Holiday Harmony

For months I had been wary with HBO max as they continued to put discovery channel trash into my feed. I'm there for quality films of all kinds and budgets, from art house to comic book to holiday rom com. And this one was up to snuff as far as HBO Max goes. Why? It's a cut above. Higher quality writing, acting, singing, etc. HBO always brings quality to the table and this movie was such a breath of fresh air. Script is a taught, well-written romp through a young singer's troubles. Acting is great, way better than typical for this genre, and the singing is off the charts. I had been worried about HBO but it looks like they are back on track. More of this A+ quality please!!

Years back, there was an A-list performer who actually put on his resume (which only casting directors got to see) that he was "the hardest working actor in Hollywood." Watching Holiday Harmony, I felt that, in a genre crammed full of low-budget wannabees cashing in on the season, here finally was an X-Mas movie with somewhat higher ambitions. Slickly produced, and great cinematography. The script by Lauren Swickard -- who somehow managed to also cast herself in a minor role? -- combines three well-worn movie themes (Christmas, music, and the lure of small town life) into a very workable film that holds the attention. Interesting appearance by Brooke Shields who is now at the stage of her career where she plays a cranky small town mother. Annelise Cepero in the lead role is charismatic and knows how to carry a tune. Recommended. ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))

Great holiday fun and some awesome tunes too! I was expecting a typical two dimensional holiday rom com but this is a lot more fun. The singer is amazing and if that's really her singing, she's got a great future. The kids were a lot of fun and Brooke shields was great. So nice seeing a Hollywood beauty who isn't plasticized to within an inch of her life. She looks great and brought a lot of fun to the movie. Great dialogue and acting. Yeah it's low budget but this one makes up for it with talent and story, and of course song. Lots of fun songs. Not sure if that actress is really the singer but if she is she could be huge!

I've been a fan of Lauren Swickard since she was Lorynn York back when she was an actress in lifetime movies and now she's making them! And making them great! Way to go Lauren. Her script is great, and the actors are incredible. Annelise Cepero is an amazing singer and I can't wait till she has more music out. Brooke Sheilds was great as always, love love seeing her. So funny seeing the mega glam icon like Brooke playing country characters hahaha. But she does it with class. And finally those darned kids! Their cuteness is rivaled only by their talent. Whoever cast those kids, nice job. Overall this is a well above average Holiday rom com. Even if you're not into this type of movie, check it out, the music is awesome!

You should give this holiday rom-com a look. I wasn't expecting much, and had already seen about 6 of these on netflix already, so I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this and how much fun it was. One reason this one stands out is the music. Analeesa Ciprano is amazing and can really carry a tune. If that's really her singing watch out, sky's the limit with that one. Aside from the fun musical asides the movie is just cute and really enjoyable. Brooke Sheilds looks amazing and is still delivering great performances. The rest of the case fits perfectly in the movie. This isn't a superhero movie or james bond but it's a really fun, cute holiday flick with great writing and songs the entire family can really enjoy.