn’t remember your name. I don’t feel comfortable letting you drive a car – William

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A Bramble House Christmas – Review

A Bramble House Christmas – HMM – 2 hours and 0 minutes

When Fin Knightly gets his estranged father Mr. Conrad’s last will and testament, he is furious.  His father left all of his money, $100,000, and an all-expense paid vacation to his nurse Willa Fairchild.  Fin and his sister Molly believe Willa conned Mr. Connrad into changing his will and leaving them with nothing.  While reading the will, Fin learns that Willa’s trip is to the Bramble House Bed and Breakfast.  He vows to travel there, confront her, and serve her with an injunction to contest the will.  Once at the Bramble House, Fin instantly meets Willa and is shocked to find out she has a son named Scout.  But what he learns from Willa will have him and Molly in tears.

Adapted from the book A Bramble House Christmas by C. J. Carmichael, this is a movie of curiosity, understanding, love, and forgiveness (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer).  As Fin peels back the onion of Willa’s life, you wonder more about her past too.  You start to ask questions about Scout’s father, her money issues, and her knowledge of Mr. Conrad’s past.  Seeing Fin learn about his estranged father and himself is gut wrenching but vital to see.  When he and Molly learn the truth, they learn to forgive.

I give it 4 out of 5 stars

I can’t rest until I look her in the eye and find out the truth – Fin

Absolutely not, you’re my guest – Mabel

As long as Mable doesn’t see – Willa

Look at me, I’m flying – Scout

I don’t know what’s going on there. But it sounds like she turned you around like she did dad – Molly

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Christmas Homecoming – Review

Christmas Homecoming – HMM – 2 hours and 0 minutes

After planning a surprise for Victoria and Heather, sister and niece respectively, Amanda gets some tough news.  She is a curator at a museum that has lost most of its city funding.  If they can’t make up for the $30,000 deficit, the doors will be closing.  Amanda gets an idea to have a fundraiser and her new tenant Sgt. Jim Mullens offers to help.  Amanda knows Jim is bright, handy, and strong, but what can he teach her about fundraising.  He is an Army soldier, good with his hands, and loves Christmas.   As they spend time decorating, she starts to fall for him and even kiss.  Her problem, she lost her husband 2 years ago in the war right before Christmas.  She is having a hard time letting go and letting a new love in her heart.   And just when she starts to wonder if she can love Jim, he is deciding if he should go for another tour of duty.

Have some tissues nearby.  This movie discusses the ultimate sacrifice of a soldier and their family.  As one woman cries because she is getting her husband’s medal before they have found his body, you feel her pain.  As a mother copes with the loss of her son, you feel her pain.  As Amanda looks at the flag on the mantle and her husband Rick’s clothes in the closet, you feel her pain.  And three men are all someone Jim knew.  It’s a lot of sadness, during a time when two people are trying to find love.  It’s a great story that honors these heroes and their families.

I give it 4.5 out of 5 stars

Amanda, if we were in any real trouble, I would tell you – Tom

Your uniform is enough reference – Amanda

I think you’re a stubborn one too – Jim

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Coming Home for Christmas – Review

Coming Home for Christmas – Hallmark – 2 hours and 0 minutes

After losing her job and “almost” fiance, Liz is ready for the bright lights of Christmas to bring some cheer in her life.  And celebrating a with her family while continuing their traditions keeps her spirits up.  At the same time preparing for the family celebrations, she trying to find a job that fulfills her.  But her sister Meg helps by offering her a short-term position as a house manager for the Marley’s.  Once on the property, Liz is taken back by the sheer grandeur of it all.  The 20,000 square foot estate is on acres of land with a pond, forest, and full-time staff.  Liz meets Peppa (lady of the house), Jerrod (butler), and Anna (chef).  Then she sits with Robert, Peppa’s grandson, who explains she will live at the home, manage the staff, and plan the Christmas Eve Gala.  Also, he lets her know that the job won’t last long because he is selling the house against Peppa’s wishes.   As Liz spends more time with the family her Christmas spirit rubs off on them and she becomes a part of the Marleys.  But when the Robert and Kip (Robert’s brother) starts to fall for her, which one will she chose?

Seeing this family come together is the great gift and the true plotline.  They don’t come together because Liz is there, she just happens to witness it.  They start to come together when their sister Sloane admits she is having issues with her marriage and money.  They vow to be there for her and urge her to call her husband and work things out.  This act of love causes Liz to see the Marley’s as a real family, not just an estate.   Also the “Shade of Peppa”, will not be matched.  She provides great laughs with a stiff upper lip and biting words.  This is a lovely story of family, tradition, and it’s a great addition to the Hallmark collection.

I give it 4 out of 5 stars

I never doubted for a second. The Marleys trust you. Somethings wrong with them – Liz

I was seventeen and its Time you stop throwing that in my face – Meg

I’m so glad you approved – Peppa

We tend to met her needs and she leaves us alone – Anna

And your still here after 3 weeks, that’s refreshing – Sloane

Well, let’s put it this way, if she didn’t you would already be gone –
Jerrod

Well your quite good at it – Robert

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