A California Christmas (2020) 🎄🎄🎄
A developer sends her spoiled son to convince a farmer to sell her land. He pretends to be her new farmhand in an effort to influence her. To be convincing, he gets a quick tutorial and lifeline calls from his butler and the actual farmhand. Of course, the son and the farmer fall in like, but brace yourself for the identity reveal. This was a cute story, but boy, did they skimp on the script and some of the actors. If it wasn’t for the comedic efforts of the butler and the actual farmhand, I would have tapped out on this within the first 15 minutes. Turns out the writer and the female lead are one and the same.
Production: Budget. The locations looked authentic. At times the camera was in and out of focus, and the lighting was uneven. Plus it looked like they had a weird filter over the daylight scenes.
Tropes: Disguised Identity • Forfeit the Player Card - One character is known as a player, but is now interested in monogamy • Ghosts of the Past • Enemies to Lovers • Save the Business- Similar to shared goal, one character is faced with a failing business and is able to save it with the help of the other character
Diversity: A couple people in the main ensemble are POC
Production Co: ESX Entertainment
How’d you watch it: Netflix
A California Christmas: City Lights (2021) 🎄🎄
The sequel to A California Christmas, this time the farmer-vintner goes to the city and gets to experience the rich son, now her fiancé’s life of luxury and privilege. This time around, the writing was terrible, the acting was terrible, and the production was cheap. Parts of the story were just nonsensical. What CEO would cancel a gala a couple of hours before it started and tell guests to go to the soup kitchen next door?
A successful realtor in Seattle travels to Vermont to try to figure out the identity of her father. She falls-in-like with the son of the owners of the B&B where she stays. This has an appealing mystery plot along with a meet-cute romance that managed to keep me on edge about the Who’s Your Daddy? situation. But I was yelling at the screen at some points because of the annoying way some revelations came out. For instance, Miranda, the realtor, was trying to figure out the identity of a person in a photo she found in her mother’s belongings. She finds the same photo while at a party in someone else’s house. Why didn’t she just ask the homeowner about the photo? Spoilers follow! That’s a good thing since most HolRoms are pretty predictable.
This movie could have easily been produced focusing on the scandalous since we find out Miranda’s dad cheated on his wife with her mother. But Hallmark managed to make the story sweet and chaste. Erin Krakow from the very sweet and cheesy TV show, When Calls the Heart, plays the main character, Miranda. What makes Krakow so amazing is that she takes cheesy elation and makes it feel like her authentic joy.
Finding Father Christmas also has the woman-abandons-successful-career-for-love trope and I was a little annoyed by that, but they made up for it after the big revelation, since Miranda now has a half-brother and a sorta-stepmother she can bond with, not just a love interest, when she moves across the country to Vermont. And ultimately, there is a sequel!
Miranda is back in Carlton Heath, VT to spend Christmas with Ian, her boyfriend, his family, and her new family, the Whitcombs. The Whitcombs have asked her to keep the identity of her father a secret so the truth of his infidelity will never come out. But while in Carlton Heath Miranda starts receiving mysterious messages and phone calls from someone who is trying to hash out the big secret. Will Miranda figure out who’s sending the messages, and will they be able to keep the secret under wraps? Stay tuned for this sequel to Finding Father Christmas.
Many of the same actors from part one return in this movie with the addition of some new characters. Miranda’s ex looks like a werewolf. The same fantastic costuming and styling. The same awesome sets and locations. With the addition of a new cottage that is ridiculously cute and I’m coveting. These two films might be added to the holiday favorites list.
An astronomer goes to a small town which happens to be the ideal location to view a meteor storm she discovered. She is met by a kind and humble dad, widower, and park ranger who has been told his job will be cut soon. They fall for each other. Her project could potentially bring funding to the park services, but will her ego get in the way? This was a slight change on the Career vs. Love trope that could have been interesting, but landed in milktoast, uneventful, but good enough to get to the ending. Starring Daniel Lissing from When Calls the Heart. In all honesty, he’s why I chose to watch this film.
Two guys buy their girlfriends two different gifts from Tiffany’s. Their gifts get mixed up accidentally. This leads to situations which expose the flaws in the other guy and the faults in their relationships. The guy who bought an engagement ring learns he isn’t quite sure about that decision when his girlfriend opens her gift box to find a set of earrings. The guy who bought a pair of earrings chooses to lie, deceive, and propose to his girlfriend when she opens her blue gift box to find a ring. There’s a nice romance in there, too. A great diverse cast and good overall production makes this a decent HolRom movie. Starring Kendrick Sampson from Insecure. I chose this movie because it’s new and the trailer hooked me.
The sequel to A California Christmas, this time the farmer-vintner goes to the city and gets to experience the rich son, now her fiancé’s life of luxury and privilege. This time around, the writing was terrible, the acting was terrible, and the production was cheap. Parts of the story were just nonsensical. What CEO would cancel a gala a couple of hours before it started and tell guests to go to the soup kitchen next door?
Production: See above.Finding Father Christmas (2016) 🎄🎄🎄🎄
Tropes: Jealous Third Party Interference • Shared Goal • Career vs. Love
Diversity: A people in the main ensemble are POC
Production Co: ESX Entertainment
How’d you watch it: Netflix
A successful realtor in Seattle travels to Vermont to try to figure out the identity of her father. She falls-in-like with the son of the owners of the B&B where she stays. This has an appealing mystery plot along with a meet-cute romance that managed to keep me on edge about the Who’s Your Daddy? situation. But I was yelling at the screen at some points because of the annoying way some revelations came out. For instance, Miranda, the realtor, was trying to figure out the identity of a person in a photo she found in her mother’s belongings. She finds the same photo while at a party in someone else’s house. Why didn’t she just ask the homeowner about the photo? Spoilers follow! That’s a good thing since most HolRoms are pretty predictable.
This movie could have easily been produced focusing on the scandalous since we find out Miranda’s dad cheated on his wife with her mother. But Hallmark managed to make the story sweet and chaste. Erin Krakow from the very sweet and cheesy TV show, When Calls the Heart, plays the main character, Miranda. What makes Krakow so amazing is that she takes cheesy elation and makes it feel like her authentic joy.
Finding Father Christmas also has the woman-abandons-successful-career-for-love trope and I was a little annoyed by that, but they made up for it after the big revelation, since Miranda now has a half-brother and a sorta-stepmother she can bond with, not just a love interest, when she moves across the country to Vermont. And ultimately, there is a sequel!
Production: Authentic and cozy locations with real snow. The team that did the costuming and personal styling was on point! There are so many outfits and clothing pieces I coveted, plus everyone’s hair and makeup was done so well.Engaging Father Christmas (2017) 🎄🎄🎄🎄
Tropes: Career vs. Love • Location-Based Romance • Family Secrets
Diversity: One supporting POC
Production Co: Hallmark Movies & Mysteries
How’d You Watch It: Hoopla
Miranda is back in Carlton Heath, VT to spend Christmas with Ian, her boyfriend, his family, and her new family, the Whitcombs. The Whitcombs have asked her to keep the identity of her father a secret so the truth of his infidelity will never come out. But while in Carlton Heath Miranda starts receiving mysterious messages and phone calls from someone who is trying to hash out the big secret. Will Miranda figure out who’s sending the messages, and will they be able to keep the secret under wraps? Stay tuned for this sequel to Finding Father Christmas.
Many of the same actors from part one return in this movie with the addition of some new characters. Miranda’s ex looks like a werewolf. The same fantastic costuming and styling. The same awesome sets and locations. With the addition of a new cottage that is ridiculously cute and I’m coveting. These two films might be added to the holiday favorites list.
Production: Same as Finding Father ChristmasA Christmas Star (2021) 🎄🎄
Tropes: Celebrity Life • Secrets and Lies- A secret is being kept and the threat of its reveal is looming and often threatens the romance • Location-Based Romance
Diversity: Two supporting characters and a couple of extras were POC
Production Co: Bauman Entertainment (Hallmark)
How’d you watch it: Hoopla
An astronomer goes to a small town which happens to be the ideal location to view a meteor storm she discovered. She is met by a kind and humble dad, widower, and park ranger who has been told his job will be cut soon. They fall for each other. Her project could potentially bring funding to the park services, but will her ego get in the way? This was a slight change on the Career vs. Love trope that could have been interesting, but landed in milktoast, uneventful, but good enough to get to the ending. Starring Daniel Lissing from When Calls the Heart. In all honesty, he’s why I chose to watch this film.
Production: Looked well-fundedSomething from Tiffany’s (2022) 🎄🎄🎄
Tropes: Modified Career vs. Love • Location-Based Romance • Shared Goal
Diversity: A spattering of POC supporting characters
Production Co: Brad Krevoy Television
How’d you watch it: Freevee
Two guys buy their girlfriends two different gifts from Tiffany’s. Their gifts get mixed up accidentally. This leads to situations which expose the flaws in the other guy and the faults in their relationships. The guy who bought an engagement ring learns he isn’t quite sure about that decision when his girlfriend opens her gift box to find a set of earrings. The guy who bought a pair of earrings chooses to lie, deceive, and propose to his girlfriend when she opens her blue gift box to find a ring. There’s a nice romance in there, too. A great diverse cast and good overall production makes this a decent HolRom movie. Starring Kendrick Sampson from Insecure. I chose this movie because it’s new and the trailer hooked me.
Production: Well-funded and looked good. The personal styling was well done and gave each character a fitting personal look.
Tropes: Shared Goal • Modified Mistaken Identity • Location-Based Romance • Secrets & Lies
Diversity: Chock full of POC
Production Co: Hello Sunshine
How’d you watch it: Amazon Prime
Old Favorites...
The Holiday Calendar (2018)
This movie holds up to multiple viewings and it’s staying on my favorites list. This story resolves the friends-to-lovers trope in a cute way that involves just a dab of magic. Love the ensemble of people of color. And one thing I noticed this time was that the main character, Abby’s hair was styled perfectly for each scene. For example, at the end of the workday, her hair looked a little frazzled, but then she gets ready for a date an hour later and she is wearing a well-coifed, but believable I-did-this-myself style. I’m weird like that. I like authentic styling.
This movie holds up to multiple viewings and it’s staying on my favorites list. This story resolves the friends-to-lovers trope in a cute way that involves just a dab of magic. Love the ensemble of people of color. And one thing I noticed this time was that the main character, Abby’s hair was styled perfectly for each scene. For example, at the end of the workday, her hair looked a little frazzled, but then she gets ready for a date an hour later and she is wearing a well-coifed, but believable I-did-this-myself style. I’m weird like that. I like authentic styling.
Originally watched: 2018The Spirit of Christmas (2015)
Tropes: Friends to Lovers + Belated Epiphany • Magical Matchmaker- Magic can bring two characters together, but real chemistry makes them fall in love/like
Does it hold up: Yes. Using my old scale, I originally rated The Holiday Calendar Good Cheese, now it gets 🎄🎄🎄🎄
How’d you watch it: Netflix
The best. Still. Such a good movie. Touches me every time.
Originally watched: 2017
Tropes: Modified Classic Retold (A Christmas Carol) • Woman In Peril • Widower • Shared Goal • Career vs. Love
Does it hold up: Yes. Using my old scale, I originally rated The Spirit of Christmas Good Cheese, now it gets 🎄🎄🎄🎄
How’d you watch it: Hoopla
I also rewatched Holiday Rush (Originally watched in 2019) and The Knight Before Christmas (Also originally watched in 2019). I didn't take notes on either, but they were both well-produced and rewatchable.
Ready to read more? Click here to get to 2022 Holiday Movie Marathon Part III: Holiday Horror
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