A Faith Filled Christmas (2017)

Rated: NR

Genres: Drama, Religion

Starring: Anna Alayo

Synopsis: Three generations of the Fairway family ensure the Christmas season has the opportunity to be about Christ through their involvement in foster care, adoption, retirement community, and homeless ministry.

Review: I hate to give a poor review to an indie film but this was just so boring.  The stories didn’t tie together well, the acting was often quite amateurish, and a lot of scenes just felt blah. 

Scoring: 1

Fallen Angel (2003)

Rated: G

Genres: Drama, Romance

Starring: Gary Sinise, Joely Richardson, and Rick Roberts

Synopsis: When his father dies, Terry returns to the house where he grew up, planning to stay only long enough to clean and settle the estate. Yet something indescribable keeps him there longer than expected. Soon, he is reunited with memories and people from his past and his life is changed forever.

Review:  A meaningful emotional journey as a man comes to peace with his father and himself. It’s hard to describe without spoilers but this is one I’d have a tissue on hand for. Truly lovely. 

Scoring: 4

Falling In Love (1984)

Rated: PG-13

Genres: Drama, Romance

Starring: Jesse Bradford, Robert De Niro, Jane Kaczmarek, Harvey Keitel, Meryl Streep, Dianne Wiest

Synopsis: Although they live married lives, two strangers keep running into each other, starting a friendship that could blossom into so much more.

Review: I went into this with big expectations with stars of the caliber of Streep and De Niro.  Boy was I disappointed.  First, Christmas is only a short setting at the beginning and end of the movie.  It’s not a true Christmas movie to me. Two people with what seemed like happy family lives, blow up their families over an attraction.  Not a physical affair, just an emotional connection.  This makes them very hard to like.  The script was boring and predictable.  I couldn’t wait for the movie to be over.  De Niro and Streep had no chemistry.  It was like siblings.  Skip this one.

Scoring: 1

A Family Christmas Gift (2019)

Rated: G

Genres: Family, Romance

Starring: Holly Robinson-Peete, Patti LaBelle, and Dion Johnstone

Synopsis: When Amber spends the holidays with her Aunt Dora and helps plan a fund-raising Christmas Concert, it brings Amber closer to her aunt and a new love into her life.

Review: The story is sweet and the little girls are precious. The direction is where I think this one was lacking. There were so many long shots of faces in thought and the characters often spoke so slowly. It made the movie feel so slow and took away from the story. Overall, I thought it was okay. 

Scoring: 2

The Family Holiday (2007)

Rated: PG

Genres: Comedy, Family

Starring: Dave Coulier and Christina Pickles

Synopsis: A romantic family comedy about what happens when a thirty-something lovable pool hustler who owes money to the mob stands to receive a ten-million-dollar inheritance if he can prove he's forsaken his street days and settled down with a family.

Review:  Very silly but I had a good time watching it. The premise is weird but the kids are funny and it’s an easy film to sit back, relax, and smile. 

Scoring: 3

The Family Man (2000)

Rated:  PG-13

Genres: Comedy, Family, Fantasy, Romance

Starring: Nicholas Cage, Téa Leoni, and Don Cheadle

Synopsis: A fast-lane investment broker, offered the opportunity to see how the other half lives, wakes up to find that his sports car and girlfriend have become a mini-van and wife.

Review:  This has been compared to Its A Wonderful Life for the modern age. I see it more as a see the path not taken. Jack gets to see what his life would be like had he made different choices. We all wonder, what if, at some points and this movie explores that. 

Scoring: 3

Feast of the Seven Fishes (2019)

Rated: PG-13

Genres: Drama, Family

Starring: Skyler Gisondo, Madison Iseman, Ray Abruzzo, Paul Ben-Victor, and Joe Pantoliano

Synopsis: A slice of life story that follows a large Italian family on Christmas Eve as they prepare for the traditional Feast of the Seven Fishes, reminisce about the past, and seek love in the future.

Review: At first I was forcing myself to stick with it. They threw too many characters and too much information at me. I don’t want watching a movie to feel like work. By the end I still wasn’t clear on who everyone was. I enjoyed the peek at a traditional old fashioned Italian Christmas feast and family. The story of Tony and Beth was the best part. 

Scoring: 2

Feliz NaviDAD (2020)

Rated: PG

Genres: Family, Romance

Starring: Mario Lopez, AnnaLynne McCord, and Melissa Joan Hart

Synopsis: David Morales, a single father, has lost his Christmas spirit.  To avoid Christmas, he moonlights as a delivery driver but this year his 14-year-old daughter and live-in sister are determined to bring the yuletide spirit back and with a little luck, also help him find love again.

Review: A sweet movie about family but it does approach the subjects of loss and love in a very surface way.  That’s what keeps it so lighthearted.  I wish they delved a little more into their feelings.  Other than that, it’s a delightful easy watch. I did wonder why they were so focused on David dating and ignored his poor sister who was single and helping take care of him and his daughter.  Maybe a sequel?

Scoring: 3

as The Holiday. A New York ad man and a NC handyman switch homes. As you’d expect, the city boy falls for country girl while the country boy falls for city girl. Despite that it’s relaxing and has some interesting characters.

Finding Santa: A Christmas Adventure (2016) aka A Christmas Story

Rated: NR

Genres: Animation, Fantasy

Synopsis: When Julius, a small boy living in an orphanage, finds himself disenchanted during the holidays, he is suddenly transported into a magical world of Christmas and goes on an adventure-filled quest to meet Santa.

Review: This movie was originally made in Denmark.  I found it to be a little odd and boring.  Julius has a Christmas box with items he has made.  In the world inside the box, Krampus has decided to take over Christmas so he puts Santa in his present machine where Santa is spit out in pieces.  Krampus enslaves the elves to dig coal for all the children as he is now Santa.  Meanwhile, Julius goes into the box to save Christmas.  I think American children will need an introduction to Krampus.  Maybe children will enjoy it if it isn’t too scary for them.

Scoring: 2

First Christmas (2020)

Rated: PG

Genre: Family

Starring: Idara Victor, Tonea Stewart, and Nikki Dixon

Synopsis: A writer is invited to spend Christmas with the biological family she never knew she had.

Review: It’s very interesting how many different relationships there are and issues to have.  I liked how their relationships slowly evolve as they work through their own feelings.  It’s a drama for sure but there’s a lot of love and Christmas, too.

Scoring:3

The Fitzgerald Family Christmas (2012)

Rated: PG-13

Genres: Drama, Family 

Starring: Edward Burns and Connie Britton

Synopsis: The adult siblings of the Fitzgerald family prepare for their estranged father to return home for Christmas for the first time since he walked out on his family 20 years ago.

Review: The stories of each family member, and their relationships, unfold at just the right pace. I was completely absorbed in the movie. It’s not a feel-good Christmas movie. It’s a tender examination of life, family, and forgiveness.  It’s very well done.  If you've seen an Ed Burns movie this will have a familiar feel.

Scoring: 4

Five Star Christmas (2020)

Rated: G

Genres: Comedy, Family, Romance

Starring: Jay Brazeau, Bethany Joy Lenz, and Victor Webster

Synopsis: After moving back to her hometown, a woman plots with her siblings and grandparents to help her father’s new bed and breakfast get a five-star review from an incognito travel critic.

Review: At first, all the deception and awkward moments made me very uncomfortable.  I was waiting for the missteps and mistakes and hoping they would be okay.  While it made me uncomfortable it also means I cared enough about the characters to worry about them.  I knew how it would end early on but there was so much joy and fun along the way.  Grandma and her Russian persona, the town fair, dad finding romance again, and all their adventures. 

Scoring: 3

A Flintstone Christmas (1977)

Rated: NR

Genres: Animation, Family, Fantasy

Starring: Mel Blanc

Synopsis: When Santa has an accident at Fred's house on Christmas Eve, Fred and Barney have to continue his run for him.

Review: As a Flintstone fan, I was naturally prone to enjoy this.  I believe viewers who aren’t familiar with it will still enjoy it.  The prehistoric spin on Christmas is entertaining. 

Scoring: 3

A Flintstones Christmas Carol (1994)

Rated: G

Genres: Animation, Family, Fantasy

Starring: Frank Welker

Synopsis: Fred is cast as Ebenezer Scrooge in a stage adaption of the story, but is acting a bit stingy in real-life.

Review: A delightful take on the Dickens classic story.  All the prehistoric twists and usual characters.  It is lacking some of the feeling of the show but it makes up for it in other ways.

Scoring: 3

For The Love of Christmas (2016)

Rated: PG

Genres: Drama, Family

Starring: Jazsmin Lewis and Trae Ireland

Synopsis: The movie follows Bryson, a devoted husband with a strong desire to have children, and Sunday, a once loving wife, who at some point has lost touch with peace, love and the gift of giving. But when a homeless family appears on their doorstep, bearing nothing but the true meaning of love, Sunday's heart is reacquainted with the vows that once held their marriage together.

Review: At first, I found the movie to be quite slow and boring.  I am glad I stuck with it.  Sunday first seemed to heartless and selfish and Bryson appeared to only care about his wants.  Eventually we learn why Sunday feels the way she does and we see them come together.  By about halfway through I was completely invested in the characters and the story.  I won’t ruin it but there is a happy ending.

Scoring: 3

Forever Christmas aka Mr. 365 (2018)

Rated: PG

Genre: Romance

Starring: Chelsea Hobbs, Christopher Russell, Matthew Anderson, and Jill Morrison

Synopsis: When workaholic reality TV producer Sophia starts working on a holiday-reality show about Will, a handsome man who celebrates Christmas every day of the year, she finds herself falling for her mysterious new star.

Review: I’m not sure why they waited two years to release this.  It’s such a cute film.  I loved all the decorations, especially the gifts that appear to be floating in midair.  Will’s spirit of giving and loving others is the spirit of Christmas.  The story is less about Will helping Sophia love Christmas as much as helping her find her voice and be true to herself.  Worth a watch.

Scoring: 3

Forgotten Christmas (2019)

Rated: G

Genre: Family, Fantasy

Synopsis: The story of a tiny village like any. But in this little village they tended to have a bad memory. They were just so forgetful. Over and over. This year they are forgetting it's time for Christmas.

Review: Firstly, this is done in another language with English spoken over it.  If that bothers you, you won’t enjoy it.  Secondly, it makes no sense.  The people of the village seem to forget and remember things randomly.  For example, the father slept in the cupboard because he forgot about the bedroom but no one forgot about the missing chainsaw.  Santa also lives in a tree that they all can get to.  It’s sweet enough for children but adults may be bored.

Scoring: 2

Franklin’s Magic Christmas (2001)

Rated: G

Genres: Animation, Family, Fantasy

Starring: Noah Reid

Synopsis: Franklin learns about responsibility as he encounters disaster, adventure and some magical reindeer.

Review: I loved this.  I had never seen any Franklin shows or movies so I wasn’t sure what to expect.  The family is just like your average human family except instead of snowmen they make snow turtles and instead of fruitcake they have fruit fly cake.  I was completely engaged with the story and the characters.  This is one children will love and adults will enjoy watching with them.

Scoring: 4

Frozen (2013)

Rated: PG

Genres: Adventure, Animation, Comedy, Drama, Family, Fantasy, Musical

Starring: Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, Josh Gad, and Robert Pine

Synopsis: When the newly-crowned Queen Elsa accidentally uses her power to turn things into ice to curse her home in infinite winter, her sister Anna teams up with a mountain man, his playful reindeer, and a snowman to change the weather condition.

Review: I don’t agree that this movie is a Christmas movie. It is more of a winter movie. It does have great music, a charming story, and fun characters like the rock trolls and Olaf. This is one children’s movie that many adults will like.

Scoring: 4

A Frozen Christmas (2016)

Rated: G

Genres: Animation, Fantasy

Starring: Nathaniel Rose

Synopsis: A Frozen Christmas is the perfect way to get the family in the Holiday spirit with the most beloved animated Christmas characters, including Santa Claus, the Snowman, Elves, Santa's Reindeer, and more. Gather around and listen as Santa and his young elf pals narrate time honored Christmas story classics such as, The Elves and the Shoemaker, Little Girls' Christmas and more.

Review:  It’s nice listening to the stories but the animation doesn’t show the stories. It’s like listening to a book while watching a screen saver. Nice for kids but adults should avoid unless you want to listen while doing something else. 

Scoring: 2

A Frozen Christmas 2 (2017)

Rated: TV-Y

Genres: Animation, Fantasy, Musical

Starring: Kj Schrock

Synopsis: This Christmas Santa invites many of his friends to the holiday party of the century.

Review: If you’re an adult looking for a Christmas movie, do not watch this.  For more than 15 minutes we see Santa’s floating sleigh with what appears to be a reindeer (but looks like it could be a moose) riding with him passing by dancing characters including a gingerbread man, an elf, a nutcracker, and a squirrel.  All with the same few notes and dance steps repeating over and over while their facial expressions remain frozen.  I was ready to run away it was making me so crazy.  Then we come to a horse telling a Christmas story of Jesus granting generous children a Christmas tree.  It continues with more.  I think very young children may enjoy this and even dance along.

Scoring: 2

A Frozen Christmas 3 (2018)

Rated: G

Genres: Animation, Fantasy, Musical

Starring: Alfred Hill

Synopsis: Santa’s reindeer get the holiday season started by singing their favorite songs.

Review: Another one for young children.  This is better than A Frozen Christmas 2.  Children can sing and dance along with the characters to songs like “We Wish You A Merry Christmas”, “Deck The Halls”, and “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”.  This is yet another movie adults wouldn’t enjoy but will entertain young ones.

Scoring: 2