Christmas in New York (2005)

Rated: G

Genres: Animated, Fantasy

Starring: Stefano Crescentini

Synopsis: A jungle boy of the fifth oracle travels to New York, with his talking dogs Winner and Fox, to find Father Christmas (Santa Claus) and helps many people along the way.

Review: I like animated movies but this was just painful to sit through.  The voice overs were horrible.  They even had humans making the animal noises, and badly.  The lack of story didn’t help. 

Scoring: 1

A Christmas In New York (2016)

Rated: TV-14

Genres: Drama, Romance

Starring: Jamie Ray Newman

Synopsis: Several guests come to terms with love and its countless complications over the course of one night in an upscale Manhattan hotel.

Review: The stories were interesting and diverse but poorly done. This was a true missed storytelling opportunity. The majority of the movie is depressing and moves like molasses. Very hard to sit through. 

Scoring: 1

Christmas in Notting Hill (2023)

Rated: G

Genres: Family, Romance

Synopsis: Football star, Graham Savoy, has always been too busy for love, but when he comes home to Notting Hill for Christmas, he changes his mind after meeting the one person who has no idea who he is.

Review: I loved this movie. Yes, I knew the ending, but I didn’t know exactly how they’d get there. It was fun getting to know all the characters. I see potential for a sequel. It’s lively and fun. 

Scoring: 4 

Scoring: 3.5

Christmas in Paradise (2022)

Rated: PG

Genres: Drama, Family

Starring: Kelsey Grammar, Elizabeth Hurley, and Billy Ray Cyrus

Synopsis: Joanna's holiday is shattered when her sisters tell her that their dad has dumped his girlfriend, he isn't responding to any calls, and disappeared to a Caribbean Island. The sisters decide to go to save their father and bring him home for Christmas.

Review: it turns out this is a sequel to “Father Christmas is Back” which I had seen a couple of years before. You don’t have to watch them together but I believe it’s got more meaning that way. The movie has lots of drama but is trying to keep it light. It ends with a light note and is ready for a sequel. 

Scoring: 3

Christmas in Paris (2019)

Rated: G

Genres: Drama, Family, Romance

Starring: Rebecca Dalton, Karl E. Landler, and Daphne Zuniga

Synopsis: Lucas, a wealthy French entrepreneur, heads to Montana for a very attractive business proposal.  While there, he meets Robin and whisks her away to Paris for a whirlwind Christmas adventure.

Review: It’s a sweet enough story but very little seems to highlight Paris.  I also found Lucas’ accent difficult to understand.  I had to use closed captioning to follow the story.  The love story is okay but the story with Lucas and his father provides the most interesting part of the story.  It’s okay but I don’t plan on watching it again.

Scoring: 2

Christmas in Pine Valley (2022)

Rated: G

Genres: Romance

Starring: Kristina Cole, Rene Ashton, and Andrew Biernat

Synopsis: A reporter interviews an entrepreneur thinking her company is family owned, and not knowing it is run by her friends.

Review: It’s a little awkward at times but that adds to the charm. The message that family is who you make it is wonderful. A woman with no biological family is surrounded by a family of friends that love her. It’s so very sweet and worth watching. 

Scoring: 3

Christmas In Rome (2019)

Rated: G

Genres: Drama, Romance

Starring: Lacey Chabert and Sam Page

Synopsis: Angela, an American tour guide in Rome, agrees to teach a culture-shocked businessman named Oliver about the heart of Rome at Christmas.

Review: The first half of the movie is primarily learning about Rome and just a little about Christmas In Rome.  In the second half we get to the romance and relationships and a little more Christmas. It’s sweet but I wish the first half was more like the second. If you want to learn about Rome you’ll really like it. 

Scoring: 3.5

A Christmas In Royal Fashion (2018)

Rated: PG

Genre: Romance

Starring: Cindy Busby

Synopsis: A handsome prince hopes to convince an American fashion company to bring more business to his kingdom. He hosts a Christmas fashion show, where he meets an intriguing young assistant. 

Review:  You’ve got the prince who falls for the commoner, mistaken identity, and a sweet child in the hospital. It’s the perfect recipe for romance. Yes, it’s not full of surprises but it’s got likable characters and is an easy watch. 

Scoring: 3

Christmas In Tahoe (2021)

Rated: G

Genres: Drama, Family, Romance

Starring: Laura Osnes and Kyle Selig

Synopsis: Follows Claire, an aspiring talent booker, as feelings come back between her and her ex-boyfriend after looking for his help to find acts for her family’s hotel showcase.

Review: This movie just fell flat. There was no real feeling or emotion to it. Even the relationship between the exes is resolved so quickly it shouldn’t count as a story line. It isn’t bad but very bland.  I will say I enjoyed it more the second time I watched it.

Scoring: 2

A Christmas In Tennessee (2018)

Rated: PG

Genres: Comedy, Family, Fantasy, Romance

Starring: Rachel Boston, Andrew Walker, and Caroline Rhea

Synopsis: A baker unites the people of her small mountain town to resist a real estate developer’s plan to build a ski resort. 

Review:  Boston and Walker, pros at TV Christmas movies, do their magic again. A sweet love story that’s not totally predictable and fun to watch. I especially liked the Christmas magic.  I won’t give any spoilers but there are a couple of magical visitors. 

Scoring: 3.5

Christmas In The Clouds (2001)

Rated: PG

Genres: Comedy, Family, Romance

Starring: Timothy Vahle, Sam Vlahos, and Mariana Tosca

Synopsis: A classic comedy of mistaken identity and romance set during the holiday season at a ski resort that is owned and operated by a Native American Nation. Shot on location at The Sundance Resort in Utah, this is the first contemporary romantic comedy to feature an almost entirely American Indian cast. The film was featured at the 2001 Sundance Film Festival.

Review: I’m not sure why this won awards.  Apparently, critics think it’s good.  I was halfway through and still bored.  It shouldn’t take that long to become engaged with a film.  The only part I liked was the beautiful scenery shots.  If it sounds good to you, give it a shot. 

Scoring: 1

Christmas In The Heartland (2017)

Rated: TV-MA

Genres: Drama, Family

Starring: Sierra McCormick, Shelley Long, Christian Kane, Brighton Sharbino, and Bo Derek

Synopsis: Teenagers Kara and Jessie strike up an unlikely friendship while sitting next to each other on a plane that's bound for the heartland. Forced to spend the holidays in the same small town with relatives that they've never met, the girls devise a plan to switch places for Christmas. Jessie soon finds herself living lavishly with Kara's wealthy grandparents, while Kara starts to bond with Jessie's fun, quirky grandmother and the most genuine, modest family that she's ever known.

Review: While it’s a take on The Parent Trap meets The Prince And The Pauper, it doesn’t do either justice. I liked the beginning and seeing the girls evolve but the ending ruined it. In this day and age, it’s hard to buy a story where neither family knew what the girls looked like, their family never called to speak to them, and so on. It makes it even harder to buy into the premise.

Scoring: 1

Christmas In The Pines (2021)

Rated: NR

Genres: Family, Romance

Starring: Jillian Murray, Dean Geyer, Leigh-Allyn Baker, Grant Goodeve,

Synopsis: Follows Ariel and Mark, who discover that their holiday break at an idyllic Christmas cottage may not be the only thing they love.

Review: I really loved this movie.  My first thought when it was over was that I wanted to watch it again.  There’s family, Christmas traditions, a beautiful setting, and romance.  What more could you want?  I like the way we slowly get to know the characters and why they think the way they do.  The plot unfolds at a perfect pace.  I definitely recommend this one.

Scoring: 4.5

Christmas In The Rockies (2020)

Rated: NR

Genres: Family, Romance

Starring: Kimberly-Sue Murray and Stephen Huszar

Synopsis: After her father is hurt in a timber accident, Katie Jolly must enter a lumberjack competition to save her family’s business.  But when the paramedic who saved her dad’s life also joins the contest, a romance sparks just in time for Christmas.

Review: I found the plot to be lacking but the scenery was beautiful.  I liked it but I was often bored and feeling like I was waiting for something to happen.

Scoring: 2

Christmas In The Smokies (2015)

Rated: G

Genres: Drama, Family, Religion, Romance

Starring: Sarah Lancaster and Jill Wagner

Synopsis: Clinging to the only life she's ever known, a headstrong woman (along with her loving parents) finds herself on the verge of losing her family's berry farm in the heart of the Smoky Mountains, to an impending retail expansion. Over one eventful holiday season, she tries every avenue possible to save the farm. But, when the local town leaders notify her that they will have to seize the property after the holidays, her last hope to unite the town, is to throw a Christmas concert on the farm, headlined by her former love, a ne'er-do-well country music superstar. As the day of the concert approaches, they all must learn the value of family, faith and community-before time runs out.

Review:  A sweet, if not predictable, movie. I saw the ending from the beginning but I didn’t mind. There is a religious tone so if you don’t like that I wouldn’t watch. If you want a typical and charming love/family story at Christmas, you’ll enjoy it.

Scoring: 3

Christmas In The Wilds (2021)

Rated: NR

Genres: Drama, Family, Romance

Starring: Kaitlyn Leeb, Victor Zinck, Jr., Melinda Shankar, and Laura Vandervoort

Synopsis: Separated by a blizzard, new couple, Buck and Jessica, take on the uncharted wilderness in hopes of reuniting for their first Christmas together. But as their adventure becomes a battle for survival, they realize how far they’re willing to go for love.

Review: The scenery is absolutely beautiful.  The story is good and well-acted but it feels like there’s one too many storylines going on that keeps taking focus from the family.  There are lots of moments where it feels like it’s dragging but then it picks up again. If they had focused on the love story it would have been amazing.  Overall, it’s a nice movie.

Scoring: 2.5

Christmas in Toyland (2022)

Rated: G

Genre: Romance

Starring: Vanessa Lengies and Jesse Hutch

Synopsis: A toy store data analyst tries to save hundreds of jobs right before Christmas to help keep the in-person experience alive.

Review: This was a fun movie. The time flew by. The characters are vulnerable and relatable.  The little girl is especially sweet, and she helps bring the feeling of Christmas magic. 

Scoring: 4

Christmas in Vienna (2020)

Rated: G

Genres: Drama, Romance

Starring: Sarah Drew and Brennan Elliott

Synopsis: A dispirited concert violinist finds the inspiration she has been missing in Vienna.

Review: I should preface this by saying I’m biased because the part of me that loves classical music has wanted to spend time in Vienna and this movie made me want to be there.  All the sightseeing and traditions they incorporated were magical. The romance is lovely but it plays second fiddle (or violin) to the city and her celebrations. I loved it. The people, the children, and the relationships are icing on the cake.  I do wish a movie about a violinist had a little more music.

Scoring: 3.5

Christmas In Washington (2021) aka Match Made In Mistletoe

Rated: PG

Genres: Family, Romance

Starring: Damian Runyan and Emily Lisinska

Synopsis: Decorator Emily Barnes gets the gig of a lifetime decorating the Belmarian Embassy for the festive season.  New ambassador Magnus Anderson has no time for the holidays.  Emily shows Magnus how magical Christmas can be and sparks soon fly.

Review: The pace is a little slow and there aren’t a lot of surprises.  For all the decorating being done there’s not a lot of Christmas.  It even fails to take full advantage of the little girl being so sweet.  It’s enjoyable enough to watch once but that’s about it for me.

Scoring: 2 

Christmas in Wolf Creek (2022)

Rated: G

Genres: Drama, Romance

Starring: Tim Rozon, Nola Martin and Madeline Leon

Synopsis: A woman and her boyfriend struggle to maintain their relationship, and when a reindeer threatens the annual Christmas play, the couple must work together to save Christmas for the town.

Review: I was so disappointed. Besides being blah, it was so negative. The rancher’s threats, Terry the town Scrooge, the sisters arguing, Sam and Austin fighting, etc., took away any Christmas spirit and it just left me feeling bored and not happy. 

Scoring: 2

Christmas in Wonderland (2007)

Rated: PG

Genres: Comedy, Family

Starring: Chris Kattan, Tim Curry, and Patrick Swayze

Synopsis: Three children and their father move from Los Angeles to Edmonton, Alberta. When they go shopping at West Edmonton Mall, they find counterfeit cash, inadvertently help catch crooks, and make a discovery about Santa.

Review: This movie is really meant for children. It’s overly silly and outrageous. For adults, if you love slapstick, you may like it. The craziness should have

children in stitches. I do like the overall message of family being the most important part of Christmas.

Scoring: 2.5

Christmas Inheritance (2017)

Rated: NR

Genre: Comedy

Starring: Eliza Taylor, Jake Lacy, and Andie McDowell

Synopsis: Before ambitious heiress Ellen Langford can inherit her father's gift business, she must deliver a special Christmas card to her dad's former partner in Snow Falls, the hometown she never knew. When a snowstorm strands her at the town inn, she's forced to work for her keep, and in the process, finds romance and discovers the true gift of Christmas.

Review:  A predictable movie but still nice. We get to see a wealthy woman as she rediscovers the value rather than the price of things. In order to enjoy it you have to be able to ignore major plot holes.  It’s okay but I probably wouldn’t watch twice. *Update* I watched it a second time.  I don't know what was different from when I watched it the first time but I really enjoyed it this second time.  The romance wasn't the main part of the story that captured my interest.  It was watching Ellen with the townspeople and her journey of self-discovery.

Scoring: 3

A Christmas Invitation (2022)

Rated: PG

Genres: Drama, Family

Starring: Lorrie Bacon and Phil Godeck

Synopsis: It's Christmas and a dysfunctional family is brought together through a dying wish and an invitation to one last family holiday party.

Review: This movie is beyond bad. The acting was horrible, the story totally disjointed, and just awful to sit through. Also, it takes place over Christmas break but it’s not a Christmasy movie. 

Scoring: 1

Christmas is Canceled (2021)

Rated: R

Genres: Drama, Family

Starring: Dermot Mulroney, Hayley Orrantia, and Janel Parrish

Synopsis: Emma’s father and her high school frenemy start dating so she embarks on a mission to break up the happy couple.

Review: At times it was a little funny but mostly it was sad with people being hurt and hurting others. The father is clueless.  It had a decent ending that seemed to happen naturally and wasn’t forced. It’s nice to see once. 

Scoring: 2

Christmas Is Here Again (2007)

Rated: G

Genres: Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Family, Musical

Starring: Jay Leno, Ed Asner, Kathy Bates, Brad Garrett, Andy Griffith, Shirley Jones, and Norm Macdonald

Synopsis: An elf and three animals help an orphan find Santa’s toy sack. 

Review:  This movie has a Wizard of Oz type of plot with animation similar to many of the modern children’s shows and a cast of who’s who. I still didn’t enjoy it. It’s not that I thought it was bad, it was just grating. I think children and some adults will love it. It merges the religious and secular Christmases.

Scoring: 2

Christmas Is You (2021)

Rated: G

Genres: Family, Romance

Starring: Becca Tobin and Matthew MacCaull

Synopsis: Emma must convince her first love Tyler, now a famous pop-star, to sign with her record company, while also trying to save the town’s Christmas Caroling Celebration.

Review: This movie just fell flat. There was no real feeling or emotion to it. Even the relationship between the exes is resolved so quickly it shouldn’t count as a story line. It isn’t bad but very bland. 

Scoring: 2

Christmas Island (2023)

Rated: G

Genre: Drama, Family, Romance

Starring: Andrew W. Walker and Rachel Skarsten

Synopsis: When a snowstorm diverts Kate's first private flight en route to Switzerland to Christmas Island, she must team up with an air traffic controller to secure her dream job as the family's pilot.

Review:  This movie wasn’t what I expected. From the commercials I expected a comedy with silliness but it’s all heart. It takes a short time of getting to know the characters to get into the plot but it’s worth it. It’s light enough that I wasn’t in tears but I was definitely moved. 

Scoring: 4