Noël Actually

Greetings, salutations, and a seasonal welcome to all you movie aficionados. Here are my considerations and recommendation for A Reservation For Christmas.

Story: 1.25/2 - Direction and Pace: 2.50/4 - Performances: 1.25/2 - Enjoyment: 1.25/2

Total 6.25/10

Though A Reservation for Christmas has a predictable storyline, the character construction and direction keep you watching. I was surprised to find myself blissfully entertained from the opening credits to its foreseeable climax. The writers throw in every typical Christmas twist and plot you can imagine - and every one of these could have had a bleak conclusion, but, being Chrimbo, all enjoy a happy ending - no surprise there. But the combination of pleasant, engaging, and stimulating characters handed out to skilled performers worked well to keep me from disengaging, and before I knew it, the hour and a half had passed, and the film was over. Another element which helped maintain my attention was the constant, though subtle, heart-warming mood both the story and the movie exuded. The picture possesses the feeling of being wrapped up in a duvet - you're warm, comfortable, and content.

It's always a pleasure to watch Melissa Joan Hart, though this movie isn't as good as A Very Nutty Christmas - which I adore. You can rely on Hart's acting skills to entertain, and they have a surprising secondary effect of instantly soothing you. I was also pleased to see Michael Gross, who I liked in Family Ties and loved in Tremors. He's another thespian you know will always do a great job. And here's a coincidence of Christmas: I saw an article on Christina Applegate that got me reminiscing over the awesome Married With Children, and I wondered what the cast was doing now. Then Ted McGinley (Jefferson D'Arcy in MWC) appears on screen a few days later in this picture as ex-professional skier Duffy "Silver-Boy" Johnson. And, though I knew these actors and actresses, and they did superbly well with their portrayals, it was a newbie that I found I enjoyed the most: Moonie Fishburn (gotta love that name) as Grandmother and "Woman of the World" Dadi Patel. Fishburn nails the character and gives her warmth while being highly disagreeable. By the end of the film, you may wish you had a granny like her.

Though the story has many commonalities with similar Christmas Films, and I would've personally enjoyed some unhappy and more realistic endings to the sub-stories, it's still worthy of your time this Joyful Season of Goodwill. Get yourself a nice warm drink - preferably a hot chocolate with marshmallows, or a cinnamon latte with a sprinkling of ginger and chocolate, at the very least - sit back, relax, and enjoy.

Please check out my HO! HO! HO! Christmas Belles list to see where I ranked the movie.

Take Care, Stay Well, And Best Wishes For A Merry Christmas.

I must have a hundred or so hallmark, lifetime etc. Romance films on my drive but the leaden, stilted performances of the leads here and the sledgehammer multi race/culture/everything ism killed it for me in the scene setting. I'd like to throw the diversity and musical directors in a pit and leave them there.

If you watch a Lifetime or Hallmark Christmas movie and expect Oscar winning performances, your expectations are too high. I love cheesy Christmas movies. Love them. This is a cute movie! It's not slow like some can be and the stories, while they may be somewhat predictable, are cute. The supporting cast is good, in my opinion, too. I liked this movie.

This movie is pretty much just a conglomeration of a bunch of characters in a ski lodge that has seen better days. The movie follows these 11 characters. Some kindle a romance. The two kids run around doing harmless hijinks while trying to convince dad they need a dog. That's pretty much it for the story. Basically no plot. No highs, no lows, no surprises, and no tension. (OK Dadi gives us a little surprise, but no major impact.)

MJH and Ricardo Chavira, as Keven, have a modest chemistry, but not much spark. The two college kids have a sweet and shy relationship. There's other romances also. Basically, things were spread to thin. It was hard to get invested in any of them.

There was some mildly funny things, but nothing great.

Basically this is a totally mundane movie with some things that might appeal to some.

Not sure why there are complainers! It was much better than the traditional plot line that always has someone eager to spoil the romantic opportunity between the two main characters! This worked out with two adults deciding how to conduct their own lives! We get tired of the miserable mother plot lines!

The characters were all likeable and pleasant. There weren't obscure complications to their lives or personalities!

We enjoyed the Markie Post character in the story. It was sad to realize the health concern that seemed to be her issue in the story line wa S actually a personal concern and that she passed away two years after this film was made! She was a very pleasant strong actress and sorry to realize this was one of her last film rolls.

It was a pleasant Christmas afternoon film to watch as we prepared for Christmas ahead.