Christmas Reservations – Review

Christmas Reservations – Lifetime – 2 hours and 0 minutes

Several generations ago, Holly’s ancestors used a gold nugget to purchase and build a ski lodge.  The Treeline Lodge hosts Christmas week every year.  Her father Tom manages the place and she is the event coordinator.  This year several guests come with their own host of expectations and strife.

• Preena: tricked her grandmother, Dadi, into coming after touring colleges.  Preena wants to go to school in America but she wishes she had Dadi’s approval.  Preena hopes some time at Treeline will help
• Kay: won a trip to the Treeline on a game show.  She is excited but her sister, Kate doesn’t seem to be interested.  Kate is preoccupied with a secret she’s keeping
• Duffy: an Olympic medalist who learned to ski at the Treeline Lodge.  But, he is stuck in the past.
• Kevin: widower father of 2.  He wanted to get away with his two children and make some memories.  They only want a dog.

When Holly and Kevin lay eyes on each other, they looked as if they witnessed an elephant breakdancing.  The two were college sweethearts but broke up with each other.  They nitpick back and forth until Holly asks a crazy question during Christmas trivia.  Soon, the entire lodge has a stake in their relationship goals.

This movie will have you laughing as each character gets their Christmas wish.  The writers allowed each character to have their own backstory and relationships; allowing the film to be funny, traditional, and compelling.  It’s easy to find a character in this movie that you identify as yourself or a family member.  You and the guests keep their fingers crossed for a happy ending.  See this one with the whole family and play along with the trivia game.

I give it 4.5 out of 5 stars

I’m on their side – Holly

I don’t mind you have a very nice voice – Tom

I thought I was over here – Kevin

Don’t make excuses when there aren’t any – Dadi

You saw that – Preena

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Two Turtle Doves – Review

Two Turtle Doves – HMM – 2 hours and 0 minutes

Sharon heads home for the first time after her grandmother, Vera, passed away.  Vera’s favorite time of the year was Christmas, so it holds a special place for Sharon and her pregnant cousin Lucy.  Begrudgingly, Sharon has to meet with her grandmother’s estate lawyer to handle Vera’s affairs.  At the cookie shop, Sharon runs in Sam, Vera’s estate lawyer.  He makes an appointment to meet her that afternoon.  Sharon recognized Sam as Vera’s neighbor.  But Vera was more than a neighbor. Vera was Sam’s daughter’s therapist.  After Sam’s wife died, Vera helped Michela cope with losing her mother.  Just like she did for Sharon after her mom died.  At Sam’s offices, he leaves Sharon with notebooks and a tape recorder.  Vera left a message for Sharon.  Vera knew Christmas would be hard for Sharon.  So she decided to help her make a choice to keep the house and stay in town or sell the house and head back to NY.  Sharon has until Christmas to complete 12 tasks.  Each will correspond to one of the 12 Days of Christmas ornaments.  Sadly, Vera has only had 11 ornaments since the family never got the Partridge in a Pear Tree created.  But when Sharon checks the box, the Two Turtle Doves are missing as well.  It’s the family believes the 2 turtle doves help people fall in love.  She is on a mission to find that ornament, complete the 12 tasks, and make a decision about the house.

Get the tissues.  This is the P.S. I Love You of Christmas (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer).  Sharon isn’t alone during each task.  She gets help from family and friends, each with a story to tell about Vera.  Michela witnesses Sharon’s good spirits and wonders when losing her mother will stop hurting.  Hearing Michela worries about forgetting her mother, you hurt will heart.  They help each other during the tasks while talking about the similarities in their childhoods.  Soon you see peace in Michela’s eyes.  If you watch HMM, you will be able to piece together the mystery of the missing ornaments with 2 clues.  The search will draw you in, but the connection between Michela, Sharon, and Vera will have you reaching for your Kleenex.

I give it 4.5 out of 5 stars

But on a completely unrelated note, Merry Christmas – Prof. Warren

Can you get me a dozen of salted chocolate chip cookies and a jar of mayo – Lucy

I am feeling like someone has cracked my heart and fried it like an egg – Sharon

From here, there is only discovery – Vera

Can and have to might be two very different things – Alex

I don’t believe in naps – Sam

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Your Family Or Your Life – Review

Your Family Or Your Life – LMN – 2 hours and 0 minutes

Dr. Kathy brings a patient back from the brink of death only to discover her husband, David, committed suicide.  She can’t believe her husband is gone.  Kathy asks her best friend, Michelle, to pick her daughter, April, because her husband was supposed to do it.  The three women are still in shock and try to make it through the evening with very little police information.  The next day, the detective tells Kathy her husband had diazepam in his system with a blood alcohol level of .20.  Kathy knows this can’t be right.  Her husband was sober for 16 years.  The detective leaves her with David’s suicide note.  In his note, he mentions the Velveteen Rabbit book (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer).  Kathy finds it on the bookshelf and a key falls out.  She knows it was a clue.  Later, April finds a digital tape recorder.  While it holds some information, it was damaged by water and dirt.  Kathy is determined to prove her husband didn’t commit suicide.  Her pursuit of the truth will end with a gun pointed at her daughter’s head.

This movie is a mystery wrapped inside a suicide note.  Each phrase is a potential clue.  Kathy’s capability to understand her husband’s clues expresses a strong bond between the couple.  You delightedly watch as the women, Erica and Kathy, play a game of chess as they try to outmaneuver each other.  The body count is typical for an LMN movie but no shovel was used in the process of any murder.

I give it 3.5 out of 5 stars

I just don’t trust a kid who wears a beanie in 85-degree weather – David

It’s not stalking if you post it for the whole world to see– Damen

Hey bud, you alone – John

He’s trying to tell us something – April

We know the way – Michelle

I don’t like the smell of that guy and I mean that quite literally – Kathy

The intruders liked my file cabinets more than they liked my Rolexes – Mike

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Nostalgic Christmas – Review

Nostalgic Christmas – HMM – 2 hours and 0 minutes

Anne is heading back home to help her father close his toy shop.  As a child, she would help him make things by hand.  Now, she the top toy buyer for Sinclair Toy Company.  She picks the latest and greatest toys of the year.  Once at her dad’s company, she sees he is dragging his feet.  She decides to help him along by giving away her old carved Santas.  Each Santa has a specific name and power, i.e. Neighbor Santa and Music Santa.  Keith manages the town mill but the owner is considering closing it.  This would mean that half of the town would be out of jobs.  He wants to save the mill and help his daughter Jesse.  She is trying to build up the confidence to tryout for the school’s play.  Keith walks into Anne’s shop to get a last-minute gift for Jesse’s toy exchange at school and the two meet. It’s sweet and innocent.  The next time they meet, its in the town hall.  Keith raises his hand to high five Jesse and mistakenly signs up to chair the Winter Festival.  Anna raises her hand to help explain and she mistakenly signs up to be his co-chair.  These two have to put on the town festival.  It seems easy since everything was stored away last year.  When the 40-foot tree goes missing and the music coordinator has to leave, they have their work cut out for them.

Based on The House of Wooden Santas by Kevin Major, this movie is sweet at his core (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer).  However, you will find the townspeople more interesting than the main couple. The connection between Jesse and Anne will bring a smile to your face.  Seeing her help this little girl confidence grow will make you stronger.  Don’t give up on this movie, it has a satisfying ending for everyone.

I give it 3 out of 5 stars

If it’s not made of wood, it’s not a real toy. As far as he’s concerned – Anne

And you really love Christmas songs. Sounds like a match made in the North Pole to me – Keith

My husband only likes you because you have the bigger TV – patty

Get over being over it – Mr. Grayson

We met this morning but I was too busy putting my foot in my mouth for a proper interaction – Keith

Tell me this. when you say it can’t mean anything, do you mean Keith or Tom – Pauline

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A Christmas Movie Christmas – Review

A Christmas Movie Christmas – UPtv – 2 hours and 0 minutes

Eve Bell works at an ad agency with a boss who doesn’t know her name.  She loves watching Christmas movies, especially the ones with actor Chad Monroe.  She wishes she could have a Christmas like the ones on TV.  Lacy Bell, unlike her sister, would rather watch real crime TV.  She thinks all the plots are the same: girl moves to a small town, save the festival, find love, kiss, and it snows.  She dates a string of losers but still loves Chad Monroe, too.  Lacy wishes Eve would be more assertive at work and let the Christmas fantasy go.  Eve wishes her sister could get into the holiday spirit.  Eve calls Lacy a ‘Scrinch’ (Scrooge + Grinch).  The two sisters leave their rundown apartment when the heat and power go out.  They run into Santa who asks them what they really want.  Eve wishes for the perfect Christmas.  Lacy makes a wish but keeps it to herself.  They go home and fall asleep.  They wake up in a different home, different a bed, and different clothes with hair and makeup done.  They grab “weapons” and head downstairs.  They find their Gram Gram cooking cinnamon waffles with a refrigerator full of Christmas cookies.  When their Gram Gram starts to sing, they realize they are in a Christmas movie.  Eve’s sudden talent in tree decorating leads her to believe she is the star of the movie.  Lacy is the sidekick sister.  Eve and Lacy must let the movie play out in order to go back home.  Eve needs to find her storyline and kiss her love interest in order to go home.  Lacy needs to find her subplot in the story.  Even with all their knowledge, living out a Christmas movie will not be easy.

This movie is the Isn’t It Romantic of Christmas (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer).  It makes fun of all the holiday movie cliches without disrespecting them.  Eve your friend with the PDF Printout of the Christmas Movie schedule. Lacy is the friend that signs the petition to push holiday movies to December.  These are the competing extremes during the holidays.  At its core, this movie is about self-reliance and self-respect.  But don’t worry, it still has that magical holiday ending for all you Christmas lovers.  Record this movie, so you can watch it every year and laugh while tearing up.

I give it 5 out of 5 stars

Wait, did you go to bed with your hair and makeup done – Lacy

Because I tried to bake Christmas cookies in there – Eve

You want cinnamon waffles. You gotta get through your old gram, gram first – Gram Gram

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No Time Like Christmas – Review

No Time Like Christmas – Lifetime – 2 hours and 3 minutes

The Frost Watch company was extremely impressed by Emma’s latest campaign for a sneaker company.  They have decided to hire her to create their Secret Holiday Watch campaign.  They want to campaign done by Christmas Eve, 16 days away.  Her boss is elated at the job, she notices Emma is less than enthusiastic.  However, Emma promises to work on the campaign while visiting her family in Vermont.  Before she goes on the trip, she visits an antique store to look at classic watches for inspiration.  Emma sees a familiar watch.  She picks it up and reads the inscription, “Fletcher, You Have My Heart – Love Emma”.  She can’t believe it.  It’s the watch she gave her first and only love 13 years ago.  Before he made his screenplay debut, she gave Fletcher the watch to tell him how much she loved him.  He gave her strength when she was trying to cope with stage fright.  She was able to play and sing original songs on the piano.  She hasn’t played or sang since that day.  She went to college and got a job in advertising.  She never opened her heart to love ever again.  When she lands in Vermont, Emma heads straight to her sister, Bronwyn’s home.  Before she can set down her luggage, Bronwyn tells Emma she won’t be staying at her place.  Bronwyn knew Emma needed to work and decide to get her a room at the Oakwood B&B for peace and quiet.  At the inn, Emma finds out the town festival and the theater are both coming to an end.  So she tries to enjoy the festivities one last time before working.  Emma walks around town and bumps into Lola.  Lola is handing out flyers for the last performance at the theater, A Christmas Carol (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer).  She tells Emma her dad is directing and looking for actors.  Emma looks up and sees Fletcher.  He is in town to direct one last performance.  Emma suggests he creates a new play to attract more people but he hasn’t written anything in 3 years.  He needs love to take him out of the slump.   Good thing he is staying at the Oakwood B&B too.  Now, Emma knows Bronwyn set her up.  Bronwyn wants Emma to have another shot at love.  Will it work?

Based on Christmas in Vermont by Anita Hughes, is the girl comes home to save the play with her old love and rediscovers love story (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer).  It just doesn’t stand out amongst so many great movies this holiday.  The most enjoyable aspect is Lola and Charles.  She is a sweet, precocious little child who keeps her dad in line.  Charles is the ‘Santa’ of the movie.  He spreads holiday magic at the antique store and the theater.  The biggest stand out is the lip-syncing.  It was too obvious.  This movie will be forgotten in the onslaught of holiday films.

I give it 2.5 out of 5 stars

Is that a trick question – Bronwyn

Something tells me you were always meant to have that watch – Charles

Sometimes we have to sacrifice what we love for a more sensible outcome – Emma

How do you know her name – Lola

Some things never change – Fletcher

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Christmas Wishes & Mistletoe Kisses – Review

Christmas Wishes & Mistletoe Kisses – Hallmark – 2 hours and 0 minutes

Abbey works in a senior facility but Caroline has a job offer for her.  Caroline was impressed by her interior design skills and wants her to apply for a design job at her son, Nick’s company.  If hired, she will be designing Sinclair Family Foundation Christmas Ball at the Sinclair family home.  Upon entering the estate, Abbey is overwhelmed.  She has never created a design this big.  She provides a pitch but Nick and his VP Kate are oblivious to her presence.  She boldly and calmly tells them off and heads to the door.  Nick stops her and hires her for the jobs.  Over the next few days, decorating is hindered by Nick’s unwillingness to participate.  Kate informs her that he is just too busy and she instructs Abbey to go modern and clean, not the traditional Christmas Abbey had in mind.  However, when Abbey gets a few moments with Nick, she unravels he is traditional at heart.  With two opposing views, Abbey must create a design for the ball.  To make matters harder, Abbey has feelings for Nick and Mike.  Mike is a doctor and the son of one of her residents at the senior facility.  But when she suspects Nick has feelings for Kate, will she fight for him or pick Mike.

Based on the novel, Christmas Wishes & Mistletoe Kisses: A feel-good Christmas romance novel by Jenny Hale, this movie is the normal Christmas story (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer).  It does, unsuccessfully, attempt to pull emotions from you about tradition and family.  Also, Hallmark tries to spice it up with a love triangle, and even a love square, but it just doesn’t work.  With so many holiday movies, this one will get lost in the shuffle and become background noise.

I give it 2.5 out of 5 stars

No harm, no foul, no broken candy canes – Abbey

Do you want me to talk you into this or out of it – Philip

You said you could handle it. Make it work – Kate

Preferences and 30 seconds – Nick

I’ll leave you two alone to say fabulous things about me behind my back – Caroline

He’s cute – Desiree

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