The Nine Kittens of Christmas

Our handsome fireman Zachary is back and trying to find homes for nine abandoned kittens and he calls on the help of his former love and veterinary Marilee for help. Marilee just happens to be in town visiting family...her boyfriend who was supposed to come bails on her and they end up breaking up leaving room for a second chance romance with Zachary.

Our two main characters have wonderful chemistry and the kittens, who get named after Santa's nine reindeers, are the most adorable kittens and make this movie.

If you like kittens and miss Zachary and Marilee from The nine lives of Christmas, don't miss them getting their second chance in this Hallmark holiday romance.

Haven't seen 'The Nine Lives of Christmas' for some time, but do remember liking it a lot and considering it one of the better Hallmark Christmas films that year. Although Hallmark really do vary when it comes to their sequels, it is always a little more promising when the same leads and cast return in the sequel which helps give continuity. Which is what 'The Nine Kittens of Christmas' does. Also saw it as someone who likes Kimberly Sustad, both as a lead and supporting actress.

While not as good as before, 'The Nine Kittens of Christmas', once you get past the off putting beginning that makes one unsure of whether to continue, turned out to be a worthy sequel and a quite decent film in its own right. Sustad and kitten fans will be in heaven and it is interesting seeing how much Brandon Routh has matured as an actor. 2021 was very hit and miss with its Christmas output and 'The Nine Kittens of Christmas' is one of the high middle ones in my view.

'The Nine Kittens of Christmas' isn't perfect. Wasn't overly impressed by the start, after such a beautiful ending in the previous film it is agreed that the circumstances set at the beginning rather undid it and it was like it didn't happen. It did make me think is this going to be another sequel that messes around with continuity in a mean spirited way.

Did also find Zach less likeable as a character here, here he seemed too passive and his indifference to the emotion spilling out from Marilee towards the end was something of a turn off. Will agree too that the advent calendar subplot was not necessary at all in the story and felt like padding, especially when very little is done with it.

On the other hand, Sustad is truly charming and heartfelt throughout and apart from at the end (which was a character writing thing at a guess) Routh looks more comfortable here. Their chemistry is as fresh and sweet as it was before and it was like the seven year gap had not happened. Gregory Harrison is distinguished support. The kittens are absolutely adorable and hug-worthy, though the film just about avoids sugar overload territory (which could easily have happened when reading the synopsis).

Production values are slick and attractive and the music isn't sickly or melodramatic. The dialogue doesn't come over as cheesy or schmaltzy and has a nice light hearted tone. Despite starting off unsure, the story is immensely charming and heart-warming. Really loved the development of the sister relationship, which was beautifully done and very relatable. The ending did move, namely because of Sustad, if not as much as that of the first. Most of the characters are written well and are worth caring about, the only reservation being with Zach.

In summary, worthy and a decent watch. 7/10.

Given that 'The Nine Lives of Christmas' is a Hallmark fan favorite, and I did enjoy the movie myself, I naturally was looking forward to seeing this new installment, knowing full well that sequels rarely meet fans' expectations. So, how was it, you ask? This Christmas movie (for cat lovers) checks all the boxes for, what I like to call, a classic Hallmark movie: a warm and cute story with a decent script, strong performances all around, and plenty of Christmas spirit and festive cheer (arguably, it's more Christmassy than the first). That said, though enjoyable, 'The Nine Kittens of Christmas' had less of an impression on me than the first, I'm afraid. Our protagonists in this sequel are again Marilee (played by Kimberley Sustad) and Zachary (played by Brandon Routh). Marilee, who has finished veterinary school and started her own practice since we saw her last, takes some time off to visit her family this Christmas. Zachary, who has been coming into his own at the firehouse, is looking forward to a ski trip this Christmas. His plans, however, change when he finds a box of abandoned kittens. Shortly thereafter, Marilee and Zachary are thrown back together, and then, join forces to search for new homes for the kittens, who are named after Santa's reindeer, of course. And so, our story begins as we watch these two begin to reconnect and rediscover their love for each other. Unlike some viewers, I didn't mind the unexpected shift in the plot at the start or the backstories that set this up. I thought the writers did a decent job of capturing much of the dynamics between Marilee and Zachary from the first film. Moreover, the dialogue and interaction between the two were strong. There were a few noticeable shortcomings, however. The writers could have done a better job of developing Routh's character (Zachary), especially regarding his lack of confidence (in relationships). I enjoyed the bonding between Marilee and Jaclyn (played by Stephanie Bennett); it is clear the writers were keen to develop this. Unfortunately, the inclusion of the advent story seemed forced. There was potential here that was never really developed, I thought. The acting, overall, was strong, and the chemistry between Sustad and Routh was good (believable). Sustad, in particular, had a brilliant performance. It pulled me in. For example, you could feel her struggling with her feelings for Zachary on-screen. Routh had a strong performance, though he could have given us a bit more emotion (and passion) at times. The supporting cast was excellent, and it was great seeing them on-screen together again. And then there are the kittens (aka Santa's reindeer), Ambrose, and Duchess (Marilee's new cat). Very adorable performances all around. The scenes where Zachary and Marilee talk to Ambrose and Duchess are fun to watch. Really enjoyed them. All in all, 'The Nine Kittens of Christmas' is a warm, cute, and fun movie. Maybe not as good as the first, but entertaining nonetheless. A nice new edition to Hallmark's 2021 Christmas movie line-up.

7/10 - this sequel 7 years detached from the original is a nice return to one of Hallmark's best Christmas movies to date, but still can't quite match the quality of its beloved predecessor.

It took seven years for Hallmark to finally show us what ever happened to Zachary and Marilee from one of its most beloved Christmas movies, "Nine Lives of Christmas." Was it worth the wait ? Well, in a way, yes.

The movie starts off with a couple of real surprises that leave you intrigued, and then it goes on to resolve those matters in a very interesting way. Sustad, as usual, is wonderful, and her portrayal of Marilee is honest, forthright, and endearing just like in the original movie.

Routh has matured as as actor and seems more comfortable in his role as Zachary. His scenes with Gregory Harrison as Zachary's mentor/father figure are quite good and realistic. The only problem is the script. It tries too hard to draw parallels to the original story and it contains what I call "filler" - a subplot that is intended to give the actors something else to do - that is unimaginative. Here, it is a silly advent calendar that Marilee's sister "found" after 20 years in their deceased's mother's lake house before it was "finally" sold. It's just uninteresting hokem that adds nothing to the story, which good filler should do. Nevertheless, it is nice to see these two characters back together and there is a really sweet pay off at the end. There's some good "extras" here, too. No one makes an entrance into a scene better than Sustad and here she does it again - this time in a stunning green dress. And keep your eye open for a little cameo appearance by the wonderful Paul Campbell, Sustad's frequent co-star.