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Christmas Plus One – Review
Christmas Plus One – Lifetime – 2 hours and 0 minutes
Sisters Cara and Amy wear their matching Christmas pajamas and run downstairs to write their Christmas wishes. They do this every year, and their wishes come true. This year, they both wish to find their soul mate, put it in a bottle ornament, and put it on the tree.
One year later, Cara returns home for Amy’s wedding to her fiancé, Chris, on the 24th. An incident sidelines Cara in Pittsburg, and she sees a man, Chace, get the last rent-a-car. Cara offers to buy it from him, but he says no. She tells Chace she needs to get to New York for Amy’s dress fitting. Chace chuckles because he is heading to the city, too. Cara insists she rides with him. Chace agrees to let her go, but only if she lets him play Christmas choir music on a loop for six hours. Cara knows the group and happily obliges. Cara and Chace feel an instant connection when they arrive in the city. They exchange numbers, and Cara invites Chace to the wedding. Chace says yes, and Cara twirls when he walks away. She accidently drops her phone, and a man, Michael, kicks it into the sewer. Michael apologizes, but it’s too late. The man of her dreams is down the drain.
Michael reports to his editor, Phil. Phil hates Michael’s latest article because it wasn’t what he told Michael to write. He considers firing Michael but gives him another chance. Michael, a holiday dodger, has to create a top 10 list of the things to do in New York for Christmas. And it can’t be tourist sites, but niche activities. Michael gladly takes the challenge but runs to Pete’s Café to complain. Michael goes to Aruba to escape the holiday and the city every year. Now, he has to cancel his plans for this article. Cara interjects after recognizing him as her phone kicker. He offers to buy a new phone, but she has a new one. It’s the contents she can’t replace. Pete tells Michael to be kind to Cara. Cara knows the best Christmas spots. But she needs a partner for most of them, and Amy is busy planning the wedding. So, Michael can follow Cara, be her partner, and write. Cara finds him intriguing but asks what’s in the deal for her. Pete knows she wants to be a graphic designer. Michael has a contact at Evergreen, the best firm in the city. He will pass her portfolio if she helps him. They agree.
On their first outing, Cara and Michael build a snowman. They look around to check out the competition, and Cara spots a handmade scarf. Chace wore it the day they met. She hopes it is a clue he left for her. Cara remembers mentioning her favorite holiday activities on their car ride to New York. So, Cara will leave breadcrumbs for him at any location she visits. Cara hopes her Christmas soulmate wish will come true, while Michael prays to keep his job.
For half of the movie, viewers will wait with bated breath each time Cara and Chace cross paths. They come so close several times and meet friends at several locations but never come face to face. When Chace gives his number to a mutual acquaintance, your heart will drop as the person pretends not to remember Cara. You may feel betrayed. Although you don’t see it, Cara and Chace had a strong connection over a six-hour car ride. However, Cara and Michael spent several days sharing her holiday traditions. Finally, he admits he is not a Scrooge, only emotionally hurting. This movie has you backing the wrong horse, but it deepens the love story.
I give it 4 out of 5 stars
You were twirling? – Michael
Thanks a lot – Cara
You what? – Amy
She can basically write the article for you – Pete
Who’s Michael? – Chace
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Navigating Christmas – Review
Navigating Christmas – Hallmark – 2 hours and 0 minutes
Financial Strategist Melanie takes a break from work at her company Christmas party and sits with her friend and co-worker Claire. Melanie reflects because the last year wasn’t easy. She and her ex-husband, Max, finalized their divorce after he left her for a woman, Lauren, whom he met at the gym. Although she is happy to bounce back emotionally from it, Melanie’s relationship with her son, Jason, is on thin ice. He doesn’t know about his father’s infidelity and blames the divorce on his mother’s hectic work schedule. He delights in skiing with Max instead of at home with his mom for the holidays. And that breaks Melanie’s heart.
Melanie reminds Jason that he has a 10-page book report due about a historical landmark. He will fail if he doesn’t complete the assignment and stay back a grade. He makes a few snide comments, and Melanie leaves his room. Later, Melanie gets a call from Max. Max needs to cancel his ski trip with Jason and asks Melanie to deliver the unfortunate news. Jason is upset because he told his friends about going away on a fun trip. Now, he has to stay home with his boring mom. Melanie gets online to find a last-minute vacation under a 3-hour drive to a festive location. She scrolls and discovers St. Nicolas Island Lighthouse for $200 a night. With five people showing interest, Melanie immediately books it.
Melanie and Jason take a water taxi to the island, but she runs to the opposite side of the boat because she is seasick. Peter warns her to return because the water is choppy, but Melanie refuses to listen because he isn’t the captain. Then, she gets splashed with seawater, and Peter walks away laughing.
Melanie arrives at the lighthouse to find a list of chores instead of festive decorations. The chore list gives them instructions on how to decorate the lighthouse. Jason blames Melanie for ruining the vacation. Melanie decides to meet with the lighthouse owner for an explanation. Melanie finds the owner, Peter, and he blames her for not reading the fine print. The person staying at the lighthouse has to decorate it for the Christmas Lights Festival. If she doesn’t do it, the town will be disappointed. The town calls Peter a Scrooge because he hasn’t been to St. Nicolas during the holidays in 8 years. Ruth, the diner’s owner, encourages Peter to help Melanie and her son fix up the lighthouse for the celebration. Peter doesn’t tell anyone, but this year is different. He is in town because someone wants to buy the lighthouse and use the land to make condos. Peter’s father, Harold, left a mountain of debt after his illness and unpaid taxes. Peter desires to keep the lighthouse in his family but can figure out how. Will Melanie and Peter let down their guard to expose their troubles and get help?
Hallmark gives an honest view of divorce in this film. Hallmark usually wants to present all divorces as friendly, amicable, and no-fault, but that isn’t the case. And kids suffer and lash out at the primary parent. It’s hard to watch because Melanie is doing her best. She doesn’t want to present Max in a negative light but detests being the villain in her son’s eyes. The storylines create a quid-pro-quo dynamic in these relationships. Peter is helping Jason connect with Melanie and decorate the lighthouse. But you don’t understand how she will help him until an hour and a half into the film. But this change is okay because the plot focuses on Jason and Melanie’s mother-son dynamic and pushes her love story with Peter on the back burner to grow naturally. Also, you have the budding romance between Jason and Mayor Katy’s daughter, Sara. Sara helps Jason see that Melanie is trying to be a good mom and that he is the problem. For a story deeply enriched in reality, Hallmark handles it with care.
I give it 4 out of 5 stars
Go, have a drink and enjoy yourself before I fire you – Melanie
What she said – Peter
Force? No. Heavily persuade? Yes – Katy
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Sisters on the Run – Review
Sisters on the Run – LMN – 2 hours and 0 minutes
Bruised and battered, Selma calls local stations for the cheapest ticket headed in any direction. She scrounges up a few dollars and walks towards the door but hides when she hears her husband, Officer Jason, on the other side. Jason lifts up the bed and refuses to let her leave him. She knows too much about his illegal side hustles. She grabs his gun, shoots, and runs out of the home to escape.
Madison is a proud cheer mom to a temperamental 15-year-old daughter, Willow. Willow lashes out at Madison’s strict parenting, but Madison praises structure. Madison grew up in a chaotic household, and her sister ran wild. Madison leads a meeting with other cheer moms when she gets an unexpected knock at her door. She stands in disbelief when her little sister, Selma, is on the other side. Selma asks for a place to stay, but Madison refuses because Selma brings trouble. Madison tells her husband, Nolan, later. He encourages Madison to lend Selma a helping hand. Madison meets Selma at a diner. Selma promises not to bring anything ill will to Madison’s home, and Madison agrees to let Selma stay.
Selma bonds with Willow, and Madison is slightly jealous. Madison runs errands while Selma does laundry. Selma hears something and walks around the house on high alert. She steps on broken glass and finds two men inside the home. Selma fights them off, and Madison comes home early. They get in Madison’s car and drive away. Nolan calls when Madison and Selma stop for gas. The news is reporting that Selma killed Jason and is on the run with Madison. Selma apologizes for not giving Madison the whole story and tells Madison to leave her. Madison refuses and will stand by Selma’s side to uncover the truth. Unfortunately, two cohorts of Jason’s are looking for Selma. And they will use their badges and lies to track her down. Will they succeed?
This movie points out that it has a Thelma and Louise plot but without their deadly ending (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer). It does drop Lifetime gems like Madison having asthma. So, Lifetimers can countdown to her inhaler being an issue. Also, the script balances out good cop versus bad cop. Jason and his flunkies are bad cops, but Madison’s friend, Rusty, is a good cop who hates bad ones. It’s careful to point out that all cops aren’t dirty, but few are spoiling the bunch. There are classic protagonist mistakes, but Lifetimers expect this. This movie is enjoyable and adds a fun twist at the end.
I give it 3.5 out of 5 stars
Baby, I’m your husband – Jason
I hate you – Willow
Did I do the right thing today – Madison
I’m the villain now – Selma
This is prison for me – Rusty
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A World Record Christmas – Review
A World Record Christmas – HMM – 2 hours and 0 minutes
Marissa and her husband, Eric, decorate the library for the holidays when Marissa’s son, Charlie, enters with Charlie’s friend, Amy. Eric hints that he wants to have a baby with Marissa, but she is unsure. She does want to return home and decorate their house because it’s one week before Christmas. Mayor Ben reminds everyone that Brookswood will continue to break world records this holiday by wrapping the most gifts in an hour. And he needs the whole town’s support. Everyone agrees to join.
Marissa gives Charlie one gift early: Jenga (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer). It’s his favorite game, and she can never beat him. Charlie asks if his real dad, Peter, will come to Christmas this year. Charlie hasn’t seen Peter in years. Charlie questions if Peter left because he has autism, and Marissa provides a definitive no. Marissa protects Charlie’s feelings and refocuses his attention. Eric wishes Charlie would call him dad, but Marissa knows Charlie’s autism allows him to give one person that label. Then, Charlie gets an idea. If he breaks a world record, then Peter must come. Marissa and Eric support Charlie and meet with Ben. Ben provides the adjudicator’s phone number. Now, Charlie must find a record to break. After careful consideration, Charlie decides to break the Jenga record. He must stack 1401 Jenga blocks on one standing vertical block. Can Charlie break the record and make his dad proud?
Inspired by actual events, this story will have you on your seat’s edge. Charlie doesn’t see autism as a limitation but as a superpower. This positive mindset allows Charlie to create and face challenges. He inspires the town to get involved by donating money to charity and providing bricks for the competition. Marissa and Eric are lovingly patient. They see signs of Charlie becoming upset and handle it with care. Even Amy assists Charlie with a news interview. The script also shows Charlie’s love grow. He expresses feelings for Amy and appreciates Eric. The plot did try to save Peter’s character at the end, but it was unnecessary. Hallmarkies should have tissues close.
I give it 5 out of 5 stars
I’ll take what I can get – Eric
It doesn’t sound so mean when she says it – Charlie
Remember, they don’t have to be perfect. They just have to taste good – Marissa
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A Roommate to Die For – Review
A Roommate to Die For – Lifetime – 2 hours and 0 minutes
Jeremy and Faith have another intense fight, and he ends their relationship. Faith, a real estate agent, confesses to her friend, Jaden, that she can’t afford her home without Jeremy’s income. Her name is the only one on the mortgage, and she doesn’t want to give up her dream home. Faith’s only solution is to get a renter.
She searches for candidates online and interviews them. Vince, an LSAT tutor, wows Faith. He gave up a career in law to teach. He gives Faith a reference number, and the woman provides glowing reviews of Jeremy. Jeremy moves in, and the stress eases off Faith’s shoulders. She believes she found the answer to her prayers. Instead, she found the devil in disguise.
No one can be this gullible anymore. If anyone should understand the sticky situation of tenant laws, it should be a real estate agent. Also, one reference and a website will never be good enough. Viewers will grow frustrated with Faith’s over-trusting attitude. However, it’s easy to see she poorly picks men. And when Faith decides to fight back, she keeps making mistakes. This movie’s plot is annoying and educational. Think before you rent.
I give it 2 out of 5 stars
It was official as soon as I signed the agreement – Vince
Until we meet again – Faith
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A Heidelberg Holiday – Review
A Heidelberg Holiday – Hallmark – 2 hours and 0 minutes
Heidi’s mother, Melanie, walks into Heidi’s workshop and questions the twelve Heidelberg Weihnachtsmarkt rejection letters on the wall. Every year, Heidi applies to enter the Heidelberg Christmas Market to sell her handmade glass ornaments. But they continue to say no. Heidi uses the rejections for motivation. Now, she doubts her decision to leave her 9-to-5 to sell her artwork. Melanie encourages Heidi not to get up and asks Heidi to join the family for dinner.
Heidi hears her grandmother, Oma, talking on the phone in German. Heidi knows a few words, but rapid speech and dialect trips her up. Oma gets off the phone with tremendous news. Someone dropped out of the market, and the committee accepted Heidi. Heidi doesn’t know if she can afford the ticket and get to the market. She considers calling the committee and asking them to postpone her acceptance for a year. Her family refuses to let Heidi squander this opportunity, so they offer financial assistance to get Heidi to Germany. And Oma has friends Heidi can stay with to avoid hotel fees. Heidi graciously accepts her family’s help and attends the Christmas Market. Before Heidi leaves, she enters the post office to ship her delicate inventory. The shipping price leaves her speechless, but the owner whispers about a lesser-known and cheaper company. Heidi chooses to ship with the smaller shipper.
Heidi arrives in Germany but gives the cab driver the wrong house number. She has to walk fifty houses uphill to find Oma’s friends. Halfway to the house, a man, Lukas, offers to help Heidi with her bags. He recognizes her destination because the house belongs to his parents. He notices that Heidi agrees to things when she doesn’t understand. That’s why she gave the cab driver the wrong information. He warns Heidi that his parents are friendly. So, she needs to have her appetite ready. Heidi refuses dinner because she wants to sleep before going to the market. However, she doesn’t understand and agrees to dinner and wine. Lukas laughs.
Heidi settles into her booth but uses American tactics and drives buyers away. Lukas suggests Heidi try a gentler German approach. He convinces Heidi to step away from her booth and tour the area. Heidi pulls out a list Oma gave her earlier. It contains family historical sites that Oma wanted Heidi to experience. After checking one item off Oma’s list, Heidi goes to the post office. Iceland Customs has her packages. Heidi panics because she needs her packages to fulfill her orders. Lukas calms her and assures Heidi that the packages will arrive. Until then, he will keep her company on her family heritage tour. Heidi will connect to more than her family tree.
The German history and traditions drive this story forward. The plot introduces the audience to St. Nicholas Day, the advent wreath, German architecture, and the Heidelberger Studentkuss (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer). Also, Heidi shares her traditions with her host family. Heidi and Lukas have a common bond in the story. They are artists. He makes wood mosaics but can’t focus on them because he works in his family’s furniture shop. Also, he doubts his abilities and never finishes his work. Heidi’s self-esteem crumbles under the rejections. She worries her art isn’t good enough to grow beyond her family’s garage. They encourage each other and build something new from the broken and incomplete pieces. Their art is the perfect metaphor for their relationship. This movie is touching and informative.
I give it 4 out of 5 stars
I work out of my parent’s garage, and my best friend is a blow torch – Heidi
Absolut nicht – Oma
You are about to see how extra my parents really are – Lukas
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Christmas Time Capsule – Review
Christmas Time Capsule – UPtv – 2 hours and 0 minutes
Tiffany finishes the description for another product when she gets a phone call from her parents. She promises to send her road trip itinerary, and her father will send continuous weather updates. Tiffany hates to fly. So she planned a long-awaited road trip with highly recommended Christmas-themed stops. This year is different because it’s time for her to open her time capsule (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer). Ten years ago, Tiffany put items into a time capsule on Christmas and vowed to keep it closed. This Christmas Eve, she will open it.
Before Tiffany leaves, she gets a surprising knock on her door. It’s her best friend, James. James returned from his deployment but didn’t tell Tiffany. However, he came to her for a specific reason. He wants his grandmother’s wedding ring to propose to his girlfriend, Ashley. Tiffany is disappointed because she had a crush on James for decades. Tiffany says she can get the ring, but it can’t be now. James tells Tiffany that Ashley’s family has a tradition of proposing on Christmas, so he needs the ring. Tiffany confesses that the ring is in the time capsule at her parents’ home. James wants to fly ahead of Tiffany and get the capsule from her parents. But Tiffany is the only one with the key. James knows Tiffany has aerophobia, so he resigns to go on the road trip. However, Tiffany must shorten it so he can propose on time. Tiffany calls her parents to inform them that James is coming. Tiffany’s mother, Elise, cheers because she thinks Tiffany and James are dating. Tiffany tells Elise that James is proposing to another woman. Elise advises Tiffany to tell James how she feels on the trip. Will this trip change this friendship forever?
Viewers can speculate where Tiffany and James’s relationship will go, but it is obvious when Ashley comes to town. She knows nothing about James, and James can’t state why he loves Ashley. So, you wait for a predictable conclusion with a careful plot that doesn’t make anyone an antagonist. Now, Elise takes the cake. She has been scheming to get Tiffany and James together and won’t let a potential fiancée get in her way. This comic relief shines during the lulls in the story. So, have your sugar-free ginger spice cookies ready for this holiday film.
I give it 3 out of 5 stars
Change of plans – James
Don’t be nervous. It’s me. Your best friend – Tiffany
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Christmas Island – Review
Christmas Island – Hallmark – 2 hours and 0 minutes
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Captain Kate Gabriel interviews for a private pilot position and gets the job. They want her to start immediately and fly the Sharpe family to Switzerland for Christmas vacation. Kate assures the interviewer that working over the Christmas holiday isn’t a problem for her. However, Kate has no idea who the famous Sharpes are.
Helen and Thomas Sharpe run a clothing empire with two kids, Finn and Cali. Cali is an angst-ridden teen, and Finn worries Santa could miss him. Helen informs Kate that they have a hotel room for her. And the nanny flew ahead to meet them there. Once they are in Switzerland, they may need Kate for last-minute business flights. Kate understands, boards the private jet, does her pre-flight checks, and heads to the skies. She steps away from the controls to offer the family some hot chocolate. However, the flight runs into turbulence. She calls air traffic control, but the dispatcher doesn’t take kindly to her comedic demeanor. Kate turns serious, and he tells her to land because the storm is too massive to fly through. She mulls over the decision because Kate promised the family she would make it on time. But she understands the flight is too dangerous. The only place Kate can land is the Christmas Island Airport.
Kate and the Sharpes leave the aircraft and enter the airport. Then, Kate hears a familiar voice. It’s the dispatcher, Oliver. Oliver doesn’t know when the storm will end but says the family can stay with the postmaster, Jim. Oliver will inform the Sharpes and Kate when he gets the green light. Jim is happy to let the family stay with his daughter, Mayor Maggie, and Maggie’s son, Shane. Also, Maggie has a guest house for Kate to sleep in.
As the family gets acclimated to their surroundings, Helen pulls Kate aside. She and Thomas have a lot of work to do. The nanny had activities planned for the kids to keep them occupied. But she is not there, so Helen asks Kate to take care of the children. Kate hides her panic while accepting her updated role. Kate runs to Maggie for help with Christmas planning, but Maggie knows someone more Christmas-qualified than her. Her brother, Oliver, loves the holiday and knows everything in town to do. Kate sighs and asks for his help through gritted teeth. He decides to make it the best Christmas for Cali and Finn. They will make cookies, decorate lobster crates, and answer letters for Santa. This detour will provide Kate and the Sharpes with a new route to life.
This movie brings two seemingly unlikely people together. However, sadness holds Kate and Oliver from seeing their full potential. Yes, their love story is entertaining, but the relationship between the Sharpes grabs your attention. Cali loves her family but pushes Finn and Helen away. When Cali sees Helen put Finn on the back burner, Cali snaps at Helen. Helen wants to find a way to connect with Cali, but Helen feels everything she does is wrong. The family hasn’t celebrated a traditional Christmas in years. Their family’s rebirth is delightful to watch, and it saves this film.
I give it 3.5 out of 5 stars
I’m very, very available – Kate
Because those are so embarrassing – Cali
I don’t think I’m qualified – Finn
Ride report. This isn’t comedy hour – Oliver
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Categories: A Heidelberg Holiday, A Roommate to Die For, A World Record Christmas, Aias Dalman, Andrew Bushell, Andrew Walker, Angela Cole, Austin Valli, Brianna Cohen, Chelsea Hobbs, christmas, Christmas Island, Christmas Plus One, Christmas Time Capsule, Corey Sevier, Countdown to Christmas, Emily Alatalo, Franco Lo Presti, Frédéric Brossier, Ginna Claire Mason, hallmark, Hallmark Movies and Mysteries, Hateful and Grateful, HMM, holiday, Its A Wonderful Lifetime, Jefferson Brown, Jonathan Stoddard, lifetime, lifetime movie network, lmn, Lucas Bryant, Made for TV, Miracles of Christmas, Most Uplifting Christmas Ever, movie, Navigating Christmas, Nicole Marie Johnson, Nikki DeLoach, Rachel Skarsten, review, Sisters on the Run, Stephen Huszar, Taylor Carter, tv review, UPtv, Vanessa Smythe, Zach Meiser, Zane Haney
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