Natale a prima vista

Now that the Christmas season has begun, I'm hoping we'll get a new lot of romance movies. This just came out and the first is many season movies I'll be seeing. This movie captures the same old formula, but it's an interesting and new plot. Not typical for this genre. I think the beginning was cute, the middle was a little thin and felt drawn out, but it's got moments of developed background history, which add to its charm. The lead female is a fresh personality on the stage and we always love this male lead.

Because this movie steps out from the cookie cutter mold enough to catch my attention, I've rated this Hallmark romance movie a star higher than most their movies.

For me, this movie was unexpected. A bit different from the usual, which made me want to immediately watch it again to see what I missed. Tender and sweet, yet with very funny moments. The goofy family was delightful and relatable. Romance shown differently, with the conflict being within each character; not between the characters. Love how the individual storylines weaved together. The cast was lovely, the scenery beautiful, shot from many locations, the facial expressions were the best. Love how the beginning and end cab scenes book ended the movie, and how the Actors handled those scenes! Great chemistry between the leads, and hope to see them paired together again. If you want to watch a movie that does not gut punch you and leaves you with warm feelings, this is the movie to watch!

Kim Matula kicks butt. If there is a penalty shot where a goal was needed, I would pick Matula every time. She's been a great addition to the Hallmark roster.

This movie was fun and funny. The hockey scenes were kind of hilarious in that they were bad but it added to the charm.

So watch this movie, it's awesome, it is an absolutely stellar start to the holiday cavalcade of Christmas movies. I can't wait for the rest.

And just because extra words are required to get a review posted, please be kind to yourself and other people and just remember the more we work together as people, the better we will all be.

Best, John.

Journeyman hockey player Scott meets Ashley in the airport for their "meet cute". They both flew into Idaho Falls, Idaho which happens to be Ashley's hometown and Scott's new home as he has been traded to the local hockey team...the Fighting Trouts! Scott's frustrated because he really wants to be called up the the NHL, but keeps getting passed over for younger and faster kids. He is in his thirties and trying to come to grips with his dream being unattainable.

His real goal is to be as good as his father a Hall of Fame hockey player, who was too busy playing to be a father to his son and considers his team his family instead of his actual family.

At home, after having her real estate parter and boyfriend betray her and steal her client, Ashley begins to realize how great it is to be in her home town with her warm and loving family and friends.

Hockey, Christmas cider, more hockey, and fishing for plastic fish...this was an adorable holiday romance. I loved the focus on family and it's value. Kim Matula (Ashley) and Kevin McGarry (Scott) were wonderful together. The humor was great and I really appreciated the taxi cab callback at the end.

I highly recommend this Hallmark Holiday Romance to my fellow romantics, especially to those like me who like hockey!

This movie is probably typical Hallmark fare if you've never been to Idaho Falls, but as someone who grew up there (and someone who's watched plenty of Hallmark movies), I gotta say that this movie exemplifies what people don't like about the genre. They make Idaho Falls look like a blend of Jackson Hole and Park City with the giant hockey arena and people who have a guest house. Neither of those things exist in IF (except maybe at Frank Vandersloot's house). If you're gonna set a movie in a real place, don't just throw a dart at a map-use its actual character. If you set a movie in New York City, you don't keep referring to a Griffith Park; that's essentially the setting sin this movie makes, the kind that fully takes you out of it. If they set this in a fake place, most of that problem takes care of itself. Also, for all the Idahoans out there, can we learn to say Boise correctly? Pretty please?