A Little Women's Christmas | 2024 Christmas Movies

Great American Family has given fans of Louisa May Alcott a present - A Little Women’s Christmas. A modern retelling of the Little Women story with a few changes.

Jo March (Jillian Murray) is a children’s book author who is trying to move into the young adult genre. When her book idea is rejected, her publisher tasks her with finding a new story while she goes to visit her family at home for Christmas. Little does Jo know that her publisher has sent Fritz (Trevor Donovan) to keep an eye on her. Meanwhile, Jo and her sisters - Meg (Jen Lilley), Beth (Laura Osnes), and Amy (Julie Reilly) - try to figure out how to have the best Christmas without their parents or Meg’s husband, John (Jesse Hutch).

I am sad to admit that I am not a Little Women fan. I don’t think I’ve ever even read the book. So there were probably a lot of references and things that simply went over my head. However, that doesn’t mean it is a bad movie. Thankfully, the women playing the March sisters are all very competent actresses. At no point was I taken out of the story by bad acting. Instead, I think this movie just wasn’t for me. There wasn’t a lot of depth to the plot and it verged on being a little too religious. I’m chalking both of those up to being unfamiliar with the source material. I think that, if you are a fan of the book, you will most likely be a fan of A Little Women’s Christmas.

Rating: A little too sweet for me

Christmas Under The Northern Lights | 2024 Christmas Movies

When I saw that Great American Family was airing a movie titled Christmas Under The Northern Lights, I wondered if there was more to it than just being about the northern lights. Well, the answer is “not really.” I’m still in November and Great American Family movies are already boring me to death. This may be the last year I watch GAF movies.

Erin (Jill Wagner) needs inspiration for her next book. Her father, Doug (Bruce Boxleitner), suggests they go visit his hometown of Aurora. He has to sell his parents’ house and maybe the Aurora Borealis will give Erin the inspiration she needs.

Yep, this movie is all about Erin chasing the northern lights across a small town with tour guide Trevor (Jesse Hutch). Sure, he takes her on some adventures but there are also adventures that she won’t do and, honestly, this movie is so freaking boring. Instead of a “will they or won’t they” romance story, we get a “will they or won’t they” see the northern lights story. It’s not a good conflict, the CGI for the lights wasn’t all that good, and the story progressed at a snail’s pace. I know that GAF tends to put a lot of their bad movies in November. I don’t think I’ve ever wanted December to arrive so much.

Rating: I felt it in my gut that this would be bad.

A Christmas Blessing | 2023 Christmas Movies

According to IMDb, A Christmas Blessing used to be titled Blessings of Christmas. Blessings of Christmas would have been better, honestly. There are a lot of movies named A Christmas Blessing.

Mandy Gilmore (Lori Loughlin) is leaving her cooking show to travel the world, dining at every Michelin star restaurant. Before she can leave, she has to stop in Milwaukee to sign the deed to her late aunt’s food pantry over to Adam (James Tupper), who owns the business next door. As she is getting ready to sign, she is visited by Otto (Jesse Hutch), who reminds her of her aunt’s seasonal goodwill toward those in need. At the last minute, Mandy tries to get together one last holiday food pantry and feast.

This is on Great American Family, of course. It is a little heavy-handed with the religious overtones but I don’t think they ever blatantly say this is “God’s doing” or whatever. I was waiting for some sort of pun on Otto’s name but, if there is one, I didn’t catch it.

Anyway, it’s a decent enough movie. A little too saccharine for my tastes but I’m sure this is right up the alley for some other people.

Rating: Watch out for the ice!

B&B Merry | 2022 Christmas Movies

In B&B Merry, they could not only solve the conflict by having a conversation, they could also solve the conflict by maybe knowing what the job of a travel blogger is. I don’t think I can eyeroll any harder.

Tracey Wise (Jen Lilley) is a luxury travel blogger. Graham (Jesse Hutch) has invited her to review his family’s bed & breakfast in Silver Peak. At the same time, she is asked to review a luxury hotel, also in Silver Peak, as a sample for a possible job. Can she review both without conflicts?

Uuugghhh. First off, Tracey is supposed to be an established travel blogger. Why she is doing any sort of sample writing for anyone? I have been approached for jobs and asked for free writing samples and I point them to this blog (among my other writing gigs). If my writing history isn’t good enough proof of my work, you can go touch grass. I’m not doing free work just because you don’t want to pay me for it. Tracey should know this by now. Especially since she’s also supposedly a lawyer.

Next, Graham invites her to town to review his B&B. But then he gets really mad when she says she has to review the competition as well. THAT IS HER JOB, GRAHAM. She goes places and reviews them. When she brings up the other job, your answer should be “Yeah, that makes sense.” ARGH.

I understand that family owned businesses frequently need word-of-mouth to help them advertise. But you really can’t be like “Only look at my place and forget the other place exists.” You need to show off your place and show her why it’s better than the other place. I mean, maybe that is why your business is failing. It has nothing to do with the other hotel and everything to do with the fact that you literally bad mouth them every chance you get.

While I can’t say that I recommend watching B&B Merry, it’s fine to watch if you can overlook the things I mentioned. The acting is fine, the script is fine. It’s the plot that is kinda annoying. Maybe just half watch it? Is that possible?

Inn Love By Christmas | 2020 Christmas Movies

This is the second real estate based Christmas movie this year. And both of them are from Lifetime. The Christmas Listing was about real estate agents fighting over who will sell an inn. Inn Love By Christmas is about two people fighting over who is going to buy an inn. If only they were the in the same universe….

Mandy (Jonna Walsh) works for a hotel that is looking to purchase an inn in her hometown. Lucas (Jesse Hutch), a friendly rival from high school, is also looking to purchase the inn. Who will win?

Inn Love By Christmas is another one of those movies that doesn’t clearly state what is going on. We know that Mandy works for a hotel in Miami. When we see her in the opening, the hotel looks awfully corporate but she claims later that it is a family-owned hotel. I don’t think she was supposed to be exaggerating but it seems like it. In addition, I don’t think they actually said what Lucas does. He talks about cooking and having a new plan for the restaurant at the inn but I don’t think he said anything about running a restaurant or anything. How is he even qualified to run an inn?

There is also this problem that Many and Lucas get along the entire time. The only “villain” in the movie is Ashley (Kelly Van der Burg), who I think was the mean girl in high school. And she is still just a mean girl. She says mean things at inappropriate times. Other than that, there are no consequences. It doesn’t seem to matter whether Mandy or Lucas buys the inn. Mandy isn’t going to lose her job or anything. Lucas only seems to want it so he can cook. It makes no sense.

I can’t possibly recommend watching this. While there isn’t anything particularly bad about it, there definitely isn’t anything good either. Movies should at least have a defined plot. A little depth never hurt anybody.

Chateau Christmas | 2020 Christmas Movies

We all know that Hallmark movies tend to have characters with the same jobs. Baker, event planner, video game designer has popped up more frequently…but this year, musician seems to have taken hold. Chateau Christmas is the second movie this season to focus on a professional musician. I wonder how many more will show up.

Margot Hammond (Merritt Patterson) is a world famous pianist. When the venue for her Christmas performance is closed for safety issues, Margot decides to spend the holidays with her family at Chateau Neuhaus. It just so happens that a former college friend, Adam (Jesse Hutch), has convinced Margot’s ex-boyfriend, Jackson (Luke Macfarlane), to step in on the planning of the Chateau’s annual Christmas concert. With nine days to go before the performance, can Jackson and Margot put together the perfect Christmas concert for the Chateau?

If we’re going to be adding musician to the Christmas movie jobs, it’s going to have to be specifically musicians who have lost the passion for their instrument. In Chateau, Margot is upset because she’s gotten some bad reviews from one writer. While I understand that bad reviews can be harsh and difficult to take, it’s the opinion of one person. Margot is literally selling out concert venues around the world. But I get it. It’s sucks to hear that other people think you aren’t good at something.

My main problem with Chateau is that it’s kinda boring. Margot and Jackson are tasked to put together this concert but we never really feel like it’s difficult. They spend a lot of their time either trying to get three of the four members of a famous quartet back together to perform (unfortunately, the fourth member had passed away) or they are just hanging out with Margot’s family. There’s shopping, decorating trees, snowball fights….I thought they said it was impossible to plan this concert in nine days. It kinda seems like nine days was too much time for them.

I can’t say that I recommend watching this one. Christmas in Vienna was a better movie about a musician and On The 12th Date of Christmas was a better event planning movie. Save your time and watch one of those instead.