Un Noël en Ecosse

American movie makers are getting better at Brit flicks! Ironically the most stereotypical character is the over-the-top camp New Yorker, but fortunately he's not in it much, and even he gets some of the many amusing lines to make him slightly less run-of-the-mill. There's a good mix of characters, with three generations providing a range of plots. Many of the set-ups have the usually predictable endings, but plenty occurs to keep watching for as everything eventually resolves. I like a bit of sadness to add depth even in a Christmas movie, but there is a lot of bereavement and divorce here to deal with, which of course the characters do. This could be a series of films, exploring different elements of Scottish history.

This was an enjoyable watch for a run of the mill Xmas movie set in the Highlands of Scotland (Fort William and Lochaber). The story was easy to follow and entirely predictable with almost no elements of surprise, with pleasant enough characters acting entirely within stereotypes.

The most enjoyable part of the film was spotting the Scottish cliches abundantly thrown around, from dancing in the snow with a piper in the background to the bonnie wee Scots girl with ginger hair as a secondary love interest (albeit more believable than the main relationship).

Scenery, as ever in this area, was stunning and there were plenty of shots of local landmarks to whet the appetite for more.

Saving Christmas Spirit (2022) -

This was by far the best pond crossing film that I've seen from this genre of Made For TV Christmas Films. I have watched some absolute doozies lately and so I was thankful to see how well this one was put together and that I found an interest in their relationship which had been lacking from many of the films that I have seen from 'Hallmark', 'Lifetime', Etc lately.

In a strange way, because of the archeological element, it did have a slight suggestion of 'Outlander' (2014-) about it, which, if it was deliberate, was a clever move on the producers part.

I also liked the fact that the other stories, running alongside the central romance, didn't interfere, but actually helped the main story along. Nothing detracted from the blossoming connection and a touch of magic will always help. It wasn't over the top or too hard to believe, but cute and an appropriate addition to the story.

There were a couple of dodgy performers involved, but the story was a slight tweak on those that I've seen before and in the proper direction, so that it balanced out against the rougher elements.

I will definitely be checking in to watch this one again.

7.06/10.

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

Story: 1.25/2 - Direction and Pace: 2.50/4 - Performances: 1.50/2 - Enjoyment: 1.25/2

Total 6.50/10

There are few places on this planet where you would think that magic and faerie folk could exist. One such place is the extraordinarily beauteous mountains of the Scottish Highlands, which I was lucky enough to visit this year, so Saving Christmas Spirit was like a memory of good times. Luckily, the director captures the peaks and the Scottish countryside superbly, imbuing the movie with a subtle, heartwarming atmosphere. The writer gives the audience plenty of stuffing as there's not only one love story in this movie but three. One of which involves a meddlesome ghost. There's also the equality story of the girls' rugby team the local school is reluctant to fund, an ongoing feud between two local families and their land rights, and a race to get the funding to release the dram of the moment "Christmas Spirit" and save the local distillery. Add into this mix your typical stereotyped characters, with your more robust "real-life" individuals, and the motherly, yet slightly extravagant, hotel owner, and you have a delightful way to waste an hour and a half with your beloved. The cast is excellent. Though, Ashley Newbrough, who portrays Dr Lucy Stewart, is sometimes a little staid - not exactly wooden, but close.

I have to give you a little warning, though. The movie's beginning isn't great, and it may tempt you to hit the off button. Please stay with it. Once the good doctor leaves America and lands in Scotland, the story and performances get considerably better. Saving Christmas Spirit was a pleasure to watch, and I'd recommend it to Christmas Movie fans and newbies. Should C5 choose to repeat the picture in the future, I'll give it another viewing.

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.

Like everything else in our currently upside-down society, the best way to review an X-mas film these days is by observing what it is NOT. Saving Christmas Spirit is, first and foremost, not a product of the Great Canadian X-Mas Movie Machine, an sub-industry in Canada which each year strives to produce as many generic X-mas movie knockoffs as humanly possible. It also is not an X-Mas movie that believes in bowling over the viewer with bright colors, bright lights, and glitzy surroundings, all with the intent to substitute looks for quality. Rather, this is a nice, lazy, easygoing, and quite comfortable romp with appealing characters and a story that holds the attention. Ashley Newbrough is the "glue" that keeps the whole thing working. She has a very distinctive way of delivering dialog, almost as if she is talking directly to the audience. And all those Scottish accents ... who can resist? Brings to mind the iconic SNL skit with the punchline "IF IT's NOOO SKOTTISH.... IT'S KKRRRAPPP!" 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))