It's here! Happy Thanksgiving weekend!
Even though we've been celebrating Christmas together for over a month now, this weekend is truly the official kick-off to the Christmas season! After this, it always seems to go by so fast, so let's hold on tight to each precious moment.
I will be busy in the kitchen with my momma and sister, cooking and baking our family Thanksgiving meal and reflecting on our many blessings. As a farm family, we must feel a little like the Pilgrims did so many years ago as we bow our heads and give thanks to the Lord for another bountiful harvest. What a joyous time to think about everything we are grateful for, especially our dear family and friends.
We remember today, with enormous gratitude, the course the Pilgrims took over 400 years ago to make it to America, fleeing persecution from the Church of England. What must it have been like to cross the ocean for two long months and then survive through many trials and obstacles? Were they joyful or fearful when they landed that day on Plymouth Rock? We cannot even imagine the hardships they faced as they set off on their mission to leave their homeland behind, determined to live in America, where they would be free from religious persecution. We thank the Lord for guiding them here, and we pray for that same bravery and courage today.
I am so thankful for each and every one of you who visit here. We have bonded over our shared interest in movies and Biblical values, and I pray you all truly enjoy this Thanksgiving holiday. I think of you all as dear friends and my family in The Lord, too, since we share the same Heavenly Father!
God's Blessings and Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone!
See all of the 17 *NEW* Christmas movies and more being served during this Thanksgiving weekend below...
Thursday, November 24, 2022:
Thanksgiving-themed Programming
Thought I would share some Thanksgiving classics + an encore of the new Walton's movie. (Please note: Even though this is an encore airing of A Waltons Thanksgiving, I haven't had the opportunity to watch it yet. If you've seen it, I would love to hear your thoughts.)
Thursday, November 24, 2022:
🌟Love at the Thanksgiving Day Parade - Hallmark Movies & Mysteries - 6am/5c.
🌟A Waltons Thanksgiving Reunion - Great American Family - 6am/5c.
🌟The Waltons Thanksgiving Story - INSP - 7am/6c.
🌟A Waltons Thanksgiving (2022 encore airing) - The CW - 8pm/7c.
🌟Reminder: You can stream A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving free through Apple TV+ from November 23 through November 27, 2022.
Thursday, November 24, 2022:
Thanksgiving Day Parades
🌟The 96th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Parade from New York airs on NBC Thanksgiving morning, starting at 9am/8c. I love to see the traditional floats and Santa Claus most of all.
🌟Also, you can see Jen Lilley and Jesse Hutch (who will be starring together in Great American Family's "B&B Merry") hosting the Chicago Thanksgiving Parade on Thanksgiving Day, starting at 9am/8c. The parade will air on the CW, channel 26, in Illinois. Additionally, the Chicago Thanksgiving Parade can be viewed via streaming: watch live on YouTube - click here or for more options - click here.
Thursday, November 24, 2022:
Storyline: “Under the guise of a journalist, Campbell has a chance to get to know her biological father for the first time — without him ever knowing who she really is. As she spends time with him and his family, as well as with the town’s record keeper, she realizes that families are messy, wonderful things. In the end, Campbell must decide if she’s going to keep her identity a secret or reveal the truth to her father — a decision that will change their family Christmas forever.”
Premieres Thursday, November 24, 2022
at 8pm/7c. on the Hallmark Channel
Thursday, November 24, 2022:
Storyline: Julia Wilson (Cory Lee), an accomplished pastry chef from Chicago, heads to a small town bakery famous for their gingerbread to complete her Christmas cookbook. There she finds herself at odds with Kris Thompson (Yannick Bisson), the bakery's charming but private owner, who is ambivalent about sharing his secret recipe.
Premieres Thursday, November 24, 2022
at 8pm/7c. on Lifetime
Friday, November 25, 2022:
Storyline: “When Jen gets the chance to enter a brand’s design contest, she poses a family influencer, enlisting the help of her best friend, Max, and her baby nephew. When her video is selected as a finalist, Jen is torn on whether to go on with her perfect ‘family’ or reveal the truth.”
Premieres Friday, November 25, 2022
at 6pm/5c. on the Hallmark Channel
Friday, November 25, 2022:
Storyline: “Reluctant Crown Prince Edmond returns home just before Christmas in anticipation of being named successor to the throne. To ingratiate himself to his mother the Queen, he gifts her with ‘Mistletoe,’ a rambunctious Corgi in need of some serious training. After several doggy disasters, Edmond turns to Cecily, a canine behavior expert from America for help — but to his great surprise, Cecily demands that he take an active part in the daily dog training sessions. Sparks fly between them as the pair work together to get Mistletoe ready to present at the annual Christmas Ball. Just as the precious pup captures their hearts, they discover that love can grow in the most unexpected places, leading them to question what they really want.”
Premieres Friday, November 25, 2022
at 8pm/7c. on the Hallmark Channel
Friday, November 25, 2022:
Storyline: A property lawyer works to prove that her town’s Drive In Theater, a local institution is not closed down at the holidays, finding romance with the very person who is trying to sell the property.
Premieres Friday, November 25, 2022
at 8pm/7c. on Great American Family
Friday, November 25, 2022:
Storyline: Former Broadway star Billy Holiday (Mario Lopez) returns to his hometown for Christmas after being abruptly fired as the host-producer-judge of the hit TV series “Celebrity Dance Off.” While there, he encounters Rae (Jana Kramer), the charismatic owner of the local dance studio, where Billy’s 12-year-old nephew is her standout student. This Christmas, Rae is planning a dance recital fundraiser with the goal of taking her students to see a Broadway show in New York City. Billy volunteers to help Rae with the recital by reviving the town’s traditional Christmas Eve show, which was once a showcase for local talent. With Billy’s knack for producing and Rae’s knowledge of all things local, their collaboration clicks and romantic sparks start flying!
Premieres Friday, November 25, 2022
at 8pm/7c. on Lifetime
Saturday, November 26, 2022:
Storyline: “Thanks to some Christmas magic, Emma gets to experience two different Christmases – one where she stays in the city and celebrates with a new crush and his friends, and one where she returns home for all the traditions with her family…and Drew, a longtime friend who may have feelings for her. Emma’s double holiday ultimately helps her discover what will truly make her happy in life as well as in love.”
Premieres Saturday, November 26, 2022
at 6pm/5c. on the Hallmark Channel
Saturday, November 26, 2022:
Storyline: “Emily arrives home, hoping to visit her parents, only to discover that they are leaving on a trip of their own. As she stays at their house for the holidays, their HOA is determined to get Emily to participate in the neighborhood’s many Christmas festivities.”
Premieres Saturday, November 26, 2022
at 8pm/7c. on the Hallmark Channel
Saturday, November 26, 2022:
Storyline: An aspiring Broadway singer is convinced to participate in a small-scale production for her local Christmas celebration. Along the way, she finds hope and unexpected mentorship towards her dream career. But will her professional success come at the cost of her chance at love?
Premieres Saturday, November 26, 2022
at 8pm/7c. on Great American Family
Saturday, November 26, 2022:
Storyline: “Four days before Christmas, Elizabeth Athens receives a voicemail from a number she doesn’t recognize. On the message, a man she doesn’t know makes one final plea to the love of his life for a second chance. The fifth installment of the popular movie franchise, based on Blake Shelton’s song ‘Time for Me to Come Home.'”
Premieres Saturday, November 26, 2022
at 10pm/9c. on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries
Saturday, November 26, 2022:
Storyline: Brian Conway is a successful businessman whose relationships with those around him have really suffered. While this Christmas season has been the most successful for his business, he’s divorced, his relationship with his daughter Michelle is strained and he doesn’t have a meaningful connection with his only granddaughter. After Brian gets into a car accident on Christmas Eve, Santa gives him twelve chances to re-do the day and repair the relationships in his life to find the true meaning of Christmas. For Brian, these twelve days are a journey of self-realization about life, love and happiness as he attempts to right the wrongs of his life in pursuit of the Christmas spirit.
Premieres Saturday, November 26, 2022
at 8pm/7c. on Lifetime
Saturday, November 26, 2022:
Storyline: This sequel to the popular Bounce Original movie “Faith Heist” finds Pastor Benjamin (Jonathan Langdon, “No Tomorrow”) and his motley crew of congregants locked in the local mall on Christmas Eve. A fearsome team of armed thieves break-in to rob the mall and all the money raised by the church for a Christmas charity. Unable to flee or signal for help, the pastor and his friends realize it’s up to them to battle the crooks and save the mall – all before Christmas morning.
Premieres Saturday, November 26, 2022
at 8pm/7c. on Bounce
Sunday, November 27, 2022:
Storyline: “Annie Cooper has big shoes to fill when she takes over as CEO of her late grandmother’s small-town cookie company and is doing her best to help their struggling business get back on track. That task gets more daunting when her grandmother’s secret recipe is stolen during the Christmas party. As Annie tries to crack the case and uncover the culprit she works with Sam, the owner of a local bakery, to recreate the recipe in the hope of saving the company and her job. As Annie and Sam bake batch after batch in pursuit of the perfect one, they begin to learn that their lives go together like milk and cookies.”
Premieres Sunday, November 27, 2022
at 6pm/5c. on the Hallmark Channel
Sunday, November 27, 2022:
Storyline: “In 1958, Maggie is an heiress from Philadelphia who puts her high-society wedding plans on hold in order to sneak up to New York City and make her secret dream come true: dancing live on stage in the 'Christmas Spectacular' at Radio City Music Hall.”
Premieres Sunday, November 27, 2022
at 8pm/7c. on the Hallmark Channel
Sunday, November 27, 2022:
Storyline: Maggie and Eric are busy parents of teenagers who embark on a trip to the home of Maggie’s widowed brother to celebrate Christmas. Everyone has different expectations of the perfect holiday. Through a series of transformative events, Maggie learns to embrace the season.
Premieres Sunday, November 27, 2022
at 8pm/7c. on Great American Family
In case you haven't seen it, here's a trailer for "A Christmas... Present," featuring the heartwarming Matthew West song, Come Home for Christmas...
Sunday, November 27, 2022:
Storyline: Recently widowed Molly (Jane Seymour) has lost her zest for life and given up on ever finding love again. But when she decides to visit her daughter for Christmas, she has no idea what holiday magic is in store for her. A former drama teacher, Molly reluctantly takes on the job of directing the town's Christmas pageant and soon finds herself falling for her leading man, Hank (Joe Lando), the town's most eligible bachelor. As Molly and the irrepressible Hank fall in love, she rediscovers her inner free spirit and finds a new lease on life. And when the star of the pageant loses her voice moments before the show, it will be up to Molly to step into the spotlight and shine brightly for the first time in her life.
Premieres Sunday, November 27, 2022
at 8pm/7c. on Lifetime
Sunday, November 27, 2022:
Storyline: "When an egotistical social media influencer's dog is kidnapped overnight, her long-suffering assistant Emily (Ball) teams up with charming local vet Jonathan (Fearnley) to find the puppy before Christmas. As the two investigate suspects, including a rival influencer and a crazed fan, they form a romantic bond along the way – until she suspects her charming vet isn't all he seems to be."
Premieres Sunday, November 27, 2022
at 8pm/7c. on ION
My Take on the New Christmas Movies:
As for the 17 NEW Christmas movies (yikes, that's a lot!) airing this Thanksgiving holiday weekend, I'm personally looking forward most of all to the NEW Great American Family Christmas movies: Christmas at the Drive-In, I’m Glad It’s Christmas, and A Christmas… Present!
Christmas at the Drive-In looks so cool and fun, with a bit of a retro feel to it. Plus, this will be Danica McKellar and Neal Bledsoe's third movie together, and they have such wonderful chemistry together on screen.
I'm also looking forward to all of the beautiful music in I’m Glad It’s Christmas, with Jessica Lowndes, Paul Greene, and the legendary singer, Gladys Knight!
And I'm most excited to see the faith-filled Christmas movie, A Christmas… Present, starring Candace Cameron Bure and Marc Blucas, on Sunday night. I can't wait to "Come Home for Christmas" with Great American Family!
Please share what you are looking forward to seeing this Thanksgiving weekend in comments below.
Movie Reviews:
If you'd like to check out the 2022 Christmas Movie Reviews shared by It's a Wonderful Movie family members and myself, please visit *here*.
Christmas Schedule:
To see more Christmas movies coming up, be sure to visit the Christmas Movie Schedule.
Disclaimer: Please know when I share a movie, this is NOT an endorsement of any of the actors involved, personally or professionally, with their other TV/film projects.
Please note: I haven't pre-screened the new Christmas movies airing this weekend. If you'd like to post a review on whether a film is family-friendly, please share in comments. Thank you so much to everyone who participates in this.
My Thanksgiving Thoughts:
When we think of this holiday, I'm sure we're all filled with all sorts of memories; some may be recent or way back when.
This week we have the opportunity to make new, lasting memories with family and friends.
In between the visits and having a nice meal, there are plenty of new Christmas movies to enjoy on TV, as well.
If you watch ALL the *NEW* Christmas movies, you are sure to be stuffed. Surely one, two, or three will be good, I trust.
So... enjoy this special holiday of giving thanks to The Lord by joining hands and praying.
Much love and blessings to you all... Happy Thanksgiving!
Net
SHINING HIS LIGHT:
"Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His name. For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting; and His truth endureth to all generations."
~Psalm 100:4-5
I am so thankful for you and your blog! I am looking forward to many of these movies, but I am most looking forward to seeing Marc Blucas in a movie! I am such a huge fan, I have liked all that he has been in (that have been family friendly), with Season For Love being my absolute favorite. I hope he will do more with GAC. Maybe a Fall movie and a Springtime movie. I loved all that you said about Thanksgiving. Thank you, Net! Happy Thanksgiving!
ReplyDeleteThis is just overkill.
ReplyDeleteThe majority of these look worthwhile watching and there are a few I am really excited about.
I will of course avoid the ones which have previously married lead characters and although not mentioned in the blog the photo suggests that might include A Christmas Cookie Catastrophe.
Although I like Jana Kramer I don't think I could watch an hour-and-a-half of Mario Lopez, even five minutes is more than enough.
Brant Daugherty is always good for a laugh but maybe it's just the photo but the female lead looks older than him.
On paper my 3 top picks would be:
I'm Glad It's Christmas with Paul Greene and Jessica Lowndes, hope we get to hear Jessica sing a few songs - she has a great voice.
I'm super-excited about Time For Him To Come Home For Christmas with Tyler Hynes - the previous four movies in this franchise have been top-notch and the synopsis sounds great.
And I'll spend an hour and a half in heaven with Chandler Massey in A Tale Of Two Christmases - what a fantastic photo of him.
The plot though sounds pretty similar to last year's Next Stop Christmas
Florence
Happy Thanksgiving Net and everyone here! Lately, all I can do is thank God for his blessings. We have so much; how could we ask for more.
ReplyDeleteNet, love your messages here! Looking forward to GAF movies this weekend.
Happy thanksgiving to everyone on this wonderful site!
ReplyDeleteMan, my DVR is gonna be getting quite a workout this weekend! GAF's new movies are absolute must see, I'm also checking out all of Lifetime's new picks, the new Time to come home for Christmas movie, and A Christmas Cookie Catastrophie. -Maria
Happy Thanksgiving to you, Net! I’m most looking forward to the 3 Great American Family movies too, especially Sunday’s with CCB and Mark Blucas. It looks to be such a special movie!
ReplyDeleteHappy Thanksgiving to you and your family.
ReplyDeleteHappy Thanksgiving!
ReplyDeleteHappy Thanksgiving to all. Even though I don’t know anyone personally, I’m thankful to be part of a community that cares about each other. We don’t always agree on what we think is good or bad but I love the different comments and thoughts from everyone. One thing we all seem to share is our faith and the one thing that matters the most. Look forward to more comments as we enter the Christmas season.
ReplyDeleteAww, JoCo! That's so sweet!! I feel the same way. I'm so thankful to have you all as friends (& sisters and brothers in Christ). I hope everyone here had a blessed Thanksgiving day! And I also look forward to another month of comments! God bless!
DeleteHappy Thanksgiving to you and your family
ReplyDeleteHappy Thanksgiving to all! Goodness, what an abundance of movies--I look forward to reading everyone's thoughts and hope quite a few turn out to be delightful and family-friendly! I'm planning to catch 1 or 2 of the movies that haven't been mentioned yet. :-)
ReplyDelete~Alicia
You guys already know this, but I have to see that Corgi Christmas movie! ;)
ReplyDeleteCandace's film looks great though. It'll be nice to watch a movie with the main characters already married.
I look forward to Lacey's film too! She's one of my best favorites!
Hope you all have active healthy and happy Thanksgiving today! Love to you all!❤
Sorry about that auto correct there(active). Wonder why it would say that! Weird! 😂😂 I meant to say, I hope you have a healthy and Happy Thanksgiving!
ReplyDeleteNet, thank you for your wonderful messages above. And at this time of Thanksgiving, I want to especially thank you for all of your hard work on this site - I know it is very time consuming, but it is very much appreciated by all of your IAWM family members! It is such a wonderful venue where we can very comfortable in sharing our thoughts on movies but more so our faith. You are truly a blessing to each one of us! Have a great Thanksgiving with your family!
ReplyDeleteThree Wise Men and a Baby” shifted format from the usual holiday movie; rather focusing on a romance, the plot followed three brothers as they hilariously struggled when they were forced to care for a mystery baby ahead of Christmas.
ReplyDeleteHappy Thanksgiving
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteThe Southern Family Christmas
"It's basically the reconnection of a girl with her birth father during the holidays. So it's a really, you know, focus on this newfound family coming together and connecting and bonding.
I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! I caught Baking All the Way and just wanted to say it's cute and sweet and family friendly. Nothing new in terms of plot, but there was a nice little twist at the end that I didn't see coming. It was fun seeing Yannick Bisson in a movie again.
ReplyDeleteBaking all the Way is a very sweet movie, highly recommend! -Maria
ReplyDeleteThe Southern Family is family friendly about Campbell is a journalist who has completely lost touch with her Father. They’ve been estranged for years, and he has even settled down with an entirely new family unit. So when she finds out that her next assignment is taking her to Louisiana — where her father and his family now live — for a Pere Noel Christmas celebration, Campbell has to prepare herself for an emotional reunion m. But with holiday magic & warmth all around them, the meeting, article, & Christmas season are sure to be a success.
ReplyDeleteHallmark has surprised me once again. First of all, with When I Think Of Christmas, which I loved! Now with My Southern Family Christmas. Both of these are rated G on TV guide and completely family friendly.
ReplyDeleteThe most surprising thing about When I think Of Christmas is how much they honored the meaning of Christmas. Wish this movie had gotten the attention it deserved!
Perhaps it is just me but I felt Three Wise Men And A Baby was a spoof on something sacred to me. If they had not made this a Christmas story, then I might feel differently.
Hope you had a great Thanksgiving! I plan to watch all the GAF movies.
ReplyDeleteMisty
My Southern Family is family friendly about Turned into a journalist, Campbell gets the chance to meet his biological Father named Bergeron for the first time without him who she really is.. In the end, Campbell must decide if she will reveal the truth, a decision that will change Christmas
ReplyDeleteCampbell is with her birth Father during the holidays with a newfound family coming together and connecting and bonding in Louisiana for Pete Noel Christmas when she doesn’t reveal her truth identity to her Biological Father. Campbell keeps her identity secret or reveal the truth to her birth Father.Although, It’s up to Campbell reveal her truth identity, it will change their family’s Christmas forever.
"My Southern Family Christmas" is delightful! I wasn't expecting a lot from it but ended up loving every minute of it. It's a beautiful story of family and connection that gave me all the warm fuzzy feelings. There's a fun cameo at the beginning too. It's in my top three favorites of what I've seen so far this year. This was my first time seeing Jaicy Elliot in anything, and I hope it won't be my last. She made Campbell very likable and relatable.
ReplyDeleteJaicy Elliott was in Romance In Style with Benjamin Hollingsworth. She is a talented actor! I love her!
DeleteThis one was so good! I've enjoyed both of Jaicy's Hallmark movies and hope to see her again. :-)
Delete~Alicia
CBS Christmas
ReplyDeleteFrosty the Snowman (1969)
8:00pm
Frosty Returns (1995)
9:01pm
#XMAS is family friendly about when interior designer named Jen is selected for social media competition for a design brand, she poses as an influencer with best friend playing her Husband & her Nephew as her baby? When Jen gets the chance to enter a brand’s design contest, she poses as a family influencer, enlisting the help of her best friend, Max, & her baby nephew. When her video is selected as a finalist, Jen is torn on whether to go on with her perfect ‘family’ or reveal the truth?
ReplyDeleteChristmas at the Drive-In is family friendly about Sadie Walker is a property lawyer fighting to save her hometown’s last surviving drive-in. In a You’ve Got Mail–style twist, the person trying to sell the property is a developer in favor of a more profitable tenant. He also happens to be Sadie’s high school ex-boyfriend named Holden McCarthy. Sadie hasn’t seen Holden in 20 years when they become rivals. Sadie finds romance during the holidays while trying to save her town’s local drive-in from closing down. Sadie & Holden manage to save McCarthy Drive-In & including Mendoza Christmas Tree Farm as collaborators
ReplyDeleteSteppin into the Holiday was A-W-E-S-O-M-E!! 1 of the best Lifetime movies I've seen so far this Season!! -Maria
ReplyDeleteChristmas at the Drive In is very lovely and charming! Plus, A Hot Cocoa Christmas makes a brief cameo. -Maria
ReplyDeleteChristmas At The Drive-In is a fun movie. I would have enjoyed it more if Xfinity had been working last night. The sound kept disappearing along with the picture. I stuck with it anyway. Neal Bledsoe is so much better without that accent. He and Danica are most definitely a perfect match. Love them together!
ReplyDeleteChristmas at the Drive-In was great! Danica and Neal have such great chemistry and the one-liners were funny. Definitely family friendly and a must watch! - Jennifer R
ReplyDeleteChristmas At The Drive-In was great! Family friendly and the atmosphere screamed Christmas. Keeper for me.
ReplyDeleteMisty
A Royal Corgi Christmas;
ReplyDeleteThe only reason I finished this movie was because of the dogs! The rest was really boring and there was no chemistry of spark between the main characters. Not worth it. It was thankfully family-friendly, although her coworker, Jacob seemed a tiny bit feminine to me.
I do wish Hallmark had done more research on Cardigan Welsh Corgis though. There was so much more they could have shown! Like, they love food so much they will practically jump up and down for it! It was obvious to me that those dogs were Pembrokes with their tails not docked. If they were truly Royal Pembroke Corgis, their tails would be docked. And only Pembrokes come in tri color. Cardigans have larger features and are smarter and more serious. They are smart enough, you wouldn't need a trainer.
Sorry, I can be kinda serious when it comes to corgis. I love to watch the Westminster Dog Show and I've always bought mine from show breeders.
A Royal Corgi Christmas is family friendly about Sparks fly between a crown prince Edmund and a canine behavior expert Cecily as they work together to train a rambunctious dog before an annual holiday ball. To win his Mother’s love, Prince Edmond gives her a corgi & hires Cecily, a dog trainer. Edmond & Cecily bond over the dog is a corgi named Mistletoe, and discover that love can grow in unexpected places.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed #xmas (despite the name). I was surprised. It didn’t feel that formulaic though the plot line wasn’t unique. The main lady’s acting style in this reminded me of Sandra Bullock in While You Were Sleeping. That added a lot. I recommend this one. Nothing objectionable I can think of if anyone’s concerned.
ReplyDeleteXmas. Liked the movie for most parts, but like Florence doesn’t like the Single parent movies, I don’t really like the ones that start out based on a lie. In real life they don’t always end well.
Delete"Don't give up before the miracle"
ReplyDelete"Christmas at the Drive-In" was such a great and wonderful movie. I've enjoyed every minute of it. The whole theme of the drive-in was so exciting to watch. I've watched all the movies with Danica McKellar and Neal Bledsoe and it seems that every time they're greater and greater together. They look so comfortable around each other. All in all it was one of those movies which leave you feeling so good and warm. It's like Christmas movies used to be some time ago. Looking forward to the rest of Great American Family Christmas movies.
Happy Thanksgiving!
~Oksanka~
I can't wait to see A Holiday Spectacular. It'll be neat to see a late 50's film. Something not so ordinary. I wish they would do more of these!
ReplyDeleteRudolph & Frosty’s Christmas in July (1980)
ReplyDeleteNovember 28, 2022
AMC
2:45pm PT
Rudolph the Nosed Reindeer (1964)
CBS
November 29, 2022
5pm-6:01pm ET
8pm. PT
Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town (
December 3, 2022
Freeform
7:50pm PT
December 8, 2022
5pm ET/8pm PT
ABC
Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer (1948)
December 3, 2022
6:15pm
Freeform
Rudolph’s Shiny New Year
November 28, 2022
5:45pm
AMC
I'm Glad it's Christmas is verysweet! 100% recommend. -Maria
ReplyDeleteHaul Out the Holly is so ridiculous movie about Emily Melrose’s parents have left her behind. Emily comes home to visit her parents, only to discover they’re leaving for a trip on their own. Whole staying at their house for the holidays, Emily meets members of community who want her to join in the neighborhood’s Christmas festivities!!!
ReplyDeleteI was disappointed with Emily's parents telling her at the last moments that they were leaving for Florida. Then dropping the other shoe that she needs to carry on what they have had 30 years in planning and developing the Evergreen Lane Christmas. Personally I think it showed poor choice of the parents pushing her, knowing that Emily needed to rest & relax. But being a loving & forgiving daughter she showed determination to please her parents. Wes Brown was funny. I loved the snowball fight and the White Elephant party. I was so happy to see Kristoffer Polaha and Eric Mabius in cameo roles.. Half-way through it started getting good so, I'm keeping the recording because it was Lacey's first Rom-Com movie. There were some odd ducks in that neighborhood flock of ducks.
DeleteI couldn't stand that movie! It would drive me CRAZY if I had those neighbors!
DeleteTime for Him to Come Home for Christmas: Family Friendly
ReplyDeleteCommercials: Sickening
It’s a shame to ruin a good movie with terrible commercials. Watched live. Should have waited so I could have fast forwarded through the filth.
HAUL OUT THE HOLLY
ReplyDeleteFamily friendly. So funny and ridiculous, but the ridiculousness made it fun to watch. There was no heavy or intense conflict in this movie, it was just all fun from beginning to end. All the characters in the neighborhood are so interesting, goofy, and hilarious. It's adorable how Wes Brown's character was trying to get close to Lacey's character. The white elephant party was hilarious. Wes Brown was so perfect for the role. It was a fun and stress-free holiday movie!
Time for Him to Come for Christmas is family friendly about Four days before Christmas, Elizabeth Athens receives a voicemail from a number she doesn't recognize. On the message, a man named Carter Bishop, she doesn't know makes one final plea for the love of his life to give him a second chance.
ReplyDeleteTime for Him to Come for Christmas is family friendly about Four days before Christmas, Elizabeth Athens receives a voicemail from a number she doesn't recognize. On the message, a man she doesn't know makes one final plea for the love of his life to give him a second chance.
ReplyDeleteTime for Him to Come Home for Christmas is family friendly about Four days before Christmas, Elizabeth Athens receives a voicemail from a number she doesn’t recognize. On it, a man named Carter Bishop, she doesn’t know makes one final plea to the love of his life; Madelyn Hawn for a second chance, asking to meet on Christmas Eve at the unnamed spot where they first met. Elizabeth realizes that this message is not meant for her, and the outcome of someone else’s love story is now in her hands. As she’s swept into the search for the mystery caller, she’s reunited with her best friend named Josh, who is home for Christmas for the first time in years after a tragic event in the past split them apart. On this very special Christmas, a wrong number will put Elizabeth on an exciting journey of romance & adventure that will give her and three other lost souls a second chance at happiness.
I’m Glad It’s Christmas is family friendly & an entertaining movie about Chloe Bose has aspirations of becoming a Broadway star, so when the mysterious Cora Lawson enlists Hollingsworth Clerk Chloe & the talented/handsome store santa, Jason Murphy, to put on a Christmas musical revue, she sees it as an opportunity to make a splash. But as she and Jason work together, they realize they have more in common than just musical talent... Chloe is an aspiring singer is convinced to participate in a local production. Along the way, she finds hope & mentorship in her career. But will her professional success come at the cost of her chance at love? Jason owns Home Studio with his Daughter named Angela in apartment. Jason sings Christmas Feels Like Falling Love. & Cora sings Go Tell It on the Mountain. Jason as store Santa cracked me up at Hollingsworth Gift Shop. Brickton Brings Back Holiday Lane Christmas Concert Tonight on December 23 at 7pm. Chloe has audition at 5pm for Cassandra Rogers just before concert. Cora’s red dress looks completely ravishing. Cora & Jason sing Christmas Feels Like Falling in Love when Chloe comes along onstage to sing Christmas Feels Like Falling in Love so, Cora too as trio. They’re all singing Christmas Songs. Chloe gets the part for Broadway Musical. Cassandra’s assistant found a song that she never heard - original song maybe falling in love . Jason is a songwriter who wrote Christmas Feels Like Falling in Love. Chloe looks amused when she gets part that she’s so exciting from Cassandra Rogers. I hope there’s I’m Glad It’s Christmas sequel - “I’m
ReplyDeleteSo Glad It’s Christmas”. I hope there’s legendary singers to sing in I’m So Glad It’s Christmas. I hope there’s another Christmas songs.
A Tale of Two Christmases is family friendly about Emma gets to experience 2 different Christmases — one where stays in the city & celebrates with a new crush named Max & his friends, & one where she returns home for all the traditions with family & reunited with Drew. Thanks to Holiday Magic. An elderly guy looks like Santa says to Emma, May All Christmas Wishes Come true. Emma has to choice Max for going to ski trip or to be with her family & Drew. Although Emma choices to be with her family & Drew. Her Dad drives his Daughter Emma to Drew’s place.
ReplyDeleteI’m Glad It’s Christmas is family friendly about An aspiring singer named Chloe Bose is convinced to participate in a local production. Along the way, she finds hope and mentorship in her career. But will her professional success come at the cost of her chance at love?
ReplyDeleteReview: I'm Glad It's Christmas -
ReplyDeleteFamily-friendly? Yes -
Keeper? Undecided -
I was really looking forward to this movie! I liked the idea of music being a part of the storyline, and I know that both Jessica and Paul are wonderful singers. And Gladys Knight - what a treat! It was so nice to hear religious songs being performed by the three of them, and they were fantastic! So my problem? Surprisingly, it was the acting by Paul who I have enjoyed in so many other films. I don't know if it was his excitement of being part of this movie, but in just about every scene he was like a giddy little boy! For example, in the scene where Jessica's character Holly tells Paul's character Jason that she can't do the show, instead of acting upset or at least disappointed, he smiles and seems pleased! And yet later, when Holly tells her friend about what happened, she says he seemed really upset. I thought, "Wait, what, no he didn't!" Still, because of Gladys and Jessica (who were both excellent) and the music, I might keep this one. I'm just not sure yet.
Mark 25, Jessica Lowndes’ character named Chloe Bose, not Holly. Holly is referred to Hollingsworth Gift Shop.
DeleteChloe Bose has aspirations of becoming a Broadway star, so when the mysterious Cora Lawson enlists Holly & the talented/handsome store santa, Jason Murphy
In mid morning, Chloe Bose has to tell Jason & Cora about an audition for Cassandra Rogers @ 5pm as the same day as Christmas Concert @ 7pm tonight. Although she could have her garment olive green dress with own Garment Bag for Women. Jason tells Chloe about rehearsal a Christmas Song just before Chloe works at Hollingsworth Gift Shop. Chloe shows up to audition for Cassandra Rogers when she starts thinking..
Cora & Jason duet to sing Christmas Feels Like Falling in Love when Chloe arrives on time onstage to sing with Jason & later on Chloe begs Cora to sing with them as trio
Cora hands Chloe a phone & she gets the part for Broadway Musical to become Broadway Star for next Christmas movie it’s sequel to I’m Glad It’s Christmas is I’m So Glad It’s Christmas
Mark 25, After Christmas Concert, Cassandra Rogers tells Chloe to do the shows
DeleteYes, thank you Anonymous - my goof on Jessica's character name.
DeleteLoved, loved, loved I'm Glad It's Christmas! Everything about this movie is wonderful. Gladys Knight still has a beautiful voice. My surprise was how much weight Jessica had lost, and that she cut her hair. This has nothing to do with the content of the movie; just an observation.
ReplyDeleteWould've posted more reviews last night, but I've been under the weather this weekend and have had to rest a lot. Hoping to get to post some in the next few days! -Maria
ReplyDeleteMaria, So sorry to hear you were feeling bad. I think it's going around. You take care of yourself and get all the rest you need. God bless you, honey!
DeleteI'm sorry Maria! It's going around sadly! I'm on week two of the influenza bug. I've had lots of time to watch these films. I think I got it from the church nursery ;)
DeleteHope you all stay healthy out there. God bless!
Abigail, Oh no! Not you, too! And over Thanksgiving week, as well. That's no fun. I hope you were still able to enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday with your family.
DeleteFeel better and get well soon! Blessings to you!
Thank you Net! I had a good Thanksgiving at a church friend's house. It was good to be with them. I hope you had a good Thanksgiving with your family!
DeleteAbout to watch Haul out the Holly. So far there's been a good amount of family friendly. I'll let you know how it turns out.
The 12 Days of Christmas Eve was ok for a one time watch. Felt like a rushed version of Scrooge. I have always liked Kelsey Grammer but just never really got into it.
ReplyDeleteA Christmas…Present is absolutely the best Christmas movie I’ve watched in a very long time. Such a wonderful message for Christmas! All the actors were fantastic! And Hillary Scott singing at the end! So beautiful! - Jennifer R
ReplyDeleteCandace Cameron Bure Present: A Christmas Present is family friendly. It’s refresh & emotional movie about Real Estate Agent Maggie Larson is determined to give her Brother named Paul & Niece named Ashley the best Christmas possible & to lift their spirits when they most need it. It’s about God, Faith, & Family. Bible Reference & Quotes.
ReplyDeleteBible Verses: 1 Corinthians 13:8 - Love never fails ❤️
Love bears all things … endures all things. Love never ends.” (1 Cor. 13:7–8a).
Maggie & Eric keep their marriage strong & heal. What’s God has plan for them?
Hilary Scott sings Thy Will?; at the church
A Christmas?Present was great. Of course family friendly and it's a keeper! Can't believe that we actually have such a strong faith based movie on tv in the world we live in! A must see film!!
ReplyDeleteA Holiday Spectacular is family friendly about ''In 1958, Margaret “Maggie” Bennett is an heiress from Philadelphia who puts her high-society wedding plans on hold in order to sneak up to New York City to refill her secret dream of dancing in the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular & make her secret dream come true: dancing live on stage in the Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall.'' She desperately wants to perform in Radio City Music Hall’s annual Christmas Spectacular, and will do whatever it takes to become a Rockette. Maggie Bennett & the featuring a real life Radio City Rockettes onstage.
ReplyDeleteA Christmas…Present is family friendly about Eric & Maggie Larson are professionals, with busy work schedules that include some high-maintenance clients. The entire Larson family has every moment scheduled, with activities and events.
ReplyDeleteHowever, they stop all their extra holiday plans because they are reminded that this is the first Christmas for Maggie’s brother since her sister-in-law passed away.
Therefore, they have decided to spend Christmas with Maggie’s brother, Paul, and his daughter, Ashley. This is a difficult time and family is more important than ever.
Things don’t start too smoothly. Maggie likes to stay busy, and check items off a list. Meanwhile, her brother prefers to take things slower and embrace the moment. Therefore, their ideas about Christmas are dramatically different.
Yet, after a few unexpected events, things start to transform for the Larsons. Maybe Christmas is meant to be more peaceful than busy?
A Christmas Present is by far the best GAF movie I've seen all year! A + from me!
ReplyDeleteThe 12 days of Christmas Eve was really fun! -Maria
Dognapped: Hound for the Holidays is family friendly about when an egotistical social media influencer named Victoria Frost’s dog named Tiny is dognapped, her long-suffering assistant named Emily teams up with charming local veterinarian named Jonathan to find puppy before Christmas. As two investigate suspects, they form a romantic bond along the way Tiny is Victoria Frost’s new rescue dog.
ReplyDeleteI have barely watched any of these christmas movies this year. I would rather watch Home Alone and Christmas Vacation and Christmas Story. But i did watch 2 this wekeend cause i was looking forward to Tale of 2 Christmases so here goes:
ReplyDeleteTale of 2 Christmases: It was family friendly, and ok, it was going well, then the twist and I am still not sure i entirely understand what happened. It was like a movie going along, really well and then they had to end it and it wrapped up in a minute and you are left going what happened?
Emma gets to "live" 2 different days as she misses her flight home and gets to hang out with the guy who works in her building that she likes, and one of her makes it home in time for the christmas eve party and gets to spend time with her BFF/crush/high school buddy. She gets to see how it would be both ways, she stays back with guy she likes, gets to redo her project for work, and gets good news on the project, but that she wont be heading the project up, but just staying in the office working on other new projects.
Then she gets to go home, get offered a job doing what she would love to do, hang out with Drew, a guy who had a crush onher and she on him, but they nevere told each other.
I like the choices she made in the end, i just can't stop thinking and playing it thru my head of what actually happened. I liked the movie, but will liklely never watch it again.
My Southern Family Christmas--I wasn't going to watch it but kept seeing the previews and it looked good. It was family friendly, and a pretty good movie, probably wont watch again though.
The one thing I hate about movies like this is the careless way they go about telling the family "oh and btw, i fathered another child and here she is". I kept wondering when the reveal was going to happen and there was like 8 mins left of the movie and i was like is she just going to tell everyone including her sisters at once and sure enough she did. they were happy, of course, but I just think it is pretty careless how Hallmark movies bring up subjects like this. I remember that Hannukah movie with ben savage and Marilu Henner is sitting at the table with her birth daughter and her other 2 kids and she just tells them all right there, oh btw, this is your sister, i gave her away and never told my 2 grown, adult children until now, just out in the open, in front of my birth daughter, at the kitchen table while having breakfast. Campbell was worried all movie that what she was doing was bad by hanging out with the family and not telling them, and I would have liked some sort of emotions and being a little upset by the sisters and her father, just a little something more than the one sister saying "I knew it" when Campbell told them the truth. You knew it??????? How?????
I wanted to watch Haul out the Holly, but honestly from the previews it looked really dumb and just over the top. I hope it wasnt. I guess Lacey is the Hallmark star now, she took over for CCB, but it just seems her movies over the last few years have been not so good, to me.
I recorded Cookie Catastrophe movie, and the Holiday Spectacular, and also the Corgi movie, and the kelsey grammar movie and Christmas Spark on Lifetime. I hope they were good.
I was pleasantly surprised the 2 hallmark movies i watched this weekend didnt have woke agendas. Thank you Hallmark, for that.
Sabrina
I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving :)
Actually only 3 hallmark Christmas so far haven’t been family friendly. I’m pleasantly surprised that most of them have been perfectly fine to watch.
DeleteThere are no words to express how I feel about A Christmas Present. Just WOW! Awesome! My heart was overflowing with joy at the end of this movie. Thank you Candace and GAF!
ReplyDeleteI was recording Both CCB Presents: A Christmas Present on GAFAM & A Holiday Spectacular on Hallmark Channel when I notice there’s no closed caption on DIRECTV - Full Closed Caption & even cut the words of Closed Caption from other networks but I don’t know what are they saying on TV
ReplyDeleteI was watching Dognapped: Hound for the Holidays on ION has full closed caption that I’m recording
Closed Captioning
DIRECTV Subtitles
Thank you for sharing this. DirecTV really should give viewers the closed captioning option. Perhaps, you could try contacting them or Great American Family - here:
Deletehttps://www.greatamericanfamily.com/moviereview/
Also, I’m Glad It’s Christmas too on DIRECTV that cut the words of Cllosed Caption…
DeleteMasked Singer: Fright Night that Ray Parker Jr., was eliminated & sang Ghostbusters Theme & I don’t know what’s Ken was saying one’s celebrity’s name & including other TV Series that words cut the words of closed caption that messed them up
Not sure what everyone is talking about, I have DIRECT TV Stream and they have CCs I think all these people saying there isn't any just don't know how to turn them on. I have a few cable subscriptions where people say there is none and I can get them on TV. You just have to know how to turn them on and not blame Hallmark. Its your TV package/subscription that would have it, not a specific channel having it or not having it. Most cable packages have CCs.
DeleteA Christmas Cookie Catastrophe is family friendly about “Annie Cooper has big shoes to fill when she takes over as CEO of her late grandmother's small-town cookie company," a synopsis for the film reads. "She's doing her best to help their struggling business get back on track but is under sharp scrutiny by the board of directors. Annie's task gets more daunting when her grandmother's secret recipe is stolen during the Christmas party." However, Annie gets a chance to fix things when she works with a local man to recreate the recipe in case she can't find the stolen one. In addition, she begins to find herself falling in love? As Annie tries to crack the case and uncover the culprit, she works with Sam (Webster), the owner of a local bakery, to recreate the recipe in the hope of saving the company and her job," the synopsis continues. "As Annie and Sam bake batch after batch in pursuit of the perfect one, they begin to learn that their lives go together like milk and cookies."
ReplyDeleteSpark fly between the new CEO of small town cookie company name Annie & the owner of a local bakery named Sam as they try to recreate a stolen secret recipe.
Bummer, there’s no closed caption on CCB: Christmas Presents: A Christmas Present, A Holiday Spectacular, & A Christmas Cookie Catastrophe on DIRECTV. Dognapped: Hound for Holidays has full closed caption on Ion
ReplyDeleteDeaf, Hearing Impaired, & HOH need closed caption for movies, TV movies, & TV Series on DIRECTV - Bummer there’s no closed caption since USS Christmas
"A Holiday Spectacular" --family-friendly, this one put a smile on my face. Without time to write more, I'll just say to give it a try! :-) Hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving!
ReplyDelete~Alicia
Yes! This was a special one! I hope to see more like it in the future!
DeleteRead an article over weekend with Trevor Donavan critical to Candace Cameron Bure’s stand on traditional marriage. Maybe that’s why no Christmas movie this year. Just a thought.
ReplyDeleteNot sure if my last post showed. Read an article this past weekend where Trevor Donavan is critical of Candace Cameron Bure’s stand on traditional marriage. Just a thought, maybe that’s why no Christmas movie this year.
ReplyDeleteTrevor Donovan didn’t have Christmas movie this because he was doing DWTS
DeleteTrevor Donovan on His Anti-Bullying Program, Overcoming Fears on ‘DWTS’ and the Great American Family Controversy: It’s Time to ‘Stand Up for Those Who Feel Voiceless’
“I feel people should be and believe what they want, as long as they are kind and accepting of others. For those of you who have followed me since ‘90210,’ you know my heart and character. No matter who you love, no matter what your race or religion is, you matter,” says Donovan. “Through mutual respect and acceptance, coexistence is possible. Based on the few months I have known Candace, I have found her to be kind, and passionate about her faith.”
Donovan is also working close with Great American Family on Upstanders, his anti-bullying program which will have another assembly in January with RomaDrama.
“Tremendous progress is being made. There has never been a more important time to stand up for those who feel voiceless,” he says. “My move to Great American Family was largely due to [CEO] Bill [Abbott]’s support for my Team Upstanders program while we were both at Hallmark. Additionally, I was given the opportunity to produce my own films. It has always been my goal to create films that bring people together without being overtly political or religious, and I will continue to do so. And sometimes, in future rom-coms, I’ll play the naive country boy who finds love in the big city or saves his family’s farm. Stay tuned!”
"A Christmas Spark" -- not family-friendly. At about 14 minutes in, we meet a middle-age lesbian couple who appear to be a large part of the storyline.
ReplyDelete~Alicia
Alicia, I'm truly grateful for this review. I had the encore airing of "A Christmas Spark" set to record on Saturday, but now I'll be sure to skip this one. Thank you so much for letting us know.
DeleteAll of your reviews have been most helpful this Christmas season - bless you! :)
Glad to help, Net! :-)
DeleteTime for Him to Come Home For Christmas—is family friendly about a young woman named Elizabeth Athens who receives a mysterious message on her answering machine. It's from an unknown man named Charlie Bishop who is trying to win back his former love. The story then follows Elizabeth's attempt to track down the mystery man and bring the two lovers back together, while she searches for companionship herself. Elizabeth & Josh search for a woman named Madelyn when Josh notices Madelyn Hawn & the Holidays featuring Tenille Towne.. although Madelyn Hawn & The Holidays has concert. Elizabeth shows Madelyn a voice mail from the man named Charlie Bishop. It’s really hers. When Madelyn says Elizabeth’s name in voice mail & Madelyn shows Elizabeth a voice mail from Charlie Biahop? Elizabeth & Josh meet up with Charlie Bishop so, Elizabeth & Charlie talk at the Diner. Josh sees Madelyn & even Elizabeth unless Charlie turns his head around to see Madelyn at Diner. Charlie & Madelyn have second chance to talk each other. While Josh & Elizabeth outside watching them!!! Madelyn Hawn & The Holidays featuring Tenille Towne. Josh & Elizabeth are both at the audience
ReplyDeleteI have been looking forward to watching "Candace Cameron Bure Presents: A Christmas… Present" since I first saw the trailer and heard Matthew West's song. Now the wait is over and I'm just so happy to have watched this truly special movie! It really is about Christmas, about our greatest gift - Jesus, about family, about what really matters in life. I'm so grateful to Candace Cameron Bure and all the creators of this movie for all the Bible verses, for all the deep conversations about God and faith. You don't happen to see it often in Christmas movies though they're called Christmas. Thank you GAF for not being afraid to be different in this world. That's what faith all about!
ReplyDelete~Oksanka~
Has anyone had an opportunity to watch a Cookie Catastrophe? If so, is it family friendly?
ReplyDeleteYes, it's family friendly.
Delete~~Jane
Yes, I watched it, and it is family friendly. It was enjoyable and quite funny in parts.
DeleteA Holiday Spectacular;
ReplyDeleteThis was a spectacular film indeed!! And very refreshing! It was incredibly wonderful to step back in time when women were considered "ladies" and were not overly independent. It's nice to have the protection of a man when it's offered. And the young men were also a delight! So kind and gentlemanly! I loved how he walks with her outside because it wasn't safe for a lady alone. Oh, how I wish it were that way today!
The movie was family friendly and speaking of friendly, the bond these women had was something special!! This film was a treat! With a positive kind cast!
A little tiny thing....I would have liked it better if it didn't have the dancing part. I know that's practically the whole movie...😂😂 I was raised to be modest in how I dress. I would have liked not seeing that much skin exposed...but I still adored the movie and would watch it again!
~Abigail
Jim, Oh my goodness!!! I didn't catch that before, but now that I see it, I can't un-see it, and a I want to shout to that poor unsuspecting mother, "Watch out!" :)
ReplyDeleteOh Jim! Yikes!! That mother's poor arm! And the dad has it sticking right straight up!😂😂😂
ReplyDeleteA Christmas Spark. Didn’t take but about 10 min in to delete. 2 women introduced as married. I guess when you get old you take whatever role you can get. Woke movie all around. Such a contrast to A Christmas . . . Present.
ReplyDeleteA Royal Corgi Christmas. Ugh. No. Couldn't take more than about 25%; although, to be fair, I pretty much never like the "royal" movies (exceptions are: One Royal Holiday, Crown for Christmas, and a few others that I thought were good). What I saw was family friendly.
ReplyDelete~~Jane
I tried.. to boring! I watched the Corgi scenes, but skipped the people scenes.
DeleteA Tale of Two Christmases. Family friendly. Cute for a one time watch (or re-watch next year), not a dvr keeper for me. I'm not a fan of time-jumping types of movies and I'd say this one was a tiny bit confusing in the very beginning until you figure out what they're doing; but I also don't think it would be a reason to skip the movie since it all settles down once you realize how they're jumping back and forth between realities (and it's all Hollywood make-believe anyway:)). One of the characters is an environmental lawyer and I'm not a fan of all the social environmental score points they had to get across in the movie, but it was tolerable (the most annoying was "ethically sourced cocoa" for the Christmas party -> seriously?!?). {And, p.s., what is it with the trend in these movies for the women to be the pursuers nowadays? Has anyone else noticed that the women are becoming more likely to initiate the happily-ever-after kisses?}
ReplyDelete~~Jane
The 12 Days of Christmas Eve. Cute, fun, well-acted. A mix of Groundhog Day meets A Christmas Carol meets Santa. No romance, just one man, previously driven by making money, but now trying to find purpose in life and re-build relationships with family and co-workers and neighbors after Santa grants him 12 more chances/days to get it right (he dies each day if he can't figure out the meaning to life). It wasn't perfect (obviously, the whole premise of Santa granting life is ridiculous - well, duh!) but I enjoyed it and thought it was a lot of fun (and funny!) and it even brought a tear to my eye at one point. Family friendly (main character dies each day for 12 days since it takes him a while to learn what he's supposed to learn and each death is unique - hit by truck, fall off a roof, slips on ice, etc. - it's all handled a bit slapstick kind of like stuff in Home Alone, and, in my opinion, it's fine for kids, but just be aware that it will happen).
ReplyDelete~~Jane
A Holiday Spectacular was a wonderful movie that I enjoyed with my mom and teen daughter. I love how the story was told from the perspective of the grandmother (Ann Margret) looking back in time. It was a heart-warming movie about friendship, family, and the following your dreams. The time period in which it was set (1957-1958) added to the story, and the inclusion of real Rockettes helped make the story more realistic. This was a beautiful Christmas movie.
ReplyDeleteA Christmas Cookie Catastrophe. Quite silly at times but I found it to be a very cute movie. This one has a bit of a mystery element (crazy spy caper) to it, but it also has warm Christmas fuzzies and romance. I feel like Victor Webster makes almost every movie better. This one was sweet for a one-time watch and a re-watch next year; I'm keeping it on the dvr right now, but will maybe delete once I start running low on space. Family friendly and I think it would be fun to watch as a family.
ReplyDelete~~Jane
CCB Presents: A Christmas Present
ReplyDeleteMaggie enters the church until the pastor finishes. Listen again to the verse of Silent Night that begins "Son of God" and the last words of the pastor as he explains who gives the best gift. I wish this medium allowed to repeat.
A Christmas Present
ReplyDeleteThe message of faith means so much, especially at this time.
A Tiny Home Christmas. Family friendly - maybe, but probably not?? So, this was a fairly cute movie, nothing special and not a keeper for me. It wasn't really a Christmas movie except for the fact they put decorations everywhere, it could easily have been based in the summer. Two problematic things on the family-friendly scale. At the very end of the movie there is a vague implication that the main couple might be moving in together (not married). The bigger problem is at the beginning of the movie when the main actress is talking to her friend, a woman who runs the homeless shelter, and they're brainstorming ways to pay for the tiny home project or get donations or supplies at a discount. Her female friend says "You know my ex from college? [Tasha] She works at that kitchen & bath place and I could try to swing a hefty discount." That's it, no visuals, and her character is a part of the whole movie and nothing else is shown or implied. It's a small blip in the movie and easy to miss if you're not really paying attention, but, nevertheless, it's there (and completely unnecessary to the movie other than they're trying to rack up some "social" points).
ReplyDelete~~Jane
Haul Out the Holly;
ReplyDeleteOk, I am shocked by how dumb this film was! I normally LOVE Lacey and Wes Brown! But really?? I love Christmas and I love decorating the house, inside and out, but I would go CRAZY if those were my neighbors! Bad job whoever wrote the script! Definitely not a keeper. I would be embarrassed if I was Hallmark...
The only thing I really enjoyed was she was watching a Hallmark "Christmas in Vienna" movie on tv. But that only lasted for 2 seconds.
It was family friendly-ish, she was living with her boyfriend in the beginning. She mentions to her parents, she's going to make him sleep on the couch, so that tells me they shared the bedroom.
~Abigail
My daughter and I just finished watching I'm Glad It's Christmas. I think it is a fabulous movie. I wasn't sure but I was so involved from the very beginning. The characters were so well written and acted that during part of it when she got the call to come in and see the woman for a second call back, my daughter looked at me and said why are you smiling and I looked at her and I said I am so excited for her it felt like she was a real person that I knew. It's been a long time since I have had a movie that I have felt so connected to that I thought was so well-rounded in every aspect. This is definitely a keeper and I hope they can make more shows together it was fantastic.
ReplyDeleteTime for Him to Come Home for Christmas was pretty good, though. I'm not sure I want to say right now if it's as good as any of the other 4. -Maria
ReplyDeleteCCB Presents: A Christmas Present
ReplyDeleteThey’re are two songs 1- Mathew West’s Come Home for Christmas 2. Present This Christmas by Hillary Scott and Matthew which was an exclusive for
Christmas in Kentucky (parade special hosted by Jen Lilley from Stanford, Kentucky) - Dec. 3, 2022
ReplyDeleteHappy to report GAF is working great again in my area. After spending the entire weekend with a malfunctioning channel, I was able to watch Christmas At The Drive-in without any interference last night. I told Xfinity yesterday that I found it odd that GAF was the only channel with a problem. There was no response from them.
ReplyDeleteReview: A Holiday Spectacular -
ReplyDeleteFamily-friendly? Yes -
Keeper? Yes -
I loved this movie! It was so nice to see an original movie with a storyline that hasn't been done before. And I loved how this movie was able to go back in time without resorting to time travel. It truly recaptured 1957 with the settings and way people acted and talked. It was nice to see the friendships among the women develop and the men treat the ladies with such respect. And finally, the Rockettes - such talent, and I enjoyed the dancing (of course I did...I'm a guy!) and seeing the behind-the-scenes action. For me, one of the best of the season so far!
Steppin' Into the Holiday. So, I went and watched another Mario Lopez movie even though I promised myself that I'd never do it again. 😯 And I have to say that this one wasn't as cringeworthy, for me, as his previous two Christmas movies. It was, of course, still unrealistic, over-the-top, and even a bit bizarre at moments (I mean, come on, it's a Mario movie, it has to be a bit outrageous and unbelievable), but it was also cute and upbeat and fun. Jana Kramer definitely helped give things a better tone. The movie didn't have lots of warm Christmas fuzzy feels and, in fact, could have been based in any season of the year. The thing that made it fun was all the music and dance; the ending dance sequence is great. Fun for a one-time watch or to watch while you're multitasking. Not a keeper for me. Family friendly.
ReplyDelete~~Jane
Additionally, Hallmark Channel's new family drama, The Way Home, starring Andie MacDowell and Chyler Leigh, premieres Jan. 15 and follows three generations of women with complicated pasts.
ReplyDeleteHaul Out the Holly. Keeper!!! Everyone’s sense of humor is different, and there are some over-the-top silly movies that I just can’t stand. But this one? … Oh, how I loved this chaotic movie!! This was wacky and bizarre and just downright hysterical. It’s not quite up there with Chevy Chase’s “Christmas Vacation” classic, but it’s now on my list to watch every year. I cannot wait to watch this over and over with my crazy family and recite favorite lines. This movie was outrageously absurd… but that’s the whole point! The one-liners interspersed throughout and delivered so masterfully by the various actors (“I feel like I’m in ‘Home Alone 4: Stuck in the Suburbs’”), the side jokes referring to several other movies (Ned in this movie was also Ned in Groundhog Day), the cameos (Kris Polaha, Eric Mabius & others), the quirkiness, the goofiness --- it all had me laughing hysterically and snorting hot Christmas Spice tea out of my nose!! Watching Wes Brown through the window playing charades with Kris Polaha and Lacey and acting out “Christmas Carlton” had me rolling on the floor! The wacky White Elephant gift exchange was so similar to the fun and craziness with my own friends. The Barry Manilow Santa suit – lol -- who keeps one of those in their closet?!?
ReplyDeleteFor this movie, you just have to let go of your expectations and usual critiques and enjoy it as a completely off-the-rails rom-com (heavy on the "com"). For instance, I didn’t like Lacey’s parents in the beginning, and likewise with Wes’s character being too ridiculous (I couldn’t see him ever being a romantic interest for Lacey), and I was scribbling all kinds of critical notes, but then I just put the notepad down and let it all roll, and by the end of the movie I appreciated all of the characters and all of the different parodies in the movie. I would say if you and your family have never liked wacky, absurd movies where you can recite favorite lines and crack each other up (think classics like Christmas Vacation, Uncle Buck, The Great Outdoors, What About Bob, Groundhog Day, Home Alone, etc.), then you should probably skip this movie. Otherwise, this would be fun to watch with the entire family. (Be forewarned on the family-friendly scale: there's a very short flashback prequel to the movie of Lacey as a child, but then when the movie actually starts the first scene is her coming into her apartment bringing Christmas gifts while her loser boyfriend is busy playing video games. The very first scene is them breaking up and then the next day she leaves to go home to her parents’ house. Nothing else is shown (they show worse things in commercials during football games!), but it’s obvious they’ve been living together. I wish Lacey had not put this in her movie; but I think, otherwise, the movie would be fun for the whole family, so maybe use that first scene as a teaching moment or just fast-forward a couple of minutes to the point where she’s arriving at her parents’ home.)
~~Jane
Jim, Nice to hear how much you also enjoyed "Haul out the Holly!" I liked how you said this one was fun to watch and not boring. That is so true! So many of the movies are yawn-worthy these days. "Haul out the Holly" is definitely a mix of silly and fun - for two straight hours! (I only wish they hadn't included that boyfriend scene in the intro, but thankfully nothing is shown.)
DeleteI also read Jane's review before I watched, and she was sooo right - it's definitely one of those comedies like Christmas Vacation, Uncle Buck, etc... I think we just have to let go and embrace the silliness! :)
Thank you, again, for sharing your thoughts, Jim...
I shared your review here:
https://itsawonderfulmovie.blogspot.com/2022/10/2022-christmas-tv-movie-reviews-its-a-wonderful-movie-hallmark-great-american-family-up-lifetime.html
Yay!! I'm so glad you both enjoyed it (and I'm not alone in my quirky sense of humor)!! Definitely agree that this was one of those unique movies that kept my interest this year and stood out in a sea of "sameness". Jim, you crack me up -- here's hoping you can be President of the HOA someday!! With your love of all things Christmas (year-round!!), you should definitely be in charge!
Delete~~Jane
(p.s. -- My LIVE - or dead, depending on how you look at it - Christmas tree is still up! Some of the lights have decided to give up and quit but, other than that, it's still going strong. It's a good little tree, not dropping needles or anything. It almost becomes a fun challenge for me to see how long I can keep it up before my family steps in and tries to have me committed (or calls the fire department!). 🤣🤣🎄 I'm trying to see if I can hold out until St. Patrick's Day.)
Jane, Oh my goodness... on your Christmas tree! I love that you are keeping it up - as long as you can. I'm in the process of taking a few Christmas things down this week (starting slow), but my tree (artificial, but well loved) is still up shining brightly! My sister mentioned to me recently that we really don't hear about house fires caused by real Christmas trees anymore like we used to. I think it must be since the LED lights don't get as hot. Anyway, still be really careful. I remember when our lights (before LED) would get sooo hot and melt our gold tinsel garland. I can still smell that singe. Oh, the sweet Christmas memories!!! :)
DeleteHah!! Singed tinsel -- the sweet smell of Christmas memories!! Maybe they should make a candle out of that scent. 🤣🤣
DeleteDon't worry, Net, the tree only gets turned on for a little bit each evening and the lights are cool to the touch. 😉 I think it was last year when we finally took the lights and decorations off right before Easter. But then I dragged the whole dead tree in its stand to my neighbor's (friend!) driveway and decorated it with plastic Easter eggs and outdoor solar lights. She's a little bit crazy, too, so she enjoyed the surprise!! Her husband just rolls his eyes at us. (I think my other neighbor might be jealous so I may have to leave this year's tree in her yard. Maybe I'll do a St. Patrick's Day tree for her. 😆 )
~~Jane
Still going through the DVR here. Christmas at the Drive - In is family friendly. I enjoyed the story line. I’m Glad It’s Christmas was a pleasant family friendly watch. I enjoyed the singing. Time for Him to Come Home for Christmas was a nice twist in the series. A Christmas … Present. I was surprised with how much I struggled with this family friendly movie. It didn’t feel authentic. It seemed like the conversations were forced and not natural at all. A Christmas Spark isn’t family friendly. I couldn’t watch the whole thing because the storyline didn’t capture me. I was looking forward to this too as a fan of Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman.
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