Christmas Movie Magic

Have been on a roll watching Hallmark/Lifetime etc Christmas films for a few years now. It has been an interesting and worthwhile endeavour, though a very inconsistent one. There was never the mentality of expecting a classic or the film in question to be flawless. Something that was never managed with pretty much all the films seen. There was always the expectation of seeing a film where one can see at least some effort rather than merely cash-in level. The former being obvious in most luckily.

'Christmas Movie Magic' is one of the Christmas films in the former category. 2021 was very hit and miss for Christmas films and for Lifetime, but there were some that were good and more and 'Christmas Movie Magic' is in that category and very much at the top even. It may not start off great agreed, but it was a lot of fun, immensely charming and very affectionate to the musical and old Hollywood eras. The necessary magic is very much here.

As said it doesn't start off great, with an awkwardly written and mechanically acted opening scene in particular that is enough to make one conflicted as to whether to continue watching.

Luckily it turned out that sticking with 'Christmas Movie Magic' was the right decision and well worth it. Despite a shaky and very robotic start, Holly Deveaux is on the whole very winning in her role with the right amount of perkiness and charm. She has very genuine and effortless chemistry with easy going and charismatic in a subtle way Drew Seeley. Both their characters are easy to like and the supporting cast attack their roles with enthusiasm without going over the top.

Production values are pleasing. It's not too drab or garish in photography, the editing didn't seem rushed or disorganised and the scenery has a real charm to it. The music has infectious character and sticks in the head, while not feeling too much, set to spirited choreography. The dialogue has flow and doesn't get too cheesy or too schmaltzy. The homaging and referencing evokes a lot of nostalgia, and the whole film felt like an affectionate love letter to Old Hollywood and musicals. The ending is magical and to me one of Lifetime's most satisfying endings, not just because of its emotion but because it's different and not the pat ending usually gone with.

In summary, really liked it. One of Lifetime's best that year. 8/10.

Once in a while, Lifetime forgoes its mission to indoctrinate the viewers and remembers how to create entertainment. And comes out with a charming production which is original, entertaining, and rich in meaningful motives. New romance is entwined with enduring love and respect for traditions, in a contest of 50ies nostalgia and a pinch of magic. Would I want to see it with a few changes? Sure, like taming the newspaper director, perhaps unnecessarily harsh and villainous, but all quite minimal. The movie is good, as is. And,.... it does bring a little magic to our Christmas.

I really liked this one! I loved that it revolved around a hometown mystery and a 1950/s musical complete Let's with a dance routine at the end. As a fan of old musicals especially "singin in the rain" I loved the homages. As lifetime/hallmark Christmas movies go this was one of my faves so far this year.

I really enjoyed this movie. At last Mar Vista did a decent thing here. That is until the very end.

The climax of the story actually brought a tear to my eye and I was excited to see such a wonderful story culminate in the MCs love for one another. And then that stupid kiss at the end. What is even up with that? I don't know what's going on with the idea of the camera angles but they're obstructive and they destroy a good thing. Are they afraid I'm going to see a slip of the tongue or actual lips touching? They should be embarrassed.

Well, what did I expect. Whether it's Lifetime or Hallmark, they both have a way of destroying a good story and the really good ones are so rare.

I don't know what they were trying to do with this ending but it was by far one of the sappiest most ridiculous things I've ever witnessed in any of these movies. They took a wonderful story and completely ruined it. I don't even know if I can bring myself to watch another one.

If you want to see decent Christmas romance movies check out Netflix. At least you know the couple's having sex before they even utter those three words and it's a refreshing change to this nonsense.

Considering how many bog-standard Christmas movies get ridiculously high ratings on IMDb, it's astonishing that this refreshingly different, well written and thoroughly engaging film can only muster a 6.

Sure, it's not a masterpiece, with some slightly below par acting in places and the usual missteps that this type of movie tends to have now and again, but its strengths far outweigh its deficiencies. It dares to be bold, reasonably intelligent and thoughtful, and by the end actually has some of the real sparkle which the old Hollywood movies it's referencing had.

Trust me, you can do many far worse things than spend 90 minutes watching this. And, I suspect, you might even enjoy it!!!