Under the Christmas Sky

Wow, I am surprised to look at the overall rating and other reviews for this movie. But it is still early.

Perhaps it is the science nerd in me that peaked my interest. There was a lot of interesting science, and besides that the scientist, Kat, brings out a lot of the mythology around Christmas.

I also like the fact that we weren't "saving" anyone's job or business. And the mutual project worked on by the leads was not a Christmas pageant or festival, although I suppose you could say it almost was.

The constant banter between Kat and her brother gave it some spice especially in the dialog. These actors had more chemistry than Kennedy and Paevey. His David seemed a little too stiff, but Kat and David's relationship was still enjoyable. Andy and Celeste provide a second romance.

A cute kid almost always helps a Christmas story and I thought her handicap gave some depth to the overall story as she connected with Kat. One of the highlights of the movie was when the two of them visited Kat's NASA office.

Minor BTW - I really would have thought that a exhibit such as theirs would have taken advantage of a meet and greet with someone who actually worked on the NASA project, at least for opening night.

I know Hallmark is working hard to be inclusive, which I applaud, but I think they need some better scripts.

This was the story of Kat Butler, an astrophysicist who was in a car accident that left her with a blind spot in one eye that is preventing her from completing her mission to go to the space station for NASA to continue her research on the solar probe. (I was a little confused because there was no real mention of her austronaut training which I think you need to go into space for NASA.) She is sent home for another month of sick leave where she is surrounded by the love and support of her family, which includes her sweet and competitive...but teasing brother Andy. Kat ends up volunteering at the local planetarium and helps curator David put on a Sun centric Christmas display.

There were two romantic storylines going that of Kat and David and Andy with the planetarium's barista Celeste, but there was just so much going on I think that the romances really took a back seat. David is a divorcee whose daughter is in a wheelchair and is obsessed with space...so, Kat became her hero.

I absolutely loved Kat's very Canadian parents' Christmas decorations in their home! They had trees of all sizes all over their house and I not only loved it, but I aspire to it! In fact that may have been my favorite part of the film...although I do like Ryan Paevey who plays David. I think my favorite character was actually the brother Andy...even though he didn't have his adult life worked out he was very positive by nature. He is lucky that he has his parents home to live in.

I thought the sun Santa caricature really needed some work. But what I did really appreciate in this film (in addition to the parents' indoor Christmas trees) was the pagan traditions around celebrating the sun for winter solstice...and the idea to bring that to their Christmas opening of their sun installation.

So, to recap...I don't think I would recommend this to my fellow romantics as the romance gets lost in this film which has a little too much going on in it for a Hallmark holiday romance.

Kind of sad this is the movie that Ryan Paevey goes out with as apparently he has stepped away from acting.

Can't really put my finger on why I didn't like it more. Someone called the movie clunky and I somewhat agree with that. I feel Hallmark has successfully pulled off multiple storylines in the Sister Swap movies but this with the two romances didn't seem quite as cohesive.

The storyline was okay but definitely very different and not the normal feel good Christmas or Hanukkah movie I'm used to. A bit too secular for my taste.

For the most part the actors were pretty good. The museum director and mom felt a little off but not horribly so. Maybe part of the clunkiness is the early interaction with the museum director. Part of it was the storyline and part of it was the acting. That said, the museum director was fine in the parts for the party for the opening of the display.

As many have pointed out, Andrew Bushell as her brother is great.

I really like Ryan Paevey but don't always feel he's cast in the best movies for his talent or with the best actresses so maybe this is a case of not utilizing his talents with the best script since I felt the chemistry was okay with Jessica Parker Kennedy. I hope she does other Hallmark movies.

What I didn't like about the script was a plot hole. It was sort of like a pothole that kept tripping up the characters. Towards the end of the movie, you know, where Hallmark puts in the drama bit, Ryan's character David is questioning Jessica's character Kat when he overhears her get a job offer in another city.

SCRIPT ISSUES She acts pleased that she's offered the job. Then to David acts surprised and says I think he's going to offer me a job. Duh, he just did! Also, why would she be so surprised when she knows her BF has told the person about her and he came all the way there to see the display and her? David states, VERY NICELY, he thought she was going back to her old job at NSP and she acts confused and frustrated then says, along with a few other remarks, I'm just figuring that out. Then, referring to an earlier kiss, she asks, with an annoyed expression, Is this because of what happened earlier? Then @ the last scene, before the trade Hallmark kiss, She says that she already knew she wasn't going to take the job. Why didn't she just tell him that in the first place instead of acting all confused and frustrated!? Poor script writing definitely made it feel clunky

PS if you like Ryan Paevey and haven't yet seen A TIMELESS CHRISTMAS, I think it's one of his best movies with Hallmark.

I feel like this movie would've been better as the ones that Hallmark usually does during January (Winterfest I think? Can't recall) because it wasn't SUPER Christmassy. Definitely cute, but not super Christmassy. That said, I liked the chemistry between the leads and thought it also could've been even better if they'd written in some downtime for them to spend together. So like, outside of the project they were working on. But it didn't detract from the love story imo and I found their interactions super endearing.

The real charmer was Andy's character. Honestly, I wouldn't mind seeing the actor that played him as a Hallmark lead one day. He's funny, cute and charming! As was the subplot with his romance with the sweet redhead girl.

It was nice getting to see Jess Kennedy in something since she left The Flash. And I'll watch Ryan Paevey in pretty much anything. So, not the best HM I've ever seen, but not too shabby either!

This movie was not a Christmas movie at all. The set may have included some Christmas decorations but it was devoid of any Christmas feel. There were a few winter songs for background music. I barely heard one true Christmas song in the background but unless you are listening for it, you will not notice it. I never felt anything about the characters in the movie. I had expected a typical Hallmark romantic comedy. It did follow the typical formula for Hallmark but the plot was just so shallow. Save your time by NOT watching this movie. Die Hard would have made a better Christmas movie that this piece of tripe.