Ed's Review Dot Com

Marvista Entertainment,

Corey Sevier, Briana Evigan, Travis Van Winkle, Brooke Burns

Cassie (Briana Evigan) is a small town girl who is struggling to get by. No boyfriend and no options, she spends her time building her Christmas cupcake business which is very popular with the townsfolk. When Alex Gray walks in to her shop and falls in love with the cupcakes. Alex is a very famous movie star, but Cassie has no idea who he is. Then trouble starts as Cassie and Alex really fall for each other, but the pressures of fame and fortune create havoc with their relationship.

This movie is a 2012 premier movie on ION TV. It’s a romantic comedy, but not really a very good one. It’s exactly the same plot as a million other films. Rich movie start guy, small town girl who falls for him, but a rich costar decides to try to win him back and meddles in the relationship to try to break them up. I have seen this movie all my life, and I know they were making the same movie years before I was born. Briana Evigan is a bubbly cupcake baker. She’s cute, and she’s good at the role. In fact, everyone is cast correctly in this film. But it’s simply so derivative that I have to recommend against this one. It seems ION is getting the weakest of the new films. I suspect young teens will like this movie, and if you haven’t seen a million versions of this same story, go right ahead. I’m sure some people will like this film, but for me, I’ve seen it all before and it was a waste of my time to watch this tired old plot.

Here is the link to the home page for this ION Holiday Movie special.

Hallmark Channel,

Lacey Chabert, Elizabeth Ann Bennett, Nikki Hahn, Florence Henderson, Mary-Margaret Humes, John Ratzenberger

Melanie (Lacey Chabert) is on her way to meet with her fiance on a business holiday over the holidays but she’s having a hard time getting there. A man who is playing Santa mysteriously strands her in a small town with a co-worker, and plans go awry time after time with a little help from magic, perhaps? Meanwhile, the fiance is waiting for her, but unable to leave to get her, and also stranded at his house under mysterious circumstances. As time passes, Melanie has a chance to think hard about her future, and her plans, and this all may be more about a childhood Christmas wish that was never granted until now, than it is about getting to where she thinks she’s headed.

I gotta say, this was a pretty cute Hallmark romantic comedy Christmas film with lots of beautiful scenery, spectacular small town Christmas magic, and a lot of heart. It’s funny in many spots, romantic in others, and all in all a classic Hallmark holiday film. This is what Christmas movies on TV are all about. Pop some popcorn, make some hot chocolate, start a fire, and cuddle up with your Snuggie and watch this movie. It’s a brand new 2012 Christmas gift from Hallmark. There’s no doubt they can turn out the best romantic comedy holiday movies year after year. This one even has the added plus of featuring John Ratzenberger and Florence Henderson

Here is the link to the home page with all the details on this film.

Lifetime,

Rachel Boston, Jonathan Bennett, Marilu Henner

Georgia (Rachel Boston) is 28, and home for the holidays. Mom (Marilu Henner) presents her with an invitation to her high school reunion. Georgia was leader of the glee club, voted most likely to succeed, and there’s no way she’s going to the reunion. She’s embarrassed that she has not made anything of her life. But when a couple friends show up and challenge her, she decides to go with a million lies about who she is to try to win back the boy of her dreams that got away in high school, all the while not realizing that there’s someone nearby who loves her a lot.

This holiday film is all about the party and the relationships between the mean girls that want to crush her, the crush she has on a guy who doesn’t seem to know she’s alive, and the guy who’s always loved her. It’s a cute little Christmas holiday romantic comedy. It’s designed for those of us who have gone on, but who still want to feel like we’re in high school again. It seems that inside each of us is an inner high school student, no matter how old we really are. Somehow, inside, we stop sometime around 18 and just stick there. These kids definitely don’t act like they’ve grown up. But that’s the fun of it I guess, and those of you (you know who you are) who love sappy romantic comedies are going to love this. But be forewarned. It certainly is sappy. It’s most for 18 year old girls and those who have the 18 year old girl trapped inside and want to live that again. If that’s you, you’ll love it.

[Here’s the link to the web site for this movie]

Daniel L. Paulson Productions, Pitchblack Pictures,

Callum Seagram Airlie, Ben Cotton, Antonio Cupo, Autumn Resser

As Thanksgiving approaches, Chicago prepares for it’s annual Thanksgiving Day Parade, and Emily Jones (Autumn Reeser) is the coordinator and trying to make a spectacular parade. Henry Williams (Antonio Cupo) arrives as a financial consultant to review the financial aspects of the parade, and Emily is shocked to find out he thinks its not a profitable endeavor and should be scrapped. Emily is engaged, but things are not going well, and through her struggles to convince him that the parade is worth more than simply dollars and sense, she finds somehow she is falling for him.

This is a brand new holiday film for this year that is a romantic comedy and nothing much else. It’s a good romantic comedy and it delivers as well as any. There isn’t anything else going on, so this is definitely a chick flick, nothing more, nothing less. It’s a fine new Hallmark addition to the holiday lineup, but will have a narrow audience. This is not a classics holiday film, but is definitely going to have it’s fans. If you’re looking for a love story, then this is a good one.

Dorsten,

Maria Thayer, Sam Page, Vivica A. Fox

Santa Claus’ daughter, Annie (Maria Thayer) heads to Los Angeles to find her future. She starts working at a little toy shop, but meets a fantastic guy who tells her he’s a lawyer who volunteers part time at an orphanage. She falls for him, but seems oblivious to the fact that the owner of the toy store where she works is very attracted to her but not able to show it. Annie has to decide whether to stay in L.A. and get married, or return to the North Pole to work in the family business.

This very light romantic comedy is not the first one to offer us a young Claus who is looking for the path for the rest of her life. It has been done before. But, just the same, Maria Thayer is very charming in a young Doris Day sort of way, and it’s a really cute Christmas film. It’s very well done. So, yes, it’s not really an original idea, but it was so well done, I didn’t mind that the idea is not new. It’s lighthearted and fun, and was a pleasure to watch.

EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog