La tavola di Natale

As far as the made for TV romances go, we've always regarded Hallmark as top tier and Lifetime as a very distant second. Last year GAF stepped into the picture, and I thought they were better than Lifetime but still not quite up to the quality of Hallmark.

This movie puts GAF a giant step forward. Of course, they spared no expense bringing over Hallmark talent, and it shows.

Here we have an attractive leading couple who both hold up their parts well. We start out with an awkward and amusing "mistaken identity" that morphs to the "rebellious next generation."

Then we get a whole lot of what all these movies need and so many fail at ... LOTS of relationship building between the leads. There's little tension and lots of good feeling, making this a comfortable and enjoyable window into this story's world.

Even a couple of contrived speedbumps don't slow this down. Recommended.

The thing about Catering Christmas is that you don't feel any troughs and peaks emotionally. There is no ancipation. The writer and director set out to make a pleasant movie and this is what it is. It's sort of one-toned. It's a nice movie to watch if you have exhausted the top 20 Christmas movies on Netflix. As far as performances are concerned, I liked Rosemary Dunsmore the most, she suited her character very well. Daniel Lissing was okay but i felt that he is probably better at intense roles. I couldn't make up my mind about how I felt about Merritt Patterson's performance.

Suffice to say It's a one time watch.

I agree with the reviewer that GAF movies are hit or miss and that this one is a hit. In my opinion, GAF is still building. The success of any particular movie for theme depends on the quality of the stars and other creative staff. They have a few great actors and their movies tend to be winners. The newer faces have to this point not been at the same level.

Merritt Patterson and Daniel Lissing are true veterans in this genre and it shows. This particular pairing has good chemistry although not quite the witty banter seen in some movies. Good dialogue, but not sparkling. Patterson has always impressed me with her presence on the screen. Her presence is sophisticated as opposed to soft and fuzzy. Still she is definitely appealing.

This story follows familiar lines. The leads are thrown together to prepare for a Christmas gala. Molly's business is less than thriving and she needs this event. Carson is in the process of finding himself. Together they boost each other in their best qualities. I'm glad that the controlling Aunt is just that but not overly Scroogelike despite her reputation. She's tough but not mean or rude. Her side story contributes something to fill out the overall story. The activities are the usual - baking, decorating etc. The conflict near the end is another very common plot device and predictable.

Is there any significance that Patterson was the professional photographer in her Christmas movie 3 years earlier while Lissing plays that role here?

I enjoyed this move despite a story that doesn't stand out with any special highs or lows or surprises. Like many GAF movies, the level of dramatic tension is low but it is totally family friendly with little to cause controversy unless the lack of it is controversial in itself. I enjoyed it largely because of the relationship between the leads and upbeat atmosphere.

Okay, I'll admit I read all the reviews before I watched this one. I found this to be a really entertaining, sweet, and grounded movie - and, yes, there were predictable moments. And yes, the pics of the "town" are the same as most of these small town locales. It is a made-for-tv rom-com after all - and low budget at that. But all of the actors did a great job. Loved all of the supporting roles and Merritt Patterson and Daniel Lissing were superb together. The older couple were just right - as an older person myself I can tell you that 7 years isn't significant in a relationship ( in real life age means less than attitude and vitality.). Personally I watch these movies to help me remember to enjoy the holidays and give me a lift and this one did that. I say bravo to focusing on what's important in life. Good job GAC.

Catering Christmas is a sweet movie, but the plot is nothing special and quite predictable. In the movie, Molly runs a catering business and she lands a gig to cater a Christmas gala that could make or break her career. She then meets Carson, and from there it is just like every other Christmas movie. Things seem to be going well for Molly and Carson, but of course there reaches a point of tension followed by the final resolution. Merritt Patterson and Daniel Lissing were fantastic as the main cast, and Rosemary Dunsmore and Michael Hanrahan were great as well. Catering Christmas is by no means terrible, but it is not unique enough to standout from all the Christmas movies out there.