Dear Christmas

I really enjoyed this movie. A few scenes made me laugh out loud even after multiple viewings. The sets are beautiful, the family's cute and the storyline isn't the usual "save the family business/defeat the local Scrooge" type so prevalent in made for TV movies. I'm not sure why there is such confusion regarding Natalie's podcast. If, like me, you've read the other reviews for this movie you'll notice a theme. What is the name of Natalie's podcast? Why do they keep switching from one title to another? (sigh) if you pay attention it isn't complicated. The podcast is titled Holiday Love. The episode she is working on in the movie is called Dear Christmas. I assume there is an episode or two for each holiday. The wonderful Melissa Joan Hart never ceases to entertain and is joined by a super cast playing her family and her love interest. I honestly didn't even notice the lack of extras until another reviewer mentioned it. Personally, 50 or 60 shoppers wandering a small town Main St was always annoying to me. It's just not realistic. Natalie speaks about true love in her podcasts but not from personal experience. She goes home for Christmas and meets a man from her childhood. She ends up in various situations with him, spending most every day doing something together. As Christmas approaches she begins to question her feelings for him. You'll just have to watch to see what happens next. I rewatch movies that show situations I would like to be in, houses and families I would enjoy spending Christmas with, because that's pretty much what we're doing, right? I'm looking forward to adding this movie to my holiday dvd collection 🎄

A romance Christmas movie with Melissa Joan Hart that others have criticized for being too sugary? Yes, please! What could go wrong, right? Yet it's all Christmas and no story. As low as the bar is for this genre plot-wise, it still manages to fall completely flat: there's no element of conflict or tension whatsoever, no complications and resolution, nothing at all. And it's such a shame because it does have everything else to be the archetype of the feel-good romance Christmas movie: both actors are perfect for their roles, especially MJH, and the chemistry between them works flawlessly. The atmosphere is overwhelminly christmasy, taking place in a fairy-tale universe where houses, cars, shops, people.. everything is perfect in every sense. If only something happened..

Audio is indeed terrible, if you love to hear actors swallowing their food then this is the movie for you, and Natalie's father characther is absolutely unwatchable. But hey, I can live with all that as long as the story keeps me traped wanting for the two protagonists to overcome their ridiculously trivial problems in their perfect lives and get together at the end, that's why we watch this type of movies, right? Unfortunately the whole budget went to Christmas decorations and nothing was left for a screenwriter. Romance TV movies are expected to be predictable, this one however wasn't predictable at all, not because something unpredictable happens but because "nothing" happens!

So although it definitely wasn't worth the ice-cream I had watching it, overall I think it's a perfect movie to have playing on TV during a family gathering to provide Christmas spirit, beautiful visuals and a story that can be followed with minimal attention without having to sacrifice conversation.

This movie is full of music that is so loud that you can hardly hear what they're saying. Especially at the end, when I'm trying to hear if they're going to make it work, I had to put the closed caption on just to read the words. This shouldn't be the case.

Jason Priestley carried of the light humour of his character very well. We feel like he's a friend we know, as regular viewers of "Private Eyes". We enjoyed the non serious nature of the movie, simply as Christmas entertainment! But, my gosh, that awkward basketball that was supposed to be a pregnant belly, was ridiculous!! It was far too large for for a woman so tiny! For heavens sake, something more realistic was definitely called for! Sad indeed! We chuckled every time she appeared, carrying that around! Simply entertaining evening.

As what seems to be a trademark of any mother/daughter Hart production this movie is sub par ... It was difficult to pay attention to the actual story line, just kept waiting for the botox to ware off Mellissa's forehead and finally see some facial expression. Movie was okay, not at the Hallmark level, but when there was nothing else left in the PVR to watch.... eventually made it through.