HotToastyRag

It's a family affair in Mistletoe Mixup, and you can feel the love of the Lawrence family radiating through every scene of the film. It has a really cute story, a hilarious execution, and great cast chemistry. In other words, what are you waiting for? Starring Matthew, Joey, and Andrew as three brothers (and directed by Andrew as well), and costarring Donna as the clan's spunky grandmother, you can only imagine how much fun everyone had while making this delightful holiday flick.

Danielle C. Ryan is a career woman with no time for love, but on a whim, she makes a wish while holding a magical sprig of mistletoe. She repeats her wish "to meet Mr. Right" and accidentally gets it granted twice - by literally meeting two Mr. Rights in one afternoon. She meets Joey first at a Christmas tree lot, and Matthew has an equally uncanny meet-cute as she's driving her tree home. She has no idea she's about to start juggling brothers when she agrees to join Joey for his family's Christmas celebration, so imagine her surprise when Matthew opens the door!

Filmed in beautiful Utah, you'll see more than your fair share of lovely sights (and I don't just mean the Lawrence brothers). Snow, snow, snow! Café Galleria, where every table is secluded in its own glass globe. Beautifully decorated cabins that usually only exist in dreams. Danielle's wardrobe! And yes, the eye candy doesn't hurt.

When you're not wishing you were on that vacation instead of Danielle, you'll be laughing yourself silly. I mean it; it's side-splitting time over here. Joey tries to impress Danielle with Christmas karaoke, and it turns into a massive sing-off with Matthew and even Andrew. From pratfalls to pranks, the "friendly" rivalry is hilarious. This is the type of movie you know you're not going to turn off. It's time to get the fuzzy blanket, pop the corn, and snuggle up with your sweetie pie, your siblings, or your friends. Mistletoe Mixup is a keeper, one you'll revisit year after year.

It's a really cute premise: Santa's "naughty and nice" list is actually real, and he contracts out with "spies" throughout the world who collect data on children during the year. So, you'd better watch out! Through satellite footage, phone and online records, and personal observations, Santa really does know if you've been bad or good, and if you get coal in your stocking, it's deserved. Lacey Chabert stars as one of the top spies, and she's been assigned to a difficult case: Cadence Compton. Cadence seems to be a very naughty preteen, but Lacey wants to see the good in everyone, and she keeps following her around hoping for redemption. Are there good reasons for Cadence's mischief? One of the rules of Lacey's job is that she's not allowed to make contact with the assignment or anyone in the assignment's family. So, when she accidentally meets Cadence's cutie pie dad, Andrew Walker, she gets herself into quite a bind. Plus, Andrew is very taken with her and keeps asking her out! (Although why is someone that handsome so insecure about dating? I'm pretty sure every woman he asks out will say yes.) It's an all-around cute story, but I think I'm too old for most of the humor. It has a lot of modern humor included in the teleplay, like Lacey's boss, Steve Bacic, acting like an imbecile because he's a man and men take every opportunity to throw their weight around (and the implication that he only likes another employee better because he's a man). If you're able to look past the modern humor, it's an enjoyable Hallmark holiday flick. It might not be one you return to every year, but it'll entertain you for the evening.

Get out your Kleenex boxes! Although not a tragedy, like some of those Hallmarks about a young child who needs a heart transplant, everyone in my family reaches for the tissues while watching it. It's as close to a remake of It's a Wonderful Life as you're going to get (Marlo Thomas's version just doesn't count), and it's a very good adaptation. It manages to have its own story elements but still remind audiences of the original.

Desperate Housewives fans will adore it simply for the casting, reuniting Susan and Mike, but even if you're never seen the soapy series (what are you waiting for?), you'll still love it. James Denton plays a businessman who's worked in the same company for twenty years but never made it to the top. His wife, Teri Hatcher, gave up the idea of going to law school when they married, and no one really appreciates her sacrifice to be a housewife. Tensions are rampant at the moment, with Christmas coming, trying to find the money for college tuition, and James facing a promotion if he can strike an unethical business deal. In the heat of the moment, James wishes he never got in the same elevator as Teri twenty years ago (leading to their introduction, courtship, and marriage).

When he wakes up in the morning, his wish has been granted. He chose the other elevator, never met Teri, never married, and rose to the top of the company by making unethical choices. As he discovers his new life, he also has to come to terms with his new personality. Of course, he misses his wife, so imagine his surprise to find out that the lawyer suing him for his latest unscrupulous business deal is Teri (who went to law school instead of becoming a stay-at-home mom). "Where are our kids? I need you, Mary!" Oh, wrong movie. But still - if you want to see a solid tribute to James Stewart and Donna Reed, rent this very moving Hallmark drama. James gives a wonderful performance, showing surprising acting chops, and puts his heart and soul into the movie. I've already bought a copy. I highly recommend it!