Everything Christmas

The characters took us on an arduous trip to a few Christmas towns where the ultimate payoff was for Cindy Busby to place her dead grandmother's ornament on the town Christmas tree - and the tree looked like it was decorated with toilet paper. Because who doesn't want to take a beloved ornament and leave it behind in a town you'll never see again. Santa did the usual annoying habit of inserting ho-ho-ho's into every sentence he spoke. The friend's new boyfriend sometimes appeared as though he could not hide his disdain that he was actually trapped in this movie and physically he was too small to fit the friend's stature. There were too many demands of the viewer to use willing suspension of disbelief to get through most of the scenes. None of the characters were charming or engaging or delightful enough to keep the viewer interested. Feel free to skip this one - you won't miss anything.

The basic virtue - it is a fairy tale. The significant error - the try to define the identity of Santa.

A film with serious virtues , from portraits of small comunities to the miracles , accidents, gifts and their meaning, the purpose of travel of young woman and pills of lessons about life. All- more than seductive and it is just a good point the try of Hallmark to propose something different - in some measure than you expect.

Sure, unrealism and large spoons of magic. But each of them works more than well in this mix and, not ignoring the virtues of performances, the story suggest a nice air of nostalgia, like each fairy tale, and this is the best thing, in fact.

I watched this movie the other day, and I have to admit I was not impressed.

Part of the problem may be that we watch so many of them, there is a natural tendency to compare them to others. If they were just stand alone movies, we might like them fine.

Part of the problem may be that it was a Cindy Busby movie. She's never been one of my favorites.

But I think the biggest problem for me was reducing Cory Sevier, so brilliant as the grinchy stroke victim in Noel Next Door, into a guy who just grins and says "Me too!" about 40 times.

The story about a road trip where two girls keep running into the same two guys and maybe Santa Claus was a little flimsy to say the least. Supporting cast was so-so, although the Santa and the pastor were good.

Others may enjoy this, I'm sure I'll get thumbs down, but for me it's a pass.

Cindy Busby's character was so over the top that I didn't know how she functioned. Like she wasn't believable as an actual person. I know she's not usually most viewers cup of tea, but I've always liked her. I didn't like her in this. She couldn't pull off this type of character. She works better as a downbeat character with a touch surliness. Other annoyances: Her disruptive singing while at work and then encouraging her friend to quit her job just because she had was awful.

I also found the movie so boring. The only thing that made it bearable was Katherine Barrell who will always be Officer Nicole Haught to me.

Everything Christmas was a real mixed bag for me. I thought it started out quite well with the over the top Christmas loving Busby and her level-headed friend played by Katherine Barrell on a buddy road trip to the town of Yuletide Springs. They break down and shortly after are helped by a man who resembles Santa in body and spirit. From there are a series of coincidences and almost magical experiences that lead them to believe that he might be the real thing. Oh, and of course there is romance for the both of them.

Unfortunately, after a good start with some legitimate laughs provided mostly by Barrell, it starts becoming more and more bland and predictable. I've pretty much liked Busby but here she comes across almost like a child going on and on about "believing," etc. Etc.

I thought Barrell pretty much stole the show, and George Masswohl provided solid support as the continually appearing Kris. The biggest disappointment was Corey Sevier who was the major love interest but didn't say or do much of anything. He was always just staring googly-eyed at Busby and was basically just a bubble-brain. The other male love interest wasn't a whole lot better.

Kind of a head scratcher and somewhat of a lost opportunity.