Northern Lights of Christmas

I love Ashley Williams. She's always happy and smiling and it rubs off. Zoe even makes grumpy Alec smile. That's part of what makes this a good romance story.

The story isn't surprising, but that doesn't matter. There's some good lines and funny moments.

Zoey Hathaway (Ashley Williams) really wanted to be a full-time pilot, but when she inherits a reindeer farm in the town she grew up in, she has to decide what she wants to do with the property. Ranch hand Alec Wynn (Corey Sevier) is resentful of her initial plan to sell it, but will fond memories of her hometown, reconnecting with old friends in a town where everyone knows her name and a blossoming friendship with the slowly thawing demeanour of Alec change her plans?

'Northern Lights of Christmas' has tons going for it if you enjoy the Hallmark brand of Christmas movies. Leading lady Ashley Williams is always a class act in these flicks, delivering so much genuine excitement and warmth, and she gets bonus points for those stunning eyes of hers (and let's face it, a lot of the time these films are ALL about that eye acting!). Leading man Corey Sevier has a rugged handsome quality and restraint to his performance that never drifts into that more grating 'pretty-boy' over-cuteness that often appears in these movies...although many of the female viewers of these probably don't mind that anyway! The rest of the minor cast are all friendly and charming, really helping to bring home that sense of community that is so important to the best of these type of films.

Yes, it falls back on that wonderful 'distorted reality' that comes out in so many Hallmark Christmas movies where every single little niggling problem or issue is perfectly resolved by the finale (actually all in the space of about five minutes in this particular instance!), but the lead and minor cast are constantly likable, the close community aspect is inviting, everyone will love the adorable animals, and the Alaskan backdrops add all the snowy atmosphere you'd want to see in one of these Christmas films...and you'll definitely decide within minutes that moving to a breathtaking reindeer ranch is the only logical next step in your life!

8 out of 10 for this tasteful effort if you're an unashamed Hallmark Christmas junkie - raises hand on that one.

Now scouring my box of personal files to see if I was due to be left a reindeer ranch in any inheritance I might have missed...

Zoey inherits a farm in Alaska, and she decides to sell it to in order to start buy an aircraft and later own a charter airline in Seattle. So, she decides to throw a Christmas festival, as the previous owner and her mentor used to do, with the help of Alec who was looking after the property and the reeindeer.

Ashley Williams always makes me smile, she radiates good energy, happiness and warmth and it's always a pleasure to watch her in these movies. I didn't mind the actor who played Alec, but I did enjoy his development. However, I ended up disappointed because I didn't feel much chemistry between them but Ashley made me forget about the romance with her energy.

I actually liked this more as a "coming-home" kind of movie than as a romance. My other favorite part was the fact that Ashley was a pilot (and Captain, thank you very much) and as a woman in and into aviation that fact was very important to me.

I won't probably watch again, but I will definitely watch Ashley again in the future, she keeps proving that she is an amazing lead for these movies.

All seems so predictible, you know the end from the first half of film but the life of community, the memories about past, Corey Sevier and his decent performance as a sort of little Scrooge and lonely stranger are good points of this seductive romance. And, sure, aurora borealis, a town named itself Aurora and three reindeers are good ingredients for a comfortable film like this.

This movie is about hometown love, community spirit, and finding what feeds your soul... and about reindeer! I loved seeing how everyone came together to make the tradition of a Christmas festival a reality again. Also loved the northern lights!