George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker (1993)

Rated: G

Genres: Family, Fantasy, Musical

Starring: Macaulay Culkin and Kevin Kline

Synopsis: On Christmas Eve, a little girl named Marie falls asleep after a party at her home and dreams herself (or does she?) into a fantastic world where toys become larger than life. Her beloved Nutcracker comes to life and defends her from the Mouse King, then is turned into a Prince after Marie saves his life.

Review:  This is the best version of The Nutcracker I’ve seen. Culkin was a little awkward but that should be expected since he isn’t part of the ballet company. Other than that everything was wonderful. It is a little long so younger children may lose interest. 

Scoring: 4

Get Santa (2014)

Rated: PG

Genres: Comedy, Family, Fantasy

Starring: Jim Broadbent, Rafe Spall, and Warwick Davis

Synopsis: A father and son team up to save Christmas once they discover Santa Claus sleeping in their garage after crashing his sleigh and finding himself on the run from the police.

Review:  A nice family movie showing the bond between father and son. A charming cast and a little silly but in a good way. 

Scoring: 3

Getting To The Nutcracker (2014)

Rated: NR

Genres: Documentary, Family

Starring: Marat Daukayev School Of Ballet, LA

Synopsis: This documentary takes you inside the major effort involved in gathering the resources, assembling the volunteers, casting the dancers, rehearsing and staging the performances of this classic ballet. Los Angeles-based Marat Daukayev School of Ballet, led by the former Kirov star, takes you behind the curtain from auditions, the rigorous hours of rehearsals, the joy of landing a principal role to the pain of losing one.  The dancers (boys and girls ages 3-18) are profiled; passionate people who, with their families, make incredible sacrifices of time and money just so that they may dance.

Review: This is an interesting look at not only how the ballet is done but also the personal lives of the performers, in this case children, including the sacrifices they make and the time they spend. I especially liked that they addressed both male and female dancers. They talked openly about the stereotyping and issues that come with it, including from family members.  It's a well-rounded look at child dancers.

Scoring: 3

Ghosting: The Spirit Of Christmas (2019)

Rated: TV-14

Genres: Comedy, Drama, Fantasy

Starring: Aisha Dee, Kimiko Glenn, Kendrick Sampson, and Missi Pyle

Synopsis: Jess goes on the greatest first date of her life, but inadvertently “ghosts” Ben when she tragically dies in a car accident on the way home.

Review: This may be more of a millennial movie.  I found it to be a little silly and lacking substance.  A ghost, who can only be seen by her best friend and the guy she went on a date with, is trying to figure out how to cross over.  Somehow, she’s magically able to sleep with the guy.  I won’t spoil the ending but she seemed quite self-absorbed, even in death.  Everything works out, of course, but I won’t spoil it.

Scoring: 2

Ghosts of Christmas Always (2022)

Rated: G

Genres: Comedy, Drama, Family

Starring: Ian Harding, Kim Matula, Lori Tan Chinn, and Reginald VelJohnson

Synopsis: It follows Katherine, a Ghost of Christmas Present, as she helps one soul to rediscover his Christmas spirit, but this year has something unusual in store

Review: At first, I thought it was a little corny. Then I was worried Peter and the ghost were falling for each other but also related. No spoilers here. By the end I was loving it. This is one of those movies that will probably become more enjoyable every time I watch it. 

Scoring: 3.5 

Ghosts of Christmas Past (2021)

Rated: PG

Genres: Comedy, Romance

Starring: Annie Clark and Morgan David Jones

Synopsis: Ellie is told by a fortune teller that she must resolve her past and make amends with all of those she ghosted before Christmas and discovers love in the process.

Review: I liked this modern twist on romance. A girl is forced to make amends to the men she ghosted while not knowing one is her person. It’s funny and sweet. 

Scoring: 3

The Gift of Christmas (2020)

Rated: G

Genres: Drama, Family, Religion

Starring: Bruce Davison, Dee Wallace, and Nathan Todaro

Synopsis: A Kentucky family comes together for a Christmas Eve church service.

Review: This is an awful movie.  It’s boring.  It is just about preaching religious values.  The characters and story are barely developed and they seem to be created around the religious content rather than making good characters and organically working in the religious messages.  Very disappointing.

Scoring: 1

The Gift of Peace (2022)

Rated: G

Genres: Drama, Family

Starring: Nikki Deloach and Brennan Elliott

Synopsis: After her husband's death, long-time devoted Christian Traci stops believing, and on her second Christmas without him, she visits a support group in search of comfort and inspiration.

Review: This movie had me feeling every emotion.  Anyone dealing with grief or faith will find a positive message here.  It was so amazing.  Seeing Traci create a community and heal through helping others was exciting.  I can’t wait to watch again.

Scoring: 4

A Gingerbread Christmas (2020)

Rated: PG

Genres: Drama, Romance

Starring: Tiya Sircar, Marc Bendavid, and Sugith Varughese

Synopsis: An architect enters a gingerbread competition to save her mother’s bakery.

Review: I found this to be surprising.  It started out as a typical romcom but it actually hard some surprises.  You know to expect a happy ending with a Christmas romance but the path there was interesting.  I only wish the daughter was in it more.

Scoring: 3

Gingerbread Journeys (2015)

Rated: NR

Genres: Documentary

Synopsis: Learn about the history and making of gingerbread.

Review: If you like history and/or baking, you’ll enjoy this.  There are so many interesting facts, like the use of beeswax, that kept my attention.  This is definitely one documentary where you have to be interested in the topic to enjoy it.

Scoring: 2.5

Gingerbread Miracle (2021)

Rated: G

Genres: Drama, Romance

Starring: Merritt Patterson

Synopsis: A man and an old high school friend try to sell his uncle's business-a Mexican bakery that's famous for magical gingerbread cookies that grant wishes.

Review: This was a cute movie. I knew the ending from the start and even the magic cookies didn’t add to my interest. I’m not sure if it’s the casting or just the way they tell the story.  It’s walking the line between comedy and romance.  Had it committed to one it would have been better.  It also has too many storylines going on that don’t work together as well as they should.  It’s a sweet romance but nothing too special. 

Scoring: 3

A Gingerbread Romance (2018)

Rated: G

Genre: Romance

Starring: Tia Mowry-Hardrict and Duane Henry

Synopsis: An architect begins to find herself longing for a place to call her own as she works alongside a baker to win a gingerbread house contest. 

Review:  A little too sweet and predictable, however, this movie is an easy one to watch. For a gingerbread competition they spend more time with other holiday traditions than with the house.  Of course, the little girl completes the picture.

Scoring: 3.5

Girlfriends Of Christmas Past (2016)

Rated: PG

Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance

Starring: Tammin Sursok

Synopsis: When three hilarious, strong-willed women join forces to seek the ultimate revenge on their cheating ex at his upcoming holiday retreat, lovestruck event planner Livvy meets Carter, the charming colleague organizing it all, leaving Livvy to question if she can leave off their revenge scheme long enough to finally forgive her ex and let a real holiday romance blossom.

Review:  Bad is the only word to describe it. I kept waiting for it to get good or at all interesting but the women’s bitterness ruins it. 

Scoring: 1.5

A Glenbrooke Christmas (2020)

Rated: G

Genres: Romance

Starring: Autumn Reeser and Antonio Cupo

Synopsis: In search of relaxation, an heiress visits a small town and soon encounters a handsome fireman.

Review: In a sort of reverse, the female lead, while a millionaire but not royalty, goes to a town and doesn’t say who she is. She uses her middle name as her last name. Surprise, she falls in love with a guy who is biased against the wealthy. Yes, we have a happy ending.  The real stars and joy are the community center and the teen artists

Scoring: 3

Godmothered (2020)

Rated: PG

Genre: Comedy, Family, Fantasy

Starring: Jillian Bell, Jane Curtin, Isla Fisher, and June Squibb

Synopsis: A young and unskilled fairy godmother ventures out on her own to prove her worth by tracking down a young girl whose request for help was ignored.

Review: At first I though this was less than magical and possibly a little boring.  As it went on, I realized the people were the magic.  They learned to live and love again.  More importantly, the fairy godmothers changed their mission from happily ever after to living happily.  A cute family film.  Christmas is more of a backdrop than the theme but it’s still sweet.

Scoring: 3

A Godwink Christmas (2018)

Rated: G

Genres: Drama, Family, Religion, Romance

Starring: Kathie Lee Gifford, Paul Campbell, and Kimberley Sustad

Synopsis: Paula, a St. Louis antique appraiser, reluctantly accepts a marriage proposal from her boyfriend, Daniel, a career-focused attorney. When her Aunt Jane senses she has mixed emotions over the engagement, she invites Paula to her Nantucket home. Upon her arrival, Paula plans a trip to the nearby island of Martha's Vineyard where she meets Gery, a charming inn owner. When Jane invites her back to Nantucket for Christmas, Paula accepts, unaware that Jane has devised a plan to bring her and Gery together. 

Review:  A charming romantic film. I like the part about God winking. It’s a little slow, much the like carousel in the movie. The fact that it’s based on a true story makes it more special. It left me with a hopeful feeling.

Scoring: 3

Godwink Christmas: First Loves, Second Chances (2020)

Rated: G

Genres: Drama, Family, Romance

Starring: Sam Page and Brooke D’Orsay

Synopsis: After 15 years, a single father moves home from Hawaii with his two sons and, through a series of coincidences-or Godwinks, ends up stuck in traffic next to his high school sweetheart.

Review: While this isn’t as sappy as the first two Godwink movies, it’s also missing a little bit of the heart that made them so special.  It’s like the God is missing from Godwink.  Even so, it is a beautiful love story about friendship, family, romance, and loyalty.  It’s a really lovely movie.

Scoring: 3.5

A Godwink Christmas: Meant for Love (2019)

Rated: G

Genres: Drama, Family, Religion, Romance

Starring: Cindy Busby and Kathie Lee Gifford

Synopsis: A chance meeting at a weekend wedding celebration brings together Alice and Jack, two singles from very different family backgrounds.

Review: I was a little thrown at first.  Gifford was in this movie as well as the first but playing different characters in different cities.  This movie had the same Godwink feel but it was also just a good movie about the love and importance of family as well as a romance.  I felt the illness was an unneeded wrench that seemed to make the story veer off path.  Then I saw the end and understood and I nearly cried.  No, I won’t spoil it.

Scoring: 4

A Godwink Christmas: Miracle of Love (2021)

Rated: G

Genres: Romance

Starring: Katherine Barrell and Alberto Frezza

Synopsis: Brought together by community service, Eric and Joy find new purpose at Christmas.  As they help a family rebuild their home, coincidences and a medical miracle lead them to believe in destiny.

Review: I know this is based on a true story but it seems like it is too perfect.  The characters are too nice, too perfect, and the story too smooth.  They don’t seem like real, flawed, relatable people.  Like they got from point A to B in a straight line when in real life it’s all over the place.  It was still uplifting and enjoyable but I think it wasn’t as good as the other Godwink stories.

Scoring: 3

Golden Winter (2012)

Rated: G

Genres: Comedy, Family

Starring: Shannon Elizabeth and Haylie Duff

Synopsis: A boy befriends a litter of homeless Golden Retrievers. Together, they help stop a bank robbery just in time for Christmas.

Review:  Yes. It’s just like all the other “dogs save the day” silly Christmas movies. Children should love the talking dogs and the adventures. Adults will probably only want to see it if they’re watching it as a family. 

Scoring: 2

Good Luck Charlie, It’s Christmas! (2011)

Rated: G

Genres: Comedy, Family

Starring: Bridgit Mendler, Leigh-Allyn Baker,

Synopsis: Idiocy strikes when a woman and her daughter get separated from their family during the holidays.

Review: This movie is probably best enjoyed if you’ve watched the television series and are familiar with the characters.  It’s not quite as good as the series but it’s enjoyable family viewing.  It’s got the silly and sweet moments that you’d expect.  Adults who enjoy Disney will probably like it.

Scoring: 3

Good Morning Christmas! (2020)

Rated: G

Genre: Romance

Starring: Marc Blucas and Alison Sweeney

Synopsis: Two competing TV hosts travel to a small town over Christmas, and while pretending to get along for the sake of appearances, they slowly discover there is more to each other than they thought.

Review: I liked the way the main characters slowly let down their guard and got to know and appreciate each other. There’s lots of Christmas including the three-legged wreath race. Of course, there’s also the required misunderstandings. Still, as the fire truck came around the corner and the lights started turning on, I got goosebumps. 

Scoring: 3.5

Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer (2000)

Rated: G

Genres: Animation, Comedy, Family, Fantasy

Synopsis: A youth embarks on a journey to find his missing grandmother and prove that Santa Claus is real

Review: This is just as silly as the song.  I enjoyed it the first time but it’s not one I watch every year as it got old.  Children will love it and for families it may be a yearly tradition.  Adding the cousin trying to sell grandma’s business and the grandson saving the day rounds out the story.

Scoring: 3

Great American Christmas in Kentucky (2022)

Rated: G

Genre: Documentary 

Starring: Jen Lilley and Jesse Hutch

Synopsis: Jen Lilley and Jesse Hutch travel to Stanford, KY, to experience a real-life small-town Christmas complete with carolers, a gingerbread contest, and a Christmas parade. 

Review:  While some scenes appear scripted, or at least set up, it was a lot of fun.  Lilley and Hutch made it exciting and funny.  It showed a lot of Christmas spirit and felt uplifting.

Scoring: 3

The Great Christmas Switch (2021)

Rated: NR

Genres: Drama, Family, Romance

Starring: Jon McLaren, Dillon Casey and Sarah Lind

Synopsis: Sophia, a single girl in the city with a demanding boss, and a single mother of two in the Midwest, decide to switch places for Christmas in an effort to get away from their problems for a little while.

Review: This is an okay version of the twin sister switch movies but it pales in comparison to Switch for Christmas with Candace Cameron Bure. The story details are superficial and they don’t dig in enough to help you know their characters. The saving Grace is Sarah Lind. She is so fantastic you can’t help but like her. 

Scoring: 3

The Great Holiday Bake War (2022)

Rated: PG

Genres: Family, Romance

Starring: Finesse Mitchell and Letoya Luckett

Synopsis: When former pastry chef rivals, Julian and Briana meet years later in a TV baking competition, the sparks and the flour fly.

Review: The overall story was a really good one.  Especially Julian and Briana.  Felix, the TV host, was so ridiculously over the top he took away from the quality of the movie.  I still enjoyed the characters and they felt like people we would know.  It’s a happy ending but a believable one.

Scoring: 3

The Great Rupert AKA A Christmas Wish (1950)

Rated: NR

Genres: Comedy, Family

Starring: Jimmy Durante

Synopsis: A little squirrel with lots of charm accidentally helps two poor, down-but-not-out families overcome their obstacles.

Review: What a charmer.  A landlord hides money in the wall and a squirrel living in the wall between the landlord and his tenants tosses the money down to the poor tenants.  They think it’s a miracle.  I love how the tenants, who had nothing, use the money to help others.  I won’t ruin the ending but it’s a sweet story and the effects with the squirrel are amazing given when the film was made.

Scoring: 3.5

Gremlins (1984)

Rated: PG

Genres: Comedy, Fantasy

Starring: Zach Galligan and Phoebe Cates

Synopsis: A boy inadvertently breaks three important rules concerning his new pet and unleashes a horde of malevolently mischievous monsters on a small town.

Review:  Gremlins is another movie people debate about counting as a Christmas movie. It takes place at Christmas but that’s it. It has some scares and some laughs but it drives me a little crazy. It’s only three rules. How hard is that?  Haha

Scoring: 3

Greyson Family Christmas (2021)

Rated: TV-14

Genres: Comedy, Family

Starring: Kalilah Harris and Karson Kern

Synopsis: Activist liberal progressive law student Maya brings her new boyfriend home for the holidays-- neglecting to tell her family that he's - well - white. Guess who's coming to Christmas dinner?

Review: I really enjoyed this.  It was mostly really funny, but they addressed racial issues.  It had a happy ending and was full of interesting characters.

Scoring: 3

The Grinch (2018)

Rated: PG

Genres: Animation, Comedy, Family, Fantasy

Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Rashida Jones, Pharrell Williams, Kenan Thompson, and Angela Lansbury

Synopsis: A grumpy Grinch plots to ruin Christmas for the village of Whoville.

Review: After seeing the special and the Jim Carrey movie so many times I began watching this wondering if there was any way to make the story new and interesting. They succeeded. It has all the warmth and humor you expect from the story. The Grinch wasn’t quite as mean and scary as in other versions but I still loved it. I’ve always wondered why Max stayed with the Grinch and this showed their relationship more.  The only downside to me was the characters looking too human. Whooville came across as a magical place.

Scoring: 4

Grounded For Christmas (2019)

Rated: PG

Genres: Family, Romance

Starring: Julianna Guill, Corey Sevier, and Cheryl Ladd

Synopsis: When a winter storm hits Cleveland and grounds flights, the nearby hotels quickly fill up with stranded travelers. Nina, a pilot, reluctantly agrees to let her arrogant but charming fellow pilot, Brady, stay at her nearby parents’ home.

Review: Nina and Brady have just enough awkwardness to make them falling for each other a fun dance. You know there will be a happy ending but there’s a lot of Christmas, bumps, and adventures in between.

Scoring: 3.5

The Grump Who Stole Christmas (2018)

Rated: NR

Genres: Animation, Fantasy

Starring: Maria Petrano and Jacob Whiteshed

Synopsis: Larry the Reindeer thinks he can fill Santa’s shoes but he is about to get more than he bargained for. When a wicked Grump, accompanied by his robot sidekick Clank, casts a spell that allows Larry to switch places with Santa, the future of Christmas rests in one simple minded reindeer’s hooves.

Review: If you can look past things like penguins being at the North Pole, it seeming like Santa isn’t really in charge and speaks slowly as if he isn’t very bright, an elf that looks slightly evil, or an insect that’s bigger than penguins, you’ll be okay.  You have to just get lost in the story.  The acting is average but there’s a variety of characters.  It seems more meant for children but it’s one adults can probably handle.

Scoring: 2

Grumpy Cat’s Worst Christmas Ever (2014)

Rated: G

Genres: Adventure, Comedy, Family

Starring: Aubrey Plaza and Jay Brazeau 

Synopsis: Grumpy Cat is a lonely cat living in a mall pet shop. Because she never gets chosen by customers, she develops a sour outlook on life...until one day during the holidays, a very special 12-year-old girl named Chyrstal enters the pet store and falls in love with her after realizing she is the only person who can hear this unique cat talk. As the two develop a close friendship during the holiday rush, Grumpy reluctantly thwarts the kidnapping of an exotic dog she dislikes, and on Christmas Eve rescues Chyrstal after the mall closes. Through her adventures, will Grumpy learn the true meaning of Christmas? Or will it be, in her words, the "Worst. Christmas. Ever?"

Review:  I think this should be renamed worst movie ever. Having to sit through this was so hard. The whole thing was bad.  I can't even give it a review other than please don't waste your time.

Scoring: 1

Grumpy Christmas (2021)

Rated: TV-MA

Genres: Comedy, Family

Starring: Raul Martinez

Synopsis: A family trip to the beach turns crazy when Servando and Alicia, Alma’s willful aunt, start an over-the-top competition to control Christmas.

Review: This is a Spanish language film, but you can read the subtitles or set it to have the words in English.  This movie was pretty bad.  It took me forever to figure out how everyone was related and there were a few I was still not sure about.  The husbands look like father and son.  The story is silly, and the plot is all over the place.  Skip this one.

Scoring: 1.5 

Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special (2022)

Rated: TV-14

Genres: Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy

Starring: Chris Pratt and Bradley Cooper

Synopsis: Star-Lord, Drax, Rocket, Mantis, and Groot engage in some spirited shenanigans in an all-new original special created for Disney+.

Review: I’ve never seen the movies, so I didn’t have any context going into this. It was cute but I didn’t feel any emotional connection to the characters, and I didn’t find it funny. For Guardian fans this would be a wonderful watch. 

Scoring: 3