Holly and the Hot Chocolate

The folks panning this movie's story and dialog have completely missed the point. The film skewers the Hallmark style while at the same time celebrating it. The story is so obviously contrived as to stuff as many Hallmark tropes into one movie while subverting them in all the best ways. There are so many bad puns delivered with both straight face and tongue firmly planted in cheek. My wife and I laughed out loud at the tow truck owner's deliberately clueless business name as well the mayor saying "This is my favorite part of the movie!" The people involved in making this understood exactly what they were doing and seemed to have fun doing it.

This story was dreamed up by Mr. QVC himself, David Venable, and he has a role in it, as well. I don't watch Hallmark movies because they all basically have the same plot. This short story (it's only a little over an hour) is very similar to them. It's a cute story, and I think it could have been better if it was longer. There was really not enough time to move the plot sufficiently. I will say that the one thing that was a true negative to me was the mayor character. The acting was bad, the character obnoxious, and the writing for it was poor. I was so surprised at how terrible that character was. The main actors were fine, and like I said, the story was cute. We love David in our house and think he's really a lovely person which is why we watched. I'm editing to add, I strongly disagree that it was the intent to poke fun at Hallmark movies. If you've listened to all DV has said about this movie and what it's meant to him, I find it hard to believe this was a knock on Hallmark. JMHO.

I'm enormously impressed with this movie! Not only is it made for TV movie by the old QVC shopping network, but it has that good old-fashioned banter between movie hosts in between the film - as opposed to commercial breaks, we have host breaks, where they talk about where you can buy items related to the movie and cooking and doing things related to the movie. It really brings the movie to life. It feels so wholesome and almost magical, the way that there are periodic breaks from the movie to come to these friendly movie hosts that are cooking hot dogs because of the movie, talking about hot chocolate in the movie and how you can make some just like in the movie. It makes me feel like a kid again, watching it. It's so wholesome!

In the 1950s/1960s, TV shows used to put their products right into the show and do the commercial as part of the show, and this is kind of like that but done in such a way that you don't even mind it. You don't even want to fast forward, because the interludes literally add another dimension to the film itself and make it feel not like another TV movie, but like a blast from the past, something right out of a more simpler and innocent time before internet shopping took over, back when housewives would be watching TV and trusting the hosts more than anything, and the host would do such a good job of selling the product that you feel like they are friends.

This movie felt like I was watching it with a couple of friends - thanks to the hosts. It's like a more wholesome Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, the fact that it's a movie being hosted by personalities that you know and love. Except instead of a vampire woman or a witch woman hosting the show, we have friendly QVC personalities hosting the show- ones that are so classic, they take me back to my childhood.

As for the production value of the film itself, it's very simple. But that's part of its charm. It's so simple, so TV movie like. But the cast is great! And the whole time that I watched it, I kept thinking how it sure beats the Lindsay Lohan Netflix movie! And Lindsey is the major Hollywood star - so that tells you the level of charm that this cast has!

Movie snobs need not bother with this, but if you are like me and you value a sense of nostalgia, and you like 1950s and 60s sitcoms, and you like the TV host culture of the '90s and '80s, then you will like or even love this!

It was refreshing to see something with the level of simplicity that existed in 1950 / 1960s television. And another thing I was really impressed about is in its wholesomeness and simplicity, it was completely or almost completely sincere. One thing I've noticed about modern movies made in that 1950 / 1960s style is that they tend to make fun of it or infuse it with a bit of modern sarcasm. And while this movie is very self-aware on one level, it is very very genuine on another level. I know nobody is going to say that this is completely lacking in modern sense of absurdity, but even so, there's a light-hearted sincerity and wholesomeness there that we haven't seen since 1950 / 1960s sitcoms. Not even Hallmark has achieved the 1950s / 1960s sitcom feeling! This movie feels like 1950s / 1960s sitcoms, with the added bonus of the 1990s QVC host interludes, which make it even better!

This is such a wholesome blast from the past!! I hope that QVC does more of these, and invites other hosts from the '80s and '90s to host the movies. Don't watch the movies without the host interludes- that's part of the charm! If QVC ever releases the movies to buy, they should all include the host interludes.

Great job, QVC! Now bring back your vintage hosts for more, while we still have them! :-)

I've always loved QVC. I don't know what it is, but I find it comforting to listen to in the background, and David Venable is my all-time favorite QVC "character," so of course I was going to watch this movie. And I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised. This was a very funny movie, in a way that makes it almost a parody of a Hallmark movie, and it really worked! The acting from the two main characters was good, as were the daughter and the mother. I also thought the mayor was very funny (yes he was over-the-top, but it was on purpose). David has a few lines and only appears inside the hot chocolate stand, but it was nice to see him. He was credited as having created the story & I think he did well. This movie was very cute and fun, and I would watch this one again next year!

I created and IMDB accout to review this near perfect christmas romcom (for the younger viewer). So pleasantly suprise by the quick banter and kitchy acting. I wish there were more films like this - trust me I checked.

It presents itself as a Hallmark film but is so much more. You can tell this came from a comedy mind. Shane would be proud. Good stuff.

To avoid spoilers - Just settle in, grab some cocoa, and watch it for yourself. It's a quick watch. I love that it is on nearly every streaming platform. A PLUS for accessibility. You won't be disappointed. Just watch the dang movie. Do it. Plz.