Christmas Comes to Willow Creek

BEWARE OF FALSE REVIEWS & REVIEWERS. SOME REVIEWERS HAVE ONLY ONE REVIEW TO THEIR NAME. NOW WHEN ITS A POSITIVE REVIEW THAT TELLS ME THEY WERE INVOLVED WITH THE MOVIE. IF ITS A NEGATIVE REVIEW THEN THEY MIGHT HAVE A GRUDGE AGAINST THE FILM . NOW I HAVE REVIEWED OVER 300 HOLIDAY FILMS. I HAVE NO AGENDA.

The film stars John Schneider and Tom Wopat[1] (reunited from The Dukes of Hazzard, and one of the few projects in which the pair didn't play the Duke cousins), with Kim Delaney, Zachary Ansley, Joy Coghill and Hoyt Axton. Music for the film includes songs written and recorded by Billy Milo.

In this film Willow Creek is a small town in Alaska. It has fallen on very hard times. The local cannery closed and the town is no suffering because there is no jobs for them anymore. Now a former Willow Creek resident still has a a soft spot in his heart for his former hometown. What he does is really what the Christmas Spirit is about.

Even though I liked this movie some of the stuff is "Silly". What is nice that film does so well is that "Forgiving is Important" "Nobody is perfect", "Help when you can" and most of all "Never give up hope".

It is worth watching.

This is one of those Christmas movies about modern day redemption and reconciliation. The plot of "Christmas Comes to Willow Creek," is good. The script, acting and direction are just fair. Improvements in any of these areas would lift the rating of the film a notch or two. John Schneider and Tom Wopat of "The Dukes of Hazzard" TV fame are two brothers on the outs over a woman. The plot jumps between the brothers in California at the trucking firm they drive for, headed by Hoyt Axton as Al; and Al's hometown, Willow Creek, Alaska.

I enjoyed the scenic shots, especially once Ray and Pete hit the road, with Pete's son, Michael, in tow. The incidents they get into on the trip add some zest to the movie. The northern end of the trip was filmed in the Yukon Territory. All in all, this is an OK movie that most will enjoy. Those who remember watching The Dukes of Hazard on TV may think they're watching scenes from that series – in some of the skirmishes Ray gets into. Minus Boss Hogg and Sheriff Rosco Coltrane, of course.

From LA to tiny Willow Creek Alaska with a semi-load of holiday cheer! I just found this movie in my favorite Seattle video store, and loved it. On the first viewing the acting seemed a little rough, but maybe that's OK - after all it is a truckers film. And a 1987 made for TV one at that. The cinematography is especially good with nice scenes of Alaska and cool long shots of the road. The story is appropriately warmhearted, with maybe just a bit too much brawling, but that's the Hollywood and LA television world for you.

Some really nice incidental moments in this film..... the lonely harmonica solo on a quiet wintry street, the Reno cop quoting Sir Walter Scott, his swish partner wiggling out of the scene in sexy police "tights", and Homer, the town sage, sitting atop the Willow Creek water tower like a four year old in his Santa suit, 'til the spirit of Christmas returns. And it does! The music is fun too. Lots of Opera and opera bashing! Some nice bluegrass, and the Willow Creek holiday band clunking their way through "Good King something or other"..... throughout the show.

Also quite nice, is the way the writer and director portrayed the Christmas miracle/fantasy, just letting it be a part of the ongoing story without making a big deal out of it. The actors handled this very well.

I have to say, if the scene with Jessie and her newborn baby coming out of a snowbound semi with three rowdy, desperate characters doesn't remind you of a modern day Alaskan Highway Nativity.... you need to get your butt back into church this Christmas.

Well, a belated 2013 thank you to all who contributed to the making of Christmas Comes To Willow Creek, a 1987 gem.

This movie centers around a very dysfunctional family. One one hand, we have two brothers, Ray and Pete who had a disagreement over a girl (Jessie) years ago, and can hardly stand each other now. They lost their father when very young, and were raised by Al, the owner of the trucking firm they work for now. Pete has a teen age son (Mike) who he is struggling with, trying to raise alone, and getting nothing but resentment and trouble from the boy. Mike resents the fact that his mother is no longer with them, and that his dad has spent most of their Christmas's on the road, hauling freight. Ray brother has his own struggles, having had his wife Jessie walk out on him after finding out he did not want any children. He didn't know she was expecting at the time. Now let's bring Willow Creek into the story, way up in Alaska, Al's hometown. It seems the town is on it's last legs, having lost all hope of bringing in any industry to replace the now closed cannery. Al has a special plan, but a near heart attack keeps him from being able to go. Someone has to deliver the load, and for reasons Al won't divulge, Ray has to be there too. So we head for Alaska, two brothers who can't stand each other, with Mike hand-cuffed in the back seat of the truck. They meet up with a very pregnant Jessie on the way, and as the baby arrives, find out that there are things more important than the things they have been fighting about. They put their differences aside, and a family is restored. Al's surprise brings about not only the salvation of the town, but a new start for Ray and his new family. Pete and Mike also manage to have the heart to heart communication that they needed to have had years before, and become a father and son again. I have to watch this one every year. If you can get past seeing Pete and Ray as the "Duke Boys) you'll love it.

This is the title of a famous radio show in France and this applies to this movie. Sure it's strange to have country songs for Christmas season, Kim's character is a bit flat as well as the road trip ; the magic of the season is a bit ridiculous but at the end, no one can deny that the movie has good intentions, is full of loving feelings and just for that, it's refreshing ! for one time, no guns, no violence, no blood, no terrible villain, no gratuitous nudity, no discrimination quotas, just the simple life with simple people, happy to be together ! In addition, it offers a new meeting with faces i know from my childhood : the « gremlins » father, the « dukes of Hazzard » and the future Billy Miles from « X-files » . So it's not the movie of the century but it's worthy to be on the good side of the rating !