One of the worst movies that I watched in 2023 was Scott Hillman's brand new 'Baby cat,' a flummoxing piece of ultra low-grade schlock with almost no redeeming qualities. One of those redeeming qualities was actor Socks Whitmore, who not only had one of the best lines in the film, but who was one of two participants who gave the impression of actually being able to act. Recognizing all too well that I was probably asking for trouble, it seemed only fair that I should give Hillman another try elsewhere, and moreover that I should see what else I could find from Whitmore. Low and behold, two years ago the two had paired up for this holiday feature, and it seemed apparent to me that I had found my next challenge in 'The magical Christmas tree.' Thankfully, the word "challenge" maybe carries too heavy a connotation; I'm not saying that this is a great work that demands viewership, but to my pleasant surprise, this is charming, funny, and enjoyable. I don't know what happened to Hillman that he subsequently churned out 'Baby cat,' but two years ago he demonstrated wit and intelligence that makes this a pretty good time!
Make no mistake, the title is very low-budget, with decidedly bare-faced production values; the artificiality could scarcely be more plain. The audio is a tad imbalanced, Hillman's direction seems marginally stilted and undeveloped at times, and some instances of acting come off better than others. At still other points there are facets of the production (like some transitions in Michael Tang's editing, some inserted imagery, or the music) that seem oddly and ill-fittingly slick in light of how pointedly unsophisticated so much else comes off. I would also suggest that in some capacity the writing is a smidgen unfocused, and I think the story and the screenplay at large could have been tightened some. Yet while these are shortcomings that impact the whole, or at least issues that may place upper limits on one's enjoyment, they're not so severe as to specifically detract from the viewing experience. Meanwhile, warts and all, there's some meaningful cleverness in what Hillman penned, and this actually is fun on some level (even if mileage will vary greatly from one viewer to the next.)
It speaks well of Hillman that his cast and his characters are gratifyingly diverse. Moreover, the script toys with contemporary terminology and notions of basic decency and courtesy - ideas that make the worst of people apoplectic with rage, like respecting pronouns or minority religious beliefs, or the existence of both gender and sexuality on a limitless spectrum. Yet rather than mock such concepts, Hillman touches upon them with earnest care, good cheer, and cheek. Even setting these matters aside, the scene writing is filled with delightful situational humor, gags, and repartee in the dialogue; protagonist Pace is written with wonderfully wry but good-natured sensibilities, the dynamics between Pace and Buddy are built purely for fun and are a notable strength, and the supporting characters are both silly and lighthearted. While I'm certain this isn't the prime opportunity that would allow Whitmore to fully illustrate their acting skills, nevertheless they're a joy in these sixty minutes with their high-spirited portrayal of Pace, and I do hope to see more of them in the future. (The supporting cast makes less of an impression, but from one to the next all are appreciable.) Through it all Hillman's story dallies with thoughts from established classics, and common tropes of holiday flicks, yet employs them to create something original and entertaining, with just the right mixture of ridiculousness to adjoin the more sincere notes.
Granted, 'The magical Christmas tree' remains troubled. It's one matter to speak to limitations that some cast members show, limitations that Hillman shows in his direction, or functions of the lo-fi quality of the project and/or those elements that are, awkwardly, more refined. The more that the picture throws in scattered shots or footage that were obviously captured with far better equipment - the modern variant of stock footage - the more grating the usage and discrepancy become. I also think that the writing would have benefited were it more concretely centered on Pace, and on Pace and Buddy; it's not that the ancillary aspects are bad, but in some measure they seem to be represented too much in the finished product, taking away from the core narrative thread. And even that core narrative thread raises my ire to an extent; I take no issue with the fundamental idea, but given the minute span of time over which the story takes place, the arc of Pace and Buddy seems unbelievable in its accelerated progression. Whatever constraints Hillman was operating within, this factor, in the very least, needed to be addressed more carefully for it to flourish.
All told the movie is a far cry from something that necessitates our spectating, or which would ever be called a classic. It is a good time, happily, but is dogged with faults that restrict the possibilities of what it might achieve, and in all fairness I can't begrudge those who would engage honestly and judge it more harshly. Yet no matter how critical one wishes to be, I really do not believe this to in any form be a bad film - I see the skill, intelligence, and hard work that did go into it, and these traits and the minor joy it offers handily outweigh any perceived weaknesses. Far be it from me to repeat myself, but to emphasize the point I would again refer you to Hillman's own unrelated follow-up, 2023's 'Baby cat,' which is a tawdry, perplexing mess all around: there is no need to draw comparisons, for 'The magical Christmas tree' stands sturdily on its own merits, but side-by-side contrast glaringly accentuates that even at its most ill-considered, this holiday flick ranges from average to above average. Any recommendation I would provide here is a very soft one, yet there's enough value in it such that if you're looking for something pleasant and uninvolved, if imperfect, then it's a decent enough way to spend your time on a lazy day.
