Cineplex-Odeon Films, Nelson Entertainment, Raffaella Productions
Sam Elliott, Cloris Leachman, Rutanya Alda, Abe Vigoda, Michael Constantine, Rebecca harrell, John Duda, Ariana Richards, Mark Ralston
Jessica (Rebecca Harrell) is the daughter of a poor hardworking farmer (Sam Elliott). She witnesses Prancer fall from the Christmas display in town, and then later discovers a real reindeer with a hurt leg. She naturally assumes this is Prancer, and hides him in the barn so he can recover. She cons the local vet (Abe Vigoda) to patch Prancer, and then Jessica sets out to keep him hidden from her father. But the secret is not going to be kept forever, and when her father finds out, he wants to sell Prancer and Jessica isn’t happy with that plan.
This was a very popular film when it came out in the late 80’s, but it seems to have disappeared. I was glad to see it come back on TV this year, as it’s a charming story. The movie doesn’t depend on special effects or grand lavish sets, but rather on the characters themselves. Jessica is fabulous as the little girl who still believes in magic, and Sam Elliott as John Riggs is a great tough but caring Dad. He’s really harsh to Jessica at times, and seems really mean, but he’s not really. He wants only the best for her. In the end, both father and daughter learn that they only have each other and they have to make it work somehow. Only then can they get it together.
A very strong story and one that is especially nice to watch just before Christmas. Very well done, and a strong cast makes it really work.
Catherine Mary Stewart, Muse Watson, Anthony Tyler Quinn, Cameron Ten Napel, Danny Cahill, Tina Eberle, Brian Shoop
Kathleen (Catherine Mary Stewart) is a restaurant owner. She is panned by the critics because she opens the restaurant on Christmas Day and makes her employees work, but she does it so that the lonely people with no place to go can have a Christmas dinner. She’s dating a divorced Dad with a daughter Lucy (Cameron Ten Napel).  Dad has to take a business trip the week before Christmas and the babysitter bails, so he asks Katleen if she can stay a couple days. On a last minute trip to the store for items to make a costume for Lucy, she nearly runs over an old gentleman. Later, after leaving the store, she is attacked by several hoods. The old man comes to her rescue, but unfortunately misses the last bus of the night. Rather than let him stay out in the cold, Kathleen asks him to spend the night. During the night the storm of the century arrives and they are snowed in with no electricity.  There is nothing to do but to keep themselves entertained, and it comes out that each of them has issues. Kathleen has abandonment issues, and Sam (Muse Watson), the old gentleman, is hoping to make things right with an estranged daughter that he left years before. Lucy misses her Mom very much and hasn’t gotten over the loss and now Dad is dating Kathleen, and she doesn’t like her.  Through the terrible storm they have no choice but to talk about their issues. When the storm is over, Lucy goes home and Sam leaves, and Kathleen has nothing to do but to face the issues she’s uncovered and make some amends.
This is a Christian movie and naturally has a Christian theme in the end. But it’s not a proselytizing film and has a strong story to tell without hitting you over the head with it. There are a few surprises, but you probably can see it coming a mile away. Still, it’s a unique story in a way, and well worth watching if you can find it.
Chad Michael Murray, Ashley Benson, Christina Milian, Ryan Sypek, Burgess Jenkins, Cara Mantella, Reagan Michelle, Christie Maher, Jackee Harry, Patrick Johnson, Sharon Morris, Justin Smith
Christina Milian is Sloane Spencer, beautiful, fashionable, public relations representative and her first big client is a challenge. Ashley Benson is Caitlin Quinn, superstar bad girl who keeps getting into one jam after another which Sloane has to get her out of. On Christmas Eve she takes off on a boat and, drunk as usual, falls over the side and dies. But Sloane keeps seeing her. She’s come back as her personal ghost of Christmas past, present, and future. Sloane has to learn first hand the things she has to change to be truly happy.
I am typically a big fan of Christmas Carol stories, and I enjoy them all from Scott to Stewart to Grammer, to Murray, to the Muppets, to Mickey Mouse, to Mr. Magoo, and everywhere in between. But this is so loosely based on the story that it doesn’t hardly resemble it at all. This is about whether or not she dumped the wrong sweetheart, hence the title. Christina Milian is cute and ambitious in this role, but the script is really weak. Caitlin tries to play a Lindsey-Paris type superstar, which she’s not bad at, but when she’s a ghost, she has few redeeming qualities. Everything is jokes and crack ups and teasing the poor living folks that can see them. Plus the ghosts are not ghosts but alternate images of living people. I never thought I’d ever find a Christmas Carol I didn’t like, but there’s a first time for everything. She found true love and made up with her family and friends, but I don’t know that it matters much. I hope she got what she wanted. I’m going to switch over to “Barbie’s Christmas Carol” instead.
Walt Disney Home Entertainment, Keystone Entertainment, Santa Buddies Productions
Craig Anton, Andrew Astor, Charisse Baker, Tom Bosley, Field Cate, Tim Conway, Chris Coppola, Josh Flitter, Nico Ghisi, Ben Giroux, Skyler Gisondo, Zachary Gordon, Ryan Grantham, Ellie Harvie, Richard Kind
Santa’s in trouble. The North Pole Icicle is melting because Christmas spirit is waning. Santa needs help because it’s gotten so bad that Santa’s reindeer can’t even get off the ground anymore. But the buddies will help. Santa Paws recruits the buddies to pull a doggie sleigh and deliver the presents themselves. But they also need to improve the Christmas spirit as well or Santa is out of business.
George Wendt appears as Santa, and he’s one of the best, but Christopher Lloyd appears as a greedy mean dog catcher who will only place dogs if someone can cough up the $300.00.  Changing him will be the biggest challenge. This is a kiddie movie, like the other Bud movies. Adults may find it a little silly and the cgi is really cheesy, but for kids, it’s going to be magic. Truly, if you need a couple hours peace and quiet, put the kids in front of the TV and put this on!  Or better yet, watch it with them. And if you’re a fan of any of the other films, or are a big dog lover, these dogs are really cute and cuddly. So it’s a harmless cool kiddie film about how the dogs saved Christmas. Just kick back and enjoy.
