Christmas Next Door

 

Why?

This one looked like a typical Hallmark where a guy doesn't like Christmas and then he does so we decided to watch it.

What in the world?

A man has to take care of his niece and nephew while his sister is stranded in Europe(more on that later). He ends up spending time with his Christmas loving neighbor and they fall for each other.

Personal thoughts

This movie was actually pretty funny. I genuinely laughed during this movie at what the movie said and not just at the movie. The kids in this movie were pretty good at being kid actors. They didn't sound like they were just reading off a script which was nice. The main lady definitely doesn't play violin though because her fingers never moved while she was supposedly playing. Oh and when she made up with the guy at the end, she gave her violin to a random customer at the restaurant she was playing at. WHAT THE HECK! That was such a weird thing for her to do. She didn't even take it back from the customer so it's all up to speculation what happened to her violin.

Score

I have to give this movie a 5 out of 10. I mean the violin parts of the movie were absolutely atrocious but the rest of the movie was pretty ok. I liked watching the main character go insane because lawn decorations would just randomly show up to his house. He blamed his neighbor but it was actually his friend. I would have guessed the neighbor too so that was nice to be wrong. The fake snow was also really really bad. It would stick to their shoes like there was no tomorrow and immediately melt when they got inside. ALSO, they walls of these houses are really bad. They lived two doors down from each other and he could hear her play the violin. Oh my gosh move. That would be the worst. I can't even hear my next door neighbors let alone a house that is two doors down. Worst neighborhood ever.

Watch what you love,

Your fellow film watcher

A Shoe Addict's Christmas

 

Why?

I don't remember why we recorded this one to be quite honest but we did. It might have been the name.

What in the world?

A lady obsessed with shoes is visited by a ghost to tell her to change her present because her past could have been great. She also falls in love while organizing a charity event.

Personal thoughts

This movie was bland. I mean the fire department was kind of strange in this movie. The main lady was locked in the store she worked at which is where she met her ghost friend for the first time. While locked in this store, I look away for one second and the fire department shows up. I was very confused because they broke down the door and everything. I mean I don't know if that was necessary but that's what I remember happening. She also sounds like a crazy lady when she describes what happened and the only one that believes her is her friend. I don't know if I would believe my friend if she talked like that but good on her I suppose. 

Score 

I have to give this movie a 4 out of 10. It wasn't a bad movie per se but it just felt like it was lacking something. I also wasn't expecting to have to see what her present could have looked like. Who cares it's never going to happen because it can't. Why show me something that I don't care about because I can't obtain that. Very weird. Oh and to get to the past she has to wear shoes from that same day. The shoes were very ugly and they definitely could have done better.

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Your fellow film watcher

Catch Me if You Claus

 

Why?

We had seen a preview for this during a different Hallmark movie and decided that we just had to watch it.

What in the world?

A reporter and Santa's son team up to help each other complete their early morning Christmas must dos. 

Personal thoughts

I actually thought this movie was pretty good. I mean it kept me entertained and it had twists and turns that I was not expecting. Example was the Santa crooks fixing their marriage. I understand that doesn't make much sense and it doesn't have to. Just know that the Santa crooks fixed their marriage. Side thought. I don't know why this wasn't a Hallmark Movie and Mystery. It definitely had mystery to it because that was the entire film. This movie featured embezzlement, kidnapping, burglary, and breaking and entering. It was a good mix of Hallmark and action in my opinion.

Score

I have to give this movie a 7 out of 10. It's one of the best Hallmark movies I have seen in a while and it was just the right mix of bad and good. The theater troupe in the movie deserves a shout out because they were plugging their Tony's pizza that they get for good reviews. I don't know if they sponsored the movie but Tony's pizza got a lot of honorable mentions. 

Watch what you love,

Your fellow film watcher

Holiday Hotline

 

Why?

This movie looked interesting for Bingo so we recorded it and here we are now.

What in the world?

A British lady comes to America and gets a job helping people while they make food over the phone. It's very strange and apparently is a real thing.

Personal thoughts

This movie was very crazy. While she was on the phone, her boss would just sit in front of her and listen to her conversations. I think it was just because she was new to the process but that would just make things worse. The whole plotline of her and the guy is crazy because she lies about being American and she just doesn't realize that Jake isn't his name it's John or something like that. The whole conflict boils down to a case of lying and not admitting the truth. While this is happening, she accuses him of also using a fake name and he just says that is his real name and they go their separate ways. Not for long though because his brother's fiancée convinces him to catch her at the airport because she's British or something like that. The motivation is not in my mind anymore.

Score

 I have to give this movie a 3 out of 10. It would have been a 2 except for there was this one scene. She was on the phone with him as her American persona and spaces out. We cut to this dream sequence where they are dancing and there's a turkey in front of them. A baked turkey not a live one and the tagline for the hotline is behind them. I don't quite understand what that was all about because it didn't fit into the movie at all. If you had asked anyone for a prediction about this movie, I don't think anyone would have guessed that it would be in the film.

Watch what you love,

Your fellow film watcher

A Gingerbread Miracle

Why?

Christmas time and Hallmark are almost synonymous at this point.

What in the world?

A woman has to help sell her old crush's uncle's gingerbread store/bakery. She ends up reconnecting with her old crush.

Personal thoughts

The gingerbread in this movie was magic and granted people wishes. An example of this is a hockey kid getting into college on a hockey scholarship. That was pretty neat but this movie was crazy. I mean there was something called a gingerbread obstacle course. I assume that you think it's an obstacle course made of gingerbread but no. It's a gingerbread house making obstacle course with bounce house obstacles. It was crazy. The movie had a weird timeline. It showed the guy getting his uncle's stall ready for the event and then it cut to the lady putting the staff badges into their little sleeves with her mom after that. That doesn't make any sense chronologically but whatever.

Score

I have to give this movie a 4 out of 10. The plot was interesting and it was nice to see some other cultural activities for Christmas. In this movie I think the culture was Spanish. It was just nice to see some diverse Christmas traditions from different cultures in Hallmark. These people in the movies are monsters for a reason unrelated to culture. They would never say what they were drinking but it was usually hot chocolate. Hot chocolate is on our bingo boards and you don't know how much they taunted us throughout this movie. Anyway, the main people were interesting enough to make the movie not feel as long as it was.

Watch what you love,

Your fellow film watcher

Navigating Christmas

 

Why?

Tis the season for Hallmark Bingo and this movie just looked like a must watch. I mean who takes their teenage son to a lighthouse to celebrate Christmas.

What in the world?

A single mom takes her teenage son to a lighthouse to celebrate Christmas. She ends up falling for the lighthouse keeper. 

Personal thoughts

This movie was very interesting. The movie kind of seemed to drag with things that were not interesting. I mean they gave the teenage son a love interest that was pretty dull. I mean he got friend zoned anyway so it doesn't matter. The main people were pretty ok, but they just lacked communication. They also accidentally tell the son that is dad is having a child with the woman he cheated on the mom with. He was just standing in the kitchen and overheard them. SPOILER ALERT! He ends up stealing his love interest's boat (it's revealed that he has never drove a boat before) and getting stranded in the middle of the ocean, sea, thing. He got past the dock really well so it was surprising that he had never driven a boat before. Sadly, he ends up getting saved but that was the big climax of this movie. It was really dumb.

Score

I have to give this movie a 2 out of 10. It was a typical Hallmark movie that had a lighthouse. There was this one part where the guy kissed a metal anchor in the cold and his lips didn't get stuck. Very unrealistic if you ask me but I suppose I can't complain. Oh and there was this really pushy mayor that was intent on getting everyone to participate in Christmas related activities for some reason. She was very very annoying.

Watch what you love,

Your fellow film watcher

Christmas at the Holly Hotel

 

Why?

My mom and I needed something to watch while my sister was busy doing something. We decided to watch this movie to pass the time.

What in the world?

A food critic goes home for Christmas to spend time with her family and instead ends spending most of it with a cop. They fall in love. She is not doing communicating service.

Personal thoughts

This movie was so hard to follow. I mean the timeline was all over the place. Are we supposed to believe that December 20th this lady was able to get on a flight that she just booked. Yeah no and we are also expected to believe that she booked it that night and landed that next morning around afternoon. It might make sense if she went across the country to change time zones but she doesn't. She goes from New York to Michigan. Anyway, the days are messed up in other places but that one stood out the most. This movie also had a very strange grandma that was very blunt for no reason. Oh it also had ghosts for no reason too. That part was very strange because they didn't do anything for the plot except talk to her dad. 

Score

I have to give this movie a 3 out of 10. I think the whole reason this movie got a semi decent score was because of the president at the end and the abuse of police power. Let's start with the president. He just kind of randomly made an appearance at this hotel because the main lady's dad used to work with him. It wasn't important to the plot because no main character knew that he was coming. He was still pretty cool though. The abuse of police power was crazy. The main lady has to go to the airport to go review a restaurant opening on Christmas so the cop pulls her over. He is completely out of jurisdiction and she questions him about it. He just outright admits that he is crazy. Pretty great stuff.

Watch what you love,

Your fellow film watcher