Scrooge - 1970

Enjoyable musical of Dickens famous story. If you want a change of pace with this classic tale, this is a good choice but be prepared, there are quite a few creative changes to the basic story to accommodate both the humor and the music. Ok performances but with the back and forth of drama to humor, some seemed a little over the top, especially that of Scrooge (Finney) and Marley (Guinness). Still, the music was enjoyable and this version is a great addition to anyone’s “Christmas Carol” viewing.

A Christmas Carol - 1938

Ok version of this classic Dickens story. With a somewhat choppy storyline, this version struggles a little. Very abridged, this film skips a great deal of Scrooge’s early life including the portions with his fiancé. Other events are included but are altered drastically. They also skip the grimmer aspects of the ghostly visits, altering the impact of the changes in Scrooge and making them less believable. At the end his change of attitude seems almost too abrupt. The filming and costuming are well done, although the bald rubber cap on Scrooge is pretty obvious. The ending is also not my favorite of the “Carol” endings. Even so, the performances themselves are excellent and this version has one of my favorite portrayals of Bob Cratchit. Even with its weaknesses this is still an enjoyable part of the “Christmas Carol” family of films.

A Christmas Carol - 1999

Ok adaptation of this classic tale that closely followed the basic Dickens plot, but the modernized dialog was definitely a distraction. Also, the contrast between the bleak emotions in the first part of the story and the Christmas cheer at the end were not as defined as earlier films which took some of the impact out of the change in Scrooge and was a weakness in this version. Ok performance by Patrick Stewart as Scrooge, though, that demonstrates his talent as an actor. Only so-so performances by the supporting cast especially the important role of Bob Cratchit who seemed too wooden, and Tiny Tim who definitely seemed a little too healthy. This film also included more special effects than earlier productions which often seemed out of place, but not annoyingly so (with the exception of Christmas Past and his glowing 1960’s “sci-fi” eyes!) Ok filming but the sets and costuming must have had a small budget and weren’t up to par with earlier films. Still, as a fan of this story in all its variations (even the cheesy ones) this is an enjoyable addition to the “Christmas Carol” family. ***

The Three Gifts - 2009

Entertaining family holiday film. When the orphanage must close for repairs, a toymaker and his wife (Cain & Kelly) agree to temporarily take three energetic orphans for the holidays. Although this pleasant, predictable story had few surprises, it managed to convey some gentle heartfelt moments anyway. Performances were good, especially those of Dean Cain and Jean Louisa Kelly as the temporary “parents” as well as those of the three kids. Often young “troublemakers” have completely over-the-top or slapstick performances but the kids were actually fairly believable. Plus the story itself was a nice change of pace from the usual holiday fare available. Definitely one we will watch again. ***

The Preacher's Wife - 1996

Ok holiday movie but poor remake! This story follows a preacher who is struggling to hold things together with his church and congregation. After a prayer for help, an angel (Denzel Washington) is sent to help. This is a pale comparison to the original movie (The Bishop’s Wife). I am a fan of several other movie remakes but this one is really lacking. With the exception of Denzel Washington, the acting of the main characters is pretty wooden. The preacher (Courtney Vance) seems to only have one expression. He is so passionless about his role as a preacher that its hard to believe he would have had the desire to pray for help in the first place. As his wife, Whitney Houston is also barely believable both as a wife and a mother. Her lines seem rehearsed as if she is reading cue cards. The charisma of Dudley came across fairly well as played by Denzel Washington, although his role seemed minor in this version. The plot changes and updates were clever but the plot moved very slowly and I found myself longing to fast forward. An ok movie for the family but there are definitely better holiday movies out there.  ***

12 Men of Christmas - 2009

Light-hearted romantic comedy. Leaving her high powered job and moving to Montana, E.J. (Chenowith) finds herself promoting a male calendar. This predictable story had few twists but moved along smoothly. (It has even loosely included a few plot elements from Austen's "Pride & Prejudice") Along the way E.J. falls for Mr. December (no surprise) but the romantic elements were pretty low key. Performances were Ok but nothing special and the chemistry between the characters struggled a little. Although billed as a Christmas film, there were few actual references to the holidays making it a definite change of pace from the usual “Santa” or “It’s a Wonderful Life” variations. It certainly would not be at the top of my favorite Christmas films, but as a soft touch when it comes to the holidays, I still found this enjoyable. ***

The Christmas Wife - 1988

Enjoyable drama. Facing his first Christmas as a widower, John (Robards) answers a personals ad hoping to meet someone to share Christmas Day. The woman (Harris) who responds to his request is obviously hiding something. This quiet story was well written with a touching storyline that managed to avoid getting too sappy. As you watch the characters, you can feel their loneliness without it becoming overly sentimental. Performances were excellent by both Robards and Harris, easily making you feel at ease with their characters. Although this was a family friendly film, the storyline was definitely geared more to an older audience and would not be that entertaining for the very young. Definitely worth watching, though. ***

The Christmas Cottage - 2008

Somewhat entertaining look at the events that shaped one of today’s most endearing artists, Thomas Kinkade. Returning home for the holidays, Thomas (Padalecki) discovers that his mother (Harden) is about to lose her home. This film definitely had its ups and downs. The first half is a little slow moving, struggling to decide what kind of story its really going to be. The film has its heart-warming moments but also has its fair share of cursing and vulgar innuendos. The characters vary from the exceptional performance of Peter O’Toole, the artist next door, to other townspeople that seem little more than caricatures. The last half of the film finally seems to come together, delivering some very heartfelt moments. Was definitely disappointed that the film seemed to tiptoe around the Christian aspect of the story.  In spite of its problems, however, we enjoyed the film. It was worth watching if only to see the incredible performance of Peter O’Toole. ***

Santa Baby 2: Christmas Maybe - 2009

So-so sequel. When Santa (Sorvino) decides to retire, he wants Mary (McCarthy) to take over the job. Unfortunately, there were some pretty big holes between this storyline and that of its predecessor. Even well into the movie there is little explanation for where the first story left off and this story begins. Mary must go home and again save the day, but you are surprised that she wasn’t already there in the first place! It was also disappointing to have new actors in more than one of the major roles. Santa was apparent immediately, but the boyfriend took some time before we realized that he was the same character, just a new actor. The main outline of this film’s “Christmas conflict” was fairly clever but it really struggled to come together. Nor was Mary’s character as enjoyable this time around. In the first film you felt she just hadn’t “found” herself but in this one you were annoyed she was acting so selfishly. We are pretty forgiving of holiday films so even with its problems we still moderately enjoyed this one. ***

Santa Baby - 2006

Likeable Christmas film. After her father, Santa (Wendt), suffers a mild heart attack, Mary (McCarthy) must leave her corporate job to help with Christmas. This light-hearted holiday film included the usual concerns that Christmas would be ruined, the failure of any attempts to change Santa's system and the love triangle where a choice must be made between the "bad" and the "good" boyfriend. Although completely predictable, the storyline was still fairly charming with some fun comic moments, especially watching the elves try to cope with Mary's addition of new technology. There was also some wonderful chemistry between the characters. Performances were good from both the main and the supporting cast. We were particularly fond of the portrayal of Santa (Wendt) and Mrs. Claus. Definitely an enjoyable addition to our Christmas viewing. Maybe 3 1/2 stars. ***

Jingle All the Way - 1996

Moderately enjoyable Christmas comedy. Workaholic Howard (A.S.) has forgotten to purchase the coveted Turbo Man for his son’s Christmas. Finding that everywhere is sold out, Howard ends up on a fervent hunt to find one. Admittedly, this is an unrealistic, goofy story. In its defense, though, it never actually pretends to be anything deeper. The situations are mostly ridiculous, the acting is often over-the-top and the conclusion is completely off the wall. But it all seems to be part of the intended outcome. The comic aspects of the film are a little forced with much of the humor coming from comic violence. And the underlying message that at all costs you must get your child whatever they are demanding is moderately uncomfortable, but the story is so improbable that it’s hard to take either of these issues very seriously. In spite of its problems, we usually watch this one every year.  ***

Ernest Saves Christmas - 1988

Light-hearted comedy from the memorable Ernest (Jim Varney). For those of us who remember the lovable Ernest, this was probably the best of his films. Ernest steps in to aid an aging Santa in his search for his replacement. Along the way we meet some of Varney’s most unforgettable characters. (His snake man really had me chuckling!) Even my teens, who are certainly too young to remember Ernest, found themselves laughing at some of his antics. The story itself is somewhat cheesy (as are many Christmas films), but the special effects are surprisingly pretty good. Although not at the top of my Christmas watch list, this film was great fun. ***

Christmas Caper - 2007

So-so romantic comedy Christmas film. After she narrowly escapes being arrested during a robbery, Cate (Doherty) hides out at her sisters while she is away on vacation. Gradually Cate finds herself changing as she cares for her sisters kids. The storyline for this film was certainly predictable, unbelievable and cheesy, with few changes to this often used outline. However, this is certainly the case with many of the Christmas shows being churned out these days. Still, if you are a holiday film enthusiast like me, you don’t seem to mind some mindless fluff with its sentimental, happy ending if a little Christmas spirit is thrown in. Performances were good, although I’m not a fan of Shannen Doherty. She was perfect in the role, however, and made a good transition from the cynical thief to a loving, caring human being. Definitely not at the top of my Christmas film list but Ok for at least one viewing. ***

The Storyteller: Greek Myths - 1991

Mildly entertaining. Although patterned after the original Henson "Storyteller" series, these darker myths have little of their charm. Michael Gambon as the storyteller/narrator does an exceptional job but the stories themselves are dreary and depressing. The myths are very adult in nature and far from family friendly. Typical for Greek myths, but unless you are a fan of Greek mythology, they are not as enjoyable as the fairy tales and legends used in the first series. Filming is Ok, but the special effects as well as the sets and costuming are very simple with very dark lighting. Although not rated, this should probably be PG. Just OK. ***

The Librarian: Return to King Solomon's Mines - 2006

Enjoyable sequel. With the world again at risk, Flynn (Wyle) sets out to retrieve an ancient artifact. This film managed to do a good job of following in the footsteps of its predecessor. The story was a light-hearted adventure that included a little humor and romance. Performances again fit in well with the story and enhanced the characters. Special effects were also well done. If you liked the first film, you are sure to enjoy this entertaining sequel.  ***

A Kiss at Midnight - 2008

Charming romantic comedy from Hallmark. Susan Flowers (Faith Ford) runs a matchmaking service but is lonely herself. When a new rival service comes to town, she decides to check out the competition, which unknown to her, includes the CEO himself (Cameron Daddo). Although this light story has a pretty basic outline with few surprises, the enjoyable performances from both Ford and Daddo in the title roles manage to pull it off. It was nice seeing a 40ish couple find romance without the over-the-top slapstick comedy that usually accompanies this type of story. The two daughters give delightful performances (Mavity & Gould) as does Dyan Cannon as Susan’s quirky mom and Hal Linden as her mom’s new husband. Again, without the corny traits that are usually a part of the supporting cast for this type of film! Predictable ending but it does manage to avoid being overly sappy and you’re actually happy to see them end up together. Definitely family friendly.  ***

Jesse Stone: Innocents Lost - 2011

Another enjoyable addition to the films based on Chief Jesse Stone in the books by Robert B. Parker. After being encouraged to retire as Police Chief of Paradise, Jesse (Tom Selleck) is still working to get his life together. Although this film had two different mysteries alternating throughout the story, it moved along at a much slower pace than most of its predecessors. Neither mystery actually had much substance, focusing more on Jesse's reactions to both. The bulk of the film could probably stand alone, but the background story behind Jesse Stone was definitely entered “mid-stream”. Without the earlier “Stone” films, it would be difficult to have much of an emotional connection to Stone or to follow the underlying drama. Selleck is definitely well-suited to the role of Chief Stone but except for the dog, the supporting roles were a little thin this time around. The cinematography and musical score again surpass the usual made-for-tv films. This one ends with a very mild cliffhanger but only in that you know Jesse is not done with Paradise. Even with its weaknesses, this is a great addition to the “Jesse Stone” films. (7th in series)  ***

Conquest - 1937

Interesting but rather dull historical drama highlighting the story of Napoleon (Charles Boyer) and his legendary mistress, Countess Walewska (Greta Garbo). It is obvious early on in this film that no expense was spared for this film. The costumes are lavish with great attention to detail, as are the varied sets. The B&W lighting and filming are exceptional and add a richness to what is happening on screen. The story of Napoleon himself is very condensed, with the events of years occurring in just 2 short hours on screen. In fact, a personal knowledge of Napoleon and his campaigns is necessary to follow the on screen story of the Emperor and his mistress. The film's greatest strength is the performances of the title characters. Charles Boyer was perfectly cast as Napoleon Bonaparte, giving an Oscar worthy portrayal of the infamous Emperor, while Greta Garbo proves again that she can command the screen, even when her role is really secondary. Their on screen chemistry is extraordinary. In its day, this was a failure at the box office but if you like lavish historical dramas, you should enjoy this one.  ***

Jesse Stone: No Remorse - 2010

Another enjoyable addition to the films based on Chief Jesse Stone in the books by Robert B. Parker. While suspended, Jesse (Selleck) works with State Homicide to solve a serial killing. Although fairly well written, this film certainly had a weaker story and moved along at a much slower pace than its predecessors. The bulk of the film could probably stand alone, but the background story behind the characters was definitely entered “mid-stream”. Without the earlier “Stone” films, it would be difficult to follow the underlying drama. The performances by the entire cast continue to be right on the mark. Selleck is definitely well-suited to the role of Chief Stone. The cinematography and musical score again surpass the usual made-for-tv films. As with “Thin Ice”, this also ends with a mild cliffhanger. Not uncommon in films except it’s really just the same cliffhanger restated and consequently comes across a little flat. Even with its weaknesses, this is a great addition to the “Jesse Stone” films. (6th in series)  ***

Wonderfalls - 2004

Quirky, offbeat series. Inanimate objects begin to talk to an insolent clerk in a tourist shop, who tries to resist their suggestions but eventually ends up helping others, much to her dismay. Although the premise for this series was amusing, the majority of the episode plotlines seemed pretty thin (even for a comedy) and really never reached their potential until near the end of the season. There were definitely some witty and entertaining moments, but not enough to keep the first episodes from cancellation. Since this is a common problem with a new series, it surprises me that so much time and money would be put into a potentially great series and then the plug pulled before the final episodes had been aired and the show had even been given a chance. Performances were Ok but never really became fully developed. For me, the main character, Jaye (Dehavemas) seemed “over-the-top annoying” rather than “over-the-top comical”, which was certainly a weakness. My favorite was actually Jaye’s brother (Pace), although his character was just starting to emerge when the series ended. Special effects were pretty good, although by the end they did not play as big a role in each episode. Enjoyable but just Ok. NOTE: Contrary to what you might expect from the synopsis, this is NOT a family friendly series. When my boys were young they were sent to their room for using the kind of language that flows in every episode. (So please don’t tell them I watched this :-) or I will never hear the end of it!) And most of the stories definitely have very adult situations. It is probably equivalent to a PG-13 rating. Definitely consider your audience.  ***