Takeaways: Netflix needs to release a compilation of songs from their Christmas movies. There are some catchy tunes in the movies they produced.
I’m sticking with last year’s rating scale of Christmas trees:
🎄🎄🎄🎄 Favorite!
🎄🎄🎄 Good.
🎄🎄 Alright. I was able to finish this movie, but, yeah.
🎄Not good.
Christmas with You (2022) 🎄🎄🎄🎄
A middle-aged pop star is a-looking for some inspiration to help her write a Christmas song when she ventures to meet a teenage fan. Teenage fan’s dad just so happens to be a music teacher working on a new Christmas song… can you predict what’s going to happen from here?! Starring Freddie Prinze, Jr. The song they write is cute and catchy and I would listen to separate from the movie.
Overall, this was a thoroughly enjoyable, charming, feel-good, and sentimental holiday movie that requires a good deal of suspension-of-belief, but it’s worth it.
Some minor complaints: There’s a scene with a weird POV as dad and daughter walk through the high school hallway. Why did they shoot it that way? Also, I don’t think it would have hurt the story had Angelina just told her agent, boyfriend and promotional team that she was going off to find inspiration instead of just disappearing and dodging contact attempts.
Production: Filmed on location with real snow! The concert scene looked a bit janky, but otherwise authentic-looking locations.
Tropes: Shared Goal- A shared goal pushes two people to work together and fall in love/like • Opposites Attract • Celebrity Life- Fortune and fame causes problems real and potential
Diversity: The cast was almost totally Brown and Black
Production Co: GMT Films
How'd you watch it: Netflix
Hometown Holiday (2018) 🎄🎄
A pair of sisters who are event planners in a small town are coveting two guys, an talent agent and a viral music sensation the former is trying to sign. Throw in the standard cheesy romance tropes and a cheesy HolRom is born. This movie is based on a Harlequin book.
The story was cute, but the script, directing and editing needed help. So much time was wasted, especially the getting-to-know-each-other montage. The worst thing is the big romantic overture at the end that was wrong in so many ways. The worst offense was the misuse of the actor, Kevin McGarry, of Heartland fame, who was left on the back burner the whole movie.
A pair of sisters who are event planners in a small town are coveting two guys, an talent agent and a viral music sensation the former is trying to sign. Throw in the standard cheesy romance tropes and a cheesy HolRom is born. This movie is based on a Harlequin book.
The story was cute, but the script, directing and editing needed help. So much time was wasted, especially the getting-to-know-each-other montage. The worst thing is the big romantic overture at the end that was wrong in so many ways. The worst offense was the misuse of the actor, Kevin McGarry, of Heartland fame, who was left on the back burner the whole movie.
Production: Looked staged and styled.A Very Country Christmas (2017) 🎄🎄🎄
Tropes: Mistaken Identity- One character is misidentified and often chooses to keep up the false ID • Career vs. Love- One character must choose between pursuing the relationship or their career
Diversity: One supporting and a few extras of color
Production Co: Brain Power Studio
How'd you watch it: Netflix
A country singer overwhelmed by the famed life escapes from the stage to a small town for some peace and is interrupted by the interior designer hired to stage his vacation home. Sparks fly, but will his career get in the way? This is another movie based on a Harlequin book. Features real country music artist, Deana Carter.
Minor complaints: Michelle Morgan (Another Heartland veteran!) plays the music company executive, and her threats against the country music star are moot. The writer needed to do a little more research about breach of contract to give this some believability.
Production: Mixed locations: Some authentic looking and some staged locations. I found it hard to believe a struggling single mom would be driving a Fiat, though. Production should have chosen a different car. Filmed on location with real snow.
Tropes: Celebrity Life • Career vs. Love
Diversity: Nope.
Production Co: Brain Power Studios
How'd you watch it: Netflix
Christmas Flow (2021) 🎄🎄🎄
This is a French 3-episode miniseries is about a famed rapper who’s getting called out because of his misogynistic lyrics when he accidentally meets and falls in like with a feminist investigative journalist who falls for him, too. The series shows him figuring out how to be himself when the business side of entertainment wants something else. The investigative journalist and her friends are struggling to keep their website afloat without the investment and influence of mainstream media. The rapper is played by the real-life French musical artist, Tayc.
It sounds like it should be serious, but it’s a romantic comedy with some of your standard tropes that take place over three Christmas seasons. My favorite character is the rapper’s manager-best-friend who is cute and goofy, but not a dimwit. He’s smart and tells it like it is to his friend.
The music supervision is great! I love the selected music as well as the soundtrack that was written for the movie. In fact, I spent an hour searching for the track that plays in episode 2 at 36:00, but I couldn’t find it anywhere! I went through the song list and even tried to Shazam it, but no go. I think it’s part of the soundtrack and who knows if it will ever be released separately. I love the styling! Everyone dressed and prepped in a style that was all their own and that looked authentic to them.
This is a French 3-episode miniseries is about a famed rapper who’s getting called out because of his misogynistic lyrics when he accidentally meets and falls in like with a feminist investigative journalist who falls for him, too. The series shows him figuring out how to be himself when the business side of entertainment wants something else. The investigative journalist and her friends are struggling to keep their website afloat without the investment and influence of mainstream media. The rapper is played by the real-life French musical artist, Tayc.
It sounds like it should be serious, but it’s a romantic comedy with some of your standard tropes that take place over three Christmas seasons. My favorite character is the rapper’s manager-best-friend who is cute and goofy, but not a dimwit. He’s smart and tells it like it is to his friend.
The music supervision is great! I love the selected music as well as the soundtrack that was written for the movie. In fact, I spent an hour searching for the track that plays in episode 2 at 36:00, but I couldn’t find it anywhere! I went through the song list and even tried to Shazam it, but no go. I think it’s part of the soundtrack and who knows if it will ever be released separately. I love the styling! Everyone dressed and prepped in a style that was all their own and that looked authentic to them.
Production: Authentic styling and locations. Filmed on location with real snow.Over Christmas (2020) 🎄🎄🎄
Tropes: Enemies-to-Lovers • Fake Relationship • Romantic Resilience- After a tragedy/fall-from-grace, one character is inspired to do better with the help of the other character
Diversity: So much! Most of the cast.
Production Co: Netflix Studios
How'd you watch it: Netflix
This is a German 3-episode miniseries about Bastian, a failed singer-songwriter visiting his hometown for Christmas. Turns out Basti’s brother is now with his ex-girlfriend, which is just wrong, but I guess the audience is supposed to look past that. So, the singer-songwriter turns around and goes after his brother’s high school ex-girlfriend who runs the town’s bakery. This guy is just not good with change and adulting. This series really isn’t a holiday romance. It’s more like a dramedy with some romance. Other than being frustrated by Basti’s refusal to grow up, the other characters and the story combined to make an enjoyable series.
Production: Authentic styling and locations.
Tropes: Return to Hometown • Disguised Identity- Similar to mistaken identity, but in this case, the character misrepresents themselves • Ghosts of the Past- One character is having trouble letting the past go and that is getting in the way of romance and/or their personal success
Diversity: One main supporting character of color
Production Co: Brainpool
How’d you watch it: Netflix
Christmas In My Heart (2021) 🎄🎄🎄
A famous country singer, widower and dad is learning to let go. His daughter, an aspiring violinist, starts taking lessons with Beth, who returned to her hometown to help care for her mother. After her loss, Beth finds her passion for music again, and after two auditions gets a job with the coveted local chamber orchestra.
Loved the ending: “Beth Hendricks Will you go on a date with me?” Finally! A movie that didn’t end with the couple falling in love or getting married. Something realistic! He asked her out on a date!
A famous country singer, widower and dad is learning to let go. His daughter, an aspiring violinist, starts taking lessons with Beth, who returned to her hometown to help care for her mother. After her loss, Beth finds her passion for music again, and after two auditions gets a job with the coveted local chamber orchestra.
Loved the ending: “Beth Hendricks Will you go on a date with me?” Finally! A movie that didn’t end with the couple falling in love or getting married. Something realistic! He asked her out on a date!
Production: A mix of staged and authentic locations.
Tropes: Return to Hometown • Career vs. Love • Ghosts of the Past • Unsealed With a Kiss- one character causes the other character to open up after a loss/failure
Diversity: Yep. The female lead, the daughter, the mother-in-law and a few supporting cast are POC.
Production Co: MarVista Entertainment
How’d you watch it: Live on the Hallmark Channel
Holiday Harmony (2022) 🎄🎄🎄
A hash-tag-van-life musician gets chosen for an iHeartRadio Christmas special. While en route to California, she crashes her van in Oklahoma. She’s broke so the local mechanic-acting-sheriff arranges for her to stand in as the school’s music teacher in trade for parts and labor to fix her van. She makes a difference with the kids, she falls in like with the mechanic and she makes some friends. Overall, it was a cute story, but it was told in a milktoast way. Featuring Brook Shields.
A hash-tag-van-life musician gets chosen for an iHeartRadio Christmas special. While en route to California, she crashes her van in Oklahoma. She’s broke so the local mechanic-acting-sheriff arranges for her to stand in as the school’s music teacher in trade for parts and labor to fix her van. She makes a difference with the kids, she falls in like with the mechanic and she makes some friends. Overall, it was a cute story, but it was told in a milktoast way. Featuring Brook Shields.
Production: This movie has a good look to it. Authentic locations and well-staged sets.
Tropes: Hiding from Love/Life- one character has retreated usually to a small town after a tragedy/failure in the outside world • Shared Goal • Location-Based Romance- One character falls in love with the place and another character at the same time • Unsealed With a Kiss • Career vs. Love
Diversity: Ensemble cast has a great blend of POC
Production Co: ESX Entertainment
How’d you watch it: HBO On Demand
Midnight at the Magnolia (2020) 🎄🎄🎄
Good story. Good production. Good acting. Childhood friends and hosts of their own radio show pull a fake relationship on their families, producer, and radio execs to boost their growth potential and help save their dads’ jazz club. This has been on my watchlist for a couple of years now, but this time around it fits the theme!
Good story. Good production. Good acting. Childhood friends and hosts of their own radio show pull a fake relationship on their families, producer, and radio execs to boost their growth potential and help save their dads’ jazz club. This has been on my watchlist for a couple of years now, but this time around it fits the theme!
Production: B-level funding and location styling, but not bad or cheesy. Personal styling was good, too.
Tropes: Friends to Lovers + Belated Love Epiphany • Fake Relationship • Shared Goal
Diversity: Nope.
Production Co: Neshama Entertainment
How’d you watch it: Netflix
A Christmas Duet (2019) 🎄🎄
The former members of a pop-R&B duo famous for their #1 hit Christmas song are thrown together after a long separation. One of them is still touring and trying to keep his solo career afloat, and the other is now the owner-operator of an inn in a popular winter destination. They end up working towards the shared goal of putting on the town’s Christmas festival. Interesting, but not terribly exciting story.
The former members of a pop-R&B duo famous for their #1 hit Christmas song are thrown together after a long separation. One of them is still touring and trying to keep his solo career afloat, and the other is now the owner-operator of an inn in a popular winter destination. They end up working towards the shared goal of putting on the town’s Christmas festival. Interesting, but not terribly exciting story.
Production: Hallmark-quality production
Tropes: Career vs. Love • Location-Based Romance • Shared Goal • Rekindle Old Romance
Diversity: Good representation of POC
Production Co: Hallmark
How’d you watch it: Hoopla
Christmas Stars (2019) 🎄
Because of a personal tragedy, one-hit-wonder and club owner Layla, lays down her microphone until singer-songwriter, Spence, shows up and asks for her help. Together, they make a great duet, but Layla’s emotional pain and apprehension towards the record industry is holding her back. Can they learn to bring out the best in each other and find success?
The story is interesting, but the overall production was poorly executed. The cabaret-club is called The Lighthouse, but the set is in a bar that looks like a cave. the writing is poor. So much information was repeated and too much time was wasted turning every song into a mini music video. Wow. At points the camerawork look like a high school video class production. Because the same songs were played in full multiple times and the same conversations were had multiple times, it was easy to fast forward through this movie.
Because of a personal tragedy, one-hit-wonder and club owner Layla, lays down her microphone until singer-songwriter, Spence, shows up and asks for her help. Together, they make a great duet, but Layla’s emotional pain and apprehension towards the record industry is holding her back. Can they learn to bring out the best in each other and find success?
The story is interesting, but the overall production was poorly executed. The cabaret-club is called The Lighthouse, but the set is in a bar that looks like a cave. the writing is poor. So much information was repeated and too much time was wasted turning every song into a mini music video. Wow. At points the camerawork look like a high school video class production. Because the same songs were played in full multiple times and the same conversations were had multiple times, it was easy to fast forward through this movie.
A note about the cast: If you look at the cast as it’s listed on IMDB, you would think there were only 10 people in the movie, one of them being a POC. But I watched the movie, there were definitely more players in this movie, including POC! It’s weird they left out the characters who were pivotal to the musical duo’s success, namely Joseph Motiki who plays Nate Groves, the cabaret-club’s DJ/sound engineer and YouTuber who gets their song to go viral. They also forgot to list Martin Roach, who played the music company executive who signs the duo.
Production: Poor production quality and loose writing left a lot to be desired
Tropes: Shared Goal • Celebrity Life • Ghosts of the Past • Romantic ResilienceProduction Co: Lifetime ChannelHow'd you watch it: Hoopla
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