And like that, another holiday season is over.
Happy New Year, everyone!
I’m sure like you, I’ve seen many Hallmark movies this year. I didn’t leave the channel on all the time but I definitely caught a lot of the new ones. So instead of reviewing them individually, I thought I would just do a round-up of them instead.
I hope you enjoy it!
I’ll try to keep them spoiler-free but I’m not going to make any promises, so just be warned.
A Carol for Two
Of course I watched this one – it had Broadway people in it! When Violette (Ginna Claire Mason) loses her upcoming touring gig, she gets a job at legendary theater diner Fiore’s due to her connection to its owner (Charlotte d’Amboise). She meets aspiring songwriter Alex (Jordan Litz) as well as his cousin Brad. Romantic shenanigans ensue over the holiday season as Alex and Violette prepare for a chance to make their big break on Christmas Eve. Will the spirit of the season bring them luck and love?
(Fun fact: Both Mason and Litz have been in Wicked on Broadway as Glinda and Fiyero).
This was one of the early entries in 2024 and I found it was just what I needed to watch after the election. It combined my love of Broadway with my love of Christmas music and just let me get lost in a fairytale of sorts. One where everything could be fixed with just one good song. And any movie that lets d’Amboise sing is a winner in my book.
Our Holiday Story
After making the mistake of asking his girlfriend’s parents how they met, Chris (and viewers) get to experience the full story. Dave (Warren Christie) and Nell (Nikki DeLoach) make a connection on a train but soon find themselves at odds over the town’s Christmas festival. But with the help of a little Christmas magic, they find that love always wins – a lesson Chris may also need to learn as well.
I enjoyed this one more than I thought I would. I liked how interest Chris became in Dave and Nell’s story as well as how they let it unfold. We knew it had a happy ending but it was interesting to see how they got there and how things had changed as we jumped from the present to the past.
I also liked that they had Dave still have a good relationship with his ex-wife and that she clearly became friends with Nell, that they were all one team. That was a nice touch.
Santa Tell Me
Olivia (Erin Krakow) receives a letter from Santa saying she will find her true love by Christmas and that his name is Nick. She meets three men named Nick (Benjamin Ayres, Christopher Russell, and Kurt Szarka) who initially seem perfect in their own ways. But as she romances the Nicks, she finds herself drawn to Chris (Daniel Lissing), the director of her holiday interior design show special. Is Santa leading her down the wrong path…or does the jolly old elf know exactly what he’s doing?
I was excited to see this one even though I haven’t really watched When Calls the Heart. But it’s clear Krakow and Lissing have great chemistry no matter what roles they play and they really sold this movie.
I did figure out the twist early on but it was still fun to get to it. I also enjoyed how perfect all the Nicks were but that it was clear they were still not the right one for Olivia. I also loved her relationship with her sister too. So if you’re looking for something fun next Christmas, check this one out.
Believe in Christmas
Beatrice (Meghan Ory) isn’t a big Christmas person but agrees to go with her best friend to a place called Christmasland for the holiday. There she connects with Ethan (John Reardon) and finds herself enjoying Christmas. But with the lines between fantasy and reality getting too blurred, can she trust that anything is real? Or does she learn to trust in the magic of Christmas?
In some ways, this movie was an homage to Hallmark’s movies. Emilia (Lindura) knows all the tropes and points them out as they experience the holiday in Christmasland. However, she takes the fantasy a little too far and fails to realize what is real, which then also hurts Bea.
Ory and Reardon are spouses in real-life, which can be risky. But they had great chemistry together and you found yourself rooting for Bea and Ethan to end up together. Definitely a fun movie.
The Christmas Quest
Never thought I’d watch an action-adventure Christmas movie but here we are. And Hallmark really delivered. In fact, it almost felt like it wasn’t a Hallmark movie.
Almost. The romance and the fact it stars both Chabert and Cahill still makes it feel like one.
Chabert and Polaha had good chemistry too, which helped keep the movie interesting and push the plot forward. I did enjoy the twist at the end and how it conveyed the “true meaning of Christmas” message.
So if you’re looking for something a bit different from the usual Hallmark fare, check this one out.
Sugarplummed
Emily (Maggie Lawson) has one wish for Christmas – she wants for her and her family to have the perfect Christmas, just like she saw in the movies all on the thinly-veiled Hallmark parody channel. When she wishes on a magical Christmas star decoration, her favorite heroine Sugarplum (Janel Parrish) jumps from the screen into real life. Sugarplum tries to help Emily but together they find out that maybe Christmas doesn’t have to be perfect for it to be special.
This movie was more of a send-up of Hallmark movies than Believe in Christmas but done in a loving way, much like Enchanted. In fact, it probably was inspired by Enchanted. And I think the writers came up with a pretty good version for Hallmark.
It also still had heart, even if the lesson was predictable. But ultimately, aren’t we watching these movies for the predictability? It was one of the reasons why Emily turned to Sugarplum and her movies.
Parrish and Lawson were exceptional in this movie so I do suggest you check it out.
*****
Those are the movies I checked out this year on Hallmark. I know it’s just a fraction of what the network offered but I only had so much time during the holiday season, even if Hallmark starts before Halloween.
Now we wait to see what next year’s batch brings us. I’d say I can’t wait but I don’t really want to rush the year. So yes, I can wait.
What about? Did you have a favorite Hallmark movie this year? If so, let me know in the comments!
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