christmas in july part two: holiday movie mini reviews

Over the years, many Christmas themed movies have been highlighted on the creation of beauty is art. My collection grows and I continue to watch these movies, cartoons, and holiday specials over and over throughout the year. Lately, I have been giving extra thought to why these movies mean so much to me. The world is often cruel, dark, and selfish. It is a place where people lie, cheat, steal, and harm. In Christmas movies, selfish people become generous and giving. Liars become honest. Harmful people learn to be better and make amends for their past actions. The world is so rarely like this...so when I watch a Christmas movie, it is the ultimate escape from the way things tend to be. I can pretend for a little while that good wins out, that kindness matters, and that miracles happen. On that note, to celebrate Christmas In July this year, it seemed right to focus on some new-to-me holiday movie reviews. My husband found all sorts of discounted Christmas movies for sale and asked me a very dangerous question: Do you want any? Of course, the answer was yes. Keep reading for all sorts of mini movie reviews.

Barney: A Very Merry Christmas The Movie. My husband often says that I am a child at heart, because despite my age, there are all sorts of "childish" things that make me smile. Like cartoons and puppets and nostalgic characters. There is a part of me that will always long for the sweetness of childhood. Perhaps that is what makes this holiday inspired movie from Barney so lovely. It makes my inner child happy. Watching the movie reminded me of what Christmas used to be like when I was young. I had flashbacks to making paper snowflakes, gluing colourful pipe cleaners to homemade cards, and agonizing over what to write in my letter to Santa. The movie was a beautiful trip down memory lane. It was nice to remember that holiday magic. 

Christmas Mix. I love all sorts of Christmas movies, including ones that are cheesy, predictable, and full of romance. That is how I would describe Christmas Mix, which stars Haylie Duff. This is an enemies to lovers movie, where two radio hosts dislike each other right away...only to find out that there is more beyond the surface. This had a really good cast (including Maureen McCormick from The Brady Bunch), a cozy small town vibe, and lots of holiday cheer. Though I have watched many holiday movies that are similar to this one, Christmas Mix was an instant favourite. I can't wait to watch it over and over again.

MGM Movie Collection: All All Dogs Christmas Carol and Christmas Carol: The Movie. Next in this list of mini movie reviews is a set with two cartoon versions of the classic A Christmas Carol story. The first is An All Dogs Christmas Carol, which is a cute holiday spin-off of the All Dogs Go To Heaven movie. Since I loved that movie as a kid, this version of the classic Christmas story checked all of the boxes. There were excellent songs, familiar characters, and a heartwarming story. The second version of A Christmas Carol in this DVD set is one that was released in 2001. Despite my attempts to watch as many Christmas movies as possible, this one was not on my radar for whatever reason. It has a stellar voice cast, with Kate Winslet as Belle. The story focuses more on the relationship between Ebenezer and Belle...and even features a song from Kate Winslet. The DVD has a live-action portion of the movie that was cut and a behind the scenes feature that was fascinating. I just love this cartoon!

The House Without a Christmas Tree. It was a few years back that I came across some made for television movies from the 1970s called The Thanksgiving Treasure and The Easter Promise. After a bit of searching, it was quickly discovered that there were two other movies in this series: Addie and the King of Hearts and one that started it all, The House Without a Christmas Tree. Imagine my delight when The House Without a Christmas Tree DVD was discovered! The movie is about a little girl who wants a Christmas tree in the family home, but her father has not allowed there to be one since the death of his wife many years back. It is a touching story about how people can grow and change...and how special the holiday season can be. 

The Man Who Invented Christmas. This is a movie that I remember wanting to see when the trailer was released, but life got in the way and I never got around to it. It has an impressive cast, with Dan Stevens from Downton Abbey starring as Charles Dickens. It is a movie about how Charles Dickens was inspired to write A Christmas Carol...and how the novella saved him from financial difficulties. This was certainly a different spin on the usual A Christmas Carol movie, because though it features the familiar characters, it is done through the imagination of the author. It was interesting to see the characters come to life a little bit at a time. The family tension that was woven throughout the movie was compelling as well. Though this holiday movie doesn't have the cheery red and green imagery that is so often associated with this time of year, it is an enjoyable watch.

Pete's Christmas. The next movie is Pete's Christmas, which is essentially a holiday version of Groundhog Day, where the day repeats over and over again until the main character resolves the outstanding issues. It's about repairing relationships, learning what is really important, and making time for the people you love. Though it is an overdone concept, about halfway through the movie, I found myself rooting for the characters to succeed anyway. I wouldn't say this is a great movie or even a good movie, but it was enjoyable all the same. The relationship between Pete and his grandfather was easily the most compelling.

Thomas Kinkade Presents. This set came with two different movies: Christmas Lodge and Christmas Miracle. Both were formulaic and cliche, but had sweet moments. Christmas Lodge was the better of the two with nice scenery and compelling characters. I found myself getting emotional when the Christmas Lodge was all fixed up and the grandfather character was able to celebrate Christmas there. As for the Christmas Miracle movie, this was a familiar story where a group of strangers become stranded during the holidays and must come together to make a little Christmas magic. This had some cozy establishing shots, which were positive, but also had some one dimensional characters. The somewhat tired plot combined with the unrealistic characters made this movie feel a little flat. However, each of the movies in this set came with a postcard print of Thomas Kinkade artwork inspired by the film. That was a nice little detail that made the set stand out and certainly worth the price.

2nd Chance For Christmas. There are a lot of well known names in this holiday movie, including Tara Reid, Vivica A. Fox, and the iconic Zack Ward from A Christmas Story. This is a modern version of A Christmas Carol (I have a weakness for all versions, from classic to cartoon and everything in between) and is focused on a musician who chose fame over love many years back. The unusual ghosts of past, present, and future put a fun twist on things and I love the music that was incorporated into the movie. There is a subplot with a young fan that made me a little emotional as well. All in all, 2nd Chance For Christmas is a fabulous holiday film. It was a lot of fun, more entertaining than it had a right to be, and is one that I will rewatch many times.

Christmas Tail. The next holiday mini review is for Normal Rockwell Presents: Christmas Tail. (Why are there always so many holiday movies about dogs? Perhaps I am part of the problem, since I seem to own all sorts of them.) Two single parents argue over the ownership of a puppy around the holiday season - and fall in love in the process. This is light, formulaic entertainment that is good to put on at the end of a long day. It is seasonal fluff that is enjoyable but not necessarily groundbreaking. 

Home For Christmas: A Golden Christmas 3. There is something about the Golden Christmas movies (which are cheesy Christmas movies with golden retrievers woven into a romantic plot) that I love. Despite the low budgets and the countless cliches, these movies are heartwarming and sweet. There are often really solid actors involved as well. Home For Christmas: A Golden Christmas 3 had some familiar faces from Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman and all sorts of Hallmark movies, which made it more fun for me. This movie was silly, sweet, and full of adorable puppies. When it comes to Christmas movies, I am not that picky, so the combination of romance, seasonal traditions, and cute animals was really all that was needed to make the movie shine. Though Golden Christmas 2 was slightly better than this third installment, it was still a good seasonal watch. 

Hometown Holiday. This next movie is a classic holiday romance that starts off with a New Years Resolution. There is a florist, entertainment lawyer, musician, and all sorts of sparks flying between the lead characters. The movie was cheesy (in a good way), sweet, and fun. It focused on family connections, career, and of course, relationships. Though not everyone is into the Hallmark-esque style of movies...I am. There is something about watching characters falling in love around the holidays that makes me smile. Hometown Holiday was an enjoyable and wholesome seasonal romance without a ton of drama.

A Puppy For Christmas. I absolutely loved this holiday movie, which was about a woman who spent years dreaming about having a puppy. It turns out that her dream turned her life upside down thanks to one poorly behaved animal. She lost her relationship and career - and was forced to pivot. There were some familiar faces in this movie, since I am well versed in Hallmark movies and the various actors in them. Between the familiar faces, the sweet story, and the unexpected moments, this was a really enjoyable watch. The lead actress was charismatic and really sold the ups and the downs. Another highlight? Toya Alexis played a small part. She was on the Canadian version of Popstars back in the day and I was obsessed with her voice. (Even though she did not make the band, she was featured on the Sugar Jones album.) It was a nice surprise to see her in this Christmas movie. I did not expect A Puppy For Christmas to be such a standout, but it was fabulous from start to finish. 

Merry Ex-Mas. Sometimes, it can be fun to see a formulaic movie about two exes coming back together. Unfortunately, this one felt a little stale and uninspired. Not only were the characters largely unlikeable, but there were some actors that soured it a bit for me. On the plus side, there were a few standouts, mostly Kevin Farley. For those unaware, Kevin Farley played Doug Linus in the MTV spoof boyband 2Ge+her aka one of my favourite bands. (Even though they were a spoof boyband, their music was amazing, as was the movie and television show). 2Ge+her has a special place in my heart and it was a treat to see Kevin Farley have a small role in this otherwise unimpressive film. He was easily the best part: charming and charismatic. 

A Dog Walkers Christmas Tale. This next movie is one that I have seen before. I remember watching it with my mom when it first aired on television several years back. A Dog Walkers Christmas Tale (the dog theme continues...) is about a college student who takes a holiday job as a dog walker and meets a veterinary student. I like that there is solid character growth in this movie, but mostly, I like the fact that it stars Jonathan Bennett.  He has been in some amazing movies over the years.

Glee: A Very Glee Christmas. Confession: I am a Gleek. When the Glee series first premiered, it was a full-blown obsession. I'm talking Glee posters, tracksuits, iTunes downloads, and all the rest. I even went to the Glee concert. I have rewatched the series several times over the years and especially love the Christmas episodes. This DVD has A Very Glee Christmas, which is from the second season of the show. It is nice to have this episode readily available rather than searching through my series collection.

My apologies for this lengthy post full of holiday movie reviews, but hopefully these can at least shed some light on which holiday movies are worth the watch. Be sure to let me know how you are celebrating Christmas In July this year!