A Dog Named Christmas

MOVIE REVIEW


A Dog Named Christmas
A Hallmark Hall of Fame Christmas Movie

Network: CBS

Original Air Date: Sunday, November 29, 2009


CAST:

Bruce Greenwood ... George McCray
Linda Emond ... Mary Ann McCray
Noel Fisher ... Todd McCray
Sonja Bennett ... Hannah McCray
Nathaniel Baptiste ... Soldier
Derek J. Finnik ... Soldier
Carrie Genzel ... Brianna Lewis
Wesley MacInnes ... Young George
Joel Mamchur ... Soldier
Andrew J. Nagy ... Soldier
Carrie Ruscheinsky ... Hailey






PLOT:

from Hallmark-

This holiday movie tells the tale of a developmentally challenged young man, with a penchant for caring for animals in need, who sets out to convince his family - and their whole rural community - to participate in a local shelter's inaugural "Adopt a Dog for Christmas Program."

Todd McCray (Fisher), a responsible and developmentally challenged 20-year-old, lives on a farm in Kansas with his loving parents, George (Greenwood) and Mary Ann (Emond). Both Mary Ann and George are forever inspired and impressed by the upbeat Todd, who assists with numerous chores on the farm and is known for regularly rescuing and nursing wounded wild animals back to health. George often describes Todd as having "his own way of thinking about things." However, Todd's way of thinking ends up clashing with George's when a radio promotion for the local animal shelter's first-ever "Adopt a Dog for Christmas Program" - which entails caring for a dog during Christmas week, with the option of keeping the dog for good - creates a keen desire in Todd to adopt a lonely pup for the holiday.

Though George stubbornly opposes the idea, Todd's special gifts of persuasion result in their bringing home a yellow Labrador, whom Todd names "Christmas" and bonds with immediately. Todd soon makes it his mission to ensure that all of the shelter's numerous caged dogs are brought into friendly homes for the holiday, and he uses creative and persistent means of inspiring the families in his community to do their part.




Movie Review:

This movie was sweet and heartwarming. The story centered around a young developmentally challenged man, Todd, (20 years old) who desperately wants a dog, and his father, who desperately doesn't want anything to with dogs and the sad memories they bring him from his past.

The best scene to me - was when all of the family came together to celebrate an early Christmas. I kept hoping there would be more scenes with the entire family - they were all so sweet together - the two brothers... teasing one another, the two sisters... chatting away, and the grandchildren, of course, were so adorable!

The story stays focused on Todd and his relationship with the dog he takes in for Christmas, ironically also named Christmas, by the boy.... and his desire to get more dogs adopted before Christmas.

SPOILER:
The father, though tormented by his past memories (during childhood and the Vietnam War) with dogs, overcomes his feelings, and eventually comes around and lets his son keep the dog. It seems the Mother had no say in the matter here, though she desperately wants to keep the dog, too. That didn't seem fair to me.
Fortunately, everything worked out, and after all, there was a Happy Hallmark ending!



See or Skip:
If you are a dog lover, then you should see this movie.

This Movie is available on DVD, Click Here to Order.

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ABC Family Countdown to Christmas

Just a quick update today, to let you know...

ABC Family's "Countdown to 25 Days of Christmas" Programming has been added to the Christmas TV Schedule.

The Christmas programming begins officially on November 10th!

YEAH !!!!!

God bless us, Everyone!!!!!!!!

ABC Family’s 2009 Countdown to 25 Days of Christmas

ABC Family Christmas Programming


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Information below
from Sitcom's Online Blog:
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While ABC Family Channel’s annual 25 Days of Christmas programming doesn’t start until Tuesday, December 1, like previous years they will still have the “Countdown to 25 Days of Christmas” that starts November 10 at 7 PM with the Holiday Movie Snow followed by the sequel Snow 2 Brain Freeze.

Other holiday movies or specials airing are Santa Jr., Snowglobe, Eloise at Christmastime, A Dennis the Menace Christmas, Richie Rich’s Christmas Wish, Gotta Catch Santa Claus, Christmas Caper, A Carol Christmas, Santa Who?, I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus, A Chance of Snow, Stealing Christmas, The Christmas Box, The Christmas Secret, The Christmas Wish, Once Upon a Christmas, Twice Upon a Christmas, Christmas in Boston, Christmas Do-Over, Chasing Christmas, Santa Baby, Holiday in Handcuffs, A Holiday to Remember, Unlikely Angel, Holly and Hal Moose: Our Uplifting Christmas Adventure, Sons of Mistletoe, The Christmas List, Miracle on 34th Street, Home Alone 4, Naughty or Nice, and the ABC Family original movie premiere of The Dog Who Saved Christmas starring Mario Lopez, Dean Cain, and Adrienne Barbeau. Wow and this is just the Countdown! Stay Tuned for the actual 25 Days of Christmas Schedule!


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Information above
from Sitcom's Online Blog
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ABC Family Movie
The Dog Who Saved Christmas

My thoughts:

Yeah! I am so excited to hear about the ABC Family Countdown to Christmas Programming starting on November 10th! Wow, that is so early this Year! I think they know everyone looks forward to their Christmas Programming and they must get good ratings during it - to include it in their November Sweeps Period.

The Christmas Movies I look forward to seeing the most are: Eloise at Christmastime, Gotta Catch Santa Claus, Christmas Caper, I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus, A Chance of Snow, Stealing Christmas, The Christmas Box, The Christmas Secret, Santa Baby, A Holiday to Remember, Holly and Hal Moose: Our Uplifting Christmas Adventure, Sons of Mistletoe, The Christmas List, Miracle on 34th Street, and the ABC Family original movie premiere of The Dog Who Saved Christmas.

Hopefully, there is something you look forward to seeing, too, during this Christmas Season!












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Sandra Lee's Christmas Specials on HGTV

FOOD NETWORK'S SANDRA LEE CELEBRATES THE HOLIDAYS WITH HGTV

-Released by HGTV

[NOTE: The following article is a press release issued by the aforementioned network and/or company. Any errors, typos, etc. are attributed to the original author. The release is reproduced solely for the dissemination of the enclosed information.]

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FOOD NETWORK'S SANDRA LEE CELEBRATES THE HOLIDAYS WITH HGTV

First of Four Specials Premieres on Saturday, November 28, at 8 p.m. ET/PT

Knoxville, Tenn. [For Immediate Release--October 21, 2009] Acclaimed home and food expert Sandra Lee, host of Food Network's Emmy-nominated Semi-Homemade Cooking with Sandra Lee and the new hit series, Sandra's Money Saving Meals, will cook up four one-hour primetime specials for HGTV this holiday season. In each of the Sandra Lee Celebrates specials, airing on consecutive Saturdays beginning Saturday, November 28, at 8 p.m. ET/PT, Sandra will work with deserving families to make their holidays memorable. From planning a spectacular family reunion party for a recently-returned Peace Corps volunteer to a family's sweet celebration for special children, Sandra will offer viewers dazzling seasonal recipe and dcor ideas to create heartwarming holiday celebrations.

"Whether celebrating a holiday or the cherished company of family and friends, Sandra's practical approach to cooking and party planning will empower our viewers during this busy time of year," said Freddy James, senior vice president, program development & production, HGTV. "Our audience will appreciate the abundance of savvy holiday entertaining ideas and the inspirational stories about bringing families together through food and celebration."

Here is what viewers will see in each Sandra Lee Celebrates special:

Sandra Lee Celebrates: Holiday Homecoming

Saturday, November 28 at 8 p.m. ET/PT

Christina Sobiloff, a Peace Corps Volunteer stationed in Burkina Faso, Africa, will return home to Creskill, N.J., for the holidays--and her family and friends want to welcome her with a fantastic holiday homecoming party. Sandra will work with the Sobiloff family to create a beautiful celebration that honors Christina's service and embraces the familiar meals and Christmas dcor she has missed while overseas. Sandra also will show the Sobiloff family how to take their favorite family photographs and keepsakes and turn them into memorable tablescapes, ornaments and gifts.

Sandra Lee Celebrates: Magical Merry Christmas

Saturday, December 5, at 8 p.m. ET/PT

Following their 18-year-old daughter Kelsea through her recovery from cancer at age 13, the Henderson family now spends their holiday time brightening the lives of those still in need. Not only will Sandra teach the Hendersons how to create the perfect food, decorations and tree trimmings for their own family, she also will arm them with useful tips on how to use their favorite holiday items to craft a moving 'pay it forward' tribute to the hospital where Kelsea spent so much time.

Sandra Lee Celebrates: Season of Surprise

Saturday, December 12 at 8 p.m. ET/PT

Last year, the Morgner family's newborn triplets were barely well enough to be brought home for the holidays. This season, as the family gets ready for the holidays with three active one-year-olds, Sandra will show them creative ways to preserve lifelong family memories, incorporate heirloom party dcor and prepare unforgettable holiday recipes. HGTV Design Star finalist Dan Vickery makes a special guest appearance and uses his carpentry skills to help Sandra create unique dcor items for each child.

Sandra Lee Celebrates: Winter Wonderland Party

Saturday, December 19 at 8 p.m. ET/PT

Vy Higginsen not only is the leader of an organization that provides musical training to underprivileged youth, but she also is known as the first lady of Harlem. Vy, still living with her family in the brownstone her grandmother bought almost 100 years ago, will work with Sandra to throw an over-the-top holiday party for her neighborhood. With a classic holiday menu that will feed a large crowd - along with festive, budget-friendly dcor ideas - viewers will see Sandra transform the family's traditional New York dwelling into the ultimate winter wonderland party.

"Sandra Lee Celebrates is a return to all the things I love and that my company stands for," said Sandra Lee. "Combining creative design elements and delicious food to create spectacular memorable celebrations for family and friends that go beyond the scope of what people think they can afford or do."

About Sandra Lee

Acclaimed home and food expert Sandra Lee has revolutionized the term "homemade" as a popular Food Network host, editor-in-chief of Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade magazine, and best-selling author. Sandra's trademark 70/30 Semi-Homemade philosophy translated to television with Food Network's Semi-Homemade Cooking with Sandra Lee and to the Internet with SemiHomemade.com. Sandra attended University of Wisconsin - La Crosse as well as Le Cordon Bleu; launched several lines of home, garden, and craft products including Kurtain Kraft; worked with QVC; and produced a successful DIY home improvement series. With a commitment to service and charity, Sandra participates in numerous philanthropic organizations including Share Our Strength, UNICEF, Project Angel Food, and God's Love We Deliver. Since 2002, Sandra has written 19 cooking and entertaining books."

About HGTV

HGTV, America's leader in home and lifestyle programming, is distributed to more than 97 million U.S. households and is one of cable's top-rated networks. HGTV's website, HGTV.com, is the nation's leading online home-and-garden destination, which attracts an average of 5 million unique visitors per month.


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Fairfield Road - Hallmark Channel Movie

MOVIE REVIEW

Fairfield Road

Network: Hallmark Channel

Original Air Date: September 11, 2010

CAST:

Jesse Metcalfe ... Noah McManus
Natalie Lisinska ... Hailey Caldwell
Brandon Firla ... Randall Henderson
Richard Leacock ... Mitchell Connelly
Derek McGrath ... Sam Peabody
Chick Reid ... Lillian Peabody

PLOT:

from Hallmark-

Noah McManus (Metcalfe) has it all: He’s about to start his dream job as a legislative director for a U.S. Senator, and he’s about to propose to his devoted girlfriend. But in one day, Noah’s entire world changes when his new boss resigns surrounded by controversy and he realizes that he and his girlfriend are not meant to be together, when he discovers she's been cheating on him.

Devastated and now alone, except for the company of his dog, Arlo, Noah drives to the Cape Cod town where he had intended to propose. There he finds comfort among the town’s peaceful setting and appealing local residents. He also finds himself falling for the bookstore owner and becoming involved in the town’s heated local election. It’s all alluring to Noah. He’s finally found a meaningful purpose for his life and someone to share it with. But what will happen when he gets another high-level job offer and his remorseful ex-girlfriend returns, luring him back to his familiar lifestyle?

Movie Review:

The premise for this story was interesting... guy has everything - then, guy loses everything. However, the story from there seemed too easy and predictable.

First of all, there is this 30 year old guy, Noah McManus (played by Jesse Metcalfe)- and in one day he gets a job with a popular Senator and that night he proposes to his girlfriend, who has been manipulating him into doing so.

By the next day, though, everything has changed, Noah discovers his live-in girlfriend/fiance is having an affair - so the engagement is off and the new job he was about to take with a Senator will not take place, due to scandal.

Noah then rushes off to a Cape Cod Island, where he and his girlfriend were to spend the weekend together and he must go there because he has shipped her engagement ring there and he has to retrieve it. After losing his job, he needs the money.

Soon after coming to the town, Noah becomes involved in their small town politics. I just loved all the people in this small town - they all seemed so sweet and loyal to their country and community. One man, Sam, the owner of the local B&B, would go out everyday and proudly place the American flag on it's pole.

Just a day or two after his engagement is over, Noah tells Sam and his wife, that he has met someone. He is instantly attracted to Hailey, a local book shop owner, and there is a sweet chemistry between the two - but it just seems too soon after his engagement was only broken hours before.

It takes a while, but eventually Noah becomes more and more involved in their small town politics... and many of the townspeople decide they want Noah to run for Town Manager. In the end, we never learn who wins, I guess it is just presumed that Noah will win. And it ends, with Noah and Hailey kissing by the sea.



See or Skip:

I must suggest skipping this one.

Pictures from:
Hallmark Channel Crown Media
http://www.jessemetcalfe.net/
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