Christmas Movie Reviews

I'm not usually a big television watcher, but lately I've turned on the boob tube a good bit more than normal because my arms are often occupied by a eating, burping, or sleeping baby. There's just really not much you can do while feeding a little munchkin other than listen to music or watch a little TV. Since Thanksgiving my programming of choice has been Christmas movies on Hallmark Channel and Lifetime. Oh yes. Ain't nothing like a good made for TV Christmas movie!

Since starting this holiday hobby of mine, I've discovered that most of these Christmas movies are pretty bad. Predictable plots, over the top characters, and poor acting abound. Pick one of these inspiring movie themes, and folks, you've got yourself the beginning of a made for TV Christmas movie: Santa, Mrs. Claus, magic (my personal favorite!), a widow or widower, traveling home, a kid with divorced/separated parents, New York City.

I was searching for blogs that rate the Christmas movies, and I couldn't really find one with a decent rating system. So, as a service to all my wonderful readers, I came up with a rating system and will be rating movies straight into the new year!

5 stars: on my favorites list... acting is good and plot is good... must remember for next year
4 stars: acting is ok and plot is ok... might watch it again next year
3 stars: acting is fair and plot is fair... wouldn't watch it again
2 stars: acting is bad and the plot is cheesy, but I watched the whole thing anyway... then regretted wasting my time with it
1 star: so bad I couldn't finish it

Debbie Macomber's Trading Christmas: An author finishing a book trades his city apartment for a house in the country with a woman who wants to surprise her daughter in the city with a visit. Not bad. 3 stars.

A Family Thanksgiving: Ok, not a Christmas movie. Daphne Zeniga is in this one and Faye Dunaway plays a magical lady who makes her see what her life could be like if she chose family over her career. 3 stars.

Silver Bells: starring Anne Heche and that guy that played Marissa's dad on The OC. This one made the favorites list! A boy who works on a Christmas tree farm escapes to NYC to pursue his dream of being a photographer. 5 stars.

A Smoky Mountain Christmas: You can't get much better than Dolly Parton, Lee Majors, and a bunch of orphans in the Smokies... that look just a little too much like the Rockies. Throw in a witch named Jezebel, and you got yourself a darn good Christmas movie. Major kitsch factor. 4 stars.

Mistletoe Over Manhattan: I couldn't get past the Manhattan police officer who lives in a McMansion with a three car garage that looks suspiciously like Orange County. Turned it off. 1 star.

Holiday Engagement: Shelley Long stars in this movie as an overbearing mom who pressures her daughter so much about getting married that her daughter hires a fake fiancée to bring home for Thanksgiving. 2 stars.

If you've watched a Christmas movie this season, please, leave your review in the comments. Stay tuned for more reviews!