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Hallmark Channel,

Kristin Davis, Eric McCormack, Shirley MacLaine, Daniel Bacon, Lossen Chambers, Keith Dallas, Vincent Gale, Glen Gordon, Lauren Guci, Dakota Guppy, Emily Holmes, Kate Isaac, Alexander Jando, Karen Kruper, Merren McMahon

Eve (Kristin Davis) is a workaholic. She neglects her family and abuses her subordinates making them work on the holidays, and never taking time off for herself. She’s got her sights set on becoming a Partner at all costs. But a sudden accident and she finds out she is in heaven and an angel in training as her boss, Pearl (Shirley MacLaine) sets her on her first trial assignment. She is sent back to Earth to help Max (Eric McCormack) a lonely single Dad and his little niece who he is caring for, but who may be taken away from him due to his inability to care for her properly. But as she spends time with the little family, she finds herself falling in love with him which is highly forbidden.

This movie teaches us that there are more than one kind of angel, and Eve is a Christmas Angel. That means she has to work her magic before Christmas Eve. This is a Hallmark Hall of Fame production premier for the 2016 season. Kristin Davis is very good in this little film. She’s very likeable and moves from Scrooge-like evil to a really sweet person in a short time, and she’s believable on both sides of the coin. Eric McCormack is also very good in his sad sack role, a musician who has lost his nerve. This is a step above most of the other new films due to the excellent job from the cast who bring a lot to the story. Another good film from the Hallmark folks that are killing this year.

Here is the Hallmark page for this film.

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Talmarc Productions,

David Carradine, Wes Studi, Michael Parks, Tim Abell, Sarah Aldrich, Irene Bedard, Mark Rolston, Darian Weiss, Masam Holden, Buck Taylor, Tracy Nelson, Rance Howard, Francine York, Brian Libby

Ike (David Carradine) is a highly prejudiced mean old rancher who has a huge chip on his shoulder because with a hatred for all Indians because of a personal loss that he was never able to get over. Meanwhile an Indian family lives in a little house on a homestead property that used to be owned by Ike. He sets his men to drive them off his land. Meanwhile, his daughter is married to an ex-preacher who was never accepted by Ike who despises him and his family. Times are hard for everyone, and yet when a couple tragedies happen, and all are faced with really tough decisions, they must figure out how to work together for the common good. This Western Christmas themed movie is a good family style Western like used to exist in the old days.

This film has a wonderful cast. Right down the line, they are all really good actors. David Carradine is excellent in this Scrooge-like role, and he plays well with Wes Studi who is wonderful as the Native American chief and grandfather of the family. The values and morals of the 1880’s is awe inspiring, and it’s a good movie. For some, it gets resolved pretty quickly, but it has to fit into a 2 hour TV time spot minus commercials, so they did seem to hurry up the ending a little, but still it was very well done and quite well acted. The Chrismas connection is rather week, and it’s another one that stuck a “Christmas” in the title to hopefully pull some more viewers in, but Hallmark did pick up this 2005 film for release in 2006. This is a film with a good message and well worth watching. The violent parts might be a little too intense for younger kids, but I’m sure anyone over about 10 could handle this, and it’s available for streaming on NetFlix so it’s easy to find. If you miss the good westerns of the past, this is a pretty good one.

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Kaufman/Plager Productions,

Alicia Witt, Gabriel Hogan, Peter Benson, Lina Renna, Christian Convery, Gelsea Mae, Chance Hurstfield, Trinity King

Isobel Gray (Witt) decides that spending the holidays in Hawaii like they had planned is not going to cut it. She was raised by a Mom who insisted on fake trees, tasteful decorations, and on a whim, Isobel Googles “Perfect Christmas Town” and finds a town in the Northwest that is a perfect place for her and her boyfriend to spend Christmas. But he is really busy with work and unable to go with her, but he’s planning on showing up on Christmas Eve. So she composes a Christmas Bucket List of things that she has always wanted to do for the holidays and sets to crossing the items off one by one. But finding it hard to be merry on her own, and not knowing a lot about the place, her encounter with a new guy sets off a forbidden romance, no matter how hard she resists. When her boyfriend shows up, she’s gonna have a lot of explaining to do.

This is another perfect setting for a Holiday Hallmark Premier for 2016 and Alicia Witt is one of my favorite Christmas movie actresses. She is such a goodhearted person who plays the naive wide eyed innocence girl so well. This is a fun and light holiday romance that is a step above most of them. Though other premiers are making more waves this year, this was a really nice little film that makes you realize that the holidays are not a destination, but a feeling in your heart. There is more to enjoying the season than making lists and checking them twice. Leave that for the Big Red Guy. No magical wishes or mysterious characters here, just a really sweet holiday romance that will leave you with a really good feeling.

Here is the Hallmark Channel web page for Christmas List.

MarVista Entertainment, Brain Power Studio

Cindy Busby, Greyston Holt, Christopher Russell

Noelle (Cindy Busby) is a writer who has always wanted a puppy. Upon the urging of her friend, she decides to give her “allergic” future fiance a puppy named Buster. But things don’t go well and she finds herself with an ex-boyfriend, without an apartment or place to live, and failing drastically at her job as a writer. One of her co-workers invites her to come to his grandfather’s Christmas tree farm, to help her out. His fiance is arriving in a few days, and he’s planned an incredible week to show her the wonderful place he spent his childhood, and the wonderful sights of winter in the the country. But his fiance doesn’t show up, and he’s having a wonderful time showing Noelle around. But when Noelle’s finance has a change of heart and arrives to change his mind and propose, she has a lot to think about.

This UP TV Christmas 2016 premier film is a fun adventure with lots of fun and colorful characters. Yes, it’s a romance, naturally, but it also has a lot of interesting characters and quite a few fun times. The puppy is a little brat, but it really cute I guess. What can you say about an adorable little puppy. Things happen quickly as this film wraps up, but it has a lot of heart. This is one of the better UP movies I’ve seen this year, and is well worth the time watching it. I enjoyed it, and there have been a lot of dog Christmas movies that weren’t very good, so it’s nice that this one, though predictable of course, is a nice little film.

Here is the UPTV.COM page for this movie.

Crown Media Productions,

Taylor Cole, Michael Rady, Jeff Branson, Judd Lormand, Katrina Norman, Brooklyn Rae Silzer

One of the worlds top Movie Stars, Jessica McEllis (Taylor Cole) is traveling to the town of Homestead, Iowa, a town that is known for loving Christmas to film a Holiday Movie. Ian (Michael Rady) and his sister own the lodge where the stars are staying, and Ian is the mayor of the town. Though the townspeople are excited for the stars to come to town, Ian is concerned that the hubbub of all the stars in town will ruin their traditional Christmas. Did I mention that Ian is a single Dad, and Jessica is shockingly surprised to find out that the whole Christmas thing is not so bad after all. Though they start out butting heads pretty hard, you know it won’t be too long before sparks begin to fly!

This Hallmark Hall of Fame 2016 premier movie is on Hallmark all month. This is a pretty good film. There are about 3 stories going on, and it’s a lot of romance and Christmas spirit. Everyone finds a Happy Christmas after all. The little girl (Brooklyn Rae Silzer) is really fantastic. She was the cement that pulled this whole story together. A lot of it was a bit contrived, but what Christmas story isn’t crimped to fit inside a Christmas box? The movie turns and the happy ending comes in the very last few minutes, and at that point it’s hard to tell what is real, and what is part of the movie within the movie. Well done, Hallmark, and a very nice little holiday romance.

Here is the Hallmark page for this 2016 premier film.

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