GamerTab
That was an excellent one.
BootDigest
Such a frustrating disappointment
Intcatinfo
A Masterpiece!
Voxitype
Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.
md-36-796209
Some of the plot elements aren't just impossible to believe, but send a mixed message about values. (See "Flatter than roadkill", which sums this up well.) The casting of Mary's parents and grandfather made it hard for me to follow the story. The mother looked liked the grandfather's age, and way older than the father, so I couldn't figure out how the grandmother could be dead. (What? Then who's the white-haired lady taking care of the grandfather, his second wife?) The least they could have done was have Mary clearly call her "Mom" from the second she was introduced and several times in her first scene. Maybe the intention was to say "it's okay to not dye your hair, work out, etc. if you and your husband share true love", but it was too confusing to work.
ccmulder
My wife and I are suckers for a sappy Christmas movie in the classic Hallmark genre. You do not expect Al Pacino or Jack Nicholson type acting. In fact, if you look at the IMDb reviews of Christmas movies, they are almost always on average 2 to 3 stars above what one would rate a non-Christmas movie because people understand these are "feel good" movies designed to inspire Christmas spirit, not win academy awards (and that is why I gave this a "3" instead of a "1"). That being said, as one reviewer mentioned, this movie HAD NO Christmas SPIRIT. There was no Christmas music, no decorations, no snow--nothing remotely Christmasy until the final scene (unless you count the endless references to "Christmas Lodge." And the acting—even giving due consideration to the usual sub-par acting in Christmas movies—was very poor with the exception of Erin Karpluk and the little girl--both did a decent job working amidst a bunch of stiffs.Further, there was too much interjection of the Bible in the movie. I understand that Christmas has its origins in the birth of Christ, but frankly, it has become a secular holiday for many around the world. I typically do not mind and even enjoy some reference to Christ, but even Christmas movies that do that, avoid such overt, over-the-top references to the Bible this movie included. I almost felt as though I had attended a sermon by the end of the movie.Moreover, the single most important aspect of a romantic Christmas movie as this one tries to be—where lonely forlorn man or woman find the true love and the Christmas spirit—is good chemistry between the male and female leads. There was zero chemistry in this movie—nothing, nada, zip.I think the only reason anyone would give this movie above 5 stars (and "5" is generous) is a strong religious or sugary "G" rating bias—that is people who cringe when the realism in a movie moves a hair off dead center of the G rating scale. So if you have that bias, you'll have a chance of liking this movie—not much of a chance, mind you—but a chance. If you prefer real Christmas movies with all the attendant Christmas trimmings to get you in the spirit of the season, you will want to skip this movie—or watch it after you've watched all the others you can possibly rent or find streaming on the Internet.
lyndakf-558-49076
This is a very heartwarming and wonderful movie. Erin Karpluk was so realistic in her love and devotion to her grandfather that she had each of our family members crying, she is like a modern day Margaret O'Brien. And of course Michael Shanks is a favorite, as always, and it was fun to see him in something other than Stargate. This is what Christmas is really about - Family and family traditions, as is also - helping others in need. It touched the hearts of each one of us so much in our family as we sat and watched it, that some of us didn't want to leave the room for anything. It's uplifting and inspiring and it will be a new family favorite for Christmas from now on.
raneill
This was a wonderful, feel good, fun for the whole family type movie. The acting is well done, the characters are believable and real, and the main characters are explored enough so that the audience connects. The scenery is awesome, and having many Canadians on the cast is another plus! One thing that was extremely nice to see was the amount of and quality of references to God. There was no swearing, no violence, no sex - just great acting and a great plot. This is the first movie in a while that I've seen where God isn't just used as a swear word, and prayer was more than "praise the Lord, pass the potatoes". The family seemed to have a real relationship with God, and it was lived out - scripture was quoted, Bible stories referenced. Amazing, and to boot, it was on a channel not normally known for its morality. Awesome!!!!