Christmas Island

Being not so indifferent about Andrew W. Walker, difficult to be too critic about this film.

Indeed, unrealism in huge doses, silly scenes and pretty nice education for a rebelious teenager, technology and a suffocated sappy final.

But my problems are basic two: the fate of co-pilot who is absent in the days of forced life in Christmas Island and the missing romance, natural, with huge potential, between Cali and Shane.

Sure, no expectations from a Hallmark Christmas romance but few questions are not so bad ( the other being the presumed controll of MacLeod family about town ).

But, sure, pretty nice . Like so many other Hallmark movies.

Truly a heart-warming story well worth an attentive watch. The message here from the citizens of Christmas Island is how gratifying it is to share of one's self with others - what most of us who celebrate the spirit of Christmas wish to experience. There's no cliches, "wow" moments, or fluff in this story. My only knock was the story was a little slow to unfold. Once it did, you witness the Sharpe couple realize their financial success has come at a price of sacrificing their other talents, and their teenage daughter learns that she could accomplish wonders "offline", and become more empathetic to her little brother by reading a letter to Santa. Andrew Walker, one of Hallmark's finest, enhances this cast, and he, along with his fellow citizens, lead the visitors, Kate (the pilot) and the Sharpe's to rediscover joy and romance.

I liked this movie. The backdrop of Nova Scotia was beautiful. The story line was not the usual, but a little far fetched.

But, I kept thinking of the co-pilot. The family and pilot got to stay in the mayor's house for days because there was no room at the inn while the co-pilot bunkered down in the plane at the airport? What about heat and food?

They did a good job of showing the sites of the area. And the food. Mmmn lobster. Travel Nova Scotia will probably get an uptick. I hate these foul up in Hallmark movies. Like the ones where someone travels with one little suitcase, but manages to have dozens of change of wardrobe.

I'm always on board for an Andrew Walker holiday romcom (My Christmas Family Tree) and this one doesn't disappoint. Kate (Rachel Skarsten) is a pilot who's just been given a shot at her dream job, piloting a wealthy family to Switzerland. Poor weather requires them to make an unexpected stop at a Nova Scotia town called Christmas Island, where air traffic controller Oliver (Walker) and his father, sister and nephew reside. It is here that we find out more about what everyone's deal is.

What I enjoyed most was that it wasn't strictly the usual plot line of will they or won't they. Sure, there was that, but the secondary storylines of the wealthy couple (Jefferson Brown and Kate Drummond), their two children and Oliver's family were just as interesting, to me. It was great seeing Good Witch's Peter MacNeil and Virgin River's Lauren Hammersley in supporting roles. This movie was a really good ensemble effort, which I think Hallmark does well and should do more often. The storylines were interesting and the cast was very good. Highly recommended.

No matter who is co-star is - and there have been some very good ones - Andrew Walker is such a surefire bet for Hallmark. Has he ever made a bad movie for them? I don't think so. He is great here with Rachel Skarsten.

Christmas Island tells the story of a VIP jet pilot (Skarsten's Captain Kate Gabriel) and the family she is flying to Europe for Christmas ending up getting waylaid at Christmas Island in Nova Scotia. Enter Walker's Oliver, playing the town's air traffic controller.

It turns out that Christmas Island is like your standard small town that you know well from multiple Hallmark movies, so all the old tropes are there...just on an island. Still, Walker's performance makes the cliches seem less cliched.

Aside from the inevitable romance between Kate and Oliver - their chemistry is good, so that's a box ticked - there is a good message in this movie about time spent with family during the holidays.