Christmas Eve

I guess that this is as short a summary as I can write. And it does have certain of the same qualities as Love Actually has, which makes me wonder why people don't like it much.

A philosophical high strung bunch of people stuck together, and how the story develops. Now what makes the story lacking a little bit, are the questions we are stuck with. You'll figure them out too, if you see the film.

Christmas Eve has potential to being somewhat more, though.

What about a Directors Cut? There has to be a few more questions answered in other footage that wasn't used in this cutting?

Let's see that, next Christmas.

Christmas Eve is a light, charming Christmas movie. It works mainly because of all the talented actors involved. (You can look at the IMDb listing to see who they all are.) The plot involves different groups of people being stuck on elevators in New York City for several hours on Christmas Eve. We get to know the people and see how they react to missing their Christmas Eve plans. I didn't really care for a couple of the groups, mainly the hospital elevator and the group of musicians. However, the elevator with James Roday and a neighbor was especially sweet and touching. And I would just like to hang out with the people in the mall elevator! Give this a try if you're looking for a sweet Christmas movie to watch.

I was surprised to read that critics initially panned this movie.

I saw it on cable and found it amusing, entertaining, touching, inspiring and intellectually stimulating. I was quickly involved in the plot and the off-beat characters and remained engrossed through the end.

Even after the movie was over, I continued to worry a about the fate of some of the characters: What happened to the woman with the fatal ailment? Did she end up telling her husband that she was going to die?

I suspect that one reason that critics underestimated this film is that it is different. For example, the humor is not slapstick or laugh-out-loud hysterical. Instead, it is quirky, droll and subtle.

Another reason that critics may have been put off is the fact that the story seems more appropriate for a stage play rather than for a movie.

The action is mostly confined to the interiors of a series of stuck elevators. Hence, there is not much physical activity. Because the setting is static, the movie, naturally, is talky---something that is not to everyone's taste.

This movie has been under-appreciated. As more people are exposed to it on cable, I suspect that it will grow into a cult classic.

Sat down with the girlfriend thinking let's watch a Christmas movie, we were both excited by the idea of another funny Chrissy flick especially coming up to that time. We made a mistake. It cost us our night.

Absolute waste of time.. the reviews were a lot higher a few days ago which makes me think maybe it was the creator's friends jumping on? 2 stars for effort but this was nothing but frustrating and I can't for the life of me imagine who it might even appeal to.

It wasn't bad acting, it was simply unlikable characters with zero story line. Like a bunch of unfunny skit shows thrown together and no point.

WHY?! WHY would you make this?!

Doesn't matter how many times you've seen Jingle All The Way or The Santa Clause... Watch anything that made you laugh once, even for a 5th time over, before you even look at this "movie".

My first review ever on here...

I just had to warn the people.

"Deus ex machina" can be clearly read on the side of the copier repair van at the beginning of the movie(and the trailer), but as opposed to it being the divine intervention plot device to save the protagonist, in Christmas Eve it is the basis of a story where we see God manifested in multiple ways, all from the machine.

The story is slow at times, the dialogue is fair, but has its moments. This is a story designed to make you feel connected to the people around you and maybe even care about a stranger. It is not an action movie, it is not a romantic comedy, it is not 90 minutes of CGI. You have to engage in a little suspension of reality for the given situation and spend the night in an elevator with the characters that have normal lives and experience everyday outcomes.

Not the best Christmas movie I've seen. I would have liked more more time focused on Patrick Stewart's character, but in fairness I've never seen anything where I thought it had too much Patrick Stewart. In the end I took my children(10&4yo) and had less to worry about in the content than I do with prime time television. For that I am immensely thankful and will watch this with my family again next Christmas.