Magical Santas, meet-cutes and dueling Donna Kelce roles: Hallmark’s best holiday movies
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As a long-time connoisseur of holiday movie marathons, I must say that this year’s Hallmark offerings have left me both delighted and perplexed. On one hand, I was thrilled to see more diverse stories being told, such as “Hanukkah on the Rocks” and “Leah’s Perfect Gift.” These films showcase the nuances of Jewish holidays with a warmth and authenticity that is often missing in mainstream media.
A revolution is happening in the Hallmark Channel’s Countdown to Christmas universe.
Absolutely, it’s true that many still encounter Santa-like figures and individuals with seemingly untouched hair under their winter hats, even in the snow. However, times are evolving, and these instances may become less common over time.
In the movie, the main characters share a kiss well before the last five minutes roll around! Scripts nudge us to laugh at overused plotlines that have grown tiresome! Veteran actors from Hallmark Christmas films make appearances in other productions! The NFL collaborates with the network (this could be due to Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s relationship)! Not every tune is a rehash of “Jingle Bells”! There are multiple Hanukkah-themed movies available too!
As the holiday season approaches, we’ve spent numerous hours reviewing Hallmark’s Christmas movie lineup to find the standout performances and must-watch films. Among them, which appearance by Donna Kelce takes the cake, and which movies are perfect for cozy viewing in your festive holiday loungewear? We have the answers for you (though I’ll reserve my theory on Hallmark Channel’s growing fame and coordinating family pajamas for another time).
Spoiler alert: Each movie has a happy ending and everyone’s in love — but you probably already knew that.
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Best use of the magic of Christmas
Perhaps the epitome of this year’s releases, “Santa Tell Me” seems to embody all the charm and magic of the holiday season. It features numerous chance encounters, a transformation from adversaries to lovers, a driven protagonist revisiting her past, and a poignant tale about her parents. Could it possibly be any more suitable for the upcoming Countdown to Christmas?
In a potential turn of events, Erin Krakow’s character, Olivia, is offered an opportunity to host an interior design show. However, her new producer, Chris (Daniel Lissing), who oversees a reality TV show similar to “Love Island” titled “Model Home,” unexpectedly alters the plans and assigns Olivia the task of renovating her childhood home on a strict budget instead. Upon arriving, she stumbles upon an enchanting letter from Santa, dated from her past. This magical correspondence addresses a question posed by her inquisitive young self – one who may have been overly influenced by holiday romance films – about the identity of her one true love. Remarkably, the letter discloses that her destined partner is Nick.
In much the same fashion, she encounters three individuals named Nick, each one potentially her match. However, she must choose the appropriate one before Christmas arrives or forfeit her eternal love once and for all.
Airing on the Hallmark Channel Dec. 19, 25, 30 and Jan. 5 and 17. Streaming on Hallmark+.
Television
In the popular reality show ‘Finding Mr. Christmas’, the competitors discuss that expressing their feelings played a significant role in the Hallmark series aimed at discovering a fresh leading man.
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Best chance for Donna Kelce’s Emmy campaign
In a different wording: The sons of Donna Kelce, known for their association with Taylor Swift and the Kansas City Chiefs (Travis) and the retired Philadelphia Eagles (Jason), have featured in numerous advertisements. However, it’s Donna herself who steals the spotlight with her lines in two Hallmark movies.
The standout choice is “Holiday Touchdown: A Tale of Chiefs Devotion” – a must-see. In this production, Hunter King portrays a woman hailing from a family of ardent Chiefs supporters. Her enchanted cap has been instrumental in securing numerous Super Bowl victories, even outshining Patrick Mahomes’ achievements. Tyler Hynes shares the screen as a team marketing executive. Kelce is employed at the barbecue joint run by the heroine’s grandparents. As a Ravens fan whose title ambitions were thwarted by the Chiefs last season, I found this an entertaining viewing experience with numerous NFL cameos. However, it may provoke negative reactions from Raiders and Broncos supporters.
As a film enthusiast, I’d say: “In the spirit of Philadelphia, ‘Christmas on Call’ takes me on a heartwarming journey where I play the role of a doctor new to town. I find myself smitten by an EMT who shares my love for the Eagles. However, even the tantalizing cheesesteaks served in the movie, supposedly by Kelce, fail to add flavor to this otherwise predictable tale.
The heartwarming movie titled ‘Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story’ will be available in an extended version starting December 20th and can be re-watched on the 25th, 31st, and 18th of December on the Hallmark Channel. If you prefer streaming, it’s also accessible on Hallmark+.
“Christmas on Call” airs on the Hallmark Channel Dec. 18, 25 and Jan. 4.
Hollywood Inc.
Hallmark premieres ‘Holiday Touchdown: A Tale of Chiefs Romance,’ one of their holiday films that draws inspiration from the love story of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce. In this production, Travis Kelce’s mother, Donna Kelce, plays a minor role.
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Most meta Hallmark movie
It’s refreshing to observe how Hallmark embraces the familiarity of its Christmas movie plots, even poking fun at them with jokes and a plot generator. This is evident in the film “Sugarplummed.
In a twist of fate, when harried attorney Emily (Maggie Lawson) longs for a picture-perfect Christmas, Sugarplum (Janel Parrish), a cherished character from the “Harmony Home Network” holiday movies, steps in to help. Sugarplum aspires to make Emily’s life follow the regulations of her idyllic hometown, Perfection. For instance, rule number 47 dictates that when a city girl encounters a small-town bachelor during the holidays, they will inevitably fall in love and get married.
Credit also goes to “The Santa Class,” where Hallmark regular Paul Campbell plays a comedic version of himself, signing up for lessons at a struggling Santa school (the central storyline). He’s pondering over taking on the role of Santa in an upcoming Hallmark Christmas film.
“Sugarplummed” airs on the Hallmark Channel Dec. 21, 25, 30 and Jan. 3. Streaming on Hallmark+.
“The Santa Class” airs on the Hallmark Channel Dec. 18, 21, 27 and Jan. 4.
Television
Television critic Robert Lloyd from the Los Angeles Times envisions potential storylines for the season’s holiday-themed TV films solely by reading their titles.
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Best fake dating trope
In the movie titled “Holiday Mismatch“, characters Kath (portrayed by Caroline Rhea) and Barbara (Beth Broderick) face disagreements within the Chamber of Commerce Christmas committee. Their dynamic is reminiscent of “The Odd Couple”, as Barbara, a retired accountant with a penchant for control, finds herself on the committee and struggles with Kath’s more laid-back approach and disarray. Interestingly, both women share a common trait: they are overprotective mothers. To put an end to their meddling in their children’s personal lives, Lauren (Maxine Denis) and Shane (Jon McLaren) reluctantly agree to go on a date, hoping it will discourage their moms from intervening further.
Lauren and Shane choose a pretend relationship to dodge questions from their mothers, but once Kath and Barbara figure out who the two are dating, they team up with the intent of splitting them apart.
“The Eve Before Christmas” subtly leans towards the false dating trope. To prevent her overzealous and competitive family from scrapping their Christmas Games, Jessie (Amy Groening) invites a man (Robert Buckley) she’s only recently met online. Despite it being their initial meeting, she deceives her family, claiming they’ve been an item for some time.
“Holiday Mismatch” airs on the Hallmark Channel Dec. 19, 26 and Jan. 4.
“‘Twas the Date Before Christmas” airs on the Hallmark Channel Dec. 24 and Jan. 3.
Television
We ran the plots of more than two dozen Hallmark and Lifetime Christmas movies through AI art generator DALL-E. The results are funny and disturbing.
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Most likely to get ‘Die Hard’ fans to watch a Hallmark Christmas movie
Despite not hearing “Yippee-ki-yay” or similar expressions due to it being Hallmark, they’ve definitely increased their selection of action and adventure programming.
As a movie enthusiast, I’d put it this way: “In ‘The Christmas Quest,’ I find myself drawn into an adventure reminiscent of ‘Indiana Jones.’ Starring the charming Kristoffer Polaha and Lacey Chabert, who play divorced scholars on a frosty Icelandic journey, we follow them as they unravel riddles to unearth treasure tied to Yule Lads folklore. The film cleverly references the boulder scene and incorporates animated map sequences, making it a must-watch for those who love a good holiday mystery.
In the spirit of holiday capers, “The Christmas Charade” unites a grumpy FBI agent (Cory Sevier) with a shy librarian (Rachel Skarsten). This unexpected bond arises due to a dating faux pas that results in a pretend romantic relationship, which transforms the librarian into an undercover agent, as they jointly pursue art and jewel thieves. The movie features an amusing sequence where she’s trained to blend into the undercover world.
Both feature grand ballroom sequences, as it’s hard to imagine an action-adventure film lacking a formal Christmas Eve celebration. Expect to disregard significant narrative inconsistencies and simply enjoy the journey.
“The Christmas Quest” is streaming on Hallmark+.
“The Christmas Charade” airs on the Hallmark Channel Dec. 18, 24 and Jan. 4.
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Most entertaining meet-the-parents culture clash
Numerous films explore the amusing/painful process of merging households, featuring moments that are awkward enough to be entertaining.
In the movie titled “Asha’s Christmas, ER doctor Asha (played by Anuja Joshi) finds herself working on Christmas Day when an old crush, Jake (Benjamin Hollingsworth), unexpectedly shows up. Sparks fly and they quickly fall in love, but trouble brews when he forgets to ask for her father’s blessing before proposing. Their whirlwind romance leads them back to their hometown, where they must navigate a cultural clash between Asha’s extended Indian family and Jake’s divorced white parents. To appease her family, Asha has been experimenting with Indian recipes by incorporating ketchup into them.
In this particular Hallmark Christmas movie, it’s possible that the very first kiss on screen happens unusually early – only twelve minutes into the film, as our main characters share their first passionate kiss.
The storyline titled “To Have and to Holiday” unfolds post Jason (Robert Bazzocchi) and Celeste’s (Madeleine Arthur) impulsive engagement. Given that her father (Eric Close), who is the local pastor, insists on their union only upon successful completion of his marriage preparation course. Some tasks include Celeste, blindfolded, guiding a golf cart while Jason navigates an obstacle course, leaving one to ponder how such a risky boot camp could possibly be covered by insurance.
“Christmas With the Singhs” airs on the Hallmark Channel Dec. 19 and 25.
“To Have and to Holiday” airs on the Hallmark Channel Dec. 20.
Television
The actor discusses establishing a regular presence on Hallmark, with ‘This Time Each Year’ marking their 30th movie to air on the network, debuting this coming Thursday.
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Most competitive spirit
Many films feature an excessive amount of holiday contests, making one wonder where the time is found to organize such extended journeys. Perhaps a novel idea for the upcoming year could be a movie that revolves around competition organizers themselves, who unexpectedly find love while competing against each other.
“Jingle Bell Run
Winning “Trivia at St. Nick’s” may not bring you wealth and recognition, but it does earn you the right to boast about it. In this show, Tammin Sursok plays an astronomy professor who often clashes with Brant Daugherty, a football coach who sneakily takes advantage of the faculty dining line. If you find yourself as a Christmas trivia quizmaster, this series might be worth playing in the background.
“Jingle Bell Run” airs on the Hallmark Channel Dec. 20, 25 and Jan. 4. Streaming on Hallmark+.
“Trivia at St. Nick’s” airs on the Hallmark Channel Dec. 26 and 31.
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More than an obligatory nod to other cultures and traditions
“Hanukkah on the Rocks – A Tale from the Windy City
In a unique turn of events, the charming encounter in the film unfolds during a dispute over the final box of special Hanukkah candles. However, it’s not the plot that captivates us, but rather the charismatic character of Sam, portrayed by Marc Summers – a familiar face to many as the former host of Nickelodeon’s “Double Dare” game show. I propose a spinoff series centered around Sam and his bar, diving deeper into his life and the stories that unfold there.
Hallmark’s other Hanukkah release titled “Leah’s Perfect Gift” centers excessively around a Jewish woman struggling to blend in as she spends her first Christmas with her boyfriend’s rigidly traditional family. This narrative seems to fall short of providing a satisfying experience for Leah and viewers alike, who both deserve more thoughtful storytelling.
“Hanukkah on the Rocks” airs on the Hallmark Channel Dec. 22, 26 and 31.
“Leah’s Perfect Gift” airs on the Hallmark Channel Dec. 19, 24, 28 and Jan. 3.
Television
Hallmark’s rare Jewish-themed film is a pleasant, frictionless story from screenwriter Julie Sherman Wolfe, who also wrote ‘Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story.’
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Most deserving of a lump of coal
Indeed, the title “Deck the Walls” refers to a well-known greeting card company. However, some parts of the script appear to be overt advertisements, which seem out of place and somewhat uncomfortable within the storyline.
The story revolves around an interior designer from a bustling city, who’s making her first visit since her parents’ passing, back to her small-town home. She’s there to aid her brother and his closest friend in transforming their grandparents’ house into a charitable endeavor for a local family who have consistently given back to the community. Indeed, it seems this narrative aligns with several classic themes often seen in Hallmark holiday movies.
The unbelievable scene, set in a Homegoods store, features small children seemingly obsessed with high-end interior design, meticulously arranging table settings. (I couldn’t help but wonder if a “Live, laugh, love” cushion might miraculously come to life and begin granting Christmas wishes – at least that would have added some amusement.) And it’s important to note that this is just one of the overt product placements in the film, accompanied by dialogue.
As a discerning viewer, I must confess, the influx of advertisements for Balsam Hill’s premium artificial trees and WeatherTech’s car floor mats on this particular channel is already overwhelming. Thus, any additional product placements might seem superfluous, to say the least.
“Deck the Walls” airs on the Hallmark Channel Dec. 21, 27, 30 and Jan. 5.
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2024-12-18 14:35