Hallmark Channel's Countdown to Christmas
#276
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Hallmark Channel's Countdown to Christmas
This is the first Amy Acker project in many years that didn't fully work for me. I guess they wanted to cast a male lead with dance experience but Amy didn't have any romantic chemistry with him at all. That wasn't the dealbreaker but their romance fell flat.
The story wasn't bad, I just didn't think it was all there emotionally in the second half. Sympathy for Amy's character was undercut by her brutally dumping her boyfriend in the first place.
The story wasn't bad, I just didn't think it was all there emotionally in the second half. Sympathy for Amy's character was undercut by her brutally dumping her boyfriend in the first place.
So, yeah, the story was a mess, but I really liked Acker in it and she looked great in the tutu!
ETA: Oh, and Catherine Mary Stewart playing a grandmother makes me feel really old.
Last edited by Cellar Door; 12-17-16 at 07:19 PM.
#277
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Hallmark Channel's Countdown to Christmas
I believe Acker has professional dancing experience from before she became an actress. This is like the third time I've seen her play a ballerina or dancer.
#278
DVD Talk Legend
!
I just watched Christmas in Homestead. This was a much better take on the "celebrity falls for average Joe" story than the one with Shannon Elizabeth as a pop star. And, good lord, Taylor Cole is gorgeous. I remember her from The Event.
#279
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Re: Hallmark Channel's Countdown to Christmas
I just watched 4 films this weekend...crazy (all 2016 Countdown To Christmas films).
- A Christmas To Remember
- Sound Of Christmas
- My Christmas Love
- Love You Like Christmas
- A Christmas To Remember
- Sound Of Christmas
- My Christmas Love
- Love You Like Christmas
#280
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Re: !
I saw the end of that one the other day and will catch a rerun so I can watch it in full. I started watching the Shannon Elizabeth one but didn't feel compelled to finish it.
#281
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Re: Hallmark Channel's Countdown to Christmas
Folks, i recommend checking out Sleigh Bells Ring. I thought it was one of the best Hallmark films I have seen in years.
#282
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Hallmark Channel's Countdown to Christmas
This was on Lifetime, but I just watched Love at the Christmas Table, with Danica McKellar and Lea Thompson.
It's about a guy and girl (McKellar) who are friends from the same small town. He leaves to go to school and then work, but they see each other every year at an annual Christmas party thrown by a friend of their families (played by Thompson). They go together like peas and carrots, but he always leaves again and doesn't come back until the next Christmas party. So the movie spans 20+ years, and every new scene is another year at the Christmas party.
I liked the first 2/3 of it a lot. Having each scene be another year gone by and another Christmas party works well. McKellar is awfully cute--playing the girl-next-door type (definite shades of Winnie Cooper here), and Thompson is good as a maternal figure for her. But I think it goes downhill in the final act. First, they start having an argument and the guy says some really cruel and hurtful things to her. Like, unnecessarily mean-spirited. Totally soured me on their romance. And you find out at the end of that scene that he had intended on proposing to her! WTF? Then he comes back after five years of not seeing her and plans again to pop the question? Jeez, how about asking her on an actual date or something first? And when did he have time to set up all the lights on the table and everything at the house? Made no sense. Plus, the scene where she proposes marriage to her dad on behalf of Thompson's character was really weird. Again, maybe let them date each other a little before bringing rings into the equation.
It's about a guy and girl (McKellar) who are friends from the same small town. He leaves to go to school and then work, but they see each other every year at an annual Christmas party thrown by a friend of their families (played by Thompson). They go together like peas and carrots, but he always leaves again and doesn't come back until the next Christmas party. So the movie spans 20+ years, and every new scene is another year at the Christmas party.
I liked the first 2/3 of it a lot. Having each scene be another year gone by and another Christmas party works well. McKellar is awfully cute--playing the girl-next-door type (definite shades of Winnie Cooper here), and Thompson is good as a maternal figure for her. But I think it goes downhill in the final act. First, they start having an argument and the guy says some really cruel and hurtful things to her. Like, unnecessarily mean-spirited. Totally soured me on their romance. And you find out at the end of that scene that he had intended on proposing to her! WTF? Then he comes back after five years of not seeing her and plans again to pop the question? Jeez, how about asking her on an actual date or something first? And when did he have time to set up all the lights on the table and everything at the house? Made no sense. Plus, the scene where she proposes marriage to her dad on behalf of Thompson's character was really weird. Again, maybe let them date each other a little before bringing rings into the equation.
#284
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
Re: Hallmark Channel's Countdown to Christmas
Ive fallen behind, can you guys give me your top 2 new ones that you watched this season, so i can catch up before christmas....
Thanks!
Thanks!
#285
Moderator
Thread Starter
Re: Hallmark Channel's Countdown to Christmas
Love Always, Santa
Looks Like Christmas
Sound of Christmas
A Wish for Christmas
A December Bride
Journey Back to Christmas
#286
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Hallmark Channel's Countdown to Christmas
Just watched Sleigh Bells Ring. It was cute, but pretty standard fare. I was not familiar with Erin Cahill, but I liked her.
#287
Moderator
Thread Starter
Re: Hallmark Channel's Countdown to Christmas
I remember seeing her in the 2005 Disney Vacation Planning DVD. My family was planning a major vacation that year, and we watched that DVD over and over.
Here's the video if anyone's interested. She doesn't show up until about 4 minutes into it.
Here's the video if anyone's interested. She doesn't show up until about 4 minutes into it.
#288
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Re: Hallmark Channel's Countdown to Christmas
Fair enough, I enjoy watching a ton of Hallmark/UP/Ion Christmas films, and yet a lot of them are easy to forget about a day after watching the film. This one stood out because the situations in the film did not feel as forced/contrived as they usually are in quite a few holiday tv films. The ending also did not feel rushed, which is a big knock against many Hallmark films (Christmas themed or not) in general (even against the ones I like).
#290
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Join Date: Oct 2003
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Re: Hallmark Channel's Countdown to Christmas
Fair enough, I enjoy watching a ton of Hallmark/UP/Ion Christmas films, and yet a lot of them are easy to forget about a day after watching the film. This one stood out because the situations in the film did not feel as forced/contrived as they usually are in quite a few holiday tv films. The ending also did not feel rushed, which is a big knock against many Hallmark films (Christmas themed or not) in general (even against the ones I like).
I haven't seen them all, but my favorite new ones have been Love Always Santa and Sound of Christmas.
#291
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Hallmark Channel's Countdown to Christmas
Well I finally got my vudu copy of A Wish for Christmas, kind of sad I didn't here back from VUDU customer service for that long, but better late than never. I guess Hallmark is almost done with new Countdown to Christmas movies. Except I think there is a new Rachael Boston movie coming out, but I might try and watch Love Always Santa. That one sounds good.
Last edited by Bluelitespecial; 12-24-16 at 12:32 AM.
#292
DVD Talk God
Re: Hallmark Channel's Countdown to Christmas
I just watched Christmas Cookies
Premiered about a month ago. Stars Jill Wagner.
Thought it was okay. Nothing really original or memorable. Jill Wagner plays a corporate woman, who is asked by her boss to visit a small town where there is a long-time cookie factory in danger of going under. She's there to buy them out. But, she starts liking being in that town and is charmed with the factory's owner even though she has a boyfriend. Eventually a romance blooms and she works on a plan to save the factory.
Pretty predictable and by the numbers, but watchable.
Premiered about a month ago. Stars Jill Wagner.
Thought it was okay. Nothing really original or memorable. Jill Wagner plays a corporate woman, who is asked by her boss to visit a small town where there is a long-time cookie factory in danger of going under. She's there to buy them out. But, she starts liking being in that town and is charmed with the factory's owner even though she has a boyfriend. Eventually a romance blooms and she works on a plan to save the factory.
Pretty predictable and by the numbers, but watchable.
#293
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Hallmark Channel's Countdown to Christmas
Watched a couple of Christmas movies starring Marla Sokoloff, whom I remember as the young hottie on The Practice back in the day. She's still beautiful.
The Gift of the Magi - a modern retelling of the classic O. Henry story. Not a very good one. The husband is a real doofus. I may have missed it if he has a job, but it sure looked like he was just sitting around working on his car while his wife was working two jobs to afford to make ends meet and to be able to buy him a present. Then he jumped to conclusions really quickly about her cheating on him. He was not sympathetic at all, which is kind of a problem for the story. Plus, he's a terrible actor. The subplot where they try to hook up their best friends is also kinda cringey.
A Christmas Wedding Date - This one was better. It's basically a Hallmark/Lifetime Christmas version of Groundhog Day. A woman (Sokoloff) returns home to attend a friend's Christmas wedding and finds herself reliving the same day over and over again. Ripping off the premise of Groundhog Day is not a bad idea, but the execution is kind of lacking. A bit watered down in terms of how she used her knowledge of what was going to happen each time the day repeated. It lacked 'punch' though there were some good scenes between her and the 'mean girl.' I liked George Wendt as the sort of guiding angel, though he didn't look terribly healthy. One thing I noticed is that Marla looked a little 'fuller' here and that she was usually wearing loose, dark clothes and she was often holding her hands in front of her, sometimes while holding a purse. Then I was looking up the cast list later on IMDB and saw a trivia note that she was pregnant during filming. Makes sense now.
The Gift of the Magi - a modern retelling of the classic O. Henry story. Not a very good one. The husband is a real doofus. I may have missed it if he has a job, but it sure looked like he was just sitting around working on his car while his wife was working two jobs to afford to make ends meet and to be able to buy him a present. Then he jumped to conclusions really quickly about her cheating on him. He was not sympathetic at all, which is kind of a problem for the story. Plus, he's a terrible actor. The subplot where they try to hook up their best friends is also kinda cringey.
A Christmas Wedding Date - This one was better. It's basically a Hallmark/Lifetime Christmas version of Groundhog Day. A woman (Sokoloff) returns home to attend a friend's Christmas wedding and finds herself reliving the same day over and over again. Ripping off the premise of Groundhog Day is not a bad idea, but the execution is kind of lacking. A bit watered down in terms of how she used her knowledge of what was going to happen each time the day repeated. It lacked 'punch' though there were some good scenes between her and the 'mean girl.' I liked George Wendt as the sort of guiding angel, though he didn't look terribly healthy. One thing I noticed is that Marla looked a little 'fuller' here and that she was usually wearing loose, dark clothes and she was often holding her hands in front of her, sometimes while holding a purse. Then I was looking up the cast list later on IMDB and saw a trivia note that she was pregnant during filming. Makes sense now.
#294
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Hallmark Channel's Countdown to Christmas
Wish Upon A Christmas was the best Hallmark movie I newly watched this holiday season. I really liked how it mixed several different Christmas tropes, from the small-town Christmas ornament factory to Santa's Christmas magic. This was a very enjoyable Christmas movie.
The 2015 movie also features Alan Thicke, which I didn't know before he popped up in the role. He plays an elderly father that needs to take things easier in life, due to his age. It may have been one of his last roles.
The 2015 movie also features Alan Thicke, which I didn't know before he popped up in the role. He plays an elderly father that needs to take things easier in life, due to his age. It may have been one of his last roles.
#295
DVD Talk God
Re: Hallmark Channel's Countdown to Christmas
Hearts of Christmas
The intentions were good, but honestly I didn't really care for this one. Pretty by the numbers cookie cutter Holiday romance. Nurse is charmed with a Hospital CFO even though he's forced to make some hard financial choices due to a budget crisis forcing him to lay off a bunch of staff before the Holidays. The lead actress Emilie Ullerup is attractive and had charisma. But, I found the male lead Kristoffer Polaha is boring as they come for generic male love interests. He's been a journeyman guest star on many TV shows and TV movies over the years.
I may watch a few more that I have recorded before calling it a Holiday on these Christmas movies.
#298
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Hallmark Channel's Countdown to Christmas
^Staite was the reason I watched. Wish she would play the lead in one of these.
#299
Moderator
Thread Starter
Re: Hallmark Channel's Countdown to Christmas
http://www.hallmarkmoviesandmysterie...me-mrs-miracle
<iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9Pu55fZZahQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
It's also available at Amazon Video for $5.99 (HD).
https://www.amazon.com/Debbie-Macomb...dp/B00BMHCMRO/