The Ultimate Christmas Present (2000)

Rated: G

Genres: Comedy, Family, Fantasy

Starring: Spencer Breslin and Halle Hirsh

Synopsis: A girl steals a weather machine from Santa Claus to make a snow day. The machine breaks, and causes an out-of-control snowstorm.

Review:  This is a good family film but children will probably enjoy it more. There are funny moments but I liked the theme of family togetherness. 

Scoring: 3

The Ultimate Gift (2006)

Rated: PG

Genres: Drama, Family, Religion, Romance

Starring: Drew Fuller, James Garner, Abigail Breslin, and Bill Cobbs

Synopsis: A deceased billionaire leaves his spoiled adult grandson a series of odd tasks to perform in order to receive "the ultimate gift," with the resentful grandson having no idea what that might be.

Review:  I don’t consider this to be a Christmas movie as Christmas is a small part of it but I know many do so I’m including this review. As a movie, it’s got a great message. Jason learns the value of people rather than the price of things. Seeing his journey is special.  

Scoring: 3

Unaccompanied Minors (2006)

Rated: PG

Genres: Adventure, Comedy, Family

Starring: Wilmer Valderrama, Rob Corddry, and Jessica Walter

Synopsis: A group of unaccompanied minors bond while snowed in at the midwestern Hoover International Airport during the holiday season and ultimately create a makeshift holiday themselves.

Review:  Yet another movie filled with rebellious children and their entertaining antics. I think it will be liked better by children than adults. I found it to be a little too silly for me. 

Scoring: 2.5

Uncle Nick (2015)

Rated: NR

Genres: Comedy

Starring: Brian Posehn, Missi Pyle, and Paget Brewster

Synopsis: At his brother's traditional Christmas Eve party, lecherous, drunken slacker Nick works hard to make the celebration a raucous disaster.

Review:  This may not be rated but it is explicit and should not be watched by anyone but adults.  I found this movie to not only be distasteful but boring and just plain gross.  I felt it was not only a waste of time but I wish I could go back and not watch it.  If you like gross, in your face, depravity, this may be for you.  Everyone else, save your time.

Scoring: 1

Under the Christmas Sky (2023)

Rated: G

Genres: Family, Romance

Starring: Ryan Paevey and Jessica Parker Kennedy

Synopsis: Kat is an esteemed astrophysicist, who is scheduled for her first trip into space next year until an accident grounds her. While on leave, coming to terms with the reality that her dream of being an astronaut is over, she volunteers at the local planetarium. There, she is paired up with by-the-book David to work on an exhibit opening right before Christmas. Will the stars align and bring these two together for the holidays?

Review:  I was very disappointed. Paevey plus nerding out on space seemed like a magical combination. Sadly, it felt like the movie was trying to tell too many stories and skimming them. It lacked focus. Paevey was good for what he had to work with, but Kennedy seemed very disingenuous.  She lacked real passion for a character who has supposedly been passionate about the same thing her whole life.

Scoring: 2.5

Under The Christmas Tree (2021)

Rated: PG

Genres: Family, Romance

Starring: Shawn Ahmed, Elise Bauman, Tattiawna Jones, and Ricki Lake

Synopsis: Alma and Charlie cross paths when Charlie finds the perfect tree for the Maine Governor’s Holiday Celebration in Alma’s back yard.

Review: I really enjoyed this movie. I just wish they had been less vague about what the family business was. They’re talking about making changes and consultant recommendations but it’s not specific enough to get. Charlie and Alma’s relationship happens in a very typical and relatable way. 

Scoring: 3

Undercover Christmas (2003)

Rated: NR

Genres: Comedy, Drama, Family

Starring: Jami Gertz, Shawn Christian, and Tyne Daly

Synopsis: An FBI agent is assigned as the protective custodian of a straight-talking cocktail waitress after she agrees to testify against her tax cheat boyfriend.

Review:  This is one I really enjoy. It’s campy and fun but also deep and meaningful. I really cared about the characters and wanted them to all be happy. 

Scoring: 4

Undercover Holiday (2022)

Rated: G

Genres: Family, Romance

Starring: Noemi Gonzalez and Stephen Huszar

Synopsis: When returning home for the holidays, newly minted pop star Jaylen tells her protective family that her overzealous security guard Matt is, in fact, her new beau.

Review:  This was such a light and lovely movie. I loved the family and the traditions they shared. I enjoyed watching Jaylen and Matt fall for each other slowly. The whole movie was enjoyable. 

Scoring: 4

An Unexpected Christmas (2021)

Rated: G

Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance

Starring: Bethany Joy Lenz, Tyler Hynes, and Paul McGillion

Synopsis: Jamie hasn’t told his family that he and his now ex-girlfriend Emily broke up.  After an inopportune run-in with Emily at the train station in his hometown, Jamie convinces her to pretend they’re still a couple to avoid ruining Christmas for his family.

Review: This movie was amazing. It had romance, lots of Christmas activities, and at points was so funny I laughed out loud. Lenz and Hynes have great chemistry. This is one of those you know will have a happy ending but you’re not entirely sure how it will get there. 

                                                          Scoring: 4

Unlikely Angel (1996)

Rated: NR

Genres: Comedy, Family, Fantasy, Religion

Starring: Dolly Parton and Roddy McDowell

Synopsis: Dolly Parton portrays a country music performer who meets an untimely demise.  She cannot enter heaven until she performs a good deed back on Earth, to get a workaholic widower and his children back together again for Christmas.

Review:  Parton portrays a colorful character in this charming and moving story. The message of love and loss is relatable to many. It is a predictable story but enjoyable nonetheless. 

Scoring: 3

Unlocking Christmas (2020)

Rated: G

Genre: Romance

Starring: Taylor Cole and Steve Lund

Synopsis: A mysterious key and a cryptic holiday riddle set Kate and Kevin on a romantic Christmas adventure.

Review: This movie was awesome.  You have the two people who are both grappling with difficult things from their past and where to go from here.  But the most amazing part was all the puzzles they had to figure out and all the Christmas fun they had.  Even better, the fun was about reaching out and helping others.  Tons of Christmas spirit.  The characters had depth and it was easy to become involved in their lives.

Scoring: 4

Unperfect Christmas Wish (2022)

Rated: G

Genres: Romance

Starring: Alys Crocker and David Pinard

Synopsis: Madison O’Hara performs as a singing elf for Christmas parties with her best friend Cooper, but her real dream is to be a singer-songwriter and to find the perfect man.

Review: This movie had a sweet premise but fell flat. The story was missing the tension needed to build up to the ending. It pounds the idea of and the word “perfect” through the movie. It was cute enough to watch once, but I probably wouldn’t watch again. 

Scoring: 2

An Unremarkable Christmas (2020)

Rated: TV-14

Genres: Comedy, Family

Starring: Antonio Sanint

Synopsis: An accountant and aspiring magician invites his boss to spend Christmas with his family – unaware that he’s one of Colombia’s most-wanted criminals.

Review: First, this is in Spanish with subtitles.  Subtitles don’t bother me but if you have trouble with them, skip this.  Second, it’s a prequel to an existing show on Netflix.  I haven’t seen the show so I’m basing my opinion on the movie as a stand-alone.  I was surprised at how entertained I was given the level of stupidity in this story.  It’s beyond a farce.  The daughter’s boyfriend has a mohawk and is constantly getting stoned, the son’s “girlfriend” is a girl pretending to be a nun that he’s in love with.  The son and daughter are exaggerated versions of teen brats.  The mother-in-law shows up with her conman gigolo boyfriend.  That doesn’t even start to address the cops and criminals.  You get the idea.  There’s so much going on that it kept my interest.    Not enough to watch twice, though.

Scoring: 2

USS Christmas (2020)

Rated: G

Genre: Romance

Starring: Trevor Donovan, Jen Lilley, and Barbara Niven

Synopsis: A newspaper reporter stumbles upon a mystery while taking a Christmastime cruise.

Review: A sweet love story with people afraid of love being pulled together while slowly uncovering another love story.  I eagerly anticipated every new clue towards finding Sam and Dorothy just as I waited for Maddie and Billy to let their hearts override their fears.  Sweet romance just doesn’t have a lot of Christmas.

Scoring: 3.5