Mistletoe Mixup

Holly's (Ryan) Christmas wish is to find Mr. Right.  While waiting with her boss and best friend Vicky (Thomas), she is given a sprig of mistletoe.  She goes to pick out a Christmas tree and meets Tom (J. Lawrence).  Tom carries the tree to her car and asks for her number.  On the drive home, the tree falls off her car and onto Austin (M. Lawrence).  Austin offers to carry the tree home and they decorate it together.

This will be Holly's first Christmas alone.  She accepts Tom's offer to go skiing with his family, where she learns that Tom and Austin are brothers.  Both Tom and Austin feel that they have a connection with Holly and compete for her affections.  Can Holly find love as the brothers fight?

This is a Lifetime Holiday movie.  It is also a family affair - director Andrew Lawrence cast his brothers, Joey and Matthew, as his brothers (and leads) and mother, Donna, as Grandma.

The Good:

If you like the Lawrence brothers, you may enjoy this film.  I like the Lawrence brothers (and enjoyed their 1990s TV show Brotherly Love), but they are trying too hard here.  Danielle C. Ryan is a decent lead, but it is not enough to save the film.

The Bad:

The acting, especially Donna Lawrence (who is not a professional actress).  The story is choppy and just does not work.

Other Comments:

-Joey Lawrence is now engaged to co-star Samantha Cope (who he met on this film).

-Joey's daughter Charleston also appeared in the film.

-Not great... there were some funny moments, but it wasn't enough to make the film work.

Mistletoe Mixup (2021) 83 minutes

Director: Andrew Lawrence

Starring: Danielle C. Ryan as Holly

Matthew Lawrence as Austin

Joey Lawrence as Tom

Andrew Lawrence as Seth

Donna Lawrence as Grandma

Samantha Cope as Liz

Adrienne Thomas as Vicky

Wendy Dang as Cali

A Lot Like Christmas

The small town of Hudson Springs loves Christmas.  The Roberts Tree Farm is a beloved fixture in the town, that residents visit to cut down their tree each year.  Jessica Roberts (Lawson) is excited for the season and trying to keep her late father's dream alive, as this is the first Christmas without him.  Her brother, Scott (Visser), is concerned about their finances and worries that they will be unable to keep the farm.

Meanwhile, Clay Moore (Russell), is sent to town to make sure the opening of the big Harvest Garden Supply (HGS) store is a success.  Clay is from the city and quickly learns that he will need to use new tactics to bring in the customers.  He goes to the Roberts Farm to figure out why they are successful.  He meets Jessica and sparks fly.  Without realizing that Jessica is the owner of the Farm, he begins a campaign to steal their customers.  Jessica is also unaware that Clay works for HGS.  As the stores go to battle and they continue running into each other, can their budding attraction survive the season?

This is an All Canadian Entertainment film, one of 4 TV-Holiday films (alongside Toying with the Holidays, Joy for Christmas, and A Kindhearted Christmas).

The Good:

This is a made-for-TV Christmas movie, if you go with those expectations, you will enjoy this.  The story is predictable, but it does try something new.  Maggie Lawson and Christopher Russell have good chemistry and you want them to get together.

The Bad:

The story is predictable - big, evil company vs. small, mom and pop shop.

Other Comments:

-Enjoyable and earnest.

A Lot Like Christmas (2021) 86 minutes

Director: Stacey N. Harding

Starring: Maggie Lawson as Jessica Roberts

Christopher Russell as Clay Moore

Marlie Collins as Delaney Watson

Matt Visser as Scott Roberts

Frances Flanagan as Annie Roberts

Ian Collins as Xavier Norris

A Very Nutty Christmas

Kate (Hart) owns Dancing Flours Bakery.  With Christmas approaching, she and friends/employees Rosa (Winokur) and Justin (Manjil) are struggling to fill all of their holiday orders.  Kate just wants to survive the holidays.  And then she gets dumped by actor Mark (Caltagirone).

While walking home from work, she is convinced to buy a nutcracker, which the seller (Richard Riehle) claims is the original nutcracker from the story.  That evening she puts the nutcracker under the tree and in the morning, trips over a man in a nutcracker uniform, Chip (Watson).  She believes he is a method actor, like her ex, and renting a room in her house until Christmas Eve.  Chip claims he only wants to help her and begins working in the bakery.  Can he help Kate open her heart to love Christmas again?

This is a Lifetime Christmas movie.  This is the 6th made-for-TV Christmas Movie Melissa Joan Hart has appeared in 2006 (following Holiday in Handcuffs for ABC Family, Broadcasting Christmas for Hallmark and 4 for Lifetime: The Santa Con, Broadcasting Christmas, and A Very Merry Toy Store).  She subsequently has made 3 more Christmas movies for Lifetime: Christmas Reservations, Dear Christmas, and Mistletoe in Montana.

The Good:

The story is an update on the Nutcracker and the leads end up at a performance of the ballet.  It's an interesting take on the story.  Barry Watson dives into the role, playing up the innocence and charm of the character without going over the top.  Melissa Joan Hart is also likeable in this film, and they work well together.

The Bad:

It's a strange film... jumping back and forth in theme / focus.  It also has over the top villains, including 2 with evil mustaches (they are obviously fake and over the top).

Other Comments:

-Watson and Hart previously appeared in the Lifetime Christmas Movie The Santa Con in 2014, where they play siblings.

-Don't go into the film with expectations, but at least have a little knowledge of the ballet, and you may enjoy it.  Not bad for a short, TV movie.

A Very Nutty Christmas (2018) 90 minutes

Director: Colin Theys

Starring: Melissa Joan Hart as Kate

Barry Watson as Chip

Marissa Jaret Winokur as Rosa

Rizwan Manjil as Justin

Conchata Ferrell as Clara

Ryan Caltagirone as Mark

Dear Christmas

Natalie Morgan (Hart) hosts a popular podcast about holiday love.  While she literally wrote the book about true love, she has yet to experience it herself.  She heads home for Christmas with her family, with plans to air a live episode on Christmas Eve.

Her parents, Randy (Begley Jr.) and Jenny (Prince), usually go all out for Christmas and host an annual ugly sweater party.  This year, they have been too busy with their new bookstore to decorate.  They are thrilled to have both daughters home for the holidays and eagerly await the birth of their daughter Emma's (Whelan) first child, due on Christmas Eve.

As Natalie prepares for her live show and Christmas, she continually encounters Chris Massey (Priestley).  Chris is a former classmate, who is know around town as Mr. Christmas and always willing to lend a hand.  Every time Chris and Natalie meet, sparks fly.  Will Natalie take a chance at real love?

This is a Lifetime Christmas movie.  Melissa Joan Hart has appeared in a Lifetime Original Christmas Movie every year since 2017 (this is her 7th made-for-TV Christmas film, following Holiday in Handcuffs for ABC Family, Broadcasting Christmas for Hallmark and 4 for Lifetime: The Santa Con, Broadcasting Christmas, A Very Merry Toy Store, A Very Nutty Christmas, and Christmas Reservations).

The Good:

The leads, Hart and Jason Priestley, are likeable and have good chemistry.  The sets are lovely and I enjoyed the humor.

The Bad:

The story isn't great... but it isn't a reason to skip the film.

Other Comments:

-The acting, besides Hart and Priestley, is not great.  I like Ed Begley Jr. and Faith Prince in other things, but not here.  It is a small cast (the actor who plays Emma's husband does not appear on any cast list I could find), and it makes the acting stand out.

-In addition to the main story, there are several video messages from Natalie's audience, explaining how they realized they were in love.  The main stand-out here is the cameo appearances by Hilarie Burton and Antwon Tanner, who previously appeared together in TV's One Tree Hill.

-Ok, but not great.  It gets by on the charms of it's leads.

Dear Christmas (2020) 87 minutes

Director: Emily Moss Wilson

Starring: Melissa Joan Hart as Natalie Morgan

Jason Priestley as Chris Massey

Ed Begley Jr. as Randy Morgan

Faith Prince as Jenny Morgan 

Nicky Whelan as Emma

Robin Givens as Penny

Snowbound for Christmas

Rachel (Darnell-Martin) is eager to impress her new boss, Adrian (Wade).  Adrian and their team are preparing a big pitch for a Tuscan villa.  Adrian and two members of the team will make their presentation that weekend.  He decides to take architect Diane (Buettner) and Rachel, the marketing director.  The meeting is at the Lafayette, which Adrian and Diane previously refurbished.

They are the first and only guests at the resort.  After arriving, they are invited to lead a new project at the resort.  Diane goes to the other side of the resort to begin planning, while Adrian and Rachel remain in the hotel to give the presentation.  A blizzard throws all their plans away.  Diane and her driver/guide Fred (Lo Presti) are stranded in a remote cabin.  The presentation is canceled and no guests are able to make their way to the resort, leaving the Adrian and Rachel alone.  As they take advantage of all the amenities, sparks fly.  Can their budding attraction survive when the snow stops?

This feels like a made-for-TV movie.

The Good:

The scenery is beautiful.  The cast is small, but works well together.

The Bad:

The story is predictable and choppy.

Other Comments:

-Apparently the film is based on a Harlequin novel, "Snowbound with the CEO".

-I'm not sure that this counts as a Christmas movie, despite the title.  Christmas is coming, everything is decorated for Christmas, and the final scenes take place on Christmas Eve (there is also a work Christmas party)... but the holiday isn't the focus.

-Pretty but forgettable.

Snowbound for Christmas (2019) 83 minutes

Director: Marco Deufemia

Starring: Zarrin Darnell-Martin as Rachel

Henderson Wade as Adrian Blackstone

Scott Thompson as Jean-Luc

Josephine Buettner as Diane

Franco Lo Presti as Fred

Julia Baldwin as Natalie

Joseph Cannata as Jerry

Kato Alexander as Ray

Hitched for the Holidays

 

On Thanksgiving, commitment-phobe Rob Marino (Lawrence) announces another failed relationship to his family.  They laugh about how he is unable to keep a relationship going over the holidays.  His beloved grandmother, Theresa (Shaw), says her dying wish is to meet the woman Rob will marry.  To lift her spirits, he tells her about a fake girlfriend named Rosemary.

Meanwhile, Julie Greene (Hampshire) is tired of her mother, Maxine (Henner), interfering in her love life.  The last straw is when she is set-up with a boring ex-boyfriend, who is told that she is free for the entire season.

Julie and Rob agree to pose as a couple for the rest of the year, attending all holiday functions together.  Rob wants to make Grandma Theresa happy, and Julie agrees to be Rosemary.  Julie wants her meddling mother to stop interfering and Rob agrees to be Jewish for her family.  As they juggle the events of the holiday, can they keep up the ruse without falling in love?

This is a Hallmark Christmas film.  It is a story you've seen before, with a Christmas and Hanukah spin.

The Good:

It is short.  The acting is ok.

The Bad:

The cast.  I normally like Joey Lawrence, but not here.  He feels miscast or something.  I did not like Emily Hampshire.  They had some good moments, but as a whole, it just didn't feel like the right people.  Most of the characters are more like caricatures or extremes... I think it is intended to be funny, but most were grating.  I didn't dislike all of the characters, but I also was not impressed with any of them.

Other Comments:

-The film is predictable.  It wasn't terrible, but it wasn't good.  Blasé is the best I can say about it.

-The meeting of the families, where the Catholic Marino's pretend to be Jewish, complete with Star of David decorations and Menorah's throughout the house.  Along with the realization that most of the Menorah's are actually Kwanzaa candles, was the funniest part of the film.  Ridiculous, but it did make me laugh. 

-Don't waste your time, there are better versions of this story and better Christmas and Hanukah films to watch.

-A better version of this story, although not set over the holidays, is My Fake Fiancé.  This ABC Family film starts Joey Lawrence and Melissa Joan Hart.  It is still corny, but much better than this film.

Hitched for the Holidays (2012) 87 minutes

Director: Michael M. Scott

Starring: Joey Lawrence as Rob Marino

Emily Hampshire as Julie Greene

Linda Darlow as Evie Marino

Serge Houdue as Butch Marino

L. Harvey Gold as Mel Greene

Marilu Henner as Maxine Greene

Paula Shaw as Theresa Scotti

Christopher Gauthier as Stevie

Christina Sicoli as Maria

Lisa Durupt as Molly

Colin Lawrence as Patrick

A Very Merry Mix-Up

Alice Chapman (Witt) owns an antique store and loves the history of the items she sells.  The store, which originally belonged to her late father, barely makes ends meet and a developer wants to buy the property.  She is hesitant to sell, despite the encouragement of her executive boyfriend Will Mitchum (Gibson).

That evening, Will proposes.  He suggests that they spend Christmas with his family to share the news of their engagement.  They are unable to travel together because he is in the middle of a big deal.  Alice is worried about meeting her future in-laws.  Her fears increase when the airport loses her luggage and her cell phone, containing the Mitchum address, is damaged.  But things look up when she meets Matt Mitchum (Wiebe), who is also heading home for Christmas.

Will, called Billy by his family, did not tell them about Alice or the engagement, so they are are surprised to meet Alice.  His parents, Penny (Hogan) and Joe (Fitzpatrick), and beloved Grandfather (Dane) welcome her with open arms.  She is thrilled to have a family again, but also feels a growing attraction for Matt.  As Christmas approaches, can Alice make the right decision about her future?

This is a Hallmark Christmas movie.  It doesn't try to surprise the audience, but it also isn't terrible.  It is just fine.

The Good:

The film embraces Christmas traditions, such as baking Christmas cookies and the memories behind the ornaments on the tree.  The relationship between Matt and Alice is good.

The Bad:

It doesn't try to hard to do anything beyond clichés.  It is clear who Alice will end up with and why the other candidate is very, very wrong for her. 

Other Comments:

-Predictable, but not bad.  I enjoyed it in the moment, but don't ever need to see it again.

A Very Merry Mix-Up (2013) 87 minutes

Director: Jonathan Wright

Starring: Alicia Witt as Alice Chapman

Mark Wiebe as Matt Mitchum

Sam Gibson as Will Mitchum

Lawrence Dane as Charles

Susan Hogan as Penny Mitchum

Richard Fitzpatrick as Joe Mitchum