Holiday TV Movies & (Non-Rankin Bass) Holiday Specials - General Discussion

[Guest]

I’m watching A Merry Christmas Match and I just can’t stand Hallmark attempting to remove all sex appeal from all their actors. I wonder how often someone has to fix their hair every time it gets messed up. The styling on the male leads best friend was particularly bad. 

The story is fine and I really like that the city is clearly going to win but otherwise I find it bland. Also the misunderstanding was more ridiculous than most since it was obvious he was literally about to tell her. 

I liked Sweet Mountain Christmas a little more in that it held my interest but that was mostly Megan Hilty. Although I her hair and makeup were distracting. 

[Guest]

2 hours ago, MissyPoo said:

Also started watching Christmas Kisses & Mistletoe Kisses though it wasn't on my list. This one was low energy. Jill was great but Hallmark did one of those things where they have two guys, one the ruse and the other the lead. They already spoil themselves with casts lists and posters so I know she was going to end up with the boring billionaire. The ruse doctor seemed more interesting and lively so when they introduced him early set him up and then sidelined him for the billionaire guy, I was pretty much over the movie.

I feel the same way. The cute and charming doctor who loves kids would have been a better lead than the boring billionaire who doesn’t like Christmas. I like Jill Wagner but found Abbey to annoying, whiny and judgemental. 

Edited October 27, 2019 by Guest

[Chyromaniac]

1 hour ago, Dani said:

Also the misunderstanding was more ridiculous than most since it was obvious he was literally about to tell her. 

Seriously.  I actually paused the dvr at that point, because I had to talk that scene out with my wife.  I mean, Victoria is introduced just as a “family friend”- a fact that she doesn’t dispute.   She also doesn’t argue when he says that the trip was basically for business.  Honestly, I don’t even know if Victoria even clocked that he and Corey were together.  Plus, their friends are right there, and can corroborate his story.  I guess I give them credit for not having Corey just see them hug or something at the party- like in every other one of these movies- but still, that had to be the flimsiest twist in quite a while.

Otherwise, Matt McCoy has basically become Sam Waterston, which is weird-but now I want to see Hallmark’s “Love & Order: Marital Intent.”

[dalek]

23 hours ago, Dani said:

Just so you know Hallmark’s most recent schedule has moved Double Holiday to December 22nd and Holiday Date was moved to December 14th. 

Yay.  That means I should be home when Double Holiday airs.  Assuming they don't move it again.  Now it coincides with the beginning of Chanukah 

[kirinan]

Another list of new movies coming to the Hallmark channels, Lifetime, OWN, and Netflix. 

I have to say, I'm very excited to see that Erica Durance will be in a couple of movies. I adore her--and so does my husband; she's his TV girlfriend, and I'm perfectly fine with that. I'm guessing he'll break his "No watch Christmas movies EVER" rule for her.  

ETA: Does anyone know who played the cute doctor in Christmas Kisses & Mistletoe Kisses last night? He's not listed on IMDB, and he looks so, so familiar to me. I liked the movie well enough, btw. Yes, it was lower energy and predictable, but I needed that last night, so I was good with it. I thought from the beginning, though, that Doctor Cutie was a better match with the SVP. 

Edited October 27, 2019 by kirinan

[Shorty186]

2 hours ago, kirinan said:

ETA: Does anyone know who played the cute doctor in Christmas Kisses & Mistletoe Kisses last night? He's not listed on IMDB, and he looks so, so familiar to me. I liked the movie well enough, btw. Yes, it was lower energy and predictable, but I needed that last night, so I was good with it. I thought from the beginning, though, that Doctor Cutie was a better match with the SVP. 

His name is Brandon Quinn. I actually remembered him from this TV show from several years ago called "Against the Wall" - which had Andrew Walker as a recurring character. Apparently he was also the lead on "Big Wolf on Campus" - a Canadian TV show.

I agree that I really liked his doctor character but he seemed to bounce back quickly with Kate.

Edited October 27, 2019 by Shorty186

[hookedontv]

On 10/26/2019 at 2:22 AM, twoods said:

Trying the first Lifetime holiday movie that aired tonight with Megan Hilty and not into it. Her Botox face is so distracting and it’s very low energy. I will give it another try if someone likes it.

I wasn’t into it either. I am not familiar with Megan Hilty but her face looked too plumped and botoxed, and her hair? Ugh. I know she was from a town in TN if I recall correctly but her script must have been easy to memorize-every sentence included an “oh my goodness!”

The plot was very slow paced and it was hard to keep watching. 

[LexieLily]

3 hours ago, kirinan said:

Another list of new movies coming to the Hallmark channels, Lifetime, OWN, and Netflix. 

I have to say, I'm very excited to see that Erica Durance will be in a couple of movies. I adore her--and so does my husband; she's his TV girlfriend, and I'm perfectly fine with that. I'm guessing he'll break his "No watch Christmas movies EVER" rule for her.  

ETA: Does anyone know who played the cute doctor in Christmas Kisses & Mistletoe Kisses last night? He's not listed on IMDB, and he looks so, so familiar to me. I liked the movie well enough, btw. Yes, it was lower energy and predictable, but I needed that last night, so I was good with it. I thought from the beginning, though, that Doctor Cutie was a better match with the SVP. 

The list you linked to shows a new movie premiering tonight on Hallmark, A Cheerful Christmas (starring Erica Deutschman and Chad Connell). But on my guide it shows Hallmark airing last year's CCB movie A Shoe Addict's Christmas. Is this another last-minute change? 

[Aliconehead]

11 minutes ago, LexieLily said:

The list you linked to shows a new movie premiering tonight on Hallmark, A Cheerful Christmas (starring Erica Deutschman and Chad Connell). But on my guide it shows Hallmark airing last year's CCB movie A Shoe Addict's Christmas. Is this another last-minute change? 

The Hallmark app has it listed on Dec 22. Must have changed it because I also have Shoe Addicts on my Directv schedule

[Guest]

2 hours ago, LexieLily said:

The list you linked to shows a new movie premiering tonight on Hallmark, A Cheerful Christmas (starring Erica Deutschman and Chad Connell). But on my guide it shows Hallmark airing last year's CCB movie A Shoe Addict's Christmas. Is this another last-minute change? 

That list is working off a very early Hallmark schedule and a lot of the Hallmark dates are wrong. There’s nothing new on Hallmark tonight. 

People also got a least one weekend wrong with their Lifetime schedule which is where I stopped checking. 

This list seems to have the all the updated schedules. 

Edited October 27, 2019 by Guest

[Guest]

The Definitive Guide to 2019’s Deluge of New Christmas Movies

Vulture’s list of all the Christmas movies classified by trope. Hallmark appears to have moved 5 or 6 movies around but they haven’t even updated their app or website completely yet so a few of those dates might be wrong but everything else seems to have the correct dates(for now). 

[LexieLily]

57 minutes ago, Dani said:

The Definitive Guide to 2019’s Deluge of New Christmas Movies

Vulture’s list of all the Christmas movies classified by trope. Hallmark appears to have moved 5 or 6 movies around but they haven’t even updated their app or website completely yet so a few of those dates might be wrong but everything else seems to have the correct dates(for now). 

Thanks!

[Dr.OO7]

I'm rewatching "It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" and I'm glad that this time they didn't edit it.

Edited October 28, 2019 by Camille

[MerBearHou]

8 minutes ago, Camille said:

I'm rewatching "It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" and I'm glad that this time they didn't edit it.

I watched this every year growing up.  Was needing a cheery Charlie Brown special and tuned in — Call me a snowflake but I had to turn it off because I’d forgotten how mean and such a bully that Lucy is!!

[Dr.OO7]

6 minutes ago, MerBearHou said:

Call me a snowflake but I had to turn it off because I’d forgotten how mean and such a bully that Lucy is!!

The irony is that for all her bitchiness, she has some nice moments too--getting candy for Linus, and setting her alarm to get up and see if he'd come home, then going to get him when she realized that he hadn't.

[MerBearHou]

2 minutes ago, Camille said:

The irony is that for all her bitchiness, she has some nice moments too--getting candy for Linus, and setting her alarm to get up and see if he'd come home, then going to get him when she realized that he hadn't.

True True.  We all know people like Lucy — mean as a snake one minute, caring another minute.  They’re a little scary for me and I try to keep them at a safe distance if I can!

[WendyCR72]

22 minutes ago, Camille said:

I'm rewatching "It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" and I'm glad that this time they didn't edit it.

But I think it was. The part where Schroeder plays the piano as Snoopy dances and then cries at the sad melody before getting tossed, I believe, was cut. Thank God I have the Blu-Ray. (And the Christmas special Blu-Ray, too!)

[Dr.OO7]

4 minutes ago, WendyCR72 said:

But I think it was. The part where Schroeder plays the piano as Snoopy dances and then cries at the sad melody before getting tossed, I believe, was cut.

No, it's there.

[WendyCR72]

Just now, Camille said:

No, it's there.

Hmm. I don't remember it. Oh, well. Getting old sucks.  😛

[AnnaRose]

Did anybody watch The Road Home for Christmas which premiered on Saturday evening on Lifetime?  I liked it a lot more than I thought I would.  Except for some ridiculous contrivances like having them drive on two lane roads instead of the interstate.  Necessary though so they could drive into a snowdrift and get stuck, only to be rescued by a travelling van of carolling nuns. 

Edited October 30, 2019 by AnnaRose

[methodwriter85]

I can't wait to see Andrew W. Walker fall in love at Christmas again. This time it's with Stephanie Tanner!

[Guest]

On 10/27/2019 at 9:38 PM, AnnaRose said:

Did anybody watch The Road Home for Christmas which premiered on Saturday evening on Lifetime?  I liked it a lot more than I thought I would.  Except for some ridiculous contrivances like having them drive on two lane roads instead of the interstate.  Necessary though so they could drive into a snowdrift and get stuck, only to be rescued by a travelling van of carolling nuns.  You can't make this stuff up.

I just finished and I ended up enjoyed it way more than I expected. A lot of it made me roll my eyes but the actors managed to make it work. It got a lot of bonus points from me for having Marla Sokoloff’s character handle things like a reasonable adult. Shared hotel rooms and secretive phone calls but she never over-reacted or jumped to any wrong conclusions. 

All the things that happened on the road trip were so absurd that it shouldn’t have worked but somehow, for me, it did. 

Edited October 30, 2019 by Guest

[redpencil]

I watched a movie on UP from tonight called A Christmas Movie Christmas (I think). Not the greatest ever, but parts were hilarious. Two sisters get magically stuck in a Christmas movie. So they purposely go hard on all the Christmas movie tropes, with the sisters actually referencing them multiple times because the one sister is super into cheesy Christmas movies (and of course the other can't stand them). The romance storylines were pretty blah, but I enjoyed it poking fun at its own genre.

[Was-MArsenault]

On 10/23/2019 at 12:41 PM, AAEBoiler said:

Did it seem to anyone else like they were cramming in all the Disney movies early before the launch of Disney+ on November 12th?

Yes. And I noticed that a lot of them are repeats from 31 Nights Of Halloween as well.

[SunnyBeBe]

9 hours ago, AnnaRose said:

Did anybody watch The Road Home for Christmas which premiered on Saturday evening on Lifetime?  I liked it a lot more than I thought I would.  Except for some ridiculous contrivances like having them drive on two lane roads instead of the interstate.  Necessary though so they could drive into a snowdrift and get stuck, only to be rescued by a travelling van of carolling nuns.  You can't make this stuff up.

I wanted to catch this one, but, only saw a small portion at the end.  I forgot it was coming on.  I'm an Osmond fan, so......maybe, it'll replay lots more before Christmas.  There is such a shortage of new Christmas movies. 

[StaceyNotStacie]

10 hours ago, AnnaRose said:

Did anybody watch The Road Home for Christmas which premiered on Saturday evening on Lifetime?  I liked it a lot more than I thought I would.  Except for some ridiculous contrivances like having them drive on two lane roads instead of the interstate.  Necessary though so they could drive into a snowdrift and get stuck, only to be rescued by a travelling van of carolling nuns.  You can't make this stuff up.

I liked the story, but I didn’t love the leads. There was a bit of personality in the male lead, but very little in the female lead.  I also didn’t like the wardrobe of the female lead. I enjoy the sweaters and jackets in the holiday movies and wardrobe on the female lead was very drab. 

[twoods]

Jill Wagner’s movie was okay, but she should have gotten with the doctor because she clearly had better chemistry with him. Maybe they can be in another Hallmark movie together. I like the actor who played the rich guy since he was on Vampire Diaries and Legacies, but didn’t see any spark with him and Jill.

[catrice2]

Ok I usually don't watch the Christmas movies but somehow found myself watching the last hour of one with Kyla Pratt on Lifetime. She just seemed really really young in the movie and I couldn't follow it.  

[redpencil]

6 hours ago, twoods said:

Jill Wagner’s movie was okay, but she should have gotten with the doctor because she clearly had better chemistry with him. Maybe they can be in another Hallmark movie together. I like the actor who played the rich guy since he was on Vampire Diaries and Legacies, but didn’t see any spark with him and Jill.

It goes to show that chemistry is subjective, because I actually felt the exact opposite, and came away confused why people wanted her with the doctor (I had read comments here before watching it). I did like the actor who played the doctor though, and would love to see him as the lead in another movie.

Speaking of secondary characters, I also really liked the actress who played the best friend in A Merry Christmas Match and would love to see more of her. She also had a really beautiful singing voice.

[Guest]

Ion has announced their Christmas schedule with nearly the same tagline as Hallmark Drama.

 ION Television is “Your Home for the Holidays” With Six All-New Movie Premieres

29 minutes ago, redpencil said:

It goes to show that chemistry is subjective, because I actually felt the exact opposite, and came away confused why people wanted her with the doctor (I had read comments here before watching it). I did like the actor who played the doctor though, and would love to see him as the lead in another movie.

I didn’t think Jill had chemistry with either guy. I thought the doctor made more sense than the other guy just based on personality. The actual romance was not believable to me. By the end I was wishing that the SVP and the doctor were the leads because I actually did see chemistry there. 

Edited October 29, 2019 by Guest

[KLovestoShop]

I watched Christmas Movie Christmas and thought it was one of the worst movies I’ve seen.  I think the only good actor was Gran-Gran with the others being pretty untalented.  The only reason I watched was to see the location where the movie was shot.  We love Frankenmuth, Michigan and most of the exteriors were filmed at River Place Shops.  We just returned from our annual trip there three weeks ago and the locals were excited to see their town highlighted. 

[kirinan]

9 hours ago, KLovestoShop said:

I watched Christmas Movie Christmas and thought it was one of the worst movies I’ve seen.  I think the only good actor was Gran-Gran with the others being pretty untalented.  The only reason I watched was to see the location where the movie was shot.  We love Frankenmuth, Michigan and most of the exteriors were filmed at River Place Shops.  We just returned from our annual trip there three weeks ago and the locals were excited to see their town highlighted. 

While our opinions of the movie are much different—I enjoyed it, unapologetic cheesiness and all—I completely agree with you on loving River Place and Frankenmuth (Detroit native here who grew up going there a couple times a year and still do, many, MANY years later). I  had heard a while ago that a movie was being shot there, but didn’t know which one. But the second I saw the “town,” I yelled out, “Hey, that’s River Place!” and scared my husband. What a fun thing to see.

And now I need my fall chicken fix!

Edited October 29, 2019 by kirinan

[ECM1231]

18 hours ago, twoods said:

Jill Wagner’s movie was okay, but she should have gotten with the doctor because she clearly had better chemistry with him. Maybe they can be in another Hallmark movie together. I like the actor who played the rich guy since he was on Vampire Diaries and Legacies, but didn’t see any spark with him and Jill.

I thought the opposite although shallow me found the doctor to be cuter. In the date scene where the male lead and his female business partner crashed the dinner date and joined Jill and the doc, I thought the doctor and female business partner had chemistry.

[StaceyNotStacie]

2 hours ago, ECM1231 said:

I thought the opposite although shallow me found the doctor to be cuter. In the date scene where the male lead and his female business partner crashed the dinner date and joined Jill and the doc, I thought the doctor and female business partner had chemistry.

I was pleasantly surprised that the female business partner wasn’t a romantic rival for the male lead. I was expecting to find out that she was so snotty to the female lead at the beginning because she wanted him for herself. 

[Misslindsey]

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert's attempt at competing with Hallmark and Lifetime. 😉

[Dr.OO7]

That. Was. HILARIOUS.

I'm still laughing.

I especially like his snarking about how much earlier they start--"It's three days before Halloween, and you know what that means.   .   . time to start celebrating Christmas!"

And "The one movie featuring a person of color!"

LMFAO.

[In2You]

Christmas Movie Christmas was alright. It could've been funnier. I did appreciate it poking fun at some of the tropes.

[MissyPoo]

6 hours ago, Misslindsey said:

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert's attempt at competing with Hallmark and Lifetime. 😉

Hahaha my side hurts. I about died by the end especially with the Hallmark callout. I actually wouldn't mind checking out some of those if only to find out what the story is! Sending this to the mister. It's funny how the couple watching is so us when we watch the newer movies hahaha.

[In2You]

35 minutes ago, MissyPoo said:

Hahaha my side hurts. I about died by the end especially with the Hallmark callout. I actually wouldn't mind checking out some of those if only to find out what the story is! Sending this to the mister. It's funny how the couple watching is so us when we watch the newer movies hahaha.

I like some of those fake titles. Under the Mistletoe, Over the Sweater. Ex-Mass. A Holiday in Space. The Town Where It's Always Christmas.

I would watch The Eggnog Mysteries. Hallmark doesn't really do Christmas mysteries surprisingly even though they have an entire channel with the word mysteries in the title.

Edited October 30, 2019 by In2You

[MissyPoo]

3 minutes ago, In2You said:

I like some of those fake titles. Under the Mistletoe, Over the Sweater. Ex-Mass. A Holiday in Space. The Town Where It's Always Christmas.

Yes! And I'd so totally watch Jurassic Wreath, The Last Snow Angel, The Egg Nog Mysteries including the sequels, After Dark, and part 2: 2 Egg 2 Nog.

[In2You]

This one will be airing on UP

This trailer has a different tone than the trailer airing on UP. And it looks more dramatic than the 1st movie. I'm excited!

[AnnaRose]

I watched a dramatic Christmas movie last night that I recorded on Lifetime.  It is ten years old, but was very good!  It's called The Christmas Hope starring Madeleine Stowe and James Remar as a couple who are somewhat estranged due to the loss of their son two years earlier, and they take a newly orphaned young girl into their home for Christmas. Has anybody here seen it?  It was tragic, but very moving, and had a happy ending of course.  I think it may have originally aired on Hallmark back in 2009.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, AnnaRose said:

I watched a dramatic Christmas movie last night that I recorded on Lifetime.  It is ten years old, but was very good!  It's called The Christmas Hope starring Madeleine Stowe and James Remar as a couple who are somewhat estranged due to the loss of their son two years earlier, and they take a newly orphaned young girl into their home for Christmas. Has anybody here seen it?  It was tragic, but very moving, and had a happy ending of course.  I think it may have originally aired on Hallmark back in 2009.

I skipped that one when it first came out because I was disappointed that none of the actors from the first two were going to be in it. Maybe I’ll give it a try now. Lifetime is airing The Christmas Shoes and Hallmark Drama is airing The Christmas Blessing this year so I might record all three and watch them in order. 

I’m pretty sure it was a Lifetime movie. The first two were on CBS. 

[Was-MArsenault]

So apparently, Once Upon A Christmas was on last night and I missed it.

[Dejana]

[Ashforth]

19 hours ago, Misslindsey said:

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert's attempt at competing with Hallmark and Lifetime. 😉

This is so completely on-target! I like the holiday movies while realizing how ridiculous many of them are. LMFAO

[AnnaRose]

8 hours ago, Dani said:

I skipped that one when it first came out because I was disappointed that none of the actors from the first two were going to be in it. Maybe I’ll give it a try now. Lifetime is airing The Christmas Shoes and Hallmark Drama is airing The Christmas Blessing this year so I might record all three and watch them in order. 

I’m pretty sure it was a Lifetime movie. The first two were on CBS. 

Thanks for mentioning that.  While I was watching The Christmas Hope, I didn't realize it was a sequel.  The Christmas Shoes is on Lifetime this afternoon (4:00pm Eastern) and I am recording it. 

My cable provider doesn't include Hallmark Drama, so I guess I won't be able to see The Christmas Blessing. 😞  Oh well.  It would have been nice to see the entire series.

[Kaoteek]

Very slowly getting into those Xmas movies, using them as a palate cleanser between the last few horror/Halloween movies i'm watching right now.

So far, I only watched a couple of new releases :

- Sweet Mountain Christmas - not unwatchable (I've seen much worse, as far as Christmas movies w/ a country vibe go), but very bland and flat overall.

- Santa Girl - a teen romance with Jennifer Stone as Santa(Barry Bostwick)'s daughter going to human college in order to escape her arranged marriage with Jack Frost's son. Clearly a low-budget effort (the cinematography and the elves' cheap plastic ears made that obvious), but somehow, it worked for me, much more than most Hallmark or Lifetime rom-coms. Probably because the laid-back, self-aware tone, the unapologetically magical world depicted, and the easy chemistry between Stone and her romantic lead, reminded me of fun Disney-coms of old, and of older, less tropey and cookie-cutter Xmas tv movies.

[ShelleySue]

I was bothered by something in Lifetime's No Time Like Christmas.  The Fletcher character was a widower.  Not much was said about his latet wife except when Emma was talking to Lola (Fletcher's daughter).  It appears that the late wife/mother had been a nice person.  But everyone kept saying that Emma was the love of Fletcher's life.  He said that he had never stopped loving her, etc.  I realize that that's the reality of relationships in which one person lost someone to death, but it was just uncomfortable for me hearing that.  Was anyone else bothered by it?

[MissyPoo]

16 hours ago, AnnaRose said:

I watched a dramatic Christmas movie last night that I recorded on Lifetime.  It is ten years old, but was very good!  It's called The Christmas Hope starring Madeleine Stowe and James Remar as a couple who are somewhat estranged due to the loss of their son two years earlier, and they take a newly orphaned young girl into their home for Christmas. Has anybody here seen it?  It was tragic, but very moving, and had a happy ending of course.  I think it may have originally aired on Hallmark back in 2009.

Yes! I caught it last year but my DVR blurped out on me so I missed some of it and maybe the ending (not sure, have to see it again). But I remember really enjoying this one! I'm definitely giving it a rewatch this year. So good.

9 hours ago, MikaelaArsenault said:

So apparently, Once Upon A Christmas was on last night and I missed it.

Mark your calendar for November 7th. It looks like that's the next showing according to the site. Sadly, it'll be late night around 1 am/2c. 

7 hours ago, Dejana said:

Oh happy day! I'm SO here for this! I guess this one is for next year? I kinda want it this year but I wouldn't mind shuffling it with my watchlist for Christmas Chronicles 2 and Kat Graham's movie next year.

So last night I caught A Christmas Movie Christmas and Love Alaska. I liked them Love Alaska was a nice easygoing movie I could relax with and I appreciated how they sidestepped the usual flashbacks with the male lead having PTSD and it made it more visceral so you can sort of feel what he's going through. The ending came abruptly after all the back and forth. I would have loved to have seen a more dramatic confession of their feelings to make the buildup worth it, but there it is.

A Christmas Movie Christmas gave me a few chuckles and I loved seeing them poke fun at the christmas movie tropes. They even added a little lesson in there which was nice. It was a bit goofy at times. In fact, I couldn't help comparing it to Lifetime's Christmas Perfection (which I have a renewed appreciation for this year) which also poked fun at the christmas movie tropes but did it in a more believable and especially charming way. Even when it was goofy, it was funny and entertaining. ACMC was a little over the top and the acting was a bit cheesetastic at times.

Speaking of UP, the trailer for Christmas in Paris has dropped. I'm here for this Harlequin movie cheesefest!

This was suggested next on the list but I have no idea what channel it will be on.

I'd watch the heck out of that one, too.

It's funny how Hallmark decided not to do a royal movie this year but every other channel has princes, earl's and stuff coming out the woodwork!