Search Results

You must be on the Nice List this year because Hallmark and Great American Famil y are gifting you with SIX new Christmas movies this week. That is something to ho, ho, ho about! Check out the schedule listings below along with my prediction about how each will rate. November 14: A Reason for the Season Hallmark Mystery : 8pm Eastern Starring : Taylor Cole & Kevin McGarry In order to earn her trust fund, Evie is tasked with granting Christmas wishes to the people who saved her life on the night of her birth. To aid in her cause, she employs Kyle, a handsome local attorney, to track down those who helped and attempts to secretly learn what they might want while maintaining her anonymity. With Christmas fast approaching, the heiress and the attorney can’t resist falling for each other's charms as they ramp up their gift giving efforts. But as time ticks down, will she be able to accomplish the mission and grant all of the wishes by Christmas Eve? MY PREDICTION : Everyone will love watching Cole and McGarry, but the movie will be a bit far-fetched and dull. November 15: Christmas with the Singhs Hallmark Channel : 8pm Eastern Starring : Ben Hollingsworth & Anuja Joshi For Asha Singh (Joshi), Christmas is the most important time of the year. But when she’s stuck working at the hospital during the holidays, she wishes for some much-needed Christmas magic. Enter Jake (Hollingsworth), her former high school classmate, who unexpectedly reappears in her life. After a magical year together, Jake proposes. But their first Christmas as an engaged couple isn’t exactly the fairytale they imagined. When they head home for the holidays, they quickly discover their picture-perfect romance is about to get a serious reality check: their families couldn’t be more different! Juggling various holiday traditions, big personalities, cultural differences and complicated family dynamics proves to be a challenge as Asha and Jake have to learn if they can bridge their two families and survive a Christmas with the Singhs. MY PREDICTION : This is a DEI movie. Christmas is about the celebration of Jesus Christ, so centering a movie around an Indian Family, who are Hindus, is absurd. Pew Research says only 1 in 5 of Indians participate in Christmas festivities, whereas 95% of them celebrate Diwali. This movie will be focused on "wokeism" rather than good storytelling. November 16: Jingle Bell Run Hallmark Channel : 8pm Eastern Starring : Ashley Williams & Andrew Walker Avery is an unadventurous schoolteacher whose sister secretly signs her up for The Great Holiday Dash, a Christmas-themed reality competition show where she's paired with former hockey player Wes. Despite clashing at first, Avery’s puzzle-solving skills and Wes’ physical prowess help them excel as they travel from city to city and compete in festive feats that have a local flavor. It’s not long before a real connection between these opposites begins to blossom. But when Avery overhears a conversation between Wes and a show producer it threatens to derail their budding romance. Keeping their eyes on the prize, the duo continues to dash to the finish line but there may be a more personal adventure for them still in store. MY PREDICTION : This movie is going to be a crowd-pleaser. Walker and Williams are proven Hallmark staples. They are terrific actors, they engage viewers, and they each have an enormous fan base. I expect this movie to be very entertaining. November 16: A Christmas Less Traveled Great American Family : 8pm Eastern Starring : Candace Cameron Bure & Eric Johnson “The Dine and Dash” diner has a stack of mounting unpaid bills, forcing its owner, Desi (Bure) to sell her beloved, mint condition, cherry red 1964 Ford F-100, a gift from her deceased father. As Desi visits the vintage truck one last time, she discovers a recorded message from her dad on an old audio cassette. Desi’s Dad’s voice sends her and “Old Red” out to retrace her family’s most memorable moments one last time. Just as the journey begins, Desi meets Greyson (Johnson) who offers her a generous payment in exchange for a ride to “close the most important deal” of his life. Little do Desi and Greyson realize the less traveled road will reveal more about each of them than they could have ever known. MY PREDICTION : This will likely be a heart-warming story, and CCB will pull in a huge viewing. However, the plot isn't particularly fresh. I expect viewers to rave about the movie, but I'm guessing it will be a tad underwhelming. November 17: Confessions of a Christmas Letter Hallmark Channel : 8pm Eastern Starring : Angela Kinsey, Alec Santos, & Lillian Doucet-Roche Settie Rose, a quirky family matriarch, enters her town’s annual holiday letter-writing contest but needs help, so she hires struggling novelist Juan to craft the perfect letter. When a mix-up leads to the rumor that Juan is engaged to Settie’s daughter Lily, the whole family scrambles to keep up the charade. As Juan bonds with the Roses and overcomes his writer’s block, Settie learns that embracing her imperfect family is what truly makes her story special. MY PREDICTION : I expect this movie to be a dud. Writer's block and fake dating have been done TO DEATH. Lillian Doucet-Roche always overacts, so she will likely be terrible. November 17: A Christmas Quilt Great American Family : 8pm Eastern Starring : Ferelith Young & Harmon Walsh Liam Sullivan, a firefighter, and Amy Walker, a quilting teacher, are drawn together to make the perfect quilt for Liam’s sister's Christmas wedding. After a rocky start, the pair is forced to put differences aside and decide what is most important this Christmas.  MY PREDICTION : I think this movie is going to be forgettable. The actors aren't familiar in romcom world, and the flimsy plot will likely drag. Subscribe to the Blog & Follow Our Hallmark & Great American Fan Pages on Facebook! If you want to stay up-to-date on Hallmark and Great American Family news and programming, be sure to subscribe  to this blog. For unique and engaging content, including daily movie schedules, follow our fan pages on Facebook :

Part of the charm of Hallmark movies is their predictable, cookie-cutter plots. Fans find the recycled tropes oddly comforting. However, My Sweet Austrian Holiday is unimaginative filler used to beef up Hallmark's seasonal slate, and the lack of originality in this movie is pitiful. What Is My Sweet Austrian Holiday About? Charlotte recently moved to Vienna and became a chocolatier after inheriting her grandparents’ chocolate shop. She soon finds herself in a battle against a ruthless developer who wants to buy the building and sadly she can’t locate the proper records that prove that the shop is a historical landmark. She meets Henry, a businessman, and soon there is a romantic spark. Henry is a billionaire bachelor who has just taken over his father’s company. Eventually he realizes that he owns the company that is responsible for trying to take over Charlotte’s shop. When Charlotte finds out, she is hurt and angry that Henry was not honest with her once he discovered the truth. Thankfully he finds a compromise, with the new design incorporating her chocolate shop as the featured store within the development project. Charlotte forgives Henry and they spend their first Viennese Christmas together as a couple. My Sweet Austrian Holiday Feels Like a Spoof of Romcoms There is literally no out-of-the-box thinking involved in the script--just a cut and paste of every Hallmark movie ever made. A business that is inherited from a relative that must be kept afloat to honor a memory A building that needs to be given historical status to prevent its destruction A person vying for chocolatier of the year Someone who tries to unsuccessfully ice skate Food accidentally smearing someone's lip A character who wasn't "up front" with someone about their identity My Sweet Austrian Holiday is practically a Love, Romance, & Chocolate reboot--a movie set in Belgium that also starred Bristow and Kemp, but with Kemp being the one vying for a special chocolatier title. Kemp is an accomplished dancer, but when he waltzes with Bristow, it simply doesn't measure up to his stint with Lacey Chabert in Christmas Waltz or T he Dancing Detective: A Deadly Tango . With a 5-inch height advantage over Chabert, Bristow's movements lack grace and look too lanky. The dancing scene is far too short to impress. My Sweet Austrian Holiday Is Well-Received by Hallmark Fans Despite the Lack of Plot Creativity Kemp fans adore watching him in anything, and Bristow is a passable actress, so Hallmark fans embrace this movie even though there is literally NOTHING new to see here. Bristow's mother wrote the script, and her father directed it, so it seems her parents create projects in which they can get their daughter cast, which was also the case for A Safari Romance and A Tail of Love . Try as they might, Kemp and Bristow fail to generate a tangible connection, so the chemistry simply isn't there. Whether the lack of a spark stems from a 13-year age difference, boredom with the recycled script, or something else, the wow factor is missing. Though the acting cannot be faulted, the utter lack of originality lands this movie at a 2 out of 5-star rating here at RomCom Review.

Is your DVR filling up with new Christmas movies? I hope you have room for six more that are premiering this week, November 7-10. NOVEMBER 7:  Five Gold Rings HALLMARK MYSTERY:   8pm Eastern STARRING: Holland Roden and Nolan Gerard Funk When New York City painter Audrey Moss returns to her small Minnesota hometown for the holidays, she’s met with an unexpected quest from her beloved late grandmother: find the owners of five mysterious gold rings and return them to their rightful home before Christmas morning, only nine days away. In her bequeathment, Grandma also urges Audrey to team up with local private investigator and childhood friend, Finn O’Sullivan. From gingerbread house building to the annual Giving Gala, these two begin to bond over more than just their quest. As Audrey and Finn unravel the mystery of the missing rings’ owners, they discover there is more to their relationship than they ever expected to find. NOVEMBER 8:  Trivia at St. Nick's HALLMARK CHANNEL:   8pm Eastern STARRING: Tammin Sursok and Brant Daugherty When students all flee an elite university in Vermont for winter break, the locals and faculty hunker down for their favorite time of year - the annual Christmas Bar Trivia Tournament! For Celeste (Sursok), a Type-A astronomy professor, this event combines the magic of Christmas with her greatest comfort in life: knowing the right answer. But when her colleague drops out of the tournament to do a month-long lecture tour in Asia, Celeste’s team must adopt Max (Daugherty), the football team’s new offensive coordinator. To Celeste, Max seems like nothing more than a grown-up class clown - though he brings an undeniable knowledge of sports trivia (a category their team has always fallen short in). Initial clashes between the two eventually turn into mutual appreciation as the team enjoys scavenger hunts on campus, decorating the international house with Christmas lights, baking Christmas cookies, and advancing toward the championship trivia game. Celeste can't help but delight in Max's infectious enthusiasm, love for all things Christmas and perhaps most importantly, his comfort with the unknown. And after a romantic wintery night at the campus observatory with Max, Celeste starts to wonder if being open to life’s surprises is more important than knowing the answer to everything. NOVEMBER 9:  Santa Tell Me HALLMARK CHANNEL:   8pm Eastern STARRING: Erin Krakow, Daniel Lissing, Benjamin Ayre, Christopher Russell, and Kurt Szarka When Olivia, a successful interior designer, finds an old letter from Santa promising she’ll meet the love of her life by Christmas Eve—and that his name will be Nick—she’s stunned to meet not one, but three guys named Nick. As she navigates these holiday romances, Olivia also finds herself drawn to her charming co-worker, Chris, throwing her magical Christmas quest into question. With the clock ticking toward Christmas Eve, Olivia embarks on a heartwarming and humorous journey to uncover her true soulmate. NOVEMBER 9:  Christmas Under the Northern Lights GREAT AMERICAN FAMILY:   8pm Eastern STARRING: Jill Wagner, Jesse Hutch, Lauren Holly, and Bruce Boxleitner Erin (Wagner) joins her dad Doug (Boxleitner) for a Christmas in the family’s former hometown of Aurora on a mission that is part business – selling the family home – and major bucket list item for Erin to see the Aurora Borealis light up the Northern sky. Realtor Lori (Holly) and family friend and local tour guide Trevor (Hutch) create a Christmas inspired at every turn by faith, love, and hope, so much so that Christmas bells hung over decades in a forest grove ring an unbroken song, a harbinger of miracles to come. NOVEMBER 10:  Coupled Up for Christmas GREAT AMERICAN FAMILY:   8pm Eastern STARRING: Sara Canning and Marcus Rosner Two heartbroken strangers pretend to be dating others to win the affection of their true soulmates. (This movie is from 2023, but it's the first time it will be airing on Great American Family). NOVEMBER 10:  'Tis the Season to Be Irish HALLMARK CHANNEL:   8pm Eastern STARRING: Starring Fiona Gubelmann and Eoin Macken Rose, a nomadic house flipper, heads to Ireland to renovate and sell a cottage, but her plans are upended when she meets Sean, a local realtor determined to preserve his town’s heritage. As she works on the cottage and embraces Irish Christmas traditions, Rose finds herself falling for Sean and questioning her fear of settling down. Together, they must confront their pasts and discover if love is worth taking root. Subscribe to the Blog & Follow Our Hallmark & Great American Fan Pages on Facebook! If you want to stay up-to-date on Hallmark and Great American Family news and programming, be sure to subscribe  to this blog. For unique and engaging content, including daily movie schedules, follow our fan pages on Facebook :

If you've already watched A Carol for Two , you probably agree with fellow viewers who say the singing is fantastic but Brad, the eventual third wheel in the love triangle, is a very annoying character. What you may not know is that the scriptwriter deliberately adapts a famous play to fit the framework of a Hallmark movie, and it's genius. What is a Carol for Two About? After moving to New York to make it on Broadway, Violette Wagner (Ginna Claire Mason) gets a job at Fiore’s , a legendary theater district diner, famous for its singing wait staff, who bide their time there, while awaiting that big break. Luck seems to be on her side when she gets a coveted slot, singing during Fiore’s annual Christmas Eve concert, which is attended by a who’s who of the theatre world. But her big opportunity turns out to be a duet with Alex (Jordan Litz), who has been less than welcoming, and believes she was only given the job because the owner of Fiore’s is a family friend. They're stuck with each other, though, since people have been plucked out of that show and put right on Broadway. As they rehearse together, Alex’s cousin, Brad (Gino Anania), takes an interest in Violette, and they begin dating but, unbeknownst to her, Alex has been feeding Brad information about her, Cyrano-style, to win her over. However, when Alex begins developing feelings for her as well, a love triangle ensues, and things come to a head when their deception is uncovered, which, in turn, threatens Violette and Alex’s big opportunity. Ginna Claire Mason and Jordan Litz Are Real-Life Broadway Stars A Carol for Two seems tailor-made for Mason and Litz, who are both Broadway stars. Mason has toured as Glinda in Wicked , while Litz has assumed the role of Fiyero in Wicked both on Broadway and the tour. Mason shares with Swooon that the two sing live on set, and Litz writes arrangements and harmonies for them while actually playing the piano. If you watched the movie and wondered if Mason and Litz were doing their own singing and piano playing, now you know! Another layer to the story is that Alex had been working on a musical with his ex, but when she left, he felt like he couldn't finish it on his own. Violette inspires him, and he finishes it just in time for them to use one of the central songs for their performance in front of Broadway talent scout, Marty Levin. (This original song was actually written in 40 minutes by a friend of Mason's!) You can listen to Mason sing the catchy tune, Who Knew It'd Be You This Christmas , with Jimmy Needham: After saying he loved what he heard, Mr. Levin excused himself to take a call from Kristen Chenoweth--a subtle reference to Wicked , since Chenoweth played the original Glinda. Mason points out that the movie isn't just about romance but about artists pursuing their passions and dreams. My favorite line from the movie is one Violette quotes from her dad, "It's never too late to be who you might have been." Brad Is Like Christian from Cyrano de Bergerac Cyrano de Bergerac was a French novelist and playwright from the 1600s who became the subject of a play by Edmond Rostand in 1897. According to the fictionalized account, Cyrano had an enormous nose, which kept him from pursuing romance. Cyrano falls in love with a woman named Roxane, but he doesn't let her know because he thinks his nose ruins his chances. Roxane actually loves a man named Christian, but Christian is too tongue-tied to express his feelings, so Cyrano writes love letters to her, pretending to be Christian. You can see how Brad's character parallels that of Christian. He doesn't listen to Violette and seems more interested in being liked by her than getting to know her. Alex, like Cyrano, tells him all the thoughtful moves to make to win Violette's affection, but since Brad's actions aren't from the heart, he makes several ridiculous blunders that lead her to feel like he's "two different people." When she learns the truth--that the loving gestures originated with Alex--both of their dreams come true. You may have seen other modern retellings of Rostand's play. In 1987, Steve Martin and Daryl Hannah starred in the comedy Roxanne . Peter Dinklage headlined Cyrano in 2021, and instead of a big nose, his short stature served the same purpose. While Brad may seem chronically obnoxious, when you view his behavior in light of the Cyrano storyline with a Broadway backdrop like a Rostand play, it clicks! A Carol for Two Gives You a Small Taste of Broadway! The carols and Christmas hymns included in A Carol for Two are simply gorgeous, many of them pointing to the true "reason for the season." The singing staff at Fiore's diner makes the viewer feel like they are visiting Broadway. The cast is incredibly talented, and the fusion of a Christmas movie with a Broadway play is integrated beautifully. It's a movie with a fresh feel from the standard holiday romcom, which earns it 4 out of 5 stars here at RomCom Review. Let's hope Hallmark produces more future movies that will include such exquisite vocal talent.

Hallmark and Great American Family are serving up new Christmas movies faster than Mrs. Claus can bake sugar cookies! Check out the FIVE new movies that are premiering this week from Thursday, October 31, through Sunday, November 3. OCTOBER 31:  My Sweet Austrian Holiday HALLMARK MYSTERY:   8pm Eastern STARRING:  Will Kemp & Brittany Bristow Charlotte recently moved to Vienna and became a chocolatier after inheriting her grandparents’ chocolate shop. She soon finds herself in a battle against a ruthless developer who wants to buy the building and sadly she can’t locate the proper records that prove that the shop is a historical landmark. She meets Henry, a businessman, and soon there is a romantic spark. Henry is a billionaire bachelor who has just taken over his father’s company. Eventually he realizes that he owns the company that is responsible for trying to take over Charlotte’s shop. When Charlotte finds out, she is hurt and angry that Henry was not honest with her once he discovered the truth. Thankfully he finds a compromise, with the new design incorporating her chocolate shop as the featured store within the development project. Charlotte forgives Henry and they spend their first Viennese Christmas together as a couple. NOVEMBER 1:   A Carol for Two HALLMARK CHANNEL:   8pm Eastern STARRING: Ginna Claire-Mason & Jordan Litz After moving to New York to make it on Broadway, Violette Wagner gets a job at Fiore’s, a legendary theater district diner, famous for its singing wait staff, who bide their time there, while awaiting that big break. Luck seems to be on her side when she gets a coveted slot, singing during Fiore’s annual Christmas Eve concert, which is attended by a who’s who of the theatre world. But her big opportunity turns out to be a duet with Alex, who has been less than welcoming, and believes she was only given the job because the owner of Fiore’s is a family friend. They're stuck with each other, though, since people have been plucked out of that show and put right on Broadway. As they rehearse together, Alex’s cousin, Brad, takes an interest in Violette, and they begin dating but, unbeknownst to her, Alex has been feeding Brad information about her, Cyrano-style, to win her over. However, when Alex begins developing feelings for her as well, a love triangle ensues, and things come to a head when their deception is uncovered, which, in turn, threatens Violette and Alex’s big opportunity. NOVEMBER 2:   Our Holiday Story HALLMARK CHANNEL:   8pm Eastern STARRING: Nikki DeLoach & Warren Christie As Dave and Nell recount their love story to their daughter’s boyfriend Chris, we follow them through one special Christmas where fate routinely brought them together - and kept them apart. But as Dave and Nell tried to find one another, they were oblivious to the fact that they were work nemeses paired together to throw a Christmas festival for their town. Meanwhile in the present, Chris struggles with relationship issues of his own as he attempts to say “I love you” for the first time to his girlfriend Jo. As our two couples and storylines intersect, lessons are taught and learned about communication, honesty and the capacity for change - in ourselves and in others. NOVEMBER 2:   Tails of Christmas GREAT AMERICAN FAMILY:   8pm Eastern STARRING: Ash Tai & Eric Guilmette An Army vet wounded in service who recovers with the help of therapy dogs from a local shelter run by Amber. As a sign of gratitude, Caleb volunteers at the shelter, though he notices one wealthy donor has his eye on Amber. Despite the patron’s help, the shelter needs additional funds to stay afloat, so Caleb produces a holiday pet fair to bring community together. As the pair become closer, Caleb confides a desire to repair the relationship with his parents that became strained after his injury. Amber has the perfect plan! NOVEMBER 3:   Holiday Mismatch HALLMARK CHANNEL:   8pm Eastern STARRING: Caroline Rhea & Beth Broderick When free-spirited Kath (Rhea) and uptight Barbara (Broderick) clash at a Christmas committee meeting, they’re shocked to discover they’ve accidentally set up their adult children via a dating app. Determined to stop the romance, the two mothers team up, only to realize they have more in common than they thought. As their kids’ love blossoms, so does an unexpected friendship between their meddling moms, bringing both families together for a festive Christmas. Subscribe to the Blog & Follow Our Hallmark & Great American Fan Pages on Facebook! If you want to stay up-to-date on Hallmark and Great American Family news and programming, be sure to subscribe  to this blog. For unique and engaging content, including daily movie schedules, follow our fan pages on Facebook :

Corey Sevier and Rachel Skarsten are reunited in this Christmas movie about intrigue after their last venture, Jazz Ramsey: A K-9 Mystery , failed miserably. This time around, they share a very entertaining story that is filled with action. What Is The Christmas Charade About? Whitney (Skarsten), a cautious librarian raised by home security experts, finds herself in a real-life adventure when a blind date mix-up leads her into an undercover FBI operation. Forced to pose as the girlfriend of Special Agent Josh (Sevier), she helps him track down an art thief targeting the Heart of Christmas necklace at a Christmas Eve charity ball. As the stakes rise, Whitney must embrace her inner action hero to save the day-and her family-just in time for Christmas. It's not the first undercover role for Skarsten, who also played a spy in 2022's The Royal Nanny . Did You Catch the Cameos in The Christmas Charade ? Whitney leads a boring life. As the only child of her over-protective parents, she always plays it safe. In the opening scene, she loses herself in a fast-action crime movie, and who are the two actors in the program she's watching? The first is Kristin Booth --the beloved star of Hallmark's Signed, Sealed, Delivered . The other is Jefferson Brown , another Hallmark staple who has appeared in supporting roles in several movies and series, like The Way Home . Hallmarkies LOVE surprise cameos! The screenwriter for the movie is Kate Pragnell --Corey Sevier's wife--and Corey directs the film in addition to headlining it. The Christmas Charade Is Over-the-Top at Times but Still an Enjoyable Ride! Sevier sometimes over-acts, but he reins himself in quickly. His character is a cool and aloof loner who grew up in foster care and can't grasp what a family Christmas is like, let alone a pretend girlfriend partner. The risk-taking and high stakes are invigorating and make Whitney feel alive. She proves to be a resourceful asset rather than a hindrance to the case. Along the way, a family secret is uncovered that makes sense of everything and helps solve the case. There are several comedic moments in the movie. My favorite scene occurs when Josh is teaching Whitney basic skills for the job, such as texting while the phone remains in her pocket. He is able to text her complete sentences without looking, while hers are just a mass of random letters. Whitney also claims to be a former ballroom dancer, which seems totally out of context for her life, yet when she's put on the spot at the Mistletoe Ball to dance, she leads Josh in a tango. It's not Lacey Chabert and Will Kemp worthy, but it's passable! One of the most far-fetched scenes is when Josh and Whitney are chasing a perp onto the roof of a building until they realize he's just a decoy. Rather than race back down the stairs to safely apprehend the right person, Josh lassos a post on the first try, and the two jump off the roof. It is likely meant as a spoof of the genre, but it's still cheesy. Another implausible scene is when Whitney and Josh commission a woman to craft a duplicate of the real necklace, and she manages to produce one in only two hours--as if she would have the exact gems in her inventory and could keep her business doors open that long without interruption. By the end of the movie, Whitney jokes that she might want to join the FBI, which has fans wondering if a mystery series could spring from the movie. If so, we would all likely tune in! The action, adventure, mystery, romance, and comedy of The Christmas Charade earns it 4.5 out of 5 stars at RomCom Review.

Christopher Russell has no trouble finding work these days because he is popping up on romcoms on multiple networks! This season, he recently starred in A Vintage Christmas on Great American Family, and he will also appear in Santa Tell Me on Hallmark Channel on November 9. Operation Nutcracker , however, may be one of his best movies to date. What Is Operation Nutcracker About? When a priceless antique nutcracker, set to be auctioned at the Warby family Christmas charity goes missing in an unfortunate suitcase swap, it's up to the exacting even planner, Lottie Morgan and the free-spirited heir to the Warby dynasty, Tristan, to track it down, all while capturing the heart and spirit of Christmas. The Chemistry Is Tangible Between Newbrough & Russell in Operation Nutcracker A big complaint of Hallmark fans regarding new movies is the casting. Too often, romantic leads are paired in such nonsensical ways that if Santa were banking on their spark to make his sleigh fly, he would never have liftoff. When Christopher Russell first burst onto the romcom scene, viewers agreed that while he was ridiculously good-looking, his acting skills were lagging. A gazillion scripts later, Russell has hit his stride. Not only have his professional abilities improved, but he's able to work with his co-star to create phenomenal chemistry. Lottie and Tristan first connect at the airport--he's heading home for his family's charity auction to benefit the children's hospital. Although Lottis is unaware of his identity, she is traveling to the same destination for an interview with his mother. They narrowly miss trading identical suitcases, and Tristan quips, "Classic bag swap just like in a romcom." Before each leaves the airport, their paths cross again, and Lottie jokes, "We've got to stop meet cuting this way." The good-natured jabs scripted by Hallmark to poke fun at their own movie genre are classic. Turns out, Tristan actually does swap bags accidentally, but it's not with Lottie. As the two scramble to find the lost nutcracker before the auction and before Tristan's mother learns the truth, the adventure draws them closer. The 7-second hug and the final kiss are wowza! Multiple Layers in the Operation Nutcracker Story Operation Nutcracker is a stereotypical romcom, and yet it's not. The story is multi-faceted and not just surface level fluff. Tristan is traveling the world as a philanthropist for his family's foundation, but it's more to avoid his mother's pressure for him to soon head the foundation. Lottie thinks his life has been easy, but when she learns about his sister's childhood illness, she realizes everyone has personal struggles. Lottie hasn't been able to connect with her father since her mother's death. Both of them are workaholics but grow to realize that their relationship is worth saving. The subplot also adds a lot of depth to the story, which revolves around another workaholic, Dave, a man Lottie and Tristan are trying to track down because he has the nutcracker. Dave's wife, Pam, unknowingly crosses paths with them, unaware of the significance of their chance encounter. Pam and Dave's daughter, Josephine, misses a chance to be Clara during the annual Nutcracker ballet, but a fun surprise awaits her. Plus, a little Christmas magic is thrown in for good measure--who is the mysterious donor who buys the nutcracker, and why does it end up under the Christmas tree with a tag addressed to someone else? Final Thoughts from RomCom Review on Operation Christmas Lore has it that nutcrackers bring good luck and lead you to your fate, which certainly tracks for Lottie and Tristan. The Nutcracker is the centerpiece for the entire movie, from sleuthing to find the lost one, to the tiny details of the fundraising gala, to the ballet featuring Josephine. Operation Nutcracker pays a unique homage to the classic tale. A little humor sprinkled throughout the movie is fun, especially the scene when Tristan's sister decapitates the decoy nutcracker. The only criticism of the movie is that multiple instances of dialogue reference "the universe" in a way that is very New Age, such as, "The universe is trying to tell you something." This angle is expressed in an increasing number of Hallmark movies produced over the past couple years. In older, quality Hallmark movies, plot tensions often worked out thanks to "divine intervention," where God was honored in the storytelling, especially at Christmas. Now, with the "wokesters" who are currently running Hallmark, good things that happen are attributed to the involvement of "the universe," which is a form of pantheism--a belief that the universe, not God, is divine, sacred, and inter-connected in a way that worships creation over the Creator. Operation Nutcracker still remains a big hit thanks to a fun story, great character development, fabulous chemistry, talented leads, and the perfect amount of plot tension. Follow Our Hallmark Ever After Facebook Page Connect with fellow Hallmark fans through our fun Hallmark Ever After Facebook page where you will find daily movie schedules, Hallmark news, updates on your favorite stars, pics, celebrity birthdays, & other unique Hallmark fandom!

Any movie starring Merritt Patterson and Christopher Russell is guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser, and A Vintage Christmas from Great American Family does not disappoint. What Is A Vintage Christmas About? Here is a summary of the plot, per Great American Family's website: Tessa (Patterson) is a dedicated historian and preservationist in her hometown of Oak Creek, an old-fashioned and passionate protector of the nostalgic. Sparks fly when a business developer, Noah (Russell) arrives in Oak Creek with plans to tear down an abandoned Post Office and replace it with a sleek, modern office complex. There are internal and external struggles among many in the community to arrive at a solution that serves the greater good for all concerned. As the clock ticks toward Christmas, the race to settle the dispute through concessions and compromise is on. Two familiar romcom tropes are at play in A Vintage Christmas : Enemies to Lovers and A Building Needs Saved . A Vintage Christmas Embodies "Christmas as It's Meant to Be" When Tessa informs Noah that Oak Creek cherishes family, community, and traditions, it encapsulates Great American Family's own guiding principles, which is summed up by the network's 2024 theme, Christmas as It's Meant to Be . At the beginning of the dispute over the town's old Post Office, Darla (the librarian) and Tessa reference praying about the situation. Another God-honoring moment in the movie occurs when Tessa and Noah grant Jillian Sharp's childhood wish to sing in front of a crowd, and she chooses O Come, All Ye Faithful . It's a small thing, but if you consider the music in "the other channel's" Christmas movies, the selections nearly always lean secular. To hear the name of Christ mentioned in a movie, even if it's just within a song, is Christmas as It's Meant to Be . Another faith-based nuance is Brad's discovery of The Five Love Languages by Baptist pastor Gary Chapman. This novel was first published in 1992, and it outlines the five general ways that romantic partners express and experience love: words of affirmation, quality time, gifts, acts of service, and physical touch. Brad discovers that acts of service is his love language, even though Darla finds him perfect just the way he is. Approaching romance from a Christian perspective is one more way GAF incorporates faith into their programming. One of my favorite aspects of the movie is how people can see a situation in a completely opposite light, diligently seek a middle ground without compromising their individual ideals, and still build bridges to grow relationships. Noah is initially viewed as an enemy of the people because of his plans to tear down Oak Creek's post office to build something modern. Instead of either side acting deviously or hostilely, everyone works together to find acceptable solutions. Noah doesn't bulldoze the townspeople when his project gets the green light, but he seeks to win them over with a sincere heart by answering their old letters to Santa. His goodwill wins their favor. Neither does Tessa begrudge Noah his plans to help the town prosper economically, but she thinks it can happen without destroying the past. Ultimately, both the town and the developer hammer out an answer that works for everyone. Themes are threaded through the entire movie that seem countercultural in today's climate, but Great American Family reminds us of Christmas as it's meant to be! RomCom Review's Rating of A Vintage Christmas A Vintage Christmas is charming, nostalgic, reflects GAF's wonderful brand, and features two seasoned actors who bring the characters to life. Preserving the past while building a new future is a desirable ideal. However, the story, though solid, is slow-moving, features commonplace tropes, and the chemistry is surprisingly lacking between the two leads. The kiss that we anticipate at the climax is a dud, and while I appreciate modesty, GAF needs to turn up the sizzle on the final kiss. Overall, a very enjoyable movie for this genre, earning it 3 out of 5 stars here at RomCom Review.

In Scouting for Christmas , Tamera Mowry-Housley plays the perfect single mom while Carlo Marks is a handsome, endearing, and sensitive baker. Audrey Wise Alvarez's performance as cupid is sweet, too, but the movie is still underwhelming and only earns 2 out of 5 stars here at RomCom Review. What Is Scouting for Christmas About? The romcom trope in play in this movie is the love triangle . Here's the plot , per Hallmark's website: Angela has been a busy realtor since her amicable divorce a couple of years ago to Dakota, a paleontologist whose adventures kept him anywhere but home. Now, she is a devoted if often harried, single mom to a smart and loving 10-year-old girl, Brooklyn. Angela’s busy schedule makes it hard for her to find time for much of anything…or anyone…else. As it is, she can barely get Brooklyn to her scout meetings on time, much to the disapproval of the other mothers. When Brooklyn gets the idea to have William, the owner of her favorite bakery, cater her scout troop’s posh annual holiday event, she asks Angela to work with him on pitching the idea to the moms in charge. Despite sensing that her daughter might be trying to play cupid, she agrees to help and finds herself enjoying time with him, but is reluctant to open her heart and life to someone new. When Dakota returns, missing her, Angela must decide what is best for her daughter and best for her heart. Hallmark Focuses on the Wrong Thing in Scouting for Christmas Hallmark places too much emphasis on inclusion and too little time on story development. It's clear from Scouting for Christmas that the goal is to appeal to single moms rather than tell a creative story. Angela is divorced, raising a stepchild she officially adopted, and trying to balance work and her responsibilities at home. She is independent and never asks for help because she doesn't want to rely on anyone but herself. She hates being pitied by the stay-at-home moms in her daughter's scout troop who have more time and less stress than she does, but she wants to be a model to Brooklyn that a woman can be independent and successful--the usual feminist talking point. Hallmark crafts a story that is so focused on a demographic that it is embarrassingly unoriginal. There is nothing new here to see, and Hallmark seriously needs to explore different career options for their characters. WE DO NOT NEED ANY MORE BAKERS! No Chemistry in Scouting for Christmas Mowry-Housley and Marks are both wonderful actors who give their all to generate onscreen sizzle, but the viewer just isn't feeling it. They are mismatched because Jacki Lind, the casting director, apparently uses a rubric for casting that does not include chemistry. Over the past few years, Hallmark has become obsessed with biracial couplings. It's not that there's anything wrong with it, other than the fact that it often results in zero onscreen sparks, but the objective should be to make the best matches, not fulfill a DEI requirement. Final Thoughts on Scouting for Christmas Another faux pas is the volume of sweets Angela consumes. Most women who are trying to attract a new man wouldn't think of stuffing that many cookies down the hatch like Angela does. We'd wait until he wasn't watching! Dakota tries to win Angela back, but when he fails, he immediately encourages William to pursue her. This would not remotely happen in real life. The movie is far-fetched, humdrum, and unimaginative. Mass producing Christmas movies each year is taking a toll on the brand. Hallmark should consider scaling back the quantity to preserve quality. If you struggle to keep up with the steady stream of new movie premieres and want to prioritize the best ones first, Scouting for Christmas can be shuffled to the bottom of your list.

The concept of two college-educated best friends in their late thirties crashing parties, changing identities, and getting swept up in a fantasy without remorse or fear of consequences is very far-fetched. Even so, the strong cast, the fast-paced action, double the romance, and a satisfying conclusion pull the viewer into an entertaining whirlwind. What Is Holiday Crashers About? Holiday Crashers stars Lyndsy Fonseca, Danielle Monet, Chris McNally, and Jag Bal. Here's the synopsis per Hallmark's website: Best friends Toni (Fonseca) and Bri (Monet) have worked at the same card shop for more years than they should as both struggle to find their true life’s path. This holiday season, Toni and Bri decide to shake up their humdrum world by creating new identities to crash the amazing Christmas parties from the shop's confidential invitations. All harmless fun! Until Toni gets mistaken for a lawyer, which isn’t too far off the mark since she did finish law school...just never completed the bar exam. Toni and Bri are then whisked away to a fancy corporate Christmas retreat in the snowy Vermont mountains by handsome business mogul, Justin (McNally), whose crush on Toni is real even if her legal career isn’t. And Bri is along for the ride as she has eyes for Vinny (Bal), a valet who may have a secret of his own. Can a distraction help Bri find what path in life she’s supposed to follow? Will Toni end up with the guy of her dreams or in a blizzard of trouble? This fun Christmas crashing romp will either end in disaster or two happily-ever-afters! The movie trope is fake identity but only for part of the time. Justin carries emotional baggage from a previous relationship, which makes him completely intolerant of lying, so Toni's lack of transparency is a major deal-breaker. The Appeal of Holiday Crashers Holiday Crashers appears to be Hallmark's attempt to attract a younger demographic. Although the initial movie vibe feels like the 2023 Hallmark movie bomb-- Never Been Chris'd --it is engaging and enjoyable despite the outlandish plot. Chris McNally's longer hairstyle makes him sexier--if that is possible. He's also a terrific actor, which is the icing on the sugar cookie. Lyndsy Fonseca is a strong lead, so together, they pull off what would otherwise be totally implausible. Bri's romance with Vinny doesn't take a back seat to Toni's, which is unusual for a subplot. Watching their relationship bloom is equally enchanting as the leads'. Bri's upbeat personality combined with her thirst for adventure adds considerably to the entertainment value and helps carry the movie. Where Holiday Crashers Fails At the core of the movie are two directionless women in their late thirties with a complete lack of integrity. While both excuse their deceitfulness by saying they get swept up in the fantasy, it does not excuse their morally reprehensible choices to steal invitations from their employer and gleefully lie about their identities and occupations until it comes back to haunt them. Hallmark used to produce movies that reflected the true spirit of Christmas. To see the secular depths to which their storytelling has descended is sad. Not to mention, a Hindu wedding is conducted--a pagan religion that is completely antithetical to the real meaning of Christmas, which is the birth of Jesus. It's no wonder that former Hallmark CEO, Bill Abbott, who now runs Great American Family , is amassing viewers faster than elves can make toys. GAF's theme for the 2024 holiday season is Christmas as It's Meant to Be , and the movies the network is churning out are layered with faith, hope, love, peace, and the other values our culture once embraced. So, while Holiday Crashers boasts a great cast, keeps you on edge as you anticipate Toni's and Bri's exposure, and allows you to fantasize about being on the receiving end of McNally's hot kiss, it has no heart and debases the Christmas spirit. If you like Lyndsy Fonseca's sweater, you can order it from Amazon here . Like Fonseca's gingerbread sweater dress? It's available on Amazon here .

The Christmas spirit continues to build this week with our next new batch of holiday movies. Can you believe that Friday marks only TWO MONTHS until Christmas! Check out what's playing! OCTOBER 24:   This Time Each Year HALLMARK MYSTERY:   8pm Eastern STARRING:  Alison Sweeney & Niall Matter Lauren (Sweeney) and Kevin (Matter) were once deeply in love but nearly a year after their separation, they now focus on co-parenting their young son Charlie (Ezra Wilson). Despite the split, Kevin is determined to make their family whole again. Before Lauren’s mother (Laura Soltis) visits during the holidays, Lauren asks Kevin to pretend they’re still happily married and living under one roof. The act quickly feels more real, stirring up old memories and feelings. As Lauren sees the man she once fell in love with in a new light, perhaps the magic of Christmas will rekindle their romance and spark renewed hope for their future. OCTOBER 25:   Operation Nutcracker HALLMARK CHANNEL:   8pm Eastern STARRING:  Ashley Newbrough & Christopher Russell When a priceless antique nutcracker, set to be auctioned at the Warby family Christmas charity goes missing in an unfortunate suitcase swap, it is up to exacting event planner, Lottie Morgan and the free-spirited heir to the Warby dynasty, Tristan, to track it down, all while capturing the heart and spirit of Christmas. OCTOBER 26:   The Christmas Charade HALLMARK CHANNEL:   8pm Eastern STARRING:  Rachel Skarsten & Corey Sevier Whitney (Skarsten), a cautious librarian raised by home security experts, finds herself in a real-life adventure when a blind date mix-up leads her into an undercover FBI operation. Forced to pose as the girlfriend of Special Agent Josh (Sevier), she helps him track down an art thief targeting the Saint Nicholas Ruby at a Christmas Eve charity ball. As the stakes rise, Whitney must embrace her inner action hero to save the day—and her family—just in time for Christmas. OCTOBER 26:   A Christmas Castle Proposal GREAT AMERICAN FAMILY:   8pm Eastern STARRING:  Rhiannon Fish & Mitchell Bourke Olivia (Fish) and Prince Alexander (Bourke) travel together to his family’s majestic palace in Torovia to spend Christmas with their two families. Despite busy schedules that push the couple in different directions, the couple seems poised to come together for a magical and unforgettable Christmas, until clashing cultures within the families lead to comedic mishaps. OCTOBER 27:   The 5-Year Christmas Party HALLMARK CHANNEL:   8pm Eastern STARRING: Katie Findlay & Jordan Fisher Over five years, Alice (Findlay) and her old theater school rival, Max (Fisher), reunite each holiday season to work at a Chicago catering company’s Christmas parties. While their undeniable chemistry grows, the timing is never right for romance – until the company’s final season pushes them to confront their true feelings. As they say goodbye to the job that brought them together, they might finally find love in the most unexpected way. Subscribe to the Blog & Follow Our Hallmark & Great American Fan Pages on Facebook! If you want to stay up-to-date on Hallmark and Great American Family news and programming, be sure to subscribe  to this blog. For unique and engaging content, including daily movie schedules, follow our fan pages on Facebook : Hallmark Ever After Great American Family Movie Fans

Amy Groening has appeared in nearly a dozen Hallmark movies but always as the fun, quirky, and supportive sidekick. Groening finally lands a leading role in the new holiday movie 'Twas the Date Before Christmas opposite Robert Buckley and proves she has the mettle to headline romcoms for the network. What Is 'Twas the Date Before Christmas About? Hallmark lays out the plot on their website: "To prevent her family from canceling the “Chamberlain Family Christmas Olympics,” Jessie (Groening) lies and says she’s inviting a date to the long-standing holiday tradition. She meets Bryan (Buckley) on a dating app, and he agrees to spend the holiday with her and her family. As Jessie and Bryan engage in eccentric activities like the search for the Christmas tree star, gift wrapping contest and snowball fight, they start to develop real feelings for each other. Soon her family begins to catch on to their secret and Bryan suspects she may be hiding the real reason for her unusual Christmas date request. As the celebrations continue, Jessie must work to keep all her stories straight and save her date with Bryan." It turns out that Bryan isn't forthcoming about everything either. His development company has purchased a building that houses Warm Heart Candles , a business he is evicting, and the owner just happens to be Jessie's sister-in-law. Amy Groening Is a Versatile Actress Many supporting Hallmark actors shine best on the second-string and would tank a movie if cast as leads, so the network took a gamble when they promoted Groening to center stage. It's a move that paid off. Whether a scene requires sharp wit or raw emotion, Groening effortlessly slips into whatever mode is required. She can swing from eccentricity to the girl-next-door, and her heart shows in her eyes as the story unfolds. Groening falls into an easy stride with Buckley in 'Twas the Date Before Christmas , and the two make falling in love in one day a believable possibility. Let's hope Hallmark will continue recognizing Groening's talent by including her as the lead in future productions. RomCom Review Rates 'Twas the Date Before Christmas The first new movie of Hallmark Channel's Countdown to Christmas season comes in at a solid 3 out of 5 stars. Hallmark uses the fake dating trope to frame the story, coupled with a business that needs saving. The Chamberlain family Christmas Olympics is a unique angle, and the light show at the end is festive. The cast is terrific, the tension is well-balanced, a hidden layer of Jessie's past adds depth, and the chemistry is organic. If you have a difficult time keeping up with the plethora of movies cranking out this season, 'Twas the Date Before Christmas is definitely worth your time. Follow Our Facebook Page Our Hallmark Ever After Facebook page offers daily schedules and unique content, which is why it has 94K followers and is still growing! Join us!