Over the years I’ve watched many versions of Charles Dickens’ classic A Christmas Carol. I thought I should review at least one, so I chose the 1999 made-for-TV version by Peter Barnes with Patrick Stewart, one of my favorite actors.

It would be difficult not to have seen a version of this movie at some point in one’s life, so I won’t repeat the plot line in depth. Suffice to say, we get to see, through Ebeneezer Scrooge’s “ghosts” how he came to be the man he is (Past), how his view of the world is limited to himself (Present), and how he will be remembered if he stays on the same path (Yet-To-Come).

Ghost of Christmas Past

Ghost of ChristGmas Present – harboring Ignorance and Want

Ghost of Christmas Yet-To-Come

The message is clear, no matter who’s telling it.  There’s no better time than now – which happens to be Christmas, to evaluate where you’ve been, who you are now, and more importantly, where you’re going?

Are you living the life you envisioned living? Are you happy? Do you have relationships that make you happy? What can you do to help others and make the world a better place?

This is the universal theme of all the presentations of A Christmas Carol.

Specifically, I’m reviewing Patrick Stewart’s version. The beginning held my interest, as I loved the actor’s opening portrayal of Scrooge. Though only 95 minutes long, I admit I grew restless and felt the movie dragged. I think it was the lengthy one-man speeches and because I’ve seen so many versions over the years. I hoped to find a fresher take in this film, and sadly, I did not.

Interestingly enough, on the same day I watched this movie (Dec. 15), an article was published touting a new 53.42 minute video which has combined clips from 400 versions which you can watch online here. I do intend to watch it. This could be fun!

Bolstered by Patrick Stewart, this movie earns 2.5 of 5 Christmas ghosts. ♥♥.5

Movies that earn top marks deserve another mention because they’re worth seeing again. Day 14 is an encore presentation from 2015.

Trading Christmas still rates five of five Christmas Cookies!  ♥♥♥♥♥

From Day 13, 2015:

I’ve fallen in love all over again with my pick for Day 13 of my Christmas Movie Review with Trading Christmas, 2011, Hallmark.

I didn’t want this sweet and impertinent movie to end.  As soon as Charles drove along the picturesque streets of a charming Smalltown, USA, and noted that he must be in Who-ville, I settled in for a satisfying experience.

The acting was notched up with four seasoned actors; Gil Bellows (first on my radar as Billy on Ally McBeal), Faith Ford (originally loved her in Murphy Brown), Tom Cavanagh (Who didn’t root for Ed?), and Gabrielle Miller (so glad I watched Corner Gas).  The chemistry was especially edgy and the dialogue tart between Gabrielle and Tom.

The concept was clever enough with a few twists, although it proved confusing to explain to my husband who missed the first fifteen minutes.

Faith Ford’s character, Emily, is a widow still mourning the death of her husband three years ago. She grew up in South Woodbourne, WA, and has never missed a Christmas there. Her college age daughter, Heather, decides to buck the system for a change and go to Phoenix for Christmas with her boyfriend, Jason, although she leads her mother to believe she’ll stay in Boston instead of flying home.

Emily decides to surprise her daughter by visiting her in Boston, and looks for a home to trade for the holidays.

Meanwhile, writer Charles (Tom Cavanaugh) takes his brother Ray’s (Gil Bellows) advice to get away from Boston to meet a deadline, and ends up swapping homes with Emily.

Enter Emily’s sister Faith (See how confusing this is for husbands?), played by Gabrielle Miller, who decides to surprise her sister with a trip back home since Emily will be so sad without her daughter for the holidays.

Of course, with all the “surprises”, no one tells anyone anything… Emily and Ray meet when she forgets to deactivate Charles’ alarm, and they begin a lovely romance.

Not all goes so well for Charles and Faith, as she’s getting over a bitter divorce and he’s nursing a wound from being dumped on Christmas Eve two years earlier, and isn’t really interested in her company or her opinions on his manuscript  – at least at first.

When Emily and Charles trade homes, they both leap out of their comfort zones into the antithesis of what Christmas means to each of them, which allows for opposing dynamics.

You might see where this leads but trust me, the bantering humor and connecting moments are worth it. (My husband didn’t make a single disparaging comment.)

Who doesn’t like Who-ville?

Ergo, this movie ranks a 5 of 5 Christmas cookies. ♥♥♥♥♥
(The neighbors bring about two tons of welcoming cookies to Charles – who doesn’t want to bite.)

Based on the cover art on Amazon, I was expecting a totally different kind of movie than discovered in BBC’s Lost Christmas, 2011, written by John Hay and David Logan.

Looks magical, right?

The description per Amazon:  Lost Christmas is an Urban Fairy Tale set in Manchester about how a series of tragic events that blight a young boy’s life are reversed one Christmas Eve giving him and those around him the happy ending that they were destined to have.

This is all true.

My husband and I watched the movie, properly mystified, trying to guess what would happen next.

After it was over, I wondered how I was going to write this review. My husband smiled and said good luck.

It was actually fascinating, if you enjoy British realism with a touch of funny (Nana, the grandmother was so sadly senile as she buttered her Christmas cards, and tried to roast the turkey in the washing machine, that your heart went out to her.), plus a tolerance for seamy.

When one of the very first scenes began with a drunk leaving a bar in the wee hours of Christmas Eve morning, and relieving himself on a lamp post in a deserted parking lot, I wondered if I’d accidentally queued up the wrong film.

A bit more representative.

There is magic, a sense of connecting the dots, and sadness for the choices made without foreseeing a lifetime of regret. There is also a need to pay attention so you don’t miss a single word of dialogue as the characters often say the oddest things. The characters are a diversified lot, and yes, there is an adorable dog named Mutt as well.

If you’re looking for a total escape without thinking too deeply, and lots of Christmas traditions, this movie might not be for you.

However, if you’re like to ponder the “what if’s” in life, this film will help.

Lost Christmas runs your emotions up and down before coalescing at the end. The theme subscribes to practicing kindness as the defining moment in anyone’s life.

The movie was unique and well done, so I’m giving it a 4 of 5 Stolen Golden Bangles. (You’ll have to watch to understand.) ♥♥♥♥

The closest resemblance I could find.

The pendulum always swings back. To offset the darkness of Day 11’s movie review, The Christmas Bunny, 2010, written, directed, and produced by Tom Seidman, evokes emotion along the lines of Lassie Come Home, and Black Beauty. I found it at my library, and on Netflix.

This story has heart.

When nine year old Julia arrives on December 23 at her third foster home in almost as many months, she refuses to speak and doesn’t like to share. Especially her most prized possession, a VCR tape of The Velveteen Rabbit, which she watches obsessively.

Julia clings to the video as her lifeboat – the only thing that’s “real” to her.

And why wouldn’t she? With an unreliable drug-addicted mother who slaps her for not sleeping in the bathtub of a seedy hotel room as instructed, Julia’s head must spin with all the sudden changes she’s subjected to as she’s channeled through a bureaucratic system by a jaded social worker, who suspects her new foster parents want her only because of receiving state monies since the dad’s out of work. But, she’s not watching out for Julia, giving callous blanket advice in her rush to check another child off her list.

Even though the new foster mother welcomes her with open arms, Julia’s not taking any chances. She’s there for the ride, but she’s not participating.

The only thing that elicits a positive reaction is an abandoned domestic rabbit after it’s unfortunately shot by her foster brother and his cousin with the new BB guns they had to try out on Christmas Eve. (Yes, they get in big trouble.)

Any parent’s worst nightmare ensues – taking a stray creature to the veterinarian on Christmas Day and after x-rays confirm a fractured leg from the BB, being given the choice of:

1. Operating – $800-$1000 – best option IF the rabbit starts eating again.
2. Splinting – $500 and no guarantee this will work.
3. Not an option because these really are good parents.
4. Taking the bunny to a woman called The Rabbit Lady, who might be able to get it to eat and help nurse it back naturally.

You guessed it. The Rabbit Lady is a no-nonsense character who’s retreated into her safe world of saving mainly rabbits. She sees something in Julia, and conditionally agrees to help. I marveled at the freedom Florence Henderson must have felt as she threw herself into a role I’ve never seen her play before.

It really is Florence.

There’s more drama than you might expect through the rest of the movie, but I don’t want to give anything away. Let’s just say I shed a few tears (as I did in the aforementioned films).

This movie has no slick special effects. It’s not a snappy romcom, nor is it heavy on all things Christmas. Some might find this movie overly sentimental and dare I say “homey”, but I found it to be thought-provoking, hopeful, realistic, and touching.

The beauty of the Western Michigan landscape at Christmastime also deserves a “YUGE” shout out.

I give this movie 4.5 of 5 (What else?) Christmas bunnies. ♥♥♥♥.5

Merry Christmas!

So. I have never seen The Nutcracker – as a movie or ballet performance. I decided it was high time I checked it out, and chose what I thought was an intriguing alternate version – The Nutcracker – The Untold Story, Cinemarket, 2010; partly because I like Nathan Lane and Elle Fanning so much as actors.

The cover looks inviting, doesn’t it?

They did not disappoint and were charming in their roles. The movie started off magically. I even convinced my husband to give it chance. He left at the third of eight songs.

I stuck it out and wondered why I did (all 1 hour and 50 minutes). This is a tale of a young girl, Mary, whose imagination brings a nutcracker doll (NC) to life who needs her help to overthrow the Rat King who stole NC’s kingdom and wants to “ratify” the world.

I loved the set details and the initial special effects – until everything turned as dark as the prince’s kingdom where the sun was purposefully blocked out by black, billowing smoke that came from the burn factories fueled by all the children’s toys in the realm.

My specific objections include:

• The kingdom under the influence of the Rat King (with the help of his mother who turned the prince into the nutcracker) reminded me of an awful combination of the downtrodden districts in The Hunger Games, Nazis influences, and the darkest part times ten in the Wicked Witch of the West’s castle in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
• The meanness on the part of the Rat King is too much. The villain could have been “evil” without being vicious.
• The Bat Rats fall out of the sky when a high pitched alarm is pulled to affect their ears, but they weren’t real bats – they were motorized.
• The movie merely takes place on Christmas Eve and Christmas night; other than that, the connection to Christmas is non-existent.
• When NC is brought back to being a human for the second time, his wooden leg is not attached, yet he is a whole boy when he changes. Why didn’t Mary at least make an effort to reattach his leg?
• It reminded me of a horror movie.

This guy gave me nightmares as a kid.

The Rat King was right out of a bad zombie movie.

I felt this movie should have been avoided, so I give it point-five (.5) of five non-Christmas rats.

To leave you on a brighter note though, I do intend to see The Nutcracker Ballet next season with my husband, and hope he doesn’t remember any of this movie.  The Straight No Chaser group has a fun version of The Nutcracker theme.

Three questions were posed to me recently.

1. Am I only reviewing Hallmark holiday movies?
2. Am I only reviewing those released in 2016?
3. How do I pick the movies I review?

The answers to #1 and #2 are simple no’s. The answer to #3 inspired this blog post.

How do I pick the movies I review? 

• Any shiny new title or trailer is a magnet.
• Friends’ recommendations (I keep a list.)
• New releases
• Old favorites
• Favorite actors and actresses
• Availability:
  • TV (see below for schedules)
  • On-Demand
  • Streaming
    • Netflix
    • Amazon
    • Hulu
    • Feeln
    • Google Play
    • You Tube
  • Library
    • I love going to the library and picking 7 at a time.
• Magical-ness, relevancy, appeal, novelty
• Google searches
• Random timing
• The weather
• Ability to lure husband into watching
• Special request
• Appealing animals (Cats really pique my curiosity, as they’re known for their avoidance to direction.)
• Classics I’ve somehow missed

Just as importantly, how do I pass on the movies I don’t review?

• Bad poster art
• Time constraints
• Similarity to other movies I’ve seen with exceptions:
  • The promise of something different or…
  • Being in head-to-head competition with another network in the same season (I want to know!)
• Husband passionately refuses to watch

Special note: I like to watch movies alone, and I also like to enjoy them with my husband or a good friend/family. As with many people, my husband cannot watch a steady diet of the same subject, so I choose my “together” suggestions very carefully for maximum enjoyment. He also cannot fathom how I can watch a favorite movie over and over and… over.

What about movies I’ve watched, but haven’t reviewed?

• There have been Christmas movies I’ve watched but haven’t reviewed. Why? Namely because there are other movies I’d like to share more – either good or bad – that move the needle one way or another. If, for some reason, I would run out of movies to review, I can go back to the data base I keep.

As I read the list of movies I’ve reviewed during the 2015 and 2016 seasons, I notice that Hallmark is a main source.  Though not by design, opportunity is golden, and Hallmark runs their movies on two channels, non-stop, 24/7 right up until Christmas.  (They even have “Christmas in July” programming.)

Also, it’s a pretty safe bet if I need a pick-me-up, or pretend I’m baking cookies (ha), Hallmark will have an uplifting option.

It’s easier to watch.

Here are a few Christmas TV channel schedules:

Hallmark Channel Countdown to Christmas

Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Most Wonderful Movies of Christmas

Lifetime

ABC Family (Freeform) 25 Days of Christmas (ABC also has a countdown to their 25 Days of Christmas, but we’ve left that zone…)

Turner Classic Christmas Movies

ION Christmas Movies

UPtv

Finally, I leave you with this link to the movies I have reviewed.

Christmas is coming. In 14 days. With all the holiday bustle and last minute realization you might not have time to do everything, a good Christmas movie and a cup of tea is a delicious respite.

I looked forward to watching this release since its premise revolves around a Christmas movie in the making.

Hallmark’s 2016 Christmas In Homestead is written by Rick Garman who grew up in Iowa. His background shows in the warmth and personalities of the movie’s townspeople.

(A bit of trivia –  Homestead, Iowa is a real town, one of six Homesteads in the United States.)

One thing I found refreshing in this movie is that I’d never seen Taylor Cole (as Jessica) and Michael Rady (as Matt) in any previous Christmas movies, though they are both seasoned  actors.  The plot of an actress making a Christmas movie and falling in love with a local is also one I haven’t seen before.

Although super-star Jessica has an ex-boyfriend, Vince, who acts the lead in her movie and wants to get back together, there’s no real threat of that. He doesn’t stand a chance once Jessica meets Matt, the owner of the inn where the cast stays – who doesn’t even know who Jessica is.

The two have a few bumps in the road early on as he’s also the Mayor and is against the movie using his picturesque town because he doesn’t want anything to change since his wife died. Shooting delays, interrupting traditional festivities, and the swarm of paparazzi don’t help.

The conflict in the movie is the angst each the main characters  face as they struggle to overcome their own personal demons and face their fear of new involvement.

Two actors were irresistible in supporting roles; Katrina Norman as Matt’s sister, Zoe, and Brooklyn Rae Silzer as Matt’s daughter Sophie. Both portrayed their roles so naturally, I anticipate seeing much more of them.

Here they are: Zoe and Sophie

So, if you’re in the mood for a sweet, romantic Christmas movie with tender moments, no real villains, and a fun snowball contest, this one fits the bill.

I’m giving this movie a 3.5 of 5 Christmas Pumpkin Pies. ♥♥♥.5