Take Me Back for Christmas (2023)

Rated: G

Genres: Comedy, Romance

Starring: Vanessa Lengies and Corey Sevier 

Synopsis: A Christmas wish grants Renee the successful life she’s dreamed of-except she finds out she’s no longer with her beloved husband. 

Review: This movie had me from the start. It’s the perfect combination of romance, comedy and Christmas magic. Lengies and Sevier bring these characters to life and make them so relatable and real. At one point I actually had goosebumps. This is one I can’t wait to watch again and again. 

Scoring: 4

A Tale of Two Christmases (2022)

Rated: G

Genres: Drama, Romance

Starring: Marissa Leong, Chandler Massey, and Evan Roderick

Synopsis: Emma experiences two different Christmases: one where she stays in town and celebrates with a new crush, and one where she returns home to her family and Drew. She will finally discover what will really make her happy in life and in love.

Review: I enjoyed it. It’s basically the Christmas version of Sliding Doors. We see Emma get to live through two versions of how Christmas could go as she decides which life she wants. I will say my mom is almost 80 and she was totally lost. 

Scoring: 3

The Tangerine Bear: Home in Time for Christmas (2000)

Rated: TV-Y

Genres: Animation, Fantasy

Starring: Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Jenna Elfman, David Hyde Pierce, Tom Bosley, Howie Mandel, Marlon Wayans, and Trisha Yearwood

Synopsis: A teddy bear who goes unpurchased for Christmas makes friends in a second-hand store.

Review: I found this to be absolutely delightful.  There’s an underlying message that we are all valuable and the things that make us different make us more special, not less.  The characters have human issues that are very relatable.  This is one I believe children will love and adults will enjoy watching with them.

Scoring: 3

A Taste of Christmas (2020)

Rated: PG

Genre: Comedy

Starring: Anni Krueger, Gills Marini, and Nia Vardalos

Synopsis: When Natalie learns her cousin Francesca must cancel the Christmas Eve opening of her new Italian restaurant, Natalie's heart goes out to all of the guests who were planning on attending.

Review:  For all the talk of Christmas and decorations everywhere, it really feels more like a movie about a restaurant than it is about Christmas.  It has got its charm and some humor but still falls a little short.  They don’t delve enough into any one story and the characters are superficial and expected. My favorite part was the teens.  It's still worth watching once.

Scoring: 2.5

Terrific Trucks Save Christmas (2016)

Rated: TV-Y

Genre: Fantasy

Starring: Jayne Eastwood

Synopsis: The trucks are just digging holes but then Christmas is being attacked, now it's up to them to save Christmas.

Review: This is borderline mind numbing.  I think children that like trucks will really enjoy it.  It’s also got just enough silliness for them.  For adults, save yourself and skip it.

Scoring: 2

This Christmas (2007)

Rated: PG-13

Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance

Starring: Deroy Lindo, Idris Elba, Loretta Devine, Chris Brown, and Regina King

Synopsis: A Christmastime drama centered around the Whitfield family's first holiday together in four years.

Review:  This was like watching every family say the things they often think and don’t say at family gatherings. There’s some humor to lighten the drama. It’s a nice variety of character backgrounds and personalities and with a cast like this it’s executed well. 

Scoring: 3.5

This Is Christmas (2017)

Rated: NR

Genre: Drama

Starring: Chris Mulkey

Synopsis: Friends come together to do the right thing after everything becomes chaotic.

Review: First off, this isn't rated but it should be an R.  Yet another awful film.  The premise was okay but they didn’t even begin to do it justice.  The beginning had no backstory on the overwhelming number of characters.  Because of this it was hard to care.  The characters were unlikable and a mash up of people.  They went from scene to scene with no transition or apparent reason making the story, or lack thereof, too much work for something that wasn’t good.

Scoring: 1

This Is Our Christmas 

Rated: NR

Genres: Family

Starring: Aaron O’Connell, Nancy Daly, and Donna Spangler

Synopsis: In a sequel to “Beverly Hills Christmas”, a spoiled Beverly Hills teenager finds the true meaning of the holidays. A father tries to help his daughter overcome the loss of her mother while helping the failing business of a country style bakery.

Review:  Wow. Seeing O’Connell was in this movie made me think it might be an improvement on the first. Unfortunately, the bad acting and wishy-washy plot just overwhelmed it. Daly has a sometimes southern, sometimes Glinda totally stoned accent and it’s just too much. 

Scoring: 1

Thomas Kinkade’s The Christmas Cottage

Rated: PG

Genres: Drama, Family

Starring: Peter O’Toole, Jared Padalecki, Marcia Gay Harden, Aaron Ashmore, Richard Burgi, Chris Elliott, Richard Moll, Jay Brazeau, Charlotte Rae, and Ed Asner

Synopsis: A look at the inspiration behind Thomas Kinkade's painting The Christmas Cottage, and how the artist was motivated to begin his career after discovering his mother was in danger of losing their family home.

Review:  I’m aware that this is based on Kinkade’s life and I was looking forward to learning about him. However, despite the star-studded cast, I was quite bored. I found it hard to sit through. 

Scoring: 1

The Three Bears And The Perfect Gift (2019)

Rated: NR

Genres: Family, Fantasy

Starring: Maile Flanagan

Synopsis: Baby Bear sneaks out on Christmas morning to find the perfect gift for his parents only to cross paths with a wicked witch who transforms him into a human.

Review: It seems almost like a stage production brought to the screen.  At first it may seem a little silly but I recommend sticking with it.  It’s a lovely story and would be good for family viewing.  The message of being together and loving each other being so important is really brought home.

Scoring: 3

The Three Wise Guys (2005)

Rated: NR

Genres: Comedy

Starring: Eddie McClintock, Jodi Lyn O’Keefe, Judd Nelson, Tom Arnold, and Katey Sagal 

Synopsis: This Christmas movie is a comedy about the mistress of the owner a casino in Las Vegas and her boyfriend who had stolen a disc containing financial irregularities in the Casino. Murray Crown, the owner of the casino, hires three murderers to find Stella and her boyfriend and retrieve the disc.

Review:  Picture the Nativity story meets comedies about the mob. It’s corny and silly but that’s the best part of it. If you want warm and fuzzy Christmas, skip it. If you want a fun time this is for you. 

Scoring: 3

Three Wise Men and a Baby (2022)

Rated: G

Genres: Comedy, Drama, Family

Starring: Andrew Walker, Tyler Hynes and Paul Campbell

Synopsis: Three brothers are surprised when they find themselves forced to care for a baby during the holidays, during the journey they begin to rebuild their relationships as brothers while rediscovering their love for Christmas.

Review: I was so excited to see this trio in action.  I was not disappointed.  The way the brothers were so different but learned how alike they are.  I knew there would be a happy ending but I wasn’t sure what it would look like.  This was unique, fun, full of love, and had loads of Christmas.

Scoring: 4

Three Wise Women (2010)

Rated: G

Genres: Comedy, Fantasy, Romance

Starring: Fionnula Flanagan and Amy Huberman

Synopsis: A woman set to get married on Christmas Eve must make a life-changing decision.

Review: A woman’s guardian angel is trying to help her get back on track.  How?  By uniting her teenage, middle age, and older selves to guide each other.  It seems as far-fetched as it sounds and it can be really silly at points.  However, I still enjoyed it.  There’s a lot of entertainment and I found myself rooting for her.  Imagine being able to guide your younger self to a happier life.  It’s definitely a different concept and worth watching.

                                                     Scoring: 3

Throwback Holiday (2018)

Rated: NR

Genres: Drama, Family, Fantasy

Starring: Jennifer Freeman

Synopsis: Jacqueline is living an unfulfilled life in a doomed marriage. After a chance encounter with a former classmate, she rethinks her life's choices and wishes she could go back to high school for a do-over. Like a Christmas miracle, Jacqueline awakens to find herself as a high school senior again with the ability to change everything.

Review: While it takes place during the season, there’s very little Christmas in this movie.  I think everyone has wondered, what if I could go back and do it again knowing what I know now.  While the changes she makes are predictable, it’s still fun to watch.  It’s not as good as Eve’s Christmas but it’s different enough.

Scoring: 3

Time for Him to Come Home for Christmas (2022)

Rated: G

Genres: Romance

Starring: Tyler Hynes, Holland Roden, and Steve Bacic

Synopsis: Four days before Christmas, Elizabeth Athens receives a voicemail from an unknown number she doesn't recognize. In the message, a man's voice, whom she doesn't know, makes one final plea to the love of his life for a second chance.

Review: Love! Love! Love it!  The story unfolded so perfectly that I was figuring it out as it went along.  Even without the predictability, the movie was easy to watch and I was completely absorbed in it. 

Scoring: 5

Time For Me To Come Home For Christmas (2018)

Rated: G

Genres: Drama, Romance

Starring: Megan Park, Josh Henderson, Paul McGillion, and Eric Keenleyside

Synopsis: A businesswoman and a country music star who are strangers, are both booked on a flight to Tulsa before the holidays, but it ends up getting canceled due to a snowstorm. They decide to try to get to Tulsa together and share their secrets along the way. 

Review:  The pace is like a stroll in the park. It’s very relaxing. It’s a sweet story of two people slowly falling for each other. There are special moments, like the boy in the airport. Watch for them. 

Scoring: 3.5

Time For Them To Come Home For Christmas (2021)

Rated: G

Genres: Drama, Family, Romance

Starring: Brendan Penny, Jessy Schram, Brendan Zub, Lochlyn Munro

Synopsis: During the holidays, a woman with amnesia catches a ride with her handsome nurse to investigate the only clue to her identity.

Review: Wonderful movie.  It starts with the mystery of who Jane Doe is then adds the mystery of Paul’s reluctance to go home and the trauma he experienced.  The mysteries unravel at the perfect pace and are worth the wait.  The story has lots of warm and lighthearted moments to keep it from getting too dark.  Of course, we have a happy ending.

Scoring: 4

Time for Us to Come Home For Christmas (2020)

Rated: G

Genres: Drama, Romance

Starring: Lacey Chabert and Stephen Huszar

Synopsis: Five guests are mysteriously invited to an inn to celebrate Christmas. With the help of the owner Ben, Sarah discovers that an event from the past may connect them and change their lives forever.

Review: In a world of Christmas movies that have the same feel, and I’m not saying that’s bad, the beauty shines. I didn’t even suspect the answer until at least half way through. I love the way the guests’ storied intertwine.  The movie managed to keep my full attention watching for every detail. There’s so many types of relationships, loss, healing, and love. It’s amazing. I’m hoping for a sequel if they can recapture the magic of this one. 

Scoring: 5 

Time for You to Come Home for Christmas (2019)

Rated: G

Genres: Drama, Family, Romance

Starring: Lucas Bryant and Alison Sweeney

Synopsis: When Katherine returns home after her husband passes away, she meets a veteran who is on his own holiday journey.  As Christmas nears, they learn of a bond that may be the miracle they need.

Review: This movie had so many unexpected moments.  It was emotional, yes, I needed a tissue at one point.  But there’s so much Christmas and so much joy.  It all works so well.  This one is definitely worth watching.

Scoring: 4

A Timeless Christmas (2020)

Rated: G

Genres: Comedy, Family, Romance

Starring: Erin Cahill and Ryan Paevey

Synopsis: A man travels from 1903 to 2020, where he meets a tour guide at his historic mansion and gets to experience a 21st century Christmas.

Review: I will say in advance that I love science fiction so the time travel part really spoke to me.  Beyond that, I knew that it being a Hallmark movie everyone would have a happy ending but I was still on the edge of my seat.  I wondered if he’d go back, if going back was possible, if he’d take her with him, if he’d stay with her, or if it was something I wasn’t even considering.  I won’t give it away but I will say their kiss was magical.  I loved this movie.

Scoring: 5

Tiny Christmas (2017)

Rated: G

Genres: Comedy, Family, Fantasy

Starring: Riele Downs and Lizzy Greene

Synopsis: A clumsy elf accidentally shrinks two kids on Christmas Eve, forcing them to navigate holiday hazards to make it home safely.

Review: This movie is very silly, as all good family and children’s movies are.  I was actually entertained but I’m not sure most adults would want to see it unless it was with their children.  I like that the girls have such different personalities and have to work together.  It’s really cute.

Scoring: 3

A Tiny Home Christmas (2022)

Rated: G

Genres: Drama, Family, Romance

Starring: Rebecca Dalton and Christopher Seivright

Synopsis: In order to save her family’s contracting business, Blair reluctantly teams up with her ex-boyfriend to build a tiny home for the unsheltered in the community, rekindling old sparks in the process. 

Review: I liked how this movie managed to showcase our country’s homeless problem, although they call it unsheltered. They treated the homeless with dignity and pointed out how many families lost their homes when they lost their jobs. The movie shows the importance of family, community, and giving. 

Scoring: 3.5

‘Tis The Season To Be Merry (2021)

Rated: G

Genres: Comedy, Romance

Starring: Rachel Leigh Cook and Travis Van Winkle

Synopsis: Looking for a fresh angle on her new book on relationships, Merry heads to snow covered Vermont.  She finds a new perspective and Christmas cheer with charismatic aid worker Chris.

Review: I loved this movie.  It had the perfect balance between emotion and levity.  The characters are likable, and the romances are varied and relatable.

Scoring: 4

To Grandmother’s House We Go (1992)

Rated: NR

Genres: Adventure, Comedy, Family 

Starring: Ashley Olsen, Mary-Kate Olsen, Rhea Pearlman, and Cynthia Geary

Synopsis: When the twins feel like their mom is tired of them, they take off on an exciting adventure to grandmother's house and encounter a pair of villains along the way.

Review:  It’s a typical cutesy twin adventure. Children should love it and adults may like it. I found it cute but I was over it after about ten minutes. 

Scoring: 2

Too Close For Christmas (2020)

Rated: G

Genres: Family, Romance

Starring: Chad Michael Murray and Jessica Lowndes

Synopsis: A woman reluctantly spends Christmas with the man responsible for ending her last relationship.

Review: The combination of Hayley, who is afraid to move or make changes, and Paul, who is afraid to stay in one place, makes for an interesting dynamic. It has a lot of obvious moments and an expected ending but there’s lot of Christmas and funny moments in between. Murray gives the perfect performance for this character. 

Scoring: 3

Too Cool For Christmas AKA A Very Cool Christmas (2004)

Genres: Comedy, Fantasy

Rated: TV-14

Starring: George Hamilton, Brooke Nevin, and Donna Mills

Synopsis: 16-year-old Lindsay decides to give Santa Claus an extreme makeover.

Review:  Yes, it’s a little corny but it doesn’t take itself too seriously. I really like watching George Hamilton as Santa as he underwent his makeover. Good for lighthearted fun. 

Scoring: 3

Toying With The Holidays (2021)

Rated: PG

Genres: Family, Romance

Starring: Cindy Busby and Chad Michael Murray

Synopsis: Danielle returns to her hometown for the holidays with her young son Paul hoping to introduce him to some beloved holiday traditions, in particular the town’s North Pole Express train.

Review: It’s a standard sweet holiday romance and family story. Things never get too heavy and resolve too easily. Busby and Murray are as fabulous as always. Liking trains is a plus for enjoying this one. 

Scoring: 3