Hot Frosty

The Netflix Christmas Universe grows every year. I for one love how they do references to other movies in it. Or to other movies entirely.

You know from the title, this movie isn't one to be taken remotely seriously. There are some familiar faces. It's cheesy. It's corny. It's predictable. It's over the top at times. But nonetheless, it's lighthearted and fun. It's sweet and fluffy, like Christmas cotton candy. While no one will win on Oscar for it, the acting is decent, while the cast chemistry is great. I needed something no heavy to watch, and this fit the bill nicely. I've never been a big fan of snowmen, but this one grew on me. He wasn't hard on the eyes, either!

Who the hell came up with this and can I have whatever they were on? Seriously, how does someone even think of making a movie about a snowman coming to life? It's utterly ridiculous, but honestly... it wasn't half bad.

There are some glaring plot holes (besides the obvious "snowman coming to life" thing). For example, the fact that a school hired a random guy with no background check. Also, the fact that everyone in the town seems to think the snowman guy is insanely hot. I don't want to critique anyone's appearance, but the way they're talking about him... it's like, he's the hottest guy in the world. They should've gotten someone who fit that description or toned down the comments. But if you can suspend your disbelief, it's kind of fun.

The plot is pretty predictable, and the story is nothing new (pretty typical "fish out of water who doesn't know how to function in the real world" stuff). Since I happen to enjoy those kind of stories, I didn't mind it. If you want some silly, stupid fun, you might like this.

I'd say my favorite part, though, was the cops. If you're a Brooklyn 99 fan, you'll like that we essentially see Doug Judy and Charles Boyle team up.

Lacey Chabert has become the queen of Rom Coms and Hot Frosty is another jewel in her crown. This movie is a fun and light Christmas treat - like a nice glass of eggnog and a gingerbread cookie with a side order of six-pack abs - and Dustin Milligan does an excellent job as a snowman who comes to life, full of innocence and wonder.

The premise is a bit fantastical but what makes it all work is how the film treats this miracle, with pretty much the whole town easily accepting that a snowman could come to life. It's quite sweet. The script is also light on holiday tropes - unlike some Christmas movies that treat them like check lists - and this outing has more heart than expected, of course, the most believable aspect of this movie is how fast someone could fall in love with Lacey Chabert.

In conclusion, Hot Frosty has a cozy, fun, and slightly absurd holiday magic. It's a warm-hearted, snowy romance for those willing to leave a bit of logic behind and embrace the season's cheer with open arms.

This magical little romcom has something extra - real comedy. It takes a standard Christmas movie formula, down to Lacey Chabert, the queen of Christmas low budget romance movies that are made for television, and levels it up with 1) Dustin Milligan (the hottie from Schitt's Creek, but hopefully soon to be recognized from much more, with his own comedy bonafides) as the romantic interest, and he is several grades above the usual tv movie actor fare. 2) Two of the main characters from massive award winning comedy hit Brooklyn Nine Nine, with "Judy" from that show now the comedic sheriff, who steals every scene, and his deputy "Charles" (who was lead Andy Samberg's trusty sidekick) - both of these actors are comedians well respected in the comedy world and you certainly don't expect to see them pulling their B99 hilarity in a film about a real life snowman! 3) The rest of the cast is charming, as well, and here they're given a bit better material (script/dialog) to work with than in the standard formulaic Xmas movie scripts (which, to be fair, are entertaining for the rate and speed in which Hallmark is pumping them out). So this improved script also helps raise Frosty to lofty heights, with this film up in the clouds looking down on Christmas films of yore.

It's surprising that Netflix would even go near this genre, since Hallmark loyalists are truly loyal, and their shtick is beloved. But I suspect that everyone who loves Christmas films will appreciate this one just a bit more than the others. Very sweet - do more of this, Netflix, and it wouldn't kill you to make a Hanukkah one!

A subtle satire of the Hallmark Christmas movies that is in on the joke, but walks the line so finely that it ironically is a solid version of the feel-good, festive films it is satirizing. While the tongue in cheek aspect might be confusing or even off-putting to the target audience, its unique tone helps distinguish it from the heaps of Christmas movies on streaming services.

Dustin Milligan plays a decent himbo made of snow, while Lacey Chabert delivers one of her signature flat performances in straight-to-streaming Christmas films. It's ultimately the comedic performances of Craig Robinson, Joe Lo Truglio and Katy Mixon Greer that elevate the film.