Mistletoe Moments

Yes, you guessed it, of course I had never heard about the 2023 movie "Designing Christmas With You" (aka "Mistletoe Moments") prior to sitting down to watch it here in 2024. I happened to have the chance to add it to my 2024 Christmas movie marathon, and since it was a movie that I was unfamiliar with, of course I did so.

Were I harboring grand expectations to Jo-Anne Brechin's 2023 movie? No, not really, as the movie's cover seemed rather generic and sappy. But then again, doesn't the vast majority of these movies essentially have the same cover of a woman and a man looking all cozy and Christmassy? And this movie was no different.

The storyline in the movie is generic, so very, very generic. Our leading actress stumbles into a stranger and it is an instant attraction, and she has to work on a huge Christmas event, but lo and behold the guy opposing her plans happens to be the leading actor, the stranger she bumped into in the beginning of the movie. Will they work out their differences and make Christmas a reality? And will they fall in love along the way? I think we all know the answers and the exact outcome of the story. So writer Ansley Gordon played it safe and put all bets on all the archetypical sappy Christmas movie tropes in history.

But of course, this means that the diehard fans of sappy Christmas movies will enjoy the movie a lot more than us casual viewers will. No doubt about that.

I wasn't familiar with the cast ensemble in the movie, and that is actually something I do enjoy when I sit down to watch a movie. The acting performances in the movie were fair.

Hardly a movie that I will ever return to watch a second time, but it was entertaining enough for what it was.

My rating of director Jo-Anne Brechin's 2023 movie "Designing Christmas With You" lands on a five out of ten stars.

It's all about decorating and the decorating budget must have been forgotten about?... Maybe less fake snow and more vintage, Victorian design. Not realistic at all. Seems like the same bows were used in every scene. My home looks better than the Chapman house🙃 Definitely not a holly ball to remember. This is the cheesiest hallmark movie I've ever seen. Why make such a terrible movie if you don't have the budget to make it authentic to the script? The am new to Hallmark movies but there are some I do like but again, this takes the cake for the worst one I've seen. No drama, unrealistic timeline and again the budget and decor for the holly ball falls flat. Walmart decorates better than that!!

6.4 stars.

It took me three separate attempts to get through this movie. I was waiting for something dramatic or romantic to happen, but it never really did until the last 20 minutes. We have a normal Hallmark type romance movie here, two young and good looking people are interested in each other, mixed with a bit of misunderstanding and missed opportunities. In my opinion, this man is a fool and somewhat of a loser. His character has flaws and he lacks observational skills and some common positive traits. The female lacks discernment and is seemingly floundering for someone who should be a very focused and professional interior designer.

What is absent throughout the majority are all the memorable moments, instead it's filled with too much of the in between stuff. Where is the tension, where is the anticipation, where is the fun? Again, none of this starts to blossom until the last 20 minutes. Most romance films, find a way to pull you in to the story early on, then provide some filler and slow moments, then pique your interest around midpoint, then more fluff, and finally the wonderful finale. This film lacks the timing and impact of the great parts that comprise an entertaining romance. It's just a bunch of endless drivel for a full hour leading up to the last part. The first 10 minutes started off okay, and lulled me into a false sense of satisfaction.

I've seen several movies like this in the last two years, this one is no different, it can fit right into the low end of the average bunch. Nothing to see here folks move on to the next. If I had nothing better to do but choose from all the mundane romance films, 'Designing Christmas With You' a.k.a. 'Mistletoe Moments' would toward the bottom of the list. I have plenty of 6.5-6.9 star films I'd be more willing to fight through a second time. There is no reason I can think of to watch this again.

I am afraid this film just "couldn't get there." Their acting was ok, I guess, but the awkward moments were forced and it was totally lacking in chemistry. It was slammed together, like it was a weekend student film project, and it had no real substance or good conflict.

It snowed continually, I guess for effect, but the snow never built up.

AND the fact that they were having to put all those decorations up and there were no helpers, was a bit ridiculous.

Unfortunately, I didn't feel anything in this movie, not even Christmas.

PS - Lip synch went out the last 15-20 minutes of the film. Sorry. A for effort, F for failed.

I was genuinely excited to watch Designing Christmas with You given its festive premise, but unfortunately, the movie left much to be desired. The weak story arc and lackluster conflict were immediate turn-offs. The plot centers around a designer tasked with transforming a holiday celebration, but the emotional stakes are so low, it's hard to feel invested. There's no real tension or meaningful development between the characters, and the supposed "romantic" angle feels forced and underdeveloped.

However, what really threw me off was the premise itself. The movie is about designing Christmas, but the main character seems to have zero talent when it comes to holiday decorating. Those bows on the kitchen cabinets? Yikes! I honestly can't understand how that was presented as "festive" or even "charming." The overall look was flat-out unappealing. The decor felt half-baked, and I'm still not sure what the theme was supposed to be. The finished design was, in a word, ghastly. Did they even have a set designer for this movie? It sure didn't seem like it.

This film desperately lacked that magical holiday sparkle and warmth that makes Christmas movies special. Instead, it felt more like a half-hearted attempt to cash in on a seasonal trend without delivering the heart or craftsmanship expected from a holiday film. The lack of engaging characters, conflict, and festive charm left me thoroughly disappointed. Skip this one if you're looking for any real holiday magic or a well-crafted Christmas story.