Archive for November, 2015

Johnson Production Group,

Rachel Boston, Jonathan Bennett, Jon Prescott, Marilu Henner, Harry Hamlin, Sunny Mabrey, Julia Voth



Georgia Hunt (Rachel Boston) is home for the holidays, and anxious to connect back up to he High School crush, Craig (Jon Prescott), who seems oblivious to her. A former member of the glee club, and reunited with her former high school friends, she does her very best to impress Craig, as everything goes wrong. Meanwhile her best friend Ben (Jonathan Bennett) who has always carried a torch for her is there to try to defend her and pick her up each time she makes a fool of herself. As the night passes, Georgia makes more and more of a fool of herself, and finally is able to realize that she is just trying too hard.

This is another film from 2012. The fact that it has two names is an indication that something’s wrong. There is some pretty decent humor here, and the slapstick comedy of pratfalls and disasters are non-stop. But there is something that irritated me throughout. These folks are supposed to be nearly 30 years old, yet they all are still stuck in high school. Why didn’t any of them figure out how to grow up a little bit. The high school pranks and such are way too childish, and make us feel uncomfortable. There is no reason why this woman would keep trying for this goofy jock over and over, and there’s no way she could miss that her friend Ben is longing for her, but she goes on her shallow way, oblivious to everything. It’s a light-hearted movie that you can waste some time with, but it is not a great Christmas film as it fails on all the things that make a holiday tale memorable. This was not the film I was looking for and I would skip this one.

EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog

 

 

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** A Dogwalker’s Christmas Tale

G It’s Entertainment,

Jonathan Bennett, Lexi Giovagnoli, Dina Meyer, Patrick Muldoon, Jennifer Joseph, Timeca M. Seretti, Tim Hess, Sarah Joy Byington, Avery Merrifield, Michelle Ellen Jones, Sadie Brook, Vincent Giovagnoli, Laurie Coker, Meredith May, Clint McCreery



Luce Lockhart (Lexi Giovagnoli) is a rather spoiled college student who is home for Christmas. She has just broken up with her boyfriend and feeling really sorry for herself. She wants this ruby necklace very much, but because she can’t return the gift she bought for her ex-boyfriend, her credit card is maxed out. She gets the opportunity to be a dog walker for a very rich lady in the neighborhood in return for the necklace she wants, but when she meets and make friends with the other dog walkers, she learns that her client’s husband is a real estate developer who is planning to tear down the dog park and build apartments. Luce is torn between her own selfish wishes and the friendship she has built up with her new found friends, especially Dean Stanton (Jonathan Bennett) a handsome dog walker that is gradually stealing her heart.

This film didn’t really capture my attention that much. Perhaps it was designed for the dog lovers, although the gimmick about walking dogs was just a very small sideline to the story. There are a few surprises toward the end, but nothing earth shattering. This is a lot like one of the old Brady Bunch episodes where Mike Brady is planning on turning a park into a new building and the rest of the family are out picketing the site until the get on TV. This is basically the same story. The chemistry between the leads just didn’t work for me, and the spoiled girl learns her lesson to a small degree, but pretty much ends up still being pretty smug. She was not a character I liked very much. Meanwhile, her love interest is quite the wise guy himself, and never gets my compassion. Basically it’s a fair Christmas themed film that just didn’t move me very much. There have been a lot of better new movies on TV this season.

Click here for the home page for A Dogwalker’s Christmas tale from UP TV.

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** Christmas Trade

Brand Inc. Entertainment,

Denise Richards, William Baldwin, Tom Arnold, Jennifer Grant, Michael Campion, Montana Marks, Veronica Lavery, Anne Stedman, Victor Browne, Shawn Huff, Brent Huff, Morissa O’Mara. Brice Fisher, Carly Peeters, Pamela Drake Wilson,



Mitch Taylor (William Baldwin) is a single Dad doing his best with his son Robbie (Michael Campion) but neither is really that happy. Mitch has a new girl friend Chloe (Denise Richards) but he keeps there seriousness of their relationship secret from Robbie since he still misses his Mother and may not be ready for Dad to have a new gal in his life. They both resent each other and each thinks the other has a cake walk of a life. But when a mysterious bear appears on the back seat of their car, the two wish they had the life of the other. The bear speaks the “Your wish is granted” line and promptly breaks down. Suddenly the two have switched places, and Robbie is now in his Dad’s body as they each have to find out that they really do like each other and have underestimated each others difficulties as the struggle to get by until a friendly toy maker Gus (Tom Arnold) can get the parts and repair the bear.

Christmas Freaky Friday??? Of course it is. But I don’t remember seeing a Christmas version before, so that may be something new. I doubt it though, as after all these years of developing Christmas stories for Christmas on TV, someone must have done a Freaky Friday thing for Christmas. Billy Baldwin may not be the most prominent member of the Baldwin boys, but he actually does a really good job of playing his son once they do the switch. Actually both do a really good job playing each other, and it really does work. It’s quite funny once they swap places and they get in to some pretty humorous jams as each other. Denise Richards is a splendid actress who is largely wasted here in a small role as Mitch’s girl friend, but she really nails it, even though it’s a smaller part. She does a great job as well. All in all, it’s a fun movie, and certainly not a great film or anything, but it was a joy to watch. There are many better films out this year in the class of 2015, but this one wasn’t that bad either. It’s clever and charming little film, so keep an eye out for it this year. And the younger folks, maybe pre-teen age will probably really enjoy it.

Here is the Home Page for UP TV’s “Christmas Trade”

EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog

 

 

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** Tis the Season for Love

Front Street Pictures,

Sarah Lancaster, Brendan Penny, Gwynyth Walsh, Andrew Francis, Jessica Harmon, Garry Chalk, Anna Van Hooft, Steve Makaj, Mackenzie Gray, Vanessa Walsh, Arien Boey, Laiken Laverock, Imogen Tear, Tanya Champoux, Dana Stoutenburg



Beth (Sarah Lancaster) is an out of work actress in New York City. She sleeps on the couch of her best friend’s apartment and is longing to win the part in a play that will make her a star. She’s from a small town and was anxious to set out and conquer New York, but it’s not been going very well. Her best friend gives her a trip back home to be with her Mom for Christmas, and Beth see’s the life she left behind, and not sure what she really wants out of life, A visit with Santa where she asks for her Christmas wish is answered with a token from the main man himself which helps her find out what is really important in her life.

This new for 2015 Hallmark Christmas Movie is pretty straight to the point. It’s essentially a “what do do with my life” mixed with a budding new romance in Dean (Brendan Penny) . Pretty mundane Christmas story stuff, but it’s a Hallmark, feel good Christmas rom-com which is exactly what we expect from them. It’s a pleasant story with a little bit of humor and a lot of familiar sights and sounds. Not to give anything away, I really expected this film to jump down the rabbit hole and do the travel back in time gimmick, but they never went there. Santa is a really wise fellow who doesn’t resort to magic time travel to teach Beth what she needs to know. As he tells her over and over, She has all the answers. Filmed in Vancouver, this are some stunning views. Basically this is a pretty much perfect way of unfolding and telling the story. It moves along at a moderate pace and covers all the details that make these story work. Everything is well addressed in the right order, and it was a very enjoyable Christmas film, and one of the best I have seen to date this year. This is one to look out for if you’re a sucker for Christmas stories.

This is the home page for this Hallmark Christmas 2015 film.

EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog

 

 

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B24, Columbia Pictures, Danjaq,

Daniel Craig, Christoph Waltz, Léa Seydoux, Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris, Dave Bautista, Monica Bellucci, Ralph Fiennes

Bond is taking a much needed (wink, wink) vacation in Mexico City during the Day of the Dead festivities when he disrupts a terror plot about to take place. However big changes are happening back headquarters as the 00 agents are being retired and replaced by a multi-national spy system of information gathering and drone attacks. But of course, there is a far more sinister purpose as some of Bonds old nemeses are still alive and active in this high action, big suspense, old style Bond film. Bond is back.

I don’t think we’re going to see any more Daniel Craig Bond films, and if we don’t, at least he went out with a bang. This film goes back to the classic Bond, and I really enjoyed this one. The formula that Ian Flemming used in creating his characters and telling his stories was very good, and this one is very much like the original Bond films in many ways. This film takes place after the struggle at Skyfall. Judy Dench’s M was killed so we get to meet her replacement. Originally Bond used to use his wits and super intelligence to get himself out of scrapes (and some luck, let’s face it). He was always a bit cheeky, but once Connery left the role, Bond became quite the smart ass. He used fantastic inventions and gadgets to escape and was not very clever himself, but depended on tricks to survive. I hated the wise cracking Bond, and am glad this is back to the nitty gritty hard working and very clever Bond who can work his way out of these situations. And the situations he gets put into are alarming. The usual trek around the world puts him some real messes, and it is quite full of suspense, wonderful chases, a lot of gun play, and some really stressful moments. It’s a relatively long film, but I was sad when it is over. The best part is that in the very end there is a promise that “James Bond will return”. I’m sure he will. This was really a nod back to the early days, and I think it was excellently directed and filmed. Whether underground, on the streets, or in the air, the action is non-stop. There is some humor in this one, as there always is, and some of it was very funny, but at the same time, the shenanigans were limited. It was a good mix and the timing was just right. This is the best Bond film I have seen in a number of years, and I certainly urge you to see it.

EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog

 

 

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