A Fabled Holiday

While not everything about this movie Wow'd me to a high rating, it was so creative I have to reward it. The Chapter format with fairly tale pages to begin and end each 12 minute segment (commercials, don't you know) was very cool, and the entire idea for the story simply broke the mold. Not often do we get an enchanted town. :-)

The town comes from a fairy tale book all the guests of the town owned and loved as children, and the premise is that those who have broken places in their lives come to the town to heal. It's really a very nice idea and they pulled it off. The relationships and the mystery might have been sold harder, but I can enjoy what they did, and we'll watch it again.

A magic book passed on from the blessed to those needing healing leads those needing to a hidden town. Are the residents fairies? There is a sense of wonder as we meet 5 people with something missing in their lives. There is some freshness in how their stories progress. Mildred seems to be a strange addition to the town since she resembles the grinch more than a helpful fairy. Even so, there are no great highs or lows or surprises.

Ryan Paevey and Brooke D'Orsay have chemistry as their characters rekindle their childhood relationship. D'Orsay's Talia seems the most perceptive of the fact that something about Wunderbrooke is unique and perhaps stirring up memories of childhood stories. I think D'Orsay is well cast for this part.

The friction between Diane and Keith doesn't develop as much as it jumps to a conclusion.

The fairy tale atmosphere and unfolding mysteries kept my interest, but I can't say this movie stood out and certainly not a tear jerker.

Deep in the woods there lies a sleepy little village with the biggest Christmas spirit. Look for it on a map and you won't be able to find it. It is said that only those in need of the village's particular joy can find their way to it's quiet welcoming streets and once these special visitors arrive in this magical little place they experience a holiday season like no other and are reminded of who they really are and the true joy and peace that is the meaning of Christmas...

And so starts this unusual Hallmark holiday romance. A father gives a daughter a beautiful picture book about a special village called Wunderbroke. The imaginative Talia, played by Brooke D'Orsay, dreams of being a writer one day herself. Coincidences align and Talia ends up in the magical Wunderbrook of the story with a friend from the past...Anderson who has become a surgeon but is questioning his calling...just like Talia.

"So which section is yours? Do you use a nom de plume?"-Anderson "More like a nom de calculator. This is actually my store. Which you know requires a surprising amount of math and sadly not as many clever turns of phrase."-Talia

They both end up staying at "The Gingerbread Inn" for the holidays...can both rekindle their passion and their callings with a little help from their hosts in Wunderbrook.

The narration was sweet and I like how the children's storybook was woven throughout the film. I liked the touch of magic...but the best part is the end. I love both Brooke D'Orsay and especially Ryan Paevey who played Anderson. Synergy or kismet...these two have great chemistry amongst this holiday backdrop. Can they keep Wunderbrook alive, rekindle it's magic and their friendship?

This was sweet and well worth the watch. Very family friendly, I recommend this to those with a good imagination and a love of Hallmark holiday films.

Not my favorite type of movie, The writers weakened the storyline by following the Hallmark standards of time limits and editing to fit the 1 1/2 hour limitations. I want a well developed plot line and characters to fit. This movie. Should have been a normal two hour one. Chopped in the edit room for Hallmark, Low on my list of Ryan Paevey movies, but grateful when I realized there would be at least a year before he was chosen for another one. Realize that the "battle" with GAC for "religious" purity has seemingly given new actors huge openings to join the Hallmark Universe....and that the 3-4 favorites are still doing their regular 3 or more films a year. But, this should not be allowed to start making movies of lesser quality, with writers and actors of presumably lesser cost.

Give this jumble of a movie a higher rating because it could have been better if allowed to be.

I love stories about writing books or anything adjacent to books. The movie IS a book story, Talia is a writer writing a book, and Talia owns a book shop, so this is a triple yes for me! I love how innocent and imagination Talia is, how Anderson supports her, and the abundance of Christmas festivities in the magical village.

Summary: Talia's father introduces childhood friends Talia and Anderson to the story of Wunderbrook, a Magical Christmas Village where those that have lost their way in the world can find joy and peace. 30 years later, both Talia and Anderson end up staying at the Gingerbread Inn for Christmas where they participate in Wunder Week Christmas festivities and rediscover their joy and true self. The movie is told in chapters like a storybook with book graphics, text, and a narrator.

"Once these special visitors arrive in this place, they experience a Holiday like no other and are reminded of who they really are and the true joy and peace that is the meaning of Christmas." -A Wunderbrook Christmas Story book.

MeetCute: Talia and Anderson are childhood friends and read the book of Wunderbrook together.

Anderson gifts Talia a notebook that says, "Don't Stop Dreaming" while Talia gifts Anderson a copy of the book, A Wunderbrook Christmas Story

As adults, Talia is negatively muttering to herself her doubts about her unpublished manuscript when Anderson enters. Talia spots him and they realize they know each other from their childhood! Talia tells him she is still trying to write fiction and Anderson tells her that he is taking a break from his job as a doctor.

Christmas Festivities: Christmas Tree Lighting Snow Falling Hot Chocolate Tasting Story Hour of an Original Holiday Story Talia & Anderson Dress Up as Santa & Elves Making Christmas Stockings Charles decorates Mildred's Magical Tavern with Christmas Decorations Christmas Market Christmas Bell Procession Night of Wunder Party.