Christmas on Cherry Lane

I am not sure what it is about this wonderful addition to the Hallmark Christmas movies that encouraged me for the first time to write a review but it really touched me. The ties that bind this movie is truly in the spirit of the holidays. I was transported into the heart of each character and felt invested in their journey. Must admit I will love a follow up next year. (As I know Hallmark is want to do). Unlike most reviews, I am not going to give you a play by play as I feel the magic of this movie is to be experienced without any preconceived notions. But I will say that you can tell that each of the actors felt invested in their journey and give us their vision of what family really means and the various ways to show it. Kudos to the writer and the actors for the fun journey they took us on. As an aside, Catherine Bell you have never looked more beautiful.

This is another great movie and Hallmark is really hitting home with some of their recent releases.

The only thing is you really have to be paying attention or re-watch the movie.

There are three families across three different time periods (the 70's the late 90's and current time 2023). The time periods and families are not shown sequentially (since their connection is more than sequential).

The connections to the other families and time periods is more than just the home, it's in the people themselves and their connection to each other, but that's not the focus of the story. Even though these people's lives have some connection or overlap, they each independently have life changing events occurring and the struggles that go with dealing with these events. As they overcome or accept these life changes they find strength in the people around them and the viewer sees connections that are hinted at but slowly revealed as the story progresses.

I wish the changes between the time/families had been a little more clear, but do like the way it was showing the families and the overlapping storyline.

Bravo, Hallmark.

Loved every second. Tough competition in 2023 with the brilliance of 'Holiday Road' and 'A Biltmore Christmas' but the ensemble cast and the three intertwining stories (the 70's, 90's and present day) made for a proper Hallmark classic. Leaning more into the nostalgia of the season and the importance of family over place, 'Christmas on Cherry Lane' continues the Hallmark trend in 2023 of moving away from the (pardon the pun!) cookie-cutter movies they have become famous or infamous for.

Whilst it was a little bit of a shock at the end of the first stanza of the film to see the years flash up on the screen, it was fun figuring out who was related to who, and how everyone knew each other through the years. You had to pay attention, but it was worth it.

Catherine Bell's best work for Hallmark. Erin Cahill's best work for Hallmark. Jonathan Bennett finds himself in another classic (I'll never stop seeing him as the brother from the Christmas House movies) and a well-cast group of supporting characters. James Denton didn't get a tonne of screen time, but he was good. Brandi Alexander as Daisy tied everything together.

Great sets, great music, great acting, great story -- no, an unforgettable story.

The finale hits you right in the feels.

There's so much in here about families and how Christmas brings out the best and worst in them, that it almost feels like the writer is presenting a theory and philosophy of family Christmas.

It's one of the most interesting and innovative of the "family Christmas" sub-genre of Christmas movies that I've seen.

That said, there is an awful lot going on here and I got a little lost as I wasn't paying full attention. Not least because the description I read didn't make it clear that events are happening at different times in the same location. So I was struggling, at times, to work out precisely how the various characters spanned the 3 time periods.

I didn't pay enough attention to the trailer that preceded this film's release during the week. This is one Hallmark film where the ending doesn't matter as much as what happens in each of the three stories. This film has sweet and relatable stories, and as is the way with Hallmark, love still takes center stage. Note: If you're a bit drowsy or are overly distracted, perhaps wait till you're not to watch, otherwise you'll likely miss the smattering of clues to help you understand what's going on with each of the three stories. With a large stellar cast, this film is not your typical Hallmark movie. Love that Hallmark is working hard to ensure ensure representation in story lines as well in casting.