Holidate (2020)

Rated: TV-MA

Genres: Comedy, Romance

Starring: Emma Roberts, Kristin Chenowith, Frances Fisher and Luke Bracey

Synopsis: Sloane and Jackson hate being single on holidays where they face constant judgment from their meddling families. So, when these two strangers meet, they pledge to be each other's "holidate" for every festive occasion in the year ahead.

Review: Yes, like most movies with romance you know they’ll end up together.  What is great about this movie isn’t the ending, it’s the middle.  All of their “holidates” are so funny.  I actually laughed out loud.  I could watch this over and over again.  It’s not really about Christmas.  It just starts and ends at Christmas.  I loved it.

Scoring: 4

Holly & Ivy (2020)

Rated: G

Genres: Drama, Family

Starring: Janel Parrish, Jeremy Jordan, and Marisol Nichols

Synopsis: A contractor helps a woman renovate a house so she can adopt a sick neighbor’s two children.

Review: What a charming movie. The only real negative is that the most special parts of it were given away in the commercials. I did appreciate how they handled the mother’s situation with sensitivity and it didn’t take away from the movie. The ending was amazing. It’s a drama but done in a lighthearted enough way that you aren’t sad. 

Scoring: 4.5

Holly Day (2018)

Rated: PG

Genres: Comedy, Drama

Starring: Robinne Lee, Latarsha Rose, Ashley A. Willams

Synopsis: Holly runs from the ghosts of her past, but this holiday they come back to find her.

Review: This movie has a new take on the Dickens classic.  It had humor, drama, and was thoroughly entertaining.  Holly is a scrooge character that is so outrageous that rather than disliking her, you laugh, and feel a little sorry for her.  I actually laughed out loud a few times.  Once the ghosts come the mood switches to extreme drama quickly.  I do wish the movie had picked the comedy or drama feeling but it’s worth watching.

Scoring: 3

A Holly Dolly Christmas (2020)

Rated: G

Genres: Documentary, Musical

Starring: Dolly Parton

Synopsis: Singer-songwriter Dolly Parton presents personal Christmas stories and performs hums and light-hearted holiday classics.

Review: If you like Dolly Parton you will love this.  It features everything special about her including beautiful music and treasured stories.  It’s really lovely.

Scoring: 4

The Holly Hotel (2022)

Rated: PG

Genres: Comedy, Family, Fantasy, Romance

Synopsis: It follows Kathy, a food critic in New York City. Her parents ask her to come home for Christmas, and there she meets a handsome police officer, which now complicates her situation.

Review:  It’s clearly an indie film but don’t let that stop you. Even the fact that the ghosts were in on uniting the couple made it more charming. This movie was so sweet and it has tons of Christmas.  It’s nice to see a different type of movie.

Scoring: 3.5

Holly Star (2018)

Rated: PG

Genres: Comedy

Starring: Catlyn Carlson 

Synopsis: A broke puppeteer returns home for the holidays and gets caught up in a treasure hunt with her paintball-obsessed best friend, her tango-dancing grandmother, and a childhood sweetheart.

Review: If you’re looking for a feel-good romp, this isn’t for you. This is a grown-up, sometimes odd, sort of screwball comedy. It was a little slow for me and some of the humor felt like it ended with a period instead of an exclamation point. 

Scoring: 2

A Hollywood Christmas (2022)

Rated: PG

Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance

Starring: Jessika Van, Josh Swickward, and Anissa Borrego

Synopsis: A successful Christmas movie director begins living her own Christmas movie when a handsome network exec shows up threatening to halt production on her latest film.

Review: This felt somehow unrealistic yet magical. It had a variety of characters and emotions. It was fun to watch. This is a movie for Christmas movie lovers. 

Scoring: 3.5

Home Alone (1990)

Rated: PG

Genres: Adventure, Comedy, Family

Starring: Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, Catherine O’Hara, and John Heard

Synopsis: An eight-year-old troublemaker must protect his house from a pair of burglars when he is accidentally left home alone by his family during Christmas vacation.

Review:  Home Alone is a classic. Definitely geared towards children but also enjoyable for adults. Kevin’s creativity and antics are very funny. I wish I had half the creativity of Kevin.  Once the attempted burglary begins each new scene is a jaw-dropping surprise.

Scoring: 5

Home Alone 2: Lost In New York (1992)

Rated: PG

Genres: Adventure, Comedy, Family

Starring: Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, Catherine O’Hara, and John Heard

Synopsis: One year after Kevin was left home alone and had to defeat a pair of bumbling burglars, he accidentally finds himself in New York City, and the same criminals are not far behind.

Review:  If you can get past the idea that parents would lose the same child twice and you liked the first movie, you’ll probably like this one. They use New York well and it’s not too repetitive of the first movie. This probably is enjoyed more by younger children. 

Scoring: 3.5

Home Alone 3 (1997)

Rated: PG

Genres: Adventure, Comedy, Family

Starring: Alex D. Linz

Synopsis: Alex Pruitt, a young boy of nine living in Chicago, fends off thieves who seek a top-secret chip in his toy car to support a North Korean terrorist organization's next deed.

Review:  While they did a good job of reinventing the original story, they didn’t capture the magic of the original. Children, and some adults, will still enjoy it but if you loved the original this may not be enough. 

Scoring: 2.5

Home Alone 4 (2002)

Rated: NR

Genres: Adventure, Comedy, Family

Starring: French Stewart and Missi Pyle

Synopsis: Amidst his parents' impending divorce, Kevin McCallister must foil his old nemesis Marv and his wife Vera's plot to kidnap a Crown Prince despite opposition from his dad Peter, Peter's fiancee Natalie, and Natalie's butler Mr. Prescott.

Review:  This attempt to return to the McAllister family is just sad. The parents are separated and dad has a girlfriend. Part of what makes the original special is the family. There’s nothing I enjoyed about this. One to skip. 

Scoring: 1

Home Alone: The Holiday Heist (2012)

Rated: NR

Genres: Adventure, Comedy, Family

Starring: Ed Asner, Debbie Mazar, and Malcom McDowell

Synopsis: Finn Baxter sets up booby traps to catch the ghost of his new home's former occupant, only to discover he must protect the house and his sister from three bumbling art thieves.

Review:  At least it doesn’t try to reuse the McCallister family like Home Alone 4 did and it has some entertainment value but it fails miserably at capturing the magic of the original. 

Scoring: 2

Home For Christmas (1990)

Rated: NR

Genres: Drama, Family

Starring: Mickey Rooney

Synopsis: An old thief befriends a young child.

Review: Overall, it’s a good movie.  I knew the ending from the beginning but there were still a few surprises.  You have to get past the fact that it was a made for TV movie from 1990 and that affects the quality of the filming, costumes, music, etc.  It’s still a good story and the children are adorable.  It’s a wonderful lesson of love, family, forgiveness, and the spirit of Christmas.

Scoring: 2.5

Home For Christmas (2014)

Rated: NR

Genres: Comedy, Drama

Starring: April Pearson

Synopsis: Beth Prince has always loved fairy tales and now she feels like she's finally on the verge of her own happily ever after; a dream job in a charming independent cinema by the seaside and a gorgeous boyfriend. There's just one problem - no man has ever told her they love her. Desperate to hear those crucial three little words for the first time Beth takes matters into her own hands - and wishes she hasn't.

Review: The beginning was really slow and it took me a while to get into it. By halfway through I was hooked. It’s like a realistic romcom. Other than her mother’s constant phone messages about flying to Australia for Christmas and the moment of hearing It’s A Wonderful Life, there’s no real Christmas. I don’t know why it’s a Christmas movie but it’s a cute movie. 

Scoring: 2.5

Home For The Holidays (2005)

Rated: PG

Genres: Drama, Family

Starring: Sean Young and Perry King

Synopsis: A loving aunt struggles to adopt her young relatives after their parents die in a car accident.

Review:  I liked it. It is a drama dealing with loss but it’s not done in a heavy-handed way. The characters are so likable and it’s easy to care for them and feel emotionally invested. The sheer determination of Martha and the love of the community are astounding.  You may want tissues for this one. 

Scoring: 3.5

Home Sweet Home Alone (2021)

Rated: PG

Genres: Comedy, Family

Starring: Ellie Kemper, Rob Delaney, and Archie Yates

Synopsis: A married couple tries to steal back a valuable heirloom from a troublesome kid.

Review: While making nods to the original, this is a new and interesting take on it. There are plenty of antics as with the original.  I was actually rooting for the people breaking in. There were no good guys and bad guys here, although Hunter and Mei walk that line. It’s funny and sweet and a good family movie. 

Scoring: 3

Home Town: Christmas in Laurel (2022)

Rated: G

Genre: Documentary 

Starring: Ben and Erin Napier

Synopsis: Ben and Erin open their house for a Christmas celebration in Laurel. 

Review: If you’re a fan of the show, or renovation shows in general, you’ll like it.  It was a mash of Christmas, their personal experiences, and favorite renovations. 

Scoring: 3

The Homecoming: A Christmas Story (1971)

Rated: G

Genres: Drama, Family

Starring: Patricia Neal and Richard Thomas

Synopsis: Olivia, John-Boy, and the rest of the Waltons spend Christmas Eve 1933 anxiously awaiting the safe return of dad. 

Review: This is the movie that led to the Waltons television show. It shows the struggles of the depression, especially with those living in the country. It also emphasizes family and what it means during difficult times. This movie would be a good way to introduce those topics for a family discussion. It also reminds us to be grateful for all we have. 

Scoring: 3

A Homecoming For The Holidays (2019)

Rated: G

Genres: Family, Romance

Starring: Laura Osnes and Stephen Huszar

Synopsis: Country singer Charlotte is home for the holidays and brother’s fellow ex-soldier Matt is in town. Writing her new album, Charlotte works with Matt to build a house for a friend in town.

Review: This is a very sweet yet superficial story. The plot has soldiers being away from their family, veterans transitioning home, a woman making her music dreams come true, a father wanting to retire and leave his business to his son, a family in need, high school students being mentored, and more. There’s just so many stories they don’t really dig in to any one of them emotionally. It’s still nice to watch but it’s not super deep. 

Scoring: 3

Homegrown Christmas (2018)

Rated: G

Genres: Drama, Family, Romance

Starring: Lori Loughlin and Victor Webster

Synopsis: When forced to work together to organize a Christmas dance for the local high school, former sweethearts find themselves rediscovering what made them fall in love all those years ago. 

Review: While the plot unravels as expected with no real surprises and the beginning is very slow, it’s still got charm and loving relationships. The biggest downfall is it doesn’t get really interesting until the end. 

Scoring: 2.5

Homeless For The Holidays (2009)

Rated: G

Genre: Drama

Starring: Matt Moore

Synopsis: A smug executive enjoys the perfect life - until he loses his job, and finds himself working at a burger joint. Now he's falling behind on his bills, and if something doesn't change soon, his family could lose everything by Christmas.

Review:  A good movie has a complicated plot, beautiful sets, and talented actors. This movie has none of these.

Scoring: 1

Homemade Christmas (2020)

Rated: PG

Genres: Drama, Romance

Starring: Michelle Argyris and Travis Nelson

Synopsis: A woman must choose between two men during the holidays

Review: It had some very expected elements as well as an obvious ending, as most Christmas movies do, but it was tons of Christmas fun. The only downside was how they sort of skimmed over each part rather than really digging deep.  I liked the charity aspect. It’s one I’ll watch again.

Scoring: 3

Hometown Christmas (2018)

Rated: PG

Genres: Religion, Romance

Starring: Beverley Mitchell, Stephen Colletti, and Melissa Gilbert

Synopsis: A woman must work alongside her old boyfriend to resurrect their town’s live nativity

Review:  This is a feel-good Christmas movie. Everyone is happy and playful even as they keep meeting obstacles. It’s a sit back and relax film. 

Scoring: 3

Hometown Holiday (2018)

Rated: G

Genres: Romance

Starring: Kevin McGarry, Stephen Huszar, and Sarah Troyer 

Synopsis: A woman who escapes the city in favor of her small hometown finds herself falling for a rancher, but he's not what he seems.

Review: While there are moving and well-written scenes, a lot are just slow. If you’re willing to sit through the slow parts you may enjoy it. The love story is not the best relationship in the movie but I wondered how they’d resolve it.

Scoring: 2.5

Hope At Christmas (2018)

Rated: G

Genres: Family, Romance

Starring: Ryan Paevey and Scottie Thompson 

Synopsis: Sydney Ragsdale, recently divorced, decides to spend Christmas in a house she inherited with her young daughter. As Sydney begins to spend more time at the local bookstore, she meets a teacher, Mac, who also fills in for the town Santa. Mac tries to make Christmas wishes come true, and this year Sydney is at the top of his 'nice' list. As a new opportunity with the bookstore unfolds, Mac helps Sydney open herself up to life, love, and believing in the spirit of Christmas again.

Review:  A truly charming movie. I got swept up in the emotions of it. It has some very moving moments but still manages to be lighthearted. 

Scoring: 4

Hope For Christmas (2018)

Rated: NR

Genres: Comedy, Religion

Synopsis: Trying to win over a skeptical congregation, recovered war veteran turned Pastor, gears up for his first Christmas sermon.  However, his plans take an unexpected turn when Pastor Greg cashes in on a free shopping spree the day of his much-anticipated sermon.  In a frenzy to get back on time, he unwittingly gets stuck in an elevator with his cohorts and a pregnant woman.

Review: This is clearly a low budget film with amateur actors.  Despite that there are moments that are moving and moments that are funny.  I wish they had stretched it out and gotten more detailed with some of the stories.  My favorite part was the beautiful voice of the girl singing.

Scoring: 2.5

The Horses of McBride (2012)

Rated: NR

Genres: Drama, Family

Starring: Aidan Quinn, MacKenzie Porter, Kari Matchett, and Edward Ruttle

Synopsis: When Nicki discovers two horses stranded deep in the Rocky Mountain snow, she is determined to find a way to set them free.

Review: I’ll admit this got off to a slow and fairly boring start for me.  I only kept watching in order to write this.  It did get good but I feel it could’ve amped up the emotion a little more.  I enjoyed watching the family invest themselves so fully in the horses and the community joining in.  It’s the best of humanity.  This was based on a true story.

Scoring: 3

Hot Chocolate Holiday (2021)

Rated: PG

Genres: Romance

Starring: Aubrey Reynolds and Jonny Swenson

Synopsis: Colette runs a coffee shop that is known for her secret and famous hot chocolate.  Marcus, a new dessert shop owner, starts to draw in Colette’s customers, and she is determined to expose him.

Review: I liked how the grandmother tied the two leads together. It was a sweet story. I knew there would be a happy ending, but I wasn’t sure how that would happen and that’s rare. It’s uplifting and beautiful. 

Scoring: 4 

The Hot Chocolate Nutcracker (2014)

Rated: G

Genre: Musical

Starring: Debbie Allen, Raven-Symone, and Tichina Arnold

Synopsis: Debbie Allen delivers reimagined version of the holiday classic The Nutcracker, giving it a modern spin filled with original music and dance routines.

Review: It was VERY different from the original Nutcracker.  If you’re looking for the original, you will be disappointed.  It started with lots of characters, singing, and dancing.  As it went on there was music and dancing from many cultures.  I think this would be a good show to watch as a family.

Scoring: 3

Hot Mess Holiday (2021)

Rated: TV-14

Genres: Comedy

Starring: Melanie Chandra, Surina Jindal, Tituss Burgess, and Kal Penn

Synopsis: A finance executive is dumped by her cheating fiancé during the Diwali holidays.  Now her best friend is determined to help her have a wild holiday.

Review: Even though it was unrealistic at times, it was quite funny. The characters and situations are over the top but that’s what makes it fun. All Penn popping up added an extra layer. It was mostly about Diwali and not so much Christmas. 

Scoring: 3

The Housewives of the North Pole (2021)

Rated: PG

Genres: Comedy, Family, Romance

Starring: Kyle Richards, Betsy Brandt, Kyle Selig, Jearnest Corchado, Carlos Ponce, and Alec Mapa

Synopsis: Follows the Christmas Queens of North Pole and the Best Holiday House decoration competition.

Review: I was thoroughly entertained by this movie. I was worried that with the title and casting of Richards that it would be too satirical. It wasn’t at all. It was sweet, funny, and filled with relatable characters and situations. I even jumped a little with the frap throw. 

Scoring: 3

How Murray Saved Christmas (2014)

Rated: G

Genres: Animation, Comedy, Fantasy

Starring: Jason Alexander, Sean Hayes, Dennis Haysbert, John Ratzenberger, and Jerry Stiller

Synopsis: a surly deli owner Murray Weiner, who is forced to step into Santa's shoes for one Christmas and bumbles his way into doing a great job.

Review: I thought it was very funny and original.  Seeing Murray filling in for Santa and all the holiday figures was really entertaining.  Plenty of references for adults to be amused.  In fact, I think it's best for adults.  That in mind, there are some things like making Santa’s workshop as a sweatshop saying they have to work so hard because they’re cheaper than the Chinese or the elves singing that Santa is a jerk that may make you want to not show this to really young ones. 

Scoring: 3

How The Toys Saved Christmas (1996)

Rated: G

Genres: Adventure, Animation, Family, Fantasy

Starring: Mary Tyler Moore and Tony Randall

Synopsis: When Santa's helper Granny Rose falls ill and must take off a Christmas Eve, she recruits Mr. Grimm to help deliver all the toys. What no one but the toys knows is that Mr. Grimm plans to auction off the toys to the highest bidder! The toys decide to deliver themselves, and the story follows them as they struggle to avoid the heartless Mr. Grimm and to find their true homes.

Review:  Based off the Italian folktale of La Befana, who helps Santa deliver toys. It’s different than many of the traditional Christmas classics. The toys working together sets a good tone. It’s a sweet story that children and adults will love. 

Scoring: 3

How the Wrong Brothers Saved Christmas (2016)

Rated: R

Genre: Comedy

Synopsis: Two friends teach a terrorist the meaning of Christmas.

Review: Horrible isn’t a strong enough word.  We did better acting when I was in high school.  We had better costumes and wigs as well.  This is so far beyond amateur it’s painful to watch.  Stupid plot, bad acting, bad everything.

Scoring: 1