Christmas in the Clouds

We thoroughly enjoyed this movie . It was quaint, funny and had a real First Nations feel about it which made it unique. A comedy of miscommunication and quirky characters all making for a fun movie

I enjoyed the movie; found it to be funny and the plot reminiscent of some films from the 40s. It reminded me of Smoke Signals, another refreshing native American film made a few years ago. The scenery was beautiful; wish winter had come sooner so there had been more pictures of the forest deep with snow.

Hearing ahead of time that a movie is "sweet" doesn't leave me with much of an appetite for viewing. But, Christmas in the Clouds beat out those expectations. I told a friend the other day: "A wonderfully told story of mistaken identity, American Indian culture and how life seems to find a way to work itself out. Sometimes predictable and a little cute, it still is full of warmth, charm ... and well worth seeing."

Some very surprising performances from a leading cast of unknowns (mostly) and a supporting cast of seasoned professionals. Enjoy!

I found myself amused for about the first half hour of this film, and then sporadically thereafter. (Vegetarians will particularly appreciate the humor provided by the chef, played by Graham Greene.) The characters are appealing, but two-dimensional, and the hackneyed mistaken-identity plot was tiresome. It's visually beautiful, but not very deep. And why is the Native American male romantic lead played by a white, very Anglo-looking actor? (Not that it was easy to imagine Native American physical traits in the female lead.)

Native American Ray (Timothy Vahle) heads home after graduating from college to help run his family's shabby ski resort. Believing that Tina (Mariana Tosca), a beautiful lodge guest, is an incognito travel guide critic, he decides to improve the quality of the family business. In reality, Tina is at the lodge in search of romance and, in a twist of fate, ends up falling for Ray. When Stu (M. Emmet Walsh), an actual critic, shows up, he is greeted with the staff's typical disorganization.

This film has lots of charm. Its also not a typical Hallmark Christmas film. This film has style & grace. The film is not only romantic but it has great believable characters.

Family Safe but most kids under 12 will be bored. I liked this film so much that I will watch it again before Christmas.