Mini Movie Review - CHRISTMAS SPIRIT

Firstly, let's get the confusion out of the way – I saw this movie on Netflix, via my Roku box and it was entitled A CHRISTMAS PUPPY. It's another one of those titles that can be off putting to those not into cutesy doggy movies. There is a dog, who is an a few scenes, and in the over all story is quite important, but I would not call this a dog movie, per se, not at all. The actual name of this movie is CHRISTMAS SPIRIT (according to IMBD.com, which is a reliable source, and there is no alternative title listed.)

Riley is a teenager who is cynical and has lost his Christmas spirit. He's used to spending it alone due to his overworked mom never being home.

But Hope, a Christmas Spirit, literally, sets him a task to find his own Christmas spirit whist helping a family of complete strangers in desperate need of some festive mojo! The previously well-to-do family are being foreclosed on, the company the dad works for is being shut down, and their daughter feels utterly invisible to both of them due to their preoccupation with their problems. Holiday cheer is pretty short in their household this year.

Aaron Jaeger is superb as Riley, and Alexandra Paul is wonderful as the children's author with semi-permanent writer's block, one of the family Riley is sent to help.

A charming movie that warms the cockles of your heart! Great for all the family to watch this Christmas holidays.

Mini Movie Review - CHRISTMAS ANGEL

Young Olivia is intrigued by the spooky old dark house next door. Her best buddy, Lucas, tells her it's a wishing house – all you have to do to make your wish come true is throw rocks at it and break some glass!

Olivia and her classmates have an assignment to do before the holidays – My Impossible Wish. One of Olivia's classmates is a foster child whose impossible wish is to get a new, horrendously expensive bike for Christmas. Olivia goes to the wishing house and wishes the foster kid could get the bike he wants - without breaking any glass.

Olivia's wish is mysteriously granted, as are some more of the wishes she wanted for other people. Suddenly, the wishing house is besieged by rock-throwing kids.

Olivia wonders if the granted wishes have something to do with the strange blue light that emanates from inside the spooky old dark house at night. Could there be an angel in there, granting all these seemingly impossible Christmas wishes?

But Olivia is smart and curious and needs to find out exactly who, or what, is really behind all these granted wishes.

This is a must-see Christmas family movie! It has a wonderful message of selflessness and giving to others, and is one of the best message movies I've ever seen.

The cast is superb, especially the two best friends, Olivia and Lucas played by Izabela Vidovic and Tyler Humphrey respectively. I've rarely seen two such incredibly talented kids in a movie. They are funny and adorable and you and your family will absolutely love this movie. Highly recommended.

And it's so new, 2012, there's not even a cover for it on Amazon yet at the time of posting.

Mini Movie Review - A CHRISTMAS WISH

A Christmas Wish is an absolutely heart-warming, charming, movie that runneth over with the true spirit of Christmas.

Martha is a mom of three (which includes a step-son,) who is left in the lurch by her dead-beat husband who runs off with a younger woman and cleans out their bank accounts in the process.

They wind up in a small town in the middle of nowhere, destitute and homeless, and just when the townsfolk rally around the family-in-need and things are looking up, guess who turns up like a bad penny?

There's tears to be shed watching this movie, but there's some great laughs too. Excellent performances from the whole cast – and the kids are absolutely awesome! Starring Kristy Swanson, Tess Harper, and Edward Herrmann, this movie is an absolute treat to watch. Great for the whole family!

Christmas Poem - SNOWFLAKES ARE FALLING

 Snowflakes are falling,

Little noses are cold,

A snowy Christmas brings joy,

To both the young and the old.

 

Santa is coming!

And Rudolph too!

With a sleigh full to brimming,

With presents for you.

 

It's late Christmas Eve,

Hurry to bed!

And dream about candy canes,

And men of Gingerbread.

 

It's Christmas morning,

You awaken with a YAY!!

Mom! Dad! Wake up!

It's Christmas Day!

Mini Movie Review - A GOLDEN CHRISTMAS

 

Just watched this super-cute, family-friendly Christmas movie called 'A Golden Christmas.' (It's not really a dog movie, per se, so don't let the cover and the title put you off if you're not a doggie lover - you'll miss a treat!)

Jessica has been estranged from her family for the last few years, unable to return to the place she and her late husband were so happy. But this year she comes home for the holidays and starts thinking about one summer when she was nine years old and met a boy at the campground where her family home is now built. She was 'Leia' and he was 'Han' (from 'Star Wars.') They never knew each others real name, and they never saw each other again. That summer they buried a time capsule in what is now Jessica's parents back yard.

Enter Michael, a handsome guy who lives in town and has bought Jessica's parents house; there's just one problem – Jessica wants the house too. Both of them want it for sentimental reasons – might they find out those reasons are one and the same, if they ever stop butting heads with each other?

Good performances, a cute dog, a couple of cute kids, and a sentimental story line. I really enjoyed this movie and I almost missed it because I'm not really into the whole dog movie thing. In the end I decided to watch it because of a good cast list including - Andrea Roth as Jessica, and Bruce Davison & Alley Mills as her parents. Suitable for the whole family from 9 months to 99 years!

- Holly-Anne.