Annie Claus Is Coming to Town

I sat down to watch "Annie Claus is Coming to Town" during the Christmas season, as part of a great many number of Christmas movies to watch. I must admit, though, that "Annie Claus is Coming to Town" was not among the better of all the Christmas movies that I watched.

Sure, the movie had a decent enough storyline, however, it just wasn't outstanding or particularly memorable. The story about Santa's daughter taking a trip away from the North Pole was interesting enough. But there was just too much of a contrast between where the movie wanted to go and where it ended up going. And I wasn't particularly impressed with the outcome of the movie at the hands of director Kevin Connor.

Maria Thayer is a good enough actress for a movie such as this, and she certainly does have that unique charm and quality that was required to pull off something like a movie such as this. However, she was just struggling with a less than adequate script.

The movie also suffered from being too sappy and predictable. Sure, this was a Christmas movie shown on the Hallmark Channel, but did it have to follow every single step of how to make a family-friendly Christmas movie? It just ended up as being very generic and mundane.

There are far better Christmas movies available, movies that are more Warming to the heart and brings a smile to the lips. "Annie Claus is Coming to Town" just didn't had enough to put underneath the Christmas tree, pardon the pun.

This happened to be on True Christmas during the xmas period and I decided to watch it. The story is about Annie Claus who travels to sunnyside LA California where she meets a charming man whom she falls in love with. Problem is that the guy that she meets is a amateur actor that one of the elves hired so that he can stop Annie from coming back to the North Pole. Later though Annie does meet a cynical toy shop owner who's store is about to be closed down due to another store that just opened. But of course who does Annie love more Dean(the amateur actor who is only using her)or Ted(the toy shop owner who later falls for Annie)?

Bottom line this was a very sugar coated rom com that we all know the story to having witnessed it in A lot of romantic comedies. But for a Christmas movie it wasn't that bad. Its not an Oscar Worthy film but its a fine film to watch on a lazy afternoon. Give it a shot if you are in the Xmas spirit.

6/10

Every now and then, the Hallmark Channel comes up with a different plot for a Christmas movie. And, most of those are quite good. "Annie Claus Is Coming to Town" is such a film.

Although it follows a familiar theme about the eventual replacement for the current Santa Claus, the plot is unique enough to make this a fine comedy romance for Christmas viewing. Most of the cast are good, and Maria Thayer is superb as Annie Claus. When she rents her room at the Candy Cane Motel, she tells Lucy her last name is spelled with a K.

Thayer's Annie is a constantly joyful person - it wouldn't be right to say she is "chronically" joyful. It's her nature, coming from where she does. And, her joyfulness is infectious. That's something that would likely be overdone, or come across as corny or sappy by many another actor. But Thayer makes it seem real, pleasing and refreshing.

This is a more modern film that most family members should enjoy over the Christmas holidays. The film has some funny and clever lines, and gets in a couple gentle digs about living in the Los Angeles area. Here are my favorites.

Martha Claus, "All right, Annie. Are you ready to see where sabbatical will be taking you?" Annie, "Oh, I'm so excited, mother. It could be anywhere. Paris. Prague. Pittsburgh."

Lucy, "Well, we're pretty comfortable around here living in fear of each other. We tend to not make eye contact if we can help it." Annie, "When I pass someone without a smile, I like to offer mine."

Lucy, to her daughter, "Don't you ever run after a man, hear me?" Mia, "Okay."

I find it hard to find Christmas movies that are newer that give me that Christmassy feeling. The one you all know what I'm talking about. This movie has it through and through! Love Annie Claus, it's heartwarming, and silly dorky, down right hilarious to me and soooo Christmas infused. I love all the characters. A new classic for me!! Merry Christmas everyone!!

From the first moment of this movie, it was clear that there is no such thing as realism. So accept it for what it is and enjoy.

Having said that, there are still some flaws in this film, but Maria Thayer as Annie is such a delight that it makes up for it. Annie is the Princess of Christmas being Santa's daughter and Thayer does a good job spreading Christmas to everyone. Sadly she is naïve to the world and easily falls prey to Dean, the shark trying to lead her astray. Still her joy infects not just the people around her, but the audience as well. Thayer and Sam Page are good together, but for most of the movie that is muted because she thinks her love is Dean, so their relationship can't really take off. Almost all of the characters other than Thayer and Page are either exaggerated or flat. Santa is almost robotic.

The plot is mostly predictable and some of the effects are weak.

If you sit back this movie can be an enjoyable Christmas sleigh ride.