Un Natale mai raccontato

First, Candace Cameron Bure makes just miracles with her character. Second, it is not exactly, for so many reasons, a Halmark film. Or, more exactly, it is far to be the expeted film. Three - it reminds Operation Philadelphia in fine way. And it is just charming, giving the chance to Oliver Hudson and Tom Skeritt to do their the best. So, just special.

Another delightful Candace Cameron Bure Hallmark Christmas movie. This one is about a nurse from the 1940s who finds herself magically transported in time to 2016. She helps people, they help her...lots of smiles all around because this is Hallmark and I wouldn't have it any other way. A pleasant, charming little movie with one of the best performances Candace has given yet. It doesn't hurt that the impossible to dislike Brooke Nevin is also here in a supporting role. And hey, there's Tom Skerritt!

I have some minor quibbles, mostly about how they gloss over the "woman out of time" aspects. She just seems to take 70 years of cultural and technological changes in stride. But that wasn't the story they wanted to tell and I think I can understand why. Also, this isn't going to be a romcom for Candace and Oliver Hudson, in case you were going into it assuming that. It's not a romcom at all, for one thing, it's a light drama. For another, despite being the female and male lead they are involved with other people. That may be a Hallmark first. Anyway, it's a very enjoyable movie that tells a simple heartwarming story. Also, I appreciate Hallmark attempting to recapture the '40s aesthetics. Were they totally successful? No but they filmed this with a small budget. I've seen many major theatrical releases that did worse.

I said this regarding a competitor's (UPtv) movie "a christmas movie Christmas" that mocked the redundant remigined Santa, parttime matchmaker /magic at christmas/romance at christmas, etc, themes that commonly flood the harlequin channel, excuse me, hallmark channel line up :-). Seldom do they ever even mention, even in passing, the true meaning of Christmas. To score seven (the perfect score on my scale) It has to be a lot better than the worn out cliché movies they turn out at a rate of a dozen a week in December. This movie, for the Hallmark channel scored, the same as its competitor's brilliant twist on the cliche romance at Christmas theme referenced above. It has time travel it, has elements of it's a wonderful life, it has a positive message, and yes real Christmas carols, not the Seccular "let's celebrate winter" tropes. I've seen a lot of reviews of modern Christmas movies where the slightest hint of a religious theme is criticized Bitterly by other reviewers. For those who take the religious aspect of Christmas seriously a movie like this is more a step in the right direction. Good job Hallmark. Please give more equal time to those who recognize the religious reason as the reason for the season, then i might not be so hard on the "dessert" christmas entertainment.

Journey Back To Christmas has Candace Cameron Bure as a 1945 recent war widow who gets caught in a garage and knocked out in December 1945 and then wakes up in 2016 some 10 days before Christmas in her small town.

Policeman Oliver Hudson instead of arresting this strangely dressed woman takes her home instead although proof of who she is can't be established.

Tom Skerritt plays an old man and town benefactor who comes to Candace's aid. She knew him in an interesting way back in the day.

This is a nicely packaged Yuletide film. A bit of a combination of Berkeley Square and The Time Machine.

Good viewing at Christmas time or any time.

I just loved this film. If you are over the age of 50 you must have memories of your own younger self, and can only wish now that you would have held on to some of your own personal belongings/artifacts such as maybe some special basebal glove or hockey cards, toys, books, record albums, report cards, christmas decorations, and/or family pictures. Journey Back to Christmas helped bring back some of my own memories from decades ago and as this Christmas themed film's intention was to help us determine if we are either believers in the unfamiliar or lean more toward being skeptics, it is obvious that we are better off if we believe in miracles, or at minimum that our hearts and minds remain open to other people's opinion(s) and beliefs.

Candace Cameron Bure, Oliver Hudson, Raven Stewart, and Tom Skerritt's performances were especially enjoyable. Darn it if they didn't make me cry a few times throught this retrospective and nostalicg Christas tale. Of course this is a film about stirring up the Christmas spirit in all of us and much like many of our fondest memories as time fades so do many of our past practices. A picture can tell a thousand stories and Journey Back to Christmas is a most enjoyable Christmas classic.

I give this film a perfect 10 for 10 rating