christmasmoviesrated

[christmasmoviesrated]

I rewatched this with a friend, and boy, did we have a good time. This time around I really felt I could appreciate one of the supporting characters, Clive, properly. Clive is perfect and must be protected at all costs.

Christmas with a View

HQ Marquee #4 Productions, 2018. 1h 31m.

Secret aspirations between a failed restaurateur and a celebrity chef threaten their blossoming Christmas romance.

I dunno. It's cute. A very decent Christmas Movie.

Top Selling points:

Snow! Lots of snow.

Cute characters

A really great friend

Decent puns

Restaurant

Soppy story

Kind of misleading title?

Do I recommend? It deserves a watch.

Would I watch again? I've watched it several times. So, probably.

Happy ending? Yup.

Did I cry? If I'd had some wine I probably would've.

5.5 Christmas Trees out of 10

[christmasmoviesrated]

Did I start the Christmas Movie Season by watching this again? Yes I did. Did I get everything I wanted from it? Yes.

A Christmas Prince

Netflix, 2017. 1h 32m.

When a reporter goes undercover as a tutor to get the inside scoop on a playboy prince, she gets tangled in some royal intrigue and ends up finding love - but will she be able to keep up her lie?

By now, A Christmas Prince is a real classic among CMTaBEtBGA:s (Christmas Movies That are Bad Enough to Become Good Again). It’s outrageous. It’s beautiful. 

Keep reading

[christmasmoviesrated]

A Christmas Miracle for Daisy

GAC Media, 2021. 1h 25m.

Whitney (Wagner) owns Marietta Designs, an interior-design firm which she runs with her friend Andi (Tegan Moss). She's designing Santa's float for the town's annual Christmas parade when a potential job opportunity comes her way: the full redesign of a landmark house by Christmas Eve. Despite the challenge, Whitney and Andi sign on to the job-- then discover the home's new owner is Whitney's ex-boyfriend Connor (Bateman), who has moved to town from Los Angeles with his bright-eyed young daughter Daisy (Rubi Tupper). Connor had no intention of becoming a family man, but when his goddaughter was orphaned, he adopted her and committed to becoming a devoted single dad. More than anything, Daisy wishes for a mom to complete her picture-perfect family, and no prospect is as perfect as Whitney. Tall order, but Christmas is a time for miracles.

Christmassy for sure, but absent the real tingles. A "do-something-else-at-the-same-time" type of movie.

Top Selling points:

Your typical second chances story

Smoulder McSmoulderface as the male lead

Multiple love stories, kinda

a kid

snow

Santa

Hot actors I guess?

Do I recommend? There are definitely Christmas movies I would recommend before this one, but it's not offensively bad

Would I watch again? Nothing I would seek out.

Happy ending? Yes. But the tension wasn't really there for me before the non existent problem was solved.

Did I cry? LOL no

Christmas vibes? Very decorated. There's snow.

4 Christmas Trees out of 10

[christmasmoviesrated]

A Boy Called Christmas

Netflix, 2021. 1h 46m.

In this origin story of Father Christmas, an ordinary boy (with a loyal pet mouse and a reindeer at his side) sets out on an extraordinary adventure to find his father who is on a quest to discover the fabled village of Elfhelm.

Oh my, how star specked this movie is. I had almost decided I didn't like it, and then the ending hit me like a steamroller.

Top Selling points:

Maggie Smith

Santa origin story

Snow

Elves and shit

Do I recommend? Yeah. I landed in this being a pretty good film.

Would I watch again? I was very sure I wouldn't, but after watching all of it I'm not so sure.

Happy ending? Yes? No? Kind of?

Did I cry? Twice, once towards the end and once at the very end. Those two times were what changed my mind about this movie.

8 Christmas Trees out of 10

[christmasmoviesrated]

The Noel Diary

Netflix, 2022. 1h 39m.

The story of a man who returns home on Christmas to settle his estranged mother's estate. Once there, he discovers a diary that may hold secrets to his own past and of a beautiful young woman on a mysterious journey of her own.

I felt like this was much much longer than it was.

Top Selling points:

DOG!

The dog has an actual part in this movie

The characters are good looking I guess

The dog is incredibly cute

Home-wrecker vibes galore

Do I recommend? It was cute. Lots of things going on. Not my fave but sure, worth a watch.

Would I watch again? I probably will not seek it out, but I'll probably put it on when I've watched everything else or forgotten what the movie is.

Happy ending? Yes?

Did I cry? Nope.

Christmas vibes? Kind of? But it's not really about Christmas, no. It's more about adultery.

5 small Christmas Trees out of 10

[christmasmoviesrated]

Love Hard

Netflix, 2021. 1h 44m.

An LA girl, unlucky in love, falls for an East Coast guy on a dating app and decides to surprise him for the holidays, only to discover that she's been catfished. This lighthearted romantic comedy chronicles her attempt to reel in love.

This was a really cute move despite leaving a bit of a bitter aftertaste. Just don't think about it too hard. It's my favourite trope, Fake Relationship, after all.

Top Selling points:

Nina Dobrev is actually really really good in this

Not your classic type of love interest

Really cute family

Could actually have been cringier

Yes, there are a lot of nods to Love Actually

Fake relationship

Do I recommend? Sure, why not. Nina Dobrev is amazing.

Would I watch again? Mayhaps. Not a must-see tho.

Happy ending? Yes, but the fact that it's happy is where the aftertaste comes from.

Did I cry? Big nope.

Christmas vibes? Yeah. It was cozy.

7 Christmas Trees out of 10

[christmasmoviesrated]

I watched this again, and it was my first Christmas movie of the season. No regrets. It's not great, but it's awesome, ya feel?

A Christmas Prince

Netflix, 2017. 1h 32m.

When a reporter goes undercover as a tutor to get the inside scoop on a playboy prince, she gets tangled in some royal intrigue and ends up finding love - but will she be able to keep up her lie?

By now, A Christmas Prince is a real classic among CMTaBEtBGA:s (Christmas Movies That are Bad Enough to Become Good Again). It’s outrageous. It’s beautiful. 

Keep reading

[christmasmoviesrated]

Christmas Made to Order

Hallmark, 2018. 1h 20m.

A Hallmark Channel original movie. When architect and Christmas amateur Steven (Jonathan Bennett) finds himself hosting his family for Christmas, he recruits holiday coordinator Gretchen (Alexa PenaVega) to bring holiday joy to his home.

For a Hallmark movie, this is very inventive. It's still exactly what you expect it to be, though.

Top Selling points:

Gaudy Christmas decor

Predictable plot

Gretchen is really cute

All the Christmas vibes packed into a short space of time

Do I recommend? I don't regret watching it, but I think I've seen it before? Still cute and christmassy tho.

Would I watch again? Apparently I already watched it again.

Happy ending? Yes. It's Hallmark. But also unrealistic, and I say this as a freelancer.

Did I cry? Not even close.

Christmas vibes? Yes, that's the whole movie. It's almost too much.

5 Christmas Trees out of 10

[christmasmoviesrated]

Spirited

Apple Originals, 2022. 2h 7m.

A musical version of Charles Dickens's story of a miserly misanthrope who is taken on a magical journey.

A new take on the classic story. In the form of a musical. With Ryan Reynolds and Will Ferrell. Need I say more?

Top Selling points:

The production value really did say spare no expenses

It's really funny

If you don't like Will Ferrell, you will probably tolerate him in this

It's a musical

The music is great.

Great dancing.

Great jokes.

Octavia Spencer is in it! And she's really precious.

Do I recommend? If you like musicals. Also if you don't.

Would I watch again? Yes. Without a doubt.

Happy ending? Yes and no? But yes.

Did I cry? Almost. I was on the brink.

Christmas vibes? SO MANY. It's very christmassy.

10 Christmas Trees out of 10

[christmasmoviesrated]

Falling For Christmas

Netflix, 2022. 1h 33m.

In the days leading up to Christmas, a young and newly engaged heiress experiences a skiing accident. After being diagnosed with amnesia, she finds herself in the care of the handsome lodge owner and his daughter.

I'M HERE for Lindsay Lohan living her best life and making a Christmas movie. It is awesome.

Top Selling points:

Lindsay Lohan

The mouth guy from Glee

The amnesia trope

Snow

Strangers to enemies (?) to lovers

Incompetence

Actual reasonable reactions to some stuff?

Do I recommend? ONE HUNDRED PERCENT, what's not to love. Watch with a friend, it'll be fun.

Would I watch again? Absolutely. Maybe even this year, actually.

Happy ending? Of course.

Did I cry? No. But I laughed a lot.

Christmas vibes? Yes. It's a new classic.

10 Christmas Trees out of 10

[christmasmoviesrated]

Holidate

Netflix, 2020. 1h 44m.

Fed up with being single on holidays, two strangers agree to be each other's platonic plus-ones all year long, only to catch real feelings along the way.

This has not been out for long enough to call it an all-time fave, but it's getting there. Also, it contains lots of other holidays too. It's still a great romcom, no matter how you look at it. And it's primarily Christmases.

Top Selling points:

It's a great movie

It's kinda crazy

Slow burn

Funny

Very Cute

Strangers to Friends to Lovers

Fake relationship

Good actors

An Australian man

Awkwardness

Over the top

Do I recommend? YES. I do. I'd also love to read a book with this plot.

Would I watch again? YES. Again and again.

Happy ending? YES. Very cute.

Did I cry? I actually did. A little.

Christmas vibes? Yes. Also Thanksgiving, Easter and Halloween.

9.5 Christmas Trees out of 10

[christmasmoviesrated]

Love Actually

Universal Pictures, 2003. 2h 15m.

Follows the lives of eight very different couples in dealing with their love lives in various loosely interrelated tales all set during a frantic month before Christmas in London, England.

If you haven't seen it yet, do you live under a rock? Also, what are you doing? With that said, this movie bothers me. There's just something about it that I really dislike. At the same time, it is an actual fact that I will cry at the end every single time. I blame the music.

Top Selling points:

ALL of the actors. Like. They're basically all in it.

Lots of storylines, so you can most likely find one you like.

British awkwardness

Bangin music

Memorable stuff

Lots of memes come from this

Did I say the music is great? And it will make you cry

Do I recommend? Ugh. (yeah sure. it's a classic)

Would I watch again? I try not to, but I always end up doing it.

Happy ending? Yes. And no. And Yes. Mostly yes.

Did I cry? All the tears.

Christmas vibes? Yes? I guess?

7 Christmas Trees out of 10

[christmasmoviesrated]

Operation Christmas Drop

Netflix, 2020. 1h 35m.

Congressional aide Erica (Graham) forgoes family Christmas to travel at her boss's behest. At a beachside Air Force base, she clashes with Capt. Andrew Jantz (Ludwig), who knows her assignment is finding reasons to defund the facility.

Despite the lack of snow, there are actual Christmas vibes in this.

Top Selling points:

Humanitarian efforts

Changing hearts

Based on a real thing (not entirely, but still)

Bonnie from Vampire Diaries

Away from home

Christmas snorkling

Military, if you're into that stuff. If you're opposed, maybe skip this one.

Resourcefulness

Do I recommend? Yeah, I do. It's worth a watch if you haven't seen it.

Would I watch again? Not necessarily every year. But sure.

Happy ending? Yes.

Did I cry? I did feel like I would. But I didn't. It was also pretty late.

Christmas vibes? Actually, yes. Lots more than I usually get from movies set in this climate.

8 Christmas Trees out of 10

[christmasmoviesrated]

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Universal Pictures, 2000. 1h 44m.

On the outskirts of Whoville lives a green, revenge-seeking Grinch who plans to ruin Christmas for all of the citizens of the town.

One of those really classic Christmas Movies, nowadays. It's nice, but I don't know that I'd like it if it wasn't for the nostalgia.

Top Selling points:

A real classic

Iconic

Lots of Christmas

Everything rhymes

Dog

Jim Carrey

Do I recommend? If you haven't seen it you totally should.

Would I watch again? Probably? But probably because I feel like it's a must even tho I don't particularly care for it.

Happy ending? Yes.

Did I cry? I was mincing onion while watching it, so yes. I have cried in the past though, without onions.

Christmas vibes? Oh yes. So many. Over the top.

6.5 Christmas Trees out of 10

[christmasmoviesrated]

Holiday in the Wild

Netflix, 2019. 1h 25m.

Jilted by her husband on the eve of embarking on an African safari, a woman travels to the continent alone where she meets an elephant conservationist.

This movie is great if you prioritise elephants over Christmas.

Top Selling points:

Miranda from Sex and the City

Chris Traeger from Parks and Recreation

Elephants

More elephants

Do I recommend? If you like elephants.

Would I watch again? I'll probably put it on in the background while doing other things.

Happy ending? Yes.

Did I cry? Nope.

Christmas vibes? Half the movie isn't set in December. There's no snow or anything, but there are some Christmas vibes in some parts of it.

6.5 Christmas Trees out of 10

[christmasmoviesrated]

Arthur Christmas

Aardman, Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures Animation, 2011. 1h 37m.

Santa's clumsy son Arthur sets out on a mission with Grandsanta to give out a present they misplaced to a young girl in less than two hours.

This movie is a must-watch. I watch it with my mother and my sister at least once every Christmas, and it's the best.

Top Selling points:

Hilarious concept

Lots (and I mean LOTS) of really funny jokes

Relatable characters

Just wonderful characters in general

Christmas spirit

Santa

Heartwarming

Snow

Reindeer

Do I recommend? If you haven't watched this, you haven't done Christmas right. WATCH IT.

Would I watch again? EVERY YEAR. FOREVER.

Happy ending? Yes. It's beautiful.

Did I cry? Yes. I do every year.

Christmas vibes? Yes, very much so. It's not Christmas without this movie.

25 Christmas Trees out of 10

[christmasmoviesrated]

Christmas Inheritance

Netflix, 2017. 1h 44m.

To be the CEO, an heiress is challenged by her dad to deliver a Christmas letter in person to his ex-partner in their hometown - traveling by bus, incognito and with only $100. Will she learn something from the people there?

A twist on the Christmas Inheritance trope that actually kind of works.

Top Selling points:

Actual snow?

Kind of funny

Heartwarming

Enemies to lovers

The best douchebag

Character growth

Do I recommend? Yes! Good vibes all around.

Would I watch again? Yes, I would.

Happy ending? Yes. Very unsurprisingly, but happier than expected.

Did I cry? No.

Christmas vibes? Yes. Snow, baking, generosity and all that jazz.

8 Christmas Trees out of 10